The fierce grandson of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 177 Guan Tong: Willing to die for the Ming Dynasty!

Ten days later, it was already early July.

On the main road in the direction of Yanshan.

A group of several thousand soldiers were heading towards Beiping.

The leading general, clad in silver armor and with a sword at his waist, held a whip in one hand and the reins in the other, urging his horse forward while occasionally gazing at the distant mountains.

It was none other than Li Wenzhong, the Duke of Cao!

Several days ago, after handling military affairs along the Kutun line, he took into account the imperial decree from the capital.

Li Wenzhong ordered a portion of his troops to remain and assist General Feng Sheng in building garrisons, while also pacifying the local population.

He himself led the main force back to Beiping to prepare for war.

Moreover, judging from the meaning of his uncle Zhu Yuanzhang's letter, after resting for more than half a year, the grain and supplies from Jiangnan will arrive, and next year will be the time to launch a expedition to the northern desert!

Who will be the commander-in-chief in next year's war?

His uncle, the emperor, didn't explicitly state this in his words, indicating that there were still variables.

Ta-da!

A general, riding a black warhorse, also clad in armor, galloped from the rear.

This person is Guan Tong!

Since surrendering, Guan Tong has devoted himself wholeheartedly to assisting Li Wenzhong in pacifying the local area!

What he did inside was truly admirable!

His son, Guantai, dressed in short clothes and carrying a bow and arrows, followed closely beside him, his eyes full of curiosity.

This Guantai, only sixteen years old, had lived in Liaodong since childhood and had never been to Beiping before.

More than half an hour later.

Seeing the intense heat of the sun, Li Wenzhong ordered his generals to have the entire army rest on the spot.

Guan Tong stopped as well, pointed to the nearby fields, and said, "Duke Cao, please take a look!"

"I still remember more than twenty years ago, when I led my troops through this Yanshan area, the land was desolate and uninhabited!"

"I never imagined that after only a few decades, the land would have changed so drastically, becoming so prosperous!"

Li Wenzhong turned to the side, stroked his beard, and said, "General, you should know!"

"In the past, before the sage emperor established the Great Ming Dynasty, the people of the world, whether in the north or south, had most of their annual income seized by the government and nobles, resulting in widespread famine and unbearable suffering."

"When our wise ruler established the Ming Dynasty, taxes were reduced and levies were lightened, and the land and seeds were returned to the people, which led to the present-day situation!"

At this point, Li Wenzhong gripped the hilt of his sword, raised his head, and said, "In the end, the Emperor of my Great Ming Dynasty came from humble origins and knows best the suffering of the common people!"

He often told his civil and military officials that the nation's foundation lies in its people, and the people's heaven is food. Only by ensuring that ordinary people live a good life can the Ming Dynasty's rule be secure.

"This is the reason why my Great Ming Dynasty prospered!"

Although in the imperial court, Li Wenzhong, as Zhu Yuanzhang's nephew, mostly disagreed with Zhu Yuanzhang's methods of handling the situation!

But when it comes to matters concerning people's livelihood, deep down he admires his own uncle the most!

Guan Tong pondered for a moment, then echoed, "Indeed, the Emperor of Great Ming is truly a wise and sagacious ruler!"

"Among ancient emperors, none can compare!"

"The reason why the Yuan Dynasty declined and perished was not because of incompetence at all levels, local corruption, and disregard for the lives of the people!"

"And today, the Great Ming Dynasty not only has a wise ruler, but also fierce generals like Duke Cao who are skilled in battle. Looking to the future, it will surely be a golden age where all nations pay tribute!"

"Regarding the Liaodong campaign, in my humble opinion, Duke Cao deserves the greatest credit!"

Observe that the child is quick-witted and speaks with conviction.

Knowing that the person in front of him was a close relative of the imperial family, he was inclined to befriend and flatter him.

Li Wenzhong glanced sideways, completely unconcerned, and shook his head with a smile, saying, "General, you are mistaken!"

"Looking back on the previous battles, and finally pacifying the Northeast without bloodshed, the greatest contributor is not us, nor General Feng, but the eldest grandson of the Emperor —"

After Guan Tong surrendered to the Ming army, he often heard about this eldest grandson of the emperor.

