Chapter 124: Grain Raid

Hongwu Year Five, August 21st.

North of Yiwu Oasis, thirty li away, a poplar forest stands silently in the night.

Zhu Yong lies behind a sand dune, using the Thousand-mile Mirror to observe distant flames.

That is the supply convoy camp of the Eastern Chagatai Khanate, extending over more than two li, with campfires dotted like a river of stars falling to the ground.

"Prince, I've scouted… three hundred grain wagons, eight hundred camels, the guard force about five thousand, camped in three locations, with the main commander's big tent in the middle." Zhang Wu climbs up from behind, lowering his voice.

"Who is the main commander?" Zhu Yong asks.

"The banner is 'Ya', it should be Yamu'er, the nephew of the Black Fire's son." Zhang Wu replies.

Zhu Yong nods, puts away the Thousand-mile Mirror.

Longxiang Army's ten thousand cavalry have been hidden in the poplar forest for a whole day, horse and rider silent, waiting to act tonight.

This is the fifth night since they left the main force.

In five days, these ten thousand men marched by day and moved by night, circling nearly six hundred li across the Gobi, winding from the northern foothills of the Qilian Mountains to Yiwu Oasis.

Along the way they encountered three small patrol squads, all quietly eliminated.

"Chen Heng." Zhu Yong turned his head.

"The junior commander is here!"

"You take three thousand men, break in from the west, burn the grain wagons; remember, do not linger in battle, burn them and leave."

"As you command!"

"Zhang Wu takes three thousand men, charge in from the east, target the camel convoy, scatter the camels, and drive them into the enemy camp."

"Yes!"

"The remaining four thousand, follow me to directly seize the central camp, slay Yamu'er, we will act at the third watch, using the Rocket as the signal." Zhu Yong clenches the hammer handle and says.

The commanders gave orders, each went down to prepare.

Zhu Yong leans against the sand dune, gazing at the starry sky.

The Gobi night is bone‑chilling cold, the wind blows through the poplar forest, emitting a whistling sound.

From the distant camp faint singing and laughter drift, those guards still unaware that death has arrived.

He recalls Yingtian Prefecture, recalls the Guanyin Nu in Kunning Palace and his daughter Huanhuan.

Before the campaign, Guanyin Nu held her daughter and escorted him to the city gate; her eyes were red, yet she forced a smile and said, "Huanhuan and I will wait for your return."

Empress Ma also took his hand and said, "Yong Er, the road to the Western Regions is long; you must be safe."

Zhu Biao personally escorted him to the Yangtze River dock; the two brothers talked at the bow for a long time.

"Second brother, the Western Regions are not like Zhongyuan; the people there are cunning, you must be more shrewd." Zhu Biao reminded.

"I know, elder brother, don't worry." Zhu Yong chuckles.

"Also, Uncle Feng and Uncle Geng are trapped; we must rescue them, but don't get yourself caught; if impossible, retreat, and we will discuss further later."

"I understand."

At this moment recalling these, Zhu Yong feels a surge of warmth in his heart.

He has a home to return to, a wife and daughter waiting, so this battle must be won.

The third watch is approaching.

Zhu Yong stands up, loosens his muscles and bones.

A nearby soldier hands him a Water Bag; he takes a sip, the icy water revitalizes his spirit.

"Prepare." he whispers.

Four thousand cavalry quietly mount, swords drawn from scabbards, arrows nocked.

In the distant camp, the last patrol squad passes, the guard beside the campfire yawns.

The time has come.

Zhu Yong raises his longbow, launches a Rocket into the night sky.

"Kill…"

Shouts of "Kill…" erupt suddenly, like thunder cracking.

Chen Heng's three thousand cavalry charge in from the west, Rockets rain down on the grain wagons.

The dry Grain and Fodder instantly ignites into a massive blaze, flames soaring skyward.

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!" the camp erupts in chaos.

Zhang Wu's three thousand men charge in from the east, brandishing sabers, cutting the camel reins.

The frightened camels run wildly, overturning tents and trampling soldiers.

Zhu Yong leads on horseback, commanding four thousand elite cavalry straight at the central camp's big tent.

"Stop them!" a commander reacts, organizing resistance.

But it's too late.

Longxiang Army is like a spearhead, easily tearing through the defenses.

Zhu Yong swings his Double Hammers, wherever he passes people are thrown head over heels.

