Jianzhou Tatars Submit to the Yuan Court!

"One hundred arrows, two bows."

"And my Fine Steel Saber."

"Once I'm on the battlefield, I have to kill as many enemies as possible. Not just to collect attributes, but to earn merit and rise through the ranks."

As for the future,

Zhu Ying already had a solid plan.

Kill enemies and earn merit, gain power, and build his own following.

This era held endless opportunities, and they were not limited to the Ming Dynasty.

Beyond the Ming Dynasty lay countless lands. As a reincarnator who knew the future, Zhu Ying naturally understood what turmoil the Ming Dynasty would face.

After Emperor Taizu of Ming, Zhu Yuanzhang, died, Zhu Yunwen would ascend the throne, and then the Zhu family's Fourth Prince would launch Jingnan and seize the throne.

The entire Ming Dynasty would fall into unrest.

Right now, Zhu Ying had no ability to do anything. He could only go with the flow, preserve his life, and grow stronger.

But once all his attributes underwent a transformation in the future and he became invincible in the mortal world, would Zhu Ying still be willing to remain a subject?

Even if it was not within the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Ying would still have the ability to expand his territory beyond its borders.

In short,

for now, he would settle wherever fate placed him and strengthen himself. Making himself stronger came first.

The future could wait until the future.

At that moment!

"Zhu Ying."

Liu Lei walked over with a smile on his face.

"Centurion."

Liu Lei immediately answered.

"Have you prepared everything?" Liu Lei asked with a smile.

"Everything is ready. All the bows and arrows have been prepared."

"We're just waiting to go into battle tomorrow." Zhu Ying smiled, then came back to his senses and asked, "It seems the Centurion has received news that the army is moving?"

"Tomorrow, our First Thousand-Household Battalion will serve as the vanguard. Within the Thousand-Household Battalion, our First Thousand-Household Battalion is the foremost formation. We'll move out first tomorrow."

"In any case, be careful tomorrow. Though it's only a small Tatar tribe and cannot compare with our Ming Dynasty, they are still Tatars—fierce and skilled fighters." Liu Lei spoke with a grave expression.

"Mm." Zhu Ying nodded as well.

"Zhu Ying, how old are you?"

"Why do you look like you're not even sixteen?"

"And your place of origin isn't Daning, but Beiping Prefecture. Why did you come to Daning to enlist?"

Liu Lei asked with a trace of surprise on his face.

Clearly,

he had gone to check Zhu Ying's Military Registry records.

"Perhaps you won't believe this, Centurion."

"I was set up."

Zhu Ying shook his head with a bitter smile.

"Set up?"

Liu Lei's expression changed as he gave Zhu Ying a deep look.

"I'm only a lowly Centurion and can't do much. But as long as you remain in my Hundred Household Battalion, I'll do everything I can to protect you." Liu Lei patted Zhu Ying on the shoulder and spoke solemnly.

"Thank you, Centurion." Zhu Ying naturally smiled as he thanked him.

Yet Liu Lei was deep in thought. Anyone capable of placing you in Daning Prefecture's Military Registry must have considerable influence behind them. Zhu Ying is so young—how could he have offended someone like that?

The next day!

At the border of the Ming Dynasty,

a vast army crossed the borderlands.

At present,

the Northern Yuan had not yet been destroyed.

No boundary markers had been established across the Northern Frontier either, because in the eyes of the Ming Dynasty, these Northern Yuan territories could all become Ming land in the future. Thus, no boundary markers were set where the Ming Dynasty bordered the Northern Yuan.

Ming Army formation!

Scout cavalry rode ahead to investigate enemy movements and prevent ambushes.

The infantry followed behind as the main attacking force.

A frontier tribe of the Jianzhou Tatars.

The army stationed at this frontier tribe, numbering nearly ten thousand, had already assembled.

"Reporting to the Ten-Thousand Commander."

"The Ming Army has crossed their border and entered our people's territory."

A Tatar soldier reported to their Ten-Thousand Commander.

"The Ming Kingdom has come after all."

Ten-Thousand Commander Jin Guda sighed, then asked, "How is the migration of our people progressing?"

