Daming: Brother, there is no future for monks, let's rebel

Chapter 1443 Making Chen Youliang's Arrival Unprecedented

The soldiers nodded, inspecting the torches and weapons in their hands.

Zhu Qiwu glanced at the sky, estimating that it was about time. He raised his right hand: "Three! Two! One! Move out!"

As he finished speaking, a series of explosions suddenly erupted in the distance. The Yuan army's supply camp was instantly thrown into chaos, with flames shooting into the sky.

"Charge!" Zhu Qiwu shouted, leading the charge towards the camp.

The Shenji Battalion soldiers followed closely behind, lighting torches and burning any grain and fodder they encountered. The Yuan army was caught off guard by the sudden explosions and fires and was unable to mount any effective resistance.

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!" the Yuan general shouted in panic. "Stop them!"

But it was too late. Zhu Qiwu and his men had already set fires all over the camp, and the entire grain and fodder camp was soon engulfed in flames.

"Withdraw!" Zhu Qiwu, seeing that his objective had been achieved, decisively ordered a retreat.

They had just left the camp when they saw Xu Da leading his cavalry charging towards them from afar. It turned out that Xu Da had heard the explosion and immediately led his troops to meet them.

"Seven or five brothers! Well done!" Xu Da laughed. "The Yuan army is in chaos!"

Zhu Qi nodded: "Brother Xu, let's hurry back and meet up with Fourth Brother!"

By the time they returned to Haozhou City, it was already dawn. Zhu Yuanzhang, standing on the city wall, saw them returning from afar and immediately ordered the city gates to be opened.

"Seventh Five! You're back!" Zhu Yuanzhang greeted him, his eyes filled with joy. "I received news that the Yuan army's supply camp has been burned, and they are currently withdrawing!"

Zhu Qiwu laughed: "Fourth Brother, this is just the beginning. Once they retreat to the walls of Yingtian City, we'll..." He made a throat-slitting gesture.

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed loudly: "Good! Do as you say! Issue the order: the entire army prepares to march with me!"

Three days later, Zhu Yuanzhang led his army to the outskirts of Yingtian City. By this time, the Yuan army's morale was already low because their supplies had been burned, and the news that Zhu Yuanzhang was coming made them even more panicked.

Toqto'a Timur stood atop the city wall, looking down at the rebel army waiting in full battle array below, his face terribly grim: "I will remember the name Zhu Chongba forever!"

He turned to the general beside him and said, "Pass down the order: withdraw the troops!"

The Yuan army began a slow, chaotic retreat. Seeing his opportunity, Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand and shouted, "Kill!"

The rebel army surged forth like a tidal wave, with Zhu Qiwu leading the Shenji Battalion at the forefront, clearing the way with firearms. The Yuan army could not withstand the onslaught and fled in disarray.

The battle raged from dawn till dusk, and by the time the last rays of sunlight disappeared below the horizon, all was silent outside Yingtian City. The main force of the Yuan army was completely routed, and Toqto'a Timur fled north with a small number of survivors.

Standing beneath the walls of Yingtian City, Zhu Yuanzhang gazed at the rebel banners fluttering atop the city walls, his heart filled with boundless pride. He turned to Zhu Qiwu: "Qiwu, all of this is thanks to you."

Zhu Qiwu shook his head: "No, Fourth Brother, this is all thanks to us. Without your leadership and the brothers' fighting spirit, we couldn't have achieved such a victory."

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed heartily and patted him on the shoulder: "Good! From this day forward, you will be my right-hand man! After we conquer the world, I will certainly not treat you unfairly!"

Zhu Qiwu felt a warmth in his heart. He knew that he had truly integrated into this era and become Zhu Yuanzhang's most trusted younger brother and capable assistant.

However, he also knew that future rivals such as Zhang Shicheng, Chen Youliang, and Fang Guozhen were still lurking in the shadows, watching him with predatory intent.

But Zhu Qiwu was not afraid. Because he possessed a system, modern knowledge, and a group of trustworthy brothers. More importantly, he had a grand goal—to help Zhu Yuanzhang establish an immortal legacy and revive the Han dynasty!

As night fell, countless bonfires were lit inside and outside Yingtian City. Soldiers sat around the fires, celebrating their hard-won victory. Zhu Qiwu stood alone on the city wall, gazing at the twinkling stars in the distance, his heart filled with anticipation.

"System, sign in," he silently told himself.

[Ding! Sign-in successful! Reward: Strategic Map (displays terrain and enemy movements within a radius of 100 miles)]

Zhu Qiwu's eyes lit up: "A strategic map? This is a timely help."

He opened the map and, sure enough, saw the terrain and enemy movements within a radius of a hundred miles clearly. He noticed an unidentified army of about 20,000 men moving in the northwest.

