I was to be executed by Zhu Yuanzhang, and Empress Ma smashed Zhu Yuanzhang's jade seal.

He was determined to regain the face lost by the defection of the Tiger Guards from the Eagle Guards, tenfold!

He wanted to show Zhu Muying that not everyone was as stupid as Wu Liang!

He wanted to show the world that his imperial authority was still not to be challenged!

All eyes instantly shifted from the Tiger Guards in the east of the city to the Eagle Guards in the west.

The atmosphere was even more tense and frozen than before.

The defection of the Tiger Guards was a resounding slap in the face to Zhu Yuanzhang.

Therefore, the choice made by Yingyangwei will directly determine the final outcome of this high-stakes gamble.

Did the emperor save face and stabilize the situation?

Or will Zhu Muying secure another victory and completely seal the win?

In the western part of the city, within the ranks of the Eagle Guard.

As Geng Bingwen sat on his horse, listening to the emperor's stern questioning, his weathered face remained expressionless.

But his hand holding the reins was trembling slightly.

"General?"

The adjutant beside him asked in a dry voice, "His Majesty is asking you a question..."

Geng Bingwen did not answer.

His gaze passed over the layers of people and landed on the white-robed youth.

He thought of Luzhou again.

I was reminded of that despairing city shrouded in plague and death.

I remembered that boy, leading eighteen riders, like divine soldiers descending from the heavens, breaking through the encirclement of tens of thousands of enemy troops, and delivering life-saving medicine and food into the city.

He remembered that boy who, disregarding his own safety, personally climbed the city wall and, like the ordinary soldiers, supervised the battle day and night. He even got his arm cut by a stray arrow while trying to save a wounded soldier.

He also recalled that when the reinforcements finally arrived, and the soldiers throughout the city shouted "Long live the King!" and wanted to claim credit for His Highness the Prince, the young man simply waved his hand and said calmly, "I'm not here to steal credit; I'm just here to save my comrades."

Comrades-in-arms.

These four words warmed the hearts of all the soldiers in Luzhou at that time.

That includes him, Geng Bingwen.

He spent half his life on the battlefield, fighting for the Ming Dynasty on all sides. He had seen many generals, some who were good at fighting and some who were good at strategizing, but he was the first one like His Highness Prince Ying who truly treated his soldiers as human beings and as brothers.

This kindness is greater than the sky and deeper than the sea.

How can I forget?

I can't forget it!

Geng Bingwen slowly closed his eyes.

Loyalty to the emperor.

To repay a debt of gratitude.

Since ancient times, loyalty to the country and filial piety have been difficult to reconcile.

Today, he must make a choice between loyalty and gratitude.

When he opened his eyes again, all the struggle and hesitation in his cloudy eyes had disappeared, leaving only clarity and determination.

He did not go to see the emperor on the city wall.

Instead, facing the long street, towards the white-robed youth, he slowly, very slowly, lowered his proud head.

He didn't speak, but his gesture said it all.

Zhu Yuanzhang, who was on the city wall, was struck dumb by Geng Bingwen's action. His vision went black and he almost collapsed again.

he……

He also...

Zhu Muying looked towards the west of the city, watching Geng Bingwen's decision, her face still showing that calm expression.

He did not strike the saddle with the spear shaft as he had done with Wu Liang.

Because he knew that no signal was needed for a veteran like Geng Bingwen.

The tacit understanding between them had already been established amidst the blood and fire of Luzhou.

He simply raised his left hand slowly and made a simple downward chopping gesture towards the Eagle Guards.

"boom!"

As he made his gesture, in the western part of the city, 41,000 veteran soldiers of the Eagle Guard knelt on one knee at the same time!

Their movements were even faster and more coordinated than those of the Tiger Guards, carrying an unparalleled killing intent honed from mountains of corpses and seas of blood!

"Geng Bingwen, Vice Commander-in-Chief of the Eagle Guard!"

"And I, along with my forty-one thousand soldiers, pay my respects to His Highness the King!"

"I am willing to die for Your Highness!"

There were no superfluous vows, only the simplest, yet most weighty, six words.

—I am willing to die for Your Highness!

The sound coalesced into a killing intent even more fierce than that of the Tiger Guards just now, soaring straight into the sky!

Immediately afterwards, the banner of the Eagle Guard, embroidered with an eagle hunting a rabbit, also bowed its head deeply in the direction of Zhu Muying without hesitation!

On the western front, the flag was changed!

If the defection of the Tiger Guards made Zhu Yuanzhang feel humiliated and angry, then...

At this moment, the surrender of the Eagle Guards made him feel for the first time...

despair.

This was not an accident.

This is no coincidence.

This was a scheme meticulously planned and orchestrated by Zhu Muying!

He thought he was the chess player, but in reality, he had fallen into the opponent's chessboard from the very beginning!

"Ah—" Zhu Yuanzhang could no longer control himself and let out a wild roar, full of pain and resentment.

At that moment, his reason completely collapsed.

"Ah—" Zhu Yuanzhang's roar, mournful and desperate, echoed in the air above Chengtian Gate, making everyone on the city wall feel a chill run down their spines.

It’s over.

This was the only thought in the minds of all the civil officials.

The Tiger Guards have defected.

The Eagle Guard also defected.

Nearly 80,000 elite troops from the capital region, the sharpest blade in the emperor's hand, were all transformed into Zhu Muying's shield in the short span of an incense stick's time.

How can we fight like this?

What can we use to fight?

Hu Weiyong collapsed to the ground, too exhausted to even beg for mercy.

He now only hopes that when Zhu Muying settles her score later, she will give him a quick and painless end.

Li Shanchang leaned against the city wall, his wrinkled old face looking even worse than a dead man.

Looking at the calm and composed young man below the city gate, he felt an overwhelming sense of regret for the first time.

He regretted not seeing the boy's true colors back then.

He regretted choosing the seemingly safer Crown Prince over the King of England.

in case……

If he had chosen to serve the King of England back then, would he, Li Shanchang, be standing on the side of the victor in this power struggle today?

Unfortunately, there are no "what ifs" in this world.

After his roar, Zhu Yuanzhang was completely drained of strength. He leaned against the battlements, breathing heavily, his eyes bloodshot as he stared intently at the city below.

His brain is no longer capable of thinking.

Only his instinctive, imperial dignity, which could not be challenged, sustained him.

He can't lose!

He absolutely cannot lose!

He still has soldiers!

He also has the Heilongjiang Navy!

And there are more than 300,000 troops in the northern border region!

"Liao Yongzhong!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice had become hoarse and strained, like two pieces of scrap iron rubbing against each other.

He placed his last hope on the fleet of ships that blotted out the sky on the Yangtze River south of the city.

"Liao Yongzhong! You and I are brothers who grew up together, sharing food from the same bowl!"

"Half of our empire was won with you on the water!"

Liao Yongzhong suddenly raised his head.

"My sister-in-law has also accompanied His Majesty through thick and thin!"

"General Xu barely escaped death!"

"Your Majesty! How you have treated them! I have witnessed it all!"

at this time!

Everyone wanted to know the final outcome of the Battle of Nanjing!