Ming Dynasty: I risked my life to teach the prince, the emperor begged me not to die

Chapter 60 We Don’t Wet the Bed

Hami's geographical location is somewhat special. It is located at the northwest gateway of the Ming Dynasty. To the west is the Turpan Kingdom, to the north is the Oirat tribe, and to the east are the Gansu and Liang states of the Ming Dynasty.

This is a problem left over from the Battle of Tumu. Geopolitically, Hami must have been the bridgehead of the Ming Dynasty. Although Hami's land is not fertile and its resources are not abundant, the existence of Hami can provide a rare strategic defense buffer to the northwest.

After the Battle of Tumu, Hami was occupied by the Oirat Mongols, and then it was recovered in the second year of Chenghua. In the first year of Hongzhi, the Ming Empire named Han Shen the King of Hami Zhongshun. At the end of the year, Turpan Ahama conquered Hami again, and the Ming court lost Hami again. In the fourth year, the Ming court took Hami back again.

In the sixth year of Hongzhi, Ahama made a comeback and kidnapped King Zhongshun. The Ming court lost Hami again. Ma Wensheng believed that the Western Regions did not pose a great threat to China and should be appeased. The Ming court temporarily suspended sending troops to Hami.

From the beginning of the Zhengtong period to the end of the sixth year of the Hongzhi period, the land around Hami had been captured and lost three times, which shows the importance of Hami's strategic location.

The factors involved here are not only the relationship between the Ming court, Turpan and Hami, but also the interference of the Oirat. The situation is complicated like a tangled thread, and it is not easy to control Hami.

The most important reason was that the Battle of Tumu wiped out all the capable military generals of the Ming court. From then on, the power between civil and military officials in the Ming Dynasty was reversed, and civil officials gained power.

It was not until Wang Yue, at the age of 74, took command again and commanded the Seven Guards of Guanxi that the situation in Hami was stabilized.

Chen Ce also couldn't understand Wang Yue's idea. Of course, Wang Yue was capable and his military strength was unquestionable. He was a rare talented and Confucian general in the mid-Ming Dynasty. However, he had a fatal flaw, which the civil servants absolutely could not tolerate!

Befriend the Empress!

During the Chenghua period, he was on good terms with the powerful eunuch Wang Zhi, and during the Hongzhi period, he became on good terms with Hongzhi's favorite eunuch Li Guang.

It has always been politically correct for civil officials in the Ming Dynasty to oppose the Censorate and the eunuchs, but Wang Yue became a traitor among the civil servants. How could the civil officials of the Ming Dynasty not regard Wang Yue as a thorn in their side?

That's why he tried every possible way to get rid of Wang Yue, no matter the cost.

Wang Yue has been in charge of Hami for more than a year now. Hami is as solid as a rock. He has been able to govern the chaotic northwestern gateway for a year and win wars many times. This is enough to show Wang Yue's outstanding military talent.

Although the civil servants' battle reports always said that thirty or forty people were killed, if you think about it carefully you will know how much of it is exaggerated, and they are all trying to overstate Wang Yue's contribution.

The twelfth year of Hongzhi was approaching. Generally, military generals did not need to return to Beijing to report on their work, but Wang Yue was an exception. After returning to Beijing this time, he would be in many dangers, and it would not be easy to return to Hami. However, according to the course of history, Wang Yue eventually returned to Hami, but at the same time he also died in the place where he finally defended.

Before his death, Wang Yue repeatedly warned Emperor Hongzhi that Hami must not be lost at any cost.

But his words were destined to be like a small boat in the ocean, as insignificant as a drop in the ocean, and no one paid attention. Hami returned to a state of endless war, and the Ming court finally gave up Hami, changing from "all the thousands of miles of the Western Regions belong to us" to "holding Gansu is a success" as the end of the Hami dispute.

Wang Yue returned this year, but it was unknown what he faced that caused him to die in Hami not long after taking office.

Chen Ce had always told Zhu Houzhao that Wang Yue was the mainstay of the northwest and that nothing should happen to him.

But the current developments show that... Zhu Houzhao's influence on Emperor Hongzhi is almost negligible, if Wang Yue really returns to Beijing to report on his work this time.

Zhu Houzhao didn't know what Chen Ce was worried about, and why he suddenly asked about Wang Yue again, so he shook his head and said, "I don't know."

"Father... the court didn't say whether Wang Yue would come back. How did you know?"

Chen Ce thought for a moment and said, "I'm just asking casually. After all, Hami has remained as stable as a rock for so long. I hope General Wang lives a long life."

Weird.

Zhu Houzhao didn't take it to heart either. He was now fully focused on making money. Although he didn't care about Wang Yue's affairs, he remembered every detail of Chen Ce's money-making activities.

"Okay, I won't eat here today. I have to go back to do important things." Chen Ce said "oh". Until Zhu Houzhao left, he sat alone in the courtyard, basking in the sun and in a daze.

As if he had thought of something, Chen Ce locked the courtyard and went to the suburbs.

Lin Mianzhi died, but Chen Ce's ten acres of land still needed tenant farmers to cultivate.

……

"Uncle, are you feeling better?"

Zhu Houzhao came to the side hall of the harem with a concerned look on his face. The Zhang brothers stayed in the palace for two or three days, eating and drinking delicious food every day and having a great time.

Zhang Heling smiled and said, "Generally fine... By the way, nephew, has the emperor caused us any trouble? How was the criminal who beat us dealt with?"

Zhu Houzhao shook his head and said, "It's over."

Oh, that's good.

Now that everything is fine, they don't want to stay in the palace anymore. There are too many rules and it makes them uncomfortable.

Zhu Houzhao looked at Zhang Heling seriously, and suddenly asked, "Are you really okay? You wet the bed the night before last. Is it the sequelae of being beaten? Do you want to ask the imperial physician to come and take a look?"

Zhang Heling's face turned red from holding it in.

That's not bed-wetting!
Forget it, I don’t have the same experience as him.

Zhang Heling smiled and said, "Your uncle has a strong ability to recover. Don't worry about him. He is full of energy now, haha."

Zhang Yanling rolled his eyes and asked Zhu Houzhao a key question, "Nephew, did His Majesty say anything about rewarding us?"

Yep!

Zhang Heling then remembered the important matter. He had been beaten so severely and had not received any benefits yet. He could not leave the palace easily!
Zhu Houzhao shook his head and said, "I didn't say that."

Didn't you say that? Isn't that a bit immoral? You said you would give me a reward?
Zhu Houzhao said cautiously: "But I have a way to make money. I wonder if you two uncles are interested in listening to it."

Zhang Heling was absent-minded, and Zhang Yanling was picking his ears.

What money-making methods do you know as a little kid? I heard that you are so poor that you can't even afford to wear pants. Are you going to cheat us?
The two brothers shook their heads and said, "We don't want to hear it. Your uncle is upright and honest, and he is not a greedy person."

Zhu Houzhao said hurriedly: "It's not too late to say polite words after I finish what I have to say."

What is polite talk? This is the most primitive noble moral character of our brothers, do you understand?
Zhu Houzhao quickly told these two uncles who were "morally upright" and "not greedy for money" about how Chen Ce told him to take advantage of the time difference to earn money from the wealthy and powerful gentry by farming for them.

After hearing this, the two brothers' bodies suddenly trembled.

Zhu Houzhao was horrified and stepped back hastily, saying, "Uncle, you, don't pee. It's broad daylight, not in the room. If others see us, it will undermine the dignity of the royal family. You must hold it in."

Zhang brothers: "..."

We don’t wet the bed, and we weren’t beaten to the point of incontinence, seriously!!
(End of this chapter)