Zhu Qizhen, wearing a black shoulder-length dragon-patterned robe, stepped out of the car in the Tumu Fort. He felt the whistling north wind blowing by his ears, and watched the military flags fluttering wantonly in the wind. Back to the scene a year ago.
"Your Majesty, we cannot stay here for a long time. We must march into the Xuan Mansion urgently. We must not delay..."
"It's nonsense. Our army has marched for hundreds of miles, and none of its baggage and food has kept up. If we continue to march in a hurry, these baggage will definitely be robbed. Your Majesty is marching in person. Is it to deliver ordnance first? Of course, we must camp on the spot and wait. The baggage troops will catch up, and even if they catch up first, my Ming Dynasty has an army of 200,000, are we afraid of him?"
"What Master Wang said is reasonable. I have made up my mind, and there is no need for you to persuade me."
…………
"Your Majesty, the soldiers have dug three feet into the ground, but there is still no water source. The water brought with the army has been exhausted."
"Report, your Majesty, there is an urgent report from the front. Huailai Guard has fallen, Mayukou has fallen, our army's transport troops have been cut off, and we have also occupied the river to defend it, and have surrounded the earthen fort."
"Your Majesty, we can't wait any longer. Without water, we will be trapped to death. We must break out."
"Okay, just listen to Master Wang. Who is willing to fight?"
…………
"Good news, Your Majesty, the bandits have withdrawn. Taking advantage of this opportunity, our army will break out."
"How presumptuous, Wang Zhen. At this time, you still dare to bewitch the Holy One. Your Majesty, this is clearly a tactic used by thieves to lure the enemy. You must not advance rashly..."
"It has been two days, and there is still no army to come to the rescue. If the delay continues, the morale of the army will inevitably be weakened. All the ministers obey the order, and the army will set off immediately, discard all the baggage, and break out in the direction of Xuanfu!"
…………
"Looking at your extraordinary status, you must be a figure in the Ming Dynasty. Please tell me your name."
"Who are you, Ye Xian, King of Saikan, or Boyan? Ask your Grand Master to come see me!"
"Troros Ye, Grand Master of Wala, comes to see His Majesty the Emperor."
"Your Majesty, your Majesty has condescended to come to my camp, which is really a blessing. Why don't you order my army to send your Majesty back to Xuan Mansion?"
…………
Time flies, and a year has passed.
Although he had been prepared in his heart, Zhu Qizhen's heart was still extremely complicated when he actually landed on this land again.
In front of his eyes, sometimes the troops were in good order, with strong troops and horses, and sometimes they were panicked, and the troops were in chaos. Scenes and familiar people passed in front of his eyes.
Finally, it fell into silence!
"My ministers Yu Qian, Yang Hong, and chamberlain Shu Liang are here to see His Majesty the Supreme Emperor."
Several voices sounded at the same time, finally pulling Zhu Qizhen back from his thoughts.
Glancing forward, he saw Yu Qian and others, bowing their hands and saluting him. With a frown, Zhu Qizhen asked.
"Why are you two here?"
There was even a hint of hostility coming from nowhere in his tone.
Yu Qian cupped his hands and said, "I and Governor Yang have been ordered to come with the Supreme Emperor to pay homage to the officers and soldiers who died in Tumu Fort."
It was said euphemistically, but people who were familiar with Yu Qian knew that if he was just a companion to the sacrifice, there was no way he would have put on such a ostentatious python robe and specially equipped it with a ceremonial sword.
This scene is obviously prepared for Qian Qian to be the officiant if the Emperor does not come!
Of course, it won’t look good on anyone’s face if you don’t tell everything clearly, or if you speak too clearly.
At this time, Shu Liang stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, it's almost time. The sacrifices on the altar have been prepared. Do you think it's time to start?"
Let Yu Qian come as a substitute sacrifice, after all, it is just a substitute sacrifice.
If possible, it would be most appropriate to have Zhu Qizhen come to pay homage in person.
Shu Liang, Yu Qian, Yang Hong and others all know this.
