bookbashuk Chapter 1436: His contributions were indispensable!
Chapter 1436: His contributions were indispensable!
Chaghan Temur sneered, "Zhu Yuanzhang? He's just a peasant bandit who dares to take the initiative to attack our army? He's courting death!"
The deputy general Wang Baobao frowned and said, "General, although Zhu Yuanzhang came from a humble background, he is quite cunning in his military tactics. We must be wary of him!"
Chaghan Timur shook his head: "General Wang is overthinking it. Our army has mobilized 30,000 elite troops this time, all of whom are battle-hardened soldiers, while Zhu Yuanzhang's rebel army is nothing but a rabble. How could they be a match for our army?"
Wang Baobao was still uneasy: "But Zhu Yuanzhang's younger brother, Zhu Qiwu, is said to possess unfathomable abilities and has repeatedly defeated our army with fewer troops..."
Chaghan Timur interrupted him: "Unpredictable? It's nothing but child's play! I want to see what tricks this Zhu Qiwu can pull!"
Having said that, he stood up, walked to the map, pointed to a spot, and said, "Send the order: tomorrow morning, the entire army will be mobilized and march straight at Zhu Yuanzhang's camp! I will wipe out this rebel army in one fell swoop!"
"Yes!" The guard obeyed and left.
The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, the Yuan army was already fully prepared to set off. Chaghan Temur, riding a tall horse, looked at Zhu Yuanzhang's camp ahead, a cold smile playing on his lips.
"Kill!" With that command, the Yuan army surged towards Zhu Yuanzhang's camp like a tidal wave.
Zhu Yuanzhang stood before the camp gate, his gaze calm and collected as he watched the surging Yuan army. He turned to Zhu Qiwu: "Qiwu, are you ready?"
Zhu Qi nodded: "Fourth Brother, don't worry! I've already made all the preparations!"
After saying that, he silently chanted in his mind, "System, use the summoning card!"
"Ding—! Summoning successful! This summoned historical figure: Yue Fei!"
Zhu Qiwu was overjoyed. Yue Fei was a famous general of the Southern Song Dynasty who resisted the Jin Dynasty. He was a brilliant strategist and a master of martial arts. With him by his side, victory in this battle was assured!
Just then, a flash of light appeared, and a majestic general in armor, wielding a long spear, appeared before Zhu Qiwu. His face was resolute, and his eyes were piercing—it was Yue Fei!
"Yue Fei greets the host!" Yue Fei knelt on one knee and said respectfully.
Zhu Qiwu quickly helped him up: "General Yue, there's no need for such formalities! I summoned you here to fight against the Yuan army, and I hope you will lend me your full support!"
Yue Fei's gaze was firm: "Host, rest assured! I will do my utmost to help you defeat the Yuan army!"
Zhu Yuanzhang watched in stunned silence. Although he knew that Zhu Qiwu had a mysterious system, he was still shocked to see Yue Fei appear out of nowhere.
"Seven Five, who is this...?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked.
Zhu Qiwu laughed and said, "Fourth Brother, this is General Yue Fei, a famous historical general I summoned from the system! With him here, we are sure to win this battle!"
Zhu Yuanzhang was overjoyed upon hearing this and quickly stepped forward to pay his respects: "General Yue's name is renowned far and wide! It is truly my honor to see your face today!"
Yue Fei quickly returned the greeting: "General Zhu, you are too kind! Now that I have come, I will certainly fight alongside you to resist the Yuan army!"
As they were talking, the Yuan army had already rushed to the camp gate. Chaghan Temur saw that Zhu Yuanzhang and the others were standing motionless in front of the camp gate, and he couldn't help but become suspicious.
"Zhu Yuanzhang, how dare you not close the camp gates? Could it be that you have set a trap?" Chaghan Temur shouted.
Zhu Yuanzhang sneered, "Chaghan Temur, now that you've come, why don't you come in and fight? Are you afraid?"
Chaghan Temur was furious upon hearing this: "Zhu Yuanzhang, how dare you underestimate me! Today I will show you the might of my Yuan army's elite troops!"
