Ming Dynasty: Pick up attributes from the battlefield to create the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 205 Respect, Marquis of Champion!!!
Amidst the orderly and solemn welcoming procession of tens of thousands of soldiers, a heavy and dignified atmosphere permeated the air.

"The soul is back!"

The mournful cries seemed to transcend the boundaries of time and space, echoing throughout the Great Wall.

The sounds converged completely.

A gentle breeze swept by, stirring up the dust on the ground. It was as if the indomitable souls of the soldiers who died in the northern frontier resided in this breeze, responding to the call of their comrades from afar.

This sorrowful scene, like a thick layer of gloom, quietly enveloped the entire Great Wall, giving it a mysterious and mournful atmosphere of the return of heroic spirits.

Time passed slowly in silence, each minute and second seemingly stretched out.

When all the soldiers under Zhu Ying's command, weary yet determined, stepped into the Great Wall, it signified the end of their arduous and bloody Northern Expedition.

"This humble general greets the Great General."

After entering the Great Wall, Zhu Ying was exhausted, but he did not forget his manners. He nimbly dismounted, clasped his hands, and bowed respectfully to Guo Ying.

"Champion Marquis, you may dispense with the formalities."

With a kind smile on his face and eyes full of satisfaction and appreciation, Guo Ying quickly stepped forward, reached out his hands to help Zhu Ying up, his actions showing his concern.

"Thank you, General." Zhu Ying immediately expressed his gratitude.

"No need for such formalities, Marquis of Champion."

Guo Ying looked at him with sincerity and said earnestly, "You are undoubtedly a great hero in this battle deep into the northern frontier."

"He pioneered the feat of sealing the wolf's lair and residing in the Xu."

"You are a hero of my Great Ming Dynasty, and even more so a hero of my entire Chinese nation."

"I, an old man, respect him."

Guo Ying looked serious, her eyes filled with admiration for Zhu Ying.

As a general, he solemnly clasped his hands in a standard military salute to Zhu Ying, showing great seriousness.

"General, you flatter me."

Zhu Ying looked somewhat surprised and quickly reached out to help Guo Ying up, his face full of humility.

"When I was young, I also longed for this unparalleled achievement and had an endless yearning for the sealing of the wolf and the dwelling of the Xu."

Guo Ying tilted his head slightly, lost in memories: "Back then, I thought, what an honor it would be to accomplish such a feat."

"But as I get older and have experienced many battles, I have come to know how difficult it is to achieve such a feat, and I have gradually come to realize that I can no longer do it."

"And today, the Marquis of Champion has fulfilled my wish from back then, which is also the lifelong wish of many of my old brothers."

Guo Ying withdrew her gaze and looked at Zhu Ying with a solemn expression.

"This salute is to pay tribute to the Marquis of Champion for his contributions to the Ming Dynasty and the Chinese nation."

At this moment, Guo Ying's respect for Zhu Ying had nothing to do with official position or title. It was purely the heartfelt admiration of a battle-hardened general for Zhu Ying's outstanding military achievements, and even more so, the deep respect of a Chinese who had survived the cruel rule of the Yuan Dynasty for Zhu Ying's rewriting of the humiliating fate of China in the past.

See this!

Zhu Ying said no more, his expression solemn as he returned the greeting with clasped hands.

"Respectfully to the Marquis of Champion."

Just as Guo Ying was saluting to express his admiration for Zhu Ying, tens of thousands of soldiers who had been lined up inside the Great Wall were also uniformly saluting the Ming Dynasty.

They all stood up straight, their eyes filled with fervor and admiration as they looked at Zhu Ying.

now.

Their eyes seemed to regard Zhu Ying as the soul of the army and the god of war in their hearts!

Every soldier seemed to have become a loyal admirer of Zhu Ying.

The feat of sealing the wolf's lair and residing in the Xu state is unprecedented and unparalleled; who could not respect it?
Even Zhu Di and Zhu Quan, who were princes, were deeply moved at this moment. They stood solemnly and gave a military salute to express their respect for Zhu Ying.

Amidst this grand and awe-inspiring spectacle, Zhu Ying felt the reverence of the crowd. He said nothing more, his expression solemn, he saluted, and slowly turned to return the salute to the soldiers lined up on and within the Great Wall.

At this moment, all words are superfluous; only this solemn military salute, carrying endless glory and respect, flows silently in the air.

"General, are we going to bring all the prisoners in?"

Chen Heng hurried over to Zhu Ying, his expression respectful and his tone questioning.

"Bring them all in."

Zhu Ying's gaze was cold, and he said without hesitation, "Once they enter the Great Wall of my Great Ming, they will have no chance of escaping."

