Chapter 41: Yingtian, Zhu Yuanzhang's Shock!

The capital of the Great Ming: Yingtian City!

As the capital of the Great Ming, a hub of commerce, power, and population, it could absolute be called the most prosperous city in the world during this era.

Among the common folk, it was well known that the Hongwu Emperor detested evil and harbored a deep-seated hatred for corrupt officials. Naturally, Yingtian City, situated at the feet of this Emperor, flourished exceptionally well.

Inside and outside the city walls, people came and went in an endless stream. There were merchant caravans entering the city, as well as officials arriving from various prefectures and domains across the Great Ming. It could be said that Yingtian City was bustling incessantly every single day, and the entry points were always incredibly lively.

At this moment, a rapid rider was seen galloping swiftly toward the interior of Yingtian City, carrying a command flag on his back. Seeing the rider approach, the Capital Guards stationed at the city gate immediately opened a separate channel, offering no obstruction whatsoever.

This had been the practice through all dynasties. Urgent news from the borders or local military matters was considered high priority, and no one was permitted to obstruct it. Whether it was a local government office or a band of mountain bandits, no one dared to stand in the way. This was because any matter significant enough to be reported by a messenger was a matter of state, affecting the entire nation; anyone who dared to intercept or kill a messenger delivering urgent reports would face the crime of having their entire clan exterminated.

The Imperial Palace of Yingtian, the Hall of Supreme Harmony!

The scene remained solemn and majestic, with civil and military officials lined up in rows, all dressed in red official robes. The Crown Prince, Zhu Biao, still stood tall upon the steps, possessing an extraordinary temperament filled with dignity. Compared to the somewhat aged Zhu Yuan璋, Zhu Biao was in the prime of his youth and possessed an even greater sense of majesty.

"Reporting to Your Majesty," Zhao Mian stepped forward and announced loudly. "Through the allocation of the Ministry of Revenue, supplies have been drawn from the national treasury and the treasuries of various prefectures. The first batch of grain and military supplies has been transported to Daning Prefecture, which is sufficient to support two hundred thousand of our Great Ming soldiers for half a year."

"Minister Zhao, you have worked hard," Zhu Yuan璋 nodded with satisfaction. "The subsequent allocation of grain and supplies must not be delayed."

"Your servant accepts the decree," Zhao Mian replied respectfully and withdrew.

"Reporting to Your Majesty," Tang Duo respectfully announced. "Reports from the various prefectures indicate that the mobilized forces have all been moved into Daning Prefecture. The Duke of Song has personally arrived in Daning to take command of the military power. He is likely already planning the campaign to conquer Nahachu."

"With the Duke of Song personally leading the troops, and Lan Yu and the others serving as deputies, Nahachu will not be a great threat," Zhu Yuan璋 nodded. The Huaxi region was full of fierce generals and capable commanders. Though they were often arrogant, they were undoubtedly masters of warfare.

"Imperial Father," Zhu Biao said with a smile. "The troops and supplies from the various prefectures have arrived. The battlefield is unpredictable; aside from grain and supplies, it would be best if the Imperial Court did not intervene too much. This time, Imperial Father need only wait for good news."

"Old man," Zhu Yuan璋 replied, "do you think I have that kind of leisure? With the Duke of Song there, I am not worried at all. We no longer hold Nahachu or the Northern Yuan in any regard. Our Great Ming is no longer the fledgling empire of the past, and the Northern Yuan is no longer the Great Yuan of old," he said with a laugh.

"Imperial Father is wise," Zhu Biao immediately echoed with a smile.

Just then, a voice rang out: "Report! Military report from Daning Prefecture! Submitted to His Majesty!"

An urgent messenger ran swiftly into the hall and bowed respectfully. The eyes of the entire court immediately converged on him.

"It seems the Duke of Song is about to report the military movements to Imperial Father," Zhu Biao said with a smile.

