Chapter Seventeen Faith

  Zhu Qiyu's article

  In the 14th year of Zhengtong (1449), on September 6, Zhu Qizhen formally ascended to the throne of the Ming dynasty and established the reign title as Jingtai, with the following year being the first year of Jingtai.

  Mr. Zhu Qizhen's identity as Emperor is hereby invalidated, and he shall be referred to as the Retired Emperor from this day forward. Henceforth, in any conflict between the old and new Emperors, the new Emperor shall take precedence.

  Zhu Qizhen, sitting on the throne, must have been quite uneasy. He only then realized that being an emperor wasn't about doing whatever he wanted; when told to do something, he had to do it, and not doing it was also not an option.

  To handle state affairs, to take risks, and to be responsible for the great Ming Empire, a multitude of things are placed before one's eyes, cannot be lazy or slow, even if many things have been done correctly, but as long as there is a mistake in one matter, it may all be undone, leaving a stench that lasts for ten thousand years.

  This is really not something an ordinary person can handle.

  From Mr. Zhu Qiyin's actions of declining the throne, it can be seen that he has realized these things, but at the same time, he also overlooked one thing, which is the magic of the throne.

  If being an emperor is so bad, why have there been so many people throughout history who risked their lives to actively participate in the competition and strive for this position?

  Being an emperor is a tough job, but it's also the most fulfilling and authoritative work in the world. I'm second only to God, ruling over all, who dares not obey!

  It turns out that feudal imperial power is a highly addictive thing, and once tried, it is easy to form drug-like dependence, with no effective way to eradicate itself automatically, and prone to relapse.

  The only cure is death.

  Zhu Qiyu was also a gentle person, just like his brother. The two brothers grew up together since childhood and had a good relationship. If not for unexpected events, Zhu Qizhen would have remained as the emperor brother, while Zhu Qiyu would have been content being a prince brother. During festivals and holidays, the younger brother would visit the elder brother to pay respects and exchange greetings.

  But fate pushed the two brothers to a crossroads in history.

  Zhu Qiyu ascended to the throne with an uneasy heart and savored the first taste of imperial power.

  Miracles didn't happen and he entered the ranks of addicts without exception.

  From then on, anyone who dared to touch his authority would become his enemy, and Zhu Qizhen was no exception.

  No matter what Zhu Qiyu becomes in the future, at least for now, Yu Qian has finally solved this most troublesome problem, and he can put all his energy into the task of defending Beijing.

  Under his efforts, the people of the capital gradually stabilized, and the quality and equipment of the troops have been greatly improved.

  At this time, whether it was the officials in the capital or the common people and soldiers, they had already gained the courage and determination to confront a strong enemy. They began to believe that the approaching enemy was not invincible, and winning this war was not just an illusion.

  This confidence and courage come from the person standing behind them - Yu Qian.

  From a loose sand to a united city, Yu Qian's prestige reached its peak. Everyone believed that this Minister of War had the ability to lead them to defeat any enemy.

  Where modesty exists, there is victory!

  From August to September, Yu Qian was busy all the time, from food storage to military training, and from urban security to repairing city walls. All problems had to be handled by him. In this month, he didn't have any rest days or holidays, because he clearly understood that he was racing against time, trying to gain more time and do more things, which would increase the chances of victory.

  By late September, the defense of the capital was basically complete. All the major and minor passes, fortresses, and strongholds were manned with personnel for defense. After rigorous training, all the troops that had been mobilized had acquired the capability to engage in a decisive battle with Esen's elite cavalry. The soldiers were eager for action, waiting for Esen's arrival.

  The scene of panic and collapse no longer existed, courage had returned to the hearts of the soldiers inside the city, they were fully prepared, holding their weapons in hand, waiting for the arrival of the enemy, waiting for revenge for those who died at Tumu.

  Come on, let's go! I'm waiting for you!

  Probe

  Ye Xian has been quite annoyed lately.

  In recent days, he often went to his younger brother Bayan Temur's account to turn around, of course not to see his younger brother, but to see the hostage - Zhu Qizhen.

  Every time I see Zhu Qizhen, I always realize that this is a priceless treasure.

  With this person, one can constantly obtain gold and silver treasures from the rich treasury of the Great Ming Empire, because this person is the Emperor of the Great Ming Empire. In order to redeem him, the Great Ming will hand over all its wealth, but he will not return Zhu Qizhen to the Great Ming.

