Prince Yan Zhu Di! The Black-Clad Demonic Monk!

Hearing this, Chen Heng's heart could not help but tremble.

From those words alone, he could tell that Zhu Ying was all alone.

"Ha."

"General, don't worry about me."

"I'll come back alive."

"When the war is settled, I'll buy you a drink."

Seeing Chen Heng's expression, Zhu Ying immediately said with a cheerful smile.

"I'll wait for that day."

"But when you return, it won't be you treating me—it'll be me treating you," Chen Heng said with a smile as well.

"Alright." Zhu Ying smiled and nodded heavily.

"General."

"I'm heading to the army camp to make preparations too."

"See you later." Zhu Ying cupped his fists.

Chen Heng nodded and said no more. Yet as he watched Zhu Ying's retreating figure, waves continued to surge in his heart. Not even sixteen, yet already a Thousand Household Commander with boundless prospects ahead of him. Why do you fight so desperately?

In truth, Chen Heng could not understand why Zhu Ying fought so desperately either.

On the battlefield, he fought with his life on the line, utterly heedless of death.

This was not the temperament a sixteen-year-old boy should possess.

Back at the camp!

Zhu Ying returned to his own tent first.

"Attribute Panel."

Zhu Ying opened his Attribute Panel.

Host: Zhu Ying

Age: 14

Strength: 654 points. Each point corresponds to one jin of force.

Speed: 612 points. The higher the value, the faster the speed.

Constitution: 531 points. The stronger the constitution, the stronger the defense and the faster the recovery from injuries.

Endurance: 525 points. The higher the endurance, the more inexhaustible the energy and abundant the stamina.

Spirit: 512 points. The higher the spirit, the clearer the mind.

Lifespan: 88 years, 1456 days

Storage Space: 5 cubic meters

These were the gains Zhu Ying had obtained from the past few days of campaigning. All his attributes had successfully broken through five hundred points.

This time, leading troops alone in these northern borderlands, against the Tatars and the other tribes, I must raise all my attributes past a thousand points. Only then will I truly have the strength to rely on in this era, Zhu Ying thought to himself.

Coming back to his senses, "Open the treasure chest," Zhu Ying said.

This was the treasure chest reward he had received for all his attributes breaking through five hundred points.

"Opening ordinary treasure chest."

"Received 5 bottles of Yellow Tier Low-grade Grain Avoidance Pills." A prompt appeared on the panel.

"Grain Avoidance Pills."

"Those can come out of a treasure chest too?"

"Not bad."

"Who knows how long I'll be staying in the northern borderlands this time? With Grain Avoidance Pills, I have some supplies in reserve."

"There's still more than half of the five-cubic-meter space empty. I should pack more arrows, dry rations, and water. They could save my life at a critical moment." Zhu Ying thought as he headed toward the logistics troops, intending to prepare more supplies.

Beiping Prefecture!

The prefectural capital, Beiping City!

As the fourth son of the current emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang, Prince Yan Zhu Di had been enfeoffed in Beiping Prefecture, commanding fifty thousand border troops to guard Beiping Prefecture.

Inside the Prince's residence.

"Reporting to Your Highness."

"The Ministry of War's mobilization order has arrived. The Beiping border troops are to proceed to Daning and join forces to attack Yuan."

A military officer entered the main hall of the Prince's residence and respectfully addressed the imposing man in princely robes seated in the seat of honor.

He was the Prince of Yan, Zhu Di.

The fourth son of the Ming Dynasty's Emperor.

"How many troops did the Ministry of War requisition?" Zhu Di asked, looking at the officer in the hall.

"Forty thousand troops, leaving ten thousand behind to garrison the border passes," the officer replied respectfully.

"The Ministry of War's orders cannot be disobeyed. What's more, the Duke of Song is personally leading the troops this time, and they are already about to enter Daning territory."

"Zhang Yu, as the Garrison Commander of my Beiping Prefecture, you must not tarnish the bearing of my Northern Peace Army," Zhu Di said sternly.

