As the maternal uncle of the current crown prince, Xu Huizu has always been a prominent figure and the focus of countless people's attention.

Of course, besides being the Crown Prince's maternal uncle, Xu Huizu had another even more dazzling identity: the eldest son of Xu Da, the Prince of Zhongshan. This identity allowed him to smoothly inherit the title and become a banner of military merit in the Ming Dynasty.

After all, when it comes to the status of being related to the emperor through marriage, being the empress's brother and the crown prince's maternal uncle is undoubtedly dazzling. But let's not forget Chang Mao, another figurehead in the military, who is the emperor's maternal uncle and has always been very close to the crown prince.

Xu Huizu's brilliance naturally stemmed from his ability to lead troops into battle. While he may not have fully inherited Xu Da's mantle, he was certainly not a bad son; Xu Huizu's exceptionally steady approach to warfare was a defining characteristic.

At this moment, there are quite a few military generals from the Ming Dynasty in Kaijing, who are naturally preparing for the upcoming great battle.

Fu Youde, though old, remains vigorous and continues to grow. As a Grand General, he naturally wields considerable power, and this time he must exert his influence. Although His Majesty has not made many demands, some of His Majesty's instructions cannot be ignored.

His Majesty doesn't personally command the battles, and is willing to delegate authority regarding military operations. However, Fu Youde is also aware that His Majesty doesn't want this war to continue and must end it before winter; the Ming Dynasty cannot afford to be bogged down in Goryeo indefinitely.

Ji Gang, a centurion of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, was able to enter the main tent because of his special status. His Majesty, with foresight, had long ago arranged for many Embroidered Uniform Guard spies in places like Goryeo.

Ji Gang was also a figure. A few years ago, he and his fellow villagers joined the army and participated in the Northern Expedition in the first year of the Ying Shi era. He was a lowly soldier under Xu Huizu.

The unruly and cunning Ji Gang was not outstanding on the battlefield, but his deep-seated scheming led him to join the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Although Goryeo was a remote place, it was easy to achieve results, which is why he became a sixth-rank centurion.

He was ruthless to others and even more ruthless to himself. In Goryeo, whether it was coercion, bribery, or emotional appeals, Ji Gang still played a significant role. For example, during the siege of Gaegyeong last year, if it weren't for Ji Gang instigating some powerful Goryeo clans to rebel, the imperial army might not have been able to enter the city so easily.

The capture of the Goryeo capital was inevitable, but to accomplish it relatively easily was a great achievement.

If he returned to Yingtian Prefecture to seek merit, Ji Gang felt his position would definitely rise higher. If he could catch His Majesty's eye, perhaps Ji Gang could rise to prominence—this was an absolute opportunity!

Upon hearing the announcement from the soldiers outside the tent, Fu Youde also stood up. Although he was a Duke, a Grand General, and the commander-in-chief of this war, he dared not put on airs in front of Xu Huizu, nor was there any need for it.

Xu Huizu maintained a proper demeanor, bowed upon entering the tent, and said, "Xu Huizu, the commander, greets the General."

The soldiers who came with Xu Huizu also saluted. They dared not act arrogantly in front of Xu Huizu, nor in front of Fu Youde and others, as their statuses were somewhat different.

"Biao Xiaqiu Fu greets the General."

"Zhang Yu, the commander, greets the General."

......

Fu Youde smiled and affectionately put his arm around Xu Huizu's arm, saying, "Lord Zhongshan, you flatter me. It is thanks to His Majesty's great favor that I was able to resign. Lord Zhongshan is also aware of this. I was just saying that the imperial army is still under your command."

That was just a polite way of putting it; Fu Youde was the Grand Marshal, that much was clear. Even if Xu Huizu had a special status, he couldn't easily seize military power, otherwise it would be treason, and that would implicate the Empress and the Crown Prince.

Although Fu Youde couldn't sit in the head coach's seat, no one dared to take Xu Huizu's first seat to the left of the head coach's seat.

After gathering his generals, Fu Youde stood up, looked around at them, and said, "Fellow comrades, the false king of Goryeo, the Lee family, has been defeated and fled. You should all bravely take the lead and wipe out the traitors!"

Fu Youde was initially known for his bravery, but he gradually became a great general with a steady and reliable command of troops.

Whether it was the previous campaign against Yunnan or the Northern Expedition, Fu Youde's military tactics were relatively prudent. He was definitely a 'growing' general among the founding generals. Although he was not the most dazzling in the early stages, his achievements are now remarkable.

Just then, Fu Youde drew his sword and said, "Before winter, we must capture the Li family father and son and present them to the Imperial Ancestral Temple!"

This set the tone completely: the war must be ended before winter; this great battle could not be delayed any longer. The imperial army should also swiftly pacify Goguryeo; everyone knew this.

Fu Youde looked at the veteran general Geng Bingwen and said, "Marquis Changxing, although the Li family father and son have fled in defeat, Gaegyeong is a different story. We can only leave Marquis Changxing with 15,000 troops. Not only to guard Gaegyeong, but also to guard against the rebellion of the Goryeo rebels."

Geng Bingwen didn't mind; this veteran general, nearing seventy, was indeed skilled in defense. Although there were only a little over ten thousand men, they were not only responsible for guarding Gaegyeong, the former capital of Goryeo, but it was also one of the logistical bases for the Ming army.

Geng Bingwen not only needed to defend the city, but also had to send troops to suppress rebellions at any time.

Although the Ming army conquered many territories and sent out numerous officials and recruited many Goryeo yangban ministers, even though many Goryeo people were dissatisfied with the usurpation of the throne by the Yi family and their hearts were with the Wang family of Goryeo, many people were still dissatisfied with the Ming Dynasty.

The so-called "Yangban" actually refers to the civil and military classes, respectively, and refers to the nobles of Goryeo. Many of them were deeply influenced by Confucian culture, some admired Han culture, but quite a few were closer to the Mongols.

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