Chapter 10 Summary: The New Year in Anfeng, 1355
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
The chapter opens in the Red Turban throne room in Anfeng, where Zhu kneels before the Prime Minister in a special audience granted after the extraordinary victory at Yao River. The Prime Minister declares the victory Heaven-ordained, interpreting it as proof that the Mongols have lost the Mandate of Heaven. He proposes rewarding the monk with a commander position, filling a vacancy left by Guo Tianxu's promotion to general.
Right Minister Guo hesitates, and Little Guo (Guo Tianxu) objects loudly, insisting the victory was his own doing rather than the monk's prayers. He argues that Zhu has no military experience and cannot even hold a sword. Left Minister Chen intervenes, pointing out that neither the Prime Minister nor the Right Minister had military experience before leading, and that natural talent should suffice. Zhu recognizes that Chen is using her as a wedge against the Guo faction.
Little Guo then challenges Zhu to capture the walled city of Lu, one of the strongest Yuan strongholds in the region, which has never fallen to rebels. Zhu accepts the challenge publicly, though internally she is alarmed. After the audience, Little Guo taunts her, warning that if she fails, the Prime Minister will likely have her killed as a false monk rather than admit Heaven willed a failure.
Later, Ma Xiuying, General Ma's daughter, observes the political fallout. She criticizes Little Guo for giving Chen ammunition by challenging the monk. Sun Meng tries to mediate between the two, and Ma reflects on whether the monk's miracle was genuine.
Zhu encounters Ma in the market, where Ma confronts a group of men harassing an old vegetable seller. After the men leave, Zhu offers Ma soy milk and asks her to teach him to ride. Ma agrees to a single lesson. During their riding session outside the city walls, Ma deduces that Zhu caused the landslide at Yao River—that the shouting was deliberately orchestrated to trigger the collapse that destroyed the bridge and the Yuan forces. Zhu does not deny it, though he insists he prayed for survival rather than the deaths of ten thousand men.
Ma warns Zhu about Chen Youliang's patronage, noting that his support never ends well for anyone but himself. She also shares intelligence about Lu: its governor, a Semu like her family, recently died, and the Yuan will be sending a replacement. If Zhu can reach Lu before the new governor arrives, he may have a chance.
Six days after the Lantern Festival, Zhu's force of seven hundred men marches toward Lu. Chang Yuchun, a young thief, travels with them and questions Jiao Yu about the monk's competence. Jiao demonstrates a hand cannon prototype and quotes the principle of subduing the enemy without fighting. He warns Yuchun that Zhu is dangerous—that he killed ten thousand men in an instant and should not be underestimated.
The march is interrupted by a bandit attack. Hundreds of mounted hillmen, Yuan deserters, and former peasants descend on the camp. In the chaos, the bandit leader—a tall, powerful man—stops the fighting when he sees Zhu. He orders Zhu to dismount, then embraces him fiercely. Zhu calls him