Daming: Brother, there is no future for monks, let's rebel

Chapter 1414 Enhancing the Fighting Power of the Rebel Army

Seeing Xu Da charging towards him, Arutai shouted, "Well done! Let me see how capable you are!" With that, Arutai brandished his broadsword and engaged Xu Da in battle.

Xu Da and Arutai were evenly matched in martial arts, and for a time it was difficult to determine a winner. They exchanged blows for dozens of rounds, still neck and neck. Zhu Qiwu, watching anxiously from the sidelines, worried that Xu Da might get hurt, so he shouted, "General Xu Da, let me lend you a hand!"

Having said that, Zhu Qiwu took out a small bomb, a system reward, from his pocket and threw it at Arutai. Arutai was startled when he saw the bomb coming and quickly dodged to the side. But the bomb still exploded beside him, and the powerful impact knocked him to the ground.

Xu Da seized the opportunity to step forward, pointed his spear at Arutai's throat, and shouted, "Arutai, you have nowhere to escape, why don't you surrender obediently!"

Looking at the spear in Xu Da's hand, and then at the surrounding rebel army eyeing him menacingly, Arutai knew in his heart that all was lost. He sighed and said, "I, Arutai, have fought all my life, but I never thought I would fall into your hands today. So be it, I surrender."

Upon hearing this, Xu Da was overjoyed. He put away his spear and helped Arutai up. Arutai stood up and said to Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Qiwu, "Marshal Zhu, Brother Zhu Qiwu, I, Arutai, am willing to submit to you and serve you. I hope you will not hold a grudge and will take me in."

Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Qiwu exchanged a glance, and Zhu Yuanzhang said with a smile, "General Arutai, it is a good thing that you have seen the error of your ways and joined our rebel army. We welcome your joining us and hope that you can contribute to overthrowing the Yuan Dynasty and restoring the Han Dynasty."

Upon hearing this, Arutai said gratefully, "Thank you very much for taking me in, Marshal Zhu and Brother Zhu Qiwu. I, Arutai, will do my utmost to serve the rebel army!"

Thus, the mountain city was successfully captured, and the remaining forces of the Yuan Dynasty were completely wiped out. Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Qiwu led the rebel army to rest in the mountain city for a few days. Meanwhile, Lord Wang, upon learning that his patron had been eliminated, panicked and hurriedly packed his valuables, preparing to flee. But before he could get far, he was captured by a patrol of the rebel army and brought before Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Qiwu.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Lord Wang and said coldly, "Lord Wang, as a court official, you do not think of seeking happiness for the people, but instead collude with the remnants of the Yuan Dynasty, attempting to suppress our rebel army. Your crimes are heinous. What do you have to say today?"

Lord Wang was so frightened that he trembled all over and immediately knelt down to beg for mercy: "Marshal Zhu, Brother Zhu Qiwu, I was confused for a moment and blinded by greed, which is why I did such a wrong thing. I beg you, sir, to be magnanimous and spare my life!"

Zhu Qiwu sneered, "Spare your life? Do you know how much disaster your actions have brought to the people? What use is there in keeping a corrupt official like you alive!" After saying that, Zhu Qiwu said to the soldiers around him, "Drag him out and behead him!"

Upon hearing this, the soldiers immediately rushed forward and dragged Lord Wang outside. A moment later, a scream was heard outside; Lord Wang had been beheaded and his head displayed to the public.

After Lord Wang was beheaded and his head displayed to the public, a somber yet exhilarating atmosphere permeated the mountain city. The morale of the rebel army soared, and they cheered and celebrated this victory. Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Qiwu, however, knew that this was just a small milestone in a long journey, and the road ahead was still long.

Standing on the city wall, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the distant mountain range with a slight frown. He said to Zhu Qiwu beside him, "Qiwu, although we have now captured the mountain city, the Yuan court is still very powerful. We have only removed one of their fangs. Next, I am afraid there will be an even more fierce counterattack."

Zhu Qiwu patted Zhu Yuanzhang on the shoulder and laughed, "Fourth Brother, what are you afraid of! With me here, and with good brothers like Xu Da and Tang He, we will definitely defeat the Yuan court. Moreover, I have a treasure that can help us a lot."

Zhu Yuanzhang asked curiously, "Oh? What treasure?"

Zhu Qiwu smiled mysteriously and said, "Fourth Brother, just wait and see, you'll be amazed when the time comes."

At this moment, Xu Da hurriedly walked up to the city wall, clasped his hands and said, "Marshal Zhu, brothers of the Seven Five, now that the mountain city is secure, what should we do next?"

