Chapter 54: Feng Sheng is Shocked and Immediately Submits a Memorial to the Emperor!

"Great General."

"Currently, Zhu Ying is still unaware that the military affairs of Da Ning have been taken over by you, Great General, which is why he sent the letter to this lowly official."

"I beg the Great General not to take offense."

Bu Wan immediately stood up and spoke respectfully.

Since Zhu Ying had joined the army and entered the Northern Border two months ago, the highest-ranking official he had encountered was Bu Wan, the Prefect and Commander of Da Ning.

Even the pigeon post messages were reported directly to Bu Wan.

Perhaps Zhu Ying suspected that the imperial court had sent someone, but he was naturally not entirely sure who had been dispatched, unless everything unfolded exactly as it had in history.

However.

With Zhu Ying entering this era.

An invisible butterfly effect had already begun to influence the original course of history. In the original timeline, Aha Chut had not died; instead, after the fall of the Northern Yuan, he had submitted tribute to the Ming Dynasty. But now, Aha Chut had been slain by Zhu Ying. With such a blood feud, it was estimated that these Jianzhou Tartars would likely never submit to the Ming.

"There is no need to dwell on such trifles," Feng Sheng waved his hand, not caring at all about whom the reports were addressed to.

Moreover, Bu Wan was telling the truth.

Zhu Ying might not even know of his existence at this moment.

"Let us see what Zhu Ying has reported instead."

"He has been campaigning in his clan's territory for over a month. Although several battle reports have been sent back, the opportunities for combat in foreign lands change in an instant."

"I am also quite worried about him," Feng Sheng said immediately.

"Report it at once!" Bu Wan urged.

The guard immediately stepped forward, holding the bamboo tube toward Feng Sheng.

Feng Sheng took it directly and extracted the battle report within to read.

Upon seeing the report, Feng Sheng's expression shifted. His eyes widened in disbelief, as if he could not bring himself to believe what he was reading.

Following that.

Feng Sheng began to read with intense focus, scrutinizing every single word.

"How can this be?"

"Zhu Ying... could he be the Champion Marquis of my Great Ming?"

Looking at the report, Feng Sheng let out a voice filled with incredulity.

Hearing Feng Sheng's voice.

The generals within the command tent all turned to look at him.

"Great General."

"What has this man named Zhu Ying done in the Northern Border to cause such a loss of composure?" Lan Yu asked casually, though his words carried a hint of arrogance.

"Zhu Ying..."

"He penetrated deep into the heart of the Jianzhou Tartar territory, raided their ancestral home, personally slew the chieftain of the Jianzhou Tartars, and took countless heads."

Feng Sheng spoke, his voice tinged with horror.

Hearing this.

A brilliant light flashed in the eyes of the many generals within the tent.

"What?"

"Deep into the Tartar heartland? Raided their ancestral home?"

"And he even slew their chieftain?"

"Though these Jianzhou Tartars are only a small clan, they are attached to the Yuan court and have obtained many Yuan weapons. With a population of nearly a million, they are essentially a nation of soldiers."

"He dared to raid their ancestral home with only three thousand men? And he actually succeeded in killing their chieftain?"

"How did he achieve this?"

"Is Zhu Ying's ability to command troops truly this extraordinary?"

There were many generals in the tent.

Among them were not a few battle-hardened Huaxi generals, but at this moment, they were all left with expressions of indescribable shock. Clearly, this achievement was too massive.

Furthermore, this was deep within enemy territory—a true deep-penetration mission, attacking a camp with minimal forces.

As military commanders, they could imagine how difficult Zhu Ying's situation must have been. Yet, under such circumstances, he had managed to achieve such a miraculous feat. This spoke volumes of his prowess in command.

Even Lan Yu.

A look of surprise appeared in his eyes.

Clearly, he was also somewhat shocked.

However.

Lan Yu quickly regained his composure.

"Mere luck," Lan Yu snorted coldly, speaking with extreme arrogance. "If this Marquis were commanding the troops, I would have bloodied that entire clan."

