Zhu Di: My fourth son is a great emperor of all time?

Chapter 55 The Great Battle Begins; Eight Hundred Men Have Their Own Fighting Style
Why is the fourth son being taxed?

Zhu Di was somewhat puzzled. During his years as emperor, he had actually been thinking about raising taxes.

However, this not only resulted in public resentment, but also filled the imperial court with opposition.

So much so that he didn't dare to at all.

Wasn't the Ming Dynasty's tax burden already quite severe?
The fourth one even dared to increase taxes.

Zhu Di wanted to know the meaning behind Zhu Gaoshuo's sudden tax increase, and whether the money for the war against the Japanese islands was raised through tax increases.

But hadn't the people of the Ming Dynasty already been living in misery?
Where do you get so much money? If Lao Si can do it, why can't I?

Is the direction of taxation wrong?

Zhu Di was eager to know exactly how Zhu Gaoshuo had obtained so much money.

But then the curtain fell.

"Alright, that's all for today's video, everyone. See you in the next one!"

"Damn it, this is way too short!"

Zhu Di's face turned grim as he watched the sky suddenly disappear.

He knew very well that the fourth brother would definitely have a way to raise the money.

Unexpectedly, the canopy suddenly disappeared, cutting off his source of income.

It's important to know that the content of the video on the screen will definitely not be like this again.

Maybe it won't be about the fourth brother anymore.

Although he was furious, Zhu Di quickly calmed down. He figured he could just wait until the war was over before asking his fourth son.

As the curtain fell over, Zhu Di regained his composure and focused his attention on how to win the battle.

After the celestial curtain fell.

Zhu Di began preparations for war, and the Mongols were also plotting the coming of this great battle.

The Tatar royal court.

The leaders of the three major Mongol tribes were all here discussing how to fight a decisive battle with the Ming army.

Inspired by the sky.

As a result, morale among the Mongols soared.

"The Ming army may seem strong, but it is nothing but a paper tiger. Back then, we Mongols were able to conquer the Central Plains because of the cooperation of our various tribes."

"Now that our three major divisions have reunited, we are sure to defeat the Ming army!"

"Zhu Di of the Ming Dynasty is not invincible. He was defeated and fled in disarray by us in the Sky Curtain!"

"Capture Zhu Di alive, march into the Central Plains, and make the Han people submit forever!"

The Oirat Khan, Daliba, wore a confident smile.
Although he was merely a puppet pushed to the forefront by Mahmud.

However, if the Mongols could truly regain their former glory and defeat the Ming Dynasty, then he would be the most likely candidate to become emperor.

He is a descendant of the golden bloodline.

Encouraged by Daliba, the Mongols' confidence soared.

"Capture Zhu Di alive and march into the Central Plains!"

"Overthrow the Ming Dynasty and restore the Yuan Dynasty!"

At this moment, their fear of the Ming soldiers had completely disappeared.

Although the Ming army's artillery was powerful, it was not invincible.

"I've heard there's a very powerful man in the Ming Dynasty named Zhu Gaoshuo. Should we be careful?"

Someone in the crowd spoke up to remind them.

Daliba didn't take it seriously and chuckled, "I already sent people to investigate. That Zhu Gaoshuo is just a greenhorn now, nothing to be afraid of, hahaha!"

"Now is our best opportunity!"

The sounds of Mongolians singing and dancing echoed across the boundless grassland.

They were completely unaware that a cavalry force of eight hundred men had already penetrated deep into the grasslands not far away.

Zhu Gaoshuo led eight hundred soldiers on a cautious march, each step taken with utmost care, fearing discovery by the enemy. They had now entered Mongol territory, and if discovered, they would likely perish.

Liu Jiang was freezing cold, and the darkness made him feel desperate. The enemy could appear at any moment, and he felt a pang of regret.

He regretted not coming. Even now, he still doesn't know how Zhu Gaoshuo plans to fight this battle, or why he is so confident in venturing so deep.

