Chapter 191: Zhu Di Learns Zhu Biao Adopted Zhu Xi as His Adopted Grandson!!!

The new capital, this land once the capital of the Northern Yuan, is now firmly under the control of the Great Ming army.

Look out!

Flags flutter on the city walls—the banners of the Great Ming snapping in the wind.

At the city gate.

Great Ming soldiers stand guard everywhere, their eyes alert, scanning all directions.

Inside the city.

Many Great Ming officers patrol the streets.

Though the townsfolk still carry traces of fear, under the orderly governance of the Great Ming army, life is slowly reviving.

Great Ming soldiers march through the streets, their footsteps steady and powerful.

Along the roadside, some shops have reopened; former Yuan subjects cautiously serve customers, their eyes betraying deep unease about the future.

After all,

their world has changed.

More than a month ago,

upon receiving the imperial decree to continue the northern campaign, over ninety percent of the Great Ming army marched unhesitatingly northward, determined to eradicate the last remnants of the Northern Yuan.

Only ten percent of the forces remained to hold the captured Northern Yuan cities and territories.

Among these occupied lands, the new capital is undoubtedly the most critical.

Guo Ying, the Grand General of the northern campaign, along with Princes Zhu Di and Zhu Quan, are now within this new capital.

As the main army presses northward,

Guo Ying naturally would not let these two princes risk themselves.

The former Northern Yuan chancellor’s residence!

Now Zhu Di’s temporary residence. Though scarred by war, the mansion still bears traces of its former grandeur.

“Your Highness.”

Zhu Neng’s voice broke the silence in the hall. He stepped forward respectfully, bowed slightly, and presented a sealed letter: “This is the message from Yingtian.”

Zhu Di’s previously calm expression now showed a flicker of curiosity. He raised an eyebrow, reached out, and slowly unrolled the letter.

His eyes scanned the text swiftly; his composed demeanor shifted, and his grip on the letter tightened unconsciously.

“The Crown Prince has adopted Zhu Xi, son of the Marquis of Champion, as his adopted grandson, and granted the Marquis’s descendants the character ‘Wen’ for their generational naming line, permitting all legitimate male heirs to inherit this lineage.”

“This news has already caused a sensation in Yingtian.”

“Everyone says the Crown Prince’s favor has never reached such extremes.”

“Adopting a subject’s son as an heir—soon the Marquis of Champion will wield immense power in the Great Ming court.”

Zhu Neng added, his tone filled with awe.

Zhu Di sat upright on the main seat, outwardly calm, yet his trembling fingers betrayed his inner turmoil.

“This matter—”

After a long silence, Zhu Di spoke slowly, his voice low and inscrutable: “I understand. You may leave.”

With that, Zhu Di waved his hand calmly.

“Yes.”

Zhu Neng bowed deeply, then turned swiftly and exited the hall.

As he left, he carefully closed the door behind him.

Once Zhu Neng was gone, Zhu Di’s composed facade collapsed. His brow furrowed tightly, his eyes filled with dread.

“Do you think Brother might have realized Zhu Ying is Zhu Xiongying?”

Zhu Di said in a low voice, his worry heavy on his heart.

“Impossible.” Yao Guangxiao’s voice came from the inner chamber.

He stepped out in a black monk’s robe, his steps steady, his gaze sharp and confident.

“Your Highness discovered it only because of that jade pendant—had you not bathed with him, you never would have noticed its existence.”

As he spoke, Yao Guangxiao walked to Zhu Di’s side, clasped his hands, bowed slightly, as if carefully choosing his words.

“The Crown Prince’s adoption of Zhu Ying’s son is clearly an attempt to win his loyalty.”

“After all, this young general already has a wife—he cannot be bound by marriage. The Crown Prince’s daughter cannot become a concubine. Adopting Zhu Ying’s son as heir is the only logical way to secure his allegiance.”

“There is no other possible explanation.”

Yao Guangxiao added, his tone brimming with certainty—as if he trusted his own reasoning completely.

He excelled in intrigue, and in analyzing this matter, he relied entirely on court politics. To him, this was merely another power play in the imperial court.

“If Zhu Ying returns from the northern frontier, he will surely go to Yingtian to pay homage. Given Father’s and Brother’s memories of Zhu Xiongying, they may suspect something.”

“What if they recognize him? What then?”

Zhu Di rose, his face etched with anxiety, revealing his inner unrest.

