Chapter Fifteen: Turning the Tide of Fury

  The defending general in Huailai City witnessed the tragic scene, but he was also helpless and could only send someone to rush back to report the news. A day later (August 16), people in the capital knew about this news.

  The sky has fallen.

  Two hundred thousand troops were destroyed in an instant, countless civil and military officials died in battle, the three elite camps were completely annihilated, and the capital city was no longer able to withstand a single blow.

  The Empress Dowager and the Queen cried together, while the ministers were like ants on a hot pot, anxious to the point of jumping their feet but having no way out, with thousands of threads tangled together, where to start?

  Ginger is still old and spicy. At this time, the Minister of the Ministry of Official Affairs, Wang Zhi, stood out and clearly pointed out the key to the problem, which is also the primary contradiction that must be solved first at present:

  Is the Emperor alive or dead?

  Yes, it's all messed up and the emperor has been forgotten. To be sure, this is indeed the most important issue at present.

  Soldiers can be recruited again, ministers can be re-examined and appointed, but when the emperor dies, it's not a big deal, just set up another one.

  The problem is that you have to first confirm whether Mr. Zhu Qizhen is really dead, what if he was mistakenly declared dead and his household registration and imperial status were cancelled, and another emperor was established, only for him to return two days later, would you still want to keep your head?

  The country is more important than the emperor, and you, Zhu Qi Zhen, are nothing compared to the state. The problem is that you need to give an accurate message; if he's dead, hold a memorial service, and if he's alive, we'll think of another way.

  The Empress Dowager and the Empress naturally wished him still alive, but the ministers were not necessarily so.

  From later events it can be inferred that the ministers' opinion was: It is better for the emperor to die than to live.

  Zhu Qizhen, you'd better die anyway. This time, you've lost all the face of your ancestors. After you're dead, we can easily establish a new emperor and avoid another Jianwen Emperor, who caused trouble for decades.

  Sometimes, even an emperor's life is worthless.

  Although it's cruel, this is the fact.

  Zhu Di waited for twenty-one years for news of Jianwen Emperor, but Zhu Qizhen's ministers were lucky and only had to wait one day.

  Just as the ministers were deliberating on this matter, someone came to report that a thousand households of the Embroidered Uniform Guard named Liang Gui had an important message to report, and it was precisely this Liang Gui who brought the definitive answer.

  The Emperor is still alive.

  Hostage

  Zhu Qizhen is indeed still alive.

  When the army collapsed, his guards were either killed in battle or had disappeared early, everyone was only concerned with escaping for themselves, and the soldiers' killing shouts, the miserable cries of the beheaded soldiers merged into one piece, the small Tumu Fort suddenly became a hell on earth.

  Zhu Qizhen was not a good judge of character, but he was not a useless waste either.

  He lost his army of 200,000 men, he lost his ministers and guards, he also lost all the property that was with him, but he kept one thing:

  The dignity of the Great Ming Emperor.

  At this moment of extreme danger, he did not scatter and flee like others, but sat quietly, waiting for the arrival of the moment that would decide his fate.

  At this moment, accompanying Zhu Qizhen was a eunuch named Xi Ning.

  But he is not a good person.

  A soldier of the Wa-lah army found Chu Ch'i-tsun sitting cross-legged, and went up to him with a knife to intimidate him into taking off his valuable clothes.

  Contrary to the soldier's expectations, the seated man completely ignored him and didn't even give him a glance.

  The Wala soldier never expected that among the Ming army, who had already scattered and were only thinking of escaping with their lives, there was still such a calm and collected person. He himself held a sharp blade and brandished it wildly, but this man was unarmed and yet remained composed and unruffled. Suddenly, he felt a sense of being insulted.

  He raised the knife in his hand and decided to kill this man.

  If this knife were to cut down, it would be easier.

  But just then his brother arrived, a man of the world who had seen life. He saw that this man had such an air about him and stopped him, saying: "This man has a special bearing, he is not an ordinary person."

  (This is no ordinary person, his actions set him apart)

  He immediately asked Mr. Zhu Qizhen to meet Esen's brother - Saiyin King.

  Sai Kan Wang was a high-ranking official of the Later Jin dynasty, and he had seen his fair share of the world, but this captured emperor of the Ming dynasty still came as a shock to him.

  Zhu Qizhen met Sai Kan Wang and didn't exchange pleasantries with him, instead he gave him a multiple-choice question.