But in any case, he could only place his hopes on Zhu Gaoshuo now. He hoped that this invincible emperor of later generations could be as omnipotent as the one in the heavens.

By this time, they had entered the Tatar territory and were at risk of being discovered at any moment.

"Report!"

“Traces of Oirat cavalry can be found within five miles of our army.”

The scout rushed over to report to Zhu Gaoshuo.

They encountered Oirat cavalry in Tatar territory.

Zhu Gaoshuo's guess was absolutely correct; the appearance of the Sky Curtain would indeed cause a major change in the various forces.

He originally intended to launch a surprise attack on the Tatar royal court, but now he has no choice but to fight the Oirat cavalry.

"How many troops do you know the enemy has?" Zhu Gaoshuo asked.

"They don't look like the vanguard cavalry of the Oirat, but their numbers are considerable, at least several thousand, no less than three thousand!"

"There are no other troops behind us!" The scout quickly relayed all the information he knew to avoid missing the opportunity to strike.

"Several thousand people?" Liu Jiang was immediately shocked.

They only have eight hundred people on their side.

Moreover, they had endured a long march and were already exhausted; encountering them would be suicidal.

Several thousand cavalrymen—that was exactly the size of the Oirat vanguard cavalry.

"Your Highness, let's avoid this place!" Liu Jiang suggested worriedly.

However, he was met with a cold stare from Zhu Gaoshuo: "Should I avoid his sharp edge?"

Zhu Gaoshuo and Liu Jiang thought exactly the same thing: the weather on the grassland was truly unbearable.

Having overcome so many difficulties, we finally found a member of the Oirat cavalry; how could we possibly retreat?

Now that water and food supplies have run out, we must act quickly.

Hesitation only leads to retreat.

"Three thousand cavalrymen are nothing; let's deal with them first."

These words immediately shocked Liu Jiang.

Eight hundred men went to fight against three thousand Oirat cavalry.

What kind of commander could issue such orders? Liu Jiang believed that his ability to fight was no less than that of the King of Han. He racked his brains but still couldn't figure out how to win.

If they really fight, Prince Qi is obviously just throwing his life away.

Before he could even speak, Zhu Gaoshuo had already guessed his thoughts and ordered, "Back then, Emperor Taizong of Tang launched the Xuanwu Gate Incident with only 800 men, easily defeating 3,000 men and establishing the Zhenguan Era."

"My father, the Yongle Emperor, launched the Jingnan Campaign with eight hundred men and ultimately seized the Ming Dynasty!"

"Now that we have eight hundred men, why can't we win?"

"Eight hundred people have their own way of fighting!"

Zhu Gaoshuo's gaze sharpened, and he shouted, "Liu Jiang!"

“I am here!” Liu Jiang said.

"I order you to take fifty cavalrymen to lure the enemy deep into our territory and draw the Oirat cavalry here. Remember, none of the fifty men should be injured or killed, and neither should you!" Zhu Gaoshuo ordered.

"I want everyone to know that this is a critical moment for the survival of the Ming Dynasty. We must win this battle. If we lose, the Ming Dynasty behind us will be doomed!"

"We swear to protect the Ming Dynasty to the death!"

Liu Jiang's bloodline seemed to awaken. Although he didn't know Zhu Gaoshuo's intentions, he knew very well that he had to obey military orders when fighting.

No matter how much doubt you have about the order, you have to trust the commander's instructions.

At this moment, Liu Jiang's eyes were incredibly resolute.

The Oirat cavalry stood at attention during their slow march.

The leader of the army was none other than the Oirat Khan, Daliba, who was extremely excited at this moment.

For him, this was the first time he had been able to command so many Oirat cavalry.

At that moment, he seemed to have truly become the leader of the Oirat.

Daliba was filled with anticipation for breaching the gates of the Ming Dynasty, having heard that Han Chinese women were very fragrant.

Thinking of this, he shouted:
"Kill all Han Chinese!"

(End of this chapter)