Chapter 804: Ruizhou Incident, Zhu Di confronts Ma Fujun!

"This...how is this possible?"

Zhu Di murmured to himself, the shock in his heart was beyond words.

He originally thought that the Daqian Dynasty was facing internal and external troubles, and Ruizhou was just a corner of its many battlefields. The garrison was weak and could be easily captured.

However, he never expected that a Cheng Yaojin would appear out of nowhere. The Zhao family, a newly rising powerful family that he had never taken seriously, actually seized Ruizhou quietly and caught him off guard.

Zhu Di took a deep breath and tried to calm his inner turmoil.

Ruizhou is no longer in his pocket, and the Zhao family, the new overlord who has replaced the Daqian Dynasty and regained the throne in Ruizhou, will undoubtedly become a stumbling block on his way north, and may even affect the implementation of his entire Northern Expedition plan.

But Zhu Di was not an ordinary man after all. He had the tenacity of Zhu Yuanzhang's son, and an unyielding spirit.

"The Zhao family, huh! You are just a newly-risen powerful family, yet you dare to seize my Ruizhou? When I, Zhu Di, gather my troops and prepare for war, I will definitely wipe out your Zhao family completely to vent my hatred!"

Faced with the sudden change, he did not choose to retreat. Instead, he snorted in his heart and scanned every detail on the city wall, trying to find flaws.

"Master Shaoqu, where did this Zhao family come from? How dare they snatch food from us!"

"They don't take our Yellow Turban Army seriously. Let's charge forward and teach them a lesson!"

Li Hu beside him also saw the Zhao flag flying high on the city wall and the soldiers ready for battle. He was also burning with anger, and a rough voice sounded in Zhu Di's ears.

"General Li Hu, don't be impulsive. The Zhao family was able to take Ruizhou so quickly, which shows that they are quite powerful. We must not underestimate the enemy."

But at this time, Zhu Di, who was the most angry, shook his head, and a hint of calmness flashed in his eyes.

As he spoke, Zhu Di raised his hand, signaling the army to stop, then slowly rode his horse forward until he stopped not far from the city wall.

"Is the head of the Zhao family here? Zhu Di of the Yellow Turban Army is here, and would like to have a chat with the Zhao family!"

He looked up at the city wall, his voice was loud and penetrating.

"My dear Zhu Di, Ruizhou is the territory of our Zhao family. You should leave immediately to avoid suffering!"

On the city wall, Zhao She heard the voice and a sneer appeared on his lips. He walked out of the formation, overlooking Zhu Di under the city, and spoke in a steady voice.

"How dare you! Your Zhao family is just a newly-promoted clan, yet you dare to attempt to block the Yellow Turban Army's march northwards? You are so foolish!"

When Zhu Di heard this, a hint of anger flashed in his eyes, but he quickly controlled his emotions and sneered.

After saying that, Zhu Di waved his hand, and the Yellow Turban Army soldiers behind him immediately got ready for battle, full of fighting spirit.

However, Zhu Di did not immediately order an attack on the city. Since the Zhao family was able to capture Ruizhou so quickly, they must have something to rely on, and fighting head-on was not the best strategy.

Therefore, after staring at the Zhao family army and Zhao She who were ready for battle on the Ruizhou city wall, Zhu Di finally ordered the army to set up camp on the spot. He himself sat together with generals Li Hu, Li Lu, Li Yang and others to discuss countermeasures.

As the night deepened, the bonfire burned brightly, reflecting the solemn expressions on everyone's faces.

"General Shaoqu, the Zhao army was able to capture Ruizhou City in such a short time and quickly arrange defenses. It is obvious that they are quite powerful. We should not act rashly for the time being." Li Lu said in a deep voice, with some thought in his eyes. It was obvious that he was seriously thinking about countermeasures.

"Why should we be afraid of him? Our Yellow Turban Army has never been afraid of anyone. Let me be the vanguard and fight a battle first!"

Li Hu seemed a little impatient.

"General Li Hu, we are heading north this time to open up a new situation for the Great Xuan Yellow Turban Army in the northern Daqian Dynasty, so that our Great Xuan Yellow Turban Army can have a way out and not have to keep fighting with the Great Xuan Tang Duke Li Yuan in the northern border of Great Xuan."

"Therefore, our top priority now is to establish a foothold in Ruizhou first, rather than fighting to the death with the Zhao family."

Zhu Di, who had begun to calm down, glanced at the impatient Li Hu and shook his head.

"Let's send a few teams of Taiping Guards to sneak into Ruizhou City and find out the truth about the Zhao family first."

"At the same time, our army will conduct a feint attack on the periphery to create pressure, and then when the time is right, we will attack the city in one fell swoop. How do you think?"

As he spoke, Zhu Di looked into the distance, with a hint of depth in his eyes.

The generals had no idea what to do and could only nod in agreement.

Zhu Di felt relieved when he saw this. This battle not only concerned the gains and losses of Ruizhou, but also his position and future in the Yellow Turban Army. Naturally, he cared about this matter more than anyone else.

As night fell, Zhu Di's tent was still brightly lit. He and his generals sat around the map, carefully discussing every detail.

Zhao She on the city wall did not relax either. He knew that Zhu Di would not give up and would definitely take action.

Therefore, Zhao She was also making intensive preparations, ordering the garrison to step up their vigilance and sending out spies to try to find out Zhu Di's movements.

The two armies were facing each other with swords drawn. Outside Ruizhou City, the tents of the Yellow Turban Army were endless.

While the war was raging outside and people were fighting to the death, there was peace in Tianheng Prefecture, the capital of Hengzhou.

On this day, in the governor's mansion of Tianheng Prefecture, sunlight shone through the intricately carved window lattices and onto the floor covered with soft carpets. The golden light and the luxurious interior decorations complemented each other, creating a warm atmosphere.

Su Ye and the four beauties Wei Zifu, Xi Shi and Zhangsun Wugou sat around a low table made of precious rosewood. On the table were various exquisite cakes, fresh fruits and a pot of Longjing tea with a faint fragrance.

Su Ye was wearing a brocade robe embroidered with gold clouds. His hair was gently tied up with a jade hairpin inlaid with gems, making him look gentle and elegant. He held an ivory fan in his hand, waving it gently. His eyes were full of pampering and tenderness as he looked at the three beauties beside him. He was quietly enjoying this rare time of tranquility and gathering.

Wei Zifu, who was standing aside, was wearing an elegant green silk dress with a simple jade hairpin flower in her hair, and her brows revealed a gentle and virtuous aura.

She was carefully peeling a grape for Su Ye, her fingertips moving gently and skillfully, as if the happiest thing in the world was to be able to take care of him at such a close distance.

On the other side, Xi Shi was dancing gracefully in a light gauze dress, her skirt swaying gently in the wind, like a lotus blooming in a pond, pure and elegant.

She held a fan with a landscape pattern painted on it, occasionally covering her red lips and looking at Su Ye with a smile, her eyes showing both affection and a bit of playfulness.

(End of this chapter)