Chapter 157: Falcon People

In the seventh year of Hongwu, the ninth day of the fifth month.

In the thin morning mist over the southern mountains of Jiuzhou, at the pass of Falcon Valley, the smoke from the Ming army's Military Camp rose in lazy curls.

Zhu Yong stood at the camp gate, gazing at the rugged mountain path in the distance.

Falcon Valley is the vital route from Jiuzhou to Four Nations Island; steep cliffs flank both sides, and only a winding trail runs through the middle.

"Cousin, this place is easy to defend but hard to attack," Zhu Yong said to the Li Wenzhong beside him.

Li Wenzhong nodded, holding a map, and said, "Falcon Valley stretches Thirty Li in depth; at its narrowest it can only accommodate five people side by side, and within the valley lies Falcon City, one of the Southern Court's last strongholds.

The defending general is the Southern Court's famed commander Ju Chi Wu Zheng, who commands ten thousand Falcon troops, all local mountain folk adept at mountain warfare."

"Ten thousand defenders, then the thirty thousand we bring should be sufficient," Zhu Yong said.

"Not enough. The terrain limits us; the large army can't deploy, so we must attack in batches, at most five thousand each time. Moreover, the Falcon troops know the terrain and will set ambushes in the mountains; we must be careful," Li Wenzhong said, shaking his head.

Zhu Yong scratched his head and asked, "What then?"

Li Wenzhong's eyes flashed with a cold light as he said, "First attack their hearts, then the city. Falcon City houses civilians and Grain and Fodder; a siege won't work.

But we can let them turn on each other themselves."

He summoned a messenger, "Messenger, the whole army shall set up camp at the valley mouth, hold off on attacking, and send a scout team into the mountains to ascertain the terrain and ambush positions."

"Understood!"

……

Inside Falcon City.

Ju Chi Wu Zheng stood on the city tower, looking toward the valley mouth.

He had already received news that the Ming army's thirty thousand troops had arrived at the valley mouth, but strangely, the enemy did not attack immediately; instead they set up camp at the mouth.

"General, does the Ming army intend to besiege us?" the Vice General asked.

Ju Chi Wu Zheng shook his head and said, "Doesn't seem so. The Ming army excels at swift, decisive battles and won't waste time besieging; what are they waiting for…"

Just then, a scout sprinted in, saying, "General, the Ming army has dispatched a scout team, currently probing the mountains!"

Ju Chi Wu Zheng's gaze hardened, "How many?"

"About two hundred, divided into ten squads, heading in various directions."

"Send Falcon troops to intercept and kill them, leave none alive," Ju Chi Wu Zheng ordered coldly.

"Yes!"

……

In the mountains.

Zhu Yong personally led a scout team, climbing onto a cliff.

He wore custom light armor, a Waist Knife at his waist, and a sturdy bow slung on his back.

"Prince, there is movement ahead," a scout whispered.

Zhu Yong signaled the others to hide and slipped his head out quietly.

Below on the mountain path, a squad of Falcon troops was setting an ambush.

They were hidden among the shrubs, bows and arrows in hand, aimed at the inevitable road ahead.

About fifty men.

Zhu Yong grinned and said to the scouts behind him, "You wait here; I'll go deal with them."

"Prince, it's too dangerous…"

"No problem," Zhu Yong said, then leapt, jumping straight off the cliff.

The Falcon troops heard the commotion, looked up, and saw a dark silhouette descending from the sky.

"Enemy attack!" someone shouted.

But it was already too late.

Zhu Yong landed, crushing a Falcon soldier beneath him; the man died on the spot.

He rolled up, drew his Waist Knife, its blade flashing like a ribbon.

The Falcon troops hurriedly fired arrows, but the arrows struck Zhu Yong, ding-dang, unable to pierce his light armor.

Zhu Yong charged into the enemy formation, like a tiger among sheep.

His sword style was simple and direct—slash, hack, thrust—each stroke taking a life.

The Falcon troops, terrified, discovered that this Ming army commander possessed boundless strength; a single slash could cleave their weapons, splitting man and armor in two.

"It's the Ghost King... the Ming army's Ghost King!" someone recognized Zhu Yong.

Among the Japanese troops, Zhu Yong is called the "Ghost King," describing his invincibility on the battlefield like a deity.

Fear spread rapidly.

The Falcon troops began to rout.

Zhu Yong pursued and killed a dozen or so, the rest fled into the deep mountains.

The battle lasted less than the time it takes to brew a cup of tea.

Of the fifty Falcon soldiers, thirty‑eight died, the rest escaped.

Zhu Yong flicked the blood from his knife and shouted from the cliff, "Come down! Clean the battlefield."

The scout team descended, inhaling a gasp of cold air at the bodies strewn on the ground.

"Prince, you were too fast…"

"Fast what? These Japanese are too weak," Zhu Yong chuckled.

He crouched, examined a corpse, and found the Falcon soldier wore bamboo armor and used a short bow; their equipment was far inferior to the Ming army's.

"Move these corpses to a conspicuous spot so the other Japanese can see," Zhu Yong said.

"Yes!"

……

That afternoon, the other scout teams also returned one after another.

The ten scout teams encountered seven ambushes, but all repelled the enemy successfully, with few casualties.

Most importantly, they mapped out the terrain of Hawk People Valley.

That night, inside the Central Command Tent.

Li Wenzhong looked at the map, which already marked the possible ambush points and outpost locations of the Hawk People troops.

"Cousin, are we attacking tomorrow?" Zhu Yong asked.

Li Wenzhong shook his head and said, "No rush, wait another two days."

"Wait for what?"

"Wait for them to descend into chaos. You killed that ambush unit today, left the corpses on the mountain path; what will the other Hawk People troops think when they see that? Fear is contagious."

Li Wenzhong said lightly.

Zhu Yong nodded, half understanding.

Li Wenzhong continued, "The garrison in Hawk City is mostly local hillfolk, not regular soldiers. They can fight when the wind is at their backs, but once they face a strong enemy, morale easily collapses.

We should first apply pressure, making them unable to sleep well."

He ordered, "Starting tonight, each night send small detachments to harass—no real fighting, just beating drums, firing a few arrows, then retreat.

Harass them once every two‑hour period, so they cannot find peace."

"The exhausted‑soldier strategy?" Zhu Yong understood.

"Right, after three days, when they are exhausted and their horses are weary, we will launch a general assault," Li Wenzhong said, nodding.

During this period, Li Wenzhong both waged the war and taught Zhu Yong.