Chapter Nineteenth: Zhu Qizhen's Struggle

  Lonely Struggle

  The grand defense of Beijing has ended, and Yu Qian used his fearless courage to defeat the invading army, leaving a name in history that will be remembered for eternity. Zhu Qizhen also gained great prestige from this victory, solidifying his position as emperor. Stone Heng, Yang Hong, and others were rewarded for their merits, making it a joyous occasion for the ruler and ministers of the Ming dynasty. However, while they were celebrating, another person was struggling in pain and fighting to survive, just to stay alive - this unfortunate gentleman being Zhu Qizhen.

  From Datong to Xuanfu, and then to Beijing, Zhu Qizhen was taken back and forth, the emperor himself became a hostage. The change of this role is difficult for people to accept, but what makes him even more unbearable is that he has already learned that he is no longer the emperor, his brother has replaced him.

  For this change, Zhu Qizhen had a personal experience. The frontier generals initially responded cautiously to his arrival, but later became completely indifferent, while those people in the capital who knew they were also in the vanguard still treated him with great courtesy. All of this told him that for the Ming dynasty, he had become an unnecessary person.

  The bandit group naturally wouldn't give him a good face to look at, previously they could still get some benefits from him, but slowly he discovered that the Ming dynasty wasn't very interested in ransoming this person back, and not only did he have to bear the reputation of being a bandit, but also had to take care of Zhu Qizhen's meals. The usually shrewd Also gradually lost patience with this expired emperor, treating him with great indifference.

  Zhu Qizhen fell into a predicament, his family didn't want him and wouldn't send anyone to ransom him. The kidnapper group also lost interest in this expired hostage, and might take his life at any time. He was alone in a foreign land, surrounded by wolves and tigers, with only the daily drifting with the army.

  This is the real predicament, trapped in the enemy's camp, no one can be trusted, no one can rely on, and there will be no special person to serve his daily life. In fact, the poor treatment of food and clothing is secondary. For Zhu Qizhen, whether he can live to the next day is a problem he has to consider every day.

  Living in such an environment every day, the enormous physiological and psychological pressure is enough to drive any normal person mad, but unexpectedly, Zhu Qizhen, who was normally pampered, actually persisted and even lived quite well, which cannot be said to be a miracle.

  It should be said that Zhu Qizhen's situation was indeed very difficult, because many of the Mongolian soldiers and nobles who were sent to guard him had suffered greatly at the hands of Zhu Di and the Ming army in the past, and many people's relatives had died at the hands of the Ming dynasty. Therefore, they harbored a deep hatred for him. However, Zhu Qizhen conquered almost everyone around him with his demeanor and style, and even though he was being held captive by the enemy, he never humbled himself before them because of his status as a hostage. Even towards those who insulted and belittled him, he could treat them with courtesy, neither arrogant nor humble. Gradually, the people around him who had originally harbored hostile intentions towards him were all moved by him.

  Especially Bayan Temur, the younger brother of Yehe Nara, as a long-time warrior general, he originally looked down on this defeated Ming emperor, but since he was ordered to take care of Zhu Qizhen, this seemingly weak and young man has been influencing him with his own charm, even in extremely dangerous and difficult environments, this person remains calm and composed, treating people sincerely, without any signs of panic, gradually, he began to appreciate and like this person.

  He changed his attitude, and not only did he show no disrespect to the person in his custody, but he treated him with great courtesy, even going so far as to take his wife to visit Zhu Qizhen, and showing great respect (Bayan and his wife saw the emperor, extremely respectful), just like seeing his own superior.

  Bo Yan's attitude made Ye Xian very dissatisfied. He did not expect that this prisoner would turn the tables, not only did he not suffer any hardship, but also lived comfortably and even made his own brother obey him. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't figure out what was going on, and all he felt about this absurd thing was anger.

  This emotion drove him, and in his heart an idea was born - to kill Zhu Qizhen.

  Another crisis is approaching in Zhu Qi's life.

  Murder and Strategy

  During his march towards Beijing, Esen's army passed through Heisonglin and set up camp there, where he arranged a feast with music and dance to entertain the high-ranking nobles, including Zhu Qizhen. However, during this banquet, another embarrassing incident occurred that made Esen determined to kill Zhu Qizhen.