  "Is it Xiao Erxun? Is it Ba Yan Temur (Xiao Erxun's brother)? Or is it Saiyin Wang?"

  Sai Kan Wang was shocked and lost his color, he had seen many captives before, but never one like this. The man's demeanor was extraordinary, his courage was indeed beyond ordinary people, Sai Kan Wang couldn't make up his mind either, so he ran to find his leader - Ye Xian.

  Esan was shocked to learn of this and thought that the man might be the emperor of the Great Ming. He then sent two men who had seen Zhu Qizhen to verify his suspicions, which were ultimately confirmed.

  A debate ensued.

  More than 70 years ago, the Mongolian nobles were driven out of the Central Plains, and hundreds of thousands of troops were defeated by Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, Lan Yu and others, and they wandered to the vast grasslands. Esen may not be a member of the Golden Family, but he had already enthroned Toghon Temür of the Golden Family as Khan, inheriting the imperial orthodoxy, more importantly, he was also a Mongolian.

  Although there is no family hatred, yet there is national enmity.

  Also Xian spoke first, unable to conceal his joy, and said to the crowd: "I used to pray to heaven constantly, hoping that Da Yuan would unify the world one day. Now it has come true! The Ming army was defeated by me, and the emperor is in my hands!"

  At this time, a man named Nai Gong said: "Heaven has given us the Chou family, let's kill him!"

  I've looked up a lot of historical materials, but I still don't know what kind of identity this person has. I guess he's just a nobody. He probably said that sentence just to join in the fun and flatter people, but this flattery was really misplaced.

  It's common knowledge that when high-ranking nobles converse, there's no room for small fries to speak up. It's just like in TV dramas where gangsters negotiate - before the big brother even opens his mouth, the younger brother jumps out first. Generally, when this happens, the younger brother won't have a good ending, and this time is no exception.

  Upon hearing this, another heavyweight figure - Zhu Di chose the second option Bayan Temur and spoke out in anger, jumping up to say to Yesen: "What kind of person is this, where does he get off speaking?"

  Then he dismissed the old man with a single word: "Scram!"

  After dealing with this little brother, Bayan Temur expressed his own views. What he said was very long, roughly meaning that the battle was so chaotic, and the Ming emperor had not died yet, which meant that heaven had not abandoned him yet. Moreover, the Ming emperor had always been good to us, if we sent the emperor back on our own initiative, wouldn't it be better to get a good reputation?

  Everyone nodded in agreement with his views and handed Zhu Qizhen over to Bayan Temur for custody.

  Historical records say so, but I think half of it is nonsense.

  Bayan Temur and some Mongolian nobles were unwilling to kill Zhu Qizhen, which is a historical fact. However, the description of this event has some problems. In this debate, we can't see any real opposing opinions, only moralizing about benevolence and righteousness, obviously mixed with the historian's own life philosophy and ideas.

  Although Ye Xian is not highly educated, he still understands some cunning tactics. Since he has gone to war with the Ming dynasty, it means that there are no emotional ties between them. He didn't grow up reading the Four Books and Five Classics, so why would he care about his reputation?

  In my opinion, the fact should be like this:

  Also Xian: What should we do with Zhu Qizhen now?

  Bayan Temur: It may be of no benefit to kill him, better leave him.

  What's the point of keeping him?

  Bayan Temur: How stupid! With the Emperor in our hands, are we afraid of not getting any benefits? We can take him to demand ransom and also take him to order the border guards to open the city gates. The world will be ours!

  Everyone nodded in agreement with his views and handed Zhu Qizhen over to Bayan Temur for custody.

  It turned out that this speculation was not unfounded, and in the following years, the ones who played first were just these few moves.

  From then on, captive Zhu Qizhen became a hostage, and Ye Zong also transformed into the leader of the kidnapper group.

  According to the arrangements within the bandit group, Zhu Qizhen was taken care of by Bai Yan Tie Mu, the second-in-command of the bandits. But it is estimated that this second-in-charge did not expect in his dreams that this seemingly helpless Zhu Qizhen was a person with special talents.

  Zhu Qizhen's talent lies in his interpersonal relationships.

  There are often people around us who make us feel like we've known them for a long time, feeling warm and gentle, as if bathed in spring breeze. This kind of temperament is usually innate, and we all want to get along with such people. And Zhu Qizhen is just such a person.

  At the age of twenty-three, Zhu Qizhen was actually a very kind and generous person. Although he was an emperor, he treated his attendants with kindness and his ministers with courtesy, which can be described as modest and gentle like jade.

