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

Chapter 619: Night Exploration of the Enemy Camp
Zhu Xiong Ying nodded, put on his night clothes, and said softly, "I will decide on the next step when I return."

He leaped into the air and quickly disappeared into the night.

The night wind carried a slight chill as Zhu Xiong Ying moved through the darkness with light and steady steps.

He did not approach the enemy camp rashly, but instead took a long detour and quietly approached through a secluded mountain path.

Throughout the journey, Zhu Xiong Ying remained vigilant, observing the surroundings.

The Timurid Empire's military camps were far more fortified than he had imagined.

The torches at each sentry post went out very quickly, leaving almost no visible light, indicating that they were intentionally trying to avoid being discovered by the Ming army in the distance.

Zhu Xiong Ying secretly became alert.

It seems that Artesius Timur was not only cunning, but also extremely meticulous.

He lay in ambush at the edge of a grove of trees, using the shadows of the trees as cover to observe the enemy camp's layout.

The enemy's camp was arranged in an orderly manner, with a large group of tents in the center standing out in particular.

Zhu Xiong Ying's eyes sharpened; that was most likely Artesius Timur's command center.

He paused briefly, then quickly made his way closer to the enemy camp.

Zhu Xiong Ying carefully avoided the patrolling sentries and gradually approached the outer perimeter of the enemy camp.

He leaned against a large tree, observing quietly.

Several soldiers were patrolling in the distance. Although they seemed relaxed, their actions were actually very orderly.

Suddenly, a faint voice could be heard in the distance.

Zhu Xiong Ying immediately held her breath and listened carefully.

Two soldiers were patrolling and talking in hushed tones. One of them said, "I heard that the Fourth Prince has sent people to contact the tribes in the east? It seems that this time they really intend to completely eradicate the Ming Dynasty."

Another soldier whispered back, "Yes, His Highness the Fourth Prince has long been prepared. I heard that he will also send several tribal leaders with their troops to reinforce us. When the army moves together, we will definitely make the Ming Dynasty suffer a great loss."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Xiong Ying's heart sank.

It seems that Arthas Timur has a new plan and is secretly uniting more forces.

He knew he had to return as soon as possible to relay this intelligence to his generals, otherwise the Ming army would be in even greater danger.

But just as he was preparing to retreat, a gust of wind suddenly blew by, and the branches swayed slightly.

The patrolling soldiers instantly became alert and looked over sharply.

"Who goes there!" a soldier shouted, quickly drawing his sword and approaching Zhu Xiong Ying.

Zhu Xiong Ying's gaze sharpened, but she remained completely calm.

He quickly hid in the bushes nearby, his figure blending perfectly with the surrounding shadows.

The soldier cautiously approached, looking around warily.

Zhu Xiong Ying held her breath, her eyes fixed on the front, mentally calculating the sound of the soldiers' footsteps.

Just as the soldier reached his hiding place, Zhu Xiong Ying suddenly exerted his strength and struck from behind with lightning speed.

He quickly covered the soldier's mouth and subdued him on the ground.

The soldier let out a muffled groan and instantly lost consciousness.

Hearing the commotion, another soldier turned around to check, only to see his comrade lying on the ground. He frantically drew his weapon.

Zhu Xiong Ying leaped forward, instantly appearing in front of him and striking him on the side of the neck with a palm, knocking him unconscious to the ground.

After dealing with the two soldiers, Zhu Xiong Ying did not linger and quickly dragged them into the hidden bushes.

He then immediately used his lightness skill to quietly leave the outer perimeter of the enemy camp.

After confirming that there were no pursuers around, Zhu Xiong Ying quickened his pace and swiftly returned to the Ming army camp.

When he returned to the camp, it was already dawn.

Li Jinglong and Xu Zengshou had been waiting, and upon seeing Zhu Xiong Ying return safely, they both stepped forward to greet him. "Your Highness, did you find anything?" Li Jinglong asked eagerly.

Zhu Xiong Ying nodded, his expression stern.

"As expected, Artesius Timur has begun to mobilize his troops. He is uniting with the tribes to the east and preparing to launch a large-scale surprise attack on us."

"Moreover, their troop strength will far exceed our previous estimates."

Upon hearing this, Li Jinglong and Xu Zengshou's expressions immediately turned serious.

"It seems we must take immediate action, otherwise we will face even greater trouble once their troops are assembled."

Zhu Xiong Ying said in a deep voice, "That's right. We can't wait for the enemy to finish assembling. We must catch them off guard."

"Li Jinglong, Xu Zengshou, go and prepare immediately. We must strike as soon as possible!"

The two men quickly accepted the order and left.

Zhu Xiong Ying's gaze was solemn, and she already had a clear plan in mind.

This battle will be a tremendous test for the Ming army.

But he firmly believed that as long as the actions were appropriate, they could turn defeat into victory.

He slowly turned around, walked into the tent, and began to formulate a detailed battle plan.

This time, he will personally take command, catching the enemy off guard!

As dawn broke, Zhu Xiong Ying got up early and left his tent.

He stood on the high ground, overlooking the entire camp, pondering the operation that was about to unfold that day.

After scouting last night, he knew Arthius Timur's movements and that the enemy would soon launch an attack.

But Zhu Xiong Ying would not sit idly by and wait for his doom; he decided to take the initiative.

"Order all units to prepare for battle."

Zhu Xiong Ying calmly issued the order, his voice deep and powerful.

Several guards immediately obeyed the order and hurriedly left.

Before long, the sound of bugles rang out in the camp, and the Ming soldiers quickly assembled, ready to go.

Lan Yu, Li Jinglong, Xu Zengshou, and others also came to Zhu Xiong Ying's side, waiting for instructions.

Lan Yu's eyes still burned with lingering anger; the ambush he suffered yesterday had left him seething with resentment.

"Your Highness, what should we do today?"

Zhu Xiong Ying looked at the map in front of him, pointed to several key locations, and said in a deep voice, "Athius Timur plans to gather the tribes in the east and launch a large-scale surprise attack."

"However, he did not expect that we would strike first."

"Today, we will ambush them here and catch them off guard when their troops pass by."

A hint of excitement flashed in Lan Yu's eyes, and a cold smile appeared on her lips.

"Your Highness's plan is brilliant! This humble general can't wait to avenge this humiliation!"

Zhu Xiong Ying nodded and continued, "However, this time we must split our forces. Li Jinglong, you take a light cavalry unit, circle around to their rear, and cut off their retreat."

"Xu Zengshou, you lead the infantry to ambush on both sides of the valley. When the enemy enters the valley, launch a surprise attack."

"I will personally lead the main force to attack from the front."

Upon hearing this, the two accepted the order without hesitation.

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Lan Yu rubbed his hands together, his heart filled with fighting spirit.

"Your Highness, rest assured, today I will surely rout Atshus Timur's army!"

(End of this chapter)