  At the banquet, Bayan Temur surprisingly treated Zhu Qizhen with great courtesy in front of everyone, making people cast sideways glances. How could his own brother show such respect to this prisoner! What a humiliation for himself!

  He was so angry that he could no longer bear it, and he made up his mind to kill Zhu Qizhen, who had humiliated him, even if it meant giving up the ransom and the human shield!

  But openly killing Zhu Di would have a bad influence, so Yesun also devised a detailed assassination plan. Since Zhu Di lived in Bayan Temur's camp, it was clear that Bayan Temur would not allow Yesun to kill Zhu Di, and his camp was more than ten miles away from Yesun's camp. To cover up the crime, Yesun decided to send someone to sneak into Zhu Di's tent at night and get rid of him.

  At this time even if Bayan Temur had any opinions, it was of no use.

  But just as the night was deep and the people were quiet, and he had decided to take action, something unexpected happened.

  In the originally quiet night, a thunderstorm suddenly broke out, with strong winds and heavy rain. What's more, the heavenly thunder even killed Ertai's horse!

  The heavens' sudden display frightened Yaxian to a standstill, and he naturally wouldn't connect this thunderstorm with the cumulonimbus clouds, yin-yang electric poles, and other such things; in his view, this was Heaven's angry response to his murderous actions.

  It seems that heaven is still protecting this person, with such a feeling, he also cancelled his own plan.

  Thus, Zhu Qizhen escaped this calamity, but Heaven seemed to want to continue testing him. On his future path, there was an enemy even more terrifying than Esen waiting for him.

  In film and television dramas, traitors and Han traitors are often more hated, and in reality, they are also so. The one who is even more vicious and harder to deal with than Bi Zhenxiang is Ji Ning.

  I don't know what kind of psychological illness this gentleman has, but since he became a subordinate of Ye Xian, he has been constantly coming up with ideas to destroy the Ming dynasty and get rid of Zhu Qizhen.

  After the defeat in Beijing, Xi Ning fully played the positive role of eunuchs participating in politics and policy-making. When Esen was at a loss and had no way out, he mysteriously told Esen that he had found a new way to bypass the capital and conquer the Ming Dynasty, sweeping across the country.

  Xining's plan was very complicated, specifically speaking of attacking Ningxia directly from outside the pass, bypassing the capital city, advancing to attack and occupy Nanjing in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions, thereby occupying the world.

  I flipped through the map, roughly measured the distance, and suddenly felt that in this world, there is nothing that can't be thought of, only things that can't be done. Mr. Xi Ning, carrying forward the fearless spirit, actually took the initiative to request to complete such a daunting task, it's truly admirable to have an unyielding determination despite physical disability.

  Of course, as before, he still suggested to Ye Xian that he should bring Zhu Qizhen to deceive the city gate and serve as a human shield.

  If this plan is really implemented, and without mentioning whether the grand goal can be achieved in the end, at least Mr. Zhu Qizhen may be shot dead by a cold arrow or shot dead by a fire gun at a certain pass, and the military and civilians along the way will also suffer greatly.

  Zhu Qi Zhen once again came to a crossroads in his life. Ironically, he himself did not realize this, but fortunately, this time there were two people by his side who helped him get through it.

  One of them is Yuan Bin, whom we mentioned earlier, and the other one is called Ha Ming.

  Yuan Bin, a native of Jiangxi, was previously just a Jin Yi Wei, with no opportunity to approach the emperor. However, due to a combination of circumstances, this war made him not only Zhu Qizhen's confidant and friend but also wrote a legendary story of loyalty and perseverance that has been passed down through history, sharing weal and woe together.

  And another Ha Ming is even more legendary, because this person is not Han Chinese, but a Mongolian, but from his behavior, he seems to have not taken advantage of the war chaos and stood on the side of his own people to gain merit, but instead was extremely loyal to Zhu Qizhen, his actions are truly enough to make countless so-called loyal and righteous scholars feel ashamed.

