Zhu Yuanzhang: My second son is invincible!

The atmosphere in Fengtian Hall this morning was much more somber than usual.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat on the dragon throne, holding an urgent military report in his hand, his face so gloomy it could drip water.

Below, civil and military officials lined up on both sides, even their breathing was carefully controlled.

"Xu Da sent an urgent message: Wang Baobao, a remnant of the Northern Yuan, has colluded with the demons of the northern desert. The demon king Xiang Liu has appeared and is leading a million demons to knock on the gate."

The beacon fires along the Great Wall have been burning for three days and three nights.

Zhu Yuanzhang spoke, his voice not loud, but every word seemed to strike the hearts of everyone present.

The hall was deathly silent.

Xiang Liu.

An ancient ferocious beast with nine heads and a serpent's body, it devoured countless people, turning everything in its path into a swamp.

Shouldn't this thing be sleeping in the Wan Yao Mountain Range clan territory?

How did it get out?

The Minister of War stepped forward, his voice trembling, and said, "Your Majesty, the Great Wall garrison is less than 200,000 strong. The demon race is powerful and... moreover, they are fearless and undaunted by ordinary swords and arrows."

General Xu requested the imperial court to send reinforcements immediately, and... also requested the deployment of Taoist cultivators and martial arts masters to assist in the battle.

"I know... what I'm asking is, how do we fight?" Zhu Yuanzhang slammed the military report onto the table.

Among the civil officials, someone muttered quietly, "Perhaps... we could send envoys to negotiate peace, promising them money and provisions..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhu Yuanzhang looked up.

The official's legs went weak and he knelt down.

"Make peace? Make peace with beasts? Our Zhu family has never lost face like that before." Zhu Yuanzhang laughed, a laugh that sent chills down one's spine.

He stood up, placed his hands on the imperial desk, and cast a long shadow in the morning light.

"Xu Da was appointed Marshal of the Northern Expedition, and mobilized 300,000 elite troops from the Beijing Garrison to set off within three days. Li Wenzhong and Mu Ying were appointed as deputy commanders. Taoist, Buddhist, martial, and other sects were all required to send people to accompany the army on the expedition."

The imperial court provided elixirs, talismans, and weapons—whatever was requested, they were given.

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the entire room.

"Does anyone else have anything to say..." No one dared to utter a sound.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded: "Then..."

"Father... Your Majesty, I recommend someone to serve as military supervisor," Zhu Biao suddenly stepped forward and bowed.

"who..."

"Second brother, Zhu Hui, King of Wu."

A low gasp filled the hall.

Let that simple-minded King Wu be the military supervisor. War is not child's play, Your Majesty!

Zhu Yuanzhang stared at Zhu Biao: "Reason?"

Zhu Biao looked up and said calmly, "My second brother carries the legacy of Xing Tian and has unparalleled combat power. The demon race is powerful and cannot be defeated by ordinary soldiers. We need someone with the strength to stabilize the army and keep the morale of the troops at ease."

Furthermore, my second brother is honest and straightforward, and will not interfere with Uncle Xu's commands, making him perfectly suited for the position of military supervisor.

His argument was reasonable and well-founded.

Zhu Yuanzhang stroked his chin, thought for a moment, and then suddenly grinned: "Alright, let him go. It's time to let the world see that our Zhu family's son can not only cut down mountains, but also slay monsters."

"Your Majesty is wise." Zhu Biao bowed and withdrew.

……

After the court session ended, Zhu Yuanzhang summoned Zhu Biao to the East Pavilion.

"Biao'er, do you really think Li'er can do it?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked, taking a sip of tea.

Zhu Biao smiled and said, "Father, with a single swing of my second brother's axe, Mount Qingcheng was gone. No matter how powerful Xiang Liu is, can he be as solid as a mountain?"

Zhu Yuanzhang thought for a moment and nodded, saying, "That's true."

"However... Your Majesty has made arrangements. Jiang Huan will send a team of Imperial Guards to infiltrate the army and secretly protect your second brother. Uncle Xu has also given instructions that your second brother only needs to stay in the central army and will not need to personally lead the charge."

Zhu Biao then changed the subject.

"You've thought things through thoroughly, but on the battlefield, swords have no eyes..."

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at him.

