Chapter 8: The Jianzhou Jurchens Submit to the Yuan Court!

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"One hundred arrows, two bows."

"And my tempered steel blade."

"When we enter the battlefield, we must kill many enemies—not just to gain attributes, but to earn merits and rise in rank."

Regarding the future,

Zhu Ying already had a well-thought-out plan.

To kill enemies and achieve merit, to wield power, and to have his own team.

This era held infinite opportunities, not confined to the Ming Dynasty alone.

Beyond the Ming, countless lands existed. As a reincarnated person with foresight of the future, Zhu Ying clearly understood the turmoil that the Ming would face.

After the death of Emperor Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Yunwen ascended the throne, followed by the Jingnan rebellion led by the fourth prince of the Zhu family, who usurped the throne.

The entire Ming would be plunged into chaos.

At present, Zhu Ying lacked the strength to do much, only able to go with the flow, preserve his life, and grow stronger.

But when in the future his full attributes underwent transformation, becoming invincible in the mortal realm, would he still be content to serve as a mere subject?

Even if not in Ming territory, Zhu Ying would have the capability to carve out his own domain beyond it.

In short,

For now, he must accept the situation, strengthen himself, because true power lies in personal strength.

Future matters can be dealt with in the future.

At that moment!

"Zhu Ying."

Liu Lei approached, a smile on his face.

"Company Commander."

Liu Lei immediately responded.

"All ready?"

Liu Lei asked with a smile.

"All ready. All the bows and arrows are prepared."

"Just waiting to march out tomorrow."

Zhu Ying smiled and replied, then asked, "It seems the Company Commander has received news of troop movement?"

"Tomorrow, our First Battalion of the Qianshi Camp will be the vanguard. Our First Thousand-Head Battalion is the first military formation in the Qianshi Camp, leading the way."

"In any case, treat tomorrow with caution. Although it is just a small tribe of Jurchens, unable to match our great Ming, they are still Jurchens—fierce and skilled warriors."

Liu Lei said with a serious expression.

"Mm."

Zhu Ying nodded.

"Zhu Ying, how old are you?"

"Why do you look like you haven't even turned sixteen?"

"And your native place is not Daning but Beiping Prefecture. Why did you come to Daning to enlist?"

Liu Lei asked with some surprise.

Clearly,

He had checked Zhu Ying’s military registration.

"To be honest, Company Commander might not believe this,"

"I was tricked."

Zhu Ying shook his head bitterly and smiled.

"Tricked?"

Liu Lei's expression changed, and he looked at Zhu Ying deeply.

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"I'm just a humble company commander; I can't do much, but as long as you are in my company, I will protect you with all my strength."

Liu Lei patted Zhu Ying’s shoulder solemnly.

"Thank you, Company Commander."

Zhu Ying naturally smiled in gratitude.

In Liu Lei’s heart, a thought lingered: "For you to be registered in Daning’s military rolls, there must be significant forces behind it. Zhu Ying is young; how did he offend such people?"

...

The next day!

At the Ming border,

The vast army crossed into enemy territory.

Now,

The Northern Yuan had not been exterminated.

No boundary markers had been set for the northern frontier because for the Ming, those Northern Yuan lands might one day belong to the Ming; hence, no boundary stones separated Ming and Northern Yuan.

The Ming army formed battle arrays!

Scout cavalry moved ahead to probe enemy traces, avoiding ambushes.

Infantry followed as the main force.

The Jianzhou Jurchen border tribe.

A nearly ten-thousand-strong army had gathered at this border tribe.

"Report to the commander,"

"The Ming army has crossed their border and entered our territory."

A Jurchen soldier reported to their commander.

"The Ming country has indeed come."

Commander Jin Guda sighed, then asked, "How is the migration of our people going?"

"Commander,"

"When the news of the Ming army’s mobilization came yesterday, the tribes had already begun migrating northward."

Jurchen thousand-head captain replied.

"Within one day, tens of thousands of people have moved, but I fear they have yet to travel fifty miles."

Jin Guda’s expression was grave.

"Commander,"

"Why are you so wary of the Ming?"

"After all, they are just Han people. Under Yuan rule, they were the lowest class, even beneath us. In the northern border, the Yuan and our tribes hold the highest status. If they dare to fight my Jurchen warriors, they will never return."

Seeing Jin Guda’s worry, another said,

"It seems you still don’t understand the Ming, nor Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang."

"He is not someone to be taken lightly."

"Otherwise, how could the Yuan be driven out of the Central Plains?"

Jin Guda sighed.

Originally,

When the Yuan court sent envoys to his tribe to stir trouble against the Ming, most complied blindly, but Jin Guda had proposed neutrality to their clan leader, avoiding hostility with the Ming.

In his eyes, the Yuan court was already on its last legs, perhaps collapsing at any moment.

Meanwhile, the Ming was growing stronger day by day.

Yet, under majority support, his tribe ultimately obeyed the Yuan court’s orders.

After all, they were Yuan vassals.

Jin Guda felt helpless and unable to change this.

Whether facing the Yuan court or the Ming, his tribe was but a small one.

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A single misstep could mean extinction.

"Commander,"

"Now that the Ming are attacking, shall we fight or retreat?"

A thousand-head captain respectfully asked.

"This battle is forced upon us because the Ming discovered our actions within their country. To protect our people’s retreat, we must fight."

"Though the Ming are powerful, the Yuan still exist. They won’t deploy too many troops here."

"Our tribe depends on the Yuan."

"If we can defeat the Ming in this battle, it will greatly benefit us."

"Send orders."

"Prepare for battle."

Jin Guda commanded loudly.

Now, despite fear, the Ming had come, and Jin Guda had no choice but to confront them.

"Yes."

The thousand-head captains replied in unison.

At that moment,

"Report!"

"Commander,"

"The Ming are less than ten miles from our tribe, with scout cavalry leading the way."

A Jurchen rider galloped in to report.

"Have you determined their numbers?"

Jin Guda asked sternly.

"Commander,"

"Not fewer than ten thousand."

The rider responded promptly.

"The news of the Ming attack has reached the main tribe; the clan leader will surely send reinforcements."

"In this battle, we must only repel the Ming and delay them."

"Give this order:"

"Eight thousand cavalry split into two wings will ambush five miles from the tribe."

"Deliver a crushing blow to the Ming army; infantry will follow to press the attack, catching them off guard."

Jin Guda issued the command.

At the outset of hostilities with Ming,

Jin Guda’s border tribe had over ten thousand troops, all warriors.

This force nearly reached fifteen thousand men, with reinforcements on the way.

"Ming,"

"You drove the Yuan from the Central Plains, proving your strength."

"Today, let Jin Guda see what your combat power truly is."

"If I can crush your Ming army, I will bring great honor to the Jurchens."

A wild ambition stirred in Jin Guda’s heart.

Meanwhile,

The Ming army advanced steadily.

Zhu Ying held his bow and nocked an arrow.

His company, positioned in the third row, steadily moved forward.

...