Chapter 245: I

Zhu Yong grinned naively, "I'm here, you can't run away."

Before the words finished, his figure flickered and he had already rushed to Wang Shu Tie Mu Er's front.

The golden hammer swept horizontally.

Wang Shu Tie Mu Er instinctively raised his sword to block.

"Clang…"

With a deafening blast, the Long Sword slipped from his hand, the hilt shattered, and blood spurted out.

Wang Shu Tie Mu Er let out a wail, his body blasted away, slammed hard against the city wall, slid down, and vomited blood in large gulps.

Zhu Yong walked over, looked down at him, and said naively, "Not bad, you took my hammer; that's a bit better than your family's trash."

Wang Shu Tie Mu Er opened his mouth to speak, but only spat out a mouthful of blood foam.

Zhu Yong waved his hand, "Bind him, take him back for interrogation."

"Yes!"

Zhang Wu led a few Imperial Troops forward and bound the half‑dead Wang Shu Tie Mu Er tightly.

……

At noon, the battle ended.

The sixth pass was seized by the Ming army; the defending force of eight thousand was wiped out with over five thousand killed and more than two thousand captured.

The defending commander Wang Shu Tie Mu Er was captured alive.

Zhu Yong stood at the highest point of the inner city, watching the corpses and captives on the ground, his face expressionless.

The three younger brothers came one after another to report the results.

"Second Prince, I killed two thousand enemies and captured eight hundred!" Zhu Shuang said animatedly, his body drenched in blood yet full of vigor.

Zhu Yong nodded and said, "Well fought, but when we lured the enemy earlier, you ran too fast and almost collided with our own men."

Zhu Shuang chuckled, "I did it to make that fool chase us tighter."

Zhu Yong turned to Zhu Gang, "Fourth Brother, how about your side?"

Zhu Gang replied calmly, "Killed fifteen hundred enemies, captured seven hundred, seized two thousand shi of grain and fodder."

"Hmm, the timing of the flank encirclement was well grasped," Zhu Yong praised, "Keep it up."

Zhu Gang grinned.

Finally came Zhu Di.

"Second Prince, I blocked their rear, captured eight hundred routed troops and several leaders," Zhu Di said.

Zhu Yong looked at him and said naively, "Fifth Prince, you are the most steady; you don't crave glory nor act rashly, and that surpasses your third and fourth brothers."

Zhu Di replied somewhat embarrassed, "Second Prince, you flatter me."

Zhu Shuang, standing aside, protested, "Second Prince, I also have steady moments!"

"You?" Zhu Gang sneered, "Your steady moments are when you crouch behind the wall too scared to come out, right?"

"Bullshit! When have I ever crouched behind a wall?"

"When we lured the enemy earlier, you ran faster than a rabbit!"

"That was a tactic taught by Second Prince!"

The two brothers argued, each refusing to yield.

Zhu Di snickered beside them.

Zhu Yong didn't intervene, letting them make noise.

These younger brothers, over the past years following him on eastern and western campaigns, have turned from mischievous princes into generals capable of handling affairs alone.

Third Brother Zhu Shuang, though still boisterous, fights bravely and decisively, a fine shock‑trooper.

Fourth Brother Zhu Gang, steady‑tempered and meticulous, suited to command a force alone and execute flanking maneuvers.

Fifth Brother Zhu Di, the youngest, yet the most steady.

Sharp‑minded, far‑sighted, destined to achieve great things.

Zhu Yong knew in his heart that these brothers were historically all titled princes guarding the borders.

Zhu Di later became the Yongle Emperor, who led five campaigns into Mobei, moved the capital to Beijing, compiled the Yongle Encyclopedia, and dispatched Zheng He on voyages to the West…

But now, they still need him as the leading brother.

"Enough, stop the fuss, clean up the battlefield, tally the spoils, and tomorrow we take the seventh pass," Zhu Yong said.

The three replied in unison, "Yes!"

