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

Chapter 674 Failed to Return Home Smoothly
Sunlight streamed down slowly from behind the clouds, warmly illuminating everyone's faces and lighting up the unknown road ahead.

After the meeting at the main camp, the atmosphere suddenly became tense.

Li Zhineng sensed the cold attitude from generals like Li Jinglong, whose doubts were incessant.

Li Jinglong walked up to Li Zhi with his hands behind his back and asked with a hint of provocation, "Li Zhi, can your new material really withstand the test of real combat? Without practical evidence, isn't it just empty talk?"

Li Zhi smiled slightly, though he was displeased, and said calmly, "General Li, the potential of the new material has been supported by small-scale trials. I believe that it will be able to demonstrate its true value in actual combat."

At this moment, Chen Ze stepped forward, stroked his beard, and said with a hint of disdain, "Hmph, Li Zhi, you're just a scholar. No matter how much theory you have in books, it can't save your life on the battlefield."

Veteran General Zhang Zhen, a highly respected elder in the army, sighed and stroked his white beard: "Young man, sometimes seeing is believing. If your new material can really prove its worth on the battlefield, this old man will personally go into battle to cheer you on."

Not far away, Zhu Xiong Ying listened quietly. When he saw a hint of stubbornness on Li Zhi's face, he stepped forward at the right moment.

Faced with the doubts of the crowd, he looked around with a firm gaze: "Gentlemen, any new technology is always accompanied by risks and uncertainties. However, if the Ming Dynasty wants to stand firm for a long time, we must dare to try. Today's confusion may be tomorrow's breakthrough."

Upon hearing Zhu Xiong Ying's resolute statement, the surrounding generals whispered amongst themselves, seemingly wavering.

Seizing the opportunity, Zhu Xiong Ying continued, "I have decided to fully support Li Zhi and accelerate the experimental process of the new materials so that our Ming soldiers can be equipped with more advanced weapons as soon as possible. During this transition period, what we need is not mutual doubt, but concerted efforts."

As Zhu Xiong Ying spoke, the atmosphere inside the tent gradually eased.

Li Zhi looked at Zhu Xiong Ying gratefully, realizing that the support he had received this time was especially valuable.

Li Jinglong pondered to himself. Although he wanted to refute, he chose to remain silent for the time being after weighing the options.

As dusk fell, Li Zhi walked out of the camp and stood side by side with Zhu Xiong Ying, gazing at the horizon reddened by the afterglow in the distance, a new hope ignited in his heart.

After a moment of silence, he said, "Your Highness, thank you for your trust. I will do my utmost to live up to your expectations."

Zhu Xiong Ying smiled slightly and patted him on the shoulder: "Li Zhi, the path of innovation is inherently fraught with thorns, but only by walking this path can we see a broader world."

As they spoke, a newfound conviction seemed to grow within them, and they looked forward to this unexplored future.

The afterglow of the setting sun shone on the camp, adding a touch of warmth to the otherwise cold and austere camp.

At this moment, everyone understood that although the road ahead was bumpy, they were ready to meet the challenges for the future of the Ming Dynasty.

As the sun began to set and night gradually enveloped the camp, torches were lit one by one, and the weary soldiers began to gather in their tents, chatting about the interesting things that had happened during the day.

Outside, Zhu Xiong Ying and Li Zhi were continuing their conversation.

"Li Zhi, please explain in detail the uses of this new material for weapons and equipment."

Zhu Xiong Ying turned to the side, looking intently at Li Zhi, and said in an unequivocal tone.

Li Zhi nodded, a thoughtful glint in his eyes: "Your Highness, our newly developed synthetic material is lighter than traditional iron weapons, yet just as strong. If it can be widely deployed, our soldiers will be more agile, and our sustained combat capability will be significantly enhanced."

Zhu Xiong Ying nodded slightly, clearly very optimistic about the technology: "It sounds like it has great potential. So, could we conduct small-scale tests in some parts of the military?"

"It's one of my plans."

A fervent light shone in Li Zhi's eyes: "We can start with elite troops, gradually collecting data and making adjustments. If the experiment succeeds, it will be a huge leap forward for our Ming army."

The generals inside the tent had long since stopped their idle chatter and were all paying close attention to the conversation taking place here.

Zhu Xiong Ying cleared his throat and addressed the crowd in his usual firm and calm voice: "Gentlemen, this is not just a technological innovation, but also the culmination of our Ming Dynasty's efforts for the future. I have decided to fully support Li Zhi's plan; now all that's needed is your execution and hard work."

His words carried weight, and many generals weighed them in their minds.

However, Zhu Xiong Ying's influence and confidence in new technologies gradually swayed their conservative attitude.

Li Jinglong stood in the corner, looking at everything in front of him with a complicated expression.

He felt resentful, but he knew he couldn't directly defy Zhu Xiong Ying's decision. He could only watch coldly and silently consider his future.

As dusk fell, the soldiers left their tents one by one and returned to their posts.

As Zhu Xiong Ying watched the crowd disperse, he felt a slight sense of relief. He turned around, patted Li Zhi on the shoulder, and said with approval in his eyes, "I've seen all your efforts. The future of the Ming Dynasty needs this kind of innovation."