"Reporting to the Ten-Thousand Commander."

"When we received word yesterday that the Ming Army was mobilizing, our people began migrating toward the tribes in the north." A Tatar Thousand Commander replied.

"In one day, with tens of thousands of our people, they likely haven't even moved fifty li yet." Jin Guda's expression was grim.

"Ten-Thousand Commander."

"Why are you so wary of the Ming Kingdom?"

"At the end of the day, they are merely Han Chinese. When Great Yuan ruled before, they were the lowest class of wretches. Our people held a higher status than they did. In this Northern Frontier, Great Yuan and our tribes were supreme. If they truly dare fight our Tatar warriors, we'll ensure they never return."

Seeing Jin Guda's worried expression,

"It seems you still do not understand the Ming Kingdom, nor do you understand its emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang."

"He is not someone easy to deal with."

"Otherwise, how could Great Yuan have been driven from the Central Plains?" Jin Guda sighed.

At first,

when the Yuan Court sent people to his Tatar tribe with orders to disrupt the Ming Kingdom, most people blindly obeyed. But Jin Guda had urged their chieftain to remain neutral and avoid becoming enemies with the Ming Kingdom. In Jin Guda's eyes, the Yuan Court was already at the end of its rope and might collapse at any moment.

Meanwhile, the Ming Kingdom's national strength was rising steadily.

But with the support of the majority, his Tatar tribe ultimately obeyed the Yuan Court's decree.

After all, the Tatars were subjects of the Yuan Court.

Regarding this,

Jin Guda was also deeply helpless, yet had no way to change anything.

Whether facing the Yuan Court or the Ming Kingdom, the Tatars were only a small tribe.

One misstep could bring the danger of extermination.

"Ten-Thousand Commander."

"Now that the Ming Army is attacking, should we fight or retreat?" a Thousand Commander asked respectfully.

"The Ming Army's attack means they have discovered what our people have been doing within the Ming Kingdom. To allow our people to withdraw, we have no choice but to fight."

"Though the Ming Kingdom is powerful, Great Yuan still exists. The Ming Kingdom cannot possibly mobilize too many troops against our people."

"Our tribe is attached to Great Yuan."

"If we can defeat the Ming Army in this battle, our tribe will gain great benefits in the future."

"Pass down the order."

"Prepare for battle."

Jin Guda shouted.

Though he remained wary, the Ming Dynasty had come to kill, and Jin Guda had no choice but to meet them in battle.

"Yes."

The Thousand Commanders answered in unison.

Just then!

"Report!"

"Reporting to the Ten-Thousand Commander."

"The Ming Army is less than ten li from our tribe. Ming scout cavalry are leading the way." A Tatar cavalryman rode up to report.

"Have you determined how many troops the Ming Army has?" Jin Guda asked sternly.

"Reporting to the Ten-Thousand Commander."

"No fewer than ten thousand troops." The Tatar cavalryman immediately replied.

"News of the Ming Army's attack has already been sent back to the main tribe. The chieftain will surely send troops to reinforce us."

"In this battle, we only need to repel the Ming Army and delay them."

"Pass on my order."

"Have eight thousand cavalry split into two wings and set an ambush five li from the tribe."

"Strike the Ming Army hard. Have the infantry hold the rear and catch the Ming Army off guard." Jin Guda immediately gave the order.

When they had taken action against the Ming Kingdom, this frontier tribe had already possessed more than ten thousand troops. Moreover, every Tatar man was a soldier. This time, their forces numbered close to fifteen thousand.

And reinforcements would follow.

"Ming Kingdom."

"You were able to defeat Great Yuan in the Central Plains, which shows your strength. Then today, let me, Jin Guda, see just how strong your army truly is."

"If I can defeat your Ming Army, I, Jin Guda, will surely make a name for myself among the Tatars." A wild ambition rose within Jin Guda's heart.

At that moment,

the Ming Army advanced in orderly formation.

Zhu Ying held his bow with an arrow nocked. His Hundred Household Battalion stood in the third row, steadily advancing forward.

PS: Please, please, please.