Chapter 177: Open the treasure chest! The Imperial Seal is at Mount Langju!

Inside the Daning border army camp!

In the tent, Zhu Ying was alone, sitting on a chair, his eyes revealing uncontrollable excitement.

"Delayed for so long."

"Finally, I can open the treasure chests."

Zhu Ying had a smile on his face, his voice carrying urgency.

This time, he had a bountiful harvest; the Imperial Edict arrived, and he got three more treasure chests, plus the ones he had accumulated before, the number of treasure chests he possessed now was quite considerable.

"There are a total of 23 treasure chests: 16 ordinary treasure chests, 6 First Rank treasure chests, and 1 Second Rank treasure chest."

"If I don't open some good things, then my luck is truly too bad," Zhu Ying thought secretly, his anticipation growing stronger.

Having saved for so long, the moment to open the treasure chests had finally arrived.

Carrying excitement.

Zhu Ying took a deep breath, calmed down, and then gave the command: "Open all the treasure chests."

"Host command, open all treasure chests," the panel prompted.

"Open 16 ordinary treasure chests."

"Obtained 10 bottles of 【Grain Grain Bigu Pills】."

"Obtained 10 bottles of 【Premium Hemostatic Powder】."

"Obtained one volume of 【Mineral Exploration Method】."

"Obtained 【500 taels of gold】."

"Obtained 【one set of silver needles】."

"Obtained one piece of Huang Jie, Low-grade 【Golden Silk Soft Armor】."

"Obtained one volume of 【Pigeon Domestication Method】."

"Obtained 【1000 taels of silver】."

"Obtained 【100 refined steel sabers】."

"Obtained 【100 refined steel armor-piercing arrows】."

"Obtained one 【compass】."

"..."

Immediately following.

"Open First Rank treasure chests."

"Obtained one volume of 【Petroleum Exploration Method】."

"Obtained Huang Jie, Low-grade 【Basic Internal Energy】."

"Obtained the formula for Huang Jie, High-grade 【Strength-Increasing Pill】."

"Obtained Xuan Rank, Low-grade 【Shift of Stars】."

"Obtained the manufacturing blueprint for 【New Water Wheel】."

"Obtained 【Refined Salt Extraction Method】."

Finally.

"Open Second Rank treasure chest."

"Obtained Xuan Rank, High-grade 【Nine Yang Divine Art】."

The panel prompts all ended.

Before Zhu Ying's eyes, all the treasure chests were opened, and all the gains were presented before him.

Future technology, weapons, cultivation techniques, pill formulas, and even Xuan Rank, High-grade cultivation techniques were all presented before him one by one.

"Xuan Rank, High-grade, 【Nine Yang Divine Art】."

Zhu Ying's voice trembled slightly, full of shock and joy.

"There really are divine art secret manuals."

"The treasure chests can indeed open treasures from the myriad realms of the heavens."

"And this Shift of Stars."

Just by glancing at it, Zhu Ying's gaze fell completely on these two Xuan Rank level manuals, and countless reveries surged in his heart: "I wonder if I can practice this Nine Yang Divine Art now."

Zhu Ying's heart was full of anticipation.

Immediately, Zhu Ying's mind moved, and he extracted the cultivation technique.

The next moment.

He felt a violent surge in his sea of consciousness, as if a powerful force was churning within it.

A Xuan Rank, High-grade cultivation technique was thus branded in his sea of consciousness.

In just an instant, Zhu Ying firmly remembered the content of this cultivation technique.

"Transform internal breath into internal power, release internal power externally."

"Currently, practicing can only increase internal breath; according to my current digitized full attributes, I must wait until internal breath breaks through to 10,000 points to transform it into internal power."

"Moreover, practicing this also requires heaven and earth spiritual energy."

"Does heaven and earth spiritual energy exist in this world?"

Zhu Ying looked at the Nine Yang Divine Art in his mind, both excited and somewhat depressed.

Compared to the internal energy he obtained before, this Nine Yang Divine Art was indeed much stronger, and practicing it for one day could increase internal breath by 10 points, which was also the result of digitization.

But wanting to transform internal breath into internal power was a huge leap, requiring the support of heaven and earth spiritual energy.

Because once this step was taken, internal breath transforming into internal power, that would be truly transcending the mundane, and Zhu Ying would become the only transcendent person in this world.

However.

Heaven and earth spiritual energy?

Zhu Ying had truly never felt it.

"Shift of Stars."

Zhu Ying's gaze fell on another martial arts manual: "Although it also requires internal power to exert the power of this martial art, with the current thickness of my internal breath, I can at least control this martial art within one zhang."

"If I face a volley of arrows in the future, I won't have anything to fear."

