Ming: I am fake, walking on thin ice

Chapter 162: Welcoming the True Emperor? Yu Qian: The throne has been determined!

Outside the pass, Yesen’s camp.

The atmosphere in the central army tent was heavy because the attack on Datong was a major defeat, with the loss of 20,000 troops. To Yesen, 20,000 troops were nothing, and they were not part of the headquarters. However, it affected morale.

"Khan, the entire Chijin tribe was wiped out, with only Chilaowen left. Why do I feel like you, Khan, want us to die?" Wang Han of the Cumans said coldly.

"Yes, not a single horse from the Wala tribe died." Zhebie of the Zhalan tribe snorted.

Boyan jumped out and shouted angrily: "What do you mean? There are always casualties in a war. If we win this war, won't you be the first to enter the city? According to the rules, the whole city is yours to rob, and you will benefit the most. If we lose, who can you blame?"

"How dare you say that? Are you going to run away? Otherwise, we will be defeated?" Zhebie's eyes were blazing with fire. "You, Boyan, are not worthy of being a grassland warrior. I look down on you!"

Upon hearing this, Boyan became furious and was about to take action.

At this time, Chilaowen, who had been silent all this time, suddenly stood up and said loudly: "This defeat is due to the incompetence of our Chijin tribe. From now on, the Chijin tribe is willing to obey the orders of the Khan."

Although a trace of hatred flashed in his eyes, he could only endure it at this moment. The elite troops of the Chijin tribe were all lost. If they wanted to gain a foothold on the grassland, they had no choice but to join Yesen.

Wang Han and Zhebei also saw this and bowed their heads. Yesen, who was sitting in the main seat, spoke slowly at this time, with a sad voice: "The warriors of the Chijin tribe will not sacrifice in vain. The Eternal Heaven will lead our warriors back to Mobei. From now on, the Chijin tribe will be our Wala's closest ally. When we enter the Central Plains, this Khan will reward the Chijin tribe with the most fertile land in the Central Plains."

Who the hell believes you?
I won't live to see that day.

Wang Han and Zhebie sneered in their hearts and would never believe Yesen again.

Yesen glanced at them sharply and announced loudly: "The next time we attack the city, my Oirat tribe will take the lead. I want you to know that in my heart, you are no different from my Oirat tribe."

"The Khan is wise." Wang Han, Zhebie and Chilaowen saluted in unison.

……

For those tribes that were deceived or coerced by Yesen, they could only listen to Yesen now. Yesen encouraged them and envisioned the future.

Restore the glory of the Yuan Dynasty and take control of the Central Plains again. The beautiful and rich Central Plains, gold, silver, treasures, beautiful girls...

As he was daydreaming, a personal guard came in hurriedly, apparently with something to report, but he seemed to be hesitant to speak. Yesen was in high spirits, and said loudly: "If you have anything to say, just say it. There are no outsiders here."

The guard had no choice but to bow and said, "Great Khan, the spies reported that a group of Ming troops appeared in Mobei and have swept several of our outposts. Judging from their route, they are heading towards... towards Yesibatur."

"What?" Yesen's face changed drastically.

Yesibatur, that was the base camp of his Oirat tribe. He led a large army to attack the Ming Dynasty, not only failed to enter the city, but also suffered a great defeat, while the Ming army went to his own nest.

"How many troops?" Yesen asked.

"Not sure. They are very familiar with the route and leave no one alive wherever they pass." The guard replied.

The other generals in the tent were secretly frightened. Yesen glanced at them and quickly calmed down. He snorted disdainfully: "This is the Ming army's strategy of making a feint to the east and attacking in the west. The purpose is to disrupt our formation. How can they have the ability to divide their troops? This Khan concluded that the Ming army that entered Mobei was just a small drum army and could not threaten Yesibatur. There are still 50,000 warriors in this Han's base camp."

The guard had a solemn expression on his face. He took out a piece of intelligence and presented it to him, saying, "Great Khan, a letter came from Alazhiyuan saying that the Tuotuo tribe has recently moved in the direction of Weshibatuer."

Everyone in the tent exclaimed.

Could it be that Toghto was colluding with the Ming army? Was he trying to take down the Oirat stronghold in one fell swoop?

"Togto is nothing to worry about!" Yesen was full of confidence. "I have already destroyed his main force. He only has some old, weak and sick people left. Humph, he doesn't have the courage."

Now he had to give confidence to the generals. After some encouragement, the generals all withdrew, and he left Boyan. Boyan was obviously nervous and asked anxiously: "Khan, do you want to return to the army?"

Yesen pondered for a long time, raised his head, and said with a resolute look: "No! If Tuotuo really colluded with the Ming army, and a powerful Ming army really entered Mobei, it would be too late for us to go back now."

"Then Yeshibatuer must be..." Boyan panicked.

