The Ming Dynasty: The most ruthless imperial grandson, Old Zhu begged me not to kill him.

Chapter 621 The decisive battle is coming
"The enemy situation is complex now, and ordinary spies may not be able to obtain accurate intelligence. Only if I go there in person can I determine the enemy's movements in the first instance."

He paused, then continued, "Atshyuth Timur may have some hidden cards we don't know about. If we can't grasp his plans, we could be put on the defensive at any time."

Seeing that his attempts to dissuade him were futile, Li Jinglong had no choice but to say helplessly, "Since Your Highness insists, we are willing to go with you to ensure your safety."

Zhu Xiong Ying waved his hand, his expression calm.

"You will all remain in the main camp and proceed according to the original plan. If the enemy makes any unusual moves, immediately launch a defense."

Lan Yu and Li Jinglong wanted to say something more, but seeing Zhu Xiong Ying's resolute expression, they ultimately said nothing more and could only cup their hands and say, "We will obey Your Highness's command."

Zhu Xiong Ying nodded, then turned and left, his figure gradually disappearing into the morning light.

Night falls.

Zhu Xiong Ying walked alone through the mountains and forests, surrounded by complete silence.

After several hours of travel, he finally approached Timur's camp once again.

Zhu Xiong Ying hid in a dense forest, carefully observing the enemy camp.

Compared to yesterday, the enemy camp's defenses are clearly much tighter.

Bright torches were lit at every sentry post, and the soldiers were extra vigilant.

Zhu Xiong Ying sneered inwardly.

Artesius Timur had clearly not forgotten yesterday's ambush, and this time he strengthened his defenses.

But Zhu Xiong Ying did not give up. He carefully observed the enemy's deployment and looked for an opportunity to infiltrate.

Before long, he finally discovered a relatively weak point in the defense.

Several soldiers were patrolling nearby, but their route was somewhat fixed, leaving a small gap every now and then.

A glint of calm flashed in Zhu Xiong Ying's eyes. Seizing the opportunity, she quickly stealthily moved forward.

His movements were extremely light, almost without making a sound, and he moved like a ghost among the shadows of the trees.

After successfully avoiding several sentry posts, Zhu Xiong Ying finally managed to infiltrate the enemy camp.

Inside the enemy camp, a chilling atmosphere pervaded the air.

Zhu Xiong Ying observed from a secluded corner and discovered that the large tent in the center of the camp was still Artesius Timur's command center.

He knew that if he wanted to obtain useful intelligence, he had to get close to this large tent.

Zhu Xiong Ying remained calm, quickly circling around and quietly approaching the large tent.

As he approached the main tent, he noticed two soldiers guarding the outside, but he wasn't particularly wary.

Zhu Xiong Ying secretly planned, and the moment the two guards turned around, he quickly sneaked into the side and rear of the tent.

Inside the tent, the faint sound of several people talking could be heard.

Zhu Xiong Ying held her breath and listened attentively.

"Your Highness, we were ambushed yesterday and suffered heavy losses. The Ming army's response speed far exceeded expectations."

The speaker was a Timurid general, his voice tinged with unease.

"We believe that the Ming army probably anticipated our plan long ago."

Another voice continued, "Your Highness, our army is currently in a disadvantageous position. Should we retreat temporarily and wait for reinforcements to arrive before making further plans?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Xiong Ying felt a chill run down his spine.

Sure enough, Timurid reinforcements were about to arrive.

Artesius Timur's voice then rang out, low and cold.

"Reinforcements will take some more time to arrive. We cannot give the Ming army any more chances."

"Tomorrow, assemble all troops and launch a general offensive."

"This time, we must crush them in one fell swoop."

Zhu Xiong Ying's heart tightened, knowing that the enemy's attack was imminent.

Just as he was preparing to retreat, a murmur came from inside the tent.

"Your Highness, the tribal chief in the east has sent word that they are willing to join us in attacking the Ming Dynasty."

“However, they also demanded more rewards after the war.” Arthius Timur sneered, his voice carrying a chill.

"These tribal chiefs are indeed greedy and shameless, but I need their strength right now, so I'll agree to their demands for the time being."

"We'll settle scores slowly after we defeat the Ming Dynasty."

Upon hearing this, a cold glint flashed in Zhu Xiong Ying's eyes.

It seems that these tribal leaders do not genuinely support Artesius Timur, but have only temporarily joined forces for their own benefit.

This might become a breakthrough for the Ming Dynasty to counterattack.

Zhu Xiong Ying had already made up his mind and was preparing to retreat immediately.

However, just as he was about to leave quietly, he suddenly heard a low footstep.

His heart tightened, and he quickly held his breath, hiding in the shadows of the tent.

A man dressed in black entered the tent and said in a low voice, "Your Highness, there seems to be some commotion outside."

Artesius Timur frowned, then waved his hand and said, "Go and find out."

The man in black nodded and quickly walked out of the tent.

Zhu Xiong Ying secretly thought to himself that things were not going well.

He knew that if he stayed any longer, he would likely be discovered.

Before the men in black could fully begin their search, he quickly returned the way he came, avoiding several patrolling sentries, and swiftly withdrew from the enemy camp.

With the night wind blowing, Zhu Xiong Ying hurried along, finally getting away from Timur's camp.

When he returned safely to the Ming army camp, Li Jinglong and Lan Yu were already anxiously waiting for him.

Upon seeing Zhu Xiong Ying return safely, everyone rushed forward to greet him.

"Your Highness, have you made any progress?"

Li Jinglong asked anxiously.

Zhu Xiong Ying nodded, his expression calm.

"Atshüs Timur is preparing for a general offensive tomorrow; we must be ready immediately."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions immediately tensed up.

"What is Your Highness's plan?"

Zhu Xiong Ying calmly said, "I have found out that the tribes in the east are not united with the Timurid Empire. On the surface, they support Artesius Timur, but in reality, they are only acting in their own interests."

“We can use this to our advantage, secretly contact these tribes, and get them to switch sides at a crucial moment.”

Li Jinglong's eyes lit up, and Xu Zengshou also nodded in agreement.

"In this way, the enemy's ranks will inevitably be thrown into chaos, and we can take the opportunity to launch a counterattack!"

Zhu Xiong Ying nodded.

“That’s right. This time, we must not only hold our ground, but also completely crush Artesius Timur.”

He turned to look at Lan Yu, his tone firm.

"We must go all out in tomorrow's battle."

A thin mist enveloped the camp in the early morning, and a tense atmosphere permeated the air.

Zhu Xiong Ying stood on a high point in the military camp, her gaze calm and resolute.

He knew that today's decisive battle would determine the final outcome of this war.

Arthus Timur has decided to launch a general offensive, and the Ming Dynasty must also fight back with all its might.

"Order all departments to enter a state of maximum alert."

Zhu Xiong Ying gave the order in a deep, resonant voice.

Li Jinglong, Lan Yu, Xu Zengshou, and others quickly gathered around him, all with solemn expressions.

"Your Highness, today's battle is extremely crucial, and we must prepare for the worst."

(End of this chapter)