Chapter 104: Journey to Goryeo

At the same time, the old stronghold of Jianzhou.

Zhang Wu and Chen Heng received the signal, leading twenty thousand troops to charge into the camp.

Jianzhou's main force had already marched out with Menge Tie Mu Er, leaving only the elderly, weak women and children and a small garrison in the camp, with no capacity to resist.

In less than two hours, the camp was breached.

Zhang Wu, following Zhu Yong's orders, beheaded all Nüzhen nobles, while the ordinary tribe members were placed under close watch.

In the afternoon, Zhu Yong led his army to the Jianzhou camp.

"General, in this battle we beheaded 137 Nüzhen nobles, captured over twenty thousand tribe members, and seized countless cattle, sheep and horses," Zhang Wu reported.

Zhu Yong looked at the trembling Nüzhen women and children, paused, and said, "All males fifteen years and older are to be executed; women, children, and boys under fifteen are to be sent to Kaiyuan and given to the soldiers as slaves."

Wang Baobao opened his mouth to speak but stopped, finally sighing without saying anything.

He knew this was meant to utterly eliminate any chance of Nüzhen resurgence.

"Haixi Tribe and Yeren Tribe?" Chen Heng asked.

Zhu Yong replied, "Menge Tie Mu Er is dead, Jianzhou is annihilated; those two tribes are no concern. Rest for three days, then split forces to eradicate them."

Three days later, the Great Ming army divided into two routes.

Zhu Yong led thirty thousand to suppress the Haixi Tribe, while Wang Baobao led twenty thousand to suppress the Yeren Tribe.

Upon hearing of Jianzhou's fall, the Haixi Tribe's leader surrendered his tribe.

The Yeren Tribe scattered; Wang Baobao spent half a month before he could eradicate and pacify the major tribes.

By the end of September, the three great Nüzhen divisions north of Liaodong were directly pacified, and finally, Zhu Yong did not forget to wipe out the small tribes as well.

……

Early October, at Yingtian Prefecture.

Inside Wu Ying Hall, Zhu Yuanzhang held the Liaodong battle report and laughed heartily.

"Good! Good! Our Yong'er has achieved a great feat again, annihilating the three Nüzhen divisions, capturing and killing Menge Tie Mu Er, and pacifying north of Liaodong!"

Zhu Biao stood at the lower front, laughing, "Second brother, this battle was fought beautifully; the Eagle's Mouth Gorge ambush beheaded four thousand, captured six thousand, the Jianzhou old stronghold was taken in one stroke, the Haixi Tribe surrendered at the sight of the wind, and the Yeren Tribe was also eradicated by Wang Baobao.

From then on, north of Liaodong had no more Nüzhen threat.

Empress Ma, both pleased and worried, asked, "Yong'er wasn't injured, was he?"

"Mother Empress, rest assured, the report says Second brother emerged unscathed, and even personally hammered Menge Tie Mu Er to death," Zhu Biao said.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded with satisfaction, "Reward! Issue an edict: Wu King Zhu Yong receives an additional salary of five thousand shi, a grant of a thousand taels of gold, and a thousand bolts of silk.

All participating soldiers each receive ten taels of silver, with officers receiving double."

"Understood," Zhu Biao replied.

Empress Ma added, "Yong'er's wife has been pregnant for three months, right? Give more medicinal supplements."

"Correct! Also grant the Wu King Consort ten ginseng roots and twenty lingzhi mushrooms, and have the Imperial Hospital send a practitioner daily for pulse diagnosis," Zhu Yuanzhang said.

……

Wu Wang Fu.

Guanyin Nu's belly was already showing, and she was strolling in the courtyard.

Xiao Zhu rushed in with the battle report, exclaiming joyfully, "Princess! Your lord has won another battle, annihilated the three Nüzhen divisions, and killed their leader!"

Guanyin Nu took the report, examined it carefully, and her eyes gradually reddened.

"Safety is all that matters… safety is all that matters…" she murmured.

Xiao Ying supported her, saying, "Princess, the Imperial Hospital says you must not become too agitated."