Zhu Yuanzhang pondered for a moment and said, "Xu Da, go and make arrangements quickly. Let the brothers rest for three days, replenish their food supplies, and repair their weapons. Three days later, we will split into two groups. One group will be led by you to head north and harass the Yuan court's food supply lines; the other group will be led by me and Qi Wu to directly attack a nearby important Yuan court town and open up the situation."

Xu Da nodded and said, "Yes, ma'am! I'll go and make the arrangements right away." With that, he turned and left in a hurry.

Tang He then walked over, grinning, and said, "Marshal Zhu, Brother Qi Wu, it was truly exhilarating to capture the mountain city this time! Don't forget to take me with you in the next battle."

Zhu Qiwu laughed and said, "Brother Tang He, how could we leave you out! When the time comes, we'll fight side by side and let those guys from the Yuan court know how powerful our rebel army is."

The three-day rest period passed quickly, and the rebel army was in high spirits and ready to go. Zhu Yuanzhang stood at the front of the troops and said loudly, "Brothers, the Yuan court is tyrannical, and the people are suffering terribly. Our uprising is to overthrow this corrupt court and let the people live a good life! Today, we set out again and will surely show the might of our rebel army!"

The soldiers shouted in unison, "Overthrow the Yuan Dynasty! Give us back our land!" The sound echoed through the valley.

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand and said, "Let's go!"

The rebel army set off in a grand procession. Zhu Qiwu, mounted on his horse, secretly plotted how to use the system rewards to gain a greater advantage in this battle. Suddenly, a system notification sounded in his mind: "Ding! Host has successfully checked in today and has obtained a gunpowder formula and a high-level craftsman skill book."

Zhu Qiwu was overjoyed; the gunpowder formula and the craftsmanship manual had arrived at just the right time. With gunpowder, he could create powerful firearms, which would be crucial in this era of cold weapons. The advanced craftsmanship manual would allow him to quickly master exquisite craftsmanship, perhaps even enabling him to forge some unique weapons and equipment.

Zhu Qiwu quickly reined in the horses and said to Zhu Yuanzhang, "Fourth Brother, I have something to discuss with you."

Zhu Yuanzhang stopped his horse and asked, "Seven Five, what is it?"

Zhu Qiwu told Zhu Yuanzhang about the gunpowder formula and the craftsmanship manual. Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes lit up, and he said, "Qiwu, this is truly a treasure! With this gunpowder, the fighting power of our rebel army will definitely be greatly enhanced. However, making gunpowder requires professional craftsmen and a suitable location, so this matter needs to be carefully considered."

Zhu Qiwu laughed and said, "Fourth Brother, don't worry, I have a plan. We'll first capture that important town, then find a suitable place in the city to recruit some craftsmen and make gunpowder according to the formula. Besides, I've learned advanced craftsmanship skills, so maybe I can even improve our existing weapons." Zhu Yuanzhang nodded approvingly and said, "Good! Qiwu, we'll do as you say."

After several days of forced march, the rebel army finally arrived at the city walls of that important Yuan Dynasty town. The town had tall and thick walls, a large garrison, and flags fluttering on the city walls, indicating a heavily fortified defense.

Looking at the city before him, Zhu Yuanzhang said to the generals beside him, "Gentlemen, this city is easy to defend but difficult to attack. We cannot launch a direct assault. We need to devise a plan to break through the city and enter."

Xu Da carefully observed the layout of the city and said, "Marshal Zhu, I see there is a grove of trees to the east of the city. We can send a small team to infiltrate the grove, then sneak up to the city gate at night, open the gate, and launch a coordinated attack from the inside to take down the city in one fell swoop."

Tang He frowned and said, "Brother Xu Da, this plan is good, but the woods are still some distance from the city gate, and there are many soldiers guarding the city tower. It will probably be difficult to sneak up to the city gate silently."

Zhu Qiwu had a sudden inspiration and said, "I have an idea. We can make some simple hang gliders so that the team can glide from the forest to the vicinity of the city gate. This way, we can avoid the sight of the guards on the city wall and reach the city gate quickly."

Everyone looked surprised upon hearing this. Zhu Yuanzhang asked, "Seventh Five, what is a hang glider? Is it feasible?"

Zhu Qiwu explained, "Fourth Brother, this hang glider is a device that allows you to glide in the air. I've learned the advanced craftsmanship skill, so it shouldn't be difficult to make. As long as it's made properly, it shouldn't be a problem for the team to glide to the vicinity of the city gate."