Upon hearing this, Li Zhi felt even more motivated: "With your support, I will definitely do my best."

As night deepened, the sound of the wind outside the tent gradually faded, leaving only a few lonely stars twinkling.

After this conversation, Zhu Xiong Ying and Li Zhi became even more convinced that no matter how thorny the road ahead, they would not back down, because they could not afford to hesitate even for a moment on the road to protecting this land.

At dawn the next day, a thin mist filled the air, carrying the chill of the early morning.

Li Zhi stepped into Zhu Xiong Ying's main tent, knowing that he had brought a somewhat radical but imperative plan.

Zhu Xiong Ying looked up from a pile of maps on the long table, her eyes revealing a trace of weariness from the previous night.

"Your Highness, this time I plan to lead a squad to raid the enemy camp at night and destroy their key equipment directly."

Li Zhi's words were firm yet carried a hint of urgency.

Zhu Xiong Ying listened intently, leaning back in his chair, silently considering the risks and feasibility of the plan.

He knew all too well that the stakes of such a raid were too high, and no matter how capable Li Zhi was, he could not avoid all sorts of possible accidents.

"Li Zhi, I understand your thoughts,"

Zhu Xiong Ying spoke slowly, her eyes filled with worry and support, "But adventure always comes with uncertainty. Even so, I choose to trust you and proceed cautiously. Whether we succeed or not, we must ensure the safety of the team." With Zhu Xiong Ying's approval, Li Zhi felt relieved and immediately began to plan the operation.

He selected a team of elite archers, each soldier of whom he had carefully considered.

The determination in their eyes gave Li Zhi a lot of confidence.

As the starlight faded and dawn disappeared into the deep night, the entire squad silently approached the enemy camp.

The moonlight, as silvery as silver, spilled onto the ground, clearly outlining the contours of the enemy camp.

Li Zhi signaled everyone to stop, adjust their posture, and then drew the bowstring to its fullest extent, with the arrowhead slightly raised.

"Listen to my command! Undefeated warriors, move out!"

Li Zhi shouted in a low voice, his eyes sharp as swords, unstoppable.

The arrow shot through the air, leaving a streak of light as it hurtled towards the enemy camp.

Almost simultaneously, the other sharpshooters also displayed their skills, raining down arrows that accurately hit their targets.

This silent confrontation unfolded in the night, startling an enemy sentry who was lying prone not far from the weapons.

"Objective achieved, retreat immediately."

Li Zhi gave the order decisively.

His face appeared even more resolute in the moonlight, showing no lingering attachment to this small victory.

The team members followed closely, retreating back to their own camp in the night wind.

Excitement and relaxation were evident on everyone's faces. They knew that this operation had dealt a blow to the enemy's morale and boosted their own fighting spirit.

Zhu Xiong Ying sat quietly inside the tent, silently listening to the receding footsteps, wishing for everything to go smoothly.

When Li Zhi and his group returned to camp, he was already waiting by the door, smiling, and simply said, "Well done."

A huge weight lifted from Li Zhi's heart, but at the same time, he felt the burden on his shoulders grow even heavier. This nighttime raid to lure the enemy was just the beginning.

The future of the Ming Dynasty still needs his fearless spirit to pave the way, and even more so, it needs a steadfast and unwavering belief to defend it.

The darkness before dawn always seems especially long.

When Li Zhi led the sharpshooter squad back to camp quietly, they were unable to return smoothly as they had hoped.

Along the way, the enemy seemed to sense something was amiss and immediately organized a team to search the area.

"Quickly, quicken your pace, there's movement over there."

Li Zhi glanced around warily while speaking in a low voice to the soldiers behind him.

He knew that even the slightest hesitation could put them in danger.

Just then, whistles and arrows suddenly rang out.

The enemy spotted them and quickly launched a counterattack.

A soldier groaned; although he had suffered a minor injury, he was unable to stop to treat it due to the ongoing battle.

"Hold on, don't let the pain break your will."

Li Zhiqiang rallied his spirits and encouraged everyone.

He knew that the condition of any single soldier reflected the entire team and was crucial to their successful return.

Finally, stumbling and falling, they returned to their own camp, and the wounded soldiers were immediately treated.

Despite the numerous mishaps while dodging enemy attacks, the overall morale remained high.

Li Zhi summoned all the archers and said firmly, "Gentlemen, you are invincible warriors, fighting for the future of the Ming Dynasty. How can we possibly back down?"

At this moment, a messenger rushed in and conveyed Zhu Xiong Ying's order, instructing them to fire arrows again to stop the enemy from taking further action.

"Continue the attack?"

Some soldiers asked questions, and although there was some concern, no one actually backed down.

"That's right, this is something we have to do."

Li Zhi nodded, his gaze resolute. "Only bloodshed can bring victory. The future of the Ming Dynasty lies in every decision we make."

Everyone picked up their bows and arrows again, ready to face the new challenge.

However, just as they were preparing to carry out their mission, thunder roared and the ground shook as reinforcements finally arrived.

"Reinforcements are coming!"

A soldier cheered, and all the tense nerves immediately relaxed a little.

(End of this chapter)