In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 897 Murder, Confiscation of Property, and Robbery
As dawn broke, over ten thousand people, like a giant black dragon, snaked their way across the snow.

The sounds of horses' hooves and footsteps mingled together.

It broke the silence of the early morning, but was quickly drowned out by the sound of the wind.

Lu Yunyi rode on a tall warhorse.

He stood at the forefront, constantly looking around with his binoculars in hand.

He originally did not intend to participate in this battle, and would let the three guards of Duoyan do as they pleased.

But upon hearing the scout's report...
He decided to come and see for himself what level the Jianzhou Jurchens were at.

Tuoluhuchaer rode a black steed, also in the central position.

He gripped the long sword tightly in his hand, his face calm, but his eyes were brimming with excitement.

Since the Jurchens were so weak,

He's already considering whether he should come every year to plunder more money to support the clan's development.

The army moved slowly forward, and when they entered a valley, a sudden shout of battle came from ahead.

Tuoluhuchaer's eyes lit up as he looked ahead:

"General, there's a situation ahead."

Lu Yunyi nodded slightly and said calmly:
"Torukhuchar, lead a thousand soldiers to investigate the situation."

"Yes, General!"

Tuoluhuchaer clasped his hands in acceptance of the order, then waved his hand, leading a thousand soldiers like arrows released from a bow to rush into the valley.

When Toruhuchar led his soldiers into the valley
A group of Jurchen soldiers were seen fighting fiercely with a small squad of scouts.

The Jurchen soldiers were numerous.
The scouts were surrounded, and the situation was extremely critical.

Seeing this, Tuoluhuchaer snorted and flicked the reins.

He charged out first,
He led his soldiers to charge into the enemy ranks like tigers.

The long sword flashed, and blood splattered everywhere!
The Jurchen soldiers numbered only a hundred or so, and were caught off guard by this sudden attack, causing their formation to fall into chaos.

Upon seeing this, a Jurchen chieftain brandished his spiked club and shouted:
"Don't panic, stay calm, and kill them!"

His armor was somewhat tattered, covering only his upper body.
Even so, they were still many times better than other Jurchens.

He charged toward Torhuchar.

Tuoluhuchar's expression was strange upon seeing this scene. For some reason...

He imagined the scene of Ming soldiers in full armor charging at steppe people wearing only half armor.

At this moment, he could fully understand the feelings of the Ming army back then.
He sneered, squeezed his legs tightly around the horse's belly, and the warhorse charged towards the Jurchen chieftain like lightning.

At the moment of approaching the Jurchen leader

Tuoluhuchar suddenly swung his knife, and a flash of cold light appeared.
The Jurchen leader's head was severed instantly, blood gushed out, and his body fell straight to the ground.

The spiked club that was about to fall was easily blocked by the gauntlet.

Tuoluhuchar looked at the fallen corpse, shook his head, and softly uttered two words:
"too weak."

The other Jurchen soldiers saw their leader killed.

They were so frightened that they turned and fled.

Tuoluhuchaer would not let them go.

"Brothers, don't let a single Jurchen bastard escape! Kill them!"

The soldiers pursued them like a tidal wave, killing the fleeing Jurchen soldiers one by one.

The battle in the valley ended in no time.

Tuoluhuchaer looked at the corpses scattered on the ground and a smile appeared on his face.

He approached a wounded scout and asked with concern:
"Are you guys okay?"

The scout was panting heavily, though he was somewhat exhausted and slightly injured.

"Thank you for saving us, sir. We are alright."

These Jurchen soldiers were a patrol of the Huligai tribe.

They discovered our whereabouts.

They wanted to wipe us out, but you arrived just in time, sir.

Tuoluhuchar nodded and said:

"You've worked hard, go back and rest first, leave this to us."

After saying this, he turned to the soldiers behind him and said:
"Clean up the battlefield and move on!"

The army continued its advance into the depths of the valley, encountering several more groups of Jurchen soldiers along the way.
But they were all easily defeated by the soldiers led by Tuoluhuchaer.

As we ventured deeper into the Anugan Mountains

The gathering point predicted by the General Staff is getting closer and closer.