Zhu Yuanzhang pondered for a moment and said, "Alright! Qi Wu, we'll do as you say. You will make the hang glider as soon as possible. Xu Da, you will be in charge of selecting an elite squad and training them."

After receiving the order, Zhu Qiwu immediately led several craftsmen to begin building hang gliders. Utilizing the advanced craftsmanship skills granted by the system, he meticulously designed the hang glider's structure and selected suitable materials. After several days and nights of hard work, they finally produced more than a dozen simple yet practical hang gliders.

Meanwhile, the elite squad selected by Xu Da was training in gliding skills day and night. Zhu Qiwu personally instructed them, strictly demanding perfection in every step, from takeoff and gliding to landing. The squad members learned very diligently, and after several days of training, they were already able to operate the hang glider skillfully.

With everything prepared, on a dark night, Zhu Qiwu led his team quietly to the woods east of the city. He checked the hang gliders again to ensure they were in perfect working order, then addressed his team: "Brothers, this operation is crucial to our capture of this important town. Everyone must be careful and operate the hang gliders according to the training methods to successfully open the city gates!"

The team members said in unison, "Don't worry, Brother Qiwu, we will definitely live up to our mission!"

Zhu Qi nodded and gave the order: "Let's go!"

The team members donned their hang gliders and, under Zhu Qiwu's command, took off one by one from the heights of the woods. Like eagles spreading their wings, they traced graceful arcs across the night sky, gliding towards the city gate.

The soldiers on the city wall were completely unaware of the impending danger; they patrolled and stood guard as usual. As the squad approached the city gate, they suddenly descended from the sky like divine intervention. The soldiers, terrified by the sudden attack, scattered in panic.

The squad members quickly engaged in battle, fighting fiercely with the defenders. With their superb martial arts skills and fierce fighting spirit, they soon gained control of the city gate. Seeing the gate open, Zhu Qiwu immediately gave the signal.

Upon seeing the signal, Zhu Yuanzhang and Tang He led the main force of the rebel army, surging towards the city gate like a tidal wave. They shouted as they charged into the city, engaging in a thrilling street battle with the defending troops.

Although the Yuan army was numerous, it gradually lost its composure under the fierce attack of the rebels. Zhu Qiwu was incredibly brave in the battle, wielding a long spear and charging left and right, leaving enemies to fall wherever he went.

Just as the battle was raging, a granary in the city suddenly caught fire, and the flames spread rapidly, billowing thick smoke. It turned out that some of the city's residents, dissatisfied with the Yuan Dynasty's rule, had taken the opportunity to set fire to the granary in response to the uprising.

This unexpected turn of events threw the Yuan dynasty's garrison into further panic, while the rebel army's morale soared. Zhu Yuanzhang seized the opportunity to command the rebel army in a full-scale attack, routing the garrison.

After a night of fierce fighting, the rebel army finally captured the important town. The people in the town came out of their homes to cheer and celebrate, overjoyed to be freed from the rule of the Yuan Dynasty.

Standing atop the city wall, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the cheering populace and the weary yet excited soldiers, his heart filled with emotion. He said to Zhu Qiwu beside him, "Qiwu, your contribution to the successful capture of this city is indispensable!"

Zhu Qiwu laughed and said, "Fourth Brother, this is the result of everyone's joint efforts. Moreover, this is just the beginning. We must continue to move forward, overthrow the Yuan Dynasty, and let all the people of the world live a good life."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded and said, "That's right! Seven Five, we will rest in this city for a while and, as you said before, produce gunpowder, improve weapons, and enhance the combat effectiveness of our rebel army."

Zhu Qiwu said, "Alright! Fourth Brother, I'll go and make the arrangements right away."

Zhu Qiwu arrived at an abandoned factory in the city, gathered the recruited craftsmen, and began making gunpowder. Following the gunpowder formula provided by the system, he meticulously mixed the various raw materials and strictly controlled every step of the process. Although the craftsmen were amazed by this miraculous formula, under Zhu Qiwu's guidance, they quickly mastered the production method.

After a period of effort, the first batch of gunpowder was finally successfully produced. Zhu Qiwu looked at the black gunpowder, his heart filled with anticipation. He decided to first make some simple firearms to test the power of the gunpowder.

Under Zhu Qiwu's leadership, the craftsmen began to make firearms. They used scrap metal from the city to create simple cannons and muskets. When the first cannon was completed, Zhu Qiwu decided to test-fire it.

He ordered his men to move the cannons to an open area outside the city, load them with gunpowder and shells, and light the fuses. With a deafening roar, the cannonballs shot out like meteors, blasting a large crater in the distance and sending dust billowing into the air. (End of Chapter)