Chapter 62: The Three Dukes and One Old Man

  Hongzhi saw Xie Qian and said with a smile: "Love, you came just in time. I was about to send someone to the East Palace to find you."

  Xie Qian saw that both Liu Jian and the two university scholars were present, and he couldn't help but ask in surprise: "Your Majesty, has something big happened?"

  Liu Jian told him about the news that Bei Yuan's small king, Bai Yan Khan, had just retreated and Huo Xiao came to raid again, circling around and infiltrating deep into the territory. He also talked about different opinions of several people. Xie Qian listened and immediately shook his head, saying to Emperor Hongzhi: "Your Majesty, soldiers are the most violent tools in the world; bravery is the most violent virtue in the world. Neither of these two things is a tool for gentlemen!"

  The Mongols are barbarians, and they cultivate by killing. If my celestial dynasty were to follow their ways and apply them to themselves, the places where the army passes would not be exempt from frequent war, death and destruction, desolation of fields and gardens, and the growth of thorns. Is this not contrary to benevolence?

  I think of the great Ming, a country of civilization and propriety, which does not need to plunder others' wealth, nor enslave barbarians. Why must we send troops on distant expeditions? Today, the world is at peace, politics are clear, the weather is favorable, and the country is prosperous. What we fear most is natural disasters and man-made calamities. In my humble opinion, if the nine border generals are vigilant and guard against the barbarians at our borders, that will be enough.

  Since the Huo Dui troops launched a surprise attack on Yanqing via a small road, it can be seen that there are still loopholes in our border defense. I think we can reinforce and extend the Yanqing Great Wall at Badaling, build a frontier city, garrison troops to defend it, and then everything will be settled."

  The Hongzhi Emperor listened to his words and felt slightly displeased. "Are soldiers not the sharp instruments of the world? Without these sharp instruments, how would the Great Ming have come into being? Are brave warriors not the fierce virtues of the world? Can it be said that from the founding emperors down to Taizu and Chengzu, who did not use military prowess to pacify the world? Must we wait for the former Yuan Emperor's abdication to fail?"

  But what Xie Qian said was the words of the sage, and even if Hongzhi was the emperor, he couldn't refute it. In the eyes of scholars all over the world, the moral articles of the sages were the golden rules that could never be violated. He said gloomily: "Forget it, I have ordered Liu Daxia, the Minister of War, to enter the palace and see what opinions he has before deciding what to do."

  After a while, a loud and hoarse voice outside the imperial study said: "Your minister, Liu Daxia, Minister of War, has been summoned to an audience!"

  Hongzhi heard the words and hastily declared. This Liu Daxia, was already a 70-year-old old man, with white hair and beard, but his spirit was sharp, his body was robust, and his speech and mannerisms were bold and fierce, with a strong martial air. In the Hongzhi court, there were two elderly generals like Huang Zhong, one was Liu Daxia, and the other was Wang Yue, both of whom were vigorous in old age.

  Wang Yue's official position and military achievements were still above those of Liu Daxia. In the past, he had served as Minister of War, later becoming the commander-in-chief of the three borders. At the age of 70, he personally led troops on a distant expedition, rushing to the foot of Helan Mountain, where he launched a surprise attack on Xiao Wangzi's ten-mile-long military camp, capturing thousands of camels, horses, cattle, and sheep, as well as weapons and equipment. He defeated Xiao Wangzi, who fled in fear, and was promoted to the rank of Junior Guardian for his achievements. As commander-in-chief of the three borders with control over the military, he was the only one throughout the Ming dynasty.

  Unfortunately, at that time, the eunuch Li Guang, who was advocating for longevity and immortality, was in power. Wang Yue deeply understood that as a general on the outside, leading an expedition against the Tatars thousands of miles away, what he feared most was having his own people undermining him from behind, and if supplies were cut off and logistics disrupted, it would be a situation of being isolated and without support.

  To gain Li Guang's support and avoid trouble on the expedition, Wang Yue sent someone to communicate with Li Guang and also gave him a share of the military achievements. With benefits obtained and military achievements to be gained, Li Guang then wholeheartedly advised the Emperor to fully support the campaign with all his might.

  However, Li Guang died of illness, and countless gold, silver, and treasures were found in his home. He was convicted as a huge traitor and evil after death. Not only did all members of Li Guang's party fall, but also Wang Yue, who had a close relationship with him, suffered from the impeachment by the officials, being accused of being a member of the treacherous party.

