Chapter 45: Above the Northern Frontier, Thousands of Savages!

Northern Frontier!

Jianzhou Tartar territory!

A small tribe.

Several thousand Ming cavalry, drenched in blood, had surrounded this tribe.

All thousands of Tartars within the tribe had been gathered together.

Corpses littered the area around the tribe.

Looking at these Ming soldiers, each bore a quiver on their back, a bow on their horse, and a long saber in hand.

Of course.

They were all covered in blood and stank of rot, like savages, yet each radiated a ferocious brutality.

Zhu Ying had led these troops across this foreign land of the Northern Frontier for over a month, daily riding, killing, and fighting.

One could say.

The battles Zhu Ying had led them through were unlike any they had faced in years past.

Now, Zhu Ying’s few thousand cavalry could truly be called a battle-hardened army.

“Garrison Commander.”

“Five hundred enemy slain.”

Wei Quan rode up beside Zhu Ying and reported respectfully.

Zhu Ying nodded.

After so long together, many things needed no explicit order—a glance was enough.

Zhu Ying scanned the Tartars, their faces filled with terror and hatred toward him and his men, and felt no ripple of emotion.

War was always like this.

There was no right or wrong.

If the Tartars had breached Ming cities and villages, their methods would have been even more brutal.

Having lived two lives, Zhu Ying knew better than anyone how ruthless these Tartars were.

“Standard procedure.”

“Kill any male taller than a cartwheel,” Zhu Ying said coldly.

“Your orders are received.”

Many soldiers moved at once.

They dismounted.

Dragged out a cart from within the tribe.

“Spare us!”

“We’re just civilians!”

“Spare us… don’t kill us…”

Immediately after,

came a chorus of wails and pleas for mercy.

But would Zhu Ying listen?

Would these thousands of Ming soldiers listen?

Without question.

No one would pity them.

One by one, Tartar men were dragged out by Zhu Ying’s soldiers and measured against the cartwheel.

Whoever exceeded it—even by an inch—was cut down.

This was the Ming learning from their enemies.

After all, this method had originated among the Northern Frontier tribes, who had once used it against countless Han civilians—and even more cruelly, after killing males taller than the cartwheel, they had raped the women.

In an instant,

hundreds more corpses lay on the ground.

Zhu Ying pulled a small pouch of powder from his robe and tossed it to Liu Lei beside him.

“Yes.”

Liu Lei immediately obeyed.

He went straight to the tribe’s water source and dumped the powder into it.

This was the powerful laxative Zhu Ying had acquired.

“Withdraw!”

Zhu Ying shouted.

“Your orders are received!”

All soldiers shouted in unison, mounting their horses.

They followed Zhu Ying’s figure as they galloped further north.

Though their force numbered fewer than three thousand, their horses totaled nearly ten thousand.

All were spoils of war taken by Zhu Ying and his men—their means to move freely across Jianzhou Tartar territory.

As the powder entered the water, the tribe erupted in towering flames; Ming troops burned every grain and supply they could not carry, destroying all they left behind.

Less than half an hour after Zhu Ying and his troops departed,

Taptap.

Taptap.

At the site of the slaughtered Tartar tribe,

tens of thousands of Tartar troops surged forward.

“Damn it!”

“We’re too late again.”

“Those damned Ming scum.”

“Damn Zhu Ying.”

Seeing the ruined tribe, Agunu burned with hatred.

“General.”

“This is the fifteenth Tartar tribe destroyed by the Ming, and over ten thousand of our people dead.”

“If this continues, our clan will be wiped out.”

Another Tartar commander spoke with equal hatred.

“What can we do now?”

“Our cavalry has been annihilated by these damned Ming; we can’t catch them,”

“And the Yuan has no reinforcements—Ming’s main force is already advancing on the Yuan.” Another Tartar commander spoke with heavy dread.

“Pursue! Keep pursuing!”

“If I don’t tear Zhu Ying apart and exterminate every last Ming soldier, how can I face our chieftain?” Agunu snarled.

…

“Garrison Commander.”

“This is the fifteenth Tartar tribe.”

“Ha!”

Wei Quan laughed loudly.

“That’s right.”

“Following your orders, I’ve cut fifteen enemy banners already. You said these counts count as Ming war merits—can’t waste them.” Zhuang Wei also laughed.

“Brothers.”

“Don’t lose the ears you’ve cut off.”

“When we return to Ming territory, these will be your proof for promotion and wealth,” Zhang Wu called out.

“Of course.”

“Battalion Commander, I’ve cut over thirty Tartar ears already—ha ha, promotion and wealth!”

“Damn, Zhao Si, you’re brutal—I’ve only got fifteen.”

“Heh, following the Garrison Commander isn’t just satisfying—it brings promotion and wealth. I’m sticking with him for life. Wherever he goes, I go. I’ve been enlisted six years, never fought so freely before. These damned Tartars invaded Ming—they all deserve to die.”

“Exactly.”

“I swear to follow the Garrison Commander to the death.”

“Garrison Commander, we swear to follow you.”

“Me too.”

“Swear to follow.”

“Don’t ever leave us behind, Garrison Commander—we all swear to follow you…”

Horses galloped as the cavalry surged forward.

These thousands of soldiers still stood in foreign, perilous land.

Yet every soldier maintained fierce morale, showing no fear.

Every soldier had been utterly won over by Zhu Ying, consumed by fervent devotion to him.

Listen to them.

Zhu Ying smiled and shouted loudly: “Thank you, brothers, for your trust. Since you trust me so much, I, Zhu Ying, will lead you all to forge the martial glory of Great Ming soldiers. As I’ve said before, I will never abandon any of you. On the battlefield, I will charge ahead first—I will never hide behind my brothers, and I will never betray any of you.”

“We swear to follow the Garrison Commander to our deaths.”

“We swear to follow…”

All the soldiers shouted with fierce fervor.

“Good.”

“Brothers.”

“It’s almost dark.”

“Keep advancing for another half hour, then rest.” Zhu Ying laughed and spurred his horse forward.

“Yes!”

The Ming soldiers shouted with passionate fervor.

Time slipped by!

Soon.

Night fell.

Beneath the night sky.

There was no setting up camp, only bonfires gathered; no fine meats or delicacies, only Zhu Ying and his men eating dry biscuits and drinking water by the fire.

…

PS: Thank you so much for following along. Muah!

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(End of Chapter)