  It was with the help of these two people that Zhu Qizhen was able to defeat one enemy after another, overcome countless difficulties, and ultimately gain his freedom.

  Zhu Qizhen was a man with poor political instincts. After hearing Xi Ning's plan for the distant expedition, he did not see through Xi Ning's sinister intentions and was indecisive. He went to ask Yuan Bin and Ha Ming, who were shocked upon hearing the news and immediately told Zhu Qizhen: "This trip is extremely perilous! Not to mention the freezing cold, you can't even ride a horse. Even if you don't starve or freeze to death, when you arrive at the border, the generals won't take your orders. What will you do?"

  These words made Zhu Qizhen break out in a cold sweat. He immediately made up his mind that no matter what, he would absolutely not go on the expedition!

  After making up his mind, Zhu Di firmly refused to accept Xi Ning's plan and repeatedly pushed it away. He also invited Bai Yan Tiemu and others to make multiple efforts, ultimately causing this southern invasion plan to be temporarily shelved.

  Thus, Zhu Qizhen won this round of struggle with the assistance of Yuan Bin and Ha Ming.

  After this incident, Zhu Qizhen and Yuan Binhai Ming's relationship became even closer, they had changed from monarch and minister to friends. It is worth noting that at that time, being friends with Zhu Qizhen was not a good thing, because in the Wa La army, Zhu Qizhen's identity was a prisoner, his treatment was only an ordinary tent and horse (residing in a felt tent, with one car and one horse on the side). Moreover, this brother was no longer the emperor, and there was always the danger of being dragged out to be beheaded at any time. According to statistics from relevant departments, since ancient times, emperors who were captured and managed to return alive were extremely rare. Following this Taishang Huangdi (retired emperor), not only would one gain nothing, but also very likely lose their own life.

  If you want to engage in venture capital, there is no need to look for someone like Zhu Qizhen, because the risk is too great and the return is far from certain.

  Yuan Bin and Ha Ming were well aware of this, but they still adhered to their integrity, maintaining their loyalty until the very end. At the darkest moment in Zhu Qizhen's life, they stayed by his side, staging a series of scenes that would be passed down through history, touching people deeply.

  In the desert, the temperature difference between day and night is extremely large. During the day, it's scorching hot, while at night, it's freezing cold. Obviously, Mr. Zhu Qi Zhen has no experience living independently and lacks self-care ability. There are no eunuchs or palace maids serving him, only a thin blanket. When night falls and the temperature drops, he shivers with cold. At this time, Yuan Bin would use his own body heat to warm Zhu Qi Zhen's feet (to warm the emperor's feet).

  Some people may think that Yuan Bin's behavior can only show the foolish loyalty of a feudal society, but the following example should prove that at least during this period, they were intimate friends.

  During the march, Yuan Bin accidentally caught a cold. In the environment at that time, this was almost fatal. The Wa people could not possibly send someone to take care of Yuan Bin. Zhu Qizhen was so anxious that he couldn't think of any other solution. In desperation, he tightly hugged Yuan Bin and used this most primitive human method to warm up Yuan Bin until Yuan Bin sweated profusely and turned the crisis into safety (by pressing his back with his body, sweating and recovering).

  In those difficult years, almost everyone abandoned Zhu Qizhen, which is also a common human behavior. After all, even a blind man could see that without some kind of miracle, Mr. Zhu Qizhen would only be able to die in a foreign land. However, no matter how dangerous the situation was, Yuan Bin and Ha Ming always stood by his side, never leaving or abandoning him.

  This behavior is commonly referred to as going through thick and thin together.

  Since ancient times, the hardest person to find friends is the emperor, but we have reason to believe that this time Mr. Zhu Qizhen really found two friends who are not for fame or fortune, but true friends.

  What's even more rare is that Zhu Qizhen didn't follow in his predecessors' footsteps, putting on an old play where they could share hardships but not joys. In the years that followed, although his status changed greatly, he always remembered those difficult times and maintained his friendship with Yuan Bin and Ha Ming.

  Thus, Zhu Qizhen, Yuan Bin and Ha Ming united as one, persevering in their struggle against fate in an extremely difficult environment. However, they gradually discovered that it was not easy to survive, for there was someone who did not want them to continue living and wanted to put them to death.