  In the eyes of those bookworms, since corruption is rampant, one should be virtuous and not go against the teachings of the sages. It's also unacceptable to curry favor with flattery, even if it means being hypocritical for the sake of achieving something. How can you be sure that no matter how eloquent you are now, people won't know what you were thinking in the first place? You're always saying "I won't go to hell, who will?" Then go ahead and go to hell!

  Old Wang Yue led the army to gallop thousands of miles, with momentum like breaking bamboo, at the age of 70, he killed the Mongolian iron cavalry and made them lose their helmets and armor. As a result, he did not die in the yellow sand, but was scolded to death by the officials of the Supervisory Office, one after another.

  Liu Daxia was a senior official in the imperial court, serving as an assistant to three emperors: Ying, Xian, and Xiao. He was a highly respected elder statesman of the three dynasties. Liu was known for his boldness, military prowess, and integrity, which earned him respect from people like Liu Jian, who generally looked down on military leaders but had a certain degree of admiration for this particular Liu Shangshu.

  Liu Daxia finished reading the military situation report, hesitated for a moment, and slightly shook his head: "Your Majesty, I also think... it's better to be cautious and not go beyond the pass!" Liu Jian, Xie Qian, and Li Dongyang all breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

  Miao Kui's eyes gazed upwards, filled with great indignation. He knew that although Liu Daxia was largely motivated by public interest, there might be some private motives hidden within. This Liu Daxia had been fighting against the eunuchs for many years, viewing them as snakes and scorpions. As soon as a suggestion came from the eunuchs, regardless of whether it was right or wrong, he would already have three parts of caution in his heart.

  At the beginning, Zheng Gong's seven voyages to the Western Ocean were a great success, and the eunuchs' power was at its peak. Liu Daxia believed that traveling to distant foreign countries was a useless policy that would only exhaust the country's resources, and he feared that the eunuchs' power would take advantage of this to rise again and become a major problem for the court. Therefore, when Yingzong wanted to set sail again, Liu Daxia strongly opposed it, and it is said that Zheng Gong's navigation chart was destroyed by this person.

  In the 17th year of Chenghua, Annan (Vietnam) invaded Laos and was defeated. At that time, Wang Zhi wanted to take advantage of the situation to recover Annan, which no longer obeyed the Great Ming, and asked the Ministry of War to find out the previous documents and maps of Annan.

  Liu Daxia believed that once the war started, if they lost, there would be heavy casualties, and if they won, the power of the eunuchs would increase. Therefore, he hid the route map to Annan again and refused to hand it over. His policy of locking the country for self-protection was deeply approved by the scholars, so even Wang Zhi, who dominated the court at that time, had no way to deal with him.

  Now he says this, isn't it because he's afraid that the eunuchs will rise again? Miao Kui thought to himself and gave him a cold look, with great hatred in his eyes. But Liu Daxia was currently the most favored official of the Hongzhi Emperor, who had governed the Yellow River, cleared out the rebels, supervised military rations, and was an honest official, so it could be said that everyone from top to bottom praised him. Although Miao Kui was also favored, he didn't dare to lightly cross Liu Daxia.

  Hongzhi heard that this brave general also said so, and he was greatly disappointed. He said in a disgruntled tone: "During the time of Taizu and Chengzu, we went out of the pass several times, defeated the Mongols, and they fled far away when they saw the great flag of Ming. Our army wanted to fight but couldn't find one, and gained prestige. Why can't we do it now?"

  Liu Daxia cupped his hands and said: "Your Majesty's military prowess is not inferior to that of Taizong or Chengzu, but the current situation is that our troops and horses are far from what they were in the past. Moreover, at that time, tens of thousands of elite soldiers would often be dispatched to the deserts, whereas now our Great Ming army excels at defense but not offense. Military affairs can no longer be taken lightly. For today's plan, defense is the superior strategy, while battle is the inferior one."

  Liu Jian and the other three university scholars stroked their beards with a smile, showing great approval. Hongzhi sighed and said: "You all know about military affairs, you say so, there must be a reason. If it weren't for the good words of several of you, I would have been misled by my temporary anger and almost made a big mistake."

  Liu Jian bowed his head and praised: "Your Majesty takes advice like a flowing river, you are a wise ruler of the world."

  Hongzhi smiled wryly and waved his hand, asking Liu Daxia: "In your opinion, how should I deal with this?"

  Liu Daxia thought for a moment and said, "The three university scholars are right. I also think that we should order the border generals to understand the enemy's situation, strengthen our defenses, and prepare for battle. At the same time, we should rebuild the Great Wall in the Yanqing-Badaling section, repair the mountain passes to defend against the enemy, and station heavy troops nearby. We should also build beacon towers and signal fires at the mountain passes and key transportation routes north of the city gate. By implementing these strategies simultaneously, the capital will be as secure as a fortress, stable like a rock."

