Chapter 179: Break the Yuan Capital! Zhu Di Is About to Strike and Test the Waters!

Zhu Ying strode into the hall and tossed the tiger-head battle axe in his hand straight at Liu Lei, who immediately caught it.

“Surrender, or perish with Yuan?”

Following closely.

Zhu Ying’s gaze swept over the Yuan generals in the hall, his voice low and cold as he asked.

At this moment.

Zhu Ying did not ask for the identities of these Yuan generals; at this moment, their identities were irrelevant—he needed a clear, decisive answer.

Surrender—or not!

In truth, Zhu Ying did not hope they would surrender.

Surrender might spare their lives, but for warriors, it was humiliation.

If these Yuan generals chose death over submission, Zhu Ying would respect them more.

Of course.

Zhu Ying could also gain several more treasure chests.

“Which general of Ming are you?”

The barbarian slowly rose, staring fixedly at Zhu Ying, his voice rasping from deep in his throat.

“Champion Marquis of Great Ming and Commander of Danning, Zhu Ying.”

Zhu Ying’s expression was calm, his tone level.

“You are Zhu Ying?”

Upon hearing this, the barbarian lifted his head, eyes wide with incomprehensible shock.

He seemed about to say something, but fell silent.

Not just the barbarian—his fellow Yuan generals also stared in stunned disbelief, all eyes fixed on Zhu Ying.

Each pair of eyes held astonishment, confusion, and mostly, utter disbelief.

Since the Liaodong campaign, Zhu Ying had already entered the Northern Yuan’s awareness; from then on, he was regarded as a mortal enemy, his name echoing like thunder through their ranks.

Northern Yuan assassins had placed Zhu Ying among their top targets for elimination.

As Great Ming launched its northern expedition, Zhu Ying’s name repeatedly surfaced in the Northern Yuan court—each mention bringing bad news: lost cities, fallen generals, shattered armies.

Even!

Compared to Guo Ying, the Grand General of this Ming northern campaign, the Northern Yuan hated Zhu Ying more.

It was Zhu Ying who first breached the Northern Yuan’s border city—and in a single day, erased years of meticulous planning.

Moreover, his famed invincible hundred-thousand-strong Northern Yuan iron cavalry was shattered by Zhu Ying, utterly destroying the myth of Northern Yuan cavalry and inflicting grave damage.

“I never expected…”

The barbarian sighed deeply, his voice heavy with emotion: “You are so young.”

“Our Great Yuan has lost fairly.”

Though hatred still burned in his eyes, a flicker of respect for Zhu Ying slipped through.

On the battlefield, strength alone earns respect; Zhu Ying’s extraordinary military genius and fearless prowess left the barbarian no choice but to acknowledge it.

“On the battlefield, let deeds speak.”

“No more words.”

Zhu Ying’s tone was flat, yet each word cut like a blade.

The moment he finished speaking,

Zhu Ying’s right hand moved slightly—whizz!—the Azure Rainbow Sword unsheathed.

The blade gleamed with cold light, radiating killing intent.

Zhu Ying gripped the Azure Rainbow Sword tightly, his gaze icy and brimming with slaughter as he fixed it on the Yuan generals.

“You must be the Northern Yuan’s Grand Marshal, Manzi.”

“Now, I ask once: fight, or surrender?”

At this cry, Manzi’s eyes narrowed slightly, a look of final resolve flashing within.

His hands instinctively clenched the battle axe, fixed on Zhu Ying with unyielding stare.

“Formerly, Grand Marshal Naha’chu died for his country. I received the Emperor’s great grace and was granted the title of Grand Marshal—how could I surrender?”

“Zhu Ying, do you dare fight me, Grand Marshal?”

Manzi roared, his voice shaking the hall.

At this moment,

his face was filled with defiance and resolve, as if to say: even if he died, he would defend the dignity of Northern Yuan—his final honor as a warrior.

Zhu Ying said nothing; admiration flashed in his eyes, then a cold smile.

He stepped forward steadily, raised the Azure Rainbow Sword, and leapt at Manzi.

Clearly, he was inviting Manzi to strike first.

“Great Yuan, invincible!”

“One day, our Great Yuan shall rise again and smash through your Ming gates!”

Manzi roared, his voice threatening to tear the hall’s roof apart.

