The fierce grandson of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 151 Zhu Di's Far-sighted Planning

On the training ground.

Without mentioning it, the weight that had been hanging over Zhu Xiong Ying's heart finally lifted.

It's clear I wasn't wrong about my great-uncle Lan Yu; he's the future top general of the Ming Dynasty!

Zhu Di, equally excited, couldn't help but ask for details about the battle.

"How did the battle go for the Marquis of Yongchang? What were the specific details of the battle?"

The accompanying military officer quickly stepped forward, bowed, and reported: "Your Highness, the Marquis of Yongchang led a light cavalry raid for three days, and the journey has been very smooth!"

"It is said that when they arrived at the walls of Qingzhou, the enemy general Guo Lai was still drinking and making merry in his headquarters, unaware of the impending disaster!"

"The Marquis of Yongchang simply divided his forces into three routes, and in one fell swoop breached the city, personally beheading Guo Lai. Later, Guo Lai's son, Bulanxi, led a counterattack, but was also defeated by the Marquis of Yongchang, who captured them all alive!"

"In this battle, according to the messenger sent by the Marquis of Yongchang, more than 200,000 shi of grain and fodder were burned! The fire in the city burned all night long, and by dawn the next day, the army had retreated. Even dozens of miles away, thick fog could still be seen."

"As for our casualties, they are less than three hundred!"

"Currently, the troops led by Marquis Yongchang are retreating towards Xifengkou with prisoners and spoils of war, and will soon be able to annihilate them." "The Duke of Cao has instructed me to inform His Highness Prince Yan and His Highness the Crown Prince that General Feng has also reported that he has ordered General Wang and his troops to provide immediate support, and has also ordered the troops led by Marquis Wuding to intensify their feigned attacks towards the Jinshan line in order to disrupt the enemy's morale!"

Uncle Li Wenzhong specifically sent a message through his subordinates, clearly hoping to put his mind at ease.

And this matter of peace and tranquility naturally means that my uncle is safe and sound!

Zhu Xiong Ying shifted his gaze from Li Jinglong and the officers behind him, turning to his fourth uncle, Zhu Di, and said with a smile, "Fourth Uncle, do you think Uncle fought a brilliant battle?"

"Not only did we kill the enemy general and burn their supplies, invigorating the Yuan invaders from within, but our Ming army also suffered almost no casualties!"

"Furthermore, Naha's retreat has been cut off, and his troops have run out of supplies. Let's see how he manages to hold on."

As the art of war says: In any battle against the enemy, when the outcome is uncertain, having provisions guarantees victory.

Lan Yu's surprise attack on Qingzhou was primarily aimed at burning enemy grain supplies, thereby disrupting the enemy's deployment!

Killing Pingzhang Guolai was merely a convenient excuse.

As for the Ming army's next move, wasn't it precisely a step-by-step advance, a pursuit of victory?

Of course, this was in accordance with the imperial decree that came from Tongzhou that day.

Old Zhu, though outside the battlefield, had also anticipated this—

This made him marvel at the strategic brilliance and foresight behind it!

The world benefits its beauty.

No wonder not only his father, who was skilled in both literature and martial arts, but also his uncles, who were all such good fighters!

However, the later generations became increasingly incompetent, and one even produced a student from the Oirat Mongols who became the new war god of the Ming Dynasty, nearly costing the empire its life.

Seeing his nephew praising him so highly.

Zhu Di smiled, stroked his beard, and said, "My nephew is right! Marquis Yongchang is indeed a talented general!"

"Leading thousands of light cavalry, he marched hundreds of miles deep into enemy territory, achieving such a decisive victory with lightning speed! In particular, he did not linger in battle; he burned the supplies and immediately retreated. This decisiveness surpasses that of many!"

"Even if it were us, we might not have done any better! Looking at all the generals in the army, only a handful of people like my eldest cousin are capable of handling this!"

In reality, Lan Yu had only begun to distinguish himself after the battles in Yunnan.

Even in Zhu Di's mind, his abilities and character were far inferior to those of his cousin Li Wenzhong.

Out of respect for his elder brother Zhu Biao and nephew Zhu Xiong Ying, he did not hesitate to offer some praise.

