On June 10, the 23rd year of Zhengzheng (1363), Zhu Yuanzhang, who had learned that Hongdu City had been besieged for several months, urgently ordered Xu Da and Chang Yuchun, who were fighting abroad, to withdraw from Luzhou, and quickly gathered troops to start a strategic gathering.

In July of the same year, Zhu Yuanzhang, who had fully prepared his troops, horses, and food, personally led his urgently assembled 200,000 troops and marched toward Hongdu.

The generals following Zhu Yuanzhang this time were: Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, Feng Sheng, Liao Yongzhong, and Yu Tonghai.

Zhu Yuanzhang's mounts were: several large ships and thousands of small fishing boats that were captured by chance in the last battle of Longwan.

This can be said to be Zhu Yuanzhang’s real family background.

It is all the wealth that Zhu Yuanzhang gained from his little accumulation and desperate fighting since he established his own family.

These belongings are Zhu Yuanzhang's real lifeblood.

At this time, the numbers of the enemy and ourselves were respectively: 200,000 and 600,000.

Whether in terms of numbers or military equipment, Zhu Yuanzhang was far inferior to Chen Youliang.

For Zhu Yuanzhang, this must be a tough battle.

It is a real contest between two political rivals, Zhu Yuanzhang and Chen Youliang.

But for Zhu Yuanzhang, he was not afraid.

For Chen Youliang, a thug, he was no longer afraid.

Since the last battle of Longwan, the psychological shadow that Chen Youliang, a thug, had always harbored in his heart that he was invincible, invincible, and absolutely unable to confront him head-on has long since disappeared.

For Zhu Yuanzhang, the Zhu Jiajun, who was united as one, could still be evenly matched against the Chen Jiajun whose number was nearly three times his own.

Although the enemy is powerful and there are many enemy soldiers and horses, they have been besieging Hongdu for nearly three months. These three months have been an absolute nightmare for them.

The strategic achievement of no progress for three consecutive months was an absolute disaster for Chen Jiajun.

Six hundred thousand troops fought against 40,000 troops without any success. When this almost shameful fact was placed in front of Chen Youliang and his army, the morale of their troops must have been sluggish, negative, tired, and battered.

At this time, our own troops and horses are full of energy, have sufficient food and fodder, and have rich fighting experience. More importantly, the people's hearts are united and the people are aligned.

In this case, not to mention that the other party has 600,000, even if he has 6 million, I will not be afraid of him.

If the people are not afraid of death, why should they be afraid of death?

If a man dies, he will die, so what is there to fear?

Moreover, it is not yet known who will win this battle.

In this contest, between you and me, the winner is the king and the loser is the bandit;

In this tough battle, either you or I will die.

This is the fate destined for the two of us today, and no one can escape this fate.

Come on, Chen Youliang, let’s see who among us can have the last laugh!

…

On July 20, the 23rd year of the Zhengzheng Period, Zhu Yuanzhang led his 200,000 troops along the Yangtze River waterway, upstream, and finally arrived at Poyang Lake in ten days.

After arriving at Poyang Lake, Zhu Yuanzhang stationed his troops at Kanglang Mountain, and then ordered Feng Sheng to defend Jiankang. Dade led some troops to garrison at the mouth of the Jingjiang River, and another group of troops to guard the mouth of Nanhu. He also dispatched soldiers stationed in Xinzhou to guard Wuyang.

Cross.

Zhu Yuanzhang had only one purpose in doing this, which was to block all possible escape routes for Chen Youliang.

Block all possible escape routes for him to escape downstream.

With the opponent unable to escape, Zhu Yuanzhang decided to fight to the death with the opponent.

Poyang Lake is the final resting place Zhu Yuanzhang chose for Chen Youliang, and it is also the cemetery he chose for himself.

The ancients said: If you don’t know life, how can you know death?

Yes, the words of the ancients are very philosophical.

