Di Ming

Chapter 390 Your sister's fate is uncertain, yet you say the bear paw is cooked?
What a powerful and influential vassal king!

Zhu Yin's face was ashen, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

Zhu Yihang, if I don't kill you and destroy the Qin Prince's Mansion, I'll... I'll never be surnamed Zhu again!
Heaven above, I swear to kill you!
Zhu Yin never expected that Prince Qin, Zhu Yi, would actually target Caiwei in order to seize her business in the Northwest. He would use the most despicable means against her, not only to take her money but also to taint her reputation as leverage, using this secret to blackmail her into serving the Prince Qin's mansion.

Zhu Yin was so angry that his hands and feet turned ice cold after just one glance at the secret letter!
He knew that many of the vassal kings were utterly despicable, unreasonable scoundrels, each more adept than the last at committing evil deeds. Yet, he still underestimated the madness of some of the vassal kings. The Prince of Qin knew perfectly well that Caiwei was his wife, yet he still acted recklessly and without any scruples.

Zhu Yin tried to calm himself down and continue reading, but this time his anger was replaced by worry.

In her letter, Caiwei said that she wanted to take advantage of the death of a beautiful woman from the Hui tribe named Mulan, the Qin Prince's Mansion's increased taxes and exploitation of the Hui tribe, and the ambitions of the Hui tribe nobles to plan an attack on the Qin Prince's Mansion by the Hui tribe and use the chaos to kill Prince Zhu Yichang.

Besides using someone else to do her dirty work, she also planned to use a clever trick to seize the gold and silver from the Prince of Qin's mansion amidst the chaos.

She wanted both the King of Qin's life and his money.

This is her revenge against the Qin Prince's Mansion!
The letter was written in encryption, making it incomprehensible to others, but Zhu Yin understood it perfectly. Caiwei detailed her plan in the letter, making it comprehensive and flawless.

If nothing unexpected happens, then Caiwei is out of danger, the King of Qin is dead, and the money from the King of Qin's mansion is in her hands.

But what if something unexpected happens? How dangerous would that be for Caiwei? Although Caiwei's plan was very detailed and meticulous, it was too big, taking into account all the forces of the Xi'an authorities, the Huibu, the Qin Prince's Mansion, the Guanzhong garrison, and the Qin merchants.

If we fail, the consequences will be unimaginable.

Caiwei is a very bold and vengeful woman. When she was in charge of the Ning Group, she took action against the richest man in India who was plotting against Qingchen, and she also brought down the head of an African country who was trying to swallow up Ning Group's overseas interests.

She's a ruthless businesswoman. In recent years, she's offended many big names in major merchant groups such as Anhui, Zhejiang, Guangdong, Shaanxi, and Shanxi.

But offending these people is nothing; with his power in officialdom, he can completely protect her.

But the King of Qin is different. He is not an ordinary vassal king; he is the only vassal king who still has the responsibility of guarding the borders. Not only does he hold the most extraordinary position among the vassal kings, but he also still wields considerable military power.

The other princes were no longer in command of the army. Only the Prince of Qin remained, guarding Guanzhong and still commanding the twelve guards of Shaanxi!

If Caiwei's plan goes wrong and fails, I won't be able to protect her at all!
Caiwei also made the worst-case scenario plan, saying that if she failed, he should take Qingchen and Zhu family confidants and flee overseas immediately, and not worry about her.

The letter also instructed her to take good care of Qingchen, implying that she should treat Qingchen as she had treated her. In addition, she gave detailed instructions on the trading company's accounts, business projects, key personnel, and commercial channels.

But Caiwei reassured him, saying she should be fine. The worst-case scenario was highly unlikely.

You can't blame her for taking the risk; in that situation, she simply didn't have a better option.

Zhu Yin's heart pounded wildly, an uncontrollable anxiety washing over him. Caiwei's kind and familiar smiling face appeared before his eyes, yet it seemed as distant as mountains and rivers, impossible to grasp.

A thought he dared not contemplate haunted his mind like a ghost: What if, just what if Caiwei's plan failed? Was she no longer alive? This was a letter from a month ago. A month had passed since the incident. How was she now?

Caiwei's plan would definitely not last more than five days. This letter was written before she started planning, so within five days of writing the letter, the matter should have been settled, regardless of its success or failure.

After the matter is settled, Caiwei will definitely write again immediately to let you know she is safe and sound, so that you and Qingchen can rest assured. Therefore, this second letter to let you know she is safe should arrive within five days.

But if something happens to Caiwei, it will be difficult to have the opportunity to write a letter. There will be no second letter within five days, and even if there is a letter, it will not be written by her.

Will she send a message to let me know she's safe within five days?

Zhu Yin felt uneasy and his legs went weak. Somewhat bewildered, he picked up the now-cold tea and drank it all in one gulp.

