Chapter 149 Then I can change my surname now, to...
After Ji Yun was imprisoned, his family pleaded for his release everywhere. He was imprisoned for more than a month before finally being released.
He was so thin he was just skin and bones. The Ji family was heartbroken and shed tears, but they dared not tell anyone.
This involves His Highness the Crown Prince; if we speak carelessly, the entire Ji family will likely be in trouble.
There was only one boy in the family, so he was spoiled a bit and developed a spoiled personality. He never expected to run into Ming Er, a tough nut to crack.
They naturally couldn't believe that Ji Yun had attempted to assassinate the Crown Prince.
Anyone with eyes to see can see that Ming Er is the right-hand man that His Majesty the Emperor has cultivated for His Highness the Crown Prince. The fact that Ji Yun managed to save his life after causing such a mess is already an extraordinary act of mercy from His Highness the Crown Prince.
Now that he's out, he still needs to go to the Eastern Palace to thank His Highness the Crown Prince.
The Ji family sent their visiting card, but His Highness the Crown Prince did not summon them. Instead, he sent a eunuch in charge of instructing men on etiquette to the Ji residence to teach Ji Yun a lesson about manners.
The Ji family didn't dare say anything, and they treated the people sent by His Highness the Crown Prince with great courtesy.
Even so, Ji Yun still got scolded quite a bit.
They found many books in his room that were meant for women. The eunuch holding the books looked grim. "Young Master Ji, why are you reading books that only women can touch instead of 'Male Virtue' and 'Male Instructions'? Do you perhaps harbor rebellious intentions?"
Ji Yun knelt on the ground, his forehead covered in cold sweat. "Ji Yun dares not, I was just reading it for fun when I had nothing else to do."
The eunuch sneered, burned all the books in front of Ji Yun, and even took out the "Three Obediences and Four Virtues" that men were required to read.
At home, one obeys one's mother; after marriage, one obeys one's wife; after the wife's death, one obeys one's daughter.
A husband's virtue, words, appearance, and achievements.
"These are not things that Young Master Ji should touch. These are what Young Master Ji should see. Apart from these, I hope Young Master Ji will remember that a man should stay at home to take care of his wife and raise children, and help his wife to have offspring."
Ji Yun knelt on the ground, staring blankly at the books burning in the brazier not far away.
This shouldn't be the case.
While he was in prison, feeling like he was about to die, he had a dream.
In his dream, he participated in the imperial examination, passed with honors, gained the emperor's favor, and became the only male chief minister of the court.
When he woke up, everything in the dream was a bit blurry; he only remembered that he was in a magnificent state in the dream.
That dream was so real that Ji Yun didn't even realize it was a dream.
He didn't know where the courage came from, but he reached out and took the books that the eunuch had thrown into the brazier, and smothered the flames with his hand.
"How dare you, Lady Ji! Are you openly defying His Highness the Crown Prince's decree?"
Ji Yun didn't say anything, but just hugged the books tightly to his chest. Even when the servant next to him tried to take the books away, he refused to let go.
"Young master, young master, please let go!"
"That's not how it is, it shouldn't be like this." Ji Yun was completely immersed in the beautiful dream she was having.
Ji Yun has gone mad, and his protagonist aura has completely vanished.
The Ji family locked him up, and the Marquis of Jing'an's mansion came directly to break off the engagement, saying that Ji Yun was not a suitable match.
This made the Ji family unable to hold back any longer. They went directly to the Marquis's residence to demand an explanation and questioned Mingxi, "My Yun'er has become like this because of you."
Mingxi looked at the Ji family members and frowned, saying, "Then go back and ask him if I have repeatedly warned him that this is a matter between Ming Er and me, and I will handle it myself. He dares to act like this now that he is just my fiancé. Does he expect to do the opposite of what I do after he enters the family?"
The Ji family dared not respond to that.
The wife is the master of the husband, so how can he go against her?
If Mingxi points east and Jiyun insists on going west, they probably won't be able to live together anymore. In a better-case scenario, Mingxi will simply divorce Jiyun and send him home; in a worse-case scenario, she might just beat him to death, and they would have no recourse.
The head of the Ji family softened his tone, "You and Yun'er grew up together, he was just worried about you."
Marquis Jing'an remained silent, especially as he watched the Ji family head's biased approach towards Ji Yun, and suddenly felt as if he were seeing his past self.
