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

Chapter 762 The road is boundless
Just then, a soldier covered in blood stumbled in.

"Report... Your Majesty, something terrible has happened!"

The soldier's voice was filled with fear, and his face was as pale as paper.

Zhu Xiong Ying frowned, a sense of foreboding washing over her.

"what happened?"

"The Tatars... the Tatar Khan led a large army... and launched a surprise attack on our rear..." the soldier said haltingly, "Our supplies... were all burned..."

Zhu Xiong Ying's expression changed drastically, her eyes filled with shock.

He never expected that the Tatars would launch a surprise attack on their rear at this time.

"Damn it!" Zhu Xiong Ying slammed his fist on the table, his eyes filled with rage.

This sudden turn of events completely disrupted his plans.

Without supplies, his army would be unable to continue fighting.

More importantly, the Tatars' sneak attack put them in a precarious situation, attacked from both sides.

Zhu Xiong Ying took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down.

He knew that now was not the time to panic.

He must come up with a solution as soon as possible to deal with the current crisis.

"Pass down the order: assemble the entire army!" Zhu Xiong's tone was icy, carrying an unquestionable authority.

"Yes, sir!" The soldier quickly accepted the order and left.

Zhu Xiong Ying looked at Xu Miao Yun with eyes full of apology.

"Miaoyun, I'm afraid I'll have to break my promise again..."

Xu Miaoyun shook her head and said firmly, "Xiong Ying, go ahead, I'll wait for you to come back here."

Zhu Xiong Ying gave Xu Miao Yun a deep look, then turned around and strode out of the yurt.

Outside, the night was as dark as ink, and the cold wind howled.

An even bigger storm is brewing...

Zhu Xiong Ying stood in the wind, the night casting a cold light on his golden armor. He gazed into the distance, the smoke signals of the Tatars still seeming to linger before his eyes, burning not only the grain and fodder, but also his once assured victory. He felt an unprecedented unease, as if an invisible giant hand was tightly gripping his throat.

“Your Majesty,” Xu Miaoyun appeared behind him unnoticed and gently draped a fox fur coat over his shoulders, “It’s late, be careful not to catch a cold.”

Zhu Xiong Ying turned around and embraced Xu Miao Yun, savoring her faint fragrance. At that moment, he felt as if all his burdens had been lifted, leaving only a man's longing for a woman.

“Miaoyun,” Zhu Xiong Ying’s voice was low and hoarse, “I… may lose.”

Xu Miaoyun's body stiffened slightly, then she hugged him tightly: "No, Xiong Ying, you can definitely win."

"Without food supplies, morale is low, and the Tatars are eyeing us covetously..." Zhu Xiong Ying gave a bitter smile. "I am now like a caged beast, caught in a dilemma."

Xu Miaoyun raised her head, her gaze firm: "Xiong Ying, you are the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, the Chosen One, you will definitely find a way."

Zhu Xiong Ying looked at Xu Miao Yun, a glimmer of hope igniting in his heart. Yes, he was Zhu Xiong Ying, the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty; how could he be intimidated by such a small difficulty?
He took a deep breath, his eyes gradually hardening: "Send the order: assemble the entire army! I will personally lead the expedition!"

A hint of worry flashed in Xu Miaoyun's eyes, but she knew that this was Zhu Xiong Ying's decision, and all she could do was support him.

The army assembled, torches illuminating the night sky like day. Zhu Xiong Ying stood on the high platform, looking down at the dark mass of soldiers, a surge of heroic pride rising in his heart. "Soldiers!" Zhu Xiong Ying's voice echoed through the night, "Those barbarians of the Tatars dared to raid the rear of our Great Ming, burning our army's supplies! We swear we will not rest until this humiliation is avenged!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!" The soldiers roared with fervor, brandishing their weapons.

Zhu Xiong Ying nodded in satisfaction. He knew that even without food and supplies, his soldiers still possessed formidable fighting power.

"Set off!" Zhu Xiong Ying gave the order, and the army marched in a mighty procession toward the Tatars.

However, reality was far more brutal than Zhu Xiong Ying had imagined. Without food and supplies, the soldiers' physical strength gradually declined, and their morale began to plummet.

Worse still, the Tatar Khan seemed to have anticipated Zhu Xiong Ying's actions and had laid numerous ambushes.

Along the way, the Ming army was constantly harassed by Tatar cavalry and suffered heavy losses.

Zhu Xiong Ying watched the soldiers fall one after another, her heart filled with pain and self-blame.

He began to doubt whether his decision was correct. Was he really going to lead these soldiers to their deaths?
"Your Majesty, we must find provisions as soon as possible, otherwise..." a general said worriedly.

Zhu Xiong Ying remained silent. He knew the general was right, but where could they find food and supplies now?

Just then, a scout rushed in: "Report! Your Majesty, a city has been discovered ahead!"

Zhu Xiong Ying's spirits lifted: "A city? Which city are you referring to?"

"Your Majesty, I do not know, but it seems that there is a large amount of grain stored in the city!"

A glint of light flashed in Zhu Xiong Ying's eyes. Perhaps this was a case of heaven never closing off all doors!

"Pass down the order: the entire army must accelerate its advance and capture the city!"

Upon hearing this news, the soldiers' morale soared, as if they had seen a glimmer of hope.

However, when they arrived at the city, they found it to be exceptionally fortified, with towering walls that made it easy to defend and difficult to attack.

What shocked them even more was that the flags flying on the city walls were not the flags of any country they were familiar with.

It was a black flag embroidered with a ferocious monster, exuding a chilling aura.

Looking at the flag, Zhu Xiong Ying felt a sense of foreboding.

What on earth is this place?
The city gate slowly opened, and a mysterious person dressed in a black robe and wearing a mask walked out.

He looked at Zhu Xiong Ying, his voice hoarse and eerie: "Welcome to... the Gates of Hell!"

"The Gates of Hell?" Zhu Xiong Ying burst into laughter, his laughter filled with disdain. "I'd like to see just how different your Gates of Hell really are!"

The man in black behind the city gate remained silent, only slowly raising his right hand. On the city wall, countless archers drew their bows, arrowheads gleaming coldly, aiming at the Ming army below.

The atmosphere froze instantly; a major battle was about to erupt.

Zhu Xiong Ying remained unfazed. He drew his sword from his waist, the blade pointing directly at the man in black: "Release the arrows! Let me see if your arrows can stop my million-strong army!"

The man in black did not order the arrows to be fired, but instead let out a strange, piercing shriek. After the shriek, a group of bizarre creatures suddenly appeared on the city wall. They had human bodies but the heads of wild beasts, wielding various strange weapons and emitting chilling roars.

"What is this?" the generals behind Zhu Xiong Ying exclaimed in surprise.

"Monster! It's a monster!" The soldiers began to stir, and fear spread through the crowd.

"Don't panic!" Zhu Xiong Ying shouted. "They're just playing tricks. Follow me and charge in!"

(End of this chapter)