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

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes flashed with delight: "Seventh Five, you always manage to surprise me. Since you have this idea, then put it into practice as soon as possible. I will have someone arrange craftsmen and materials for you right away."

Zhu Qiwu cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for your support, Fourth Brother. However, it will take some time to make these things. We still need to follow Brother Xu's plan and do the preliminary preparations first."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded and said, "Of course. Qiwu, just go ahead and do it. If you need anything, just tell me."

In the days that followed, Zhu Qiwu was extremely busy. He directed the craftsmen to make signal flares, swords, and armor, while discussing the specifics of the Northern Expedition with Xu Da, Tang He, and Zhou Dexing. At the same time, he also sent out a large number of spies deep into the Mongolian steppe to gather information on the remnants of the Northern Yuan.

That day, Zhu Qiwu was discussing the marching route with Xu Da and others in his tent when a scout rushed in, knelt on one knee, and said breathlessly, "Report...reporting to the general, I have obtained important information."

Zhu Qiwu quickly got up, walked to the scout, and said, "Get up and speak. Tell me quickly what important news you have."

The scout stood up and said, "General, I have learned that the remnants of the Northern Yuan are gathering troops in a place called Tala in the northern desert. They seem to be preparing to launch a preemptive strike and invade the borders of our Great Ming Dynasty."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Qiwu frowned and asked, "Do you know how many troops the remnants of the Northern Yuan have?"

The scout replied, "According to my observation, the remnants of the Northern Yuan have about 50,000 troops, mostly cavalry, and all of them are elite forces."

After listening, Xu Da pondered for a moment and then said, "Brother Qiwu, the fact that the remnants of the Northern Yuan have taken the initiative to attack has given us an opportunity. We can set up an ambush on their inevitable route south and catch them off guard."

Tang He also said excitedly, "Brother Xu is right. Let's give them a good beating and let them know how powerful we are."

Zhou Dexing cautiously replied, "However, we cannot be careless. The remnants of the Northern Yuan are skilled in horsemanship and archery, and are familiar with the terrain. We must choose our ambush location carefully so that they cannot easily discover it. At the same time, we must also arrange a surprise force to pursue them when they retreat and completely annihilate them."

Zhu Qiwu nodded and said, "What the three brothers say is absolutely right. I think we can set up an ambush in Black Wind Valley. Black Wind Valley is a strategically important place, with towering peaks on both sides and only a narrow passage in the middle. It is the only way for the remnants of the Northern Yuan to move south. We can ambush them with heavy troops on both sides of the valley, and once they enter the valley, we can launch a surprise attack and trap them inside. At the same time, we can arrange for a cavalry to circle around to their rear, cut off their retreat, and attack them from both sides. We will surely annihilate them in one fell swoop."

Xu Da, Tang He, and Zhou Dexing nodded in approval after hearing this, saying, "Brother Qiwu's plan is excellent. Let's do it your way."

Zhu Qiwu continued, "However, we still need to be prepared for both possibilities. If the remnants of the Northern Yuan do not enter Black Wind Valley but instead take a detour, we also need to have a countermeasure. I think we can send a small force ahead to lure the enemy into Black Wind Valley. At the same time, we should arrange other troops to patrol the surrounding area to prevent them from suddenly changing their route."

After discussing some details, Zhu Qiwu began to arrange troop deployment. He ordered Xu Da to lead 20,000 troops to ambush on the mountain peaks on both sides of Black Wind Valley, Tang He to lead 10,000 cavalry to circle around to the rear of the Northern Yuan remnants and cut off their retreat, and Zhou Dexing to lead 10,000 troops as a reserve force, ready to provide support at any time. He himself would lead 5,000 elite cavalry as a decoy force to lure the Northern Yuan remnants into Black Wind Valley.

With everything prepared, Zhu Qiwu set off with five thousand elite cavalry. They proceeded along the route that the remnants of the Northern Yuan might take to the south, proceeding cautiously for fear of being discovered by the Northern Yuan remnants.

That day, Zhu Qiwu's troops arrived at a grassland. Suddenly, a group of Northern Yuan cavalry appeared ahead. Zhu Qiwu was overjoyed, knowing his opportunity had arrived. He shouted, "Brothers, prepare for battle! According to plan, lure them into Black Wind Valley!"

Upon hearing this, the soldiers gripped their weapons tightly, preparing for battle. Zhu Qiwu took the lead, charging towards the Northern Yuan cavalry. Seeing the Ming army approaching, the Northern Yuan cavalry also rushed forward to meet them.

