Chapter 241: Good Little Brother

……

At Wei Hour, three quarters, Zhu Di's side finally reached the designated position.

Three thousand men lay on the hillside behind the fourth pass, two li away, and could clearly see the situation inside the pass.

The pass was not large, built against the mountain, with two fort walls front and back, and barracks and warehouses in between.

A rough count showed at least two thousand inside.

Zhu Di carefully observed the pass's defenses, his mind rapidly calculating.

If they launched a sudden attack from behind, a pincer from front and rear, taking the pass should not be difficult.

But the problem was, they only had three thousand men here, and still needed to leave some to guard the rear.

"Prince, shall we attack?" the Vice General whispered.

Zhu Di shook his head: "No hurry, wait for the signal from Second Prince's side."

He lay on the hillside, motionless.

The sun gradually set, and the mountain wind carried a chill.

Zhu Di suddenly recalled Second Prince's words.

"Fifth Prince, first time on the battlefield, don't rush, watch more, think more, wait more; when the chance comes, grab it in one go."

Watch more, think more, wait more…

Zhu Di took a deep breath and suppressed the urge to rush down.

"Send the order down: everyone must not move, must not make a sound, wait for the signal."

……

Shen Hour, on the front battlefield.

Zhu Yong stood on the high slope, having waited for two hours.

Lan Yu paced beside him, restless.

"Uncle Lan, stop fidgeting," Zhu Yong said naively.

"How could I not fidget? It's already this hour; if we don't attack soon, it will be dark," Lan Yu said.

Zhu Yong looked at the distant pass, then at the setting sun, and said, "Almost there."

As soon as the words fell, a few explosions suddenly rang out from behind the left mountain.

Lan Yu was startled and asked, "What sound?"

"Fourth Prince has moved," Zhu Yong said.

After a while, a column of smoke suddenly rose from the ridge on the right mountain.

That was the prearranged signal from Zhu Di's side, now in place.

Zhu Yong grinned, lifted the Double Hammers, and vaulted onto his horse.

"Send the order to the whole army: prepare to attack."

"Yes!"

Ten thousand Longxiang Army soldiers quickly formed ranks, loaded their Flintlock Guns, and prepared the artillery.

Zhu Yong rode his horse to the front of the formation, looked at the veterans who had followed him for years, and said naively, "Brothers, we've waited two hours, time to get to work."

"Kill!" ten thousand shouted in unison.

Zhu Yong turned his head, looked at Lan Yu and Wang Gui, and said, "Uncle Lan, you lead three thousand men to flank from the left wing; Wang Gui, you lead two thousand men to flank from the Right Wing.

I'll lead five thousand men in a frontal assault."

"Yes!"

Lan Yu and Wang Gui took the orders and went.

Zhu Yong lifted the Double Hammers and rode forward.

"Brothers, charge with me!"

"Kill..."

Five thousand men surged toward the pass like a tide.

The rebels at the pass panicked, frantically firing arrows.

Arrows fell like rain, striking the Longxiang Army's plate armor with a clanging sound, yet they could not pierce.

Zhu Yong charged at the front, swinging the Double Hammers, blocking the arrows aimed at him.

His horse was swift; in an instant it reached the foot of the pass.

The first fort wall was two zhang high, made of wooden palisades, with rebels behind firing desperately.

Zhu Yong flipped off his horse, raised his right hammer, and struck the wall with a blow.

"Boom..."

Wood chips flew sideways, and a large section of the wall collapsed.

The rebels were stunned.

Is this damn person?

Zhu Yong gave them no time to react, and swung his left hammer up again.

"Boom..."

The fort wall collapsed completely.

"Charge!" Zhu Yong shouted.

Having not personally fought for a long time, Zhu Yong again felt the sensation from when he first joined the army.

Five thousand Longxiang Army poured in.

The rebels still tried to resist, but how could they stop these wolf‑like, tiger‑like elites?

Flintlock Gun went bang‑bang, and the sword‑and‑shield troops pressed forward step by step.

In less than the time a incense stick burns, the rebels inside the first stockade wall were completely annihilated.

Zhu Yong lifted the Double Hammers and strode toward the second stockade wall.

The second stockade wall was higher and thicker, and inside there were still more than two thousand rebels.

The pass's defending commander stood on the wall, and seeing the blood‑soaked giant below, his legs went weak.

"Fire arrows! Quickly, fire arrows!"

Arrows fell like rain.

Zhu Yong neither dodged nor flinched, letting the arrows strike his body.

His plate armor was thick; the arrows could not pierce it.