Therefore, when they saw the Supreme Emperor coming, they took it as a matter of course that their previous preparations for the sacrifice did not exist.
However, Zhu Qizhen did not move, but fixed his gaze firmly on one person.
Yang Hong!
He had great trust and respect for this veteran who had guarded the border for many years.
However, at this moment, his eyes were only cold.
"Yang Hong?"
Zhu Qizhen called out the name gently, his tone was quite calm, but the more he did, the more people around him could feel the violent fluctuations in the Emperor's mood at this moment.
In contrast, Yang Hong's calmness was truly calm. He stood with his sword in hand, neither humble nor arrogant, and responded.
"I'm here."
Zhu Qizhen suddenly laughed, raised his hand, pointed at the military flags floating in the wind, and said with questioning and pathos in his tone.
"Yang Hong, Commander Yang, look at these military flags. They are all officers and soldiers of the Ming Dynasty. There are countless heroes above them. Are you standing here with no regrets in your heart?"
Tumu Fort is very close to Xuanfu City, and conversely, Xuanfu City is very close to Tumu Fort.
At that time, Ye Xian's army besieged Tumubao. In fact, the Ming army did not collapse immediately, but after holding on for two days, they had no choice but to break out.
In the past two days, Zhu Qizhen has been waiting for help from the Xuanfu.
but none!
Day and night when he was trapped in Yibei, he was thinking that if Yang Hong had sent troops to attack Ye Xian's army and were attacked from both sides, perhaps the situation of the war would have been reversed.
It is a pity that this "King Yang" who made the captives frightened by the news did nothing in the end.
As a result, 200,000 officers and soldiers died in the battle, and the emperor went on a hunt in the north, also launching a large-scale invasion. The situation was extremely dangerous, and the artifact was almost reversed.
In Zhu Qizhen's view, Yang Hong cannot escape responsibility for all this.
Facing the Supreme Emperor's questioning, Yang Hong did not speak and only stood silently, but everyone could feel the complex emotions in the veteran's heart.
After a moment, Yang Hong sighed and raised his head again, his eyes full of determination.
"I don't know what your majesty means by asking for shame. At that time, he also launched three armies to attack the Ming Dynasty. Ala Zhiyuan led an army of 20,000 and was stationed outside Xuanfu City, watching eagerly."
"Xuanfu is an important border town, and I have heavy responsibilities. How can I dare to leave my post without permission without any holy orders or imperial edicts?"
"Soldiers are deadly weapons, and casualties are inevitable in battle. On the battlefield, anything can happen. If a general dwells on the past, he will never be a good general for the country."
"The formation of troops is planned by the commander. I am a guarding general and it is my duty to perform my duties loyally."
During the Battle of Tumu, Yang Hong certainly knew that the emperor was stationed in Tumu Fort, and he also knew that Tumu Fort was besieged first.
However, he still didn't think what he did was wrong.
As a general, you have to make choices on the battlefield.
Xuanfu is close to Tumubao, but at the same time, it is also the closest border town to the capital.
You must know that it was Yexian's main force that besieged Tumu Fort.
Faced with such a force, one or two thousand men would not play any role at all. If they want to form a combined internal and external attack, Xuanfu's military strength may be completely wiped out.
However, at that time, Ala Zhiyuan led 20,000 troops and was stationed outside the city. As long as Yang Hong dared to send troops, Xuanfu would be captured in less than half a day.
At the same time, Xuanfu is also the only way for the army to return to Beijing.
Once the Xuanfu fails, even if it saves the army, it will be of no use. When the Xuanfu troops join the emperor's army, it will only allow Ye Xian and Ala Zhiyuan to respond back and forth, forming a larger encirclement.
Therefore, he was in Xuanfu to ensure the army's retreat.
What's more, once Xuanfu is captured, the army will march southward in a hurry and will reach the capital in less than two days.
Therefore, from a strategic perspective, Yang Hong knew that there was nothing wrong with his choice.
On the battlefield, those who deserve to be sacrificed must be sacrificed. If a general does not have this consciousness, he should go home and take care of his children as soon as possible!