"Please, Your Majesty, take a look." The messenger took the military report from his back and handed it over respectfully.

An eunuch serving beside Zhu Yuan璋 immediately descended from the hall, received the report with both hands, and respectfully presented it to Zhu Yuan璋.

Zhu Yuan璋 smiled as he took the report. However, as he opened it, a look of astonishment immediately crossed his face.

"Zhu Ying... It is that Zhu Ying again!" Zhu Yuan璋 could not help but exclaim. His voice was not loud, yet it echoed throughout the entire Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Hearing this name, many officials were stunned, looking at Zhu Yuan璋 in confusion. Many others who remembered the name Zhu Ying showed expressions of deep thought.

"Zhu Ying? Isn't that the fierce soldier from the Daning border army who decapitated a hundred men a month ago? Has he achieved some sort of military merit again?"

"It must be so. If he hadn't achieved great military merit, a mere fierce soldier would not repeatedly enter the Hall of Supreme Harmony to be known by the Emperor. It seems this merit is quite significant. Now that the Duke of Song has taken command of the northern military power, any urgent report must be approved by him before being submitted. This merit must be substantial indeed."

"For a soldier to appear in the Hall of Supreme Harmony again in the capacity of a common soldier is indeed rare..."

Many in the hall who remembered the name Zhu Ying felt a surge of curiosity. Of course, the vast majority did not take it to heart. After all, the officials in this hall were the nobility of the Great Ming Empire; a fierce soldier who killed enemies was insignificant compared to their power. Even if he became a Commander in the northern frontier or attained a higher rank, he would still be insignificant before them, the officials of the capital.

"Old man," Zhu Yuan璋 said to Zhu Biao with a face full of joy while holding the report, "our Great Ming is truly about to produce a brilliant young general."

"To make you so happy, Imperial Father, it seems this Zhu Ying has once again achieved significant military merit for our Great Ming," Zhu Biao said with a smile.

"Yunqi! Read it aloud!" Zhu Yuan璋 laughed loudly and handed the report directly to the eunuch beside him. "Let the entire court hear that our Great Ming has produced another brave general!"

"Yes," the eunuch Yunqi respectfully accepted the report. He then walked to the steps, faced the assembled officials, and read aloud: "Your servant, Feng Sheng, submits this report to Your Majesty and the Crown Prince! Currently, I have arrived at Huizhou City in Daning Prefecture. The mobilized forces from all prefectures have now arrived at the gates of Huizhou, totaling two hundred and thirty thousand troops. Upon our arrival at Huizhou, the Yuan court's Nahachu had already dispatched tens of thousands of Yuan troops to besiege the city. Fortunately, the Daning border army defended with their lives, thwarting the Yuan army's attempt to break the city. Now that our main army has arrived, the Yuan troops have retreated from Huizhou and shifted from offense to defense. I am preparing to launch a counter-attack on a chosen day to annihilate Nahachu. The fact that Daning Prefecture was able to withstand the fierce attacks of the Yuan army for many days without falling is due to the merit of the Daning border army. Among them is a capable general named Zhu Ying. When the main army was still half a month away and the Yuan court had already dispatched troops, the Daning border was in peril, further complicated by the assistance of the Jianzhou Jurchens to the Yuan. With only fifty thousand Daning border troops, the defense would have been impossible. Therefore, as our twenty thousand Daning border troops were fighting their way into the northern frontier, Zhu Ying proposed a strategy of splitting the forces to delay the enemy. On one hand, he dispersed a massive force to strike the Yuan forces holding Liaodong; on the other hand, he personally led four thousand cavalry to strike the Jianzhou Jurchen tribes, pinning them down so they could not reinforce the Yuan. To this day, Zhu Ying has led his troops in foreign lands for nearly a month. In his first battle, he broke the Jurchen Blue Banner tribe, decapitating ten thousand enemies. In subsequent engagements, the Jurchen cavalry of ten thousand were all annihilated by the troops led by Zhu Ying..."