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

Chapter 717 How could they have lost so completely?

"Kill!" The Yan army's morale soared, and they charged madly toward the city wall.

"Protect the Emperor! Protect the Emperor!" The Imperial Guards fought desperately, but outnumbered, they gradually lost ground.

Zhu Xiong Ying gave a cold laugh, a hint of mockery appearing on his pale face: "At the end of your rope? Zhu Di, you underestimate me!" He suddenly raised his right hand, and the banners behind him waved. The army that had been lying in ambush outside the city surged out like a tide, instantly surrounding the Yan army.

"Kill!" The deafening shouts of battle echoed through the night sky, throwing the once-aggressive Yan army into chaos.

Zhu Di's face turned deathly pale at the sudden turn of events. He never imagined that Zhu Xiong Ying had set up an ambush! He had originally thought that Zhu Xiong Ying's serious illness and the lack of capable officials in the court presented the perfect opportunity for him to raise an army, but he never expected that it was all a scheme by Zhu Xiong Ying!
"We've fallen into a trap! We've fallen into a trap!" Zhu Di shouted in terror, his voice filled with despair.

Zhu Xiong Ying looked down at the panicked Yan army, a cold glint in his eyes. He slowly raised his sword, pointed it at Zhu Di, and shouted sternly, "Zhu Di, you have committed treason and rebellion, a crime deserving of death! Today, I will act on behalf of Heaven and execute you!"

Having said that, Zhu Xiong Ying spurred his horse and charged into the enemy ranks as if they were empty. His sword flashed like the wind, each strike taking a life. Blood splattered, staining the city walls and the earth crimson.

The morale of the Yan army plummeted, and they fled in disarray. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Zhu Di disregarded everything else and fled in panic with only a few trusted confidants.

Zhu Xiong Ying pursued relentlessly, showing no mercy. He had only one thought in his mind: to tear Zhu Di to pieces!

……

Chaos reigned within the Prince of Yan's residence. After escaping back to the palace, Zhu Di locked himself in his study, remaining silent.

He couldn't understand how his meticulously planned scheme could have failed so completely. He had thought victory was assured, but he never expected to end up in such a miserable state.

"Your Highness, what should we do now?" a trusted aide asked cautiously.

Zhu Di slumped into his chair, his face pale and his eyes lifeless. After a long silence, he slowly said, "Send down the order: all troops are to immediately withdraw to Beiping and hold their ground until reinforcements arrive."

"But... Your Highness, we have already suffered heavy losses and our morale is low. If we retreat to Beiping now, I'm afraid..."

"Shut up!" Zhu Di roared. "I haven't lost yet! As long as we return to Beiping, with its strong defenses, Zhu Xiong Ying won't be able to take it down anytime soon! We still have a chance!"

……

Capital City, Imperial Palace.

Zhu Xiong Ying returned in triumph and was warmly welcomed by civil and military officials.

"Your Majesty is wise and mighty, and has quelled the Prince of Yan's rebellion in one fell swoop. It is truly gratifying!"

"Indeed, Your Majesty is a genius, strategizing within the command tent and winning battles a thousand miles away!"

Despite the praise from his ministers, Zhu Xiong Ying showed no joy. He knew that although the war had been a victory, it had also exposed many problems within the Ming Dynasty.

The officials in the court were cowardly and afraid of death, and the army was weak in combat effectiveness; these were problems that urgently needed to be addressed.

"My esteemed ministers," Zhu Xiong Ying said in a deep voice, "although this war has ended, the challenges we face have only just begun. The Ming Dynasty is terminally ill; if reforms are not implemented in time, it will be swallowed up by other countries sooner or later!"

The assembled officials were all shocked upon hearing this. They had never expected Zhu Xiong Ying to say such a thing.

"Your Majesty, what...what kind of reforms do you intend to implement?" an old minister asked cautiously.

A glint of light flashed in Zhu Xiong Ying's eyes as he slowly said, "I intend to carry out a thorough reform, addressing all aspects including politics, economy, and military, to completely change the current state of the Ming Dynasty!"

……

Late at night, in the Imperial Study.

Zhu Xiong Ying sat alone on the dragon throne, reviewing memorials.

His face was tired, but his eyes were unusually firm. He knew that the road to reform would be full of thorns, but he would never back down!
Suddenly, a fragrant breeze wafted by, and Bai Suzhen appeared behind him.

"Your Majesty, you've worked hard," Bai Suzhen said gently, lightly massaging his shoulders. Zhu Xiong Ying closed his eyes, enjoying this moment of tranquility.

"Suzhen, do you think I can succeed?" Zhu Xiong Ying asked softly.

Bai Suzhen smiled slightly and said, "Your Majesty, you will definitely succeed! I believe in you!"

Zhu Xiong Ying opened his eyes, looking at Bai Su Zhen with tenderness in them. He pulled Bai Su Zhen into his arms and held her tightly.

"Suzhen, thank you," Zhu Xiong Ying said affectionately. "With you here, I am not afraid of anything."

Bai Suzhen nestled in Zhu Xiong Ying's arms, a happy smile on her face.

……

However, at this tender moment, a dark figure silently slipped into the palace.

Who is this shadowy figure? What is his purpose in infiltrating the palace? Will Zhu Xiong Ying and Bai Su Zhen be able to discover his presence?

The figure moved with agility, like a black phantom, darting through the night. He evaded the patrolling guards and silently reached the roof of the imperial study.

He lifted a tile and looked down, only to see Zhu Xiong Ying embracing Bai Su Zhen, the two whispering sweet nothings to each other.

A cold smile appeared on the shadowy figure's lips. He pulled out a delicate little box from his pocket, and inside was a completely black spider.

This spider was entirely black, shimmering with a metallic sheen, and its eight slender legs were covered with barbs; it was clearly no ordinary creature.

The shadowy figure gently placed the spider on the tile, and the spider quickly crawled down, silently entering the imperial study along the wall.

……

Inside the Imperial Study, Zhu Xiong Ying and Bai Su Zhen were immersed in their sweet world together.

"Suzhen, I really want to hold you like this forever and never let go," Zhu Xiong Ying said affectionately.

"Your Majesty, so do I," Bai Suzhen replied gently.

Suddenly, Zhu Xiong Ying felt a slight itch on his neck. He subconsciously reached out to scratch it, but touched something hard.

He was startled and quickly pushed Bai Suzhen away. Looking down, he saw a black spider crawling on his neck, its eight long legs gripping his skin tightly, and its sharp mouthparts piercing his skin.

"Ah!" Zhu Xiong Ying cried out in surprise, slapping the spider to the ground.

Bai Suzhen was also startled by this scene, and she quickly asked, "Your Majesty, what's wrong?"

Zhu Xiong Ying's face turned pale, and he pointed at the spider on the ground, saying, "This spider is poisonous!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Zhu Xiong Ying felt dizzy and her body began to feel weak.

"Your Majesty!" Bai Suzhen exclaimed in surprise and quickly helped Zhu Xiong Ying up.

Zhu Xiong Ying felt everything go black before her eyes and then lost consciousness.

……

The shadowy figure on the rooftop saw this and a smug smile appeared on his face.

"Zhu Xiong Ying, you have finally fallen to my hand!" the shadowy figure whispered. "With you dead, the Ming Dynasty will be mine!"

(End of this chapter)