After extracting it, Zhu Ying had a deeper understanding of this martial art, and his heart had a bit more confidence.

After putting these two Xuan Rank martial arts aside for the time being, Zhu Ying looked at the treasures opened from other treasure chests.

Mineral exploration method, petroleum exploration, refined salt extraction, new water wheel manufacturing.

Although these did not seem to have much use at the moment, Zhu Ying knew deeply that if he were to found a country in the future, these would all play a crucial role.

Relying on the various technologies he had obtained before, the powerful technological nation Zhu Ying would found in the future would inevitably be one.

Of course, to completely transform the technologies he had obtained into results, this also required enough talent and enough time.

In this era, there was no such thing as technological research, so it was still very difficult to fully realize it.

Therefore, he needed to wait patiently and accumulate constantly.

Time, he did not lack.

"With so many treasure chests, overall, they all have great use."

Zhu Ying whispered to himself, his eyes flashing with joyful light: "Next, it is to continue killing enemies in the army to pick up attributes, and incidentally, find that Imperial Seal."

"As long as I get this Imperial Seal, when I found a country in the future, I, Zhu Ying, will be the orthodox one."

As he went further and further north, he was getting closer and closer to the Imperial Seal.

Zhu Ying, naturally, was full of eager desire for this.

The Imperial Seal!

That treasure symbolizing supreme power, who could not be moved by it?

Just at this moment!

"Master."

Outside the tent, Liu Lei's voice came respectfully.

"Come in."

Zhu Ying said in a deep voice, instantly restraining his expression and returning to his usual steadiness.

Liu Lei immediately lifted the curtain and walked in, holding a map in his hands.

"Master," Liu Lei held the map high with both hands, his tone carrying awe: "This is the most detailed map of the northern frontier found in the military council camp."

However.

In his words.

Liu Lei furrowed his brows slightly and continued, "However, the Northern Yuan people are extremely cunning; although the map roughly marks it, it is only detailed in the places where Northern Yuan built cities, and the deeper you go into the northern frontier, the less detailed it is."

Liu Lei handed the map respectfully, his eyes revealing dissatisfaction with Northern Yuan.

"Let alone the current Northern Yuan Emperor, even the former Northern Yuan royal family, apart from a Kublai, who could have mapped the northern frontier so detailedly?"

Zhu Ying reached out to take the map, unfolded it gently, and his gaze swept slowly over it.

"Furthermore, Northern Yuan is not stupid."

"If they really drew the map locations of the northern frontier in detail, this would be a devastating disaster for them."

Zhu Ying smiled faintly; regarding the lack of clarity in the Northern Yuan map, he naturally understood the fundamental reason.

"That's true."

Liu Lei nodded, thinking thoughtfully: "If Northern Yuan really drew a map, how would they hide in the future?"

"Hasn't our Huaxia been unable to find their tracks for countless years when dealing with these foreign tribes?" Liu Lei also nodded in understanding.

"Alright." Zhu Ying raised his head, looked at Liu Lei, and said gently: "You go down and rest."

"This subordinate takes his leave."

Liu Lei said no more, bowed, and then retreated slowly from the tent.

At the same time.

Zhu Ying took out the map of the Imperial Seal again.

He placed the two maps side by side on the table, his gaze scanning carefully over the two maps, not letting go of any detail.

Finally, his gaze fixed directly on one place.

"Mount Langju."

Zhu Ying's eyes narrowed slightly, revealing shock and excitement.

"The Imperial Seal is actually here."

Zhu Ying's gaze fell completely on a location on the map.

That was a place that had gone completely deep into the heartland of Northern Yuan, and it was also the place known as the greatest glory for military generals.

To seal Mount Langju!

It was precisely in that place.

"It seems."

Zhu Ying's voice was low and firm: "This time, no matter what, I must come to seal Mount Langju once."

"Not just for the Imperial Seal, but even more for sealing Mount Langju."

"A Huaxia man, who wouldn't want to?"

"Only in this way can I, this Marquis of Champions, truly live up to the name."

Zhu Ying stared at the map, muttering to himself.

But in his eyes, a strong ambition surged—the greatest pursuit and ambition of Huaxia men in any era.

Yuan Capital, main hall of court assembly.

The atmosphere was so oppressive that it made people unable to breathe; the hall was solemn and majestic, but it was filled with an atmosphere of decay.

"My dear ministers."

The Yuan Emperor sat on the dragon throne, his voice tired and helpless, his gaze sweeping slowly over the court officials in the hall: "The Ming army is already about to strike the last two garrison cities of my capital."

"Do you have nothing you want to say?"

The Yuan Emperor's voice echoed in the hall, but did not stir up a ripple.