But then, his tone shifted, becoming profound, and he added, "However, on the other hand, my nephew deserves much credit for winning this battle! If it weren't for my nephew's keen insight into the opportunity in Qingzhou, his suggestion of a surprise attack, and his recommendation of the Marquis of Yongchang as general, we wouldn't have been able to turn the tide so quickly!"

"And the imperial decrees from the capital, coming one after the other, coincide perfectly with my eldest nephew's plan, which shows that your mastery of military strategy far surpasses that of your peers!"

Two years ago, Zhu Di heard from news from the capital that his nephew had studied astronomy and military strategy under the guidance of founding generals such as Li Shanchang.

Seeing it with his own eyes filled him with even more admiration.

From now on, my elder brother will assist our father in governing the court.

And when the eldest nephew grows up, if he can serve as the chief teacher and lead his uncles to conquer the borderlands, he can help the Ming Dynasty build an even greater empire!

As vassal kings, they could feel more at ease, lest others gossip!

Zhu Xiong Ying glanced at the soldiers training in the distance, and he knew his own limitations.

Looking back, he replied, "Fourth Uncle, you flatter me. I am merely a theorist; in terms of strategy and other aspects, I am far inferior to Grandfather and all the other elders in terms of thorough consideration!"

"Furthermore, in the battle against the enemy, it was my uncle and the soldiers who suffered the most! Without their tireless and valiant fighting, how could we have achieved today's victory?"

These words reveal a profound sense of benevolence and kindness.

Both Zhu Di and Li Jinglong, who was standing beside him, were deeply moved.

Zhu Di then shook his head and said seriously, "Nephew, don't be modest!"

As the saying goes, "A thousand soldiers are easy to find, but a good general is hard to come by! A good strategy is worth more than a hundred thousand soldiers!"

"My father and elder brother are happy to know what you did before—"

After they finished speaking, the uncle and nephew went straight to the military tent.

Before even entering the tent, Zhu Xiong Ying's eyes flickered, his steps faltered, and he looked towards the northeast, suddenly asking, "Fourth Uncle, what do you think Naha Chu should do next?"

Although he had guessed some of the results, he still wanted to hear what his fourth uncle would say.

Zhu Di pondered for a moment, unaware of his nephew's ulterior motives.

He gripped his sword hilt, his posture ramrod straight, and glanced sideways, saying, "We've dealt with Nahachu quite a bit!"

"He was able to rise to the position of Grand Commandant of the Remnant Yuan Dynasty, which shows his courage and resourcefulness! However, he was indecisive, and his subordinates were all self-serving and not of one mind."

"Now, the Yuan invaders have lost all their supplies and their morale is low! Meanwhile, General Feng's main force has already deployed in Tongzhou! Once news of the victory at Qingzhou reaches us and the majority of Marquis Yongchang's troops return, our Ming army will surely gather and march out of Songting Pass in no time to seize Jinshan!"

"My dear nephew, you should know! Favorable timing is not as important as advantageous location, and advantageous location is not as important as harmonious relationships!"

"Now that the remnant Yuan has lost both its geographical advantage and popular support, if Nahachu dares to fight to the death, it's tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock; their destruction is only a matter of time!"

"Therefore, in our opinion, if it really comes to that, this scoundrel will definitely send someone to sue for peace first, testing our bottom line!"

"Only when they can no longer hold out will they lead their troops to surrender! This outcome would be highly advantageous for our Ming army!"

My fourth uncle's words had only one meaning.

It wasn't that Nahachu and the other remnants of the Yuan dynasty were too weak, but rather that the Ming soldiers were too fierce!

Zhu Xiong Ying, with his hands behind his back, nodded and said, "Fourth Uncle is right!"

"To subdue the enemy without fighting is the highest form of skill! I've heard my grandfather say that Nahachu has been operating in Liaodong for decades, and his power is deeply entrenched! If we fight head-on, even if we win, we'll suffer heavy losses!"

"If we can persuade them to surrender, we can reduce casualties and resolve the Liaodong problem as soon as possible. It would be a win-win situation!"