He raised his battle axe high, its blade gleaming coldly, then charged straight at Zhu Ying.

As he drew near, he poured every ounce of strength into a downward slash aimed at Zhu Ying—this blow carried unstoppable force, as if it would cleave Zhu Ying in two.

Perhaps,

in his mind, he thought: if he killed Zhu Ying, he would eliminate Northern Yuan’s greatest enemy.

But,

Manzi’s killing strike was child’s play before Zhu Ying.

Zhu Ying remained utterly calm, showing no sign of evasion.

At the instant Manzi’s axe neared his body, Zhu Ying’s Azure Rainbow Sword moved.

A flash of cold light—so swift the eye could not trace its path—like lightning, the blade pierced Manzi’s armor and drove straight into his heart.

“You say Northern Yuan will rise again?”

“Let me tell you: as long as I, Zhu Ying, live, Northern Yuan will never have a chance—even if Great Ming falls, this land will never again grant your barbarian kind an opening.”

Zhu Ying spoke coldly, voice low and firm, laced with arrogant confidence.

With that,

Zhu Ying pulled his wrist back—the Azure Rainbow Sword instantly withdrew from Manzi’s chest.

Manzi spat a gush of blood, his eyes filled with deathly gray, growing dim, his body collapsing heavily to the floor with a dull thud.

“Slain Northern Yuan Grand Marshal Manzi. Gained +100 to all attributes. Gained 100 days of lifespan. Reward: Tier One Treasure Chest.”

At the moment of death,

the system prompt sounded.

After all, as Northern Yuan’s Grand Marshal, Manzi’s high rank meant substantial rewards upon his death.

“You—all of you—fight or surrender?”

Having dealt with Manzi, Zhu Ying turned his gaze slowly to the remaining Yuan generals.

Each of these generals was at least a ten-thousand-commander; if slain, they would grant him significant attribute boosts—and possibly treasure chests.

For Zhu Ying, killing them was pure profit.

“We follow the Grand Marshal to death! For Great Yuan—kill!”

The remaining nine generals did not hesitate—they roared in unison, their voices echoing through the hall.

Their eyes burned with fury and unyielding loyalty to their nation.

Each gripped their battle axes and charged at Zhu Ying like nine mad beasts.

If this were any ordinary general, his personal guards would have rushed in immediately, overwhelming the generals to protect their commander.

But Zhu Ying gave no order—and the palace guards stood like statues, motionless, their eyes fixed solely on Zhu Ying, for they knew their lord’s strength.

The next instant,

Zhu Ying moved.

His form became a black blur, vanishing from the sight of the nine generals.

Before they could react, a flash of cold light appeared—and then, a chilling sensation touched their necks.

Zhu Ying moved with terrifying speed, darting between the nine generals in an instant.

The Azure Rainbow Sword in his hand flickered like a living streak of light.

Simultaneously, the sword sliced through the necks of all nine generals—blood spurted like fountains. Their eyes bulged wide with shock and disbelief, then their heads and bodies toppled slowly to the ground.

All slain!

“Slain Northern Yuan Ten-Thousand-Commander. Gained +30 to all attributes. Gained 30 days of lifespan. Reward: Common Treasure Chest.”

“Slain Northern Yuan Ten-Thousand-Commander. Gained +30 to all attributes…”

…

The system prompts rang out in succession.

Effortlessly,

Zhu Ying acquired six more Common Treasure Chests—a solid outcome for him.

“Take these nine heads to Generals Chen Heng and the others—they count as their battle merits.”

Zhu Ying turned to Liu Lei and said.

His tone was calm, as if the bloody battle he had just endured were but a trivial matter.

“Yes.”

Liu Lei did not hesitate for a moment and immediately gave a signal to his men.

Several personal guards stepped forward swiftly, skillfully gathering the nine severed heads, wrapping them in cloth prepared for the purpose, and carefully stowing them away.

As for the barbarian’s head, Zhu Ying would take it himself—after all, he had slain another Northern Yuan Grand Chancellor; this was no small military achievement.

Watching Zhu Ying’s personal guards handle the heads with such practiced ease, it was clear this was not their first time.

Under Zhu Ying’s command, there were many battle-hardened generals; for Zhu Ying himself, slaying ordinary officers—or even enemy commanders of equal rank—brought only marginal gains, mere embellishments to his record.

