Recaps

Zhu Ying rescued Lan Yu’s army, captured Liaoyang, and helped pacify Liaodong, earning promotion to Daning Commander. He returned to Daning, strengthened his personal forces, pursued the truth behind his forced enlistment, and married Shen Yu'er.

• Zhu Ying warned Lan Yu that Tieling might be a trap, then rode to his rescue when the Yuan Army set the city ablaze and encircled the Ming forces.
• Zhu Ying killed Yexian Buhua and Alishili, broke the encirclement, and routed the Yuan Army, saving Lan Yu’s troops.
• Zhu Ying led the assault on Liaoyang and killed Naha Chu, helping the Ming Army capture the city and secure Liaodong.
• Zhu Yuanzhang appointed Zhu Ying Garrison Commander of Daning Guard, and Zhu Ying later became Daning Commander with the Daning Border Army under his command.
• Zhu Ying returned to Daning to a huge welcome, reunited with Lin Fu and Shen Yu'er, and vowed to protect her and settle accounts with the Shen Family.
• Zhu Ying executed Li Tao, the recruiting officer who had taken Shen Family bribes to send him to Daning, and arranged his wedding to Shen Yu'er.
• Zhu Ying promoted his commanders and married Shen Yu'er before the soldiers, receiving from Lin Fu the jade pendants left by Zhu Ying’s parents.

Zhu Ying’s marriage and the birth of his son anchored him to Daning as the Ming prepared to invade the Northern Yuan. He led the breach and capture of Zhenxia City, earning recognition and unease from Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Di, while both armies prepared for the next phase of the war.

• Zhu Ying married Shen Yu'er, and Zhu Yuanzhang accepted the marriage while learning of the Shen Family’s past scheme against him.
• Zhu Ying learned that Shen Yu'er was pregnant, welcomed their son Zhu Xi, and prepared the Daning Border Army for the Northern Yuan campaign.
• Zhu Ying marched to Beiping and joined the expeditionary forces, where he met Zhu Di and learned that Guo Ying would lead the campaign.
• Zhu Ying breached Zhenxia City’s defenses with his artillery and cavalry, then led his troops through the city and defeated Mahawu’s forces.
• Zhu Ying killed Mahawu and captured Zhenxia City, while Zhu Di feared his growing strength and Zhu Yuanzhang ordered his victory recorded and his wife honored.
• Zhu Ying advised Guo Ying to divide the army for further attacks, took twenty thousand surrendered soldiers into his force, and opened fifteen treasure chests as the Northern Yuan appointed Guilichi to lead its counterattack.

Zhu Ying routed Northern Yuan’s cavalry with the Dragon Gate Formation, won the title Marquis of Victory, and strengthened his position as Shen Yu'er settled in Yingtian. Zhu Di grew increasingly wary of Zhu Ying’s resemblance to Zhu Xiongying and began considering how to bring him under control.

• Zhu Ying captured the border cities, then killed Guilichi and routed Northern Yuan’s cavalry with the Dragon Gate Formation, taking tens of thousands of prisoners.
• Zhu Ying ordered captured warhorses for the Daning Border Army and continued pursuing Northern Yuan forces while Shen Yu'er and Zhu Xi settled in Yingtian.
• The court honored Zhu Ying as Marquis of Victory and elevated Shen Yu'er to Third-Rank Imperial Lady, while Shen Wansan accepted that the Shen Family could not challenge Zhu Ying safely.
• Zhu Biao welcomed Zhu Xi at the Eastern Palace, was struck by the child’s resemblance to Zhu Xiongying, and privately mourned his lost family.
• Zhu Ying told his commanders he intended to advance deep into Northern Yuan territory, but Guo Ying relayed Zhu Yuanzhang’s warning against rash advances.
• Zhu Quan told Zhu Di that Zhu Ying strongly resembled Zhu Xiongying and hoped he would stay in Daning to defend the region.
• Zhu Di admitted to Yao Guangxiao that he feared Zhu Ying might be Zhu Xiongying, rejected leaking military intelligence to Northern Yuan, and agreed to test whether Zhu Ying could be made to submit.

Zhu Ying captured the Yuan Capital, pursued the Yuan Emperor into the Northern Frontier, defeated Northern Yuan’s forces, and recovered the Imperial Seal at Mount Langju. Back in the capital, Zhu Wenxi’s adoption brought Zhu Xiongying’s resemblance into sharp focus for the imperial family.

• Zhu Ying captured the Yuan Capital, killed Manzi and the nine generals who remained with him, and argued for pursuing the fleeing Yuan Emperor.
• Zhu Di recognized Zhu Ying’s jade pendant as the one buried with Zhu Xiongying and concluded that Zhu Ying was his supposedly dead nephew.
• Zhu Ying led fifty thousand cavalry into the Northern Frontier, while Zhu Biao adopted Zhu Xi as his grandson and gave him the name Zhu Wenxi.
• Zhu Ying routed Ma’er Ke’er’s forces, captured the Yuan Emperor at Buyir Lake, and seized the Northern Yuan court’s treasury and nobles.
• Zhu Ying performed Fenglangjuxu at Mount Langju, found the Imperial Seal beneath the stone wall, and burned the Northern Yuan Royal Court.
• Lan Yu and Chang Mao learned that Zhu Ying had captured the Yuan Emperor, while Zhu Ying prepared to lead his army back south.
• Zhu Wenxi visited Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao, and Lu clan and the princes were stunned by his resemblance to Zhu Xiongying.