Facing the Yuan Emperor's inquiry and his gaze full of expectation, the ministers in the court all lowered their heads, as if the ground had endless attraction.

Their faces were either filled with panic or helplessness, but not a single person dared to stand up and speak.

In the entire hall, there was only a strange silence.

"Sigh."

The Yuan Emperor let out a long sigh, the whole person appearing very twilight and powerless.

He leaned on the dragon throne, his eyes revealing deep disappointment: "Didn't you say that my Great Yuan iron cavalry was enough to crush the Ming army?"

"Didn't you say that my Great Yuan's garrison cities were like copper walls and iron bastions, impossible to break?"

"What about now? The Ming army is about to strike my Great Yuan's capital, but you are all silent?"

The Yuan Emperor said full of bitterness, his voice carrying a sense of disappointment.

"Your Majesty."

Manzi stood out, his voice resonant, breaking the silence in the hall.

"Currently, there are thirty thousand troops in the two garrison cities, and supplies are sufficient."

"We can absolutely hold them." Manzi cupped his hands, looking at the Yuan Emperor with confidence.

"Is the Grand Marshal so confident?"

The Yuan Emperor's originally dim eyes suddenly lit up, as if seeing a glimmer of hope in the darkness.

"If Your Majesty lets this subordinate guard them, this subordinate will definitely hold them," Manzi said very seriously, his expression firm and unmoving.

"Good." The Yuan Emperor nodded immediately, staring at Manzi: "Since the Grand Marshal has such confidence, then I will hand over the dispatch power of these thirty thousand troops to you; you must hold these two garrison cities, this is already the last bastion of my Great Yuan."

"I hope you can hold them. I also hope you will not let me down."

The Yuan Emperor's voice carried urgency, and also seemed to carry the last hope.

Hearing this!

Manzi stood out immediately, knelt on one knee, and replied loudly: "This subordinate will definitely not let Your Majesty down."

"Then Grand Marshal, set off immediately."

"Absolutely must not give the Ming army any opportunity," the Yuan Emperor said immediately, his eyes revealing anxiety.

"This subordinate understands."

Manzi nodded heavily, as if he truly felt the Yuan Emperor was serious, and immediately turned to leave the court, soon disappearing outside the hall, preparing to head to the garrison city.

"Ministers, do you have any other memorials to submit?"

After Manzi left, the Yuan Emperor looked at the ministers in the court again.

His gaze swept slowly over everyone, his eyes carrying a bit of lucky expectation, hoping someone could stand up and offer some useful suggestions.

But as his gaze passed, no one submitted a memorial.

Now his Northern Yuan territory was falling step by step, leaving only the Yuan capital and two garrison cities.

The so-called government affairs naturally no longer existed, so where would there be memorials to submit?

In the entire hall, it fell into deathly silence again.

"Since there is nothing, dismiss the court."

"I am also tired."

Seeing no one speak, the Yuan Emperor waved his hand and leaned back on the dragon throne very disappointedly.

His voice was full of fatigue and unwillingness, as if he had aged a lot in an instant.

"We subjects take our leave."

The ministers retreated one after another; their figures appeared somewhat flustered, their steps hurried, and they soon left the hall.

In the blink of an eye, only Chancellor Shilie Men remained in the hall.

After only he remained, the Yuan Emperor raised his head and beckoned to Shilie Men.

Shilie Men immediately walked over quickly, his steps rapid, as if afraid of delaying any important matter.

"How is the preparation?" The Yuan Emperor asked in a low voice, his voice carrying a trace of tension and caution.

"Reporting to Your Majesty." Shilie Men also said in a low voice: "Everything is ready. Everything in the national treasury has been transported north in batches half a month ago."

"The people designated by Your Majesty have all been secretly notified, waiting only for Your Majesty's decree, and everyone can immediately set off to retreat north."

Hearing this!

The Yuan Emperor nodded with satisfaction: "I have already let the Crown Prince go one step ahead; now the Ming army is getting closer and closer, and there is no room for delay."

"Retreat tonight."

"Retreat to the ancestral land."

"Don't the Han people have a saying? It is called 'as long as the green hills remain, one need not worry about firewood'."

"No matter what, saving our lives and preserving the foundation of my Great Yuan is the priority."

"As long as we retreat into the ancestral land, I don't believe the Ming army will dare to pursue."

"Sigh!"

"I regret not retreating months ago."

The Yuan Emperor said very bitterly.

Although it was to save his life and retreat north, thinking that he had to leave the capital where he had lived for many years, which was also the most prosperous place in his Northern Yuan and the place closest to Han culture, the Yuan Emperor was still very reluctant.

His face carried nostalgia and helplessness, full of reluctance.