Yang Hong has guarded the border all his life and has an extraordinary character that cannot be shaken by a few words.
Of course, the more important reason is that Yang Hong never thought that a full army of 200,000 people could not even escort the Supreme Emperor to break out of the encirclement.
In fact, if he were to take command, he would definitely not set up a camp in the first place. Even if he set up a camp, he would immediately encircle the encirclement as soon as he discovered it, and he would definitely break out of the encirclement at any cost.
Instead of guarding an army of 200,000 people, they stayed empty for two days, waiting for rescue that was unknown to come.
If the army tried its best to break out of the siege on the first day of the siege, even if there would be some losses, there would be no problem in retaining the main force and escorting the Supreme Emperor to Xuan Mansion.
But who would have thought that the Supreme Emperor didn't even have the courage to forcefully destroy an army of 200,000 in Tumu Fort.
The decision he made was completely in line with the actual situation at that time. Even the court could not find any mistakes, because not only him, but whoever sat in the position of the general of Xuan Mansion could not have predicted it. An army of 200,000 people could not even break through.
The one who should feel guilty is not Yang Hong, but Wang Zhen, the Supreme Emperor who loves and trusts Wang Zhen!
Yang Hong's face was calm, and the red tassel on his helmet moved with the wind. He pressed the sword with his right hand and looked directly at the Supreme Emperor, as if to say something.
What does he have to be ashamed of?
The tiger's power is still there, and the veteran's evil spirit is strong.
Even though he was just standing calmly, the aura gushing out from Yang Hong was still frightening.
Zhu Qizhen didn't expect that Yang Hong could be so righteous and confident, and even dared to secretly mock him in return. He was furious, but he didn't say anything in the end.
Now is not the time for another conflict...
So, he strode forward, came to stand under the altar, and the ministers who followed him were arranged behind him according to their official rank and stood solemnly.
The accompanying officers and soldiers also lined up around the altar with expressions of reverence.
When the great music started, Zhu Qizhen climbed up the steps, stepped onto the circular altar step by step, and stood in front of the great music that had been arranged.
At the same time, Yu Qian and Yang Hong Wenwu lined up, followed closely behind, and each stood on both sides of Zhu Qi Town.
On the altar, Shu Liang was already standing beside him. When Zhu Qizhen stood still, he took out a memorial text that he had prepared and started reading.
"On September 10th, the first year of Aiwei Jingtai, the Supreme Emperor personally went to Tumu to pay homage to the officers and soldiers who died in the battle and said: In ancient times, there were great soldiers, treasures of the emperor, who fought bloody battles and refused to die. Last autumn, the ugly captives were arrogant and ungrateful. You are unjust, arrest my messenger, and lead a group of people to invade the border area, with the intention of stealing the divine weapon."
"I had no choice but to personally lead the six armies to investigate their crimes. When the army marched in civil engineering, the king exercised power, and the bandits rampaged around me. My army was almost destroyed, but my soldiers fought bravely to kill the enemy and were not afraid of death. His body was wrapped in horse leather and his bones were buried in yellow sand. He is actually a scholar of the country."
"Now that I have returned, I will come to Tumu again. I miss the people of the country. They are heartbroken with grief, their livers and intestines are cut off, and their blood and tears are stained on their towels. I wail in remembrance, and my grief is difficult to express. I have sleep in the underworld, come and taste it."
"Alas! The heroic spirit has returned, Shang Xiang!"
The north wind was strong, and the military flag was blowing in the wind, carrying Shu Liang's loud voice to the sky.
A waiter had already handed the prepared sandalwood to Zhu Qizhen's hand.
Immediately, Zhu Qizhen held the incense and bowed three times, inserted the lit sandalwood into the incense burner, then took the sacrificial inscription from Shu Liang's hand, lit it on the candle next to it, and threw it into the sky with all his strength.
The entire memorial text disappeared with the wind, hoping to reach the place of the hero's spirit.
This process is simple, but solemn!
Countless officers and soldiers nearby could not help but shed tears in their eyes as they looked at the memorial text that passed away in the wind.
