Although spring has arrived in the south, temperatures are still not that high in places like Liaodong.
Duke Xu Da of Wei, clad in golden armor and a scarlet cloak, looked spirited and ambitious. He bore a resemblance to Xu Da, the King of Zhongshan, speaking little but with profound thought, and adept at comforting his soldiers and sharing their hardships.
Li Jinglong rode over on horseback and said to Xu Huizu, "Duke of Wei, the supplies are ready."
"Lord Cao, an army marches on its stomach," Xu Huizu said with a serious expression. "I entrust the affairs of provisions and supplies to you for this expedition."
Xu Huizu will lead the army into battle, but Li Jinglong will become the rear army commander, responsible for supplies and so on. This is no easy task; it's not a position without authority or opportunity to earn military merit, and he is not being sidelined.
Looking at Xu Huizu's cloak, Li Jinglong smiled and said, "Was it a gift from Her Majesty the Empress?"
"Her Majesty the Empress sent it via the Embroidered Uniform Guard, presumably to be delivered along with some military supplies," Xu Da said with a smile, somewhat self-satisfied. "Although Your Highness is busy with palace affairs, you still remember your good-for-nothing brother. His Highness the Crown Prince also sent golden armor, which I dare not refuse."
Looking at Xu Huizu's attire, Li Jinglong couldn't help but feel a little envious; it was all an imperial gift.
The golden helmet and armor were not something ordinary people could wear. The cloak was a gift from the Empress, and the armor was sent by the Crown Prince. The sword hanging at his waist was a personal imperial sword bestowed by His Majesty the Emperor, something even ordinary generals dared not dream of.
Xu Huizu looked at Li Jinglong and said, "Jiujiang, let's not laugh at each other. We are all descendants of noble families and relatives of the emperor."
The silver helmet and armor Li Jinglong wore were all left behind by his father, Li Wenzhong. Moreover, the cloak Li Jinglong wore looked somewhat worn, but it was a gift from the late Empress Ma.
Xu Huizu was the eldest son of Xu Da, the Prince of Zhongshan, the maternal uncle of the Crown Prince, and the elder brother of the Empress. Li Jinglong was the son of the Prince of Qiyang, and the grand-nephew of the retired Emperor Zhu and the late Empress Ma.
These two individuals were among the most prominent second- and third-generation officials in the Ming Dynasty, and they were also among the most prominent maternal relatives of the emperor.
Xu Huizu seemed to remember something and said to Li Jinglong, "The landmines and grenades His Majesty sent are quite useful. Make sure they are delivered in time. We both know what's going on in this battle."
Xu Huizu and Li Jinglong were both well aware that the Ming Dynasty needed to continuously weaken and wear down the Tatar regimes. These were, in fact, gifts from the Ming Dynasty to celebrate the new emperor's ascension to the throne; this battle absolutely could not afford any mishaps.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Works Academy has always been personally overseen by His Majesty the Emperor, with continuous investment of human and material resources over the years. The Ministry of Works Academy has also produced some outputs, but these outputs require further proof through achievements.
Li Jinglong understood these principles, and Xu Huizu naturally understood them as well. This time, they had to win decisively, and more importantly, they needed to make the achievements of the Ministry of Works Academy appear exceptionally brilliant.
The top nobles and relatives of the emperor were also eager to fight at this time. They were not only fighting for themselves, but also for their 'relatives'.
Li Jinglong is Zhu Yunying's cousin; they're family. Xu Huizu, on the other hand, has an even greater 'mission'—he's the elder brother of the reigning empress and the maternal uncle of the Ming Dynasty's crown prince.
At this moment, Lan Yu's expression was extremely serious. Dressed in full armor, he stood on the command platform, drew his sword, and mercilessly ordered several Tatar banners to be cut down as a sacrifice. As Chang Yuchun's brother-in-law, Lan Yu had always been this domineering.
As the emperor's maternal uncle, Lan Yu felt he had to handle certain matters meticulously. He was indeed afraid of Zhu Yuanzhang, who held his niece's son in extremely high regard.
The Crown Prince became emperor, and moreover, he had previously secured an heir for Lan Yu, making Lan Yu even more grateful. After all, his daughter was the Princess Consort of Shu, and the Princess Consort's offspring naturally bore the surname Zhu. But this single act of securing a grandson for Lan Yu filled him with excitement; his title of Duke of Liang now had a successor.
He must become the Emperor's top general and not let the rising star Xu Huizu steal his thunder. Most importantly, Xu Huizu is the Empress's elder brother and the Crown Prince's uncle; those people are definitely siding with the Empress and the Crown Prince, and are not the Emperor's closest confidants.
Moreover, there's Fu Youde, who can be considered a contemporary of Lan Yu, both being founding nobles who rose from marquises to dukes. Lan Yu doesn't want to be replaced; he feels he has an innate close relationship with the current emperor, and he must become the emperor's flag bearer in the military.
"Father, His Majesty has sent a messenger with a military report." Fu Rang, clad in silver helmet and armor, entered the central command tent, kneeling solemnly in salute. "In this battle, our central army is large in number and has many generals; we must strive for the greatest military merit!"
The burly Fu Youde took the military report, clasped his hands towards the north, and said, "My family has been farmers for generations, living in poverty. I joined the Red Turban Army, followed Li Xixi into Guanzhong, and then submitted to Ming Yuzhen. However, I was not valued by Ming Yuzhen, and then Chen Youliang murdered Zhao Pusheng and Xu Shouhui. Only then did I seek refuge with the Emperor Emeritus. Thanks to the Emperor Emeritus's great kindness, I was able to achieve merit and establish my career. Now, my eldest son is married to a princess, and my third son was once a member of the Emperor's personal guard!"
Fu Rang was honored, as his father had become one of the most valued generals of the current emperor. His eldest brother was a驸马都尉 (Imperial Son-in-Law Commandant), and his second brother was adopted by his uncle, who had no descendants. He was a member of the retired emperor's personal guard and also the commander of the current emperor's personal guard.
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