"Your Majesty."

Shilie Men said with a serious expression: "The retreat now is all for the future."

"As long as Your Majesty is here, the royal family of my Great Yuan is still here."

"In the future, my Great Yuan will definitely be able to make a comeback, and these territories and cities seized by the Ming country will sooner or later be taken back."

"Moreover, my Great Yuan will definitely be able to be like our ancestors, riding horses across the Central Plains, and once again make those lowly Han people crawl at our feet."

Shilie Men's words were full of firmness; even in such a situation, he still had ambition, as if in his words, they were not fleeing in a sorry state, but waiting for the day when Great Yuan would rise again.

Hearing this, the Yuan Emperor also expressed extreme agreement: "You are right, one day, my Great Yuan will make a comeback."

"Lowly Han people."

"They deserve to die."

The Yuan Emperor's eyes flashed with fierce light, having endless hatred for the Han people and Great Ming.

At this time!

Shilie Men thought of something else: "Your Majesty, this retreat north must not leak any news, otherwise it will be difficult to leave, and those tribal leaders in the court all have different agendas; now the power of my Great Yuan royal family has suffered not a little loss, I am afraid they have different hearts."

"The news of Your Majesty's retreat north must also be said after meeting with the Crown Prince."

"After all, Your Majesty still has one hundred thousand elite troops in the northern frontier, enough to protect Your Majesty."

Shilie Men said very cautiously.

He knew the importance and danger of this retreat north.

Their Great Yuan was not an iron bucket!

The tribal leaders in the court all had different agendas.

The Yuan Emperor nodded heavily: "Chancellor, having you! It is my good fortune!"

"It's a pity for Manzi; if I didn't let him stay behind, how could I confuse those rebellious ministers with different hearts."

"If the Ming country had been united from the beginning, how could my Great Yuan have fallen to this point?"

"If before Liaodong fell, they had sent troops to rescue, and not obstructed me!"

"Great Yuan would not have fallen to this point. These rebellious ministers all deserve to die."

Recalling all kinds of past events, the Yuan Emperor was also full of regret.

But in this world, there was simply no regret medicine.

At this moment.

Besides regret, the Yuan Emperor had even more anger.

Ying Tian, Imperial Palace, Wenyuan Pavilion!

"Biao'er." Zhu Yuanzhang's excited voice rang out in the pavilion; he held the military report in his hand, a joyful smile hanging on his old face: "Did you see?"

"Our Northern Expedition army is about to strike the Northern Yuan capital."

"Now, our Great Ming's Northern Expedition is finally about to be successful."

"Hahaha."

Zhu Yuanzhang's laughter was hearty and heroic, celebrating the great victory.

"Father."

"This is the merit of our Northern Expedition elite."

"After this Northern Expedition, within a few years, Northern Yuan will not be able to make waves," Zhu Biao also said with a smile, very happy.

And in the hall.

Several Ministers also offered congratulations to Zhu Yuanzhang one after another: "We subjects congratulate Your Majesty, the Northern Expedition is about to be successful! Your Majesty's achievements will be remembered in history forever."

Hearing this!

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand: "This is not my achievement, but the Crown Prince's."

"This Northern Expedition battle, all grain dispatch, all troop dispatch, were all reviewed and handled by the Crown Prince."

"I didn't do anything."

"I just listened to the reports and bestowed rewards on meritorious officials."

Zhu Yuanzhang said with a smile, his words naturally containing deep meaning.

Clearly.

Like the Liaodong battle in the past, this kind of great merit, the great merit of being remembered in history.

He wanted to leave it to his son.

Zhu Yuanzhang's expectation for Zhu Biao was known to the whole court, but truly being able to do this step was also unprecedented.

"The Crown Prince is wise."

"After the Northern Expedition, the Crown Prince's name will be remembered in history forever."

The several Ministers in the hall immediately said in unison again.

They naturally understood the Emperor's will, so how could they go against it?

"Can the grain for the Northern Expedition still hold up?"

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhao Mian.

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty."

"For the Northern Expedition battle, the Ministry of Revenue raised the grain needed for one year, and there is still a surplus."

"Moreover, this expedition has only been for less than seven months, and the grain is sufficient," Zhao Mian replied immediately.

"Very good."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded with satisfaction.

"Reporting to Your Majesty."

"The iron shells and cannonballs made by the Ministry of Works are also very sufficient."

"It will absolutely not let the Northern Expedition stop," the Minister of Works also said immediately.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, then said: "Transmit the edict to Guo Ying, my goal is the annihilation of Northern Yuan, not seizing cities!"

"Since there is still sufficient grain."

"Let him handle it himself."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 178 =====