In fact, as ordinary soldiers, they don't ask for much.
As long as your sacrifice is not wasted and can be recognized by the country you defend and the people you protect, that is enough!
There was a thumping sound, and countless officers and soldiers fell to their knees spontaneously, repeating it over and over again.
"Alas! The heroic spirit has returned, Shang Xiang!"
It was chaotic at first, then neat, weak at first, then powerful and echoing endlessly.
For a full stick of incense, everyone used their utmost strength. As the sandalwood in the furnace burned out, the sound stopped, and everyone had tears streaming down their faces.
Zhu Qizhen just stood on the altar, staring at the sandalwood burning out little by little without saying a word, watching the cigarettes rising up, but he didn't know what he was thinking in his heart.
The sandalwood burns out and the momentum gradually stops!
So, Zhu Qizhen turned around, looked at Yu Qian with a complicated expression, and said calmly.
"The ceremony is over. I have something to do. I need to send a message to Shaobao back to the capital!"
Yu Qian is Yu Qian after all. In just a moment, he got rid of the emotion just now and said with his hands.
"Your Majesty, please give me your instructions."
After working in the official career for many years, his keen sixth sense told Yu Qian that something was about to happen.
As expected, Zhu Qizhen said with a hint of sadness on his face.
"I have trouble Shaobao telling the Holy Mother, the Emperor, and all the ministers in the capital that because of my ignorance, I favored Wang Zhen, was warlike and unethical, and bent on marching north. I was punished by heaven, risking the loss of the country, the ancestral temple in danger, and the loss of 200,000 people. The officers and soldiers, hundreds of civil and military ministers, and the burial of bones and buildings are all my fault."
"I miss you so much that my heart aches. I have betrayed the trust of my ancestors and the expectations of all people. I have desecrated the ancestral temple and humiliated the country. It is really shameless to return to the place where the ancestral temple is in the capital. Now the court has a master, the country has a king, the government is stable, and all the people are safe. install."
"I feel that my sins are serious, and I ask the emperor's wise brother to issue an edict to the world, abolishing my imperial title, and ordering me to return to the ancestral mausoleum of Fengyang, where I will never leave for the rest of my life, in order to atone for my sins. From now on, I will be stationed in the Xuan Mansion to await the imperial edict. When the imperial edict arrives, I will set out immediately."
Wha...what?
Everyone present felt as if they were hallucinating.
Even Yu Qian didn't react for a moment.
He had already had a premonition that the Supreme Emperor was going to do something, but he did not expect that this time, the Supreme Emperor would be so decisive.
Can you accept this?
Of course not!
Listen to what he said...
"...Please ask the emperor's worthy brother to issue an edict to the world, abolishing the imperial title, and ordering me to return to Fengyang's ancestral mausoleum and never leave my home for the rest of my life, in order to atone for my sins..."
Again, in the country, he is the supreme emperor, in the family, he is the elder brother.
Don't say that he issued an edict to abolish his imperial title and imprison him in Fengyang. Even if he was disrespectful in daily life, he would be criticized.
In the whole world, no one has this power!
At least, it's not okay on the surface. There are some things that can be done, but if you say it and put it on the table, it's wrong.
It is a heart-breaking act for the Supreme Emperor to do this!
Once the emperor really "delivered an edict", he would have no respect for superiors and inferiors, he would be unfilial and disloyal, and he would be arrogant and treasonous.
Therefore, in just a short moment, Yu Qian knelt down and said.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I dare not obey this edict!"
However, Zhu Qizhen seemed to have made up his mind and waved his hand.
"It's up to you whether you accept the order or not."
"In short, from now on, I will be in the palace of Xuan Mansion. If I don't see the imperial edict arriving, I will not take another step out of the palace!"
After that, Zhu Qizhen stepped down from the altar without giving anyone a chance to speak, got on the carriage, and left the Tumu Fort, leaving behind a crowd of civil and military officials with different expressions.
At this moment, everyone realized that there was about to be a huge storm above the court, slowly approaching...