  Why cash in such a good long-term meal ticket all at once? Isn't it better to save the whole and take out the parts? When there's not enough money to spend, just go find the other party to ask for it, and they won't dare not give it. From now on, you don't have to worry about money anymore.

  So, he often patrols this person called Zhu Qi Town. Every patrol makes him very happy, because he understands that he is patrolling his own treasure. In his eyes, Zhu Qi Town is not a person, but a pile of glittering gold and silver.

  Regularly getting money, one call and a hundred responses, no worries about food and clothing.

  This is also the happy life in his dream.

  Of course, it's just in dreams.

  The initial life was sweet, he informed the hostages' families and demanded ransom, soon after, someone sent a large batch of gold, silver and jewels, he accepted them all with a smile, and his reaction was not to release people, but to continue demanding.

  In his view, the emperor was in his own hands, and the other side would definitely listen to him and move all of the Ming dynasty's treasury here.

  But what happened next was far beyond his expectation.

  The demand for ransom was made several times, but no one came to pay it. Not to mention gold and silver treasures, not even a shadow of a copper coin was seen.

  One day, two days, three days passed, and he waited by the tree without stopping, but that rabbit who bumped into the tree just wouldn't come.

  Gradually, he also started to get anxious, and he wished he could take Zhu Qizhen to the border and shout: "Your emperor is here, come and ransom him!"

  Time is passing day by day, and their patience has also reached its limit. Are they no longer willing to have an emperor of their own?

  Before long, news arrived that the Ming Empire had already enthroned a new emperor, and the one in their hands was now obsolete. The so-called Emperor Zhu Qizhen had a new title - Taishang Huangdi.

  Is it expired? Can't use it anymore?

  Also, Xiān did not necessarily know what the so-called Taishang Huang was like, but from the perspective of the Ming Dynasty, he was very clear that Zhu Qizhen was already a waste. His life and death were no longer important, staying here to waste food, if he killed him, it is estimated that the Ming Dynasty would be more happy than himself.

  Do you want to kill Zhu Qizhen? Good, it's just convenient for us, so let's settle on that. You're welcome, hurry up and take action, we've all been waiting for this day!

  Although it sounds a bit exaggerated, but that was indeed the situation at the time.

  Waste Utilization

  In fact, while demanding ransom from the Ming dynasty, he also planned to use Zhu Qizhen to deceive the city gate, and the specific operation method was:

  The army arrived at the city gate, but did not attack. Instead, they called for the defending general to speak on the city wall, then brought out Zhu Qizhen to show to the people inside the city, and conveyed the so-called emperor's orders to open the city gates.

  Also Xian's ideal abacus is to capture cities without bloodshed, anyway, with the emperor in hand, no need to use force.

  This move is extremely vicious and poisonous.

  It's common knowledge that the generals of Bianzhou had a good relationship with Also First in the past, so they wouldn't surrender easily. But now the Emperor is standing right in front of the city gate giving orders, should they listen or not? Opening the city gate is out of the question, but if they don't respond to Zhu Qizhen's demands, their future situation would be uncertain. If this captive brother were to return and resume his position as Emperor, wouldn't they be guilty of great disrespect?

  It was precisely grasping this psychology that he often took Zhu Qizhen on the road to call for doors, trying to open a passage.

  But it must be explained that this strategy was not thought of by Ah Xian himself, but rather by the eunuch named Xi Ning. Although Ah Xian is very cunning on the battlefield, he still prefers to use force to solve problems and is not very skilled in such plots and schemes. The appearance of Xi Ning just made up for this deficiency.

  This is also an old tradition, no matter which dynasty, Han traitors have never been rare animals.

  Ye Xian highly appreciated Jin Ning's opinion and was preparing to apply this set of methods to the two targets he had been eyeing for a long time.

  The two targets were Xuanfu and Datong.

  Some astute people may have already noticed that there seems to be a somewhat unreasonable place in our previous narrative: Esen defeated 200,000 Ming troops at Tumu Fortress, and this victory thoroughly crushed the main force of the Ming army. It can be said that at that time it was the best opportunity to attack, because the Ming Empire could not find a large-scale army to counter Esen for a short period of time.

  But strangely, he didn't continue his attack, instead he gathered his things and went home.

  Why is that?

  The reason is actually very simple. Although the main force of the Ming army was defeated, the gates leading to the capital were always closed, which are Xuanfu and Datong. As long as these two places are held, the outer defense line of the capital will be held.

  Are there many troops in Xuanfu and Datong?