  It was precisely this quality of his that created a miracle.

  In the predicament of being captured by the enemy, under the shadow of death threats at all times, in the vast wilderness of a foreign land, Zhu Qizhen remained calm and composed, even to his enemies he was polite and courteous. As time went on, even the Mongolian soldiers and officers guarding him were willing to serve him wholeheartedly.

  Among them was even Bayan Temur, the second son of the Khan.

  But Zhu Qizhen's ability to influence people did not stop there, and even after he was imprisoned by his brother upon returning home, the minister who was ordered to guard him was also moved by him, willing to serve him and work for him.

  In psychology, there is a syndrome called "Stockholm Syndrome", which originated from a robbery case. The hostages in the case unexpectedly protected the robbers and blocked the police, leaving many people baffled.

  This phenomenon can be explained by psychology: the hostages, under great pressure and threat, tend to obey the side that controls them, which is also why the hostages will cooperate with the hijackers. The famous war movie "The Bridge on the River Kwai" describes a group of people who were captured by the Japanese army and actively cooperated with the Japanese military operations, suffering from "Stockholm Syndrome".

  However, Mr. Zhu Di created history and created the "Tumu Fortress Syndrome". Under the influence of his ability, the kidnappers would even take a stand on the side of the hostages! Since then, Bayan Temur not only repeatedly asked for Zhu Di's release but also actively sought to restore his imperial throne. Every time I see these records, I am stunned.

  This is truly a terrible ability.

  Loyalty and Betrayal

  Zhu Qizhen was indeed a person with affinity, but it was clear that his affinity was not invincible, at least not effective on the eunuch called Xining.

  After Zhu Qizhen was taken away, Xi Ning hastily abandoned his master and surrendered to Esen. Now it seems that when he guarded Zhu Qizhen's side, he had ulterior motives. What is even more detestable is that he constantly provided advice and strategies for Esen and informed him of the defensive situation at the border, leading the way for the Mongolian army, a true traitor.

  It was this Xi Ning who took the initiative to propose to Xian that now the capital is empty and can be attacked immediately, and must obtain the Central Plains.

  It is estimated that this eunuch has a grudge against the Great Ming or was originally an undercover agent. Apart from this, it is really impossible to understand his motives.

  Yexian was ambitious and in his view, with Xining's strategic planning, the dream of unifying the world could be realized soon.

  Due to Xi Ning's betrayal, Zhu Qizhen had no one to take care of him, so he also selected another servant for the Ming emperor. This person was called Yuan Bin, who was also captured in the war.

  He would not have thought that this casual decision of his would give Zhu Qizhen great support, and in the years to come, Yuan Bin accompanied Zhu Qizhen with his loyalty, and finally waited for the day of freedom.

  At this moment, Xin Ning, who was complacent and self-satisfied, did not expect that he would die at the hands of a person named Yuan Bin in the near future.

  After making all necessary preparations, the kidnappers also began the final step of the kidnapping: notifying the hostages' families.

  This is a very urgent matter, and since there were no phones back then, someone had to be found to deliver the message. This time, the kidnapping was particularly special, and the person delivering the message had to speed up. If they were late, it might lead to a "ticket tear" situation.

  So he released a captive named Liang Gui and had him hurry back to report the news, ensuring that the message was delivered before the other side "tore up the ticket".

  This is also a worldwide sensation, and the kidnapper is actually afraid of "ripping tickets"?

  It's absolutely true that a toad with three legs is hard to find, but an emperor with two legs can still be easily established. The descendants of the Ming dynasty are multiplying at a rapid rate, and there are enough people waiting in line for the throne to stretch from the East Straight Gate to the West Straight Gate. If we don't hurry up, once a new emperor is established, this living treasure in our hands will become worthless.

  Thus, the elite of the Great Ming dynasty learned that their good emperor was still alive.

  This is troublesome.

  It's better to be dead, as one can start anew. Disappearance is also fine, at least a new emperor can be established first and the matter settled. Once everything gets back on track, even if the former emperor returns after begging his way back, it won't have much effect anymore.

  But now the situation is the worst kind of all, people are not only alive but also become hostages of kidnappers, openly asking for ransom.

  Money is not the problem, giving you money is just a matter of course. The problem is that even if you give money, people may not necessarily come back. If he has already tasted the sweetness, he may come to ask for it every year during the New Year, just like receiving hongbao (red envelopes). After taking the money and not letting go, if you dare not to give in, it's like disregarding the emperor's life or death, and the pressure of public opinion is also unbearable.

