Zhu Yuanzhang: My second son is invincible!

On the other side, Xu Da was explaining something to Chang Yuchun.

Both veterans had loud voices, and everyone around them could hear them clearly.

"Old Chang, don't try to steal the lead from me this time!" Xu Da said.

"Why should I? It was you last time!" Chang Yuchun glared.

"Because I'm the head coach!"

"So what if he's the head coach? Does that give him the right to bully people?"

The two old men argued until their faces turned red, while the surrounding generals struggled to suppress their laughter.

Zhu Hui handed Zhu Xiong Ying back to Madam Chang, walked over, and said in a simple and honest voice, "Uncle Xu, Uncle Chang, you two stop arguing. I'll go first, and you two can follow."

Xu Da and Chang Yuchun both turned to look at him at the same time.

Then they both laughed.

"Alright, Your Highness, you'll lead the way, and the two of us will cover you!" Chang Yuchun patted Zhu Hui on the shoulder.

Xu Da also laughed and said, "Then I'll take a break."

The atmosphere immediately became much more relaxed.

At the exact hour of Chen (7-9 AM), the flying boat ascended into the sky.

Zhu Li stood on the side of the ship and waved downwards.

On the dock, Empress Ma wiped away her tears, while Zhu Xiong Ying jumped up and down, calling out to her second uncle.

Zhu Biao supported his mother, looked up at his younger brother, and smiled gently.

Only when the flying boat became a black dot on the horizon did he whisper, "Mother, let's go back to the palace. It's cold outside."

"Biao'er, are you really alright this time?" Empress Ma suddenly asked.

"It's really nothing. With my second brother here, the one who should be worried is that bird." Zhu Biao helped his mother turn around, his voice very soft.

He has great confidence in his younger brother.

……

The airship formation pierced through the clouds.

Zhu Li was on a separate ship again this time, but there was a little guy in the cabin. The little white ferret was squatting on the table, with a small plate of dried meat in front of him, and he was eating it in small bites.

"Xiao Bai, do you think that Golden Roc can really lay eggs?" Zhu Hui suddenly asked.

The little white ferret looked up, its amber eyes filled with confusion.

"If it can lay eggs, we can raise it and cook eggs for Mom and my older brother every day. I just don't know if it would like that." Zhu Li thought about it more and more and thought it was a good idea.

I just don't know if this roc is female or male.

There was a knock on the hatch, and Chen Nian came in and said, "Your Highness, Marshal Xu requests your presence on the main ship for a meeting."

"oh."

Zhu Li stood up, and the little white ferret jumped onto his shoulder.

Inside the main ship's command cabin, generals such as Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, Mu Ying, and Li Wenzhong were present. Small flags were planted on the sand table in the middle, marking the distribution of the demon race's forces.

Upon seeing Zhu Hui enter, everyone bowed.

"Your Highness, scouts report that the Golden Roc's main force of 100,000 demon troops is stationed at Black Wind Ridge, 200 li outside Juyong Pass, while the remaining 200,000 are divided into three groups, patrolling the flanks, their intentions unclear," Xu Da said, pointing to the sand table.

"This golden-winged roc claims it wants to fight King Wu, but it seems its true intentions lie elsewhere..."

"..."

……

Three days later, the airship formation arrived at Juyong Pass.

Evil energy permeated the sky above the fortress, and from the direction of Black Wind Ridge in the distance, the sharp cries of birds could be heard from time to time, piercing one's eardrums.

The general guarding the pass reported that the demon race had launched seven probing attacks in the past three days. Each time, hundreds of demonic birds would swoop down, shoot arrows, and then run away. Although the Ming army's bows and crossbows were powerful, they had difficulty hitting those extremely fast, feathered beasts.

"What about the casualties?" Xu Da asked in a deep voice.

"Thirty-seven dead and over a hundred wounded... mainly because the claws and fangs of the demonic birds are poisonous, causing festering wounds that have rendered the army's pharmacists helpless," the general said with a grim expression.

Chang Yuchun swore.

Zhu Li suddenly said, "I'll go check on the wounded."

"Your Highness?" Xu Da was taken aback.

"Let me see what the poison looks like. Just in case Jinpeng is also poisonous, we need to think of a way in advance," Zhu Li said as he walked out.

Everyone hurriedly followed.

In the wounded soldiers' camp, dozens of soldiers lay on beds, their faces blackened, their wounds oozing black blood, and the smell was foul.

The army doctor was scraping away the rotten flesh with a silver knife, but it kept growing back, clearly indicating that it was not an ordinary toxin.

Zhu Hui squatted down in front of a young soldier, looked at the wound, and pressed it with his hand.

"Your Highness, you mustn't!" the military doctor exclaimed.

The black blood that touched Zhu Hui's fingers was like water droplets hitting a red-hot iron plate; it hissed and turned into wisps of smoke, disappearing away.

Zhu Hui rubbed his fingers together and said, "Oh, it's insidious poison."

He stood up and said to Xu Da, "Uncle Xu, have someone cook a pot of ginger soup. Use old ginger, the spicier the better. Once it's cooked, force-feed it to the wounded until they sweat."

"This... will work?" the military doctor asked hesitantly.

"It works." Zhu Li nodded. These were things that were already in his mind, so they should be fine.

He spoke with such certainty that the crowd remained skeptical.

But there was no other way at the moment, so Xu Da ordered them to do as instructed.

Half an hour later, the miracle happened.

The wounded soldiers who were given ginger soup first felt feverish and sweated profusely. Then, bright red blood began to flow from their wounds, which gradually faded from black.

Although he was still weak, his life had clearly been saved.

The military doctors were dumbfounded.

Zhu Hui scratched his head, thinking, "It seems some of the information in my mind is true."

Chang Yuchun patted him on the back: "Your Highness has this skill too!"

"Hehehe..." Zhu Hui chuckled.

Just then, a piercing shriek that seemed to split the clouds and shatter rocks suddenly came from beyond the pass.

The howl was deep and violent, carrying an indescribable pressure. The soldiers on the city wall covered their ears, their faces showing pain.

Zhu Li looked up.

In the distance, above Black Wind Ridge, a burst of golden light suddenly appeared.

In the golden light, the outline of a huge bird could be vaguely seen, its wings spread wide, blotting out the sky.

The edges of its wings gleamed with a cold, metallic light; with a gentle flap, they stirred up a gale that made the city banners flutter wildly.

A boastful voice carried on the wind, echoing for miles:

"You brat from the Zhu family, I am here! Do you dare to come out of the pass and fight?!"

Everyone in the city looked at Zhu Hui.

Zhu Li licked her lips.

"Uncle Xu, we're having an extra treat tonight—roasted bird!" he said, turning his head with shining eyes.

As he finished speaking, the tattoo on his left arm glowed slightly.

The bronze giant axe appeared out of thin air.

With one step, one leaps onto the top of the city wall.

With another step, his figure transformed into a streak of light, rushing straight towards the giant golden shadow.

On the city wall, Xu Da took a deep breath and gave the order in a deep voice:

"Beat the drums!"

"Let's cheer for His Highness!"