Recaps

Zhu Ying rose from a young recruit to a battlefield commander by defeating the Jianzhou Tatars and earning rapid promotions. As Great Ming prepared for war on two fronts, he volunteered to hold back the Tatars while Zhu Di learned of his achievements and considered making contact.

• Zhu Ying used his system’s attribute rewards to grow stronger, killed the bandit leader, and earned promotion to Squad Leader after the bandits were defeated.
• Zhu Ying joined the campaign against the Jianzhou Tatars, killed their commander Jin Guda, broke their banner, and helped turn the battle into a Ming victory.
• Bu Wan promoted Zhu Ying five ranks to Thousand-Household Commander and gave him command of the First Cavalry Battalion.
• Zhu Ying gathered fifty personal guards, equipped himself with new skills and weapons, and pledged to lead his battalion’s charges.
• After learning the Northern Yuan might trap the Ming army between its forces, Zhu Ying proposed a plan to divide the army and volunteered to delay the Tatars.
• Bu Wan gave Zhu Ying command of five thousand cavalry, while an urgent report confirmed Naha Chu was mobilizing against Daning.
• Zhu Ying prepared to set out, while Zhu Di read a secret report about his victories and told Zhang Yu he could discreetly contact him.

Zhu Ying led his cavalry through a series of raids that devastated the Blue Banner Tribe and drew the Jianzhou Tatars away from the wider war. After the court rewarded him with a hereditary county barony, he attacked the Tatar tribal court and killed its chieftain, Aha Chu.

• Zhu Ying used Li Tao’s southern feint to raid the Northern Tribe, killing many Tatars and burning the camp before Agunu arrived to find it devastated.
• Zhu Ying’s four thousand cavalry routed the pursuing Tatars, then ambushed and destroyed Mainuha’s force in a valley.
• Feng Sheng reported Zhu Ying’s victories to Zhu Yuanzhang, who granted him a hereditary county barony and a hundred gold.
• Zhu Ying continued raiding Tatar tribes, while Agunu pursued him and the Ming soldiers pledged to follow their commander.
• Zhu Ying ordered a final assault on the Tatar tribal court, and Aha Chu gave Agunu the remaining personal-guard cavalry to destroy him.
• Zhu Ying stampeded ten thousand warhorses through the tribal court’s defenses and led his soldiers in an attack on the settlement.
• Zhu Ying pursued and beheaded Aha Chu, causing the Tatars’ morale to collapse.

Zhu Ying returned from his devastating raid on the Jianzhou Tatars, earned a hereditary baron title and command of a cavalry force, then led its charge through Jincheng’s gate. As the battle for the city intensified, Zhu Yuanzhang remained dissatisfied with the stalled campaign in Liaodong.

• Zhu Ying beheaded Aha Chu and escaped the Tatar tribal court, while Agunu returned to find the camp devastated and swore vengeance.
• Feng Sheng reported Zhu Ying’s victory to the court, and Zhu Biao and Zhu Yuanzhang praised him before approving his promotion and rewards.
• Zhu Ying returned to Fu Youde with the head of Aha Chu, evidence of the Tatar casualties, and the roster of 1,578 fallen soldiers, asking that their families receive compensation.
• Fu Youde announced Zhu Ying’s hereditary County Baron title and promotion to Commander of the Thousand Households, then approved a large cavalry battalion using captured Tatar horses.
• Zhu Ying kept his veteran soldiers together, chose Liu Lei to lead his personal guards, and prepared the cavalry battalion to assault Jincheng.
• Zhu Ying led the cavalry charge at night, split Jincheng’s iron gate with his saber, and drove into the city as Fu Youde ordered the main Ming army to follow.
• After his horse was killed, Zhu Ying fought on foot with the Azure Rainbow Sword and received a treasure chest when his attributes surpassed 2,000 points.
• Man Jier ordered Northern Yuan troops to defend Jincheng, while Zhu Yuanzhang criticized Feng Sheng for failing to capture Jincheng or Kaiyuan City.

Zhu Ying captured Jincheng, Kaiyuan, and Qingcheng, earning major promotions while his medicine improved the survival of wounded soldiers. As the Shen Family began investigating his rise, Zhu Ying learned that Uncle Lin and Shen Yu'er were safe and preparing to reunite with him.

• Zhu Ying captured Jincheng, killed Saritawen and Man Jier, and distributed much of the captured treasury among his soldiers.
• Zhu Ying provided hemostatic powder to treat wounded troops, and Fu Youde reported its success and sent its formula to Yingtian.
• Zhu Ying’s victories at Jincheng and Kaiyuan earned him promotion to Commander of the Prefecture and the hereditary title of County Son, while he took temporary command of the Daning Border Army.
• Zhu Ying led the attack on Kaiyuan, killed Harazhang, and overcame Chang Mao’s attempt to claim his military merit.
• Zhu Yuanzhang granted Zhu Ying the hereditary title of Count and Champion, along with gold and a residence, while Zhu Biao considered a marriage between Zhu Ying and Yun Ling.
• The Shen Family learned that a celebrated young general named Zhu Ying had risen to prominence and ordered an investigation into whether he was their former dependent.
• Zhu Ying captured Qingcheng and prepared to advance toward Tieling, then learned from Xiao Han that Uncle Lin and Shen Yu'er were safe in Huizhou and accepted Xiao Han into his forces.