Hearing this.

The others did not respond.

But Feng Sheng merely glanced at him and said nothing more.

He knew Lan Yu well—arrogant, overbearing, and prone to prideful complacency after achieving merit.

A fierce Huaxi general.

The saying regarding "arrogant and unruly soldiers" was precisely what described the generals led by Lan Yu.

"No wonder the Prince is somewhat curious about this Zhu Ying. If such talent were to join our Beiping Army, it would surely bolster our strength," Zhang Yu thought to himself.

"Alas, what a pity. If he were part of our Beiping Army, his brilliant performance in this campaign against Naha Chut would have made the current Emperor value the Prince even more."

For this campaign, fifty thousand Beiping troops had been conscripted, and he was temporarily under Lan Yu's command.

"Once this deployment is over, I must pass word of Zhu Ying to the Prince."

"To enter the Northern Border foreign lands with only four thousand cavalry, strike deep into the Tartar heartland, kill tens of thousands of enemies, severely damage their strength, and now even slay their chieftain..."

"Such a feat is unimaginable," Zhang Yu mused privately.

At that moment!

Bu Wan spoke with an excited face: "Great General!"

"Zhu Ying's achievements this time are enough to shock the world!"

"Deep in enemy territory, slaying their chieftain."

"Judging by the multiple reports from Zhu Ying, the Tartars no longer have the strength to harass our Great Ming's borders, let alone send reinforcements to Naha Chut of the Northern Yuan."

"No wonder the Great General calls him the Champion Marquis of our Great Ming. With such achievements, he may truly become the Champion Marquis in the future."

At this moment.

Bu Wan was exceptionally agitated.

To him.

Zhu Ying's repeated successes brought honor to him and to the Da Ning border army. This was not just about prestige in this campaign against the Yuan forces, but it would bring honor to Da Ning in the capital, Yingtian.

In the future, when people spoke of Zhu Ying.

He would be able to say that Zhu Ying was under his command.

How could that not be glorious?

"Hahaha!"

"Well said!"

"Perhaps Zhu Ying is not the Champion Marquis today, but with his command ability, his bravery, his loyalty to the country, and his willingness to fight unto death, he will surely have the opportunity to become the Champion Marquis of the Great Ming in the future," Feng Sheng said with a loud laugh.

These words.

Represented Feng Sheng's attitude toward Zhu Ying—full of hope and expectation.

To receive such high praise from a founding meritorious official and a Duke of the current reign—in the younger generation, only Zhu Ying could command such words.

"Great General."

"Regarding Zhu Ying's slaying of the Tartar chieftain, should we report this to Yingtian?" Bu Wan asked tentatively.

"We must, we certainly must!"

"Such great merit, such a feat!"

"To pin down the entire Jianzhou Tartar force with only a few thousand cavalry, preventing tens of thousands of troops from aiding the Northern Yuan—that is a great merit."

"To slay the Tartar chieftain and plunge them into chaos—that is an even greater merit."

"This General shall personally submit a memorial to Yingtian to request rewards for Zhu Ying!" Feng Sheng said with a laugh.

Regarding Zhu Ying.

He was becoming increasingly expectant.

"The Great General is wise!" Bu Wan immediately bowed.

Requesting rewards for Zhu Ying was, in effect, requesting rewards for the entire Da Ning border army.

Unknowingly.

Zhu Ying had become a symbol of prestige for the Da Ning border army.

Meanwhile, inside the tent.

Lan Yu's expression was somewhat unsightly.

The expressions of some of the generals under Lan Yu's command were also complicated.

Clearly.

Once this achievement was reported, they—who had been ordered here and had yet to even breach a city—would find that the spotlight had been completely stolen and suppressed by Zhu Ying.

"Quickly, send an urgent report to the Emperor."

"State clearly the battle achievements of Zhu Ying, the defender of the Da Ning border army," Feng Sheng immediately commanded the guard captain beside him.