He took a deep breath, suppressing his unease, and immediately prepared to reply to Caiwei.

"Little Tiger!" A cute, childlike voice interrupted Zhu Yin's thoughts.

Ning Qingchen has arrived. In all of Goryeo, only this Physician Ning calls him "Little Tiger."

"You're looking for me? Do you know that my new drug has made a breakthrough?" Ning Qingchen's black gem-like eyes curved into a smile, her dimples appearing slightly. Her smile was both mischievous and healing. She sniffled and said, "Or is it that the bear paw soup is ready and you've come to find me to eat it?"

"Neither." Zhu Yin's expression was clear and solemn. "Your sister wrote a letter. Here."

After saying that, he handed another letter to Ning Qingchen.

Ning Qingchen sensed Zhu Yin's seriousness, her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly opened the letter. Soon, her face turned deathly pale, and her delicate little body trembled uncontrollably.

"Qingchen, she'll definitely be alright." Zhu Yin held Ning Qingchen's tender shoulders. "She hasn't suffered any losses over the years."

“Little Tiger…” Ning Qingchen pouted, grabbing Zhu Yin’s hand with her small hand, “Why does this look like a suicide note? Has something happened to her?”

Ning Qingchen felt a blank emptiness in her heart, her legs felt weak as if she were walking on cotton, and the joy she had felt from the important breakthrough in the field medical camp vanished instantly.

When her older sister was around, she often found her sister annoying, as she had always managed and even "controlled" her since she was a child.

But upon seeing this letter, she felt an indescribable sense of dread.

She couldn't imagine anything happening to her sister; she dared not think about it!

In her letter, the older sister not only talked about her plans, but also said that if she died, she would run away overseas with the little tiger, and that she would listen to the little tiger so that the two of them could depend on each other and never be separated.

That way she'll feel at ease.

She also explained the business matters of Ningyin Trading Company.

How dangerous was her situation to write a letter that was almost a suicide note?
Ning Qingchen's nose tingled, and she could no longer hold back her tears. "Little Tiger, my sister..."

Zhu Yin forced a smile and said, "Don't you know how capable your sister is? She's a rare and outstanding woman, both capable and blessed. How could that stupid and wicked old scoundrel, the King of Qin, be a match for her? She'll definitely be fine and will even make a fortune."

The young man bent down, his star-like eyes looking at the little girl with confidence, his voice warm and calm, reassuringly gentle, "Qingchen, believe me, she's perfectly fine. I told you."

"Believe it or not, if she loses even a single hair, I'll eat two Fujianese."

"Really?" Ning Qingchen raised her rosy, soft, and adorable little face, but her tears flowed even more. "Little tiger, do you think I'm stupid? You may have forgotten that I'm not a real child."

"My sister must be in great danger. This letter is from a month ago, and nobody knows how she is now."

At this point, she couldn't help but hug Zhu Yin, "Little Tiger, I know you're worried too, but don't try to comfort me. Eating more Fujianese won't help, boohoo..."

She started crying, and then it all came down in a torrent.

"Sigh...she's alright, don't cry." Zhu Yin reached out to wipe away her tears and snot, and smiled, "Back when you were cultivating in the North Sea, what didn't you see? The world turns, the sea changes, and the past is forgotten..."

Upon hearing this, Ning Qingchen suddenly stopped crying and said earnestly, "Indeed, I am also a cultivator. The mortal world, with its myriad lives and bustling activity, is but a lifetime of experience, a fleeting moment. The stories of old friends are like dreams, like lightning..."

At this point, he suddenly sniffed, "It smells so good, the bear paw must be cooked."

Zhu Yin: "..."

The boy looked at the little girl with some resentment, feeling quite troubled.

Ning Qingchen, are you even worried about your sister? Your own sister's fate is unknown, and you're saying the bear paw is cooked?
...

Over the next few days, Zhu Yin and Ning Qingchen were so restless that they could hardly eat or sleep, and every day felt like an eternity. They wished they could grow wings and fly to Guanzhong immediately.

But I also know that a month has passed, and the matter has long been settled. Even if I could fly to Guanzhong immediately, it would be of no use.

The two could only wait patiently for Ning Qingchen's second letter.

Zhu Yin's mind was no longer on military affairs; he handed everything over to his adoptive father, Qi Jiguang, and didn't care about anything else.

Ning Qingchen was too lazy to bother the Japanese prisoners of war at the military medical camp anymore.

In just a few days, Zhu Yin lost a lot of weight. His clothes became looser, and his face became thinner, making him look somewhat like a "slender and frail young man".

Finally, on the fourth day, Kangxi sent another letter from Guanzhong!
Zhu Yin opened it and suddenly couldn't help but pick up Ning Qingchen, spin her around, and burst into laughter.