Since discovering through the jade pendant that Zhu Ying was Zhu Xiongying, Zhu Di had been trapped in a nightmare—unable to sleep, consumed by dread.

This had affected him too deeply.

“Your Highness.”

Yao Guangxiao watched Zhu Di’s distress and spoke gently: “I still say this—the world is vast, full of wonders.”

“The world is immense, its population countless.”

“Not only do look-alikes exist—even identical twins may walk among us.”

“Perhaps somewhere in this world, someone exists who looks exactly like Your Highness.”

“So your fears are entirely unfounded.”

Yao Guangxiao spoke calmly, trying to soothe Zhu Di’s agitated heart.

“Moreover—”

Yao Guangxiao paused, his gaze fixed on the distance, as if seeing through walls to the northern frontier: “Let us see whether Zhu Ying can return from the northern frontier.”

“Penetrating deep into the northern frontier, into the heart of the Northern Yuan—”

“Even with fifty thousand cavalry, he is but a drop in the ocean.”

“He cannot stir up any real storm.”

“And the Northern Yuan already knows the exact strength and movements of our forces entering the frontier.”

“Though the Northern Yuan has been driven back to the steppes by our northern campaign, do not underestimate their ferocity—or their hatred for the Ming army.”

Yao Guangxiao sneered, his smile brimming with certainty—as if he was certain Zhu Ying would never return.

As for this!

Zhu Di said nothing more.

He stood motionless, his eyes vacant, staring northward—as if unwilling to respond.

For him, perhaps at this point, the matter was already beyond redemption.

……

The northern frontier!

Vast grasslands merged with endless deserts; howling winds swept across, swirling dust and sand into the sky.

Zhu Ying’s army marched steadily toward Langju Mountain.

At this moment,

Langju Mountain was not far off; the Northern Yuan court seemed almost within reach.

“General.”

“This journey has been too strange.”

“We’ve encountered not a single main Northern Yuan force. Could the Northern Yuan have lost all courage—even abandoned their own tribes?”

“Will they just watch as we destroy them all?”

Only ten li from the Northern Yuan court, Zhu Ying’s troops halted for rest.

All his officers gathered around him, speaking one after another, each face filled with confusion.

Before entering the frontier, many officers had expected repeated bloody battles with the Northern Yuan. They had imagined countless battle scenarios in their minds. Yet now, after over a month deep in Northern Yuan territory, their army had razed numerous tribes, slaughtered countless warriors—wiping out the Northern Yuan’s able-bodied men, inflicting devastating losses.

Yet even so, the Northern Yuan court and its tribes had not organized a single true war against the Ming cavalry.

It was as if they had abandoned their own people, letting the Ming army slaughter them at will.

To Zhu Ying’s officers, this was deeply unnatural—utterly illogical.

“This matter—”

Zhu Ying listened to his officers, frowned slightly, and nodded thoughtfully: “It does seem odd.”

“General.”

Zhang Wu’s face was grim, his eyes alert: “Could this be a trap?”

“A trap?”

Zhu Ying, still deep in thought, did not react immediately.

But—

Zhu Ying now considered another possibility.

“Think,”

Zhu Ying looked up at his officers, his gaze piercing: “If the Northern Yuan knew our target was their court, their emperor—how would they respond?”

“They would lie in wait.”

Chen Heng answered without hesitation, his voice echoing in everyone’s ears.

“Exactly so.”

Zhu Ying nodded slightly, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes: “Our northern campaign’s objective is clear: capture and kill the Northern Yuan Emperor, and utterly end the Northern Yuan.”

“The Northern Yuan disregards the lives of their tribal subjects precisely because they know our goal.”

“But…”

Zhu Ying frowned again, his expression thoughtful and cautious: “Even if they’re lying in wait like a farmer hoping for a rabbit, they must possess absolute strength to counter us—knowing our troop numbers and combat capability. Otherwise, this ‘lying in wait’ is just a joke.”

As he spoke these words,

Zhu Ying’s tone carried a note of caution.

Hearing this, Zhang Wu guessed aloud: “General, could the Northern Yuan possibly know our troop strength?”

“Impossible.”

Chen Heng immediately said, shaking his head as he spoke: “This northern campaign, we deployed ten thousand cavalry—intentionally letting the Northern Yuan see it.”

