Chapter 59: Across the Northern Frontier, Ten Thousand Horses Gallop!

Looking at Zhu Yunkan weeping before her, Yun Yu could no longer hold back her tears. Having accompanied and cared for Zhu Yunkan for so many years, how could Yun Yu not know the grievances he suffered?

A father who did not care for him.
A mother who was no longer there to love him.
The current mistress of the Eastern Palace outwardly maintained a benevolent and maternal facade, but in reality, she targeted Zhu Yunkan ruthlessly.
Because Zhu Yunkan was the legitimate heir by the primary wife, and because he was a rival to her own son—or, to use the terminology of the imperial court, a political adversary.
Political adversaries could never coexist; it was a struggle to the death.
Even though Zhu Yunkan harbored no ambitions of contention, his birthright naturally drew numerous supporters to his side. If he were not eliminated, a struggle for the throne would be inevitable in the future.

More crucially:
Zhu Yunkan was the legitimate son born of the primary wife.
Even though Lady Lü now managed the internal affairs of the Eastern Palace, and over the years had systematically purged all servants loyal to the former Crown Princess, replacing them entirely with her own people—and even though Zhu Biao trusted her implicitly, handing over the entire management of the Eastern Palace inner court to her—she still harbored profound misgivings regarding Zhu Yunkan’s status as the legitimate primary-born heir.

"Young Master,"
"Grow up quickly."
"Only when you are grown can you leave the Eastern Palace, and only then can you escape her control." Yun Yu stepped forward and gently embraced Zhu Yunkan.

"I know why Father hates me so much. The reason Mother died in the first place was because of a difficult labor when giving birth to me."
"Perhaps in Father's eyes, I should never have been born."
"Even Imperial Grandfather doesn't like me at all."
"Back when Grandmother was still here, she protected me."
"And Big Brother—when Big Brother was here, he protected me too, and no one dared to bully me."
"But... but they are all gone."
"Perhaps I really am a bringer of misfortune, having caused Mother's death, while Grandmother and Big Brother, who loved me, are both gone."
"It was I who doomed them."
"I truly should never have been born into this world."

Zhu Yunkan wept uncontrollably as he spoke, his heart filled with profound sorrow.

Hearing these words, Yun Yu gently patted Zhu Yunkan's back and comforted him, "Young Master, do not let your mind dwell on such thoughts. You are not a harbinger of disaster, nor did you cause the deaths of the Empress and the Eldest Young Master. All of this must be fate!"
"Though they are gone, they are watching over you from the heavens, protecting you. You must live well."

...

Inside the Consort's Hall of the Eastern Palace!

"Rong Lan."
"Is that wretched spawn still behaving himself?"
Lady Lü sat in the main seat, looking down at the maidservant before her and asking.
Her expression bore no resemblance whatsoever to the gentle persona she showed in front of Zhu Biao.

"Please rest assured, Madam, that wretched spawn is very well-behaved and dares not say too much."
"Furthermore, everyone outside his hall is one of our people keeping watch; he has no opportunity to cause trouble," the maidservant Rong Lan immediately replied with a smile.

"Good."
Lady Lü nodded with satisfaction, though her brow was laced with cold intent. "Even though he no longer poses any real threat, we still cannot afford the slightest laxity. Keep a dead lock on him; you must personally oversee anything concerning him. If you find it difficult to handle, report it to me immediately."

"Rest assured, Madam."
"This servant knows how to handle it."
"Just a little child, nothing this servant cannot manage."
"The only person left by this Zhu Yunkan's side is that Yun Yu."
"Yet she is merely a single person, not worth mentioning," Rong Lan said with a cold laugh.

"Yun Yu."
"That bitch's maidservant."
"As long as she stays quiet, well and good. But if she steps out of line, find an opportunity to dispose of her." A flash of murderous intent crossed Lady Lü's eyes.

"Please rest assured, Madam."
"This servant understands," Rong Lan replied respectfully.

...

In Liaodong!
Within the territory of Jincheng!