  However, this is not the most troublesome thing, and a bigger problem lies ahead.

  Because Wang Zhen only wanted to rely on numbers to crush Also First, he took away all the troops of the three major camps in Beijing and the elite of the Northern Ming army when he went out. At this time, there were less than 100,000 soldiers left in Beijing, all of whom were old, weak and disabled, with low morale. Also First defeated the main force of the Ming army and would inevitably take advantage of his remaining prestige to attack Beijing. Judging from the current situation, it is difficult to resist the opponent's offensive with this small number of troops.

  Moreover, when he launches a surprise attack, he will inevitably bring his hostage Zhu Qizhen with him. The purpose is very simple - as a human shield.

  In fact, Zhu Qizhen's true role was not that he was an emperor, but that all the defending troops knew he was the emperor!

  It doesn't matter if nobody knows, the problem is that everyone knows that this person in their hands is the emperor, and Altan Khan is very clear about this. As long as they put the Ming Emperor in their ranks, the Ming army will be hesitant to fight, naturally not daring to really attack. If by chance someone with a short sight in the chaos of war kills the emperor, that would be a crime punishable by extermination of the whole clan.

  What can be done when it cannot be kept and cannot be fought?

  In my opinion, there is really no way.

  The Great Ming Dynasty is on the verge of collapse.

  Roar

  The ministers were thinking of a countermeasure. After all, they had rich experience and experience, even in such an unfavorable situation, they could calm down and discuss ways to solve the problem.

  But the harem was different, Zhu Qizhen's capture was like a thunderbolt on a clear day, stunning Empress Qian. To women, their husbands are the most important, so she immediately sent all the gold, silver and jewels in the harem to Alsoyan's military camp, hoping to redeem her husband.

  Is he back? Of course not.

  It's not easy to catch such a rare treasure, and he still hopes to collect rent slowly and eat interest. How can he possibly send the person back!

  Then he played a rogue, took the money but didn't let him go, indicating that these were not enough and wanted more from the palace.

  The imperial harem is out of money, Empress Qian's surname may be Qian (meaning "money" in Chinese), but she can't conjure up any cash. As a result, all she can do is cry and wail every day, washing her face with tears.

  Lack of experience is lack of experience.

  The palace has done foolish things, and the ministers have no way to deal with it, because they are already at a loss. The Mongolian army is about to attack Beijing, everything is in disarray, people's hearts are in a state of panic, and those who fear death are in the majority, many people advocate for moving south.

  It's no wonder they're like this, fear of death is human nature. However, what these fearful people worry about the most isn't just their own lives, but also their future prospects.

  They advocated for the southern migration, but in fact they had ulterior motives. In their view, Beijing might not be able to be preserved, and if the court did not migrate, it was very likely that everything would be destroyed together. However, if they migrated south, even if half of the country was lost, they could still continue to hold office.

  As for the national altar of soil and grain, it is really a secondary matter.

  This mood has been haunting Wenwu officials for a long time, and many people have already packed their bags, ready to leave as soon as the order is given.

  But no matter how they planned, without the emperor's order, it was impossible to leave, so the fearful clan made preparations and proposed a suggestion at the imperial court meeting the next day, determined to get the emperor's consent for the southern migration.

  Among these fugitives, there was one named Xu Xing.

  At this time, Xu Wen was eager to try, he would put forward his suggestion of going south the next day, and he was very confident that his suggestion would be approved by the emperor.

  Because he has sufficient theoretical basis.

  The second day arrived.

  Zhengtong 14th year (1449) August 18th.

  The fate of the Great Ming Dynasty was decided on this day.

  In the morning, the imperial court meeting formally began, presided over by Zhu Qizhen, who was acting as regent.

  This was a very important court meeting in the history of the Ming Dynasty, and the theme of the meeting was how to deal with the many problems at hand, among which the most critical issue was whether to escape or fight.

  If we flee, we will lose half of our territory; if we fight, both sides may be destroyed.

  Zhu Qiyu was initially in charge of the great power and was very nervous. He eagerly awaited the suggestions of the group ministers. However, what happened next was beyond his expectations.

  These civil and military officials went to court after that, but they didn't say anything, just wailed loudly, the whole court was in tears.

  Zhu Qiyan was left at a loss, stunned and speechless.