Mingyan shook her head. She wasn't much better herself, and she didn't expect Mingyang to be close to her. From now on, she would just treat the other side as relatives.
She worried that doing too much would annoy Mingyang.
This was Mingxi's marriage. When Ji Yun was imprisoned, she advised Mingxi to break off the engagement. In this matter, Mingxi still gave the Ji family some face and only broke off the engagement now.
What Ji Yun did was to immediately annul the engagement, and his reasoning was on their side.
When the head of the Ji family saw that Mingxi was determined to break off the engagement, the two parted on bad terms. Now that her son's reputation was ruined, no family in the capital with a decent background would want him as a husband who had made the decision behind his future wife's back.
I never expected the two families to end up like this, completely destroying their childhood friendship.
This matter has been discussed for a while, especially during casual conversations.
After everything was over, the New Year was just around the corner.
This also means that Ming Er's birthday is approaching.
The Ming family happily began their preparations, but unexpectedly, an urgent report came from the border: the enemy had invaded, the border city had been breached, and the defending general was requesting the court's assistance.
The soldier who came to report that day rode into the city covered in blood and handed the blood-stained report to His Majesty the Emperor.
Upon hearing this, the Marquis of Jing'an personally went to the emperor to request permission to lead troops into battle and reclaim the lost city.
“Your Majesty, Nadaba is inherently cruel and has a penchant for massacring entire cities. I beg Your Majesty to allow me to lead troops there.”
The emperor did not approve it.
"I have already selected suitable generals, so you need not worry, Minister Ming."
Marquis Jing'an was somewhat surprised. For a moment, she really couldn't think of anyone more suitable than her to lead troops into battle and recover lost territory.
“You know this person too. He petitioned me for permission just before you arrived.”
"Could it be... Mingyang?"
"Not bad," His Majesty the Emperor nodded.
"Your Majesty, this is absolutely unacceptable! Mingyang has no knowledge of leading troops whatsoever. I should..."
His Majesty the Emperor looked up and stopped the Marquis of Jing'an from speaking, rising to say, "Don't forget, Mingyang is still the top martial arts scholar of this dynasty, personally examined by me."
Many people subconsciously overlook the fact that Ming Er was also a martial arts champion.
"But she has no practical experience."
His Majesty the Emperor initially thought so too, since the Marquis of Jing'an was more familiar with the Daba people, and the previous Marquis of Jing'an had fought against them quite a few times.
But what did Ming Er say?
She said, “Your Majesty, generals are not born knowing how to lead troops, but I am different. I am a natural genius who knows a little bit about everything.”
His Majesty the Emperor has seen many shameless people, but this is the first time he has seen someone as shameless as Ming Er.
Moreover, Ming Er made a solemn vow that if she could not defeat the Daba people and recover the lost city, she would be willing to die to atone for her sins.
His Majesty the Emperor didn't want her to die, and the reason he agreed was because Ming Er's method of repelling the enemy was indeed excellent. The situation at the front could no longer wait; two cities had already fallen in a short time, and news arrived that the defending officials, who had vowed to never open the gates, had been riddled with arrows.
For a moment, the government and the public fell silent.
If this drags on any longer, the Daba people might even reach the capital.
Xiang Bei searched through the original text, "Does the original work mention anything about fighting?"
The system shook its head. "No, it's probably because the plot broke down."
The emperor had already appointed Ming Er as Grand Marshal and ordered her to lead reinforcements to repel the Daba people.
Ming Er wasted no time and immediately set off with 50,000 soldiers.
"Your Majesty, the enemy has 100,000 men," Zhong Lishuang said to the Emperor, standing on the city wall watching Ming Er depart into the distance.
“She said fifty thousand would be enough,” His Majesty the Emperor said solemnly.
They could muster 150,000 troops, but Ming Er only required 50,000.
The remaining 100,000 troops were stationed near the imperial city, and Ming Er said he was confident. He was worried about unforeseen circumstances, so he left 100,000 men there to protect His Majesty the Emperor's safety.
"I think Ming Er is very confident, and perhaps she really can do it."
“She can definitely do it; she is the Second Prince of Ming,” His Highness the Crown Prince said.
Ming Er led his soldiers on a whirlwind journey, arriving just as the Daba people were attacking their third city. Ming Er and his men temporarily repelled them, and then set up camp in the city with his soldiers.