But for his subordinate officers, these victories were tangible, offering real opportunities for promotion and advancement.

Thus, Zhu Ying often quietly assigned lesser-valued kill credits to his long-serving comrades—men like Wei Quan, Zhang Wu, and Luo Hua—all of whom had benefited from this practice.

After dealing with these Northern Yuan officers, Zhu Ying’s gaze slowly turned toward the imperial throne at the far end of the hall.

The throne stood elevated, radiating an aura of solemn authority.

This throne symbolized supreme imperial power, representing dominion over all under heaven.

Zhu Ying stared at the throne, his eyes churning with emotion.

In them burned a hunger for power, a vision of the future, and an unshakable conviction.

“One day, I too shall possess my own throne,” Zhu Ying silently vowed within, his ambition boundless.

Just then!

A rapid flurry of footsteps echoed from outside the hall.

It seemed a group was hurrying toward them.

“Grand General arrives!”

Outside the hall.

Xiao Han bellowed at the top of his lungs, the cry instantly echoing inside.

Immediately, the guards stationed outside moved swiftly, lining up on either side to clear a path.

Guo Ying strode forward, flanked by a host of officers, leading the way with commanding presence.

Zhu Di, Zhu Quan, Lan Yu, Li Jinglong, and others followed behind, their expressions varied—some excited, some thrilled, others thoughtful.

Unlike Zhu Ying, these generals primarily directed operations from afar and never personally charged into enemy ranks to fight.

At this moment,

they had entered the grand hall where the Northern Yuan’s authority once resided, and each heart beat with excitement.

“Your Excellency.”

Zhu Ying turned and bowed his fists to Guo Ying.

“The Marquis of Champion Valor is indeed fearsomely brave.”

“Once again, it is the Marquis of Champion Valor who led the charge, first to breach the Northern Yuan capital!”

Guo Ying stepped forward with a broad smile, clasping Zhu Ying’s arms and offering heartfelt praise.

“Thank you, Your Excellency.”

Zhu Ying replied with a humble smile.

“This battle, the Marquis has once again claimed the foremost merit.”

“The honor of breaching the Northern Yuan capital shall be forever remembered by us all.”

Li Jinglong approached with a beaming smile, his eyes tinged with flattery.

Along this campaign, he had long been awed by Zhu Ying’s strength and strategy.

He felt immense relief—if not for Zhu Ying, as nominal commander of the Second Army, he would never have had it so easy.

For nearly nine months of the northern expedition, he had essentially “won by default.”

Zhu Ying fought with ruthless decisiveness, accumulating countless victories; though Li Jinglong had not personally earned them, as commander of the Second Army, he still reaped a share, and upon returning to Yingtian, he would surely receive imperial rewards.

In truth, Zhu Ying’s presence had made Li Jinglong’s northern campaign path smooth beyond measure, erasing all his initial anxieties.

“General Li flatters me.”

“All soldiers who entered the Northern Yuan capital have earned great merit.”

Zhu Ying replied with a calm, steady smile.

He understood that claiming all the glory alone would breed resentment; with so many troops now inside the city, to hoard all the victories would be foolish.

Leading the charge was enough.

Of course,

upon learning Zhu Ying had breached the city first, Lan Yu’s face darkened, his heart filled with resentment.

Originally, the Huaixi generals had all hoped to claim the honor of capturing the capital, to add to their battlefield merits and secure higher status and greater rewards at court.

But now, this final honor had been snatched by Zhu Ying—their plan had failed, leaving Lan Yu and others deeply aggrieved.

“Just talking pretty words. So young, so slick.”

“Clearly not a good sort.”

Chang Mao, standing beside Lan Yu, muttered in a low voice, his face brimming with disdain.

He thought his voice was too quiet to be heard, unaware Zhu Ying’s hearing was extraordinary—he heard every word clearly.

At once, Zhu Ying’s gaze pierced Chang Mao like a sword.

Chang Mao felt a chill surge from his feet to his skull, his heart jolted, his face paled instantly.

“Did he hear that?” Chang Mao muttered inwardly, a sense of dread rising.

He stood awkwardly, eyes darting away, unable to meet Zhu Ying’s gaze.

Zhu Ying stared at Chang Mao for a moment, a flicker of contempt in his eyes, then slowly looked away.

