Chapter 51: The Tatars' Despair! Agunu's Terror!

Countless Tatars were gripped by extreme panic.

To them, Ahhachu was not only their king, but the very backbone of their people.

Now, Ahhachu was dead.

Their king had fallen.

The psychological impact of this blow was immeasurable.

At this moment, the name of Zhu Ying pierced deeply into the hearts of every single Tatar, instilling a profound and lasting terror.

"Praise the divine might of the Garrison Commander!"

"We swear to follow the Commander to the death!"

"Kill!"

Following the decapitation of Ahhachu by Zhu Ying, the thousands of soldiers behind him roared with impassioned fervor.

Such a victory—

Surpassing even the feat of taking an enemy general's head from amidst a million-strong host—was deemed nearly impossible, yet Zhu Ying had achieved it.

He had led them charging straight into the Tatar tribal court, slaughtered countless Tatars, and personally cleaved off the head of the enemy chieftain.

With such a glorious triumph, how could their spirits not soar?

"Brothers!"

"Charge!"

Without a moment of hesitation, Zhu Ying brandished his blade once more and charged forward with a thunderous roar.

Although the primary objective had been accomplished, this place was still far too dangerous to linger.

They had to withdraw swiftly.

"We swear to follow the Commander to the death!"

"Kill!"

The soldiers shouted in unison, continuing to follow Zhu Ying's fierce onslaught.

They carved a bloody path straight through the Tatar tribal court, leaving behind a scene reminiscent of a purgatorial sea of blood wherever they trod.

It was not mere slaughter.

Many soldiers wielded torches, rapidly setting fire to the tents within the Tatar camp, scattering flames in every direction.

When dealing with enemies,

one must carry ruthlessness through to the very end, destroying everything they possess. Only by doing so would they never again dare to violate the borders of the Great Ming.

Against adversaries, the only effective response was merciless bloodshed. Once they were frightened into sheer terror, they would never dare harbor aggressive thoughts again.

Conversely, attempting to reform them with benevolence and morality was nothing short of an absolute joke.

Could one ever hope to reform a murderous executioner by attempting to touch his heart? Let's see if such a creature could ever be swayed by kindness.

Deep within Zhu Ying's heart, the Han people reigned supreme. When invaders came, the only proper course was annihilation. Zhu Ying was well-versed in history, and acutely aware of the immense suffering the Han people had endured, and how countless citizens had perished under the butchery of foreign tribes.

Now that he had crossed into this era, Zhu Ying was firmly resolved to alter that destiny.

After all,

as the ages shifted and time flowed onward, Zhu Ying could claim the boon of longevity.

When that day truly arrived, with Zhu Ying's existence anchoring the realm, none of those tragedies would ever come to pass.

This was the unshakeable confidence harbored within Zhu Ying's heart, born from a profound understanding of history.

***

Beneath the veil of night, time flowed swiftly away.

Zhu Ying's surprise night raid on the enemy encampment did not take place at the dead of night; rather, it lasted for merely about two shichen before the first light of dawn began to break.

The next day!

The sun climbed over the horizon.

Autumn had just arrived, and the morning breeze in the northern frontier carried a biting chill.

Yet, the Tatar tribal court had transformed into a scene of utter devastation.

"Dalang, get up, ah..."

"My son!"

"Accursed Ming soldiers, you all deserve to die!"

"My husband..."

Weeping and wailing echoed throughout the entire tribal court.

It was a picture of utter wretchedness.

Once the most prosperous tribe among the Jianzhou Tatars, the settlement was now reduced to a chaotic ruin.

Corpses littered the ground everywhere, and fresh blood stained the earth crimson.

One could see trampled and destroyed tents, charred corpses, and tents burned down to mere ashes. Even though the fierce battle had concluded some time ago, fires still smoldered and flickered across the grounds.

After this single battle,

more than half of the Tatar tribal court had been utterly obliterated, and the casualties among the inhabitants were catastrophic.

Crushed under the hooves of warhorses, many who still clung to life would not last much longer.

