Chapter 522: Twenty Thousand, Not Much

On the third day, Zhu Xiongying brought the main force in via the Land Route.

Fifty thousand troops set up a string of camps outside Congo City, with tents stretching for miles and cooking smoke curling upward.

"Brother, Congo is taken," Zhu Qiongjiong said as he walked out of the city, the Wolf Fang Club slung over his shoulder.

Zhu Xiongying nodded and strode into the city.

Congo City was smaller than he imagined; the Street was narrow, the houses were stilted thatched huts, the ground was littered with mud and trash, and the air was thick with a foul stench.

A few Longxiang Army soldiers were clearing trash from a street corner, shoveling it with iron spades onto a cart.

A local Black man squatted at his doorway, watching the iron‑armored soldiers pass by, his eyes full of fear.

"Brother, we captured a few Congolese nobles," Zhu Gaochi came up from behind.

"The land will be confiscated, property registered, and the people sent to mine."

Zhu Gaochi replied with a sound and then asked, "What about those prisoners? Over two thousand."

"They will be drafted as auxiliaries to build roads, mine, and plant cotton."

Zhu Gaochi nodded and turned to make arrangements.

At dusk, Zhu Xiongying stood on the earthen wall of Congo City, gazing at the southern horizon.

The setting sun turned the whole rainforest a deep red.

In the distance, the Congo River roared, its sound carrying far in the twilight.

"Brother, where do we strike next?" Zhu Qiongjiong came up.

"Southward, attack Luba."

"Where is Luba?"

"Upstream on the Congo River, there are copper mines."

Zhu Qiongjiong nodded and leaned the Wolf Fang Club against the earthen wall.

Zhu Qiongjiong grinned, pulled a piece of Dry Rations from his chest and took a bite.

He fought two years in Europe and another two in Africa—just right.

Zhu Xiongying turned and looked at the lights of the city.

Longxiang Army soldiers sat around the Fire Pit, munching Dry Rations and drinking water, chatting and laughing.

A few veterans were carving wooden sticks with knives, preparing to skewer meat for roasting.

The meat, seized from the Congolese, was smoked antelope, smelling quite fragrant.

"Brother, you said second uncle is at Yingtian Prefecture; what is he doing now?" Zhu Qiongjiong suddenly asked.

Zhu Xiongying thought for a moment and smiled.

"Second uncle is probably fishing; he's become obsessed with it lately, spending every day perched by the Qinhuai River."

Zhu Qiongjiong also smiled, but his smile faded as he kept laughing.

"Missing home?"

"A bit..."

"After the war we can go back."

"Hmm..."

Both fell silent, standing on the earthen wall, watching the distant rainforest.

Night fell, and Congo City's lights flickered on one by one.

Zhu Xiongying walked back to the temporary command post and sat at the desk.

In front of him lay a map of the Congo River basin, drawn a few years earlier by agents of the Brocade Guard; though rough, its general outlines were accurate.

The Congo River flows from the southeast to the northwest, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean.

The Congo Kingdom lies in the middle‑lower reaches, the Luba Kingdom upstream, and the Ronda Kingdom farther south.

Three territories, each larger than the last, each harder to conquer.

It's not that they're strong; the roads are impassable.

The rainforest has no roads, only thickets, vines, swamps, and rivers, making the army's advance difficult and the supply line hard to maintain.

"Brother, still awake?" Zhu Gaochi walked in from outside, carrying a bowl of hot soup.

Zhu Xiongying took the bowl, sipped the fish soup—made from Congo River fish, seasoned with a pinch of salt and dried wild vegetables—and found it decent.

"Rong Er, is the Grain and Fodder matter arranged?"

"All set. The fleet departs at first light tomorrow, sailing upstream and anchoring at the point nearest Luba."

Zhu Gaochi sat opposite him and pulled a freshly written plan from his sleeve.

"Brother, take a look at this..."

Zhu Xiongying took it and unfolded it.

The plan was detailed: from Congo City to Luba, over five hundred li of Water Route, passing several rapids and waterfalls; large ships can't pass, so they must switch to smaller vessels.

Zhu Gaochi intends to build a transshipment point downstream of the rapids, using small boats to carry Grain and Fodder across, then transferring to large ships to continue upstream.

Zhu Xiongying finished reading and placed the plan on the desk.

"Feasible, you arrange it."

Zhu Gaochi nodded and added, "Brother, another matter: what to do with those Congolese fire‑rope guns?"

"Melt them and forge weapons."

Zhu Gaochi replied and rose to leave.

At dawn the next day, before sunrise, the fifty‑thousand Longxiang Army split into two routes.

Zhu Shangbing led ten thousand men southward via the Land Route, advancing along the east bank of the Congo River.

Zhu Shangbing led ten thousand men south along the Land Route, advancing along the east bank of the Congo River.

