Chapter 330: Enfeoffment

……

One hour later, the battle ended.

Sixty thousand Tie Mu Er allied troops suffered over twenty thousand dead and wounded, and more than thirty thousand were captured.

Ao Ma Er, Mi Lan Sha, Tu He Lu Ke were all captured.

Outside Sa Ma Er Han city, corpses were everywhere, and bloodstains covered everything.

Longxiang Army soldiers were cleaning the battlefield and rounding up the captives.

At the city gate, the townsfolk peeked out secretly to watch.

They saw those Ming soldiers clad in iron armor escorting groups of captives into the city.

The captives hung their heads dejectedly, their faces pallid.

Someone murmured.

"Those are Great Khan Tie Mu Er's troops, aren't they?"

"Of course! I heard they're men of the second prince and also of the third prince."

"Captured?"

"Captured, all captured."

"……"

No one dared to speak loudly.

But everyone was thinking the same question in their hearts.

What kind of nation is Great Ming, after all?

Three thousand men seized Sa Ma Er Han, three thousand repelled a hundred‑thousand‑strong army, and now when eight thousand reinforcements arrived, the sixty‑thousand army collapsed instantly.

Who could defeat such a nation?

……

In the palace, Tie Mu Er was confined in a side hall.

The door opened.

Zhu Yong walked in.

Tie Mu Er stood up and looked at him.

He heard the sounds outside.

Shouts of killing, hoofbeats, and cries of agony.

Then everything fell silent.

He knew the fighting was over again.

"Your second son and third son, as well as Tu He Lu Ke, have all been captured," Zhu Yong said calmly.

Tie Mu Er closed his eyes and said nothing.

"Also, your sixty‑thousand troops in Persia have been beaten back by General Chang Yuchun all the way, so I guess it's about over now."

Tie Mu Er opened his eyes and looked at him.

"Chang Yuchun..."

"The Great Ming Grand General, my former superior, he led fifty thousand men, marching from the Western Regions, and all six cities in Persia surrendered."

After Zhu Yong sat down in the chair, he said.

Tie Mu Er's complexion changed.

Six cities.

All surrendered.

"Your people either surrender or die; there is no third way. Tie Mu Er, how much wealth do you have left?" Zhu Yong asked.

Tie Mu Er remained silent for a long time, then slowly said, "None left."

Zhu Yong nodded.

"That's good, so I don't have to go looking for them one by one."

He stood up and walked toward the outside.

The door closed.

Tie Mu Er stood by the window, gazing at the sky darkening outside.

The afterglow of the setting sun filtered through the wooden slats, casting shadows across his face.

He suddenly recalled twenty years ago, when he first raised an army.

Back then he had nothing but a few hundred brothers who lived and died with him.

He thought that as long as he was ruthless enough and fought hard enough, he could conquer the world.

He fought for twenty years, rising from a small tribal chief to a conqueror sweeping across Central Asia.

He believed he was now invincible.

Until that young man appeared.

Three thousand seized his capital.

Three thousand repelled his hundred‑thousand army.

Three thousand forced him to be trapped in this side hall.

Now, his sons have all been captured, his generals have all been captured, and his three hundred thousand troops are all gone.

Tie Mu Er suddenly laughed.

It was a bitter laugh.

"Great Ming… so this is what Great Ming is," he murmured.

……

Outside the city, Chang Yuchun led fifty thousand troops and had already arrived at Samarhan.

Zhu Yong personally went out of the city to greet him.

"Chang Shu!" he strode over.

Chang Yuchun dismounted, turned, and smiled as he approached.

"Shiniu, Prince, long time no see…"

The two embraced tightly.

Chang Yuchun released him, looked him up and down, his eyes a little reddened.

"You've gotten thin, tanned, but you've toiled out there."

Zhu Yong laughed: "It wasn't hard, just a bit homesick."

Chang Yuchun patted his shoulder, sighing: "Good lad, three thousand men captured Samarhan, three thousand men repelled a hundred thousand army; here in the Western Regions you have spread Great Ming's fame."

Zhu Yong modestly said: "It's all thanks to Chang Shu's good teaching back then."

Chang Shu laughed heartily.

"I never taught you that; those abilities are innate."

The two walked side by side into the city gate.

Inside the city, the townsfolk stood by the street, curiously watching the army.

Fifty thousand men, fifty thousand warhorses, fifty thousand sets of iron armor.

In the sunlight, that forest of steel glimmered with a cold sheen.

No one dared to speak.

Not even anyone dared to breathe loudly.

They only watched, watching the army walk past them and disappear at the end of the street.

……

In the great hall of the royal palace, Zhu Yong held a banquet to welcome Chang Yuchun.

The banquet was simple: roasted lamb, pilaf, flatbread, and several jars of wine brought from Great Ming.

But the atmosphere was lively.

Zhang Wu, Chen Heng, Wang Gui and others were present, as well as a few commanders that Chang Yuchun had brought.

After three rounds of wine, Chang Yuchun set down his cup and looked at Zhu Yong.

"Prince, regarding the Timur Empire, what do you intend to do?"

Zhu Yong thought for a moment and said: "Take it back to Great Ming and hand it over to Imperial Father."

Chang Yuchun nodded.

"What about his sons?"

"Also bring them back, let Imperial Father decide their fate."

Chang Yuchun asked again: "And this land? The Timur Empire is so vast, it can't just be left empty."

Zhu Yong smiled.

"Chang Shu, who are you asking on behalf of?"

Chang Yuchun also smiled.

