In fact, Xu Yingxu did serve as excellent bait, his vanguard holding back the enemy's main force. His men were almost all killed in battle. Xu Yingxu, who was hit by nine arrows, was not only lucky, but also because his armor was excellent. While the arrows did not hit vital organs, they were mostly superficial wounds.

As for his physical disability, he mainly lost two fingers, which will definitely affect his ability to hold knives and swords in the future.

Zhu Yunying stood up at this moment and immediately said, "My second brother is injured and unable to go on the expedition. He should be sent back to Beiping Prefecture to recuperate immediately! The court will provide compensation for the elite soldiers who died in battle!"

There is indeed something that needs to be done, and it is indeed something the imperial court should do. The Ming Dynasty needs to provide some protection for those soldiers who shed blood and sacrificed their lives; they cannot be allowed to shed blood and tears at the same time.

A great victory is indeed a morale-boosting event. Even though there have been various rebellions, large and small, within the territory since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, and occasional attacks on the Tartars were still ongoing, winning battles was a normal occurrence for the Ming Dynasty. Everyone seemed to have taken it for granted; the Ming Dynasty was indeed invincible.

No one dislikes a victory, and the Ming Dynasty needed to continue winning such victories. Moreover, taking the heads of three thousand enemies was no small feat. Don't be fooled by the occasional talk of a million-strong army; often, a force of several thousand men was considered a large army.

Furthermore, as for the spoils of war, sometimes killing dozens or even hundreds of enemies is enough to report as a victory. Killing three thousand enemies is an absolute great victory, enough for the court to hold a grand celebration at this time.

There's no need to worry about the Duke of Yansheng's affairs for now; what's important is to celebrate this great victory!

Zhu Yunying was in high spirits, knowing this was just an appetizer. The battle was far from over; the three armies still needed to advance. These current victories were not enough for the imperial army to return home.

At this moment, it wasn't just Emperor Zhu Yunying who felt happy; the entire court was also overjoyed. It was perfectly normal for the nation to feel happy after winning a battle.

For Wu Xun, Xu Huizu's remarkable achievements in leading his army this time demonstrate that a new generation of Ming generals has emerged. The son of Xu Da, the Prince of Zhongshan, is a tiger cub from a military family—this is truly gratifying.

Moreover, Xu Huizu was not only a rising star among the military families of the Ming Dynasty, but also the elder brother of the Empress and the maternal uncle of the Crown Prince. Xu Huizu's rise to power was not due to concerns about interference from the empress's family, but rather because it was clear that the Ming Dynasty's policy of primogeniture and succession was unwavering—an incredibly strong national policy.

While the civil service might worry that the already powerful military faction would become even more powerful, they also understood that their northern neighbors were not to be underestimated. If these neighbors weren't continuously weakened and suppressed, they would remain a persistent threat—a threat that had persisted for over a thousand years.

Leaving aside the Mongol Yuan and Song dynasties, the Tang dynasty, the Northern and Southern dynasties, and even the powerful Han and Qin dynasties during the Wei and Jin periods, which one was not threatened by its northern neighbors? The Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn period, the Seven Warring States, and even the Shang and Zhou dynasties all had the presence of those northern neighbors.

Everyone is well aware that although the Tartars may seem like a minor threat now, once their internal strife ends, they will undoubtedly become a terrifying force. The Ming Dynasty can currently crush them with overwhelming force, but this is only temporary. If they could decisively cripple and weaken them in one fell swoop, that would be the best outcome.

While it may not be a permanent solution, it at least allows for temporary peace and stability, enabling the Ming Dynasty to continue its development for a long period to come, which is of paramount importance. The civil and military officials of the Ming Dynasty were all pleased to see this.

Zhu Yunying was in a good mood. He felt he needed to discuss this matter with his grandfather, the Emperor. Such good news naturally needed to be shared with the good old Zhu.

Moreover, Zhu Yunying was well aware that he might have made a small contribution to this great battle. However, the fact was that the entire event was orchestrated by Zhu Yunying himself. Even if Zhu Yunying could shamelessly accept such credit in front of the court officials, it wouldn't be appropriate for him to do so in front of Zhu Yunying.

Zhu Yunying knew perfectly well whose credit it was!