"Father, rest assured. Your son has also transferred three hundred demon-slaying crossbows and five thousand evil-slaying talismans to accompany the army. In addition, I have sent a message to Zhang Tianshi of Longhu Mountain, asking him to send his disciples to assist in the battle. Zhang Tianshi owes your son a favor and will not refuse."

Zhu Biao's smile was gentle.

Zhu Yuanzhang was taken aback for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter, patting his son on the shoulder and saying, "Good lad! You had this all planned out all along!"

Zhu Biao smiled but remained silent.

These are tainted glutinous rice balls; the filling is black, but they're sealed tightly.

……

The Palace of the King of Wu.

Zhu Li was chopping firewood in the courtyard.

It's not that we're short of firewood, it's that he can't stay idle.

With an axe in hand, a thick log can be easily split in two with a single stroke, leaving a smooth, mirror-like cut.

Zheng Daya squatted down beside her, clutching a piece of candy in her little hand.

"Brother, why are you chopping wood? We don't need it."

"Just practicing, what are you doing!" Zhu Yong grumbled.

Just then, footsteps came from outside.

Zhu Biao entered with two eunuchs, holding a bright yellow imperial edict in his hands.

"Second brother, receive the imperial decree."

Zhu Hui put down the axe, dusted off the wood chips on his hands, and knelt down.

Zheng Daya also knelt down, but Zhu Biao helped her up with a smile, saying, "Yaya, you don't need to kneel."

The eunuch unfolded the imperial edict and read it aloud in a high-pitched voice.

The gist of the sentence is: There is a demon tribe causing trouble in the north, so Wu King Zhu Li was appointed as the supervising officer for the northern expedition, and he was to set off with the army three days later.

After he finished reading, Zhu Li remained kneeling, blinking as he looked at Zhu Biao.

Zhu Biao suppressed a laugh and said, "Second brother, receive the imperial decree."

"Oh! Brother, what does the military supervisor do..." Zhu Hui took the imperial edict with both hands, stood up, and scratched his head.

"It's just... watching, no work required," Zhu Biao tried to keep it simple.

"It looks like how you watch over a threshing floor in a village. When birds come to eat the grain, you chase them away with a bamboo pole," Zhu Li said after thinking for a moment.

"…almost."

"Okay, I know how to do this." Zhu Li grinned.

Zhu Biao looked at his younger brother's honest smile and sighed inwardly.

Hopefully, those monsters in the north won't provoke his second brother too much.

Otherwise, one swing of the axe might even have cleaved through the Great Wall.

……

The news spread that afternoon.

The threshold of the Wu King's mansion was almost worn down by the crowds.

Xu Da came in person and spoke with Zhu Hui for half an hour, mainly about battlefield discipline, such as sounding the retreat and flag signals.

Zhu Li listened attentively, nodding occasionally, even though he didn't understand most of it.

Li Wenzhong and Mu Ying also came. These two were Zhu Yuanzhang's nephew and adopted son, respectively, and were both excellent warriors.

They looked at Zhu Hui with complicated expressions.

They had all heard of the deeds of this Prince Wu, but seeing him in person... well, he really did seem like a simple, honest farmer.

"Your Highness, swords and spears have no eyes on the battlefield, you must stay close to the central army," Li Wenzhong instructed.

Zhu Hui nodded and said, "Yes, I'll go with Uncle Xu."

Mu Ying added, "The demon race is cunning and might transform into human form to ambush us from the rear..."

Zhu Hui thought for a moment, then raised her left hand and pressed the tattoo on her arm.

A bronze shield appeared out of thin air and slammed onto the ground with a thud, causing several cracks to appear in the blue bricks.

"I have this, they can't get in," he said earnestly.

Li Wenzhong and Mu Ying stared at the shield for a long time before silently taking their leave.

After leaving the house, Mu Ying whispered, "Brother Wenzhong, I have this feeling... we're just going to be His Highness Prince Wu's spectators?"

Li Wenzhong said with a wry smile, "Remove the feeling."

……

In the evening, the adoptive parents also learned the news.

Zheng Dazhu smoked his pipe, his brows furrowed in worry.

Wiping away her tears, Madam Zheng packed her son's luggage while nagging, "Li'er, it's cold up north, bring an extra coat... I've heard monsters eat people, you must never rush forward..."