She had studied military strategy and tactics extensively, and the Ninth Female Division had led her in sand table exercises. Previously, her subordinates were all children and beggars, but this time she was leading real soldiers.
She can only succeed, not fail.
Upon seeing Ming Er arrive, the official who had nearly died for his country quickly handed over the city defense map to Ming Er.
"Grand Marshal, can we hold out?"
“Of course, that’s not all. We also need to take back the two lost cities!” Ming Er replied.
The Daba people sent men disguised as ordinary civilians to infiltrate the city and steal the city defense map, which allowed them to succeed. They then caught the subsequent cities off guard, which enabled them to capture two cities in succession.
Judging from past battles with the Daba people, they have completely overturned their previous style of fighting, and there must be someone guiding them.
Ming Er quickly devised several methods in his mind.
When they first arrived, they temporarily repelled the Daba people, keeping them quiet for two days. Ming Er didn't intend to sit idly by and wait for their demise; once the other side issued a challenge, she planned to take the initiative.
The enemy has 100,000 men, and they must have suffered losses fighting their way here. She has 50,000 men, and it's impossible to win by sheer numbers.
Ming Er planned to use infiltration tactics.
She led a small squad around to the enemy's rear, burned their supplies, and originally intended to take the opportunity to kill their general. However, the enemy was too cautious and left a decoy in the camp. In the chaos, Ming Er only managed to kill one of the enemy's lieutenants.
Then they quickly led their men back to the city.
The Daba people were furious that most of their food supplies had been burned, and they immediately ordered the city to be captured.
"Once we take this city, we will definitely kill everyone in it."
"Kill! Kill! Kill!" The Daba people outside the city shouted loudly.
Ming Er divided the army into three teams. She led a group to confront the Daba people head-on, holding back their main force, while the other two teams broke through the weak points on both sides of the defensive position.
It's also easier and more convenient to cut off the enemy's supply lines first.
Ming Er was confident that she could lead 50,000 soldiers to confront them head-on. What worried her was that the Daba people would suffer heavy casualties and then retreat to hide.
Those two cities have already been captured by the Daba people and replaced with their own. If they retreat into the cities to take turns resting and regrouping, Ming Er will have to find a way to attack the cities.
It is currently unknown how many people remain in the city, and taking them hostage would only complicate matters further.
What Ming Er needs to do is to defeat these people once and for all, so that they will never dare to attack again.
Encirclement is the most thorough way to cut off their retreat.
This is quite difficult. After flanking from both sides, they still need to regroup. If they are discovered by the enemy, they could very well turn the tables and dismantle their forces.
Ming Er's coordination with these soldiers was not very good, so after outlining the plan, he spoke with several of the generals leading the troops.
If the Daba people can't defeat their army, they certainly won't fight to the bitter end. This isn't Daba territory, and they'll definitely flee back to their own land.
Ming'er had considered all the possible consequences and devised solutions for each.
Ming Er demonstrated several tactics on the sand table, and the generals who had come with him watched very attentively, their eyes already filled with confidence of victory.
"You must not be careless and must act with caution."
"We cannot afford to fail. If the Daba people reach the capital, everyone will suffer. Once we win this battle, we will hold a grand victory celebration."
"Don't worry, Grand Marshal, we will definitely complete the mission."
When the Daba people called for the city, Ming Er ordered the gates to be opened and went out to fight.
The other two teams proceeded with their original plan to encircle the enemy.
When Ming Er led his men out, they encountered Tuya, a general under Daba.
While she was sizing him up, he was also sizing her up.
Tuya sized up Ming Er, not daring to underestimate this person whose name she had never heard before.
That night, it was this man who launched the sneak attack and burned their supplies. If she hadn't been alert, this man named Mingyang would have slit her throat with his knife.
They even burned most of their provisions.
Moreover, her surname is Ming.
Sixty years ago, there was also a general surnamed Ming, about the same age as the general in front of us.
They suffered a crushing defeat in that battle.
They've held this grudge for so many years.
This time, they are settling scores for the battle sixty years ago, aiming to storm the capital, seize the emperor, and chop the Ming family into mincemeat to avenge the grudge from that year.
"Who is Mingye to you?" Tuya couldn't help but ask.
Ming Er, mounted on his horse, looked at Tuya, who had a wary expression, and shook his head, saying, "I don't know her."