  Hongzhi slowly sat down on the dragon chair and nodded: "According to your words, Liu University Scholar will draft the imperial edict."

  "Yes, we retreat!" With a wave of his hand, Hongzhi watched as the several senior officials filed out, and thought to himself: "The young prince's New Year's Eve border raid, my three armies recaptured the lost territory in the blink of an eye. Could it be that once they left the pass, this fierce tiger would really become a cat? Alas, perhaps they are right, governing the country is half due to human effort and half due to heavenly fate, founding a dynasty is difficult... maintaining it is also not easy..."

  The imperial physician indeed did not dare to speak lightly of the crown prince's illness, and even more so did not dare to casually administer medicine. He randomly wrote out a few prescriptions for clearing the mind and awakening the brain, instructing the crown prince to rest well before retreating. Yang Ling smiled at the crown prince and said: "Your Highness, tomorrow morning we will act according to plan. I, your humble minister, will take my leave for now."

  "Alright, tomorrow morning, wait for me outside the back palace gate." Zhu Houzhao waved his hand absent-mindedly. He had watched Luo Xiang and Gao Feng's shadow puppet show until midnight last night and was now addicted to it. Chancellor Xie had just left, so he called out for them to continue performing.

  Yang Ling saw the expression in his eyes, he quietly made a deep bow and nodded to Gu Daxia beside him, slowly backing out. From these two days of interaction, he also saw that the so-called Eight Tigers currently had no political ambitions, but they were trying to please the Crown Prince, making him happy, and their actions were inevitably heading in this direction.

  Now that he has just met the prince, Ba Hu is actually the one who took care of Zhu Houzhao since childhood. In terms of emotions, they are absolutely not comparable to them now. If Ba Hu becomes suspicious of himself and says some bad things in front of the prince, then this attendant doesn't need to do it anymore. Moreover, the prince is currently in a period of adolescent rebellion, if he learns from Zhong Chen's bitter advice, he may have the opposite effect.

  So Yang Ling didn't dare to show any sign of disgust on his face, he only hoped that through his own efforts, this emperor who was destined to become absurd according to the original historical trajectory could be slightly different from history, but... although it's true that adolescence is a period of strong plasticity, but... with only two years' time, alas, time doesn't wait for me, I'll just do my best.

  Huguo Temple Street, wearing a linen robe, disheveled hair, riding a thin horse.

  He Can followed the directions and finally found Yang Ling's home.

  He was handed over to the capital and imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice, it has been more than half a month now. Until today, he was released from prison, demoted as a hundred households, and ordered to take office immediately in a remote area of Guangxi.

  For more than half a month, he finally tasted what it means to be cold and warm in human relationships, what it means for the world to be hot and cold. Some of his former colleagues and old friends were also officials in Beijing, but not one of them dared to come forward and speak a fair word for him.

  When the family heard the news, they let San Di bring a large amount of gold and silver to Beijing for activities. However, this case was entrusted by the emperor himself, and it also involved the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Five Military Command Centers, all of which were entangled in it. At this time, avoiding it was not possible, who dared to step into the center of this storm? So even thinking about finding someone slightly flexible was impossible.

  Just then, he heard that his nearly seventy-year-old mother had fallen seriously ill after learning of his imprisonment and the danger to his life. Now her condition was critical, and at home they had already prepared a coffin and mourning clothes, which made him even more anxious and indignant.

  Zheng Jianjun Ye Yushi was just a scholar-official, and he had already died on the battlefield. No one dared to risk being criticized for being unscrupulous and ruining their reputation by impeaching a "martyred" scholar on the battlefield, especially since he still had the support of the 110 members of the Supervision Office.

  But that Liu Gonggong was a high-ranking official in the imperial court, a confidant of the Crown Prince, and although he currently had no power or influence, he was highly valued by the Crown Prince. Moreover, he was appointed by the Emperor himself as the supervisor of the Imperial Guards, which implied that the Emperor trusted him deeply. Therefore, no one dared to accuse him of any wrongdoing, and all the blame fell squarely on his shoulders.

  He San thought that at most he would be convicted of greed and recklessness, and at worst demoted. Later, he found that the prison officer who had been kind to him was becoming increasingly cold, and even his family members were not allowed to visit him. It wasn't until then that he felt something was wrong. His third brother bribed the guards with silver and secretly came in to see him, only then did he learn that half of the officials in Beijing were now involved in this case.