He walked to the base of the wall, inhaled deeply, and raised the Double Hammers.

"Ha…"

One hammer came down.

The stockade wall shuddered violently, and cracks spread.

Another hammer.

A large section of the wall collapsed.

The third hammer.

The wall completely gave way.

Zhu Yong stepped on the rubble and charged in.

Behind him, five thousand Longxiang Army surged in like a tide.

……

At the beginning of the hour of the Rooster, the battle ended.

The fourth pass was seized by the Ming army; the defending force of over two thousand was reduced by more than 1,500 killed and over 500 captured.

The defending commander was also taken alive.

Zhu Yong stood at the highest point of the pass, looking at the bodies and captives strewn on the ground, his face expressionless.

Lan Yu rode over, drenched in blood, but it wasn't his.

"Thrilling! I haven't felt this thrilled in ages!" Lan Yu laughed heartily.

Lan Yu liked fighting alongside her brother‑in‑law and Prince Wu, because only with the two could she have a truly thrilling battle.

Wang Gui also arrived; his sword had become blunt, and he was changing weapons.

Zhu Yong looked at them, gave a simple smile, then turned toward the hills behind.

"The Lao Si and Lao Wu side should have news."

As soon as the words finished, a scout on a flying horse reported.

"Report… Prince Jin has succeeded! The rebel supply line was cut, the grain convoy shattered, at least seven or eight outposts taken!"

Another scout reported.

"Report… Prince Yan has already taken the third pass! Prince Jin coordinated with Prince Yan for a double‑sided assault, and the third‑pass defenders were routed!"

Zhu Yong nodded, said simply, "What about Lao San's side?"

"Prince Qin is still feigning attack at the first pass; the rebels dare not emerge."

Zhu Yong thought for a moment, then said, "Send the order down: let Lao San continue the feint, don't rush to engage, let Lao Si and Lao Wu clean the battlefield, and finish processing the captives before dawn."

"Understood!"

Lan Yu stepped close and asked, "Where are we fighting tomorrow?"

Zhu Yong pointed north and said, "Tomorrow we strike the fifth pass."

Lan Yu grinned.

……

Night fell, and inside the fourth pass the lights shone brightly.

Longxiang Army soldiers were cleaning the battlefield and tallying spoils. Captives were gathered under guard, and wounded soldiers were carried aside for treatment.

Zhu Shuang, Zhu Gang, and Zhu Di gathered in the Central Command Tent, circling the map and discussing today's battle conditions excitedly.

"Second Prince, my volley today killed at least a hundred!" Zhu Shuang said, eyes bright.

"I blew up seven or eight outposts, completely severing the rebel supply line," Zhu Gang added proudly.

Zhu Di was more steady, but a smile tugged at his mouth as he said, "At the third pass, the rebels never expected us to break out from behind; it went smoothly."

Zhu Yong sat on the Main Seat, listening simply.

After the three younger brothers finished, he spoke.

"Today's fighting was good, but don't celebrate too early."

The three fell silent at once.

Zhu Yong looked at the map, his finger pointing at the fifth pass, and said, "At Nalin Seven Station, we have only taken two, there are five left."

The rebel main force is still behind.

He looked at Zhu Shuang and said, "Lao San, your frontal feint today was good, but the follow‑up pursuit was too hasty; if the Longxiang Army hadn't been well trained, it would have been easy to get counter‑attacked."

Zhu Shuang scratched his head and said, "Second Prince is right; I'll be more careful next time."

Zhu Yong then looked at Zhu Gang and said, "Lao Si, your harassment was good, you didn't force a direct clash and preserved strength, but your forces were too scattered; if the rebels counterattack, it will take time for you to regroup."

Zhu Gang nodded, "Got it."

Finally he looked at Zhu Di and said, "Lao Wu, your side fought most splendidly, you didn't act prematurely, you waited for the signal and timed it well. But…"

He paused and said, "You charged too far forward. You are the commander, not a foot soldier; if something goes wrong, what about the three thousand men?"

Zhu Di fell silent for a moment, lowered his head and said, "Second Prince, I was wrong."

Zhu Yong nodded, said earnestly, "The three of you are on the battlefield for the first time; fighting like this, you're already stronger than I was back then."

He stood up, walked to the three younger brothers, patted their shoulders and said, "Keep fighting; there are tougher battles ahead."

The three shouted in unison, "Yes, Second Prince!"

Outside the tent, the night wind howled.

In the distance, faint wolf howls could be heard.

Zhu Yong stepped out of the tent, looked at the dark, looming mountains of the Northern Region, and gave a simple smile.