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

Zhu Qiwu handed the invisibility talisman and the mind-control incense to Li Shanchang, explaining in detail how to use them. Li Shanchang accepted them and solemnly said, "Shanchang will certainly not fail in his mission!"

Several days later, Li Shanchang, carrying generous gifts and a carefully prepared speech, embarked on his journey to Zhang Shicheng's territory. Along the way, Li Shanchang proceeded cautiously, constantly alert to any movements around him.

When Li Shanchang arrived at Zhang Shicheng's tent, Zhang Shicheng was sitting in the main seat, his eyes scrutinizing him.

"Are you the envoy sent by Zhu Yuanzhang?" Zhang Shicheng asked coldly.

Li Shanchang bowed and said, "Indeed, my lord admires the great name of King Zhang and has specially sent me here in the hope of forming an alliance with King Zhang to jointly resist the Yuan court and restore the Han dynasty."

Zhang Shicheng sneered: "Zhu Yuanzhang? He's just a peasant, how dare he ally with me? Tell me, what makes him think he can cooperate with me?"

Li Shanchang calmly said, “King Zhang, the Yuan court is now tyrannical, the people are suffering terribly, and uprisings are constantly breaking out everywhere. Although my lord comes from a poor background, he has great ambitions, strong and well-equipped troops, and many loyal and brave men to assist him. If we can form an alliance with King Zhang, we can coordinate our efforts from the north and south and surely drive the Yuan court out of the Central Plains. At that time, this world will naturally be shared between King Zhang and my lord.”

Upon hearing this, a flicker of interest crossed Zhang Shicheng's eyes, but he quickly regained his guard: "Hmph, you make it sound so nice, but how can I trust you? I've heard that you have many internal conflicts, and you might even turn on each other one day."

Li Shanchang's heart tightened, secretly thinking that Zhu Qiwu's plan had worked, but he remained calm on the surface: "King Zhang, this is a slanderous rumor. My lord and his brothers are like brothers, working together with one heart. How can there be any conflict? However, there are always some people in this world with ulterior motives who try to sabotage my lord's great cause. I hope King Zhang will see through this."

Zhang Shicheng remained silent for a moment, then suddenly stood up and walked to Li Shanchang, saying, "You speak so eloquently, how do I know you're not lying to me? How about this, if you can drink this cup of wine, I'll believe you to some extent." With that, Zhang Shicheng picked up the wine cup on the table and handed it to Li Shanchang.

Li Shanchang knew in his heart that there was probably something wrong with the wine, but if he refused now, all his previous efforts would be in vain. He took the wine cup, and while hesitating, he suddenly remembered the invisibility talisman Zhu Qiwu had given him. He secretly pinched the invisibility talisman in his hand, and then drank it all in one gulp.

A moment later, Li Shanchang felt dizzy and began to sway. Seeing this, Zhang Shicheng laughed loudly, "How about it? The wine tastes good, doesn't it? Men, drag him away and lock him up!"

Just as the soldiers stepped forward to capture Li Shanchang, he seized the opportunity to activate an invisibility talisman and vanished from their sight in an instant. Zhang Shicheng and his soldiers were stunned and searched everywhere for Li Shanchang's whereabouts.

Taking advantage of the opportunity to remain hidden, Li Shanchang quietly slipped out of the camp. He found his horse outside, mounted it, and galloped away.

However, Zhang Shicheng quickly realized what was happening and sent a cavalry unit to pursue Li Shanchang. Li Shanchang was anxious; seeing the cavalry getting closer, he suddenly remembered he still had some sleeping incense. He reined in his horse, took out the incense from his pocket, lit it, and threw it at the pursuers.

The pursuers, smelling the intoxicating incense, became dizzy and fell off their horses. Li Shanchang seized the opportunity to speed up, finally shaking off the pursuers and safely returning to Zhu Yuanzhang's camp.

Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Qiwu, and others were already waiting at the camp. They all breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Li Shanchang return safely.

Zhu Yuanzhang quickly stepped forward: "Mr. Li, thank you for your hard work. How is the situation?"

Li Shanchang, panting heavily, recounted the events in detail: "My lord, Zhang Shicheng is by nature suspicious. Although he is somewhat tempted by the alliance I proposed, he does not fully trust us. Moreover, he seems very interested in our internal situation and has been probing us."

Zhu Qiwu nodded: "This is in line with our expectations. Mr. Li, you have done a great job this time. Go and rest now."

After Li Shanchang left, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhu Qiwu and said, "Qiwu, what should we do next? It seems that Zhang Shicheng's side is not easy to deal with."

Zhu Qiwu pondered for a moment: "Fourth Brother, since Zhang Shicheng is suspicious, let's add fuel to the fire. We can deliberately leak some 'false intelligence' to Zhang Shicheng, making him think that our internal conflicts have really intensified and we have no time to deal with him. At the same time, we should speed up the preparation of our battle plan against Chen Youliang."

