Chapter 496 Queen Ma

At this time, on the other side, inside the Yellow Turban camp, Zhu Yuanzhang, who had just suffered a defeat, was sitting alone in the big tent, sulking.

He never imagined that the lineup of his side this time was already the strongest lineup he could mobilize since the Yellow Turban Rebellion.

Where had he ever fought such a "rich" battle before?
As a result, he confidently led this luxurious lineup to launch a head-on attack on the Daxuan army.

However, he did not expect that he would be beaten and forced to flee in embarrassment by Li Yuanba from the opposing Daxuan army.

How could Zhu Yuanzhang bear this?
He sat on the tiger-skin chair in the big tent, his hands clenched into fists, his face looking a little depressed.

The wind outside the tent seemed to be mocking his failure, making him even more upset.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. It seemed as if there was a pent-up anger in his chest that he couldn't vent, and his face became increasingly gloomy.

Just then, the sound of soft footsteps broke the silence in the tent. His wife Ma Xiuying (also known as Queen Ma) came in with some food, lifting the door curtain.

She was dressed in simple clothes, but her temperament was extraordinarily elegant and her behavior was calm. She did not show any panic because of Zhu Yuanzhang's failure.

"Chongba, you haven't eaten for a day, eat something first."

Ma Xiuying spoke softly, her voice gentle and warm, like a spring breeze blowing through Zhu Yuanzhang's heart.

“Xiuying, I…”

Zhu Yuanzhang hesitated to speak. He wanted to pour out all the grievances in his heart, but in front of Ma Xiuying, he suddenly felt that those words seemed so pale and powerless.

Ma Xiuying put the food on the table, then walked to Zhu Yuanzhang and gently massaged his shoulders.

Zhu Yuanzhang raised his head and looked at Ma Xiuying's gentle face, and the anger in his heart seemed to dissipate by half in an instant.

"Xiuying, I really can't swallow this! Since I, Zhu Yuanzhang, started the uprising, I have never suffered such a defeat before."

He sighed and said a little depressed.

"Zhongba, victory and defeat are common in the military, you don't have to blame yourself so much."

"Although Li Yuanba is brave, there has never been an invincible person in the world. We are not without a chance to defeat him."

“The key is to analyze calmly, find out our shortcomings, and then develop a better strategy to deal with them.”

Hearing this, Ma Xiuying smiled slightly and said.

As she spoke, she massaged Zhu Yuanzhang's shoulders. Her technique was skillful and gentle, as if it could relieve all the depression in his heart.

Zhu Yuanzhang felt relieved after hearing what Ma Xiuying said. He took a deep breath and said, "Xiuying, you are right. I was too impatient and did not calm down to analyze the situation. Don't worry, I will definitely find a way to deal with Li Yuanba and avenge our Yellow Turban Army!"

"Zhongba, do you know why I came here to comfort you? Not only because you and I have been through many hardships together for many years, but also because you are now the leader of my Yellow Turban Army."

"The lives of hundreds of thousands of Yellow Turban soldiers depend on you. If you become discouraged by a temporary defeat, the morale of our Yellow Turban Army will be greatly affected."

Seeing this, Ma Xiuying was secretly relieved and continued.

As she spoke, she handed a bowl of hot food to Zhu Yuanzhang.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the food in his hands and felt a warm feeling in his heart.

He took the food and started eating it in big mouthfuls.

Although the food did not taste as good as the carefully prepared delicacies outside, he felt it was the most delicious meal he had ever eaten.

After the meal, Zhu Yuanzhang's mood was obviously much better.

"Besides, it's not like we don't have other opportunities."

Ma Xiuying's voice was gentle. Seeing that Zhu Yuanzhang had calmed down, she continued. "I heard that the Yellow Turban Army in the north suffered heavy losses after Emperor Daqian flooded Qianyuan County. This will not only provide them with a way out, but also enhance our strength. Why not do it?"

"The remaining survivors were also stopped outside Qianzhou by Qianyuan County, which had already turned into a swamp."

"Their situation is not very good now. If we can contact them, maybe we can persuade them to go south and fight against the Great Xuan Army with us."

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes flickered when he heard this. He lowered his head in thought, tapping the armrests of the tiger-skin chair with his fingers, carefully weighing the pros and cons of this suggestion.

Seeing this, Ma Xiuying walked gently to his side and handed him a cup of hot tea. The fragrance of the tea seemed to be able to dispel the haze in people's hearts.

"Xiuying, what you said makes a lot of sense."

"But how can we persuade them?"

"Although they are now trapped outside Qianzhou, the death of the Emperor of Daqian makes it a great opportunity for Daqian to be leaderless."

"How could they trust us so easily and be willing to join forces with us?"

Zhu Yuanzhang took the teacup and took a sip. The aroma of tea lingered in his mouth, seeming to make his thinking clearer.

"Zhongba, we don't need all the Yellow Turban troops in the north to move south, otherwise, by then, it will be uncertain who will be in charge here."

"We just need to convince some people to go south."

Ma Xiuying smiled slightly, not at all surprised, and it was obvious that she had considered it.

Zhu Yuanzhang felt excited when he heard Ma Xiuying's words.

"Xiuying, you're right. I'll go gather Yunsheng and the others to discuss this matter."

"Develop a perfect plan to convince the Yellow Turban Army in the north to join forces with us to fight against the Great Xuan Army."

He stood up, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

As he spoke, Zhu Yuanzhang strode out of the tent with big strides, his figure gradually lengthened in the afterglow of the setting sun.

Ma Xiuying looked at his back, smiled, and began to clean up the mess left by Zhu Yuanzhang on the table.

After a while, Zhu Yuanzhang summoned all his men, including Zhu Sheng, Xu Da and others.

They were all wise and brave generals in the Yellow Turban Army, and played a vital role in Zhu Yuanzhang's decision-making.

Inside the big tent, the candlelight flickered and the atmosphere was solemn.

"Everyone, we just lost on the battlefield. I know you all feel bad."

"But everyone has to look forward."

"I have a new plan and I want to discuss it with you."

Zhu Yuanzhang sat on the tiger-skin chair, looking at the people in front of him with sharp eyes.

"My lord, what good plan do you have? Please give me your instructions."

Xu Da frowned slightly when he heard this. He knew Zhu Yuanzhang's character very well and knew that he would not give up easily.

"I heard that the Yellow Turban Army in the north suffered heavy losses after Emperor Daqian flooded Qianyuan County, and is now trapped outside Qianzhou."

"I want to send an envoy to persuade them to go south and join forces with us to fight against the Great Xuan Army. What do you think of this plan?"

Zhu Yuanzhang took a deep breath and told Ma Xiuying what she had suggested.

(End of this chapter)