In Liaodong, there were two fortified cities that Naghachu had expended immense effort to construct, boasting formidable defenses and robust military infrastructure.
One was Kaiyuan City, and the other was this Jincheng.
These had been reinforced and built by Naghachu specifically to counter the Great Ming.
Since Naghachu harbored ambitions to march south and attack Ming, he naturally needed Liaodong as his base, making defense of paramount importance.

Currently, Lan Yu was leading his army to attack Kaiyuan City, while Fu Youde led his forces to assault Jinzhou City.
Once these two cities were breached, the lands of Liaodong would be incorporated into the territory of the Great Ming.

At this very moment,
Fu Youde was leading his grand army in a fierce assault upon Jinzhou City.
Meanwhile, the generals under Naghachu's command were resisting with all their might.

After ten days of ferocious assaults,
the Yuan army's resistance remained stubbornly obstinate.

"Open fire!"
Before the walls of Jinzhou City,
Fu Youde stood with the central army, directing the assault.

Boom, boom, boom!
A succession of earth-shattering roars echoed across the field.
Two hundred cannons unleashed a barrage of fire upon Jincheng.
Under the suppression of the artillery,
the Ming vanguard forces launched yet another wave of attacks against Jincheng.

However, the Yuan troops within the city were exceptionally stubborn, raining countless indiscriminate volleys of arrows from the ramparts amidst the artillery bombardment.
Outside the walls, rows upon rows of Ming soldiers met tragic deaths beneath the storm of Yuan arrows.

Naturally,
even under such defensive pressure, the Ming soldiers outside the city fought with supreme valor, returning volleys of arrows toward the defenders while the artillery continued its bombardment.
The Ming forces charged wave after wave in relentless succession.

As time dragged on,
a protracted siege war commenced.

Fu Youde frowned deeply as he surveyed the battle unfolding before the city walls.
"I still underestimated Naghachu's capabilities."
"To defend against our Great Ming, this Jinzhou City has truly been forged into an iron fortress by him. The Yuan troops are actually willing to fight to the death to defend it," Fu Youde slowly muttered.

"General,"
"Allow this subordinate to lead a charge," Zhao You requested of Fu Youde.

"With the Yuan army resisting this fiercely, further head-on charges will accomplish nothing and only incur needless casualties."
"Sound the retreat."
"We must devise a strategy to shatter the gates of Jinzhou City; only then can we breach this fortress," Fu Youde said in a deep voice.

"Yet we have already launched consecutive assaults for many days now, and we have already suffered the casualties of numerous soldiers," Zhao You said, unwilling to relent.

"Blindly rushing forward now will only result in pointless casualties."
"Retreat."
Fu Youde commanded heavily.

"Understood."
Zhao You could only nod in agreement.

The gongs signaling the retreat sounded across the field.
Fu Youde stared intently at Jinzhou City: "Naghachu, you have deployed heavy troops in both Kaiyuan City and Jinzhou City—perhaps staking eighty or ninety percent of your total forces here. Do you truly believe that with such an army, you can halt the advancing blade of the Great Ming?"

To the west of Jinzhou City,
a thousand-man garrison battalion of the Ming army was patrolling the region.

Tramp, tramp, tramp.
Tramp, tramp, tramp.

A series of rapid thudding sounds came surging from the western horizon.
This caused the patrolling thousand-man Ming battalion to look toward the west in sudden, utter dismay.

"Take defensive positions, form up!"
"The enemy approaches!"
"Shield bearers and pikemen to the front!"
"Archers to the rear!"
"Hurry, report this to the Regional Commander and urgently summon reinforcements!"
The captain commanding the patrol battalion immediately shouted his orders.

"This subordinate obeys!"
The deputy captain immediately acknowledged the order and fell back.

At that moment,
a thousand Ming soldiers had already formed their battle array on the spot.
Shield bearers stood at the front,
with long pikes protruding through the gaps in the shields for defense, while the archers took their positions behind them.

Right then,
the earth began to shake violently.
Tens of thousands of warhorses came charging furiously into view.
Countless troops surged forward like an overwhelming tide of iron cavalry.

Upon seeing this,
the expressions of the arrayed Ming soldiers turned grim and solemn.

"Why are there Yuan forces here in the western sector?"
"That makes no sense?"
The patrolling captain felt a wave of profound bewilderment and dread wash over his heart.