  This person still likes Ning.

  Xi Ning was extremely disgusted with Zhu Qi Zhen, and also extremely disliked Yuan Bin and Ha Ming, who were loyal to him. This seems understandable, because in the eyes of a traitor, everyone should be a traitor, and Yuan Bin and Ha Ming violated this rule. He repeatedly advised Ye Xian to kill Zhu Qi Zhen, but due to Bayan Temur's protection and Ye Xian's political considerations, this suggestion was difficult to implement. So he had an idea, hoping to use Yuan Bin as a scapegoat, but unfortunately, there was no excuse. Just then, an event occurred that almost succeeded in his conspiracy.

  It was decided to marry his own sister to Zhu Qizhen in order to ease relations with the Ming Dynasty and for future considerations, but it is unknown whether his sister was not good-looking or Zhu Qizhen did not want to be a son-in-law, anyway, he flatly refused.

  Zhu Qizhen said: I am honored that you are willing to marry your sister to me, and I also want to marry her. However, the problem is that I am currently hunting outside (so-called Northern Expedition, a euphemism in historical records for an emperor being captured), although I want to marry your sister, but the etiquette is not complete, it's really too rude. After I return, I will definitely come to welcome your sister with proper ceremony.

  Zhu Qizhen performed a Tai Chi move, so-called "driving the wheel" and then inviting. If you want me to invite your sister, first let me "drive the wheel". Back and forth, it was pushed onto Yexian's body again.

  Ye Xian was rough but not stupid, and upon hearing this answer, he immediately became furious.

  Wait for Zhu Qizhen to come back and talk about it? When will that be? I'm not willing to let you go yet!

  Only then did he feel that this seemingly weak young man was actually very cunning, and he wanted to cut two knives to vent his anger, but considering the political impact, he had no choice but to endure it. At this time, Xi Ning seized the opportunity to inform Also Xian, saying that these words were all spoken by Yuan Bin and Ha Ming's instigation of Zhu Qizhen.

  This little report was very fierce, and Xi Zheng was worried that no one would come out to breathe, so he aimed his spearhead at Yuan Bin and Ha Ming, looking for an opportunity to kill these two people. Fortunately, Zhu Qizhen received the news and arranged for Yuan Bin and Ha Ming to live with him, never leaving his side. Xi Zheng was also constrained by his face and found it difficult to take action in front of Zhu Qizhen, so Yuan Bin and Ha Ming's lives were saved.

  But Zhu Qi Zhen couldn't stay with Yuan Bin Ha Ming for 24 hours, and he also had times when he went out. Although this period of time was very short, it almost led to a disaster.

  Once, Zhu Qizhen went out to visit Bai Yantemur and returned to find that Yuan Bin was gone. He was shocked and asked the people around him, only to learn that Ye Xian had sent someone to summon him away. Zhu Qizhen felt a sense of foreboding and didn't bother with anything else, asking about the direction Yuan Bin had taken before immediately setting off in pursuit.

  Zhu Qizhen couldn't ride a horse, so he could only run all the way, although he was sweating profusely and didn't dare to stop for a moment, because he knew that Yuan Bin's trip would be extremely dangerous, if he couldn't catch up, he would only see his head.

  Fortunately, heaven does not disappoint those who are determined. Zhu Qizhen, with his weak physique, ran as fast as he could and finally caught up with Yuan Bin. As expected, the person sent ahead was about to kill Yuan Bin. At this moment, Zhu Qizhen showed his tough side.

  He saw that Yuan Bin was in trouble, so he rushed up and angrily scolded the people sent by Esen, forcing them to death, absolutely refusing to let them kill Yuan Bin. Those people were frightened by the usual weak and timid former emperor who had taken out a desperate stance, and they released Yuan Bin.

  Thus, Zhu Qizhen used his bravery to rescue his friend from the butcher's knife of Ye Xian, but they both realized that if they didn't get rid of the number one traitor Xi Ning, such a thing would happen again, and it was hard to say what the outcome would be. In order to solve this major problem, Zhu Qizhen carefully thought about it with Yuan Bin and Ha Ming, and made a perfect plan.