"Emperor Yuan, he escaped from Yuandu back then."

"I must see you today."

Guo Ying stroked his beard and laughed, his eyes filled with intense anticipation as he looked towards the closed door.

now!

Under the escort of numerous Ming soldiers under Zhu Ying's command, prison carts were slowly driven into the Great Wall.

Each prison van held more than a dozen prisoners, and those who could sit in the vans were all of extraordinary status.

The princes, princesses, ministers of the Northern Yuan, and their families—these once powerful and influential figures in the Northern Yuan—are now huddled in prison carts, their expressions forlorn.

Those prisoners who were not eligible to ride in prison carts had to be escorted on foot.

Their steps were heavy, and their faces were haggard. Normally, with the speed of cavalry, the army could have returned to the Ming Dynasty many days earlier, but because of escorting these prisoners, the marching speed was greatly slowed down, causing a long delay.

"Hahaha."

"See?"

"These are the powerful and influential people of Northern Yuan, the ministers, princes and princesses of Northern Yuan."

"Now they have become prisoners of our Great Ming Dynasty."

"How wonderful! How magnificent!"

"This truly demonstrates the might of our great Ming Dynasty."

Seeing the prison carts being brought in one by one, and the Northern Yuan nobles imprisoned inside, the Ming soldiers were excited, whispering among themselves, their words filled with excitement and pride.

Although these Northern Yuan nobles all looked extremely disheveled and listless, with empty eyes as if they had lost their souls, their tattered but still exquisitely made robes revealed their extraordinary status in the Northern Yuan.

After all, in the Northern Yuan, fine silks and satins were not something ordinary people could afford.

After the Japanese dynasty entered the Central Plains, it quickly became intoxicated by the extravagant lifestyle of the Central Plains, but now it has come to this end.

This time!

As a prison wagon carrying a single prisoner was slowly brought in, it was escorted closely by a dozen or so cavalrymen.

The person in the prison cart was wearing a golden dragon robe. Although the style was not Han Chinese but Northern Yuan, his identity was immediately obvious.

"Emperor Yuan".

Seeing the Yuan Emperor reduced to a prisoner, all eyes around him instantly focused on him.

Every glance was filled with naked curiosity, tinged with undisguised mockery.

The emperor of a vast empire has now become a prisoner; one can imagine the humiliation this is.

For an emperor, suicide might preserve his last shred of dignity, but Emperor Yuan lacked such backbone and had no courage to commit suicide after being captured.

At first, Zhu Ying was afraid that he would commit suicide, so he specifically asked Chen Heng to keep an eye on him at all times to prevent him from taking his own life. But later he found that his worries were completely unnecessary.

Even Emperor Yuan felt the gazes fixed upon him, each one filled with mockery and sarcasm.

As a former emperor who once held a high position, how could he not feel this utter humiliation, feeling that all his dignity had been lost?

Even now, he could only lower his head, bury his face in the shadows, remain silent, and silently endure this humiliation, his body trembling slightly.

"As expected, it is Emperor Yuan."

"Hahaha."

"Champion Marquis, you are truly outstanding."

Looking at Emperor Yuan inside the prison cart, Guo Ying couldn't help but throw his head back and burst into laughter. His hearty laughter echoed in the air, full of joy.

"An emperor has actually become a prisoner."

"Even hundreds of thousands of troops couldn't protect him."

"Zhu Ying has actually reached such a terrifying level."

Zhu Di stared at the Yuan Emperor inside the prison cart, his eyes revealing deep shock, and an indescribable chill rose from the bottom of his heart.

If an emperor could fall to such a miserable end, what terrible fate would a mere prince like him face if he were to actually confront Zhu Ying in the future?

Thinking of this, Zhu Di felt a chill run down his spine, and his whole body went cold.

"This Northern Yuan emperor doesn't seem to be anything special."

"Although he is a little younger than my father, he has none of the majesty of an emperor. When I face my father, I do not feel like that at all."

Zhu Quan also stared at Emperor Yuan inside the prison cart, his brows furrowed, thinking to himself.

Before seeing Emperor Yuan, Zhu Quan thought that an emperor was naturally extremely majestic, perhaps similar to his own father.

But now, looking at the Emperor Yuan before him, he found that he had completely overturned his expectations. All he saw was endless humiliation, with no sense of authority whatsoever, and he even seemed somewhat pathetic and pitiful.

"Emperor Yuan, welcome to my Great Ming Dynasty."

"However, only as a prisoner." Guo Ying stared coldly at Emperor Yuan in the prison cart, a smug smile on his face, and laughed heartily. His words were full of sarcasm, as if he wanted to vent all the humiliation suffered by the Chinese people in the past.