"Let Alazhiyuan face it." Yesen sneered, "However, this Khan has concluded that Tuotuo dare not attack. If he wants to attack, he has to wait until this Khan is defeated. Therefore, as long as we can win here, the rear will be safe."

Boyan suddenly understood the situation, but he was still worried about the Ming army entering Mobei.

……

Beijing, Qianqing Palace.

Shi Biao, the commander of the Imperial Guard, was reporting to Zhu Qizhen: "Your Majesty, we have already found out that it was a leader of the Weiyuan Escort Agency who was bewitched in the northwest and agreed to spread those... those rumors about the emperor. Li Molin, the chief escort of the Weiyuan Escort Agency, was very sensible. He took the initiative to hand over those dozens of people to the Imperial Guard. As the chief escort, he is also willing to take the responsibility."

Zhu Qizhen asked coldly: "How do you plan to deal with it?"

"Those dozens of people were of course killed to serve as a warning to others. Let's see who dares to spread the rumor again." Shi Biao said, "As for Li Molin, he really didn't know, so he can be given a lighter punishment. His Weiyuan Escort Agency protects the Chamber of Commerce and is spread across the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty. It will be of great use in the future. I think we should give him a warning and fine him some silver."

Zhu Qizhen did not ask about these trivial matters in detail, and waved his hand: "You can handle it as you see fit!"

"As ordered." Shi Biao continued, "Your Majesty, I am guilty... I am guilty. The assassination case has not yet been resolved. The King of Xiang did raise assassins in his palace, all of whom are highly skilled in martial arts. However, we cannot be sure that the assassin in the capital is related to the King of Xiang. Now that the King of Xiang is dead, his secrets have also been burned, and the clues are broken again."

Zhu Qizhen frowned and said, "We can't relax on this matter. Keep investigating!"

Shi Biao took the order and retreated.

Zhu Qizhen picked up the memorials sent from the border from the imperial table, including those from Shi Heng, Guo Deng, and Yang Hong. After the last defeat, Yesen went into hiding again.

However, Yesen sent out small drum troops to invade the border of the Ming Dynasty and rob the people. They were few in number but highly mobile, and could fire dozens of drums a day, making them difficult to defend against.

"Yesen is quite good at making trouble." Zhu Qizhen said to himself, "He wants to tire our army out and then launch a surprise attack. If the enemy stays, we harass them; if the enemy is tired, we attack them? He is quite good at making trouble."

……

In a house in the city.

The man wearing a wolf head mask stood in front of the gate, looked up, and muttered in his heart: "Junshan must be quite capable. He has so many mansions in the capital, and each time he goes to a different place."

Just like last time, he was taken to the secret room in the house. He was still the last to arrive, the other six people had already arrived. The woman in the middle with a rat mask announced: "Everyone is here. We are going to discuss the current situation today. Yesen was defeated, and the prestige of the false emperor has soared again. The previous discussions about the false emperor have declined, and fewer people believe in him." The man on the left with a deer mask said: "It's not time to welcome back the real emperor. Boss Rat, you should know where the real emperor is. Tell him to keep calm. He should also be tempered. We were all disappointed with him in Tumubao four years ago. If we want to welcome him back, he must at least let us see his changes."

The man with the dog mask on the left disagreed and asked coldly: "What do you mean? Are you wavering? I suggest that if the people here are not determined, they should withdraw as soon as possible. While everyone still doesn't know each other's identities and won't fight each other."

"I'm wavering?" The man in the deer mask sneered, "Are you blind? The prestige of the fake emperor even surpasses that of the previous emperor. He fights corruption, provides disaster relief, and manages rivers, and is deeply loved by the people. If we rashly bring the real emperor back, can he keep the Ming Dynasty stable?"

The man wearing a wolf mask echoed, "I agree. Let me say something that shouldn't be said. The throne has been decided! To welcome back the true emperor, we need a detailed and feasible plan, and we have to do it step by step. Otherwise, it will only harm the true emperor, and if there is a civil strife, it will also harm the Ming Dynasty. Then everyone sitting here will be the sinner."

The man with the dog mask was furious, but he had no words to say. The woman with the fox mask on the second right smiled faintly: "This is such a big event, I was forced to participate, I listen to Boss Rat."

The man next to her wearing a snake mask nodded in agreement: "I will listen to Boss Rat too."

Everyone's eyes fell on the woman with the rat mask. She was silent for a moment and said, "We should take a long-term view. I will send a message to the True Emperor, asking him to continue to hold steady."

The seven people were all wearing masks, so their expressions couldn't be seen clearly, and they were all curious about who the other person was.

……

Everything in the court was still going on as planned. After two years of implementation, the new policy entered a deep water zone. Zhu Qizhen knew that it was impossible to implement it completely. The so-called imperial power should not go to the countryside had a certain reason.

Below the county level, the gentry and local officials jointly managed the area, and there were local rules. However, Zhu Qizhen was quite satisfied with the implementation of the new policy. After all, the gentry all "served as one, paid taxes as one", and the "taxation was distributed according to the land" policy was implemented. There might still be cases of concealment and reduction, which could not be solved.