The six‑hundred‑pound drum‑jar golden hammer, light as a wooden stick in his hand, shatters bones and sinews when it strikes a person.

A hundred‑person squad attempts to block, Zhu Yong gallops through, swinging his Double Hammers left and right, sending over a dozen men flying into the air.

The rest are terrified, scattering in a rout.

The central camp's big tent is right before them.

Yamu'er bursts out of the tent, armor not yet arranged, seeing the bright army close, he is shocked and pale.

"Fire arrows! Fire arrows!" he roars.

A squad of archers hurriedly fire arrows, the sparse arrows are blocked by the bright army's shields.

Zhu Yong has already charged within thirty steps.

Yamu'er gritted his teeth and drew his sword; he is also a famed brave General of the Eastern Chagatai, and does not believe he will lose.

The two horses crossed.

Yamu'er swung his blade in a fierce slash.

Zhu Yong neither dodged nor evaded, using his left hammer to block; with a clang, a huge sound rang out as the curved sword slipped from his hand and flew away.

His right hammer followed through, smashing down, while Yamu'er raised his shield to meet it.

The wooden shield shattered, the iron hammer struck the breastplate, and the chestbone was smashed.

Yamu'er was thrown off his horse, crashing into two Imperial Troops, and when he hit the ground he was already lifeless.

"The General is dead!" the surrounding soldiers shouted in terror.

With the commander dead, the defending army completely collapsed.

Some knelt and surrendered, some scattered and fled, some still tried to resist and were swiftly beheaded.

The battle lasted half an hour.

Flames reddened half the sky, most of the supply wagons were burned, most of the camels panicked and fled, and the camp lay in ruins.

"Take inventory of the spoils," Zhu Yong ordered.

Zhang Wu rode over and said, "Prince, we have annihilated over two thousand enemies, captured eighteen hundred, the rest scattered, burned two hundred seventy supply wagons, over five hundred camels fled, seized thirty intact supply wagons, and three hundred camels."

"Our casualties?"

"Twenty‑seven killed, over one hundred thirty wounded, most lightly."

Zhu Yong nodded.

At the cost of twenty‑seven men, we wiped out five thousand defenders and burned the enemy's supplies; this result is acceptable.

"Tie up the prisoners and escort them to the oasis edge for guard, distribute the seized food to the soldiers—each carries three days' rations, and the remainder... burn it outright," he paused before continuing.

"Burn it?" Zhang Wu was startled.

"We can't take it, nor can we let the enemy have it," Zhu Yong said.

"Yes!"

The great fire kept burning, the remaining food turning to ash in the flames.

Zhu Yong stood before the fire, his face flushed bright red.

This blaze burned away the lifeline of the Eastern Chagatai army.

The fifty thousand enemy troops outside Hami City can endure at most ten more days.

After ten days, the food will run out and the army will collapse.

"Prince, what shall we do next?" Chen Heng asked.

Zhu Yong looked eastward, toward Hami.

"Head to Hami and rendezvous with General Guo."

"Go now? The enemy main force is over there..." Chen Heng hesitated.

"Precisely because the main force is there that we must go; cutting off their supply route is only the first step. Next we must make them know their rear is cut, and their morale will surely crumble."

Zhu Yong flipped onto his horse and said.

He scanned the commanders and said, "Send the order: the whole army rests for one hour, departs at dawn, and heads straight for Hami."

"Understood!"

……

At the same time, west of Hami City, the Eastern Chagatai Military Camp.

The Black Fire One stood on the high platform at the camp gate, gazing at the faint red glow on the eastern horizon, his brows tightly knit.

"What is that?" he asked.

The officer beside him shook his head and said, "We don't know, perhaps a wildfire."

"Wildfire..." the Black Fire One murmured, a foreboding feeling rising in his heart.

Five days earlier, he received a report that the Ming main force of thirty thousand had exited the Gate of Ghosts and was marching toward Hami.

He immediately mobilized troops and dispatched generals, preparing to battle the Ming forces outside Hami City.

But another Ming contingent had vanished without a trace.

That Wu King, the legendary fierce General who broke cities with three hammers, that ten thousand Longxiang Army cavalry, disappeared in the Gobi as if evaporated from the world.

"Any news from Yamu'er's side?" the Black Fire One asked.

"A messenger reported yesterday that the supply convoy has arrived at Yiwu; it should set out today," the Vice General replied.