Having said that, he brandished his long sword: "Kill!"
The Yuan army surged into the camp like a tide, only to find it empty, with only a few flags fluttering in the wind.
Chaghan Temur's heart sank, realizing, "We've fallen into a trap! Retreat quickly!"
However, it was too late. Suddenly, shouts of battle erupted from both sides of the mountain. Xu Da and Tang He each led a squad of men out from both flanks and charged straight at the Yuan army.
At the same time, Zhu Yuanzhang gave the order: "All troops, attack! Kill!"
The rebel army charged towards the Yuan army like tigers descending a mountain, engaging in fierce fighting.
Yue Fei, spear in hand, moved with unparalleled ease, and wherever his spear pointed, Yuan soldiers fell to the ground. He roared, "The Yue Family Army is here! Who dares to fight me!"
Seeing Yue Fei's bravery, the Yuan soldiers were terrified and retreated.
Enraged by this, Chaghan Temur spurred his horse and charged at Yue Fei, brandishing his sword: "Zhu Yuanzhang, how dare you resort to such a treacherous scheme! Today I will first behead your great general!"
Yue Fei sneered, "Well done! Today I'll show you what I'm capable of!"
Having said that, he charged at Chaghan Temur with his spear. The two exchanged blows and clashed. Spears flashed like dragons, and blades gleamed like lightning; the two fought fiercely, neither gaining the upper hand.
Zhu Qiwu stood to the side, his blood boiling with excitement. He turned to Zhu Yuanzhang and said, "Fourth Brother, let's go too!"
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded: "Good! Today I'll let this Chaghan Timur know that I, Zhu Yuanzhang, am not someone to be trifled with!"
Having said that, he drew his long sword and charged towards the Yuan army. Zhu Qiwu followed closely behind, and together with the rebels, they engaged in a fierce battle with the Yuan army.
The battle had been going on for half an hour, and the Yuan army was beginning to show signs of defeat. Chaghan Temur and Yue Fei fought for hundreds of rounds without a clear victor, and Chaghan Temur grew increasingly anxious.
"General Wang! Come quickly and help me!" Chaghan Timur shouted.
Upon hearing this, Wang Baobao spurred his horse and charged towards Yue Fei, brandishing his sword. However, just as he reached Yue Fei, a spear flashed past, and Yue Fei pierced his throat with a single thrust.
"You..." Wang Baobao's eyes widened, and he collapsed to the ground, dead.
Chaghan Temur was greatly alarmed upon seeing this: "General Wang!"
Yue Fei sneered: "Chaghan Temur, you've reached the end of your road, why don't you surrender now?"
Chaghan Temur gritted his teeth: "Yue Fei! Don't be so arrogant! How could my elite Yuan army be defeated by a bandit like you!"
Having said that, he charged at Yue Fei again, sword in hand. Yue Fei, fearless, met him head-on with his spear. The two fought for dozens more rounds, until Chaghan Temur was gradually losing his strength. Just then, a sudden shout of battle came from behind. Chaghan Temur's heart sank; he thought to himself, "Could it be that our supply lines have been cut off?"
Sure enough, Zhou Dexing led a troop of men to attack from the rear, heading straight for the Yuan army's supplies. Seeing their supplies cut off, the Yuan army's morale immediately collapsed.
Seeing that all was lost, Chaghan Temur couldn't help but sigh in his heart, "Heaven has forsaken me!"
Having said that, he turned his horse around, preparing to flee. However, how could Yue Fei let him escape so easily? He shouted, "Chaghan Temur! Where do you think you're going!"
Having said that, he brandished his spear and gave chase. Chaghan Temur, seeing Yue Fei pursuing him, was filled with terror. He desperately spurred his horse forward, but could not shake off Yue Fei's pursuit.
Just as Chaghan Temur was about to escape the battlefield, an arrow suddenly shot out and struck him squarely in the back. He screamed and fell from his horse.
