Chapter 39: Annihilate the Tartar Cavalry!

For these pursuing Tartars,

they hated Zhu Ying intensely, and hated the Ming army even more.

After days of pursuit, Zhu Ying had led his troops in flight, leaving the Tartars with the impression that the Ming army was panicked and fleeing blindly.

And this was precisely what Zhu Ying intended—to make them charge forward without restraint.

Finally!

Less than the time it took for one incense stick to burn.

At the low ground between the hills.

There, the Tartar myriarch led five to six thousand Tartar cavalry in a swift charge.

When they saw the valley ahead,

they did not pause a moment, continuing their pursuit.

“Myriarch.”

“This terrain is extremely low—could the Ming army be setting an ambush here?”

As they galloped, a Tartar battalion commander glanced ahead, worried.

“The Ming army has been driven into blind flight by our brave warriors. This land is still ours. Not far ahead lies our Red Banner tribe. I’ve already sent word to them to send their sons to cut off the Ming army’s retreat.”

“If I don’t tear this Ming force into pieces, I, Mainuha, will have no face to show before our chieftain.”

“Warriors, hasten the pursuit! We must annihilate this Ming force completely.”

“Kill!”

The Tartar myriarch roared.

Over six thousand Tartar iron cavalry surged forward, rapidly closing in on the valley mouth.

The hidden Ming soldiers gripped their bows tightly, eyes brimming with murderous intent.

And now they waited for Zhu Ying’s signal.

The moment Zhu Ying loosed his arrow, a rain of arrows would fall.

Yet,

Zhu Ying was not in a hurry. He stared calmly, watching the Tartars walk into the trap.

“There you are.”

Zhu Ying’s gaze fixed on the Tartar central command banner.

Beneath that banner,

a Tartar officer clad in iron armor came into view.

Distinguishing Tartar officers from soldiers was simple—especially from above, it was obvious.

Zhu Ying drew his Precious Carved Bow, nocking an arrow.

With a pull of his strength, the bowstring parted easily.

As more than half of the Tartar cavalry had already entered the valley,

“Die!” Zhu Ying silently growled in his heart.

Shhh!

The arrow shot from the Precious Carved Bow, striking downward at the Tartar myriarch.

In the blink of an eye,

the Tartar, who had been charging forward, suddenly—

Plop!

The arrow pierced straight through the Tartar myriarch’s chest, the force hurling him bodily from his saddle.

Plop.

He crashed hard to the ground.

Before the Tartar soldiers could react,

the myriarch’s corpse was trampled beneath their comrades’ hooves.

“Slain Tartar myriarch. Gained 100 points in all attributes.” The panel prompted.

As Zhu Ying’s arrow pierced the air,

almost instantly,

the Ming soldiers, long ready, unleashed a furious barrage of arrows downward.

Arrows rained down in chaos.

In an instant,

waves of Tartar cavalry were shot from their mounts.

And by Zhu Ying’s prior order, the arrows first targeted the Tartar rear, using their corpses and dead horses to block escape routes.

“First, Second, and Fourth Battalion Commands, follow me and charge!”

“Fifth Battalion Command, take the high ground and keep firing!”

“Kill!”

Zhu Ying shouted.

He spurred his horse forward.

Raising his long saber, he charged straight down into the Tartars.

“We follow the Garrison Commander to the death!”

“Kill!”

Three battalion commanders and one acting battalion commander led their troops immediately after Zhu Ying, charging without hesitation.

Having fought side by side with Zhu Ying through countless battles, they now moved in perfect unison—simply follow their Garrison Commander and charge.

And on the heights,

nearly a thousand Ming soldiers dismounted, raising their bows to rain arrows upon the Tartar rear. The arrows fell like rain, and from their elevated position, especially after Zhu Ying had slain their myriarch, the Tartar front line was thrown into complete chaos—neither advancing nor retreating, utterly disarrayed.

At this moment, the Tartars were utterly confused.

“The Ming army has set an ambush here!”

“We’ve been ambushed by the Ming!”

“Retreat… flee quickly!”

“Don’t panic! Our rear is cut off—we can’t retreat. Only charge forward!”

“Warriors, don’t scatter! Follow me and break through!”

“The Red Banner tribe has sent reinforcements! If we break out, we live! Kill!”

The Tartar cavalry was in total disarray. Faced with arrows falling from above, comrades dropping from their mounts, panic spread wildly—and they hadn’t even seen a single Ming soldier, only a dense storm of arrows.

Then!

Directly ahead of the Tartar chaos,

“Kill!”

Zhu Ying led his troops in a charge.

He swung his blade in a horizontal arc.

Several Tartars before him were cut down, blood spraying.

“Slain Tartar cavalryman. Gained 20 points in Strength.”

“Slain Tartar cavalryman. Gained 20 points in Constitution.”

“Slain Tartar cavalryman. Gained 50 points in Lifespan.”

…

Killing enemies and gaining attributes—the panel continued its prompts.

After every major battle, Zhu Ying grew stronger; this charge was even more ferocious.

As always,

Zhu Ying charged at the very front.

Even with thousands of Tartars before him, he showed no fear, charging wildly.

Today,

Zhu Ying would bury the Tartar cavalry completely.

Today,

Zhu Ying would break through 1,000 points in all attributes, making him even more dominant on the battlefield.

“Kill!”

“Kill!”

The battle cries echoed through the hills.

In this foreign land, the spirit of the Ming soldiers shone.

Charging.

Slaughtering.

This ambush battle,

compared to previous direct confrontations, yielded vastly different results.

The enemy was crushed far more easily; without command, they could not stand against the Ming soldiers.

Time passed.

Zhu Ying charged through the enemy, thousands of Ming soldiers following him in a frenzy, slaughtering the Tartars without mercy.

Nearly a thousand soldiers holding the high ground also raised their bows and loosed arrows at the Tartars.

Favorable weather, advantageous terrain, and united morale.

All of it was now firmly in the hands of the Ming army.

Just over an hour later,

the great battle had already reached its end.

“Spare my life!”

“Don’t kill me!”

“Spare me…”

“I surrender! Spare my life…”

At this moment,

fewer than a hundred Tartars remained, surrounded and begging in terror.

Many more writhed among the piles of corpses, struggling to survive.

Zhu Ying glanced over and coldly said: “No prisoners.”

His words fell.

The Ming soldiers surged forward without hesitation, swiftly eliminating the remaining Tartars.

“Garrison Commander.”

“Fewer than eight hundred escaped; all other Tartars have been annihilated.”

Wei Quan hurried over, reporting excitedly.

The surrounding soldiers were greatly uplifted, their gazes fixed on Zhu Ying with deep admiration.

They had now been deep within the northern frontier for over ten days.

They had driven like a dagger into the Tartars’ heartland, and after this battle, they had wiped out the Tartars’ last remaining ten thousand cavalry.

Such great merit.

Such a decisive victory.

They never imagined this when they set out.

And all of it was achieved under Zhu Ying’s leadership.

…

PS: 2025 has arrived. May all brothers enjoy reunion, health, and prosperity. Wishing every brother a new year of rising success.

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(End of Chapter)