  No, the garrisons of these two places were not many. But also Bian did not take advantage of the victory to attack, on the one hand because his own troops were not many, and the city defenses of these two places were strong and difficult to attack, but more importantly, each of these two places had a powerful general guarding them.

  These two men were also afraid of Guo Dian and Yang Hong.

  The first one is Guo Deng, the guardian of Datong Town.

  Guo Deng, with both wisdom and bravery, was cautious and a descendant of the renowned Wu Ding Hou Guo Ying. Inheriting his ancestors' glorious tradition, he also engaged in the perilous work of a military general. Facts proved that he was indeed not an ordinary person, and Datong, under his protection, became an insurmountable barrier for Xianbei.

  In fact, at the time of the Tumu Crisis, Guo Deng was not yet a general-in-chief. He obtained the position of the highest defender of Datong through his own efforts.

  When the Tumu Fortress fell, Datong was also under great threat. At that time, the situation was very complicated, and the soldiers in the city were in a state of panic. The Xianbei army launched small-scale attacks from time to time, and everyone believed that Datong would not be able to hold out for long. Liu An, who was then the commander-in-chief, was incompetent and unable to handle defense matters or stabilize the military's morale.

  At this time, Guo Deng stood out, he personally led the soldiers to rectify their defenses, comforted the wounded soldiers and encouraged them to continue fighting. However, at that time, the morale of the soldiers was very low, and Guo Deng's behavior did not win much trust from many people, but instead brought a lot of rumors. Many people thought that someone like Guo Deng with a background, even if they took down Datong first, the soldiers would still die, and he could still go back to being an official alive.

  These words also reached Guo Deng's ears.

  One day soon after, Guo Duan gathered his soldiers and gazed at them with a stern expression. He drew his sword and made an oath before the crowd:

  "Don't worry, I swear to live and die with this city. If we must die, I will die with you all!" (So that none of you will die alone)

  Under Guo Dian's courage, the soldiers were united and got through the most difficult moment.

  Afterwards, Guo Deng was formally appointed as the garrison commander of Datong, guarding the most important gateway of the Great Ming Empire.

  Yang Hong, the defender of Xuanfu Town

  Yang Hong, known as the first wise general of the Zhengtong era, was calm and composed in character, often coming up with clever strategies. He was extremely cunning during battles, skilled at using feints, and frequently used a small number of troops to stir up trouble for the enemy, making it impossible for them to rest easy. In addition, he was also adept at defending cities, and although Also First launched many attacks, they were all easily repelled by him. Later on, just hearing Yang Hong's name would give Also First a headache, and he would try his best to avoid engaging in battle with him.

  Now he had finally found an ideal weapon to subdue these two powerful generals, and he believed that as long as Zhu Qizhen stood under the city wall and shouted, these two cities would be his without a single soldier being killed.

  Of course, this is just also Xian's idea.

  On August 21, he also took Zhu Qizhen hostage and began his "forced entry" plan.

  Also Xian's first destination was Xuanfu, which was also a place he often came to in the past. Of course, every time he was met with either rolling stones or arrows. Sometimes Yang Hong would even stand on the city wall, smiling and politely firing bullets from his musket as a farewell gift.

  But this time is different, because I have the Emperor of Great Ming in my hands, Yang Hong, can you still laugh?

  Also First coerced Zhu Qizhen and issued an order for the garrison of Xuanfu to open the gate.

  Opening the door would naturally be inviting wolves into one's home, but since the Emperor (at that time) had given an order, not opening the door seemed unreasonable.

  How will General Yang Hong respond?

  The response of the defending general (actually Yang Hong) was far beyond Yao Xiang's expectations.

  "It's getting late, dare not open the door!"

  This is Yang Hong's wisdom, a typical diplomatic phrase. Whoever you are, I'll just pretend I don't know, anyway the policy stipulates that the door cannot be opened at night, if there's any opinion, you can complain to my superior department (specifically the Ministry of War).

  Also angrily gasping for breath, he then coerced Zhu Qizhen and ordered Yang Hong to speak in person.

  This is also a ruthless move, no matter how arrogant Yang Hong is, he really doesn't dare to disobey the emperor's orders face-to-face.

  But the answer from the city almost made Ye fall off his horse.

  "Yang Hong is on a business trip!" (Township officer Yang Hong has gone on an errand)

  I believe that at this moment, Wei is extremely painful. This pain does not lie in his failure to capture Xuanfu, but because he was fooled by Yang Hong again.