  It's actually easy to understand, these ministers all have colleagues and relatives who died in this war, and a good country has been messed up to such an extent, it's really chilling. The pain of many days was finally vented at the court meeting, and it can be said that they had a good cry.

  The crucial imperial court meeting thus began with wailing and crying.

  After crying for a while, the ministers gradually regained their composure. After all, it's inevitable to be heartbroken, but the living still have to face the current difficulties. The most crucial thing now is to discuss whether the court should stay or leave.

  Xu Yin spoke first, we have reason to believe that he had been impatient for a long time, because from his later performance, in his mind, the most important thing was always his own wealth and glory.

  Xu Xuan said loudly: "I observed the night sky, checked the calendar, and found that today's fate is gone, only going south can avoid this disaster."

  It seems to be the fortune teller's words, everyone present is a knowledgeable person who has read extensively, and not a three-year-old child. How could Xu E be so foolish as to take the so-called heavenly phenomenon as theoretical basis? Who can his theory convince, isn't it self-deception?

  But strangely, Xu Yin himself was complacent and determined that everyone would believe him. What made him so confident?

  There is still a reason for this.

  Xu E, a native of Wu County (now Suzhou), was a fellow townsman of Yao Guangxiao. He passed the imperial examination in the eighth year of the Xuande reign and became a lecturer at the Imperial Academy in the twelfth year of the Zhengtong reign (1447). As everyone knows, being a lecturer is an official position within the Hanlin Academy, which requires one to be a scholar of broad learning. However, people in the Hanlin Academy often tend to be bookworms, spending their days reading the words of sages and the Four Books and Five Classics without cease. Xu E, on the other hand, was able to balance work and leisure, having his own personal interests outside of Confucian studies - the study of yin-yang and numerology.

  As mentioned earlier, the scope of Yin Yang Shu Suan studies is very broad, including astronomy, geography, military science, fortune-telling and so on. It can be said that if this subject is studied thoroughly, it can indeed produce talented people.

  The famous conspirator Yao Guangxiao is studying this, but Xu Yin and Yao Guangxiao are different. Mr. Yao's research focuses on the first three items (astronomy, geography, and military strategy), while Xu Yin chose the fourth item (fortune-telling).

  Fortune-telling has a long history, and its origins are far-reaching. Whether it's accurate or not is hard to say, but as long as humans have a fear of the unknown, it will continue to exist.

  Xu Yin was a person who aspired to study fortune-telling, he often took the initiative to tell people's fortunes, although he didn't charge money, it was just out of interest and voluntary labor, however, he often got it wrong, so people didn't quite believe him.

  It seems that heaven wanted to save his reputation as a fortune teller, and not long after, this failed amateur fortune teller made an accurate judgment about an important event at the time.

  This matter is just the defeat of Tumu Fortress.

  Before the expedition of Ming Yingzong, he observed the astronomical phenomena at night, was shocked and lost his color, ran back home and told his wife: "I observe the astronomical phenomena, this battle will definitely be defeated, when the time comes, the Wa army will come and it will not be too late. You hurry back to your old home to hide."

  But Mr Xu's fortune-telling skills were so poor that even his wife didn't believe in them, and people just laughed at this advice of his.

  So when the news of the defeat of Tumubao came, Xu Xing was worried about his own future fate, and also had a few happy feelings.

  "Don't believe me? Now you do!"

  This matter ultimately saved his fortune-telling reputation, so he was able to say those words with such confidence.

  Let's take a look at the five key words of today's Great Ming Dynasty:

  The army was defeated, the emperor was captured, the capital city was empty, people were in a state of panic, and the surrender (fleeing) faction.

  A true picture of a lost country.

  This scene seems familiar, and indeed, a very similar situation occurred three hundred and twenty-three years ago.

  In October of the first year of Jingkang in Northern Song Dynasty (1126), the Jin army launched an attack on Northern Song, and Taiyuan and Zhending fell. In mid-November, the Jin army crossed the Yellow River. Emperor Qinzong of Song was flustered and did not know what to do, while his ministers had no intention of fighting and advocated surrendering one after another.

  On December 2 of this year, Emperor Qinzong of Song formally surrendered to Jin.

  In the second year of Jingkang (1127), on April 1, the Jin general Wanyan Zongwang escorted the captured Emperor Huizong of Song, Emperor Qinzong of Song, and over 400 palace women and concubines, as well as a large quantity of gold, silver, and other treasures back to their capital, marking the end of the Northern Song dynasty.

