Ming Dynasty: The Crocodile King of Han Prince Zhu Gaoxu's Family

Chapter 487 Yu Qian asks for orders
Of course, news of Emperor Yingzong's defeat at Tumu Fortress quickly reached the Ming Dynasty.

The reason is simple: at that time, the information network transmission technology of the Ming Dynasty was the most advanced in the world! It was far faster than Tie Niu running on his own two legs!

Meanwhile, the Ming Dynasty had already received news of the defeat at Tumu Fortress and the emperor's capture.

Upon receiving this news, Empress Dowager Sun, who was already living in constant fear, collapsed to the ground in shock! At this moment, Empress Dowager Sun completely lost her usual haughty demeanor, leaving only a look of utter helplessness—the helplessness of a mother!

However, the first to learn of this news were naturally Yang Shiqi and others in the cabinet! Yang Shiqi was immediately filled with panic!

Yang Shiqi knew very well that all the elite soldiers of the Ming Dynasty had followed the emperor on this campaign! This defeat was practically a sign of the nation's impending collapse! For a moment, Yang Shiqi felt dizzy and quickly grabbed the table to keep himself from falling at this critical moment! Because he couldn't afford to fall now!

Immediately following, at the grand court assembly of the Ming Dynasty the next day, when the news of Emperor Yingzong's defeat and capture spread, the court and the public were in an uproar! Countless officials were filled with panic!
After all, the emperor was defeated and captured! And the nation's elite troops were also lost!
The cavalry of the nomadic tribes were too close to Beijing, and the city was currently undefended. The danger of national annihilation was imminent! In an instant, the court was in an uproar!
Looking at the arguing court officials below the court, Empress Dowager Sun suddenly recalled her mother-in-law Zhang's dying words: "The great calamity of the Jiazi year!" Although her mother-in-law had passed away many years ago, these four words suddenly popped into her mind!
At this moment, the four characters "Jiazi Great Calamity" were like a curse, entwining in Empress Dowager Sun's mind, making her completely unable to listen to the arguments of the officials in the court!

After struggling to calm herself and quell the chaos in the court, Empress Dowager Sun painstakingly took out the Golden Dragon Token that her mother-in-law had passed down to her from her sleeve! Ignoring the strange looks from the court officials, she directly displayed the Golden Dragon Token!
"Before his death, the late emperor left this token, saying: 'In times of national crisis, you can rely on it to save the country from peril!'"
"I wonder, esteemed officials, who is fit to receive this order?" Empress Dowager Sun had given up all hope. Faced with this perilous situation, she was utterly helpless! Especially after her son's capture, the token in her hand was her last hope, her last source of emotional support, and her last chance to rescue him!

However, the result of revealing the token was extremely disappointing to Empress Dowager Sun.

At that moment, after she revealed the token in her hand, not a single court official stepped forward to accept the Golden Dragon Token! Disappointed, Empress Dowager Sun had no choice but to allow the people of the capital to flee and listened to several contingency plans from the Ministry of War!

However, the debate in the imperial court ultimately came to an end! They couldn't win, they couldn't escape, it was a dead end!

After the court session ended, Empress Dowager Sun continued to discuss countermeasures with Yang Shiqi and the others.

At that moment, Xu Youzhen suddenly burst in and directly suggested to Empress Dowager Sun that the capital be moved! Yang Shiqi hesitated before agreeing to the move, and just as Empress Dowager Sun was pondering the decision, a palace maid outside the hall announced that Yu Qian, the Vice Minister of War, requested an audience!
Upon hearing that Yu Qian had arrived, Yang Shiqi silently closed his eyes. He knew that Yu Qian's arrival would inevitably bring countless variables to the relocation of the capital. And what Yang Shiqi feared most was that Yu Qian would sabotage the situation to an irreversible degree!

As expected, Yu Qian, upon entering the room, disregarded everyone else and spoke directly to Empress Dowager Sun!

"Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager! Your subject, Yu Qian, requests the Golden Dragon Token from the late Emperor!" Upon entering, Yu Qian disregarded the opinions of the others in the room and Yang Shiqi's unpleasant expression. He immediately knelt down, raised his hands, and demanded the Golden Dragon Token from Empress Dowager Sun.

