The Return of Emperor Taizong

"What is that?"

The sudden scene instantly terrified everyone.

Especially the Oirat army led by Esen, whose faces were now filled with horror.

Because they saw that among the troops that had suddenly appeared from the sky, banners of the Great Ming were flying.

And it seemed there were also banners of the Great Tang and Great Qin?

"Heavenly... heavenly soldiers?"

After their initial shock, every Ming soldier couldn't help but tremble with excitement, their morale reaching an unprecedented peak in that instant.

"Emperor... Emperor Taizong!"

The generals and officials led by Fan Zhong fixed their gazes on a single figure, and recognized him.

It was their Great Ming's Emperor Taizong, Zhu Di!

"Ha... haha... it's heavenly soldiers, our Great Ming's heavenly soldiers, come to save me! I told you, I am favored by heaven!"

Zhu Qizhen, who was being helped by Wang Zhen to retreat to the rear, also stopped and looked up at the sky.

He did not recognize Zhu Di, as Zhu Qizhen was born several years after Zhu Di's death.

"Zhu Di! Impossible! How can this be? How can he still be alive?"

Among the Oirat army, Esen's face was filled with terror, his body trembling, feeling as if every hair on his skin stood on end.

"Kill them all, leave no one behind!"

At that moment, the heavenly soldiers landed. Zhu Yuanzhang, at the front, snorted coldly and waved his hand.

"Let the mountains and rivers endure forever, let the Great Ming's domain last forever!"

Lan Yu charged out first on horseback from among the troops.

Under his leadership, the army advanced, overwhelming the Oirat cavalry with absolute firepower.

"What is that? How can their firearms have such range?" Esen watched as rows of his cavalry fell, his face etched with terror.

"Move aside, let me take the first shot."

Meanwhile, at the rear of the army, mortars had been set up, and Li Jinglong walked over.

Hearing this, several soldiers looked at each other, and one said, "Young Duke, is this wise? You haven't practiced much with mortars..."

"Are you looking down on me? Go ask around—I, Li Jinglong, am the Great Ming's War God! Stop wasting time, or by the time Lan Yu's troops reach the enemy, we won't be able to use the mortars anymore."

Li Jinglong lifted his chin with a snort, then went straight to a mortar, aimed, and fired!

"Boom!"

A deafening roar, like thunder, drowned out the gunfire.

Then the shell landed right in the midst of the Oirat army, exactly at Esen's feet, killing him on the spot.

"The Young Duke is amazing!" The soldiers gave him thumbs up.

The Oirat soldiers, already terrified by the appearance of the heavenly soldiers and now seeing Esen blown to death, instantly lost all will to resist, throwing down their weapons and surrendering.

"Is it over already? I didn't even get on the field." Inside his battle armor, Zhu Di, who had just finished transforming, said with some displeasure.

Beside him, Zhu Yuanzhang, Qin Shi Huang, and Li Shimin were all stunned.

"Holy crap, Old Fourth, that's incredible! Is this the divine weapon you mentioned before from the teacher?" Even Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but look on with burning envy.

"Father, don't rush. I just changed form—the truly amazing part is yet to come," Zhu Di said with a smile.

With that, he flew straight up, instantly reaching the high sky.

"Boom!"

An energy cannon fired from his palm, aimed at a distant mountain.

Then a loud crash rang out, the earth shook, and before everyone's eyes, the entire mountain collapsed.

This scene horrified everyone.

"Is that... a god? A god!" someone shouted, their face a mix of fear and joy.

"Holy crap, Old Zhu, your fourth son looks incredible!" Li Shimin and Qin Shi Huang gazed on with intense excitement, full of envy.

"Heh, let the kid show off. If the teacher hadn't lent him that gear, he wouldn't get to be the center of attention," Zhu Yuanzhang said, though he himself longed to step into that armor.

"Whoosh!"

At the same time, the armor flew into the Ming army camp.

It landed before Zhu Qizhen, Fan Zhong, and the others.

"Is it really a god? Come to save me? I am favored by heaven!" Zhu Qizhen said with pride.

Then, the armor on Zhu Di began to retract, revealing his original attire and face.

"Emperor Taizong!"

Fan Zhong and the others showed expressions of utter astonishment.

Only then did they realize that this "god" was actually Emperor Taizong.

Had he, after death, gained heaven's favor and been granted a divine position?

"Emperor Taizong? What Emperor Taizong?" Zhu Qizhen was confused.

"Your Majesty, this is Emperor Taizong, our Great Ming's Emperor Taizong!" Fan Zhong explained.

"What?"

Hearing this, Zhu Qizhen was shocked. "Great-grandfather? How is that possible?"

"What did you just say? 'Favored by heaven'?" Zhu Di now stood before Zhu Qizhen.

Zhu Qizhen instinctively opened his mouth, "I am..."

"Slap!"

Before he could finish, Zhu Di struck him across the face. "What did you say? Say it again."

"I..."

Zhu Qizhen covered his cheek, completely stunned.

"Slap!"

Another slap landed on his face.

"What 'I am'? Say it again," Zhu Di demanded.

"I... I..."

Zhu Qizhen, seeing stars from the blows, stammered without forming a complete sentence.

"How dare you strike His Majesty!"

Wang Zhen, supporting Zhu Qizhen, shouted angrily but with little conviction. He continued, "Regardless, His Majesty is the current emperor of the Great Ming; even if Emperor Taizong has truly returned..."

"Oh? And who are you?" Zhu Di's gaze shifted.

Feeling the pressure of Zhu Di's stare, Wang Zhen's legs gave way, and he knelt on the spot. "Servant... servant Wang Zhen, pays respects to Emperor Taizong."

"So you're Wang Zhen?" Zhu Di's eyes narrowed.

Wang Zhen's face brightened. "Emperor Taizong knows of me?"

"Of course I know you."

Zhu Di let out a cold laugh. "Men, drag him away! Have him torn apart by five horses, and exterminate his entire clan!"

"Mercy, Emperor Taizong! Your servant is innocent!"

Wang Zhen nearly fainted from terror.

"Old Fourth, didn't the teacher tell you? Don't punish the innocent families. What era are we in, still practicing collective punishment?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice came from behind.

"Exactly, nephew. Collective punishment is outdated now. Wang Zhen is guilty—punish him alone," Li Shimin and Qin Shi Huang added.

The three's remarks left Zhu Di speechless.

What did they mean by "what era"?

If you really think about it, his Yongle reign came chronologically after each of the three emperors' own dynasties.

When the great army marched to Wang Zhen’s hometown, the villagers—namely, Wang Zhen’s own clansmen—actually grumbled that they were afraid the troops would trample their crops. That’s why they made the army change course,” Qin Ning suddenly spoke up.

“Oh? Is that so? In that case, his clansmen deserved what came to them after all.”

Zhu Yuanzhang was startled for a moment before nodding. “Men, take him away. Sentence him to the punishment of Bao Pi Xuan Cao, and execute … all ten clans!”