Yet within, he thought: “Is this truly Chang Yuchun’s son?”

“So reckless and foolish in conduct—no wonder the Huaixi faction was eventually purged. They brought it upon themselves.”

Zhu Ying knew their destined fate and had no interest in holding a grudge against Chang Mao.

After all,

given the temperament and nature of these Huaixi men, under current circumstances, their fate was unlikely to change.

Zhu Ying knew they naturally supported Zhu Yunzhong, yet Zhu Yunzhong was timid and weak; though the rightful heir, he was utterly unfit for rule.

In the coming struggle for the throne, the Huaixi faction and Zhu Yunzhong would likely meet ruin.

Guo Ying slowly scanned the Northern Yuan’s grand council hall, his gaze finally settling on the emperor’s throne.

“The Northern Yuan capital has fallen—the last city of the Northern Yuan has been taken by our Great Ming.”

“From this day forward, the Northern Yuan shall no longer bear the name of an empire.”

Guo Ying sighed with deep emotion, his voice filled with triumph and exhilaration.

“Indeed.”

“Once, the Northern Yuan struck fear into our Great Ming because they built cities, adopted Han culture, forged cannons, and harbored ambitions to conquer our lands.”

“Now that we have breached their capital, we have stripped them of their imperial title, forcing them back into their old nomadic ways.”

“Moreover, the Northern Yuan imperial family no longer possesses sufficient strength to fully dominate the northern tribes.”

Zhu Di nodded slightly and spoke slowly.

Though he had not fought on the battlefield himself, he had followed the army closely and understood the strategic situation thoroughly.

“Though we have shattered the Northern Yuan capital and stripped them of their imperial name,”

“as long as the Northern Yuan emperor lives and the imperial family endures, the vast northern lands remain their domain, and their strength remains formidable.”

Li Jinglong said solemnly.

Though his military command skills were poor, he could still offer a few words on strategic analysis.

After all, he had studied military texts extensively and was adept at theoretical warfare—his remarks fit his established persona.

“This matter, the Emperor will surely make the right decision.”

“Whether to pursue further or consolidate the capital, we need only follow the Emperor’s orders.”

Guo Ying’s expression turned grave, his voice low.

He too felt uncertainty about the next strategic move.

Pursuing the Northern Yuan emperor deep into the northern frontier carried grave danger—any misstep could lead to total annihilation. Yet if he escaped, the Northern Yuan might rise again, becoming a renewed threat to the Great Ming.

Hearing Guo Ying’s words, the generals fell silent.

They all knew that with the fall of the capital, the offensive had achieved a decisive victory.

But whichever path they chose—pursuit or consolidation—would bring immense risk and challenge.

Advancing deep into the northern steppes could lead troops astray in endless grasslands, subjecting them to tribal ambushes and total destruction.

Since ancient times, only Huo Qubing had sealed his glory at Langjuxu—because he had truly penetrated the northern frontier, shattered the Xiongnu, and forged Han prestige.

But such a feat was no easy thing.

“Your Excellency, I humbly request permission to pursue.”

Without hesitation, Zhu Ying stepped forward and declared loudly.

“Marquis of Champion Valor, you need not do so.”

“The Emperor’s decree was to breach the Northern Yuan capital and destroy the Northern Yuan.”

“We have now fulfilled the imperial command.”

“To pursue northward is too dangerous.”

Guo Ying looked at Zhu Ying and smiled, offering no reprimand.

In his eyes, Zhu Ying was a pillar of the Great Ming, and he did not want Zhu Ying to take such risks.

Moreover, he deeply understood the dangers of penetrating the northern frontier; once the army marched forward, he had no absolute confidence he could bring the soldiers back safely.

The vast, endless grasslands of the northern frontier appeared tranquil, but in truth concealed countless perils.

Desert winds and sandstorms raged unchecked, water sources were scarce and hard to find, and the complex terrain resembled a labyrinth, easily causing the army to lose its way.

Once deep inside, logistical supply would face immense challenges; a single misstep could plunge them into utter despair.

Thinking of these things, Guo Ying was filled with dread.

Of course!

Most fundamentally, Guo Ying also had personal motives—he felt his own abilities simply could not guarantee the army’s safe return.