"You also have the surname Ming, and Ming Ye also has the surname Ming. Don't you know her?"
"Stop talking nonsense. If my surname is Tu, am I your ancestor? I can change my surname now and call you ancestor."
Tuya glared at Ming Er, too angry to speak, and drew her knife, shouting, "You bastard, I'm going to chop you into mincemeat!"
Looking at Ming Er's soldiers, Tuya felt something was off, and she forced herself to calm down.
"Is this all the troops you have?"
"These troops are enough to deal with you."
Ming Er's attitude made Tu Ya very uneasy, as she always felt that she had some other tricks up her sleeve.
They had been defeated by someone surnamed Ming sixty years ago, and now another person surnamed Ming had appeared. Tuya did not act rashly.
The two men didn't actually fight, but they started hurling insults at each other's ancestors.
That guy named Mingyang said a lot of things she couldn't understand, but Tuya didn't think that Mingyang was praising her.
After a while of shouting and cursing, Tuya became very angry.
Ming Er continued to curse and yell recklessly, calculating the time; those people should not have arrived yet.
Tuya wanted to find a way to retreat, but Ming Er saw through her intention and immediately drew his bow and shot an arrow at her. If Tuya hadn't dodged quickly, Ming Er's arrow would have hit her in the head.
Tuya no longer considered retreating.
"Mingyang, you must die today. Kill her! Whoever takes her head will get this city."
The Daba people became even more excited.
He charged forward and fought with the soldiers. Ming Er, on horseback, grabbed his red-tasseled spear and charged toward Tuya.
She was silently counting down the time. Based on the current situation, they could hold out for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. As long as they could successfully encircle and flank them within that time, they would win.
Tuya naturally wouldn't easily confront Ming Er; she could tell that this person was not easy to deal with.
Only let the people around you go.
She didn't forget to ask, "If you don't know Mingye, then you must know Mingyan, right? What is your relationship with Mingyan?"
"What, is someone in your family a defeated opponent of hers? Or is it that you're destined to be defeated when you encounter someone surnamed Ming?" Ming Er sneered.
Although Mingyan's character isn't great, she's still capable of leading troops in battle. This isn't the first time she's fought Daba; Tuya knows her, and there might actually be people she knows who have suffered defeats at Mingyan's hands.
Seeing Tuya's exasperated expression, Ming Er became even more certain.
He kept taunting Tuya, "Judging from your age, did your mother lose? Tsk tsk tsk, if you also lose the battle, wouldn't your family be too ashamed to face anyone in Daba? If I were you, I wouldn't even have the face to live."
Ming Er shot down a charging Daba man with his spear. "Ming Ye is the one who defeated you, right? You Daba people are really useless. If you hadn't used underhanded tricks, you wouldn't have even made it this far."
"Kill her, kill her now. Mingyang, when you're dead, I'll skin you alive to use as a drum and chop your flesh into mincemeat."
"You can't just talk the talk, can you? You only managed to win two games by chance because you have a bit of cleverness. If you really run into me, you're out of luck."
"I'm going to kill you." Tuya snatched the knife from beside her and slashed at Ming Er.
Tuya was both angry and annoyed, but the more anxious she became, the more obvious her flaws became.
Ming Eryi hit her shoulder.
[They've arrived.]
Seeing the words float by, Ming Er finally felt relieved and picked Tuya off his horse.
Tuya crashed to the ground, ignoring the pain. She heard a lot of chaotic footsteps coming from behind them.
These weren't their reinforcements; she hadn't called for any.
"Are they one of your people?" Tuya looked at Ming Er and said in disbelief.
"Don't tell me you think they're your reinforcements?" Ming Er said, pointing his spear at Tuya.
"Impossible! How could your people be behind us?"
Tuya still couldn't understand. She had already captured two cities, and the people behind them should be her own people. It couldn't be that the people in the two cities themselves fought their way out.
Where did the people in the back come from?
"Charge! Kill!" The soldiers' voices rang out, and Tuya realized that they really weren't their people.
With Tuya captured and without her command, the Daba people were routed. No matter how many people they had, they could not defeat an army with someone in command.
Moreover, their escape routes were blocked, and they had no way to retreat.
Behind them were soldiers led by Ming Er's subordinates, and in front of them was the army personally led by Ming Er.
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