"This subordinate will certainly not disappoint Your Highness."

Zhang Yu bowed deeply, answering with confidence.

"As I understand it, Daning Prefecture has already sent troops north."

"How are the results?" Zhu Di asked casually.

"Your Highness."

"This is a secret report sent back from Daning Prefecture. Please review it, Your Highness." Zhang Yu stepped forward and took a secret report from his robes.

Zhu Di accepted it and opened it.

A strange gleam flashed through his eyes.

"Against a barbarian tribe as small as the Jianzhou Tatars, wiping out their entire clan would not be difficult."

"Who exactly is this Zhu Ying?"

"Slaying a hundred enemies by himself?"

"Slaying generals and taking banners?"

"Among Daning Prefecture's fifty thousand border troops, Chen Heng and Liu Zhen are the only ones with both command ability and considerable martial strength."

"This is the first time I've heard of this Zhu Ying." Zhu Di asked with a grave expression.

"Reporting to Your Highness."

"This Zhu Ying was not originally an officer of Daning Prefecture. He is a new recruit who enlisted only a few months ago," Zhang Yu immediately reported.

"A new recruit of only a few months?"

A flicker of astonishment appeared on Zhu Di's face.

"Yet there is no such fierce and valiant warrior within my Northern Peace Army."

Zhu Di spoke with a trace of regret in his voice.

"Your Highness."

"It is said that Bu Wan has already submitted Zhu Ying's achievements to Yingtian."

"Judging by the timing, His Majesty may already know of Zhu Ying's accomplishments," Zhang Yu said respectfully.

Hearing this, Zhu Di slowly said, "To have caught Father Emperor's eye, Zhu Ying's future prospects are limitless."

"Your Highness."

"Should we secretly send someone to win him over?" Zhang Yu asked tentatively.

Zhu Di frowned and fixed Zhang Yu with a stare.

Zhang Yu's expression changed, and he immediately fell to his knees. "This subordinate has overstepped. Please forgive me, Your Highness."

"Go join the march."

"If you encounter this man, you may try making contact, but do not be too obvious about it," Zhu Di said in a deep voice.

"This subordinate obeys." Zhang Yu respectfully withdrew.

After Zhang Yu left.

Zhu Di spoke faintly, "You truly have gone too far now! Father Emperor is still alive, and Elder Brother is in the prime of his life. Are you trying to plunge this prince into a place of no return?"

The moment Zhu Di's voice fell.

A deep, resonant voice sounded from within the hall. "Amitabha. This humble monk is planning for the Prince of Yan—for the future, for Heaven's mandate."

"The future? Heaven's mandate?"

"You will get this prince killed."

Zhu Di said coldly.

"Long ago, this humble monk said he would give Your Highness a white hat."

"Your Highness need only remain in Beiping and watch how things unfold."

"As for what lies ahead, there is its own immutable course."

"Your Highness bears the countenance of an emperor."

Another voice came from within.

At this.

A complicated look appeared on Zhu Di's face.

He seemed to have thought of his imperial father, and even more so of his eldest brother.

Yet the words of this man who called himself "this poor monk" had, day after day for years, provoked him, making him unable to suppress the wild ambition in his heart. Before he knew it, he had already fallen completely into it.

Inside the inner hall!

Incense burned in the censer.

A middle-aged monk clad in a black cassock sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, prayer beads pinched between his fingers. He bore an unruffled calm, as though everything lay within his grasp.

If Zhu Ying were to see this man, he would surely cry out in alarm: the Black-Clad Demonic Monk, Yao Guangxiao.

The key strategist who had helped Zhu Di successfully rebel in history.

Moreover.

After Empress Ma passed away, he met Zhu Di in Yingtian. At their very first meeting, he told Zhu Di that he would give him a white hat.

What was a white hat?

Add a white character above the character for king, and it became emperor!

PS: Please support me in every way possible. My gratitude is boundless.