“Ten thousand iron cavalry on this northern frontier desert are an invincible force.”

“Their cavalry has already been shattered by the General; they could never again muster strength to face our ten thousand.”

“But if you say that, and the Northern Yuan truly lies in wait at their royal court, they must know our troop strength—otherwise, how could they deploy to meet us?”

“Ten thousand iron cavalry charging— the Northern Yuan would dare not face us. Unless they know our cavalry numbers are only fifty thousand.”

Zhang Wu said grimly, his expression serious, his eyes filled with deep concern.

These words fell!

Chen Heng’s face changed slightly. A flicker of panic crossed his eyes, as if Zhang Wu had struck a vital point.

After thinking it over, Chen Heng still said: “It shouldn’t be possible, right?”

“Exact troop numbers are top military secrets—how could they leak?”

“How could the Northern Yuan possibly know?”

“There’s no reason! Could there be a traitor among our upper command?”

Clearly, Chen Heng had no explanation at all, which is why he resorted to wild speculation.

While listening to the officers’ discussion, Zhu Ying’s expression remained thoughtful.

In Zhu Ying’s mind, however, he had already formed a hypothesis: “Over a month, we’ve penetrated more than a thousand li into the northern frontier, slaughtered dozens of Northern Yuan tribes!”

“Even in ancient times, when General Huo Qubing stormed the steppe, he faced full-scale counterattacks from all Xiongnu tribes.”

“Yet now, as I lead my troops in, we’ve encountered no true Northern Yuan main force resistance.”

“This leads me to conclude: the Northern Yuan is lying in wait.”

Zhu Ying pondered, his mind as clear as a mirror—his analysis of the situation sharp and thorough.

“But the steppe and desert are isolated; they could never fully grasp our situation. At the start of our campaign, we deliberately spread the rumor of a hundred thousand troops.”

“Yet they dare lie in wait, luring us into the trap—meaning they know exactly how many troops we have. That’s why they’ve avoided battle all along, hiding at their royal court.”

“Only Guo Ying and the commanders of the two other armies know our exact troop deployment.”

“Could it be…”

Zhu Ying silently weighed possibilities, and at this moment, he keenly deduced a critical clue.

“Zhu Di?”

Zhu Di’s figure quietly surfaced in Zhu Ying’s mind.

His first thought was Zhu Di.

A complex emotion flickered in Zhu Ying’s eyes—surprise at the suspicion, yet deep consideration of its plausibility.

“No, it shouldn’t be him.”

After a moment’s thought, Zhu Ying shook his head slightly, trying to dismiss the idea.

“Though Zhu Di often shows signs of trying to win me over, he wouldn’t leak military secrets, would he?”

“I have no mortal feud with him.”

“As for him harboring rebellion—that’s a matter for the future. Who can say what the future holds?”

“It shouldn’t be him.”

As Zhu Ying thought, he weighed every possibility in his mind, seeking a reasonable explanation.

Yet even after considering Zhu Di, Zhu Ying still couldn’t make sense of it.

After all, Zhu Di had no motive to leak secrets: first, he was a prince with ambition, dreaming of expanding northward to prove himself before Old Zhu; second, Zhu Ying had no grievance with him—he had no reason to betray him.

Zhu Ying felt a wave of confusion.

After thinking it through, he still couldn’t reach clarity.

But Zhu Ying didn’t dwell on it. Under his command, his imperial seal granted his troops a one-fold boost in combat power and morale—fifty thousand troops under this boost were no weaker than a hundred thousand.

This was Zhu Ying’s unique advantage, the foundation of his battlefield confidence.

As for the Northern Yuan setting an ambush at their royal court?

Zhu Ying had the golden eagle soaring above, watching everything—no matter how clever their ambush, it lay bare before his eyes.

The golden eagle was his eye, capable of revealing every hidden enemy.

Coming back to himself, seeing the officers still debating, Zhu Ying said: “Enough.”

“Stop speculating.”

“We’re already close to the Northern Yuan royal court.”

“If they want to lie in wait, let them wait.”

“Gentlemen, are you afraid?”

Zhu Ying swept his gaze over the officers, his eyes brimming with authority and confidence.

“We swear to follow the General to death.”

Sensing Zhu Ying’s battle spirit and dominance, the officers snapped back to focus, bowing respectfully to him with clasped fists.

Their eyes burned with resolve and loyalty—as if at his single command, they would charge into the enemy, even through fire and water.