"I'm asking on behalf of your Imperial Father; he asked me to give you a message."

Zhu Yong became serious.

Chang Yuchun began to explain: "Your Imperial Father said the Timur Empire is large enough, far enough, rich enough; he wants to ask you whether you want it."

Zhu Yong was startled for a moment.

Want it or not?

He had never considered this question.

He came to the Timur Empire by Imperial Father's order, to question them why they had not paid tribute for three years.

Capturing Samarhan was because the Timur Empire was too arrogant, refusing to give Great Ming face.

Repelling those armies was because they intended to siege the city, and he could not abandon defense.

But turning this land into his own fief…

He never thought of it.

Chang Yuchun looked at him and laughed: "What, you don't dare to take it?"

Zhu Yong shook his head, seriously saying: "Xu Shu, it's not a matter of daring or not, it's… I think I'm fine staying in the Capital City with my older brother and parents; even if I have this land, it's useless."

Chang Yuchun nodded, after a moment of silence said: "Yong Er, do you know why your Imperial Father had me bring this message?"

Zhu Yong looked at him.

Chang Yuchun slowly said: "Because your Imperial Father knows that this land, apart from you, no one can hold."

Zhu Yong was stunned.

Chang Yuchun continued: "Think about it, the Timur Empire is how big—bigger than Australia, bigger than the Western Regions, bigger than Eastern Japan and Goryeo combined.

So vast a land, giving it to others—you can be at ease, your Imperial Father can be at ease…"

Zhu Yong fell silent.

Chang Yuchun was right.

This land is too large.

Handing it to others, he is uneasy.

Giving it to Imperial Father's other sons…

Zhu Shuang is in Australia, Zhu Gang is in the Eastern Lands, Zhu Di is in the Western Regions, Zhu Zhen is in Goryeo, Zhu Fu is in the South Sea.

Who else?

Zhu Su, that kid spends all day in the herb garden; letting him govern such a vast area, isn't that harming him?

Ninth brother Zhu Zi is only thirteen or fourteen, and cannot possibly guard the Timur Empire; the other brothers are even younger.

Zhu Yong suddenly understood.

Imperial Father, this is…

He left the hardest bone to chew for him.

But isn't it also a form of trust?

"Chang Shu, let me think," Zhu Yong said.

Chang Yuchun nodded and lifted his wine glass.

"When I've decided, I'll tell your Imperial Father."

……

At night, Zhu Yong returned to the palace chambers.

Guanyin Nu had not yet slept and was reading by the lamp.

Seeing him enter, she set the book down and said softly, "Prince, what are you thinking?"

Zhu Yong sat beside her and repeated Xu Da's words.

Guanyin Nu listened and was silent for a long while.

"Prince, do you want it?"

Zhu Yong looked at her and retorted, "What do you think?"

Guanyin Nu thought for a moment and said slowly, "Where the Prince goes, I go; if the Prince wants, I follow; if the Prince does not want, we return to Great Ming."

Zhu Yong smiled and took her hand.

"You're the one who thinks openly."

Guanyin Nu also smiled.

"My openness is useless; the Prince must be open."

Zhu Yong was silent for a moment, then said softly, "I'll think about it! No rush."

Guanyin Nu nodded and leaned on his shoulder.

The candle flame flickered.

Outside the window, Moonlight was like water.

The night in Samarhan was quiet and peaceful.

……

Early the next morning, Zhu Yong went to see Chang Yuchun.

"Chang Shu, I've decided."

Chang Yuchun looked at him.

Zhu Yong said, "I'll take this region."

Chang Yuchun smiled.

"Good! This is the Prince I know."

Zhu Yong said earnestly, "But not now; we must wait until this place is completely stable, until the remnants of the Timur Empire's troops are dealt with, until the people submit, then I will take over."

Xu Da nodded and said, "That's appropriate, no hurry."

He paused, then added, "Your Imperial Father said to let you stay here another year, to steady the situation; then he will send more people."

Zhu Yong nodded.

One year.

Enough.

……

Outside the city, in the prisoner camp.

Omar, Milan Sha, and Tuheuluk were locked together.

They sat in the crude tent, eyeing each other.

"How is the father?" Milan Sha asked.

Omar shook his head and said, "I don't know, but he should still be alive."

Tuheuluk remained silent, saying nothing.

He recalled the man in the dark prince's robe from yesterday.

Those eyes.

Calm as a pool of water.

He had fought for forty years and never seen eyes like those.

Not fierce, not indifferent.

Just calm.

Calm that frightened people.

"That person…" Tuheuluk suddenly spoke.

Omar and Milan Sha looked at him.

Tuheuluk said slowly, "That person is not human."

Omar was stunned.

Mi Lan Sha's complexion changed.

Tu He Lu Ke lifted his head and looked at them.

"He is a god."

The tent was dead silent.

No one spoke.

But everyone in their hearts knew that what he said was true.

That person truly was a god.

……

Outside the city, the engineers' camp was still digging pits to bury corpses.

Zhou Da Niu crouched at the edge of a pit and threw a Stone into it.

The Stone hit the bottom with a 'thud'.

"Bury."

A few engineers began filling the pit with earth.

Zhou Da Niu stood up and gazed at Sa Ma Er Han Cheng in the distance.

That city now belongs to Great Ming.

This region will also belong to Great Ming in the future.

He grinned.

Fighting wars alongside Wang Ye is exhilarating.

……

In the distance, on the city walls, Great Ming's banners rustled in the wind.

A new era has begun.