"Whoosh!" Upon hearing Yu Qian's words, Empress Dowager Sun, who had been sitting upright, jumped up from her chair, her eyes gleaming with intense surprise as she stared intently at Yu Qian. Even the matter of the capital relocation had been completely forgotten!
At that moment, perhaps Empress Dowager Sun felt that the Ming Dynasty was saved and her son was saved!

"Yu Qian! Things haven't reached that point yet!" Seeing Yu Qian directly demanding the Golden Dragon Token, Yang Shiqi couldn't hold back any longer. Before Empress Dowager Sun could speak, he directly stopped Yu Qian from demanding the Golden Dragon Token.

In Yang Shiqi's view, since Emperor Xuanzong's actions, there was only one chance left to seek help from Emperor Longwu! Therefore, this decision had to be made with utmost care! It should absolutely not be used unless absolutely necessary!

"Grand Secretary Yang, things have reached a point of no return!"

The garrison in Beijing numbered less than 20,000, and they were no match for the Tartars' surprise attack!

"If Beijing falls, the Ming Dynasty will truly be finished!" Yu Qian knew, of course, that Yang Shiqi wanted to move the capital to avoid using the imperial edict. However, Yu Qian also knew the perilous situation facing Beijing! The coastal defenses against the Japanese pirates were simply too late! The nation's elite forces had been completely defeated on the grasslands. This was the most dangerous time for the Ming Dynasty!

Yu Qian did not agree with moving the capital at all! To remain in a corner of the country was simply a disgrace!
Yu Qian firmly opposed moving the capital!
"Yu Qian~!~!!
Emperors Taizong, Renzong, and Xuanzong devoted themselves wholeheartedly to protecting the Ming Dynasty!
The trump card that three generations of emperors had planned for their entire lives was so badly ruined by the previous emperor that it could only be used once!

Now, if we don't take a gamble and use this trump card!

"What will become of my Great Ming Dynasty?!" At this moment, Yang Shiqi also erupted, angrily pointing his finger at Yu Qian's nose and roaring. Completely disregarding the fact that Empress Dowager Sun was still in front of him, he roared and howled in fury!

In Yang Shiqi's view, moving the capital to Nanjing would allow them to find an opportunity to fight back in the future! However, the imperial edict could only be used once! Once it was used up, it was gone! It wasn't worth using it now!

At this moment, Empress Dowager Sun also realized what was happening. She knew in her heart that the Ming Dynasty did indeed have a trump card! But it couldn't be used lightly! Moreover, this trump card had been prepared since the reign of Emperor Taizong, spanning three emperors. However, by the time of Emperor Xuanzong, for some reason, this trump card could only be used once!

However, in Empress Dowager Sun's eyes, even if this trump card could only be used once, that was enough! As long as it could save her son, that was enough! Nothing else mattered!

"Grand Secretary Yang, the Emperor has been defeated, and the Tartars are about to besiege the city. If Beijing falls, what will happen?"
"What are you going to do?!" Yu Qian understood Yang Shiqi's feelings, but understanding was one thing; Yu Qian would absolutely not allow the Tartars to occupy Beijing!
"Yu Qian, we can..." Yang Shiqi was about to continue speaking. However, the words he was about to utter remained unspoken. In Yang Shiqi's view, the Ming Dynasty was not yet at its end! If Beijing really couldn't hold out, there was still Nanjing! But the idea of ​​moving the capital was something he couldn't bring himself to say!
The trump cards left by Emperor Taizong were meant for his descendants to rebuild the Ming Dynasty, not to be squandered while the Ming Dynasty still had a glimmer of hope! This was Yang Shiqi's attitude!

“Minister Yu, this is the Golden Dragon Token left by the late Emperor!”
"As long as the Emperor can be rescued! Minister Yu, please speak freely!" Just as Yang Shiqi was in a daze, Empress Dowager Sun took out the Golden Dragon Token and placed it in Yu Qian's hand! She said to Yu Qian with a look of eagerness!

Clearly, at this moment, in Empress Dowager Sun's eyes, only her son was the most important! Everything else was irrelevant!

(End of this chapter)