This was their absolute trust in Zhu Ying.

“Let the men rest well tonight.”

Zhu Ying looked at the officers, his gaze filled with concern: “Tomorrow, we wash the Northern Yuan royal court in blood.”

“If the Northern Yuan truly sets an ambush, who among them can stop our charge under my command?”

Zhu Ying smiled confidently, a smile radiating unmatched boldness and pride.

The power of cavalry on this vast desert was unstoppable.

He had no fear of ambushes.

Add to that the golden eagle and Zhu Ying’s own formidable might and bravery.

He feared nothing.

“Yes.”

The officers all echoed in agreement.

Zhu Ying’s confidence naturally infected the officers.

After all, in every soldier’s heart, Zhu Ying was the embodiment of a war god, the incarnation of invincibility. To follow their General was to become an invincible army.

They believed that under Zhu Ying’s leadership, they would surely shatter the Northern Yuan royal court.

“The Northern Yuan royal court lies at Langjuxu Mountain.”

Zhu Ying gazed into the distance, as if he could already see Langjuxu Mountain, his eyes filled with longing: “Brothers.”

“To seal Langjuxu lies before us.”

“To be etched in history lies before us.”

At this moment,

Zhu Ying’s voice was stirring and electrifying.

Hearing this,

Chen Heng, Zhang Wu, Wei Quan, and all the officers’ eyes blazed: “Seal Langjuxu.”

These four characters struck like lightning across their hearts, igniting their blood.

These four characters moved every Han Chinese general.

No Han Chinese man could refuse them.

This was the supreme honor of Han Chinese generals, of Han Chinese men.

“Brothers.”

Chen Heng shouted excitedly: “Tomorrow, after we follow the General and slaughter the Northern Yuan royal court, our Da Ning frontier army will be etched in history.”

“Future histories will record our Da Ning frontier army in bold strokes.”

“That’s right,” Zhang Wu added: “Seal Langjuxu! In ancient times, General Huo Qubing forged a thousand-year glory—now our Great Ming’s own Huo Qubing will lead us to the same triumph.”

“Tomorrow will be the day our Da Ning frontier army seals Langjuxu.”

“If we succeed, even if we die here, we will have no regrets.”

“Brothers!” another officer shouted: “Eat well, drink well—tomorrow, follow the General and fight bloody battle at the Northern Yuan royal court, proclaiming the heavenly might of our Great Ming!”

His voice echoed through the air, stirring boundless heroism in every soldier’s heart.

…

Many officers, their faces alight with excitement, shouted to the resting soldiers.

How could these four words—Seal Langjuxu—not stir their blood?

The soldiers rose from the ground, gripping their weapons tightly, their eyes filled with determination.

Their shouts merged into a rolling thunder, echoing across this desert.

“We swear to follow the General to our deaths.”

“To seal Langju Xu.”

“Never thought I’d see this day.”

“We swear to follow the General…”

Countless soldiers around them erupted in excited cries, brimming with fervor for sealing Langju Xu and absolute trust in their General.

Seeing this scene.

“I hope tomorrow’s battle…”

“Can spare some of our brothers.”

Zhu Ying scanned the surroundings, thinking silently to himself.

Tomorrow.

It was certain to be a bloody battle.

An unavoidable bloody battle.

Zhu Ying was no immortal; he had no power to single-handedly turn the tide or annihilate the enemy army.

All he could do was lead the soldiers who marched out as victors.

Do your utmost, leave the rest to Heaven!

And now.

Beneath the night sky.

The Northern Yuan court.

After days of migration,

the court’s people had followed the Yuan Emperor toward Buryer Sea.

Within the court’s territory, Yuan forces now lay in wait, ready to confront Zhu Ying.

The Yuan army led by Ma Er Ke Er.

“Your General, report.”

“The main force on the northern road to Langju Xu is in position.”

“Your General, report.”

“The forces to the west and east are also in position.”

“Our thirty thousand cavalry are ambushed on the eastern flank.”

“Three armies, three-sided encirclement—once the Ming troops enter the trap, we will surround them completely and annihilate this Ming force.”

“That Ming general, Zhu Ying, will surely die!”

Many Yuan generals approached Ma Er Ke Er and bowed to report.

Listening to his officers’ reports,

Ma Er Ke Er’s face wore a confident air of total control.

…

(End of Chapter)