  Did Yang Hong really go on a business trip? Of course not. At this moment, he was standing under the city wall with his precious sword in hand, directing the soldiers on the city wall to answer him, and sternly ordering the soldiers: "Kill anyone who comes out of the city!"

  He came with high spirits and left in low spirits.

  We won't stay here, there's a place where we will be kept! Let's set off and go to Datong!

  But Guo Deng is not a thrifty lamp either.

  After arriving in Datong, he also drew lessons from the past and directly ordered Zhu Qizhen to talk to Guo Deng. Under duress, Zhu Qizhen could only send someone to deliver a message, ordering Guo Deng to open the gate.

  Guo Dang did not open the door.

  After going back and forth, Zhu Qizhen had no choice but to send someone to convey the message: "I have a marital relationship with Guo Deng (I and Deng are related by marriage) [Note: This needs further verification], why do you refuse me like this?"

  Zhu Qizhen really had no choice, I guess the knife was already at his throat, and he even said something like that.

  Can Guo Deng still remain unmoved after things have been said to this extent?

  Guo Deng indeed had a reaction, but it was a rather intense one:

  "I was ordered to guard the city, I don't know anything else!" (I don't know about other things)

  And so, he was once again ruthlessly rejected.

  Guo Deng, you're quite something, I'll give you credit for that. You can go back home today and come again next time!

  The following years were difficult for him, as he traveled with Zhu Qizhen everywhere, but no place accepted them. The ransom was also cut off without any news, and the Ming Dynasty had newly established Zhu Qiyu as the emperor, making this one in his hand obsolete and worthless.

  Is that all there is?

  It's not that easy! It was decided beforehand, even if the emperor in hand is worthless, after all, there is still prestige, and it will have a certain deterrent effect on the border generals, continue to take him to crash the door!

  Guo Deng's Datong, he didn't dare to go again. After all, this gentleman had already torn his face apart. The so-called "not knowing others" was still in his ears, and going would be no different from humiliating himself.

  Let's go to Xuanfu instead.

  But it turned out that Yang Hong was also a hard nut to crack, and he was driven back three times. Later, Zhu Qizhen was forced to write a letter to Yang Hong, asking him to open the gate.

  But Yang Hong did even better, he received the letter and didn't even read it, just added his seal and sent it to Zhu Qizhen in the capital, and Zhu Qizhen's response was: "These are all fake, from now on don't accept any more!" (Pseudo-books, from now on, all books will not be accepted)

  If you say it's fake, then it's fake, even if it's real.

  Attack! Attack!

  Ye Xian's patience had reached its limit, for more than a month he hadn't received much ransom, and Xi Ning's plan didn't work at all, being treated like a fool, running back and forth, his face was completely lost.

  He has lost confidence in this Xining around him, and in fact, the methods he said are completely useless.

  If it doesn't work, then use my way!

  The idea of war surged into Yesenin's brain, his blood began to boil.

  Isn't it just drawing a sword from its scabbard?! Isn't it just charging into battle?!

  He looked at the traitor called Xining with contempt, in his eyes, he was just a despicable little man.

  No more resorting to conspiracy and trickery, no more relying on speculation and cleverness!

  To restore the world of Da Yuan, we still have to rely on ourselves!

  Gather all soldiers, pack up your luggage, mount your horses, draw your swords and charge!

  Destination, Beijing!

  Yeliu wasn't a fool, he didn't lead his army to attack Xuanfu and Datong, Guo Deng and Yang Hong were two fierce men that he couldn't afford to provoke, so he decided to take a detour.

  He has already chosen a breakthrough point, and he believes that from here he can open the door to the capital.

  Also Xian chose to break through the mouth, is the military target that Wang Zhen gave up at that time - Zijinguan.

  In October 1, Zhentong 14th year (1449), Esen led all the elite forces to advance towards the final goal.

  Of course, he wouldn't forget to bring Zhu Qizhen along. Although he was no longer the emperor, after all, he was still the retired emperor and could at least be used as a shield to block swords and serve as cover.

  Esen's army was very powerful, and the cavalry rushed to the Zijing Pass with the momentum of a tiger descending from the mountain. Under Xi Ning's guidance (so it is said that traitors are most hated), Esen used only two days to break through this pass, and the defender-in-chief Sun Xiang died in battle.