……

Shen Hour, Central Command Tent.

Zhu Yong sat on the Main Seat, with the captured rebels' defensive map spread before him.

The three brothers sat on either side, their excitement still unabated.

"Second Prince, the seventh pass is the last; capture it and the seven neighboring stations will all be in our hands," Zhu Shuang said.

Zhu Yong nodded, "Wang Shu Duo Er is personally defending there, with at least ten thousand troops, more than the previous ones."

"What's there to fear? We have cannons, flintlock guns, plate armor; we'll blast the wall, charge in, and cut them down," Zhu Shuang said nonchalantly.

Zhu Yong shook his head, "The terrain of the seventh pass is more treacherous than the previous six; cliffs flank both sides, only a front road, the stockade wall has three layers and the inner city another. A direct assault would cause heavy casualties."

Zhu Gang frowned, "Then what? We can't go around."

Zhu Yong looked at Zhu Di, "Fifth Prince, what do you think?"

Zhu Di pondered briefly, "Second Prince, can we use the same method? Lure the enemy?"

"Wang Shu Duo Er isn't his brother, so he's not so easily fooled, but we can change our approach," Zhu Yong said.

He pointed to a small path behind the seventh pass on the map.

"This little path, look."

The three gathered over to look.

Zhu Shuang frowned and said, "This road looks rather steep; can people walk it?"

"It can… we learned it yesterday while interrogating prisoners. This road is used by hunters to collect herbs; it's very narrow, only people can walk, not horses."

"If we go over the mountain via this path, we can circle to the back of the Seventh Pass," Zhu Yong said.

Zhu Gang's eyes lit up as he said, "Second Prince means, send a light force to ambush from behind?"

Zhu Yong nodded, "A frontal assault to draw their attention, while we also send an elite unit up the rear mountain for a pincer attack."

"I'll go!" the three shouted in unison.

Zhu Yong glanced at them, gave a simple smile, and said, "Fifth Prince, go."

Zhu Shuang hurriedly said, "Why? I can go too!"

"Your voice is loud; stay at the front to shout, the Fourth Prince will cooperate with you. When I lead men to charge in, you all break through from the front," Zhu Yong said.

Zhu Gang nodded, "Understood."

Zhu Di stood up solemnly, "Second Prince, rest assured, I will definitely complete the mission."

Zhu Yong looked at him and said, "The rear‑mountain path is difficult; select three hundred skilled men, no plate armor, light gear. When you reach the back, don't act hastily; wait for my signal."

"What signal?" Zhu Di asked.

Zhu Yong thought for a moment then said, "Three cannon blasts; when you hear the gunfire, charge in from behind."

"Got it!"

……

At the hour of the Dog, night deepened.

Zhu Di led three hundred elite soldiers, slipped out of the camp, and crept toward the rear mountain.

Zhu Yong stood at the camp gate, watching their backs vanish into the darkness.

Zhu Shuang leaned in, whispering, "Second Prince, can the Fifth Prince manage? He's only fifteen."

Zhu Yong gave a simple smile, "Don't worry, the Fifth Prince is more reliable than both of you combined."

Zhu Shuang retorted, "I have my reliable moments too!"

"When?" Zhu Gang interjected from the side.

"What does it matter to you when I am!"

The two resumed their argument.

Zhu Yong ignored them, turned and returned to the Central Command Tent.

Tomorrow is the final battle.

Capture the Seventh Pass, and the Na Lin Seventh Station will be considered pacified.

Once affairs here are settled, we can answer Heaven.

There's also Zhu Xiongying; that kid has been pestering to fight Uncle Second Prince daily, and Zhu Biao can't stop him.

Thinking of his family, Zhu Yong's mouth curved into a simple grin.

All these years of fighting, isn't it just to give them a good life?

The night grew deeper.

In the distance, the lights of the Seventh Pass flickered in the darkness.

That is the final enemy.