  Zhu Qizhen's Snare

  In the first year of the Jing Tai era (the reign title of Zhu Qizhen, 1450), in January, Zhu Qizhen suddenly changed his usual behavior and actively sought out Esen, expressing a willingness to cooperate with him in demanding ransom from the capital.

  Ye Xian was overjoyed upon hearing the words, as he was currently short of money to spend. The fact that this hostage had voluntarily asked for money was truly beyond his expectations. He hastily inquired about who should be sent and when they would set off.

  Zhu Qizhen calmly told him that he could set off at any time, but there was one condition: the envoy to be sent must be designated by himself.

  To Yeshi, this condition was not a condition at all. As long as you were willing to ask for money, everything would be easy to discuss, and he immediately agreed.

  Then, Zhu Qizhen said with a seemingly careless tone the two names he had already prepared, one was Gao Bin (with golden words), and the other I won't say but everyone can guess, it's Xi Ning.

  Zhu Qizhen put forward his conditions and waited for Ye Xian's response, but Ye Xian seemed to have been overwhelmed by joy and didn't care who was sent, let alone Xin Ning, even if it was a dog, as long as he could get the money back.

  He readily agreed and immediately ordered Xining to prepare for departure.

  Xi Ning was very interested in this mission, he was originally a eunuch in the palace, and then became a running dog, now he was given a diplomatic identity, majestic and dignified, it was really a glorious thing for his ancestors, but what he absolutely did not expect was that one of his feet had already stepped into the Ghost Gate.

  At this time, Zhu Qizhen let out a long sigh of relief. When he saw Esen's face filled with joy and nodding repeatedly, he understood that his trap had finally taken effect.

  In the previous few months, in order to get rid of Xi Ning, Zhu Qizhen had repeatedly consulted and discussed with Yuan Bin and Ha Ming, and finally decided to borrow the hands of the Ming army to kill Xi Ning. However, the problem was how to deliver Xi Ning into the hands of the Ming army. Obviously, the best way was to send Xi Ning as an envoy to the Ming dynasty, but this had to be agreed upon by Yi'an first.

  How to make Also listen to his dispatch? After careful consideration, they found a fatal weakness of Also - greed for money, and decided that Zhu Qizhen would take the initiative to propose going to the Ming Dynasty to ask for ransom, and suggested that Xi Ning be sent as an envoy. Also was overjoyed and would certainly agree.

  Things developed exactly as they had imagined, and neither Xianning nor anyone else saw through the mystery of the first step of the trap.

  The next step is even more crucial, which is how to make the Ming dynasty officials who received the envoy understand Zhu Qizhen's intention to kill Xi Ning.

  It is known that when two countries are at war, they do not kill the envoys who come to them. If it is not made clear, the Ming dynasty will not casually kill the envoy of Wala, and in order to communicate with each other, another envoy's help is needed. Therefore, they selected another person as the second envoy, this person was Gao Bin (with golden characters below).

  Gao Bin (with golden characters below) The specific situation is unknown, among the Ming army captives, he was just an inconspicuous low-ranking military officer, but Zhu Qizhen entrusted him with such an important task, indicating that this person had already gained Zhu Qizhen's trust. In fact, he did not disappoint the Taishang Huang's trust in him.

  For confidentiality, Gao Bin (below with gold) had not received any instructions beforehand, so he thought he was really going out to demand a ransom until the night before departure, when Yuan Bin secretly found Gao Bin (below with gold), handed him a secret letter, and Gao Bin (below with gold) only understood his true purpose after reading it.

  The content of the letter can be summarized in eight words:

  Report to the Imperial Court and plan to capture Ning!

  Of course, all these works were carried out in secret and Xining was also unaware of them.

  Thus, Xining set off with his entourage of Wala soldiers to the border town of Chongzheng Prefecture with an air of superiority. He had every reason to be proud, for this was his first time serving as a diplomat, and also his last.

  He wouldn't even notice that behind him, Gao Bin's cold gaze was fixed on him.