  If we compare, it will be found that the situation of two dynasties separated by more than 300 years is surprisingly similar. Both were defeated in battle not long ago, both had empty capitals, both had people's hearts in a state of panic, and both had surrendering and fleeing speeches everywhere. Moreover, the situation of the Ming dynasty at this time was even more unfavorable, because their emperor had already fallen into the hands of the enemy, and they were afraid to fight back.

  But Daming did not end up like the Northern Song Dynasty, because compared to the Northern Song Dynasty at that time, Daming had one more person and one more angry roar.

  "Suggesting people of Southern migration should be killed!"

  The speaker is Yu Qian, Vice Minister of War.

  Yu Qian

  In 1398, the Ming Empire saw off its founder - Zhu Yuanzhang. This was no small loss for the empire.

  But also in the same year, a ordinary family in Qiantang County (now Hangzhou City), Zhejiang Province gave birth to a future savior of the empire. This is naturally our protagonist Yu Qian.

  Of course, Yu Qian at that time was not a savior, for him who was still an infant, the most important task and goal at present was to drink milk.

  Thanks to a good family environment, Yu Qian had his own study where he spent his childhood. Like all readers at that time, Yu Qian also started his learning career from the Four Books and Five Classics.

  To be honest, things like the Four Books and Five Classics are easy to cultivate bookworms, but Yu Qian seems to be an exception. He is very progressive, studying hard and diligently, but never limited to the books themselves. In addition to learning and testing content, he also likes extracurricular books (such as military strategy), history tells us that children who like to read extracurricular books generally have a good future.

  Just like the star chasers of today, Yu Qian also had his own idol and he hung this idol's portrait in his study (this move is quite familiar), worshiping day and night.

  One day, his teacher discovered him often looking at that painting and curiously asked him why he did so.

  Yu Qian heard this and immediately replied in a serious tone: "In the future I want to be like him!"

  The person in the picture is Wen Tianxiang.

  Apart from this, Yu Qian also wrote two sentences in the study as a tribute to Wen Tianxiang.

  Die for one's country and forget one's own life; give up one's life for righteousness. It is better to die with honor than to live in shame.

  In my view, this is a promise made by young Yu Qian to his own future behavior.

  More than thirty years later, he fulfilled his promise with his life.

  In the 19th year of Yongle (1421), Yu Qian was 23 years old. At that time, he had already passed the imperial examination at the provincial level and was about to rush to the capital for the exam.

  He bid farewell to his home and the hometown of Jiangnan water village, heading for Beijing where wind and cloud gather and everything is magnificent.

  The road ahead is treacherous, but Yu Qian shows no fear. He understands that a wider world awaits him, and the time to fulfill his lifelong ambitions has arrived.

  Yu Qian packed his luggage, bid farewell to his family, gazed at the long road ahead, recited a poem, and set off on his journey.

  Draw sword and dance in the courtyard, sing loudly and shake the forest!

  My husband says so, no learning is useless!

  Yu Qian, the world is vast, from now on, start your magnificent life!

  Clear Wind

  In this imperial examination in the capital, Yu Qian passed smoothly and was eventually appointed as an Imperial Censor.

  In the aftermath of Zhu Gaoxu's rebellion in the first year of the Xuande era, Yu Qian used his loud voice, severe words and deep curses to severely reprimand this extremely failed vassal king, leaving a deep impression on Ming Renzong.

  From then on, Yu Qian embarked on a path of rapid advancement.

  In 1430, the fifth year of Xuande's reign, Ming Xuanzong appointed Yu Qian as the Right Vice Minister of War and sent him to inspect Shanxi and Henan provinces. That year, Yu Qian was only thirty-two years old.

  At just thirty-two years old, he was already a third-grade official and deputy minister, which really can't be said to be anything but a miracle. Yu Qian also became an object of envy among his peers.

  This is naturally inseparable from the fact that some people in the court appreciated him, and those who focused on cultivating and reusing him were precisely the "Three Yangs".

  People like Yang Shi Qi and Yang Rong, who have been through the ups and downs of life, naturally know how to identify talent. Yu Qian is someone who wouldn't escape their notice. In fact, at that time, there were people who expressed dissatisfaction with Yu's rapid promotion, but Yang Shi Qi just smiled and said: "This man is a rare talent, he will definitely become a pillar in the future!"

  I'm just doing it for the sake of national promotion."

  It doesn't matter if you're a genius or not, or if you're a pillar of society or not. It's not up to Yang Shiqi to decide either. The only thing that matters is achieving results, and only then will everyone recognize you.