"This is..." Zhu Qiwu narrowed his eyes, "Could it be Chen Youliang?"

He recalled that historically, Chen Youliang had indeed begun to rise to power around this time, becoming one of Zhu Yuanzhang's greatest rivals. It seemed a new challenge had arrived.

Zhu Qiwu put away the map, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Come on, Chen Youliang. I want to see whether you, the future emperor of the Han Dynasty, are more capable, or whether my firearms are more powerful!"

The night breeze blew by, lifting the hem of his clothes.

Zhu Qiwu put away the map, turned and walked towards the camp, his steps steady and confident. As soon as he entered the camp, he saw Zhu Yuanzhang sitting around a sand table with Xu Da, Tang He, and Zhou Dexing, their brows furrowed, seemingly discussing something.

"Fourth Brother!" Zhu Qiwu called out loudly.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked up and saw that it was Zhu Qiwu. His tightly furrowed brows instantly relaxed, revealing a gentle smile: "Qiwu, you've come. Have you made any new discoveries?"

Zhu Qiwu stepped forward and pointed to the northwest direction on the sand table, saying, "Fourth Brother, I just checked the map and found an unidentified army moving in the northwest, numbering about 20,000. I suspect it's Chen Youliang's troops." This statement immediately caused an uproar in the tent. Xu Da abruptly stood up, a hint of wariness flashing in his eyes: "Chen Youliang? This man is ambitious. If it really is his army, then it should not be underestimated."

Tang He frowned and said, "Chen Youliang's power has expanded rapidly in recent years, and his troops are strong and well-equipped. If he really takes action against us at this time, it will probably bring us a lot of trouble."

Zhou Dexing clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, saying, "Who cares if he is Chen Youliang or not? If he dares to invade, we will make sure he never leaves alive!"

Zhu Yuanzhang remained silent for a moment, then looked at everyone with a firm gaze: "Regardless of whether it is Chen Youliang or not, we cannot let our guard down. Qi Wu, do you have any more detailed intelligence?"

Zhu Qiwu nodded: "At present, we only know the general location and size of this army, and the specific situation is still unclear. But don't worry, Fourth Brother, I will send people to scout as soon as possible and try to get more information."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded approvingly: "Good, Qiwu, I'll leave this matter to you. Xu Da, Tang He, and Zhou Dexing, the three of you also need to be prepared. If anything happens, immediately send troops to meet the enemy."

"Yes!" the crowd responded in unison, their voices loud and firm.

After receiving the order, Zhu Qiwu immediately left the tent, summoned several quick-witted soldiers, and instructed them: "You guys, immediately disguise yourselves and sneak into the northwest. You must find out the details of that unknown army, especially whether it is Chen Youliang's troops, as well as their troop deployment and marching route. Report back immediately if you have any news."

"Yes, sir!" The soldiers obeyed and disappeared into the night like arrows released from a bow.

Watching their departing figures, Zhu Qiwu pondered to himself: If it really is Chen Youliang, this battle is inevitable. However, with the system at his disposal and modern knowledge, he might not be unable to contend with Chen Youliang. Thinking this, a surge of ambition welled up within him. He turned and returned to his tent to devise a strategy.

Back in his tent, Zhu Qiwu sat at the table, closed his eyes, and silently said, "System, sign in."

"Ding! Sign-in successful. Congratulations, host, you have obtained a cannon manufacturing blueprint, a gunpowder formula, and an advanced military strategy book." The system's voice rang in Zhu Qiwu's mind.

Zhu Qiwu was overjoyed. This system was indeed powerful, delivering exactly what he needed. He opened his eyes, looked at the blueprints, formulas, and books that had suddenly appeared before him, and eagerly began to peruse them.

The artillery manufacturing blueprints meticulously recorded the dimensions, shapes, and manufacturing methods of each component, as well as the assembly and testing steps. Although Zhu Qiwu had some understanding of the principles of artillery manufacturing, seeing such detailed blueprints still made him marvel at the system's power. He carefully studied the blueprints, and a general manufacturing plan had already formed in his mind.

The gunpowder formula was a new type, more powerful and more stable than traditional gunpowder. Zhu Qiwu knew that in the era of cold weapons, the power of gunpowder often determined the outcome of a war. With this new type of gunpowder, his army would have a greater advantage in battle.

The advanced military strategy book is a treasure trove of military strategies and tactics from ancient and modern times, both Chinese and foreign, detailing response methods and combat techniques for various war situations. Zhu Qiwu treasured it greatly, knowing that in war, not only powerful weapons are needed, but also brilliant military strategies. This book would undoubtedly provide significant assistance to his military command.

