Chapter 639: The Fiercest Wins in Close Combat

Had he not been forced into a corner with no other choice, Arutai would never have thought of such a risky gamble.
After suffering a crushing defeat under Tuohuan’s mighty army in April, not only was there no hope of reclaiming Helin, but even surviving in his own territory became difficult. He was forced to flee eastward with his tribe, ending up in the territory of the Wulangha people. If it weren’t for Tuohuan being forced to return due to conflicts with the other two tribes, he might not have even found a place to settle. If he couldn’t survive this winter or take advantage of Tuohuan’s focus on stabilizing his own realm to make a move, not only would he face defeat, but his family as well would be scattered, and Arutai’s name among the Asut tribe would forever become a thing of the past.
At this moment, he had little more than ten thousand troops under his command. Even such a far smaller force compared to when he was at the height of his power was all he could muster. He calculated that Zhu Di would surely pursue him personally upon hearing of the unrest in Dading, but he didn’t expect it to happen so quickly, missing the perfect opportunity to encircle the Wulangha people from both sides. Yet, having already fled once, if he fled again, all the tribes that submitted under his title as Grand Tutor might never reunite!
Despite riding nonstop all night and just engaging in a fierce battle, the Ming army was full of fighting spirit ahead of another impending clash. This was not only because of the sudden reward orders spread throughout the army but also because Emperor Zhu Di himself was among them. The soldiers in the Three Thousand Camps were initially composed of elite cavalry from the Doyan Three Guards, but over the years they were gradually replaced by elite troops selected from various military units, while the Imperial Horse Guard consisted mostly of young men who had escaped captivity. Everyone was a battle-hardened soldier who had fought in at least two northern expeditions, including some who had participated in the Battle of Baigou River during the Jingnan Campaign.
Zhu Di rode swiftly, gripping his sword tightly in one hand. Having just killed two men himself, his right hand, holding the sword, could hardly be raised anymore. It was then that he clearly realized he had grown old. Yet, this realization couldn’t suppress the fervent passion in his heart. He remembered what he had said to Marquis of Ningyang, Chen Mao, before launching the attack:
“I’ve heard you have a stunning beauty in your family. After this battle is won and we return, I will make your daughter my concubine!”
He could still fight and take concubines—he was still Zhu Di, the invincible Emperor of the Great Ming!
In close combat, the fiercest wins!

The Ming army’s morale was high as the emperor personally led the troops into battle, while the Tatar forces were equally fierce due to Arutai’s pre-battle oath. When the two armies collided head-on, chaos ensued—both sides were thrown into disarray, with the intensity far exceeding that of their first encounter. Faced with the advancing enemy, everyone could only react instinctively: stabbing, slashing, cutting, sweeping… Countless people’s eyes turned blood-red as their killing moves became faster and more precise.

Zhang Yue instinctively followed closely behind the emperor. At first, he could still consider whether Songting Pass would send reinforcements or if Zhang Fu, still in Dading, might seize the chance to arrive. But as pressure mounted, he no longer cared about such things. If not for Niu Gan and Zhang Bu’s valiant rescue, he would likely have suffered more wounds. He knew his limits well—he could hold his ground in ground combat for a while, but horseback battles were far beyond his capacity.

Had the emperor anticipated such a battle and that’s why he left Yang Rong and Jin Youzi behind?

“Sir… Sir Zhang!”

Amid the chaos, he heard a voice and looked up to see Haishou, in a disheveled state, riding over. He quickly ordered Niu Gan to assist him. Haishou was covered in blood, though it was unclear whether it was his own or the enemy’s. After just a brief delay, he noticed a group of guards and Liu Pu leading the emperor far away, so he spurred his horse to chase after them. But navigating the chaotic battlefield was no easy task. In no time, he found fighting everywhere—how could he possibly locate the emperor? Glancing at Haishou’s pale face, he instinctively raised his hand and swung, seemingly by divine intervention, knocking away an arrow.

Suddenly, screams came from straight ahead. Soon after, several Mongols broke through the fighting and charged viciously toward them. Even in such a moment, Zhang Yue habitually took in their appearance. The leader wore leather armor, seemingly no different from ordinary soldiers, with a large bow hanging beside his horse and a sword in his right hand. The men behind him were dressed similarly. Before Zhang Bu and the others could intervene, two burly Ming soldiers wielding halberds rushed out from behind them, shouting as they swung at the two last men.