  Yu Qian left the capital and began his career as a local official, but he probably didn't expect that this departure would last for nineteen years.

  In these nineteen years, Yu Qian inspected Shanxi and Henan provinces. He did not disappoint Yang Shi Qi's trust, working diligently and conscientiously. During his tenure, he had great prestige and was highly respected by the people. What is even more rare is that apart from being capable, he was also very clean-handed.

  During the Zhengtong period, Wang Zhen had already taken power. He was a type of person who would take everything he could get his hands on. When local officials came to report to the capital, they would always bring some gifts, even if it was just everyday items. Wang Zhen would accept them all without hesitation, leaving people speechless. However, Yu Qian was completely different. As a touring inspector with great power, he was able to remain uncorrupted and not take even a single needle or thread. Not only did he not take bribes himself, but he also didn't allow others to do so.

  One is greedy, one is not, and contradiction arises from this.

  In the sixth year of Zhengtong (1441), Wang Zhen, who had always looked down on Yu Qian, found an excuse to arrest him. As we mentioned earlier, Wang Zhen did not expect that Yu Qian's popularity was so high, and if he were killed, the consequences would be extremely severe.

  Wang Zhen retreated and released Yu Qian.

  This matter also made Wang Zhen understand that Yu Qian was a person who could not be offended. Later, Yu Qian resumed his original position, and Wang Zhen did not even dare to fart, which shows that Wang Zhen was indeed a bully who feared the strong and oppressed the weak, a thoroughbred villain.

  Yu Qian, who still scolded Wang Zhen in prison, remained true to his principles after being released from prison and was as clean and honest as before.

  Yu Qian was once advised by someone to send some gifts as a favor, and in response to this advice, Yu Qian wrote a poem.

  He himself could hardly have foreseen that this casual reply would become a famous saying, passed down through the ages.

  Silk handkerchiefs and incense sticks were originally for civilian use but have become a source of calamity.

  A gentle breeze blows through the sleeves, going towards the sky in the morning, avoiding the short and long conversations at the gate!

  The idiom "Two sleeves of clean wind" originated from this, copyright belongs to Mr. Yu Qian, noted here.

  In 1448, Yu Qian was summoned to the capital and appointed as a deputy minister of war, with Zhou Weng as his superior.

  Kuang Pu was a very upright person. During his term, he established a good relationship with Yu Qian, and the two cooperated closely, with deep feelings for each other.

  If things go on like this, Yu Qian will probably stick it out until Kuang Zhong retires and take his place as a high-ranking official of the second grade. After he dies, he'll be given the honorary title of Taizi Taishi (of the first grade). In the annals of Ming history, there will be two entries: Yu Qian, native of Qiantang, born in such-and-such year, month and day, held such-and-such office, died in such-and-such year, month and day.

  It should be like this.

  For Yu Qian and Kuang Yu, such a life seems not bad either, but history cannot be assumed, Kuang Yu will not retire, and Yu Qian will not live so calmly, the earth-shaking orthodox fourteen years finally arrived.

  Then comes the familiar content, trade disputes, border defeats, eunuchs' dreams, foolish decisions, bitter dissuasions, stubbornness, chaotic expeditions, and finally a complete failure.

  Yu Qian watched all this happen with his eyes wide open, but he was powerless. He had also fallen into extreme suffering. Kuang Yu was a good boss and leader, who gave himself a lot of help. In some sense, the fate that sacrificed on the expedition might have originally belonged to him.

  Don't be sad anymore, it's time to do something about it.

  Hero

  When a country is in trouble, there are always some people who stand up and contribute to the country. We call such people heroes.

  In everyone's heart, there is a desire to be a hero, and Wang Zhen is no exception. He went on an expedition in the hope of getting this title.

  But being a hero is not something everyone can be, if it were that easy, wouldn't everyone be a hero?!

  Generally speaking, heroes can be divided into several types:

  A hero is a person who dares to do what others dare not to do and dares to bear what others dare not to bear.

  A hero is one who can rescue the situation when it's on the verge of collapse and prop up a great edifice when it's about to topple.

  A hero is someone who is strong and resolute, and fights on despite repeated defeats.

  Only such a person can be called a hero!

  But in my opinion, true heroes are far more than this.

  What is called heroism is actually a group of people with fearful hearts.

  To be a hero, you must first learn to fear.

  What's going on? Wait for me to figure it out:

  We all had an innocent childhood, an ambitious youth, and often dreamed of making a name for ourselves in the future, starting our own business, with the whole world at our feet!

