The disgraced official I took care of was actually Zhu Houcong's childhood friend.

Chapter 524

"Your Majesty, I would like to offer you a toast."

Whether Zhu Junzhang was feigning ignorance or simply drunk, he ignored the private conversation between Yu Hai and Zhou Chu. Only after hearing this did he pick up his wine glass.

"Lord Zhou, you flatter me. Let's have a drink together to celebrate your victory over the Mongols and the killing of most of their cavalry."

After saying this, Zhu Junzhang drank it all in one gulp.

Zhou Chu didn't stand on ceremony and drank it all in one gulp.

Yu Hai then left without leaving a trace to make arrangements for his subordinates.

The Mongol spies arrived at the place where Zhou Chu and his men were holding a victory celebration banquet. To make it easier for these people to observe, Zhou Chu deliberately did not hold the celebration banquet in the military camp, but in the Prince of Dai's mansion. Prince Zhu Junzhang of Dai was naturally very pleased with this.

Since his Prince Dai's Mansion started doing coal mining business with Zhou Chu, the mansion has never lacked expenses, and Zhu Junzhang has become quite wealthy. Originally, Zhu Junzhang planned to pay for this victory banquet out of his own pocket in order to improve his relationship with Zhou Chu. After all, Datong is the closest place to the grasslands, and Zhu Junzhang could realize better than anyone else that the wool business on the grasslands would be extremely profitable in the future, far more profitable than coal mining.

So he felt he still needed to spend this amount of money.

But Zhou Chu didn't give him that chance and directly used the military funds.

“Your Majesty, I understand your intentions, but one thing is one thing. If Your Majesty were to reward the army on behalf of His Majesty, I’m afraid it would be inappropriate.”

Zhou Chu's pointed remark instantly cleared Zhu Junzhang's eyes, and he never mentioned treating him to a meal again.

The Mongol spy arrived near the Prince of Dai's residence and saw that even the guards were drunk and staggering. He also saw officers, drunk, walking arm in arm out of the residence. This instantly confirmed to him that what those people had said earlier was indeed true.

The current lack of preparedness in Datong presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

"How many people can you send at most?"

The Mongol spy looked at the people from the Prince of Jin's residence and asked.

Upon hearing this, the people of the Prince of Jin's mansion immediately perked up. The implication was clear: they were to cooperate with the Mongols from within, so that they could easily capture Datong.

"At most, there are more than two hundred people."

The people from the Prince of Jin's residence thought for a moment and then said.

"Alright, I'll go and report back to the Great Khan. You all go to the vicinity of the city gate at midnight and wait for the right moment. Once you see the Great Khan's signal, kill the guards on the city wall and open the city gate."

The spy said.

"Rest assured, sir, we will certainly handle it well."

The consul of the Prince of Jin's residence said solemnly.

The Mongol spy nodded upon hearing this, then left Datong to report back to Anda. Such important intelligence was unreliable to be delivered by carrier pigeon; it was best to have the person deliver it in person. Fortunately, the person was not far away, and Anda soon saw him.

"how?"

Anda looked at the man with burning eyes and said.

"Your Majesty is a brilliant strategist. Zhou Chu is currently holding a victory celebration banquet with Prince Zhu Junzhang at the Prince's residence. I saw it with my own eyes. All the Ming army officers are drunk. Datong is now undefended. I have ordered the people from the Prince's residence to cooperate with us from the inside. At midnight, when they see the signal, they will rush to the city wall and open the city gate for us."

The Mongol spy said respectfully.

Upon hearing this, Anda's eyes shone even brighter.

"Good, you've done a great job, everyone. Did you hear that? Now is the best time to take Datong, kill Zhou Chu, and avenge our fallen brothers."

"Anda roared."

"revenge!"

The other Mongols were instantly stirred up by Anda, and they shouted in unison.

"My lord, those people from the Prince of Jin's mansion have gone to the vicinity of the city wall. They seem to be trying to cooperate with the Mongols from the inside to help them open the city gate."

Yu Hai approached Zhou Chu and reported the latest developments.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chu immediately smiled.

"I was just wondering how to annihilate these Mongols, and now the opportunity has come! Send down the order to arrest all the people from the Prince of Jin's mansion and find out when they will open the city gate. I will personally open the city gate for them."

Zhou Chu sneered.

Once these Mongols enter the city, it will be street fighting. Outside the city, Yun Jin's Xuanwu Army will block their retreat, and inside the city, the garrison troops will surround the city gates. Even if these Mongols had wings, they wouldn't be able to fly out.

The Prince of Jin's men gathered all their former subordinates from Datong, totaling more than two hundred, and assembled them at the city gate, waiting for their chance to strike.

"You all need to be careful and not ruin His Majesty's important plans."

The consul of the Prince of Jin's residence looked at everyone and gave instructions.

Upon hearing this, the men all became solemn. They knew very well that they had to succeed tonight, or they would face utter ruin.

Just as everyone was waiting for the right moment, Zhou Chu suddenly appeared with countless garrison troops, including even Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards), numbering at least two or three thousand.

The consul of the Prince of Jin's residence changed his expression. He didn't know why so many people had suddenly appeared near the city gate. He didn't realize that these people were coming for them. He was just afraid that these people would disrupt their plans.

It wasn't until these people surrounded them and Zhou Chu appeared before them that the people from the Prince of Jin's mansion looked grim. Only then did they realize that their scheme had been exposed.

"You already knew?"

The consul of the Prince of Jin's residence looked at Zhou Chu, who showed no signs of drunkenness, and his face was extremely ugly.

"what do you know?"

Zhou Chu countered with a question.

Upon hearing this, the consul immediately realized that he had let something slip.

"It's nothing. Isn't it a bit inappropriate for Lord Zhou to bring so many people and surround us?"

The consul of the Prince of Jin's residence forced himself to remain calm.