Then there were the razor-sharp blades in the hands of the Great Ming soldiers.

Their swords had not been washed clean. Having survived a prolonged and brutal battle, these Ming soldiers carried the blood of many enemies on their weapons. In modern terms, those blades were effectively tetanus-laced edges!

Those unfortunate souls who had been slashed by the Ming soldiers and miraculously survived the initial onslaught were likely doomed to die of horrific infections.

At this moment!

The entire Tatar tribal court was frantically engaged in rescue efforts and clearing away the ghastly wreckage.

As for the headless corpse of Ahhachu—

The few Tatar soldiers who had miraculously survived were all kneeling before it, weeping uncontrollably.

After a considerable while,

the rhythmic rumble of heavy stamping hooves rolled across the earth.

Hearing this sound, many Tatars were seized by a fresh wave of panic, terrified that the Ming army was returning for another slaughter.

However, upon seeing the approaching figures, a collective sigh of relief escaped them.

For it was Agunu leading his forces back in reinforcements.

When he laid eyes upon the desolate ruin of the tribal court,

Agunu froze in disbelief.

Behind him, the numerous Tatar generals and personal guards all froze as well.

The wooden barricades outside the tribal court had been nearly entirely smashed through, the watchtowers stood in ruins, scattered corpses and bloody gore were everywhere, and unquenched fires still burned, while wails and lamentations reverberated throughout the settlement.

"How could this happen?"

"How could those accursed Ming dogs raid our tribal court?"

"Weren't they stationed around the Red Flag Tribe?"

Looking upon the wretched state of the court, Agunu's eyes turned bloodshot, filled with boundless fury.

He felt like a complete fool, manipulated blindly by Zhu Ying without ever realizing it. The main force of the tribe had been entirely under his command; he had set up what he thought was a brilliant encirclement, waiting for Zhu Ying to walk right into the trap. Yet, ridiculously, he had been played for a fool the entire time.

Zhu Ying had deliberately lingered around the Red Flag Tribe, intentionally staging the illusion of continuing raids upon outlying settlements, all for the sole purpose of drawing their attention away and striking at the heart of their tribal court instead.

"Chieftain,"

"The Chieftain will be safe..."

Recovering his wits, a flicker of anxiety crossed Agunu's face.

But the next instant,

a Tatar centurion, drenched in gore and filth, came stumbling out from the interior of the tribal court.

"General Agunu!"

"It's a disaster!"

"The Chieftain... the Chieftain has been... has been beheaded by the Ming general Zhu Ying!"

The centurion wailed loudly, tears streaming down his face without restraint.

As these words fell,

Agunu's expression shifted drastically. He leaped down from his horse in a blur of motion, hurried up to the centurion, grabbed him fiercely by the collar, and roared, "What did you say? Repeat that!"

"The Chieftain... the Chieftain was beheaded by Zhu Ying!"

"The personal guards who protected the Chieftain were nearly wiped out to the last man by the Ming army; fewer than five hundred survived."

The centurion knelt on the ground, reporting the news with immense terror.

Hearing this once more,

Agunu staggered backward, his face suffused with horror, despair, and profound sorrow.

"Where... where is the Chieftain's body?"

Agunu asked with a trembling voice.

"Inside the tribal court," the centurion replied, his voice equally shaking.

Agunu immediately stumbled forward, running frantically toward the interior of the court.

"Order our men to rescue the survivors!"

"Quickly!"

A deputy commander shouted at the top of his lungs.

随后 (Following that,)—

He too sprinted hastily toward the tribal court, while the numerous Tatar generals behind him dared not hesitate in the slightest, hurriedly dismounting and following on Agunu's heels.

When they reached the site of the former primary council tent of the court,

they found the area completely flattened. Scattered corpses, charred bodies, and heaps of gray ash lay everywhere.

Several hundred surviving Tatar soldiers knelt before a headless corpse, howling and weeping bitterly.

Grief had enveloped the entire Jianzhou Tatar tribal court.

As Agunu rushed up and gazed upon that headless corpse, sheer terror flooded his face...