He nodded and said, "This humble general has heard of the actions of the eldest grandson of the emperor!"

"Especially considering that he is only fourteen years old, he is already meticulous, far-sighted, a brilliant strategist, and kind-hearted—truly worthy of being a holy grandson!"

When the topic turned to his cousin, Li Wenzhong was moved and said, "Indeed! The eldest grandson of the emperor is not only exceptionally talented, but also has a fondness for virtuous and capable people!"

He gave a general description of his cousin's efforts in establishing a university and inventing the smallpox vaccine.

Upon hearing this, Guan Tong's eyes immediately lit up.

Once he arrives in Beiping, he must pay his respects to the eldest grandson of the emperor. If he can catch the emperor's eye, his future will be limitless.

On this side, I had just regained my composure.

Li Wenzhong turned around, looked westward, and suddenly asked, "I remember last time, General Guan briefly discussed the situation in the northern deserts!"

"But I wonder what Togus Temur's current strength is? Is he truly united internally?"

The Duke of Cao hit the nail on the head.

Guan Tong said solemnly, "To be honest, as far as I know, over the years, Togus Temur has long been a figurehead, with virtually no real power!"

"While the various tribes in the northern deserts outwardly obey their commands, they are in reality independent, rife with internal conflicts, and none are truly loyal to the others!"

"The most powerful were Mahmud of the Oirat and Arughtai of the Tatars; these two had a long-standing feud and were constantly vying for power!"

"Furthermore, Togus Temur himself was incompetent and cruel, and many people were dissatisfied with him in private."

"Furthermore, with the loss of Liaodong after this battle, the people in the northern desert must be filled with panic!"

Upon reading this, Guan Tong expressed a deep sense of melancholy.

Li Wenzhong narrowed his tiger-like eyes and said calmly, "According to General Guan's theory, with our Northern Expedition next year, why should we worry about not being able to pacify the northern deserts?"

Guan Tong said, "Exactly! The Great Yuan's fate is sealed. Once the Ming army arrives, the northern tribes will surely surrender without a fight!"

"This humble general, though unworthy, is willing to die for the Ming Dynasty—"

The following sentence precisely demonstrates this determination.

Li Wenzhong turned around and looked on, praising with satisfaction, "Excellent! With General Guan's assistance, our Ming army has a much greater chance of victory!"

"When the day comes, we will certainly recommend him to His Majesty—"

"Thank you, Duke Cao!"

Three days later, the summer heat in Beiping gradually subsided.

I learned that my uncle, Li Wenzhong, will be leading a large army back today.

Regardless of kinship or etiquette, Zhu Xiong Ying had to go and greet them.

Upon arriving at the welcoming location early in the morning, one could see Prince Yan, Zhu Di, General Lan Yu, and others in attendance.

Chang Mao had gone to bed late last night. Seeing the sun rising and it still early, he couldn't help but yawn and mutter, "My nephew, really, he's here so early!"

"Even if Brother Li is returning with his troops, it's not like he's returning to the capital in triumph. Why would his nephew need to come and greet him personally?"

Zhu Xiong Ying glanced at her eldest uncle, meeting the gazes of everyone around her, and said thoughtfully, "Uncle, what you said is incorrect!"

"My uncle and the others have rendered great service! In particular, they guarded the north entrance of Jinshan for a whole month, which was extremely arduous and meritorious!"

"Otherwise, I fear even more remnants of the Yuan invaders would have fled north, becoming a major threat to our Ming Dynasty!"

Everything Zhu Xiong Ying said is true.

Zhu Di, Lan Yu, and others all nodded in agreement.

Even Chang Mao couldn't muster any rebuttal.

More than an hour passed in this way.

At the end of the road, first came a soldier on horseback to report, followed by the thunderous sound of hooves.

The large group of people gradually approached.

Looking up, beneath the fluttering banner, the one leading the charge was none other than my uncle, Li Wenzhong.

He returned to the capital that year, having been away from the battlefield for more than ten years.

Now he has returned, and with several victories, the name of the White-Robed God of Slaughter has once again resounded throughout the entire grassland!