  The envoy and his entourage rushed to Xuanfu day and night, where they were received by Commander Jiang Fu. As Zhu Qizhen and others had expected, Jiang Fu was not clear about the purpose of this group of people, thinking that they had only come to ask for money. After dealing with them briefly, he prepared to send them away. Xi Ning was naturally very dissatisfied, but Gao Bin (with a golden character) had other plans. He found an opportunity to tell Jiang Fu the true purpose of his trip, and it was only then that Jiang Fu realized that these people were not there to ask for money, but to present gifts.

  This gift is Xi Ning's head.

  Then Jiang Fu suddenly changed his attitude and said that it was not easy for the envoys to come so far, and he wanted to invite them to dinner outside the city. Xi Ning thought there was a turning point in the matter and was very happy, so she gladly accepted the invitation.

  But as soon as he arrived, his buttocks had not yet sat firmly, and the ambush troops had already killed him (to the ground, all started), and the Wa soldiers who followed him surrendered one after another. Xi Ning saw that things were not good, turned back to find Gao Bin (with golden characters), wanting to escape with him together, but unexpectedly Gao Bin (with golden characters) suddenly shouted "Seize the thief!" and unexpectedly tightly hugged him, making him unable to move (directly holding him). The crowd rushed up, capturing this traitor.

  At this time, Xi Ning was like a dream come true, and his diplomatic career also came to an end. The past is different from the present, and he can no longer expect any diplomatic immunity. What awaits him will be the trial and punishment of the Ming Dynasty.

  As for the ending of Mr. Xi Ning, there are different records in historical materials. Some say he was beheaded, some say he was tortured to death, but anyway, he is dead and ended his shameful life.

  The death of Xi Ning had a great impact on the situation, and from then on, he lost his most powerful assistant and source of intelligence. He could no longer attack the border at will, while Zhu Qizhen cleared away one of the biggest obstacles to his own return.

  So when the news of Xi Ning's death reached Zhu Qi Zhen's ears, he was almost excited and couldn't speak, while Yuan Bin and Ha Ming were also extremely happy, as if they had already determined that their day to return home was not far away!

  Xi Ning died, and no one would deliberately harm Zhu Qizhen anymore. Also, it seemed that he had lost interest in him, repeatedly expressing that as long as the Ming Dynasty sent someone to pick him up, he would let him go. Moreover, he had already dispatched envoys several times to express this wish, and it seemed that Zhu Qizhen's return home was a done deal, but strange things happened, and the envoys were sent repeatedly, while the Ming Dynasty remained silent as a stone, without any news.

  Zhu Qizhen knew that his younger brother, Zhu Qiyu, had replaced him as emperor. He didn't care about this because he understood that given his defeat at Tumu and his current status, it was impossible for him to ascend the throne again even if he returned. His brother's succession was also a natural occurrence.

  After all, he just wants to go home.

  He kept waiting for his family members to come and find him, to pick him up, or at least take a look at him, but reality always disappointed him, he gradually realized:

  He misses home, but his family doesn't miss him. And his good brother from those years ago, the current Emperor Zhu Qizhen, seems to not want to see him again either.

  Yi Zong had already not wanted to keep him, but his younger brother Zhu Qizhen did not want him back either. Zhu Qiyu became a big burden, no one liked him and everyone wanted him to be as far away as possible.

  In my opinion, this is Zhu Qizhen's greatest sorrow.

  Facing this predicament, Yuan Bin and Ha Ming both felt extremely disheartened. However, unexpectedly, Zhu Qi Zhen did not yield. He still stood on the mound every day, facing south to gaze into the distance, regardless of wind or rain, scorching sun or gusts, persisting unwaveringly.

  Yuan Bin and Ha Ming were thoroughly convinced by Zhu Qi's behavior, they admired him but also didn't understand him. They didn't know what kind of power was supporting this person, making him still adhere to his beliefs in desperate situations.

  "Why can you always hold on to the hope of going home?"

  "Because I believe that on the other side, there is still someone waiting for me to come back."

  The Lonely Sentinel

  A thousand miles away in the capital, there is indeed one person still waiting for Zhu Qizhen to return. Even if the whole world has abandoned Zhu Qizhen, this person is still here waiting for him.