Zhu Qiwu was engrossed in his research when he suddenly heard hurried footsteps outside the tent. Immediately afterward, a soldier rushed in, knelt on one knee, and panted, saying, "Report...reporting to the general, the scouts have returned with important intelligence."

Zhu Qiwu's heart tightened, and he immediately stood up: "Quickly, tell me, what's going on?"

The soldier took a deep breath and said, "That unidentified army is indeed Chen Youliang's troops. Their purpose in sending troops this time is to take advantage of our battle with the Yuan army to launch a surprise attack on our rear and wipe us out in one fell swoop."

Zhu Qiwu frowned, thinking to himself: This Chen Youliang is indeed cunning, actually coming up with such a plan. He then asked, "What is their troop deployment and marching route?"

The soldier replied, “Chen Youliang has divided his troops into three routes. One route is the vanguard, which is less than fifty li away from us; the middle route is the main force, numbering about ten thousand, which is following closely behind the vanguard; and the rear route is the logistics support force, responsible for transporting food and supplies. Their marching route is along this valley, and they intend to circle around to our rear.”

Zhu Qiwu walked to the sand table and, based on the soldiers' reports, marked the location and marching route of Chen Youliang's troops on it. After looking at the sand table and pondering for a moment, he already had a plan in mind.

"Go and summon Fourth Brother, Xu Da, Tang He, and General Zhou Dexing. Tell them I have important matters to discuss with them," Zhu Qiwu said to the soldier.

"Yes, sir!" The soldier accepted the order and left.

A short while later, Zhu Yuanzhang, along with Xu Da, Tang He, and Zhou Dexing, rushed over. As soon as Zhu Yuanzhang entered the tent, he eagerly asked, "Seventh Five, is there any news of Chen Youliang?"

Zhu Qiwu nodded and pointed to the sand table, saying, "Fourth Brother, generals, Chen Youliang has indeed sent out troops. He plans to take advantage of our battle with the Yuan army to launch a surprise attack on our rear. Currently, his troops have been divided into three routes. The vanguard is less than fifty li away from us, the main force in the middle is closely following behind, and the rear is the logistics support force. This is their marching route."

The group gathered around the sand table, carefully examining the markings made by Zhu Qiwu, their expressions growing grave. Xu Da frowned and said, "Chen Youliang's actions are extremely cunning. If we don't respond promptly, our rear may be in crisis."

Tang He also said, "Yes, our main forces are currently engaged in a standoff with the Yuan army at the front lines, leaving our rear forces vulnerable. If Chen Youliang's troops were to suddenly arrive, the consequences would be unimaginable."

Zhou Dexing clenched his fist and said loudly, "Never mind all that, let's send troops out directly to meet the enemy and annihilate his forces in one fell swoop."

Zhu Yuanzhang remained silent for a moment, then looked at Zhu Qiwu: "Qiwu, since you have summoned us here, you must already have a plan. Tell me your thoughts."

Zhu Qiwu smiled slightly and said, "Fourth Brother, generals, I think we can turn the tables on him. Chen Youliang thinks our rear is undefended and wants to launch a sneak attack, so we can set up an ambush in the rear, wait for him to enter our encirclement, and then annihilate him in one fell swoop."

Xu Da's eyes lit up, and he said, "This plan is brilliant! However, how do we set up an ambush in the rear? Chen Youliang's troops number 20,000. If we ambush too few troops, we may not be able to annihilate them; if we ambush too many troops, it will affect the battle at the front."

Zhu Qiwu confidently said, “General Xu, rest assured, I have a plan. We can take advantage of the terrain and set up an ambush on both sides of the valley. The valley is narrow, and Chen Youliang’s troops will be restricted in their movements once they enter. We only need to deploy a small number of elite troops on both sides of the valley to attack with firearms and arrows, which will inflict heavy casualties on Chen Youliang’s troops. At the same time, we will send another force to circle around to Chen Youliang’s rear, cut off his retreat, and put him in a pincer attack.”

Upon hearing this, Tang He nodded repeatedly: "Excellent plan! In this way, Chen Youliang's troops will be trapped like turtles in a jar, unable to escape even if they grow wings."

Zhou Dexing excitedly added, "That's right, let's do it that way! Let Chen Youliang never return."

Zhu Yuanzhang pondered for a moment and said, "While the '75' strategy is good, it also presents certain difficulties in implementation. First, we must ensure that the ambushing troops can reach their designated positions in time and remain undetected by Chen Youliang; second, we must prepare sufficient firearms and arrows to counter Chen Youliang's fierce attacks; finally, we must also arrange the frontline defenses to prevent the Yuan army from taking advantage of the situation to launch an attack." (End of Chapter)