  Here, a sentence should be inserted. To say that after Sun Xiang's death, he should have been awarded honorary recognition. Even if he couldn't get any glorious title, at least he should have been recognized as having died in the line of duty. However, he was hastily cremated (burned) after his death and didn't receive anything. The hero ended up like this all because of an old friend we mentioned earlier - Yan Guan.

  After Sun Xiang's death in battle, some officials made reckless remarks and accusations without investigation, saying that Sun Xiang had abandoned his post and fled. As a result, after the war, not only was no memorial service held for him, but his body was even cremated on the spot, which is more unjust than Dou E's case.

  A year later, Sun Xiang's younger brother petitioned on his behalf and Zhu Qizhen finally understood the true situation, giving his family a supplementary compensation (imperial sympathy for his family).

  At the critical moment of the Ming Dynasty, inserting such a sentence is not only to seek justice for Sun Xiang, but also to tell everyone that those imperial historians who left their names in history with straightforward words and daring remonstrance cannot be generalized.

  When it comes to the imperial censor, people may think of those great figures who are unyielding and outspoken. However, in fact, many Ming dynasty officials were extremely evil and purely for the sake of fame and scolding.

  This kind of despicable official is not uncommon, and in the following history, we will get to know many of them and lift the veil on their faces, revealing their ugly true face.

  Let's put aside the issue of the officials for now and take a look at the precarious situation of the Great Ming Empire in the midst of turmoil.

  Zijing Gate is the gateway of the capital city. Once this gate is broken, it will shock the entire capital city, because everyone knows that from then on, the capital city will be defenseless.

  The enemy is at the city gate

  On the eleventh day of the tenth month in the fourteenth year of Zhengtong (1449), soldiers on the city walls of Beijing were on patrol when suddenly a massive cloud of dust came rushing over, followed by the urgent sound of horse hooves and shouting.

  Contrary to expectations, the city defense soldiers were not panicked, but instead had a relaxed feeling, because they all knew very well who was coming and what they were doing.

  What's meant to come will come eventually.

  The main camp of the Wa La troops is outside the city.

  Especially after the battle of Tumu, his emotions had reached a boiling point. Two months ago, he defeated the 200,000-strong Ming army at Tumu Fort, achieving an immortal feat and capturing the Ming emperor alive. Only afterwards did he learn that this 200,000-strong army was already the elite force of the Ming dynasty.

  Since the strongest troops of the Ming army were easily defeated by themselves, and the so-called three great camps had already been completely annihilated, what ability did the Ming dynasty still have to confront itself?

  This campaign further boosted his confidence, and this time he attacked all the way to the capital in just eleven days. At this moment, the magnificent imperial city was completely exposed before Yesen.

  In the eyes of Ye Zong, entering the city was just a formality. He didn't believe that the main force of the Ming army, which had already been defeated, could put up any resistance (thinking that the capital would fall in no time). As long as they shouted a couple of times and intimidated them, the people inside the city would be scared out of their wits and come out to hand over the city's defenses.

  At the military meeting before the attack, he confidently looked at other tribal leaders and told them in a loud voice that the city in front of him was invincible, the magnificent rivers and mountains of the Great Ming, countless gold and silver treasures, antiques and rare treasures would all belong to Wala, and the great Yuan Empire would rise again!

  "The capital must be broken, the great yuan must rise, it's all in tomorrow!"

  It is said that in the past some restaurants would hang a sign at their door with the seven words "Free meals for everyone tomorrow".

  Of course, these restaurants are absolutely not charitable organizations. The date on that sign will always be "tomorrow", and this tomorrow will never come. This is just a way to amuse the poor.

  History has proven that Ah Xian's tomorrow never came. He was fooled again, but this time it wasn't Yang Hong who fooled him, it was fate.

  Six days later, Yu Qian might have wondered why his own forces, which were several times stronger than those at Tumu Fortress and had high morale and strong soldiers, ultimately failed.

  Actually, this question doesn't need others to answer it, his grandfather Maham should know the answer.

  The ultimate factor in determining the outcome of war is man.

  Just a month ago, the city in front of him was still so vulnerable and weak, with frequent escapes of civilians and soldiers. But just over a month later, it has regained its imperial capital momentum. The defending soldiers have been waiting for Ye Xian's arrival for a long time, their eyes revealing many things: hatred, excitement, anxiety, and fear.

  But did not shrink back.

  The information revealed in their eyes can be summed up in one sentence:

  We will not back down.

  This month, many changes have taken place in the capital. There are more soldiers, enough food, and stronger defenses, but the most fundamental change is not any of these things.