  She was the wife of Zhu Qizhen, Empress Qian.

  After the fall of Tumu Fortress and Zhu Qizhen's capture, the imperial court was in an uproar from top to bottom. Some were busy preparing to flee, some were busy preparing for war, and others were busy planning to install a new emperor, plotting a way out. No one paid any attention to this woman who had lost her husband.

  It seems that this is also a matter of course, what can a woman do before such a great storm? Zhu Qizhen has already been abolished, let alone his wife.

  But in this woman's eyes, Zhu Qizhen, who was abandoned by tens of thousands of people, was her husband and her only one.

  She only knew that she could give up everything as long as she could exchange it for her husband's safe return.

  She was not as experienced and wise as Yu Qian Wang Zhi, nor did she have any other way out. Hearing that she could buy back her husband with money, she collected almost all of her property and sent someone to give it to Ye Xian, only hoping that the hostage would return safely. But the result disappointed her.

  What happened afterwards is well known to everyone. Yu Qian took charge of the overall situation, Zhu Qizhen became the new emperor, and Zhu Qiyu became the Taishang Huang (Retired Emperor). The court above and below all regarded him as a burden, no one would bother with him anymore, let alone spend money to redeem him.

  The unpredictable changes in the political situation took place before this woman's eyes, and during these days, she fully experienced the coldness and warmth of human relationships and the complexity of the world. Faced with these dazzling changes that left her bewildered, she was unable to do anything to get her husband back, so all she had left was one method - bitter tears.

  Crying is useless, but for a woman who has almost lost everything, what better way is there than to cry bitterly?

  All day, except for crying, is still crying. During the day, after finishing crying at night, continue to cry. So-called "wailing to heaven, tired and lying on the ground". Meng Jiangnv's crying down the Great Wall was just an imagination of later generations. In history written by the strong, there has never been a place for tears.

  Her suffering did not bring back her husband, but it ruined her body. Due to prolonged kneeling and crying on the ground with little movement, one of her legs became crippled (crippled one leg). In the end, she no longer shed tears, not because she stopped crying, but because she had cried blind (crippled one eye).

  She was powerless and could only wait quietly, waiting for a miracle to happen, waiting for her husband to suddenly appear in front of her one day.

  This crippled and blind woman thus began her solitary vigil, although the road ahead was uncertain and seemed to offer no hope, but she always believed:

  One day he will come back, because he also knows there is someone waiting for him here.

  Empress Qian hoped for her husband's return, but Zhu Qiyu did not hope for his brother's return.

  As the emperor who led the defense of Beijing, Zhu Qizhen's prestige reached its peak. Compared to his defeated brother, Zhu Qizhen was already the most favored one at this moment. The ministers paid homage to him, and the people were grateful to him. This feeling of commanding the world also made him finally understand the magic of imperial power and why so many people wanted to compete for this position.

  He leaned on the dragon chair and looked at the ministers kneeling below, feeling an unprecedented sense of satisfaction and comfort.

  Yes, this is my position, the position that belongs to me alone. I am no longer a regent, no longer an agent. Now, I am the supreme and inviolable Emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty, the only Emperor!

  As for my good brother Zhu Qizhen, let him continue to hunt outside the pass (Bei Lie), although life there is hard, but I believe he will like and get used to this kind of life. Of course, if he dies out there naturally, that would be even better, and everything would be settled once and for all.

  Brother, I never want to see you again, let's part ways forever.

  There has never been a place for brothers in the face of power.

  In our impression, Yu Qian should be in his heyday at this moment, with great achievements and universal acclaim, which is indeed the case. However, along with that, his troubles have also arrived.

  A great tree attracts wind, and a person who has made a name for himself will inevitably have many troubles. The ancients were no exception.

  After the victory of the Defense of Beijing, Zhu Qizhen rewarded Yu Qian with many titles and honors for his great contributions to the country and the people, granting him the title of Shaobao (first rank) and planning to grant a noble title to his son.

  Yu Qian single-handedly held up the precarious situation, and forcefully turned back the tide. The court officials from top to bottom all knew the score, giving him these rewards was truly reasonable and rightful, but Yu Qian refused them.