Xu Da agreed, saying, "Qiwu's plan is excellent. It will cause Zhang Shicheng to miss his opportunity while hesitating, allowing us to focus on dealing with Chen Youliang, our formidable enemy."

Zhu Yuanzhang immediately ordered: "Good, do as Qi Wu said. Xu Da, you are in charge of training soldiers and strengthening fortifications; Tang He and Zhou Dexing, you lead a team to gather intelligence everywhere, especially about Chen Youliang's movements; Qi Wu, you continue to use the system to see if you can obtain anything that can help us."

The others obeyed and left. Zhu Qiwu returned to his tent and silently signed in. The system notification sounded: "Sign-in successful. You have received one cannon blueprint and one gunpowder formula."

Zhu Qiwu was overjoyed. Cannons were super weapons of this era. If they could be manufactured, dealing with Chen Youliang's warships would be much easier. He quickly took the blueprints and formulas to Zhu Yuanzhang.

"Fourth Brother, look what this is!" Zhu Qiwu excitedly handed the design drawings and formula to Zhu Yuanzhang.

Zhu Yuanzhang took it, examined it carefully, and his eyes lit up with delight: "Seven-five, if we can manufacture these cannons and gunpowder, our strength will be greatly enhanced! But how difficult will it be to manufacture them?"

Zhu Qiwu said confidently, "Fourth Brother, don't worry. I've already studied it. Although it's quite difficult, we have many skilled craftsmen in our camp. As long as we give them some time, they will definitely be able to make it. Moreover, I will personally supervise the manufacturing process to ensure that nothing goes wrong."

Zhu Yuanzhang patted Zhu Qiwu on the shoulder: "Good, Qiwu, I'm leaving this matter to you. Just ask if you need any resources."

After receiving the order, Zhu Qiwu immediately began work. He summoned the artisans in the camp and showed them the cannon designs and gunpowder formulas. At first, the artisans looked hesitant, but with Zhu Qiwu's patient explanation and encouragement, they gradually gained confidence.

"Gentlemen, once this cannon is manufactured, it will be a game-changing weapon. Although we are facing difficulties, as long as we work together, we will surely succeed!" Zhu Qiwu encouraged the craftsmen.

The craftsmen nodded in agreement: "Young Master Zhu, rest assured, we will do our utmost!"

Under Zhu Qiwu's leadership, the craftsmen began working day and night to manufacture cannons. Zhu Qiwu was busy in the workshop every day, personally guiding the craftsmen in making various components and mixing gunpowder.

At the same time, Tang He and Zhou Dexing also brought back intelligence about Chen Youliang.

"Fourth Brother, Seventh Brother, Chen Youliang has been intensifying his naval training recently, and there seem to be signs of a large-scale operation. Moreover, he has also colluded with some smaller forces, attempting to expand his territory," Tang He said.

Zhou Dexing added, "According to our reconnaissance, Chen Youliang has a large number of warships and is well-equipped. Our navy is still somewhat inferior to his." Zhu Yuanzhang frowned: "Chen Youliang is indeed restless. We must speed up our preparations and devise countermeasures before he takes action."

Zhu Qiwu stopped what he was doing, thought for a moment, and said, "Fourth Brother, we can set up some obstacles along the river to hinder Chen Youliang's warships. At the same time, we can use the range advantage of our cannons to attack him before he gets close. In addition, we can train a suicide squad to board his warships in the chaos and fight him in close combat."

Xu Da nodded in agreement: "Qi Wu's idea makes a lot of sense. With this multi-pronged approach, we can definitely make Chen Youliang suffer a lot."

Zhu Yuanzhang immediately decided: "Alright, let's do as Qi Wu said. Xu Da, you are in charge of training the suicide squad; Tang He and Zhou Dexing, you lead the soldiers to set up obstacles along the river; Qi Wu, you continue to speed up the production of cannons."

The group accepted the order once again and went about their respective tasks.

After a period of hard work, the cannon was finally completed. Zhu Qiwu looked at the brand-new cannon in front of him, feeling a great sense of accomplishment. He immediately ordered the cannon to be transported to the riverbank for testing.

"Boom!" With a loud bang, the cannonball accurately hit the distant target, splashing up a huge spray of water.

Zhu Yuanzhang and his generals were overjoyed to see this. Zhu Yuanzhang patted Zhu Qiwu on the shoulder and said, "Qiwu, you are truly a great hero of ours! With these cannons, we are much more confident in dealing with Chen Youliang."

Zhu Qiwu smiled and said, "Fourth Brother, this is just the beginning. We can continue to improve the cannon, making it more powerful and with a longer range."