  The real change is in people's hearts. Through the dark clouds of failure, they have walked out of their initial despair and gradually come to believe that they will ultimately win this war.

  This is the power of will and faith.

  This is the strongest weapon of those who guard the capital.

  Of course, at that time, Ye Xian was not aware of these things. After all, so far, he still had great confidence and absolutely did not expect that his forward pace and dream of restoring the Great Yuan would be terminated by someone here.

  A brave man.

  In October 8th of the 14th year of Zhengtong (1449), Yu Qian, Minister of War, issued a general mobilization order.

  Conviction of Final Battle

  Upon learning of Also's advance on Zijinguan, Yu Qian astutely judged that this time Also's target was the capital.

  Although there are nearly 200,000 soldiers in the capital now, they lack combat experience after all. To be on the safe side, he immediately ordered the dispatch of 15 imperial historians to various places to recruit soldiers as reserve troops. By October 8, all forces were assembled, totaling 2.2 million people.

  It's barely enough.

  It may seem strange that with a total troop strength of only tens of thousands, why are there still only twenty or thirty million people in the city who barely have enough to eat?

  This is determined by the specific situation, and it has nothing to do with Yu Qian's ability. In those years, Zhu Wen was able to hold off Chen Youliang's 600,000-strong army with tens of thousands of soldiers because the city walls of Hongdu were not large, and although Chen Youliang had many soldiers, he could not deploy them all at the same time, only a batch at a time, and his actual attack effect was not good.

  But now Yu Qian is guarding the capital city of Beijing, the capital of the Ming Dynasty, this is a truly big city, not just a bigger city (such as Tieling).

  The targets of Ye Zongliu's attack were also the nine gates of Beijing's outer city, which are:

  Deshengmen, Andingmen, Dongzhimen, Chaoyangmen, Xizhimen, Fuchengmen, Zhengyangmen, Chongwenmen, Xuanwumen.

  The location of these nine gates is roughly equivalent to the area between the Second Ring Road and the Third Ring Road in today's Beijing. Although the Beijing of that time was much smaller than today's Beijing, it was still quite large.

  Simply doing a division will reveal that the garrison of each gate is only around 20,000 people, and Also's forces are at an advantage when attacking one of them. The bigger problem is that Also's soldiers have better quality than the Ming army, and almost all of them are cavalry with strong mobility, once they open up a gap, they can immediately concentrate their forces to attack.

  The combat effectiveness of an army is not solely determined by its numbers, but also by its mobility.

  So although Ming army had an advantage in total number of people, but averaged to each gate's defense was a disadvantage.

  In this world, many things will reveal their true nature once averaged out.

  This was the situation Yu Qian faced, with a strong enemy and his own forces not having the upper hand. Although he had many soldiers, the situation was not optimistic. However, at the same time, Yu Qian also found a capable assistant who would help him complete the task of defending Beijing and become his close comrade-in-arms.

  Of course, Yu Qian absolutely did not expect that his assistant would do something earth-shattering eight years later - and bring about his own death.

  From comrades-in-arms to sworn enemies, from friends to arch-enemies, the intimate assistant who completed this dramatic transformation was Shi Heng.

  Shi Hen, from Weinan, Shaanxi Province, his father was a military officer, he inherited his father's career and also did this line. This person has been brave and fierce since childhood, extremely brave, known as the orthodox first brave general, together with Yang Hong.

  It is said that when Shi Hen was young, he went out to play on the street and was caught by a fortune teller. The fortune teller grabbed him and examined him carefully, exclaiming in extreme surprise:

  "In these peaceful and prosperous times, how can you have a face that suggests you will be enfeoffed as a marquis!"

  And without saying whether this story is true or false, and whether the fortune teller charged a fee or not, at least he summed up a rule:

  A hero will emerge in a chaotic world.

  Although this may be the case, Shi Heng, who was in Yanghe in July of Zhengtong 14, could not be considered a hero at that time because he was fleeing.

  Tens of thousands of troops were annihilated, the commander was killed, and Also's cavalry trampled the Ming army's corpses without any scruples. All this happened right before Shi Heng's eyes, but he was powerless to do anything about it because he had something even more important to attend to - escaping with his life.

  As a commander-in-chief, watching his own army being annihilated by the enemy, soldiers being slaughtered and captured, while he himself is powerless to do anything. For a military general, this is the greatest humiliation and torture.

  How pathetic, really pathetic.