Yue Fei chased after Chaghan Temur and saw that he was on the verge of death. He then put away his spear and stood there, saying, "Chaghan Temur, your defeat is inevitable. What else do you have to say?"
Blood trickled from the corner of Chaghan Temur's mouth as he struggled to say, "Yue Fei...you...you are indeed formidable...I...I, Chaghan Temur...today...today I have fallen into your hands...I am utterly convinced..."
After saying this, his head lolled to the side, and he died.
Upon seeing that Chaghan Temur was dead, Yue Fei turned back to Zhu Yuanzhang and said, "General Zhu, Chaghan Temur is dead, and the Yuan army has been defeated!"
Zhu Yuanzhang was overjoyed upon hearing this: "Excellent! General Yue is truly a peerless warrior! This victory is entirely due to General Yue's merit!"
Yue Fei humbly replied, "General Zhu, you are too kind! This is simply my duty!"
Zhu Qiwu also stepped forward to pay his respects: "General Yue is truly remarkable! I, Zhu Qiwu, admire him to the core!"
Yue Fei laughed and said, "Host, you flatter me! Now that I have come, I will certainly fight alongside you to resist the foreign enemy!"
Looking at Yue Fei, Zhu Yuanzhang was filled with emotion. He knew that with the help of a historical general like Yue Fei, his dream of overthrowing the Yuan Dynasty and restoring the Han Dynasty was one step closer!
After the battle, the rebel army began clearing the battlefield and collecting spoils. Looking at the corpses of the Yuan soldiers scattered on the ground and the captured weapons and provisions, Zhu Yuanzhang felt a surge of pride and joy.
"Seven-Five!" He turned to look at Zhu Qiwu. "You deserve immense credit for defeating the Yuan army's elite forces and killing Chaghan Temur! What reward do you desire?"
Zhu Qiwu laughed and said, "Fourth Brother, I don't want anything! As long as I can help you establish your career, overthrow the Yuan Dynasty, and restore the Han Dynasty, I will be satisfied!"
Zhu Yuanzhang was overjoyed upon hearing this: "Good! Seventh Brother, you are truly my good brother! With you here, what do I, Zhu Yuanzhang, have to worry about in achieving great things!"
Having said that, he turned to his soldiers and said, “Soldiers! This time we have defeated the Yuan army’s elite forces and killed Chaghan Temur, which is truly gratifying! But the Yuan Dynasty has not yet fallen, and we still need to continue our efforts! When we overthrow the Yuan Dynasty and restore the Han Dynasty, I, Zhu Yuanzhang, will surely share wealth and honor with you all!”
Looking at the high morale of his generals, Zhu Yuanzhang felt a surge of confidence and strength. He knew that with the help of these loyal and brave soldiers and Zhu Qiwu's mysterious system, his dream of overthrowing the Yuan Dynasty and restoring the Han Dynasty would surely be realized!
Zhu Qiwu stood to the side, watching his fourth brother Zhu Yuanzhang's spirited appearance, and secretly vowed: He must use his system and modern knowledge to help his fourth brother establish an unparalleled career! Let the sky of the Ming Dynasty be forever ruled by the sons of the Han people!
Several days later, Zhu Yuanzhang's rebel army continued its advance, sweeping through cities in succession. The Yuan court was shocked upon learning of Chaghan Timur's death and immediately dispatched a large army to suppress the rebellion. However, under Zhu Yuanzhang's wise leadership and with the assistance of historical generals like Yue Fei, the rebel army repeatedly defeated the Yuan forces, and its power grew ever stronger.
On this day, Zhu Yuanzhang's rebel army arrived at a large city. This city was called Chuzhou, one of the important strongholds of the Yuan Dynasty in Jiangnan. The city was high and the walls were thick, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. Moreover, the city had a large number of Yuan troops and ample supplies.
Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the city of Chuzhou before him, his brow furrowed. He knew that this city would be a major test for their rebel army.
"Seven-Five!" He turned to look at Zhu Qiwu, "Do you have a way to take down this city of Chuzhou?"