The two sides clashed immediately and engaged in fierce fighting. Zhu Qiwu deliberately feigned defeat, fighting and retreating. Seeing this, the Northern Yuan cavalry assumed the Ming army was cowardly and gave chase. As Zhu Qiwu retreated, he observed the movements of the Northern Yuan cavalry. He discovered that the Northern Yuan cavalry had indeed fallen for the trap and were pursuing them towards Black Wind Valley.

Zhu Qiwu was secretly pleased and continued to lead his soldiers to retreat towards Black Wind Valley. The Northern Yuan cavalry pursued them all the way, and unknowingly entered Black Wind Valley.

Just as the Northern Yuan cavalry entered Black Wind Valley, Zhu Qiwu suddenly shouted, "Brothers, turn and counterattack!" The soldiers immediately turned and charged towards the Northern Yuan cavalry. Simultaneously, on the mountain peaks on either side of the valley, Xu Da gave a command, and the 20,000 Ming soldiers lying in ambush appeared, bows and arrows raining down on the Northern Yuan cavalry. Arrows rained down, plunging the Northern Yuan cavalry into chaos.

Upon seeing this, the leader of the Northern Yuan cavalry realized they had fallen into a Ming ambush, and was both shocked and furious. He shouted, "Don't panic! Concentrate your forces and charge out of the valley!" However, at this moment, more and more Ming troops were lining up on both sides of the valley, and the rain of arrows was becoming increasingly dense, making it impossible for the Northern Yuan cavalry to organize an effective counterattack.

Just as the Northern Yuan cavalry were in dire straits, Tang He led 10,000 cavalrymen to attack from behind. Tang He brandished his broadsword and shouted, "You Tartars, your end has come! Die!" The Ming cavalry charged into the Northern Yuan cavalry's ranks like tigers descending a mountain, rampaging left and right, causing the Northern Yuan cavalrymen to fall and their horses to tumble.

Seeing that all was lost, the Northern Yuan cavalry leader attempted to lead his remaining troops in a breakout. However, Zhu Qiwu had anticipated this move and, with five thousand elite cavalry, blocked the Northern Yuan cavalry leader's path. Holding a long spear, Zhu Qiwu shouted, "Tatar leader, you have nowhere to escape! Surrender now!"

The leader of the Northern Yuan cavalry gritted his teeth and said, "I am a brave warrior of the Northern Yuan, how could I surrender to you southern barbarians! If you have the guts, fight me to the death!" With that, he brandished his broadsword and charged towards Zhu Qiwu.

Zhu Qiwu sneered and charged forward with his spear. The two exchanged blows, locked in combat. Zhu Qiwu, utilizing modern fighting techniques and the system's rewards, gradually gained the upper hand. Seizing an opportunity, he thrust his spear into the shoulder of the Northern Yuan cavalry leader. The leader, in pain, slowed his sword swing. Zhu Qiwu seized the chance, striking him in the chest. The Northern Yuan cavalry leader screamed, fell from his horse, and died instantly.

With their leader dead, the Northern Yuan cavalry were plunged into despair. They laid down their weapons and knelt in surrender. The Ming army won a great victory in this battle, annihilating more than 30,000 Northern Yuan cavalry, capturing more than 10,000, and seizing countless warhorses.

Zhu Qiwu was overjoyed at the victory before him. He ordered his soldiers to clear the battlefield and comfort the prisoners. At this moment, Xu Da, Tang He, and Zhou Dexing also came over. Xu Da said with a smile, "Brother Qiwu, your plan to lure the enemy worked perfectly! We've won a great victory this time!" Tang He also said excitedly, "That's right, Brother Qiwu, you're really amazing. Those Tartars were no match for you at all."

Zhou Dexing then said, "Brother Qiwu, we should celebrate this victory properly. However, we cannot let our guard down. We must continue to pursue the remnants of the Northern Yuan and wipe them out completely."

Zhu Qiwu nodded and said, "What the three brothers say is absolutely right. I think we can press our advantage and head north all the way to the lair of the remnants of the Northern Yuan. We can wipe them out completely and eliminate any future troubles."

After hearing this, everyone expressed their agreement. Therefore, Zhu Qiwu ordered the troops to rest briefly, replenish their food and ammunition, and then continue northward.

On their northward march, Zhu Qiwu's troops encountered several small groups of remnants of the Northern Yuan. However, these small groups were no match for the Ming army and were quickly annihilated.

That day, Zhu Qiwu's troops arrived at Wulan City, an important stronghold of the remnants of the Northern Yuan. Wulan City was a crucial military base for the Northern Yuan remnants in the northern desert, with high walls and thick fortifications, and was heavily defended. Approximately 20,000 Northern Yuan remnants were stationed inside the city, which also had a large stockpile of grain and weapons.

Zhu Qiwu looked at the city of Wulan before him, his brow furrowed. He knew that taking this city would not be easy. He summoned Xu Da, Tang He, and Zhou Dexing to discuss countermeasures.

