Chapter 20: Zhu Ying

“Report.”

“Good news from Danning Prefecture.”

A loud cry echoed outside the hall.

Immediately after,

a messenger sprinted into the grand hall and knelt directly in the center.

“Your Majesty,”

“Good news from Danning Prefecture.”

The messenger removed the bamboo tube strapped to his back and held it aloft with both hands.

“Zhu Biao was right.”

“It seems Danning Prefecture has indeed achieved victory,” Zhu Yuanzhang said with a smile.

He waved his hand.

The eunuch beside him immediately descended the dais, took the bamboo tube, then swiftly turned and presented it to Zhu Yuanzhang.

Zhu Yuanzhang opened the bamboo tube and pulled out the battle report.

He glanced at it.

A smile spread across his face: “Hahaha.”

“Bu Wan, this Guard Commander is impressive.”

“Our Great Ming troops have penetrated the northern frontier, slain over six thousand enemies, captured more than three thousand, and suffered fewer than four thousand casualties—we have won the battle.”

“Ha, excellent.”

Zhu Yuanzhang burst into laughter.

“Your subjects humbly congratulate Your Majesty.”

“This first strike has succeeded—surely a blessing from Your Majesty, a blessing for Great Ming.”

“Our Danning Prefecture lies on the northern frontier, bordering the Northern Yuan and the Jianzhou Tartars. These Jianzhou Tartars are the Northern Yuan’s hounds, disrupting the peace of our border regions. By slaying so many Tartars, we have delivered a mighty shock to the Northern Yuan.”

“Congratulations, Your Majesty!”

The civil and military ministers of the court all bowed to congratulate Zhu Yuanzhang.

“Hmm?”

After setting down the battle report,

Zhu Yuanzhang let out a soft exclamation, for beneath the report lay another, smaller one.

With a hint of surprise,

Zhu Yuanzhang opened the second report, read it closely, and his expression turned to astonishment.

The court ministers, watching, also grew curious.

“Father.”

“Has Danning Prefecture something else to report?” Zhu Biao asked with a smile.

“Biao’er.”

“Look.”

Zhu Yuanzhang directly handed the small battle report to Zhu Biao.

Zhu Biao stepped forward, puzzled, and took it.

As he read the report’s contents, his expression also turned sharply surprised.

“Such a fierce soldier,” Zhu Biao said in astonishment.

“Your Highness,”

“Has something happened in Danning Prefecture?”

A military minister stepped forward and asked respectfully.

“Read it aloud.”

Zhu Biao handed the battle report to the eunuch beside him.

The eunuch took it and loudly proclaimed: “Minister Bu Wan submits to Your Majesty! In this campaign, our Danning Prefecture frontier troops penetrated the northern frontier, shattered the Jianzhou Tartar border army, and secured great gains. The key to victory lay in a Squad Leader of our Danning frontier troops named Zhu Ying. He was ferocious and fearless, charging into the enemy ranks, slaying one hundred and three enemies single-handedly, killing the Tartar commander, and seizing the Tartar battle standard—causing the Tartar army to collapse in morale and panic. Thus, our forces achieved a decisive victory and completed the encirclement.”

“According to Your Majesty’s established military merit system, I have rewarded Zhu Ying accordingly, promoting him five ranks to Battalion Commander.”

“This youth is ferocious, his strength extraordinary—I submit this report to Your Majesty.”

Hearing this,

the civil and military ministers exchanged glances.

“One man slew one hundred and three enemies? A single soldier killed a hundred Tartars?”

“This… this report can’t be fake, can it?”

“Such strength—is this even human?”

“In the past, the King of Kaiping was fearsome. Leading from the front, he slew over seventy enemies in a single day during his clash with Chen Youliang—that was the greatest feat of the age.”

“How fierce is this youth, to kill a hundred?”

“Impossible.”

“Not only did he kill a hundred, he slew their commander and seized their banner.”

“This battle result is too extreme.”

“Battle results are tallied by the military’s Garrison Officers and reported through layers of command—how could it be false?”

“Perhaps Great Ming has truly produced a fearsome general.”

…

The court ministers’ first reaction to this result was shock; their second was disbelief.

After all, the result seemed too incredible to accept.

One man slew a hundred.

Even slaughtering a chicken isn’t that easy—let alone killing fierce northern Tartars.

“Your son humbly congratulates Your Majesty.”

“To have such a brave general in our army is truly a blessing for Great Ming.”

Zhu Biao turned to Zhu Yuanzhang and bowed in tribute.

“Slew a hundred enemies. Killed the commander. Seized the banner.”

Zhu Yuanzhang’s face bore a look of stunned awe.

His thoughts drifted back to his battle against Chen Youliang—the pivotal moment in his campaign to unify the south.

“Lord.”

“Wait for this battle.”

“I’ll personally cut down Chen Youliang’s brats.”

“But for this battle, when we take the city, you must give me Chen Youliang’s blooded steed—don’t let Xu Da and the others get it.”

A middle-aged man stood before Zhu Yuanzhang, speaking with great confidence.

He then grabbed his sword and marched off.

The outcome of that battle,

Zhu Yuanzhang remembered clearly.

His brother Chang Yuchun led from the front, slaying seventy-eight enemies, and cut down Chen Youliang’s son with a single stroke.

After that victory,

Zhu Yuanzhang recalled raising Chang Yuchun’s hand before the entire army and shouting: “See? This is my brother—this is the god of war in my army!”

That memory now flashed into Zhu Yuanzhang’s mind.

“Father.”

Zhu Biao whispered.

Zhu Yuanzhang snapped back to the present, a smile returning to his face.

“Biao’er is right.”

“For such a brave general to emerge in Great Ming is truly our blessing,” Zhu Yuanzhang laughed.

“Father,”

“This report reached Ying Tian—its results must have been thoroughly verified, with no falsification.”

“This youth is so fierce—he must be nurtured with great care,” Zhu Biao immediately urged.

“Biao’er is right.”

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled, fully agreeing with his son’s words.

“By the way, what was his name again?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Zhu Yuanzhang forgot Zhu Ying’s name—he had been entirely absorbed by the feat of one man slaying a hundred.

Realizing this,

Zhu Yuanzhang hurriedly flipped through the report.

“Father,”

“This general’s name is Zhu Ying,” Zhu Biao said with a smile.

“Zhu Ying?”

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, a faint tremor stirring in his chest.

But he quickly recovered.

"Transmit my edict."

"Bu Wan has been rewarded appropriately for his military merits; in my Great Ming, in my realm, no meritorious subject shall be overlooked—anyone who serves the state with merit shall surely be rewarded."

"The Ministry of War has spread word of Zhu Ying’s battlefield achievements throughout the army, inspiring all officers and soldiers," Zhu Yuanzhang immediately decreed.

Tang Duo immediately stepped forward: "Your servant receives the edict."

"Now that the border troops of Danning Prefecture have achieved victory, the Yuan court and Naha Chu must surely take action."

"Transmit my edict."

"Tell Bu Wan to hold firm—he may soon face a major offensive from the Yuan court and the Tartars."

"Tell him to hold on; the true heavyweights of my Great Ming are coming soon," Zhu Yuanzhang said with a cold laugh.

The border troops of Danning Prefecture are drawing attention.

To the Northern Yuan, they may appear to be the main force—but in truth, the real main force lies behind!

…

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(End of Chapter)