If disaster truly struck and the army was destroyed, even if this campaign succeeded in capturing the Yuan capital, reclaiming dozens of northern Yuan cities, and gaining millions of people, his great northern expeditionary achievement would instantly vanish, and he might even be viewed by the imperial court as having done more harm than good.

In the end,

Perhaps because Guo Ying was growing older, his former boldness and fearlessness had quietly faded, leaving behind more caution and fear.

He was old!

So he dared not issue orders, nor dare to gamble.

He also dared not directly agree to Zhu Ying’s request to pursue.

“Grand General.”

Zhu Ying stepped forward, his voice firm: “The Emperor’s decree is to destroy the Northern Yuan.”

“Its true intent is to utterly dismantle the Northern Yuan, so it can no longer exist as a unified entity.”

“Now, the Yuan Emperor has fled in panic, and many of the Yuan royal family and nobles have scattered like birds and beasts.”

“If we allow the Yuan Emperor to retreat to his Mongolian ancestral lands, his prestige among the Northern Yuan will enable him to reunite their forces and suppress the many tribes across the steppe.”

“This is not the scenario the Emperor wishes to see.”

“To truly and utterly eliminate the Northern Yuan, we must capture or kill the Yuan Emperor, uprooting the threat completely.”

“Only then will the Northern Yuan fracture into pieces, and the threat it poses to our Great Ming will be eradicated.”

“That is precisely why I originally begged the Grand General to assign the entire Danning force as cavalry—to prepare for precisely this situation, so we could penetrate the northern frontier at the critical moment, pursue the Yuan Emperor, and eliminate this threat to our northern border.”

Zhu Ying spoke without pause, his expression solemn.

Hearing these words, Guo Ying was startled; his previously dim eyes instantly brightened, tinged with interest.

He raised his head, fixing his gaze tightly on Zhu Ying, as if seeing this young general anew.

Zhu Ying’s words were clear, logical, and struck at the heart of the matter, deeply moving Guo Ying.

The other generals nearby were all stunned, never having imagined Zhu Ying would be so serious—and so bold.

He truly intended to march north in pursuit!

“Just as Yao Guangxiao suspected.”

Zhu Di thought to himself: “Zhu Ying will never pass up the chance to penetrate the northern frontier.”

“This moment has come—the Prince must now make his choice.”

“Tonight, I must test him.”

“If I can win him over, all the better.”

“If I cannot...”

“Alas... at this point, I have no choice but to decide.”

A faint, almost imperceptible chill flashed in Zhu Di’s eyes.

Then,

Zhu Di took a deep breath, steadied his emotions, and put on a gentle smile as he stepped forward from the crowd.

He smiled at Zhu Ying and said calmly: “Prince Guanjun, no need to rush.”

“The Yuan capital has just been secured; our soldiers have fought day and night and are utterly exhausted—they urgently need rest.”

“Even as our northern expeditionary force attacked the last two guard battalions of the Northern Yuan, urgent reports had already been sent to Yingtian.”

“According to my estimation, the Emperor’s decree will arrive here within days.”

“For these few days, let the soldiers rest properly and recover their strength.”

“As for the northern pursuit, we shall deliberate further before deciding.”

Upon hearing this,

The other generals all nodded in agreement.

Seeing this, Guo Ying quickly nodded in support: “Prince Yan speaks wisely.”

“The Danning soldiers have charged into battle and earned great merit—they truly deserve proper rest.”

“The matter of northern pursuit is of great importance; we must not act rashly. Let us wait for the Emperor’s decree, then discuss our strategy together.”

As Guo Ying spoke, he cast a glance toward Zhu Ying, hoping he would understand the current situation.

Seeing this,

Though he could not pursue immediately,

Zhu Ying clearly understood now—Guo Ying feared that if he sent Zhu Ying north and disaster struck, he himself would bear the blame.

So be it.

Zhu Ying nodded slightly and said gravely: “Your servant obeys the orders of the Grand General and Prince Yan.”

Yet in his heart, Zhu Ying knew well: given the current situation, pursuing the Yuan Emperor northward was inevitable.

Given Zhu Yuanzhang’s character, far away in Yingtian, he would surely issue another decree to continue the pursuit.

From the beginning, this was Zhu Yuanzhang’s goal.

To make the Northern Yuan cease to exist, shattered into fragments!

(End of Chapter)