Finally, in a wide valley,

They discovered the first Huligai settlement.

There were many simple wooden houses built in the valley, probably several hundred in total, and some Jurchen soldiers were patrolling around them.

Seeing the army suddenly appear,

The patrolling soldiers stood there dumbfounded, somewhat incredulous and dazed.

What are those dark figures ahead?
However, someone quickly reacted, drawing a long sword from their waist and letting out a shrill scream:
"Enemy attack!"

"The Yuan people! The Yuan people are here!!"

Tuoluhuchaer looked at the Jurchen soldiers shouting and yelling in front of him, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes.

He turned to his adjutant beside him and said:

"You will lead three hundred soldiers to flank them from the left and cut off their retreat."
I led my men in a frontal assault and wiped them out in one fell swoop.

The lieutenant clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, accepting the order: "Yes, sir!"

After saying that, he led three hundred soldiers and charged to the left in a grand manner!
Tuoluhuchar took a deep breath and then shouted:
"Brothers, for the future of our people, for our glory, kill!"

With that, he led his soldiers like tigers descending a mountain, charging towards the Jurchen soldiers!

Although the Jurchen soldiers were terrified,
However, they still possessed some basic military skills. The patrolling soldiers, carrying worn-out longswords, rushed forward, eager to engage the "steppe people" in a life-or-death struggle.

Unfortunately, their worn-out longswords were no match for the latest standard-issue longswords of the Ming Dynasty. When they clashed, they only produced a crisp snapping sound.

Even if a long sword were to strike the armor, it would only leave a white mark, enraging the soldiers of the Doyan Three Guards!

The two armies clashed, and although the battle cries were deafening,
But the difference in skill level was revealed within three breaths!
The Jurchens at the forefront fell in an instant, amidst the flashing blades and flying flesh and blood.
Torukcha'er galloped across the battlefield,
Wherever the long sword went, the Jurchen soldiers fell to the ground.

He saw a Jurchen soldier riding a tall warhorse, charging out of the camp.
Wielding his spear, he charged left and right, invincible!
Judging from their physique and equipment, they were clearly elite Jurchen soldiers.

Tuoluhuchaer squeezed the horse's belly with his legs, and the warhorse charged towards the Jurchen warrior like an arrow released from a bow.

As he approached the Jurchen warrior, Tuoluhuchaer suddenly swung his sword, slashing at the Jurchen's spear!
With a loud clang, the spear was knocked away by Tuoluhuchaer's longsword.

The Jurchen soldiers looked at Tuoluhuchaer with some astonishment.

He was known in his clan for his great strength.
And he was extremely brave; how come he was so fierce today?
Before he could react, Tuoluhuchaer struck him on the neck with another knife.

His head snapped off instantly, blood gushed out, and his body fell straight to the ground.

The morale of the other Jurchen soldiers who rushed out of the camp plummeted when they saw their leader killed so quickly!
Just then, the soldiers broke through the human wall of guards and surrounded the Jurchen soldiers, launching a brutal attack!

More and more lights came on, and the Jurchen people emerged from their houses.
Upon seeing the chaotic battle outside, his vision blurred, and he almost fainted.
At this moment, the surrounded Jurchen soldiers did not hesitate and immediately knelt down to beg for mercy!

Tuoluhuchaer sneered:
"It's too late to beg for mercy now!"

With that, he waved his hand and gave a loud order:
"Kill, leave no one behind!"

Upon receiving the order, the soldiers swung their swords and slashed at the Jurchen soldiers.

In no time, all the Jurchen soldiers in the valley were killed.

The soldiers swarmed into the gathering point like a pack of wolves.

Despite the strong wind, the wails and cries could not be drowned out!

The remaining soldiers waited in the rear until the battle was over before surging forward.

Seeing the bloody scene before him,
Many people's eyes turned red, and they couldn't wait to rush in and kill and loot!
However, according to the established strategy,
The rear guard continued their march, heading deeper into the Anugan Mountains.

They will disperse at the next intersection and head towards their respective designated meeting points.

Only when they reached the designated assembly point...

Only they could act this way!