Guanyin Nu touched her belly, softly saying, "Child, your father has won again… once you are born, he should return soon…"

Just then, the palace's rewards arrived.

Looking at the courtyard filled with gifts, Guanyin Nu gave thanks and said to Hu Bo, "Hu Bo, split the supplements in half and send them to Sister Chang."

She knew that Crown Princess Chang Wan was also pregnant, a month ahead of her.

"Yes, Princess," Hu Bo replied.

……

October 5th, Liaodong.

Zhu Yong was at Kaiyuan, resting his troops and tallying the spoils.

In this battle, over twenty thousand Jurchen Army were annihilated, more than fifty thousand tribe members captured, and tens of thousands of cattle, sheep and horses seized.

North of Liaodong, a thousand‑mile region, all returned to Great Ming.

"General, should we now head south to attack Goryeo?" Chang Mao eagerly asked.

Zhu Yong looked at the map, shook his head, "Not yet. Xu Shu should have already crossed the river; we will first consolidate Liaodong and absorb the Nüzhen lands."

Zhu Yong then directly ordered three Guards to be established on the former Nüzhen lands: Jianzhou First Guard, Jianzhou Second Guard, and Jianzhou Third Guard, each garrisoned with five thousand troops to farm and defend.

He also selected able‑bodied youths from the captives, incorporated them into the army, and replenished the losses.

Having finished these tasks, it was already late October.

That day, Wang Baobao came to see Zhu Yong and said, "Wu King, there is something…"

"Elder Brother, please speak."

Wang Baobao hesitated, "Although the Nüzhen are eradicated, Menge Tie Mu Er has a son, ten years old, who escaped the chaotic troops and was escorted north by a few bodyguards.

The commander sent men after him for three hundred li but failed to catch up; it is presumed he fled further north into a bitterly cold region."

Zhu Yong frowned, "Uprooting the grass without removing the root, the spring wind will make it grow again; dispatch elite cavalry to continue the pursuit—if alive, bring him back; if dead, bring the corpse."

"Understood," Wang Baobao acknowledged.

Zhu Yong stepped out of the tent and gazed north.

The autumn wind was bleak, the grass and trees withered yellow.

He knows that the child who escaped may become a disaster in the future.

"Send the order: a bounty of a thousand gold for capturing the son of Menge Tie Mu Er; anyone providing a clue receives a hundred taels of silver, and the captor receives a thousand gold and is appointed Hundred Household Officer."

The command is sent down, and notices are posted throughout Liaodong.

But in the vast forests, finding a child who is deliberately hiding is far from easy.

Zhu Yong can only keep the matter in his heart, waiting for a chance to resolve it completely later.

At the end of October, Xu Da's army reported that the Ming forces had crossed the Yalu River, taken three Goryeo cities in succession, and their spear now points straight at Pingrang.

Chang Yuchun's side also entered from the Northern Frontier, winning battle after battle.

Goryeo Wang Zhuan sent envoys to seek peace, but Xu Da rejected them.

Zhu Yong knows it is time to head south.

"Send the order to the whole army: depart in three days, head south to rendezvous with Xu Shu."

"Understood!"

Outside Kaiyuan City, the great army assembles.

Zhu Yong flips onto his horse and casts one last glance toward the Northern Region.

There lies the land where Nüzhen was annihilated.

And to the south, another great battle awaits him.

He raises his hammer, pointing south.

"Depart!"

Over thirty thousand troops, War Flags fluttering, march southward.

With Nüzhen's annihilation, the Queue Kingdom of the Manchu Qing will never arise again, and he has once more altered history.

Hooves kick up rolling dust, and in the autumn sun it resembles a yellow dragon winding south.

There lies the land of Goryeo.

There, enemies still await conquest.

A simple yet resolute smile spreads across Zhu Yong's face.

These days, from Yingtian to Kaiping, from Helin to Bu Yu Er Hai, from Kaiyuan to Changbaishan.

He has been fighting continuously.

For this country, for those people.

He is willing to keep fighting.

Until the world is at peace.

Until the seas are calm and the rivers clear.