"Hahaha! Good job! Well done! Caiwei, you're really something!"

"I knew it! Caiwei is completely unharmed, not only without a scratch, but she also accomplished something amazing!" Zhu Yin felt a great sense of relief, as if he had never felt so relaxed before, and he couldn't help but say, "With a wife like this, what more could a husband ask for?"

"Oh my! Little tiger!" Ning Qingchen giggled, her whole body radiating joy and happiness. "Quick, put me down! I want to read the letter!"

Zhu Yin's loud laughter made her feel like the whole world had brightened up.

After reading Ning Caiwei's letter, her heart, which had been pounding for days, finally settled down. Not only was her sister safe and sound, but she had also accomplished a multi-pronged plan, not only eliminating the damned Prince Qin but also seizing the Prince Qin's treasury worth tens of millions of taels of silver!

This utterly inhuman winner in life has made an astonishingly large sum of money.

Little Black's eyes were very perceptive; seeing its owner's worried expression these past few days, it had kept its distance. Now, seeing the two happy, it immediately wagged its tail and circled around them.

Zhu Yin waved the letter in front of the little black dog and said with a grin, "Brother, your sister-in-law wrote. She's doing well and has even made a fortune."

Upon hearing Zhu Yin's words, Ning Qingchen couldn't help but clutch her stomach, laughing so hard she almost fell over. The entire tent was filled with the little girl's joyful laughter.

But in her joy, her face suddenly fell.

"Hmph, she's so bold, making us worry for days for nothing. Little Tiger, you said she's capable and blessed, a rare heroine. What about me?"

Zhu Yin pinched her nose and said with a smile, "You are a Taoist immortal from the North Sea, why compare yourself to her?"

Ning Qingchen said, "Little Tiger, you're right. I'm going to the medical camp. I'll dissect a few specimens today to celebrate."

Zhu Yin also said, "I need to convene a military council. The rain has stopped; it's time to begin."

...

The spring rains have stopped, but the water levels of the Cheongcheon River and the Sukcheon River are now less than ten feet below the top of the river embankment in the Japanese army camp.

Standing on the riverbank, one can see two great rivers merging into one, rushing mightily southwestward, creating a truly vast and boundless vista.

"What a mighty torrent! What wonderful water!" On the high riverbank, Japanese generals and commanders, dressed in magnificent armor, held their katana with delight.

"With this much water, it should be enough."

"Your Excellency!" Kuroda Nagamasa pointed to the floodwaters, "As soon as the riverbank beneath our feet is breached, the Ming army will be routed. If they see through this, even if they are not flooded, they will be ambushed in Myohyang Mountain."

Ukita Hideie said, "With such a large flood, people like Zhu Yin and Qi Jiguang will definitely think that our army might destroy the dam. In that case, the land will be submerged, and they will go to Myohyangsan no matter what. Our army will go to Myohyangsan tonight to ambush and wait for the Ming army!"

"Gentlemen, please proceed with your preparations according to the plan. Our army's supplies will only last a few more days; victory or defeat hinges on this!"

"Hai!"

On the third day of the fourth lunar month, at the hour of Hai (9-11 PM).

Under the cover of night, nearly 80,000 Japanese soldiers slithered through the valley like a swarm of maggots in the shadows, corroding the body of the mountain.

The deep valley in the heart of Mount Myohyang, soaked by ten days of continuous spring rain, has been transformed into a giant mud pot. The valley is filled with damp, cold white steam, and decaying leaves and silt churn under the trampling of countless feet, emitting a suffocating, fishy stench.

The samurai and foot soldiers suppressed their voices and, under the dim light, climbed up the surrounding foothills from the ancient plains, positioning themselves in the dense forest, preparing to launch a high-altitude attack on the Ming army.

The gentle slopes on both sides of the valley, stretching for miles, were teeming with Japanese troops. Arquebusiers, cannons, spears, and bows were all positioned, forming an optimal three-dimensional attack formation.
A mountain formation is a military formation arranged among rugged, undulating hills and slopes. Compared to formations on flat ground, this type of formation is more flexible and three-dimensional. Japan, with its narrow plains and numerous mountains, is particularly adept at this type of formation.

This was something the Ming army couldn't match. Ukita Hideie and others firmly believed that once the Ming army entered the ambush zone, they would be at an absolute geographical disadvantage, and even if they weren't completely annihilated, they would suffer heavy losses.

Apart from the thousands of samurai who remained at the main camp to prepare to destroy the dam, the remaining nearly 80,000 Japanese troops were all led into the valley by Ukita Hideie to prepare for an ambush.

The Japanese army kept all of its 10,000-plus warhorses in the main camp and did not bring them into the valley. The neighing of the warhorses in the camp would mislead the Ming scouts into thinking that the Japanese army was still in the main camp, thus allowing them to carry out the empty city stratagem.