  Shi Heng, the cowardly one, came back alive, but what awaited him was not comfort and solace. As one of the main generals of the army, he had to take responsibility for his leadership according to military orders. Therefore, he was dismissed from office and demoted to a minor official position.

  When he was most disappointed in his life, Yu Qian helped him.

  In Qian's view, this failed general was not incompetent, as long as he could be used properly, he would be able to achieve great things.

  It turned out that Yu Qian's judgment was correct, Shi Heng would become a sharp sword of revenge, inserted into the chest of Waer.

  Also Xian's military flag was flying outside the city, Mongolian cavalrymen were riding horses back and forth in front of the city, showing their military power to the Ming army inside the city. More than 80 years had passed, they finally returned to this place again. Many of them believed that soon after, they would become the masters here once more.

  At almost the same moment, Yu Qian was holding his last military meeting before the war in the city.

  The meeting was attended by the main ministers of the imperial court and Shi Heng, a military general defending Beijing. It was an atmosphere-suppressing conference. Because every participant knew what they would face. Now that the enemy army had arrived at the city gate, only by defeating the enemy could they keep the capital safe and save the country's fate; there was no other way!

  The meeting began in such an atmosphere, and the first topic of discussion was how to repel the enemy.

  Shi Heng believed that under the current situation, the enemy's strength was stronger than that of the Ming army. In order to repel the enemy, the best method would be to adopt a defensive stance and wait for the enemy to become exhausted, after which they would naturally retreat.

  There is no doubt that this is a good method, because the enemy soldiers are not robots and they also need to eat. As long as we hold out in the city, until they have eaten all their grain, naturally they will leave.

  Shi Heng was well-versed in military strategy, and this proposal of his was also feasible.

  Most people support it.

  Only one person opposed it.

  According to the principle of minority obeying majority, Shi Heng's proposal should have been passed. But this time, even if there were more people in favor, it would not be useful because those who opposed had veto power in their hands.

  This is Yu Qian.

  Yu Qian was the Minister of War and also the convener of the meeting. At this meeting, although anyone could speak, only what he said counted.

  He stood up and expressed his own views:

  Esen led his army to come, and his momentum was already very arrogant. If he defended without going out, he would only prolong their momentum. My great Ming dynasty has been established for nearly a hundred years since its founding. In the past, the high emperor came from humble beginnings and could dominate the world, sweeping away the violent Yuan. How can we be afraid of the small Wala?

  He looked around at the crowd of people, paused for a moment, and then issued his first order in a stern voice:

  "The entire army has marched out of the nine gates and is arrayed to meet the enemy!"

  All the ministers were silent as cicadas in autumn.

  It's pointless to talk anyway, whatever we say doesn't count, just do as you see fit.

  Yu Qian then issued his second order:

  "The Imperial Guards are patrolling the city. Any armored soldier who is found not fighting outside the city will be executed on the spot, no exceptions!"

  As soon as this statement came out, everyone in the room was shocked. The Wen ministers never expected that Yu Qian, who usually looked gentle and elegant, would be so tough, with military orders so severe that they had never been heard of before. Even Shi Heng, who was used to killing on the battlefield, felt his heart tremble with fear.

  Before they could catch their breath, Yu Qian's calm and majestic voice sounded again:

  "The nine gates are the gateway to the capital city, now dispatching various generals to guard them. If anyone loses one, they will be beheaded!"

  "Peaceful gate, Tao Jin!"

  "Dongzhimen, Liu An!"

  "Chaoyangmen, Zhu Ying!"

  "West Straight Gate, Liu Ju!"

  "Zhenyang Gate, Li Duan!"

  "Chongwenmen, Liu Dexin!"

  "Xuanwu Gate, Yang Jie!"

  "Fucheng Gate, Gu Xingzu!"

  He stopped.

  This is not an ordinary pause, because everyone knows that there is another gate he didn't mention, and that gate is Deshengmen.

  Desheng Gate was the most important gate because it was on the north side of Beijing and directly faced the enemy's army. Once the war began, this would inevitably be the most intense battlefield.

  This really isn't a good place to go.

  The crowd didn't have to wait for long, because Yu Qian soon spoke out the name of the town guardian:

  "De Sheng Men, Yu Qian!"

  He looked at each person with a firm gaze, which also told everyone that he was not joking.

  The civil and military ministers were shocked again, but what was even more shocking to them was yet to come, because Yu Qian was about to issue a military order that they had never heard of before.

  "All garrison officers and men must be brave in killing enemies, once the war starts, it will be a fight to the death!"