The performance evaluation system implemented by the imperial court and the local governments greatly improved the efficiency of officials. The Ming Dynasty seemed to have entered a new era. The cabinet chief Shang Lu was in a better mood.

On this day off, he invited the Crown Prince's Guardian Yu Qian to go out for a walk outside the city. It was already late spring, and the weather was much warmer, so the two walked by the river.

At this time, the fields were bright and sunny, and there was a busy and orderly farming scene. The mountains in the distance were covered with green, and in the nearby farmland, people were busy farming, some wielding hoes to turn the soil, and some bending over to plant rice, all of them were sweating profusely, but they were full of energy.

The sun was shining brightly, the rice fields were gleaming golden in the sunlight, the air was filled with the aroma of rice and soil, and the children were running and playing on the ridges of the fields, with laughter and joy rising and falling.

"It's great that the people live and work in peace and contentment." Shang Lu sighed.

"You're talking nonsense, aren't you?" Yu Qian said speechlessly, "There's a war going on in the north, how can you live and work in peace?"

Shang Lu was annoyed: "Okay, okay, I was wrong, okay? I just feel that this life is not easy to come by."

The two walked slowly along the ridge of the field, feeling the spring breeze and feeling relaxed. Yu Qian walked in front and waved, "Lord, I don't have time to hang out with you. I have to go back to the Ministry of War. If you have anything to say, just tell me."

"It's okay. What can I do?" Shang Lu spread his hands. "Are you so busy? I want to buy you a drink."

Yu Qian turned around and glared at him: "There is a war going on in the front, and something big could happen at any time. I am in charge of military affairs and the Minister of War, so I have to keep an eye on it. You are not like the Prime Minister of the Cabinet, who has nothing to do."

"How can I be free? I just stole a little time to relax from my busy life." Shang Lu snorted.

"It's okay, I'll be leaving." Yu Qian quickened his pace.

Shang Lu quickly chased after him and said, "I heard, I heard, someone is planning to bring back the true emperor. What do you think?"

Yu Qian didn't seem surprised, and waved as he walked, saying, "The throne has been decided!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he had already jumped off the ridge, climbed onto his horse, and rode away. Shang Lu looked at his back and cursed in a low voice: "This old fox!"

……

Night falls, Kunning Palace.

"Empress Dowager, it's time to eat." Shuangxi reminded softly.

The empress dowager, holding a book, looked out the window, stood up, walked to the dining table and sat down. Her beautiful and mature face was filled with a hint of sadness, and she seemed to have no interest in anything.

Shuangxi poured a bowl of soup in front of her, and she picked up the spoon and drank it in small sips. At this time, footsteps sounded, and a flash of light flashed in her eyes.

"Your Majesty." Shuangxi bowed, "Here is your favorite chicken soup. The Queen Mother ordered me to start stewing it at noon."

"Why don't you serve me a bowl?" Zhu Qizhen sat down opposite the empress dowager.

The Queen Mother did not raise her head, and continued to drink the soup gracefully, her long eyelashes trembling slightly. Zhu Qizhen took the soup from Shuangxi, picked it up, and began to gulp it down.

"Oh, that's not the way you drink soup." The Queen Mother glared, "Are you drinking wine? Besides, you're not this generous when you drink."

Zhu Qizhen put down the bowl and said, "You don't know, I went to the Ministry of War this afternoon to watch those rough men's deductions, and I haven't had a sip of water until now. If I don't eat something, I will have hypoglycemia."

The Queen Mother didn't understand what hypoglycemia meant, so she waved her hand and said, "Shuangxi, hurry up and serve His Majesty some food."

Zhu Qizhen was indeed hungry and ate three bowls of rice in a row.

The empress dowager supported her head with one hand and just looked at him. She was so beautiful in her plain dress, her skin was whiter than snow, and her graceful figure was infinitely beautiful. Her cold eyes reflected his figure.

"Cao Jixiang, don't you know how to make some arrangements? And send some food to the Ministry of War?" she asked with a frown.

"No." Zhu Qizhen ate with big mouthfuls, "That is a military secret, only a few people in the Ministry of War know it."

The Queen Mother curled her lips and said, "You can wait for your rest and then send them in. Next time, I will arrange it and let the maids send them in and stand outside. Is that ok?"

Zhu Qizhen smiled and looked up: "If you arrange it, of course it's fine. They can also feel the encouragement of the Queen Mother."

The Queen Mother picked up the handkerchief, raised her hand and wiped his face, glaring at him: "Rice grains are stuck to your face, can you please eat properly?"

Shuangxi on the side raised the corner of his mouth.

Oh, it would be nice if the Queen Mother and His Majesty didn't quarrel. I don't dare to expect that, because they are so warm one moment and quarrelling the next.

(End of this chapter)