Zhu Li sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) and responded with "uh-huhs".

Zheng Daya lay on his lap, looking up at him with her little face, and said, "Brother, can you take me with you? I want to fight monsters too."

"No, it's dangerous up in the mountains, children can't go." Zhu Li patted her head.

"You used to take me up the mountain..."

"That was before. The place you're going to now is much more dangerous than the mountains," Zhu Li said, unusually serious.

Zheng Daya pouted, but didn't make a fuss anymore.

Zheng Dazhu tapped his pipe and said in a deep voice, "Li'er, your father isn't very capable. I just have one thing to say: come back alive. If you can't win, run away. There's no shame in that."

Zhu Hui nodded and said, "Father, I understand."

……

The Imperial Palace, Kunning Palace.

Empress Ma personally made a bowl of plain noodles and watched Zhu Yuanzhang slurp it down.

"Chongba, are you really going to let Li'er go?" she asked softly.

Zhu Yuanzhang put down his bowl, wiped his mouth, and said, "Sister, Li'er is not a child anymore. He is our son, the Prince of Wu of the Ming Dynasty."

There are some things he has to take responsibility for.

"But he..."

"He knows his limits. Besides, with Xu Da, Wen Zhong, and Mu Ying all here, nothing serious will happen." Zhu Yuanzhang grasped Empress Ma's hand.

Empress Ma sighed and said nothing more.

She knew her husband was right.

But what mother doesn't worry about her son?

……

Three days later, at dawn.

Outside Yingtian City, at the Commander's Platform.

Three hundred thousand troops were arrayed, a dark mass, their banners obscuring the sun.

At the front of the army formation, three hundred flying boats hovered three feet off the ground, their hulls covered with runes that gleamed faintly in the morning light. These were jointly produced by the Ministry of Works and the Taoist sect, capable of traveling a thousand miles a day to transport troops and provisions.

On the command platform, Zhu Yuanzhang personally conferred the commander's seal upon Xu Da.

Xu Da knelt on one knee, received the item with both hands, and stood up with the clanging of his armor.

"Xu Da, the north is now in your hands," Zhu Yuanzhang said in a deep voice.

"Your Majesty, I will certainly not fail in your trust!"

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, then looked at Zhu Hui behind Xu Da.

Zhu Hui wore specially made bright armor, the plates of which shimmered in the sunlight.

He wasn't wearing a helmet, his hair was simply tied back, and his hands were empty; the axe and shield were in his tattoos.

"Li'er," Zhu Yuanzhang called out.

Zhu Li stepped forward.

"Remember, you are the supervisor, and also our son. When it's time to act, act decisively and without mercy. But also remember, come back alive. Your mother is waiting for you to come home for dinner."

Zhu Yuanzhang stared at him and said.

Zhu Hui nodded emphatically and said, "Father, I understand."

Zhu Yuanzhang patted him on the shoulder with great force.

Zhu Li swayed slightly, but didn't move.

Below the stage, 300,000 soldiers shouted in unison, "Long live the Great Ming! Long live the Great Ming! Long live the Great Ming!"

The sound was deafening.

Zhu Biao stood beside Zhu Yuanzhang, his gaze sweeping across the army formation before settling on his younger brother, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

This journey to the northern frontier will be fraught with bloodshed and violence.

But he believed that his younger brother's axe could cleave everything.

……

The airship slowly rose into the air, carrying the first batch of 50,000 elite troops, and headed north.

Zhu Hui stood on the deck of the main ship, looking down at the increasingly smaller Yingtian City.

The wind blew his hair.

He suddenly remembered his past life, the axe and shield crafts hanging on the wall of that small rented room.

I bought it for thirty yuan at a street stall. The paint is chipped, but it looks impressive.

Unexpectedly, I came into this world with him.

It came true.

"Your Highness, it's windy, let's go inside." Xu Da's voice came from behind.

Zhu Hui turned around, grinned, and said, "Uncle Xu, I'm not cold."

Looking at his honest smile, Xu Da felt inexplicably at ease.

Perhaps the Crown Prince is right.

With this person around, what Xiang Liu, what million demons…

It's just a matter of one axe blow.

The flying boat broke through the clouds and sped northward.

The beacon fires of the Great Wall are already faintly visible on the horizon.