Faced with such humiliation, Emperor Yuan kept his head down, not daring to raise it even slightly, let alone utter a word.

But you can see that he is trembling violently, clearly in extreme fear.

All around were soldiers of the Ming Dynasty, each clad in heavy armor and wielding gleaming weapons that flashed in the sunlight, sending chills down one's spine.

He was terrified that if he said anything wrong, he would be torn to shreds by the ferocious Ming soldiers around him.

After all, the Northern Yuan and the Ming Dynasty were enemies of each other, with long-standing grievances.

Although he is now a prisoner, Emperor Yuan does not want to die. He is afraid of death, and his desire to live makes him choose to silently endure everything.

"Soldiers, do you see this?" "This is the emperor of the Northern Yuan."

"He is just like any other person, with flesh and blood, and he also experiences fear."

"The Northern Yuan is nothing to be afraid of, nor are the foreign tribes on the grasslands."

"In the future, if our Great Ming Dynasty faces an invasion from the northern frontier again, there is absolutely no need to worry or be afraid."

"The Central Plains of China are not what they were a hundred years ago, and our Great Ming Dynasty is no longer the weak Song Dynasty."

"If we capture the Yuan Emperor today, we will surely be able to pacify the northern frontier in the future, and the balance of power will shift."

"Great Ming Dynasty, mighty and mighty!"

Guo Ying was incredibly proud and emotional, raising his hand high and shouting loudly.

His voice was high-pitched and passionate, resounding like a great bell, as if it could pierce through the clouds.

At this moment, every soldier was infected by Guo Ying's emotions, and their hearts were filled with boundless pride.

Looking at the captured Emperor Yuan, the humiliation of the past century seemed to vanish in that instant.

"The Ming Dynasty is mighty!"

"The Ming Dynasty is mighty..."

Every soldier raised their weapon and shouted in unison, their voices resounding throughout the heavens and earth.

Their faces were filled with pride and arrogance, and each of them was full of boundless pride, as if they had gathered into an invincible force.

Guo Ying came to her senses and her gaze fell once again on Emperor Yuan inside the prison cart.

"Rest assured, Emperor Yuan, only the Emperor of our Great Ming Dynasty has the authority to decide your fate."

"Until then, you will live a good life."

Guo Ying said coldly, revealing a meaningful smile.

He then waved his hand and loudly ordered, "Men, take Emperor Yuan away and keep him under close guard."

"Also, keep a close watch on all the prisoners and don't let them die."

echoed.

The commander of the personal guards immediately stepped forward and loudly replied, "Your Excellency obeys."

Immediately, the soldiers guarding the Great Wall quickly stepped forward and took over the prison carts and the prisoners brought into the Great Wall.

Every soldier escorting these Northern Yuan prisoners was wary, as if the Ming soldiers would immediately show no mercy to them if they made any unusual moves.

"General, the soldiers of Da Ning who went on the expedition have been fighting for months and haven't had a bath for months."

"I propose that the cooks boil enough water and prepare enough wooden buckets."

"And military uniforms."

"Now that they have returned in triumph, they deserve a good reward and some relaxation."

Zhu Quan smiled broadly and immediately made the suggestion, showing his deep concern for the soldiers.

"Thanks to His Highness Prince Ning for mentioning it."

"I only remembered to tell the cooks to set up the pots and cook the food, but I forgot to tell them to heat the bathwater."

"Quickly have the cooks boil water."

"Let the soldiers of Da Ning wash up before they eat."

"They've been fighting hard for months, they need to relax a bit." Guo Ying slapped his forehead, suddenly realizing something, and immediately gave the instructions, his words full of concern for the soldiers.

"Yes." The commander of the guards nodded immediately, and then quickly went down to relay the order, his steps hurried and efficient.

"General, in this battle, 5,767 of my men died. I request that you order a place to be found and a proper grave dug. I hope that these heroic souls can be buried as soon as possible and laid to rest."

Zhu Ying also looked serious and sad as he asked Guo Ying for permission to take command, his eyes filled with remembrance of his fallen comrades.

This time!

Guo Ying glanced at the cloth bundles held by the soldiers of Da Ning around him. The smile on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a solemn and serious expression. He then nodded emphatically and said firmly, "Of course."

"They died fighting for our Great Ming Dynasty, defending their homes and country. We must not only ensure they are laid to rest, but also that they have no worries in the afterlife. I will personally petition the Emperor to provide pensions and bestow blessings upon the families of the soldiers who died deep in the northern frontier this time."

"Champion Marquis, have you finished compiling their roster?" Guo Ying asked seriously, his face showing concern and importance.

Hear this!