When passing by the camp, I saw my fellow tribesmen carrying large and small bags out.
The soldiers' breathing grew more rapid, and they quietly gripped the long swords at their waists. Although the Jianzhou Jurchens were dirt poor...
But with so many people, something is better than nothing!
Tuoluhuchaer looked at the corpses scattered on the ground and a smile appeared on his face.

He stood outside the gathering point.

Behind them were shrill screams and shouts of battle, while ahead, a large contingent of soldiers marched by.

He let out a loud shout:
"Brothers, these Jurchens are no match for us. Let's complete the mission and wipe them out as soon as possible!"

The army continued its march through the Anukan Mountains.

More than 10,000 soldiers were divided into ten routes.
They forged ahead, cutting through thorns and brambles, recklessly stumbling and crashing through the mountains, crushing one gathering point after another.

The victory was unexpected.
This made the soldiers of the Three Guards of Doyan extremely excited.

Their figures moved through the wind and snow, and their battle cries echoed through the valley.

The battle plan was completed ahead of schedule in less than two days, although the soldiers had not yet returned.
But their respective scouting teams had already sent the message back!

At this moment, the first gathering point, located at a mountain pass, has become the army's temporary command post.

In the very center of the large room, a tiger-skin rug was laid on the floor, and a sand table was placed on it.

One by one, the enemy flags were pulled down, and on the map beside them were lines of marching routes, like a celestial maiden scattering flowers.

Lu Yunyi sat not far away, quietly sipping his tea, his expression calm.

Beside him, Commander Wang Xingbang stared intently at the tiger-skin rug under the table, scratching his head in frustration.
When he saw the staff officers going in and out, their footsteps turning the tiger-skin carpet black, he realized...

He felt as if his heart was bleeding!

"My goodness, such a fine carpet would sell for two thousand taels of silver in Yingtian, and now it's just laid out on the ground and trampled underfoot!"

Lu Yunyi noticed his unease and looked at him with surprise:

"What's wrong with you? It seems like you've been causing trouble ever since you moved into the house."

Wang Xingbang pursed his lips, his eyes widened, and he asked in a low voice:
"General, may I have this blanket?"

Huh? Lu Yunyi's expression froze, and the smile on his lips vanished instantly.

He glanced at the tiger-skin rug on the floor, then at Wang Xingbang, and his brow twitched wildly.

"What did you say?"

"I didn't say anything. I didn't say anything."

"I heard it."

"General, you misheard me."

Lu Yunyi suddenly felt a bit weary and let out a heavy sigh:

"We've already confiscated thirteen tiger skins, why are you still bothered by this one?"

Seeing that he wasn't angry, Wang Xingbang suddenly became lively and said excitedly:
"General, although we've already obtained thirteen tiger skins, there may be more in the future."

But if we leave this tiger skin here, we'll be missing one forever.

This one, even if you don't sell it in Yingtian, could fetch several hundred taels of silver in Daning City!
If we don't take it, we'll be forever short several hundred taels!

Lu Yunyi's face darkened, and he glared at him:
"Wang Xingbang, how come I never realized you were so stingy before!"
The blanket was spread on the floor, and it felt so soft and comfortable underfoot!

"It has to be converted into silver and kept at home; you can't eat it, you can't use it, you can only look at it!"

"Oh dear, General, it's not easy for us to come out here."

The brothers were getting desperate for their meager salaries.
You've got it all figured out—you've lost hundreds of taels of silver in one go!

If it were sold in Yingtian or Jiangxi, it would fetch several thousand taels of silver!

It pains me to see them stepping on each other like that.

"Then you can suffer the pain."

Lu Yunyi looked away, intending not to pay him any more attention, but he still reminded him:
"There are more than ten tiger skins at one gathering point, and at least seventy or eighty on the whole mountain."
I'm reminding you, you can take your things back.

However, it must be placed in a secret location so as not to affect the marching speed.

"You can't sell them all at once when you get back; you have to do it slowly. You know the saying 'the more you have, the less valuable it is,' right?"

Wang Xingbang nodded vigorously, his eyes fixed intently:
"General, rest assured, I have already spoken with Azashiri. Once we return, all the spoils will be converted into cash!"