Zhu Qiwu stroked his chin and pondered for a moment, then smiled and said, "Fourth Brother, I do have an idea! But we'll need General Yue's help first!"
Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes lit up: "Oh? What idea? Tell me quickly!"
Zhu Qiwu leaned close to Zhu Yuanzhang's ear and whispered a few words. Zhu Yuanzhang was overjoyed upon hearing this: "Excellent! This plan is brilliant! We'll do as you say!"
Having said that, he turned to Yue Fei and said, "General Yue, we will need your strong support in this siege!"
Yue Fei nodded: "General Zhu, rest assured! I will do my utmost!"
That night, the moon was dark and the wind was high. Zhu Qiwu led a group of elite soldiers and quietly approached the city of Chuzhou. They were dressed in black and their faces were smeared with charcoal, making them difficult to recognize in the darkness.
Zhu Qiwu looked up at the high city wall, a sense of smug satisfaction creeping into his heart. He turned to the elite soldiers behind him: "Are you all ready?"
"Ready!" the elite soldiers responded in unison.
Zhu Qiwu nodded: "Alright! Proceed according to plan! Be sure to proceed with caution!"
Having said that, he gave the order, and the elite soldiers took out the grappling hooks and ropes they had prepared beforehand and threw them toward the city wall. After the grappling hooks firmly gripped the wall, they climbed up the ropes.
Before long, dozens of elite soldiers had scaled the city wall. After quickly eliminating the Yuan guards on the wall, they opened the city gates and let Zhu Yuanzhang's army into the city.
Meanwhile, Yue Fei led a force to attack the city from the other side. Using ladders and siege engines, they quickly breached the city gates. Upon seeing the gates fall, the Yuan army was thrown into chaos.
Zhu Yuanzhang's army surged into the city like a tidal wave, engaging in fierce street fighting with the Yuan army. Yue Fei, wielding a long spear, was incredibly brave, and wherever he went, Yuan soldiers fell to the ground. Zhu Qiwu followed closely behind, fighting alongside the rebel army against the Yuan forces.
After a night of fierce fighting, the rebel army finally gained complete control of Chuzhou. The Yuan soldiers were either killed or surrendered; none escaped.
Standing atop the city wall, Zhu Yuanzhang gazed upon the rebel army filling the city and the captured weapons and provisions, his heart filled with boundless pride. He knew that Chuzhou would be a pivotal turning point for their uprising. From now on, they would have a more secure base and a more abundant supply of provisions.
"Seven-Five!" He turned to look at Zhu Seven-Five. "You deserve immense credit for the successful capture of Chuzhou City this time! What reward do you desire?"
Zhu Qiwu laughed and said, "Fourth Brother, I don't want anything! I just want to help you establish your career, overthrow the Yuan Dynasty, and restore the Han Dynasty!"
Zhu Yuanzhang was overjoyed upon hearing this: "Excellent! Seventh Brother! You are truly my good brother! With you here, what great things can I, Zhu Yuanzhang, not accomplish!"
Having said that, he turned to his soldiers and said, “Soldiers! It is truly gratifying that we have successfully captured Chuzhou City! But the Yuan Dynasty has not yet fallen, and we must continue our efforts! When we overthrow the Yuan Dynasty and restore the Han Dynasty, I, Zhu Yuanzhang, will surely share wealth and glory with you all!”
Upon hearing this, the soldiers shouted in unison, "We are willing to follow General Zhu to the death! To overthrow the Yuan Dynasty! To restore the Han Dynasty!"
Looking at the high morale of his generals, Zhu Yuanzhang felt a surge of confidence and strength.
Zhu Qiwu stood before the newly completed Yingtian Academy in Yingtian Prefecture, gazing at the magnificent building with its soaring eaves and intricate brackets, a smile playing on his lips. The academy, from site selection to completion, took only three months, during which the "Lu Ban Secret Techniques" rewarded by the system played a crucial role. At this moment, he stood shoulder to shoulder with his fourth brother, Zhu Yuanzhang, followed by Xu Da, Tang He, Zhou Dexing, and a host of other generals. (End of Chapter)