  He Jun's heart turned cold and he lost all hope. Having been in the officialdom for many years, how could he not know the rules of the game? Since this matter had blown up so big, the outcome of the trial would inevitably be a deadlock. To break this impasse, it was likely that they would have to make him the scapegoat and sacrifice him to resolve everything once and for all.

  He Zan instructed his third brother, with tears in his eyes, not to engage in any more activities in the capital and waste money, telling him to hurry back home to take care of their elderly mother. He also asked his brother to prepare an extra coffin for himself, saying: "Mother is bedridden, I am the eldest son, unable to fulfill my filial duties while she is still alive, so I can only serve her in the afterlife."

  Third brother shed tears to bid farewell, from then on He San will concentrate his mind and wait for death. These few days originally black hair all turned white. Today Jin Yiwei held the imperial edict to come to the Ministry of Punishment's prison, He San still thought the execution date had arrived, but unexpectedly heard the news of releasing him from prison.

  He Zan was both shocked and delighted, and he asked the Jin Yiwei guards about it. Only then did he learn that Yang Ling, the former Magistrate of Chicken Cry Post, had entered the capital to become a reader for the Crown Prince. That small magistrate who had never been taken seriously by him had actually dared to speak out and risk his life to remonstrate with the Emperor, and as a result, had managed to get himself promoted.

  Although the Ministry of War demoted him to a small hundred households and relegated him to a remote area in Guangxi, compared to his original psychological expectation that he would surely die, this was already an ending that could not be better.

  A distant road tests a horse's strength, and time reveals a person's heart. Now, He Ping is deeply aware that Yang Ling is no different from his reborn parents to him. For this kind of traditional martial general, although there are many shortcomings, the creed of loyalty, integrity, gratitude, and reciprocity has been deeply rooted in his moral standards since childhood.

  He San was not in a hurry to take up his post in Guangxi, but with his elderly mother critically ill at home, he felt it would be a great regret if he could not see her one last time before she died, so he rushed back. After receiving the appointment documents from the Ministry of War, he immediately came to Yang Fu to pay respects to the person who had saved his life and then return to his hometown.

  He Can Jun arrived at Yang Ling's door, but saw a copper lock hanging on the gate. He Can Jun was taken aback and heard from the people of Jin Yiwei that Yang Shidu had entered the capital, his wife had come with him, so why was there no one in the Yang family?

  An old man selling insoles, embroidered handkerchiefs and melon seeds in the alley saw him and asked loudly: "Hey, who are you? Are you a guest of Yang Shidu, Mr. Yang's family?"

  He San led the horse over and clasped his fists in greeting: "Yes, does Big Brother know someone from the Yang family? Does he know where the people from the Yang estate went?"

  The old man said with a smile: "Of course, I know him. How could I not know him? My family lives next to the Yangs, and Mr. Yang is a close minister of the emperor, a frequent visitor to the imperial palace. How could I not know him?"

  I got up early on purpose, just to see the appearance of Yang Daren going to court. Tsk, tsk, I haven't seen the Son of Heaven, but the people around the Crown Prince are all like this, it's easy to imagine what kind of person the Emperor is! No wonder people say that the Emperor is a true dragon, a purple star from heaven descended into the world...

  He furrowed his brow: "Why are the people in this place so garrulous? Once they start talking, they never stop. If we wait a bit longer, who knows where he'll drag the conversation to?" He hastily interrupted the old man and asked: "So, do you know where Yang's family members went?"

  The old man was interrupted while speaking, and he was a bit unhappy. He waved his hand and said: "Of course, Mr. Yang is accompanying the prince in the palace, what's there to ask? Mrs. Yang went shopping on the street, if you say that Mr. Yang is a servant of the prince, hey, he is so honest that he doesn't even hire a sedan chair bearer, until now he still walks to the Forbidden City every day. At home, only Mrs. Yang takes care of household chores. This Mrs. Yang is really a beautiful and virtuous wife, as beautiful as a flower, truly matching Mr. Yang's handsome appearance..."

  He Zan bowed deeply and said, "Thank you, brother." He turned around and came to the front of Yang Ling's gate, stood still for a while, suddenly threw away the reins, turned over and fell to the ground, knocking his head in the dust.

  The old man selling groceries stared with wide eyes, and saw that the man with a head full of white hair, a dark complexion, and a goatee knelt down, kowtowed three times, then mounted his horse, whipped it and galloped away.

  The old man slowly came to, moistening his toothless lips, and hundreds of possible stories began to brew in his rich imagination.

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