Zhu Xiongying led forty thousand men by the Water Route, traveling on boats upstream along the Congo River.

Zhu Qiongjiong led the Vanguard Camp at the very front.

After three days of sailing, a waterfall appeared ahead.

The waterfall was not tall, but the current was fierce; the rumbling roar of the water was deafening, and the mist diffused, casting a rainbow in the sunlight.

"General, this is the Livingstone Falls." The Vice General unfolded the map.

Zhu Qiongjiong reined in his horse, squinting as he looked for a moment.

Below the waterfall was an open area, suitable for building a transfer station.

"Pass the order: dock here and build a transfer station."

The fleet docked, and the soldiers began unloading cargo.

Zhu Gaochi directed the craftsmen to build temporary warehouses, erecting frames with felled trees and covering them with oilcloth.

Grain and Fodder, ammunition, and medicine were stacked in boxes inside the warehouses, neat and orderly.

"Chi'er, I'm leaving this to you. I'm taking men upstream." Zhu Qiongjiong hoisted his Wolf Fang Club onto his shoulder.

"Be careful—there are crocodiles upstream." Zhu Gaochi didn't look up.

Zhu Qiongjiong grinned, then turned and walked up the gangplank.

The small boat traveled upstream along the river; the current grew fiercer, and the hull pitched violently.

Zhu Qiongjiong stood at the bow, his expression unchanged.

After two days of travel, a city appeared ahead.

The city was not large; its walls were built of Stone, gray and dull, casting a somber gleam in the sunlight.

At the city gate stood several hundred black soldiers, clad in cotton armor and holding long spears.

Above the city walls flew the flag of the Luba Kingdom—a red background with a copper hammer painted in the center.

"Form ranks..."

Zhu Qiongjiong reined in his horse.

Five hundred Longxiang Army soldiers formed ranks outside the city, with fifty mortars lined up in a row.

On the city walls, the faces of the Luba defenders changed.

They had never seen such an army—men wrapped head to toe in iron armor, wielding weapons that could kill from several Hundred Steps away.

"Open fire..."

Fifty mortars fired simultaneously.

Shells tore through the air and slammed into the city walls.

The walls were built of Stone, sturdier than rammed-earth walls, but they couldn't withstand the bombardment of the shells.

After several rounds of shelling, a breach was blown open in the wall.

"Longxiang Army, charge with me!"

Zhu Qiongjiong squeezed his horse's flanks, and the warhorse bolted forward.

Five hundred troops followed close behind, their hooves thundering like drums.

He charged into the city through the breach, his Wolf Fang Club sweeping left and right.

Several Luba soldiers were sent flying, crashing into the wall with their brains splattered.

Behind him, the five hundred troops followed his path into the city, firing Flintlock Guns in volleys and slashing with sabers.

The king of the Luba Kingdom fled quickly, taking several hundred Imperial Troops southward.

Zhu Qiongjiong did not pursue; he reined in his horse and stood in the central square of the city.

"Pass the order: gather the prisoners, take over the city defenses, and send word back to the falls—Luba has been taken."

By evening, the fleet arrived from the falls.

Zhu Xiongying stepped off the boat, his feet landing on the damp, soft ground.

The air carried the scent of river water, the smell of rotting leaves, and an indescribable damp heat.

"Big brother, Luba has been taken." Zhu Qiongjiong walked up.

"Mm."

Zhu Xiongying stood on the city wall, gazing at the southern horizon.

That was the direction of the Lunda Kingdom, the gateway to southern Africa.

"Big brother, where do we strike next?" Zhu Qiongjiong asked.

"South—attack Lunda."

Zhu Qiongjiong nodded, leaning his Wolf Fang Club against the battlement.

In the twenty-seventh year of Hongwu, end of July, Luba City.

Zhu Xiongying sat in the temporary command post, a map of southern Africa spread before him.

The Lunda Kingdom lay five hundred li south of Luba, with considerable territory but weak military strength.

Their advantage lay in their familiarity with the terrain—the roads at the junction of tropical rainforest and savanna were difficult to traverse.

"Big brother, the scouts are back." Zhu Gaochi walked in from outside, holding a freshly compiled intelligence report.

Zhu Xiongying took it and unfolded it.

The king of the Lunda Kingdom was named Kalonga, commanding roughly twenty thousand troops with average equipment.

Their territory contained several gold mines and diamond mines, making them immensely wealthy.

"Twenty thousand—not many."

"Not many, but the roads are bad. From Luba to Lunda, five hundred li, passing through several marshlands and primeval rainforests along the way—the supply line will be hard to maintain."

Zhu Gaochi pointed to a spot on the map and said, "Here, a tributary of the upper Congo River. Small boats can transport Grain and Fodder to the point closest to Lunda."

Zhu Xiongying looked at the map and was silent for a moment.

"Pass the order: the entire army rests for three days. After three days, we head south."