Chapter 17: A Little Too Young

Before dawn, the army set out.

Chang Yuchun rode his horse, watching the winding column march north.

This was the most exhilarating moment since his Northern Expedition: Kaiping had fallen, the Yuan Emperor fled north, and all that remained was to pursue him all the way to the true Northern Yuan stronghold, Helin.

Thirty thousand elite troops, all cavalry.

The logistics train stayed behind at Kaiping, taking only ten days of dry rations.

All we need is speed.

Shiniu bore the Double Hammers, riding beside Chang Yuchun.

The pair of drum‑mounted golden hammers glimmered a dark‑gold in the morning light, the bloodstains on the heads dried into black‑brown patches.

"Simpleton, when we assault the city later, you'll lead the vanguard," Chang Yuchun suddenly said.

Shiniu nodded and replied, "Hmm."

"Don't ask why?"

"The general told me to fight, so I'll fight."

Chang Yuchun laughed, slapping his shoulder hard and said, "Good! Today we'll show the Northern Yuan barbarians what Great Ming's Vanguard looks like!"

At the front of the column, the five thousand vanguard led by Lan Yu had already vanished from sight.

They had set out last night at midnight, tasked with clearing small Yuan detachments along the way to pave the way for the main force.

Wang Gui rode on the other side of Shiniu, whispering, "Shiniu, be careful later; don't charge too far ahead."

Shiniu glanced at him, sheepishly, "Wang Ge, the general told me to lead the vanguard."

"The vanguard isn't for you to charge alone! A siege requires coordination—Ladder, Battering Ram, archers…" Wang Gui urged again.

"Oh! But I think smashing straight through the gate is faster," Shiniu said, half‑understanding, then quickly added.

Wang Gui was left speechless.

The image of those three hammers breaking the gate was still fresh in his mind!

Chang Yuchun roared with laughter, "Did you hear that? Simpleton has his own way! Wang Gui, don't worry; later just stay behind Shiniu and mop up any stragglers."

Wang Gui nodded helplessly.

At the same time, in Yingtian Prefecture, the imperial palace.

Zhu Yuanzhang had just finished the morning court and was reading memoranda in Wu Ying Hall. (Wu Ying Hall was only built in the fifteenth year of Hongwu; this is set earlier, don't argue…)

The battle report from the north arrived five days ago, via Eight Hundred Li Urgent, and the courier had exhausted three horses.

Kaiping's great victory: over ten thousand heads decapitated, countless cattle, sheep, and horses captured.

But what caught his attention most was the name in the report.

"Shiniu… fourteen years old, can lift a four‑hundred‑jin stone lion with one hand, three hammers broke Kaiping Gate…" Zhu Yuanzhang set the memorandum down, his fingers drumming on the table.

He looked up at Zhu Biao standing nearby and asked, "Biao, what do you think?"

Zhu Biao took the report, examined it carefully, and mused, "Imperial Father, if the report is true, this boy is indeed a match for ten thousand, but… fourteen years old, perhaps a bit too young."

"Youth is good! When we were fourteen, we were still monks at Yellow Scripture Temple! This kid has the makings of a warrior!" Zhu Yuanzhang stood up and walked to the window.

Empress Ma entered carrying tea, laughed at the words, "Zhong Ba, have you taken a fancy to another young general?"

"Girl, take a look at this," Zhu Yuanzhang handed the report over.

Empress Ma took it, her eyes scanning the dense characters, then suddenly stopped at a line.

"Shiniu… fourteen years old… Fengyang native…"

Her hand trembled slightly.

Zhu Yuanzhang noticed and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just… the name sounds sincere, like a good child," Empress Ma put down the report and forced a smile.

Zhu Yuanzhang didn't think further and continued, "Chang Yuchun wrote in the report that he should be rewarded—at least promoted to Thousand Household, but a Thousand Household isn't enough; he deserves a Deputy Commander!"

Zhu Biao hesitated, "Imperial Father, a fourteen‑year‑old Deputy Commander, would that…"

"Whether or not, he can kill enemies, can breach cities—that's skill! In Great Ming, we judge by ability, not age!" Zhu Yuanzhang glared.

Empress Ma whispered, "Zhong Ba, how about… when this child returns to the capital, summon him for a meeting?"

"See him! Definitely need to see him! After the Northern Expedition ends, we'll see what Shiniu really looks like that made Bo Ren value him so much," Zhu Yuanzhang said with a smile.

On the Northern Region's grassland, the wind began to pick up.

Chang Yuchun's army marched hurriedly for two days and finally saw the outline of Helin.

It was a city built on the grassland; the walls were low but massive.

After the Yuan capital moved to Dadu, Helin gradually fell into ruin, yet as an old capital its walls remained relatively intact.

The walls were already packed with soldiers.

The Yuan Emperor had fled, but the garrison was commanded by Northern Yuan Chancellor Hala Zhang, a ruthless figure.

"Report..."

A scout riding a swift horse arrived shouting, "General, General Lan's vanguard is three li from the city, forming ranks!"

Chang Yuchun nodded, looked at the generals behind him and ordered, "Relay the command: the whole army accelerate, must reach the foot of the city before noon!"

The thirty thousand cavalry quickened again.

Shiniu rode his horse, eyes fixed on the walls drawing nearer.

He had no tactics in his mind, nor any particular thoughts.

He only thought that wall… was blocking the road.

At the foot of Helin.

Lan Yu's five thousand vanguard had already taken formation.

The cavalry dismounted; the front line raised shields, the rear drew bows.

On the city wall, Hala Zhang looked at the Ming army below and sneered, "So few people, and you still dare to attack Helin?"

The Vice General whispered, "Prime Minister, scouts report that Chang Yuchun's main force is just behind, at most half an hour away."

"Then before Chang Yuchun arrives, first annihilate this Vanguard, exit the city, and meet them!" Hala Zhang gestured and said.

The Helin City gate opened slowly.

Five thousand Yuan Cavalry surged out, forming a Formation outside the city.

Their numbers matched Lan Yu's, but they held the defensive advantage, and morale was not low.

Lan Yu gripped his sword, about to order a charge; these Northern Yuan people wanted death, so let it be their wish.

A rumbling of horse hooves came from behind.

Chang Yuchun's main force arrived.

Thirty thousand cavalry came like a tide, dust billowing, the earth shaking.

Hala Zhang's complexion changed.

"Close the gate! Close the gate!" he roared.

But it was already too late.

Chang Yuchun gave the Yuan army no chance to retreat into the city.

He waved his hand on horseback, "All forces… charge!"

"Kill…"

Thirty thousand cavalry surged toward the gate like a tide.

Shiniu led the charge on horseback.

This time he did not wait for orders nor look left or right, but stared at the gate that was closing slowly.

His crimson horse galloped at full speed, wind howling in his ears.

The Double Hammers were in his hands, the hammerheads pointing forward.

The first Yuan Cavalry rider blocked the road, spear thrust forward.

Shiniu swept with his left hammer.

Bang...

Both the rider and the spear were smashed away.

The second, the third...

He was like a red‑hot knife, cutting the Yuan Cavalry's Formation as if cutting butter.

Where he passed, people fell and horses overturned.

He kept smashing forward, leaving a road of flesh and blood behind him.

Those Northern Yuan people were stunned; this was no longer battle, it was slaughter.

Chang Yuchun, watching from the rear, felt his blood boil and roared, "Good! Fight like this, follow them!"

The Ming army's morale surged, and they surged crazily toward the gate through the breach torn by Shiniu.