Xu Da said, "Brother Qiwu, the walls of Wulan City are high and the defenses are tight. If we launch a direct attack, we will likely suffer heavy casualties. I think we should surround them first and cut off their food supply. When their food supplies are cut off and their morale is in chaos, then we can launch an attack."

Tang He said, "Brother Xu, while besieging without attacking is a method, it takes too long. Our northern expedition is time-sensitive, and we cannot linger here for too long. I think we can manufacture some siege equipment, such as siege ladders and catapults, and forcefully attack the city."

After a moment of contemplation, Zhou Dexing said, "I think we can combine these two methods. On the one hand, we can surround Wulan City and cut off their food supply; on the other hand, we can manufacture siege equipment and be ready to launch an attack at any time. At the same time, we can also send people to infiltrate the city and create chaos, so that we can cooperate from the inside and outside. This way, we will have a greater chance of taking Wulan City."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Qiwu's eyes lit up, and he said, "The suggestions of the three brothers are all excellent. Let's do as Brother Zhou said. Brother Xu, you are responsible for surrounding Wulan City and cutting off their food supply; Brother Tang, you are responsible for making siege equipment; Brother Zhou, you are responsible for selecting some elite soldiers to prepare to infiltrate the city. I will go and prepare some other things."

The men accepted their orders and departed to begin their preparations. Zhu Qiwu returned to his tent and began to ponder how to better capture Wulan City. He suddenly realized that he could use the system's rewards to make some explosives and blast open the city walls, making the siege much easier.

Zhu Qiwu immediately called out to the system in his mind: "System, I need to make explosives, what materials do I need?"

The system quickly responded: "Making explosives requires saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal in a ratio of 75:10:15. The host can obtain these materials by signing in."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Qiwu was overjoyed. He immediately began signing in, and after several sign-ins, he finally obtained enough saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal. Following the proportions provided by the system, he mixed these materials together and made some explosives.

A few days later, Xu Da, Tang He, and Zhou Dexing had all completed their respective tasks. Zhu Qiwu looked at the finished explosives and siege equipment, filled with confidence. He ordered his troops to begin the attack on the city.

First, Zhou Dexing led his elite soldiers to infiltrate Ulan City under cover of night. They set fires throughout the city to create chaos, while simultaneously opening the city gates to welcome the Ming army into the city.

At the same time, Zhu Qiwu ordered his soldiers to place explosives under the city wall of Wulan and light the fuses. With a series of loud explosions, several large holes were blasted in the city wall. The Ming soldiers seized the opportunity to shout and rush into the city.

The remnants of the Northern Yuan forces inside the city were thrown into chaos upon seeing the city walls breached and the gates opened. They took up arms and engaged in fierce combat with the Ming army. However, the Ming army, with its high morale and thorough preparation, quickly gained the upper hand.

After a fierce battle, the Ming army finally captured Ulan City. Most of the 20,000 remaining Northern Yuan troops inside the city were annihilated, with only a few escaping. Zhu Qiwu's troops seized a large amount of grain and weapons within Ulan City and also captured some important Northern Yuan officials.

After capturing Ulan City, Zhu Qiwu did not stop. He continued leading his troops northward, advancing with unstoppable momentum, and quickly annihilated the last remaining force of the Northern Yuan in the Mongolian steppe. With this, the remnants of the Northern Yuan were completely wiped out, and the Mongolian steppe returned to the rule of the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Qiwu led his troops back in triumph. Zhu Yuanzhang was overjoyed upon hearing the news. He held a grand victory banquet in Nanjing to reward Zhu Qiwu and his troops. At the banquet, Zhu Yuanzhang held Zhu Qiwu's hand and said with a smile, "Qiwu, you have made great contributions in this northern expedition. I will reward you handsomely."

Zhu Qiwu immediately knelt down and said, "Fourth Brother, this is all thanks to the concerted efforts of all the brothers. I was just doing my duty. I dare not ask for any reward."

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed heartily: "Seventh Five, don't be modest. You have rendered such great service to me. If I don't reward you, how can I convince the people? I hereby appoint you as the Marquis of Zhengbei, and reward you with ten thousand taels of gold and a thousand acres of fertile land."

Zhu Qiwu was deeply moved upon hearing this. He knelt down again and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Fourth Brother. I will definitely continue to serve you and do my best for the Ming Dynasty."

Outside Chuzhou city, the morning mist had not yet dissipated. Zhu Qiwu squatted in a corner of the military camp, his fingers tracing the rough earthen wall. The system interface flashed on his retina: [Thirty consecutive days of check-in, reward: three shi of high-yield rice seeds, one blueprint for a curved plow]. (End of this chapter)