By midnight, the Japanese troops had all taken their positions in ambush. The entire Miaoxiang Valley suddenly resembled the mouth of a snake with fangs, waiting for its prey to come to it.

Beneath an ancient pine tree on the eastern slope of the valley, a simple thatched hut was temporarily erected, which became the central command tent of the Ukita Hideki family.

Before long, scouts from outside sneaked into the valley and reported to Ukita Hideie and the others: "Our lord is truly a brilliant strategist. The Ming army has indeed left the camp, clearly worried about your plan to flood the area. They are heading towards Myohyangsan."

"Yoshi! Yoshi!" Ukita Kichiya breathed a sigh of relief. "Just as I expected! With the floodwaters rising to this level, the Ming army is indeed afraid of being flooded by our breaching of the dam. They dare not gamble and will definitely come to Myohyangsan!"

"Perhaps they wanted to use a counter-strategy and ambush our army in the mountains ahead of time, but they didn't know that our army had already arrived first."

Kuroda Nagamasa and his wife celebrated with their hands clasped, repeatedly saying "Yoshi!"

Ukita Hideie said, "Continue to gather intelligence! Remember, even though it's late at night, we must not disturb the Ming army."

"Hai!"

Before long, the scouts returned with another report: "When the Ming army bypassed our camp, they marched stealthily, like deer lying down and cranes moving about, unaware that our camp was already empty."

"Yoshi!" Ukita Hideie was even more relieved. "It seems our empty city ploy worked. Back then, Zhuge Liang cleverly repelled Sima Yi, and tonight we'll launch a night raid on the Ming invaders! Let's investigate further!"

"Hai!"

However, before Ukita Hideie and the others could even enjoy their moment of joy, they suddenly heard shouts of battle and the roar of Ming army cannons coming from outside.

"kill!"

"Boom boom boom——"

What's going on? Ukita Hideie and the others immediately sensed something was wrong, and an ominous feeling rose in their hearts.

"Oh no!" Kuroda Nagamasa suddenly stood up. "Could it be that the Ming invaders are attacking our camp?!"

"Is that really true? No way?" Hideie Ukita's eyelids twitched violently.

Just then, the scout's shrill voice rang out: "My lord! The Ming bandits haven't entered the mountains! The Ming bandits haven't entered the mountains! They've reached the mountain pass, but instead of coming in, they've turned around and launched a fierce attack on the ancient city camp! Our camp has been breached!"

"What?!" Ukita Hideie exclaimed in shock. "The Ming army knows our empty city ruse? They know we're hiding in the valley? Quick! Order the army to leave the valley! Withdraw from the valley immediately!"

Kuroda Nagamasa and the others were filled with shock and anger. They had thought of many things, but they had not expected that the Ming army would actually attack their undefended camp.

What does this show? It shows that the Ming army had thought of everything they could think of, but not everything the Ming army could think of.

However, it was too late to evacuate from the valley at this point.

A scout, with an arrow stuck in his back, struggled to rush into the valley, shouting, "My lord! The Ming army has taken advantage of the situation and attacked our camp, and they've even blocked the mountain pass!"

What?! Sinai?!
Ukita Hideie and the others were horrified, as if they had fallen into an ice cellar.

They only carried enough provisions for a few days. If they were trapped in the valley by the Ming army and couldn't break out, the entire army would starve to death in the valley!

Mount Myohyang is towering into the clouds, with cliffs and precipices everywhere. It is the fourth highest mountain in Goryeo, stretching for three hundred miles. Even if one were to abandon all weapons and armor to climb and cross it, it would be extremely difficult, and it would be impossible for a large army to do so.

The only way out is through the mountain pass.

However, the mountain pass was blocked by the Ming army. The main camp was not far from the mountain pass. By occupying the main camp, the Ming army could not only control the riverbank, but also use the fortified camp to blockade the mountain pass.

It turns out that the Ming army was luring them into a trap, intending to seize their territory!

"Zhu Yin! Qi Jiguang!" Ukita Hideie roared, "You are truly despicable and shameless! You only know how to plot and scheme, you are not worthy of being samurai!"

"Baka!" Tachibana Muneshige gritted his teeth. "Your Excellency, before the Yamaguchi Pass is completely blocked by the Bearded Barbarians, quickly lead your troops out to attack! Otherwise, you'll be trapped here to die!"

Kuroda Nagamasa sighed in anguish, "After all the calculations, the bearded devils still managed to outsmart us! What a regrettable and utterly frustrating defeat!"

P.S.: The Battle of Anju ends tomorrow. Once the Battle of Anju is over, the war against Goryeo will essentially be over. Thank you! Please vote for me to climb the charts, and please write reviews and fanfiction to help me level up in the fandom! Goodnight!

(End of this chapter)