  "Anyone who retreats first will be executed on the spot!"

  "When the army is about to engage in battle, if a soldier retreats before the fight begins, the rear troops will behead the front troops!"

  "Whoever dares to disobey military orders shall be executed without exception!"

  This is the famous military law of the Ming Dynasty, and many famous generals of the Ming Dynasty have adopted this method.

  Upon hearing this murderous tone, the crowd seemed to not recognize the Yu Qian who was speaking. Just a month ago, he was still a scholar who had never commanded a war, a refined and elegant official, a man whose words were gentle and whose face always maintained a calm and composed expression.

  At this moment, Yu Qian is still calm and composed, but he seems to have become a different person. He has become a determined, decisive and strict battlefield commander.

  On the cruel battlefield, the weak cannot survive, only the strongest and most unyielding strong can live on and gain the final victory.

  Yu Qian is such a strong player.

  It seemed that the meeting had discussed all the issues and it was time to adjourn, just as everyone was relieved to be freed from Yu Qian's suffocating military orders, Yu Qian issued his final command.

  The Last Command

  Yu Qian pointed at Wu Ning, the Minister of War, and gave his final order:

  "On the day of the grand army's expedition, after all the generals led their troops out of the city, immediately close the nine gates. Anyone who dares to secretly let someone into the city will be beheaded!"

  Upon hearing this order, even Shi Heng and other ruthless generals were shocked. This meant that anyone who left the city could only survive by fighting to the death against the enemy; if they failed to win, they would undoubtedly die!

  It's really gone!

  Everyone stared at Yu Qian in shock, only then did they realize that this time Yu Qian was ready to risk his life, not just his own life, but also everyone else's.

  Yu Qian looked at these astonished people without any fear and said his last words:

  "Hundreds of thousands of troops were destroyed in an instant, the emperor was captured, and the enemy army was at the city gate. The country has reached such a state, is there anything to worry about? If this war fails, the Ming dynasty will surely follow the fate of the previous Song dynasty. What face do you have to meet the people of the world?"

  "Fight to the death, now is the time!"

  Yu Qian is right, this is a war that cannot be lost. If it is lost, the northern half of the country will inevitably not be preserved, and the fate of the Ming dynasty will also change from then on.

  This war, Yu Qian can't afford to lose, and Ming Dynasty also can't afford to lose.

  Yu Qian left himself and the people guarding the city with only one choice:

  If you can't beat them, die!

  The crowd finally dispersed, and Yu Qian also returned to his residence to prepare for battle. The firm and strong speech he made earlier had become a thing of the past, and now what he had to do was to put into practice the promise he had made.

  Since ancient times, speaking and lecturing have been easy, but taking action has been extremely difficult. Many people's words are like a river, with grandiose language flowing forth effortlessly, able to make the rivers flow backwards and the flowers bloom in confusion, but when it comes to doing things, they are completely useless, hesitant and fearful.

  The ancient Athenian orators were eloquent, skilled in scolding, pointing east and west, very powerful, but Alexander the Great of Macedon pointed with a long spear, and they were defeated, fleeing in all directions.

  Debates and speeches have never solved any problems because this world is one where might makes right.

  The order is easy to give but its execution is difficult. The ultimate goal is to defeat the enemy, if this cannot be achieved then everything else is useless.

  So for Yu Qian, the real challenge has just begun.

  Yu Qian looked at the armor prepared in the room, he knew that soon after, he would take off his official uniform and put on this suit of armor that only a military general would wear, for the first time to step onto the battlefield.

  Yu Qian, are you really fearless?

  No, I have been timid in the past. I am not a military general and have never commanded wars or battles, nor have I personally killed anyone. In the past twenty years, my work has only been to handle official duties and political affairs at my desk.

  Then why did you stand out to save the crisis and command the war?

  It's my duty as I see it.

  Are you really ready to go onto the battlefield and command a war that you have never experienced before?

  Yes, I am ready. In my youth, I had aspired to be a man like Wen Tianxiang. Regardless of the weather, I studied hard under the solitary lamp. When I entered officialdom, I rose rapidly to prominence and also experienced frustration. I once entered the halls of power and also been imprisoned. After decades of trials and tribulations, I have finally reached this point.

  I have nothing to fear.

  Yu Qian put on that heavy armor and left his residence, heading towards the Desheng Gate.

  There he will receive the greatest glory of his life.

  October 11th, the vanguard battle of the Defense of Beijing began.