If you don’t understand that life is hard-won, how can you cherish its preciousness? If you don’t know the fear of death, how can you tap into the infinite potential hidden behind it?

Chen Youliang, to tell you the truth, from the moment I decided to abandon my cassock and join the army at the age of twenty-five, I never thought about going back alive.

From the moment I gave up the bowl and picked up the beast to prepare for war, I had already given my entire life to the King of Hell.

Whether in Hezhou, Chuzhou or now Yingtian, I have faced countless hardships and ups and downs, and I have died countless times.

Ever since I joined the army, I have never regarded myself as a human being.

For me, whose heart has long since died but whose body still exists, every day I live is like a walking zombie with doomsday every day.

In the face of the walking dead, every minute and every second of survival is earned.

But I am born with a low life, and the king of hell refuses to accept me.

So I'm still living well until now.

But what about you?

What is your fate, Chen Youliang?

How do you evaluate what you have done since you joined the army?

Is he a traitor or a sycophant?

Or maybe he is just an out-and-out bastard.

Is he a rogue who is willing to betray his friends, betray his brothers, kill his master and exceed his authority for the sake of supreme power?

Have you ever felt a little bit ashamed from the bottom of your heart about what you have done?

Ask yourself, from the time you were a secretary to the current Emperor of Han, which of your actions were truly achieved through your own strength?

In other words, your actions are in compliance with your so-called way of heaven.

If this is the case, then let God be the judge.

You say you are fair, I say I am fair;

Whether it is fair or not, God knows.

Come on, Chen Youliang, right and wrong will be fought here.

Let's make a break at Poyang Lake.

From now on, the whole of China will be either you or not.

From now on, only one of you and me can leave here alive.

Let God decide the success or failure of everything!

Chen Youliang, I’m at Poyang Lake.

Wait for you!

…

On July 23, the 23rd year of Zhengzheng, Chen Jiajun, who had besieged Hongdu City for 85 days but had not made any progress, heard that Zhu Yuanzhang had arrived at Poyang Lake.

For Chen Youliang, who was originally supposed to be negative news, this seemed to be a step that allowed him to take a step back. For Chen Youliang, who had been besieging Hongdu City for nearly three months and was unable to move forward, Zhu Yuanzhang's appearance was good news.

It is a path that allows him to save some face and have a chosen retreat.

Chen Youliang, who had completely lost confidence in attacking Hongdu City, announced his retreat with a sigh.

The battle in Hongdu City was the most humiliating battle in Chen Youliang's life.

Since joining the Red Scarf Army, he has never encountered such a big disaster.

This city, which had been blocked by him for eighty-five days but still stood strong and unyielding, was a nightmare that would linger in his life.

Facing this city that was already riddled with holes, Chen Youliang, who was originally full of confidence, became timid and afraid.

Looking at this small city from afar and being tightly surrounded by his own soldiers and horses, Chen Youliang, who had racked his brains and thoughts, had lost the courage to take it in despair and frustration.

In fear and loss, he reluctantly chose to retreat.

The world is dangerous, if it doesn't work, just retreat.

This sentence, which Chen Youliang thought could only be said by an incompetent coward, was helplessly revealed to him at this moment.

It's hard to argue with a hundred words, and there are no words for it.

For the city of Hongdu, Chen Youliang had such a shame in his life, and he would never do it again.

Compared to Chen Youliang, there was one person who was absolutely excited at this time.

Because he completed his mission.

Completed a mission that everyone thought was impossible.

He completed a glorious mission worthy of being recorded in history, which almost made him famous in one battle.

During the eighty-five days of resisting the Chen family's army, he was frightened all the time.

While his teammates were suffering from the pain of losing their brothers one by one, he resisted the opponent's almost endless crazy attacks.

In this battle, which had already been decided before the war even started, his performance was remarkable, his talent was praised by everyone, his talent was unparalleled, and his perseverance was as strong as gold.

In this battle, he is the real winner.
To be continued...