Taking advantage of the others being occupied, Zhang Yue paid no attention to anything else and charged off in a chosen direction. Although Zhang Bu led the way with his spear, breaking through the enemy lines with unstoppable force, the arrows coming from all sides were still overwhelming. By the time they finally managed to break through, Zhang Yue was covered in blood, his Hai Shou battle robes no longer showing their original color, and Zhang Bu, who was leading the way, had his face covered in blood—none of them were in much better condition. As they fought off the scattered enemies while searching for others, the sharp-eyed Niu Gan suddenly noticed movement in the sky and shouted, “There’s a large army approaching over there!” Zhang Yue quickly looked in that direction. Though he had excellent eyesight, with the battlefield filled with flying swords and knives right beside him, and the banners being too far away, he couldn’t see clearly. In his anxiety, Zhang Bu reminded him that it was in the northeast, and then Zhang Yue had an idea and shouted, “The Duke of Ying is leading the troops!” “The Duke of Ying is coming to rescue us! Long live the Emperor!” Although Hai Shou was seriously injured, he was unusually quick-witted at this moment and instinctively joined in the shouting. Having served as an official at the Fengtian Gate during his early days in the palace, coupled with his status as a eunuch, his voice was naturally high-pitched and loud. With Niu Gan, Zhang Bu, and the others shouting in unison, the Ming soldiers in the battle formation became extremely motivated, and many others joined in the shouting as well. For a moment, the loud cries drowned out the sounds of fighting and horse hooves. Soon, a group from the approaching army rushed forward, with a banner bearing the character “Zhang” clearly visible. When they were only about a hundred steps away from the fierce battle, the leader drew his bow and shot repeatedly; with each shot, someone fell from their horse. By the time he put down his bow and drew his sword to charge into the battle, all his arrows had been used up. Though there were only a hundred or so men behind him, this group pierced through the enemy lines like a wedge, causing chaos wherever they went. Once he saw the character “Zhang,” Zhang Yue knew he had made the right bet. When the group approached, he immediately recognized the leader, and without hesitation, he followed behind them as they charged into the battle formation, along with Zhang Bu and the others. Although heavily injured, Hai Shou knew he had to find the emperor at this moment, so he gritted his teeth and followed along.

Although these over a hundred cavalrymen were few in number, they were an unstoppable force. By charging in all directions, they managed to tear several large gaps in the enemy formation. If it had been just them, it might not have mattered, but many Mongols saw large groups of cavalry advancing in formation from the rear, which greatly dampened their fighting spirit.

Arutai, clad in leather armor and carrying a large bow, was searching everywhere for Zhu Di. Upon hearing the continuous shouts, he knew something was wrong. Seeing the unfavorable battle situation, his heart sank instantly.

He had already sent decoy troops to harass forces at Songting Pass, Malanyu Pass, Gubeikou, and other places, which should be able to buy some time. In Dading City, which was not yet fully secured, the Wulangha troops were holding things back, so they might not yet know that the Ming emperor had arrived. Besides, Zhang Fu was cautious—how would he recklessly abandon the city and launch an attack? Yet, they had clearly arrived by now!

Abuzihan rushed over with a small group of troops, his face covered in a mix of blood and sweat, making it hard to tell his true appearance. Frustrated, he wiped his face and shouted, “Father, we can’t keep fighting! The Ming army is very tough. Once reinforcements arrive, we won’t even be able to hold onto what little we have left!”

“Wait a little longer. Maybe we can even kill the Ming emperor right here!”

“Grand Tutor, we can’t wait any longer!” Selben, who had been following Arutai closely, stepped forward and grabbed Arutai’s reins. “Adai Taiji has fled, along with his Darhan followers. Once the Khorkhin people leave, we’ll be left alone! Grand Tutor, after all this chaos, we still haven’t found that emperor—that must be the will of the Eternal Heaven! Besides, maybe the Ming emperor is already dead; we just don’t know it yet!”