  He pushed away all the rewards and said: Letting the enemy reach the capital is a shame for us ministers, how dare you ask for credit? But Zhu Qizhen insisted that he accept it. Under duress, he only accepted the title of Shao Bao, and refused to accept other rewards.

  Zhu Qiyu had no choice but to follow him. And the title of Yu Shao Bao was thus passed down, and was widely acclaimed by all.

  It was not easy for Yu Qian to do so, as the official salary in the Ming Dynasty was very low. As a first-class official, he could only make ends meet with his salary. He governed with integrity and did not accept bribes or gifts, making his family relatively poor. Later, when his house was confiscated, the executors were surprised to find that Yu Qian, who had held the highest position in the imperial court, was actually a pauper (with nothing left after confiscation of property).

  But such a talented and capable Yu Qian actually still has people nitpicking him, finding excuses to scold him.

  The first to come and stir up trouble was the guardian general of Juyongguan, Luo Tong. He submitted a memorial to the emperor, saying that the defense of Beijing was nothing more than this, and someone had falsely reported their achievements and been indiscriminately awarded official positions. There is also a very interesting sentence in the article - "If now wearing jade belt and sable fur, they are all people who preserve their lives and protect their salaries."

  This gentleman is obviously a mentally unbalanced person, his purpose and direction are very clear, even the historians of later generations can see it clearly - "intentionally slandering Zhen and Shi Cheng".

  Yu Qianwan did not expect that someone would scold him like this, so he submitted a memorial to refute it, stating that the merits of those who were rewarded in the Battle of Beijing can be verified, and the number is not large, where does the rumor of indiscriminate reward come from? He was very angry and said that if Luo Tong thought that official positions were indiscriminately awarded, he could take back his own official position and title, and let him go to work (if it is thought that the award is indiscriminate, it is advisable to take away the official position and title of the minister and others... so as to focus on handling departmental affairs).

  Lu Tong's actions aroused the public indignation of the ministers, who unanimously believed that "Qian Shi was worthy of his post", which calmed down a storm.

  Not long after, Hanlin Academy scholar Liu Dingzhi again submitted a memorial to the emperor, rebuking Yu Qian. The purpose of this memorial was even more explicit, and the language used was even more severe. An excerpt is as follows:

  "For example, 'The Battle of Deshengmen... alternated between victory and defeat, with mutual killings and injuries, although it was not enough to be punished, nor was it enough to be rewarded.'"

  Yu Qian was promoted from the second rank to the first rank, and no one in the world had heard of his achievements, but only saw his rewards.

  Thus, Mr. Yu Qian stood out in times of crisis, exerted himself to the utmost and saved the country from peril, which ensured the safety of the capital city and the lives and properties of officials and civilians. After his success, he declined any reward but accepted only an honorary title of the first rank. However, Liu Dingzhi was still dissatisfied and came up with a conclusion that "the world has never heard of his merits, but only seen his rewards".

  Mr. Liu Dingzhi was not seen during the war, but only scolded in peacetime. From this strange article, we can conclude a law: loving someone doesn't need a reason, and scolding someone also doesn't need an excuse.

  Later historians saw it more clearly, and they summed up the reason for this phenomenon in one sentence: "Qian had meritorious service to the state, but those who were jealous of him at the time frequently used severe articles to impeach him."

  Yu Qian was initially quite agitated and refuted the memorial, but later took it calmly.

  Yu Qian didn't need to get excited and angry at all, because such things are inevitable. The phrase "a tall tree attracts wind" has been true for thousands of years, without exception, and always works.

  No matter how much Yu Qian was attacked, even later being framed and persecuted by political enemies, his merits and achievements were never truly erased, and history ultimately proved his greatness.

  Because justice is in people's hearts.

  Yu Qian was slandered by others because of his great reputation, and another important minister Wang Zhi's situation was not good either. He was also scolded, but the difference is that it was not a minister who scolded him, but the emperor himself. The reason for being scolded was because he was too naive.

  What naive thing did they do to offend the emperor? The answer is simple: they proposed a suggestion that Zhu Qizhen disliked very much - bringing Zhu Qizhen back.