Zhu Ying carefully rummaged in his pocket and took out two blood-stained registers.

"This is a list of the fallen soldiers."

"This one is a list of wounded and disabled soldiers."

"I have had Commander Wei organize all the soldiers' dog tags."

Zhu Ying solemnly handed the blood-stained roster to Guo Ying, holding it steadily in both hands as if he were holding the honor of these fallen heroes.

Guo Ying also accepted the roster with a solemn expression and without any hesitation.

immediately.

He slowly opened the first page, which was filled with names, the Hundred Family Surnames, densely packed on it.

There were officers and soldiers, but each of them belonged to the Ming Dynasty, to the Ming Dynasty, and to the Chinese nation.

Their names may be ordinary, but their achievements will be forever recorded in history.

After glancing at it, Guo Ying, with a respectful expression, called out loudly, "Commander-in-Chief."

"Your subordinate is here." Commander Du immediately ran over and bowed deeply.

"These two lists should be submitted to the Ministry of War as quickly as possible."

"Have the Ministry of War distribute the pensions as soon as possible," Guo Ying said in a deep voice, his tone leaving no room for argument.

The commander immediately replied, "This subordinate obeys the order."

"However, the Marquis of Champion has already returned in triumph. The Ministry of War has already given instructions that once there is news of the army penetrating deep into the northern border, it should be reported to the Ministry of War and then to the Emperor."

"Should this subordinate prepare a memorial to the emperor?" the Commander-in-Chief asked respectfully, awaiting Guo Ying's orders.

"I will personally write this memorial later."

"Get the messengers ready."

"Present the report to Yingtianfu as quickly as possible."

"His Majesty has been waiting for this news for a long time. I believe His Majesty will be overjoyed to see the success of the Northern Expedition."

Guo Ying immediately replied, a hint of anticipation in her eyes.

What a sensation it will be in Yingtian Prefecture when the report of the successful Northern Expedition is presented! How happy will the Emperor be?

"This subordinate understands." Commander Du nodded, said no more, and turned to carry out the order.

"By the way, where is the Marquis of Yongchang?"

Why haven't they returned?

"I wonder if Marquis Yongchang participated in this battle at the Northern Yuan royal court?"

Zhu Di, who had been silent all along, finally spoke with a puzzled expression, full of curiosity.

"Reporting to the General, Marquis Yongchang's pace has slowed down a bit, and he should be able to return today."

"However, the army of Marquis Yongchang did not participate in the battle to break through the Northern Yuan royal court and capture the Yuan emperor."

"After the Marquis of Champion broke through the Northern Yuan royal court, defeated the Yuan army, captured the Yuan emperor, and returned in triumph, he encountered the army of the Marquis of Yongchang hundreds of miles away."

"After learning of the victory, Marquis Yongchang led his army back, but it is unknown which pass he will pass through to return to the Ming Dynasty."

Wei Zhenfu, who was under Zhu Ying's command, immediately stepped forward and calmly reported.

The Wei Zhenfu was not under Zhu Ying's jurisdiction, but was an independent entity responsible for compiling statistics on military achievements and rewards and punishments.

He was directly under the command of the Ministry of War, and even more so under the command of the current emperor.

His words are naturally credible.

Moreover, he meticulously recorded every battle, every kill, and every result, without ever making a mistake.

"This is the result of the Champion Marquis's troops' deep penetration into the northern frontier."

"Please have the General read this."

As he spoke, Commander Wei took out a booklet from his bosom and respectfully handed it to Guo Ying with both hands, very solemnly.

Guo Ying immediately straightened her expression and solemnly accepted the register.

He slowly turned the pages, his expression gradually filled with surprise.

Clearly, the battle results recorded by Wei Zhenfu were remarkable, far exceeding expectations.

"The Marquis of Champion is truly worthy of being the number one general of our Great Ming Dynasty."

"Truly invincible in battle."

After only a cursory glance at the battle report, Guo Ying was overjoyed and excitedly praised Zhu Ying, her face full of admiration and respect.

Although these victories are nothing compared to Zhu Ying's feat of sealing the wolf's lair, the accumulation of so many achievements is the icing on the cake, making the results of this Northern Expedition even more dazzling and impressive, and making the glory of the Ming Dynasty even more splendid.

"So it seems that Marquis Yongchang's invasion of the northern frontier was in vain."

Zhu Quan, standing to the side, curled the corners of his mouth and spoke with a mocking tone, his voice tinged with schadenfreude.

These words naturally silenced Guo Ying, who was at a loss for words.

After all, Lan Yu had not achieved any merit, which was indeed quite disappointing compared to Zhu Ying's dazzling results.

……

(End of this chapter)