  But when you really blend into this world, you will find that it is not your own world alone. You will encounter many unpleasant things and many setbacks. Things never go as you think they should.

  Then people began to shrink back and become fearful.

  They began to realize that surviving in this world wasn't as easy as they thought.

  Some people became decadent and some were pessimistic.

  But it was at this time that heroes emerged.

  There are no born heroes in this world. No one is resolute and brave from the moment they are born. In their mother's womb, we are all the same.

  If your life goes smoothly from now on, then congratulations are in order.

  But unfortunately, this is impossible. In your growth process, you will inevitably encounter all kinds of setbacks.

  And these setbacks will bring you many unpleasant experiences, hesitation, pain, despair, and anxiety, making it hard for you to be at peace.

  It's only when you're hit by someone that you'll know pain! It's only when you're scolded by someone that you'll know shame!

  When you suffer from these pains and humiliations, you will understand how difficult it is to achieve your goals. You will start to fear, fear all the obstacles that stand in front of you.

  When you encounter these difficulties and feel intimidated and painful, unable to hold on, you should also realize that the time to decide your fate has arrived.

  Because fear is not negative, in fact, it's a person's real strength beginning, and also the starting point of becoming a hero.

  Those who are not afraid of difficulties do not know what difficulties are and cannot overcome them.

  Only those who understand fear can summon their own strength.

  Only those who understand fear are capable of overcoming it.

  The person who knows how to fear what is fearful, and yet can overcome it, conquer it, and finally become its master, is a hero.

  So the title of hero does not only belong to those who have made great achievements and left their names in history, but actually all people who understand fear and finally overcome it are heroes.

  Even if you spend your whole life in obscurity, living a dull and uneventful life, when you look back on the past in old age, you can still be proud of it.

  At that difficult moment, I made a brave choice, and I am an unapologetic hero!

  That's what I think a true hero is - someone who is afraid and conquers that fear.

  The key lies in that moment of fear, whether you choose to conquer it or evade it.

  The dividing line of life is right here, crossing this step is a hero! Retreating from this step is a coward!

  Yu Qian is not a born hero.

  At least until the morning of August 18th in Orthodox year fourteen, he still couldn't be considered a true hero.

  Although he was an honest official, although he held a third-grade official position and had great power in his hands, none of these are enough to prove that he is a hero.

  He also needs to show his fear and the power of overcoming fear.

  Yu Qian is a very powerful person, from scolding Zhu Gaixi to not buying Wang Zhen's account, he has always been tough, as if there is nothing in the world that he fears.

  But this time it's different, as the deputy minister of war affairs, he has to face the powerful army of Wala and the low morale of the soldiers in the city. His own life can be put aside, but now the burden of the country is already on his shoulders, and he must handle it carefully, once a mistake occurs, the consequences are unthinkable.

  Yu Qian was very clear that if he fled, he would lose half of his territory, so he couldn't flee.

  As for war, it's easy to talk big and boastful words, but when the enemy attacks, it's impossible to defeat them with language. If there is a mistake in command, the Ming dynasty may be destroyed overnight.

  To fight or to flee, that is the question.

  Facing such a heavy burden and great responsibility, who can't hesitate and who can't feel fear!

  Yu Qian is also a human being and will feel fear, but he can leave his name in history and be remembered forever because he can overcome his fears.

  He wasn't born tough.

  From his childhood aspirations to his youth's imperial examination, and after more than a decade of being an official in the provinces, until he was summoned back to the capital to serve as Vice Minister of War, he did not have a smooth journey. He had risen rapidly through the ranks, but also been squeezed out by others, imprisoned, and almost lost his life. But whether it was success or failure, all this had been tempering him.

  It was in this day-to-day tempering that he gradually became strong and resilient.

  Strong enough to overcome fear.

  Kuang's eyes were still in front of him when he was about to leave. At this time, he should stand up and save the situation.

  But the emperor, trapped in the enemy camp as a hostage, the elite soldiers who had gone before him, the panicked and helpless citizens within the city walls, the Ming army whose morale was low and could not withstand a single blow, and people like Xu Yi who only cared about their own escape and were fanning the flames... everything was reminding him:

  This is a mess, a dead end.

  Die for one's country and forget one's own life; give up one's life for righteousness.

  Rather die in righteousness than live in dishonor!

  Yu Qian finally took this step.

  The rise and fall of the country, I will take charge!