“The will of the Eternal Heaven…”

Muttering those words, Arutai, who had aged greatly since the death of his eldest son, could only clench his fists. He had accurate information, but he hadn’t seized the best opportunity. If only he had arrived earlier, if only the Wulangha people had been more determined, if only Zhu Di hadn’t disguised himself among the troops and been unrecognizable… But there are no “ifs” in this world! Of course, it was also very possible that the emperor was already dead, as Selben said.

“Alright, withdraw! Retreat north to prevent that little bastard from the Choros tribe from taking advantage!”

The desolate horn sounded the call to retreat. Seeing the approaching reinforcements, the enemies, unwilling to fight, withdrew swiftly. At that moment, the leader of the reinforcement vanguard, who had just fought fiercely in the battle, led his troops forward and then turned his horse to face Zhang Yue, letting out a long sigh.
“Young Master… Lord Zhang, if you’re here, could it be that the Emperor himself has led his troops to attack?”
Faced with Peng Shisan, a person he knew all too well, Zhang Yue tried to smile, but found his face stiff. After swallowing hard, he said, “That’s right. Upon learning that an enemy force had invaded Danning, the Emperor selected five thousand elite soldiers and rushed there overnight. They first fought a fierce battle against the Wulangha people and then clashed with Arutai. However, in the chaos, I got separated from the Emperor.”
Even though Peng Shisan was fearless, his expression changed instantly. “The Duke of Yingguo thought the enemy was feigning an attack on Danning and feared the Emperor might intervene personally. So he led his troops to repel the enemy while ordering Commander Zhou to head with him to Kuanghe in Huizhou to gather information. The priority now is to find the Emperor. I’ll lead more men to search the battlefield right away…”
Exhausted, Zhang Yue was about to nod when he suddenly saw figures on a small hill not far away. Seeing the figure clad in a bright yellow robe standing atop his horse, surrounded by attendants, holding a saber high, he unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief. Then he said to Peng Shisan, who happened to look his way, “It seems unnecessary. The Emperor is right there!”
“Long live the Emperor! Long live, long live, long live!”
At that moment, someone started shouting, and cheers erupted everywhere. In an instant, more people joined in, wiping the cold sweat from their foreheads.
Although Zhang Yue felt completely relaxed now, he still called upon Peng Shisan and the others to rally and hurry over. Racing up the hill, he saw that although Zhu Di’s bright yellow robe was vivid, his armor was in disarray, making it impossible to tell if he was injured. Only half of his guards remained, all looking battered. Even nobles like Liu Pu were unharmed, but their faces showed no trace of their usual expressions. Liu Sheng and Chen Mao, who arrived almost at the same time, were also covered in blood, with Chen Mao’s saber even smeared with blood.

In the fierce battle just now, although Zhu Di wasn’t seriously injured, he was utterly exhausted. Now that he saw the reinforcements had arrived and someone approaching to pay respects, he stared intently for a while before recognizing the person at the head. His throat was extremely dry, so he simply waved his hand casually and signaled Peng Shisan to come forward.
“How is the situation in Danning?”
“Your Majesty, the Duke of Yingguo is personally in charge of Danning to ensure nothing goes wrong.” Though Peng Shisan had arrived in time, he hadn’t expected the emperor to actually lead an army himself. Realizing he needed to explain the true situation of these reinforcements to the emperor, he spoke carefully, “The Duke of Yingguo learned from Fuyu Guard that many leaders among the Three Guards were colluding with Arutai, fearing trouble might arise. Since most of the troops in Danning are infantry and garrison soldiers with limited combat strength, the Duke of Yingguo assigned all his cavalry to Commander Zhou. He also sent many garrison soldiers on horseback to boost morale and ordered me to lead the vanguard.”
The elite cavalry from the Three Guards of Danning had long been incorporated into the Three Thousand Troop Units of the capital and the Imperial Horse Guard. Thus, Zhu Di naturally knew exactly how combat-effective Danning’s cavalry was, and he understood why Peng Shisan led only a hundred men in the assault while the rest moved at a slower pace. Seeing another general arrive with troops and dismount to pay respects, he intended to muster his strength to encourage them, but suddenly his head grew dizzy, and he almost involuntarily let go of the reins.
At that moment, he clenched the reins tightly again, but the sense of weakness continued to spread throughout his body.