Just as everyone was immersed in joy, a scout suddenly reported: "My lord, something terrible has happened! Chen Youliang is leading a large army and is marching in our direction!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes narrowed: "They've finally arrived! Issue the order: all soldiers, prepare for battle, and meet the enemy according to the established plan!"

On the riverbank, Zhu Yuanzhang's army stood ready. On the river, Chen Youliang's warships pressed in like a dark cloud, their banners fluttering, their momentum menacing.

Chen Youliang stood on the deck of the flagship, looking at Zhu Yuanzhang's army opposite him, and sneered: "Zhu Yuanzhang, today is your death day!"

Zhu Yuanzhang stood on the shore and shouted back, "Chen Youliang, don't be so arrogant! Today I will make sure you never leave alive!"

With a command given, the battle officially began. Chen Youliang's warships launched the first attack, charging towards Zhu Yuanzhang's positions. Zhu Yuanzhang's soldiers, as planned, counterattacked from the riverbank using bows and arrows and cannons.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!" The cannons fired continuously, and shells rained down on Chen Youliang's warships, instantly sending flames soaring into the sky and blasting the ships to pieces. Chen Youliang's soldiers panicked and jumped into the river to escape.

Upon seeing this, Chen Youliang roared in fury, "Zhu Yuanzhang, you actually have such powerful weapons! Charge! We must break through!"

However, Zhu Yuanzhang's army's cannons and arrows formed a tight defensive line, making it difficult for Chen Youliang's warships to approach. Just as Chen Youliang was extremely anxious, Zhu Qiwu led a suicide squad to seize the opportunity to launch an attack.

The suicide squad soldiers rowed their small boats and stealthily approached Chen Youliang's warships. When they got close enough, they leaped aboard and engaged in fierce close combat with Chen Youliang's soldiers.

In an instant, the river was filled with the deafening shouts of battle, and blood stained the water crimson. Zhu Qiwu, wielding a long sword, charged left and right on the warship, as if entering an empty field. Wherever he went, Chen Youliang's soldiers fell one after another.

Seeing Zhu Qiwu's ferocity, Chen Youliang was both shocked and furious: "Who is that? Seize him!"

Several of Chen Youliang's generals rushed towards Zhu Qiwu, but Zhu Qiwu, undaunted, engaged them in a thrilling battle. After a fierce struggle, Zhu Qiwu successfully repelled the generals and continued fighting on the warship.

At the same time, generals Xu Da, Tang He, and Zhou Dexing led their troops to flank Chen Youliang's army from both sides, forming an encirclement. Chen Youliang's army fell into chaos and its morale plummeted.

Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Chen Youliang was filled with resentment: "Am I, Chen Youliang, destined to be defeated by Zhu Yuanzhang today?" He hesitated for a moment, and finally ordered: "Withdraw the troops!"

As soon as Chen Youliang gave the order, his warships turned around and fled into the distance. Zhu Yuanzhang's army pursued them relentlessly, routing Chen Youliang's forces and leaving them in disarray.

The battle ended in victory for Zhu Yuanzhang's army. Standing on the riverbank, watching Chen Youliang's fleeing troops, Zhu Yuanzhang was filled with mixed emotions.

"Seven-Five, thanks to you today, we have achieved such a great victory!" Zhu Yuanzhang said to Zhu Qiwu.

Zhu Qiwu smiled and said, "Fourth Brother, this is the result of everyone's joint efforts. Moreover, this is just the beginning. We must continue to expand our gains and unify the world."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded: "That's right, 75. Let's continue our efforts and bring this world back to the hands of the Han people!"

Following this battle, Zhu Yuanzhang's power grew further, and his prestige among neighboring countries increased daily. Zhu Qiwu, through his wisdom and system rewards, rose in rank within Zhu Yuanzhang's camp, becoming an indispensable and capable assistant. The two brothers worked hand in hand, steadily advancing towards their goal of unifying the country…

In the days that followed, Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Qiwu did not let their guard down despite this victory. They knew that although Chen Youliang had been defeated this time, his strength was still not to be underestimated and he could make a comeback at any time.

Zhu Qiwu checked in through the system again and obtained advanced smelting technology and blueprints for some new weapons. He shared these technologies with the artisans in the camp, enabling them to improve weaponry and equipment, and enhance the army's combat effectiveness.

"Fourth Brother, with these new technologies and weapons, our army's strength will be further enhanced. We can organize a large-scale military exercise to familiarize the soldiers with the use of the new weapons and improve their combat capabilities," Zhu Qiwu said to Zhu Yuanzhang.

Zhu Yuanzhang agreed, saying, "Good idea, Qiwu, I'll leave this matter to you. Make sure the soldiers master these new weapons as soon as possible."

After receiving his orders, Zhu Qiwu immediately began preparations for the military exercise. He formulated a detailed exercise plan, dividing the soldiers into different teams to conduct operational training with the new weapons and tactical drills. (End of Chapter)