"Give everything to the Commander-in-Chief and let the yamen handle it."

Lu Yunyi shook his head:
"Alright, alright, you're a commander of a thousand now, show some ambition."

Don't look like you're only after money.
"What the superiors do, the subordinates will follow suit; eventually, all the brothers will learn from them."

Wang Xingbang nodded repeatedly, but he quickly thought of something and leaned closer to whisper:

"Sir, you dislike money because you're worried we'll follow suit."

Who doesn't like money?

Lu Yunyi glanced at him:
"Besides, does Shangguan's dislike of money stop you from being so greedy?"

Wang Xingbang chuckled, looking very honest and simple.

"No delay."

Lu Yunyi looked at Basong, who was intently listening to the staff officer planning the marching route not far away, and shouted:

"Basong, come here."

Basong rushed over: "My lord!"

"It hasn't snowed in Siam for decades. This marching route was planned based on the weather. Why are you still looking at it?"

"Sir, it's never a bad thing to learn more; you can integrate and apply what you've learned."

Lu Yunyi showed satisfaction and looked at Wang Xingbang:
"Look at them, there's no end to learning. Now that you're a commander, you can't afford to slack off."
"If you want to be a commander, your skills aren't enough to keep you in check."

"Understood, General."

After Wang Xingbang answered, he looked at Basong:
"Young man, life in Ming Dynasty is so much better, why go back to Siam?"
"I'll find you a wife, you'll have a few kids, and then you'll be a respectable man."

After hearing this, Basong shook his head violently and said with absolute certainty:
“Sir, Ah Hui is waiting to go back and marry her; she can’t find another wife.”

"Fine, fine, I can't reason with you. Go look, go look."

Wang Xingbang scanned the room and saw Zou Jing sitting not far away, counting the seized documents.
Suddenly I feel like I'm at the lowest moral point, and I feel a bit out of place.

However, soon after, Torukcha walked in, full of vigor.
Upon seeing him, Wang Xingbang immediately straightened his back.

Regarding being inhuman,
He is still far behind the Three Guards of Duoyan!
Tuoluhuchaer excitedly walked to the lower position and bowed deeply:
"General, three teams have already returned, and the casualties are far lower than expected."

One team even managed to clear two gathering points of 600 people each before suffering fewer than ten casualties.

Those Jurchens were caught off guard and easily defeated!

As he spoke, Toruhuchar pulled out a document from his bosom and handed it over.

"General, this is the capture document. These Jurchens look unremarkable."
But there are plenty of good things; the brothers are carrying them away!

Lu Yunyi smiled as he took the document, casually flipped through it, and then reminded him:
"Don't forget to collect the grain; that's the most important thing. All the spoils will be stored in a secret location and moved on the way back."

"Yes, General, I have already spread the word, and the spoils are being sorted out. Also..."

Tuoluhuchaer scratched his head and whispered:
"General, these Jurchen women are really nice. They are tall and beautiful. Many brothers want to take them home."

"What? You're so powerful that you're taking women to war?"

Lu Yunyi chuckled and glanced at him casually.

Tuoluhuchar's expression tightened, and he tentatively asked:

"General, on the return trip... could... could you take some with you?"

Lu Yunyi frowned and asked in surprise:
"They're taking all the food with them, how are they supposed to survive in this freezing cold?"

If they're still alive when we get back, then it won't hurt to take them with us."

Upon hearing this, the group of people in the room paused, feeling a chill run down their spines.

It was freezing cold outside; if we stayed for half an hour, our ears would freeze off. Without food, death was the only outcome.

Tuoluhuchar was already used to the coldness of the adult before him.

Even so, experiencing it again still sends chills down my spine:
"General, I understand."

Lu Yunyi nodded, picked up his teacup, and took a small sip.
"This is just an appetizer; don't let temporary success go to your head."
Those spoils and these women can only be taken back if they return safely from Goryeo.

"Yes, my lord!"

"Order the entire army to return before nightfall tomorrow. Anyone who fails to return in full force will be punished according to military law."

"Yes!"

(End of this chapter)