The Ming Dynasty: The most ruthless imperial grandson, Old Zhu begged me not to kill him.

Chapter 618 Taisun’s deep conspiracy
Zhu Xiong Ying sat upright in the command tent, his expression becoming calm, his gaze sweeping over all the generals present.

Lan Yu, Li Jinglong, Xu Zengshou, and others stood before him, awaiting his instructions.

The atmosphere inside the tent was somewhat heavy, clearly indicating that the recent battle had left everyone feeling uneasy.

"Everyone," Zhu Xiong Ying spoke, breaking the silence, "Although we have suffered considerable losses this time, they are not irreparable."

Upon hearing this, the generals all nodded in agreement. Although Lan Yu felt somewhat ashamed, he couldn't help but say, "Your Highness, although there was an ambush in this battle, I was caught off guard and it was truly a dereliction of duty! Please punish me, Your Highness!"

Zhu Xiong Ying waved his hand, indicating that he didn't need to blame himself.

“General Lan, this is not your fault. Timur’s fourth prince, Arthus Timur, has always kept a low profile. Even I did not fully expect him to have such a deep plan.”

"He is indeed extraordinary."

Hearing the Crown Prince's words of comfort, Lan Yu relaxed a little.

He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.

“Your Highness, this Artesius Timur is so cunning and his hidden strength is so profound. We can no longer underestimate him.”

Zhu Xiong Ying nodded, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"Atshür Timur is indeed not to be underestimated, but he has also paid a heavy price this time. Although he has gained some advantage for the time being, the situation is still under our control."

"His limitation is that his military strength is ultimately limited, especially since most of his troops rely on temporarily assembled tribes, which is difficult to sustain for long."

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.

Li Jinglong added, "Your Highness is absolutely right. Although we are temporarily in trouble here, Timur's various tribes are suspicious of each other and cannot maintain unity for long."

Zhu Xiong Ying smiled slightly, his tone calm: "Therefore, we don't need to rush to victory. Next, we must proceed steadily and gradually dismantle their alliance."

"What brilliant plan does Your Highness have?" Xu Zengshou asked.

Zhu Xiong Ying looked around at everyone, then slowly said, "Timur's tribal leaders each have their own agendas. As long as we create some opportunities and pressure for them, they will inevitably fall into internal strife."

"Although Artesius Timur is resourceful, he also faces considerable pressure. The other princes will certainly not allow him to monopolize the victory of the Western Hill Camp."

"If we can put more pressure on them in a timely manner and cause them to fall into internal chaos, they will be powerless to fight against our Great Ming."

Upon hearing this, a glint of light appeared in Lan Yu's eyes.

"His Highness the Crown Prince's plan is indeed brilliant! As long as they create chaos within their ranks, we can seize the opportunity to strike!"

Zhu Xiong Ying nodded and continued, "Right now, we need to restore our military strength as soon as possible, and at the same time send out scouts to investigate their movements. As soon as there is unrest among them, we will strike immediately."

“Furthermore,” he paused, then continued, “there are also many chieftains in Timur’s tribes who are dissatisfied with Arthius Timur. These people can be our breakthrough point. We need to secretly contact them and get them to work for us at a crucial moment.”

After hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.

Xu Zengshou frowned and said, "But, Your Highness, what if the Emperor of the Timur Empire learns of this and mobilizes a large army to support the Fourth Prince? How should we deal with that?"

A glint of calmness flashed in Zhu Xiong Ying's eyes.

"Although the emperor of Timur's empire is shrewd and calculating, it is impossible for him to gather enough troops to come to his aid in a short period of time."

"Even if he wanted to send a large army, he would be restrained by the other princes."

"Moreover, the Emperor of Timur's Empire is currently seriously ill and cannot personally lead the army to the front lines. He can only rely on the Fourth Prince to solve the current predicament."

Upon hearing this, Lan Yu's confidence increased greatly.

"In that case, we still have a great chance!"

Zhu Xiong Ying nodded.

“However, we must not let our guard down. Artesius Timur is not to be underestimated; his strategies and methods should not be underestimated. We must remain vigilant at all times.” He paused, then continued, “I have already arranged for several elite troops to be secretly ambushed around Timur’s camp. If there is any unusual activity within their ranks, we will launch a surprise attack immediately.”

Upon hearing this, Li Jinglong exclaimed, "Your Highness the Crown Prince is truly farsighted! In this way, no matter how the enemy changes, we can maintain the initiative."

Zhu Xiong Ying smiled slightly.

"That's right. That's exactly what we need: the initiative."

Then he turned to Lan Yu.

"General Lan, you should rest for the next few days to restore morale. When the time is right, we will proceed with the next step."

Lan Yu nodded, his eyes flashing with fighting spirit.

"Your Highness understands! I will certainly live up to Your Highness's expectations!"

Zhu Xiong Ying stood up, her expression solemn.

"This battle is not only about the honor of our Great Ming Dynasty, but also about the safety of the people on the border. We must go all out and not be careless in the slightest."

The generals responded in unison.

Zhu Xiong Ying slowly said, "Alright, everyone go back and prepare. The battles to come will be even more difficult."

The crowd readily accepted the order and filed out.

Inside the large tent, only Zhu Xiong Ying remained.

He gazed at the vast night outside the tent, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

Arthus Timur, do you think you can defeat the Ming Dynasty with a little trick?

He sneered.

Just wait, the real game has only just begun.

Zhu Xiong Ying stood in front of the tent, his gaze fixed on the enemy camp in the distance.

At this moment, the night was as dark as ink, and all around was quiet, with only the sound of the wind blowing the flags echoing in the air.

He already had a plan in mind, but he needed more detailed intelligence to verify his judgment.

Zhu Xiong Ying turned her head and looked at Li Jinglong and Xu Zengshou beside her.

"Tonight, I plan to personally go to the enemy camp to investigate."

Upon hearing this, Li Jinglong's expression changed, and he quickly stepped forward, saying, "Your Highness, the enemy camp is heavily guarded and far too dangerous. How can you, with your precious health, risk your life?"

Xu Zengshou hurriedly advised, "Yes, Your Highness. We can send spies to investigate; you really don't need to risk your life."

Zhu Xiong Ying shook her head, her expression resolute.

“The enemy is cunning, and our spies may not be able to find out the truth. Moreover, this operation is of great importance, and I must confirm it with my own eyes.”

Li Jinglong and Xu Zengshou exchanged a glance, and seeing that the Crown Prince had made up his mind, they said no more.

"Since Your Highness insists on this, we are willing to accompany you to ensure your safety."

Zhu Xiong Ying smiled, but a hint of calmness appeared in his eyes.

"No need. You stay at the main camp to oversee military affairs, and proceed as planned. I have my own way of handling things."

Li Jinglong wanted to persuade him further, but seeing Zhu Xiong Ying's resolute expression, he knew that further words would be useless, so he could only cup his hands and say, "Your Highness, please be careful in everything you do."

(End of this chapter)