Late Ming Dynasty: So what if Emperor Chongzhen was inactive?!

Chapter 81 Now that things have come to this, I request that Bi Ziyan be executed!
Teaching one person is teaching, and teaching two people is also teaching.

Qin Liangyu eventually agreed to skip court sessions and enter the palace once every two days, ostensibly to instruct the emperor on martial arts. After all, it was simply inappropriate for the emperor to have a high-ranking official teach his concubine; it would cause a lot of trouble if word got out.

Of course, Zhu Youjian did have the time and genuinely listened. He wanted to grant Qin Liangyu the title of Grand Protector, which was equivalent to the emperor's bodyguard and military advisor. However, Qin Liangyu had already been promoted from Earl of Zhongzhen to Marquis of Zhongzhen last year, which was already quite enviable. Without new merits, it was not appropriate to further promote her.

Zhu Youjian's decision to make Qin Liangyu and Sun Shiwan master and apprentice was not merely to amuse his favorite concubine by lighting the beacon fires to summon the princes. His motive was actually the same as when he took Sun Chuanting's daughter as his concubine: to establish a personal dependency relationship and bind their interests together.

While these individuals have been proven by history to be loyal to the Ming Dynasty, they may not have been loyal to the emperor. Zhu Youjian not only needed weapons against external enemies, but also needed to keep the evil spirits within his own household in check.

Sun Chuanting and Qin Liangyu's own thoughts were one point, but more important was the opinion of others. Zhu Youjian was actually putting on a show for others. For example, in the eyes of the court officials, Sun Chuanting was in cahoots with the emperor! Even if Sun Chuanting himself stood up to refute this, no one would believe him.

"Qin Aiqing, tomorrow at court, present your husband with a 'Petition for Redress,' and I will exonerate him and posthumously confer titles and honors upon him," Zhu Youjian said earnestly.

Qin Liangyu was deeply moved. She paused for a moment, and her eyes instantly welled up with tears. In the forty-first year of the Wanli Emperor's reign, her husband was framed by the eunuch Qiu Chengyun and died in Yunyang Prison. Afterward, she repeatedly pleaded for her husband's innocence, but all her efforts were in vain, and she never received a positive response from the court.

Emperor Wanli knew that Ma Qiancheng was innocent, but out of guilt and consideration for regional stability, he ultimately allowed Qin Liangyu to temporarily assume his husband's duties. However, this only made Qin Liangyu more desperate, because the emperor's meaning was: I know you have been wronged, the court knows, and we can compensate you, but it is impossible for me to admit my mistake.

From the 41st year of the Wanli Emperor's reign until now, Qin Liangyu has waited a full sixteen years for justice!
"Your subject, Qin Liangyu, kowtows in gratitude to Your Majesty!"

"No need to thank me, this is the fault of the royal family and the court against your family," Zhu Youjian said softly.

With her worries dissipated, Qin Liangyu felt much more relaxed, less reserved, and a smile appeared on her face. Her hearty laughter occasionally echoed from the West Warm Pavilion. Zhu Youjian then realized that Qin Liangyu was actually quite a bold and forthright person.

"Your Majesty has a discerning eye. Wanwan has a good physique; she's clearly from a military family," Qin Liangyu praised. Then, she leaned close to Sun Shiwan's ear and whispered something, making Sun Shiwan blush from her face to the tips of her ears.

"Your Majesty," Qin Liangyu said, "when a woman is first pregnant, she needs to rest for a while. After several months, when the fetus has grown, she needs to move around more to avoid back pain and make childbirth easier. Your Majesty, please don't lock her up."

Zhu Youjian nodded vigorously. He really didn't understand this, neither did Wanwan, nor his sister-in-law, and there was no one in the palace who understood it.

Oh, no, that's not quite right. Emperor Wanli's older concubines probably still understood, but Zhu Youjian didn't trust them. Now, with this group of people kept in the palace, and Zhu Youjian ignoring them, they were aware of their own limitations and tried to keep a low profile, remaining invisible and avoiding trouble for the emperor. After all, if they wanted to cause trouble now, no one would back them up.

"Your Majesty, urgent military intelligence!" Wang Chengen rushed in, pushing open the door. Zhu Youjian's smile froze.

"What happened?" Zhu Youjian asked in a deep voice.

"Your Majesty, the northern barbarian Chahar tribe has invaded our borders with 100,000 iron cavalry. The Xuanda border wall has been breached, and Datong City is under siege!" Wang Chengen said in a trembling voice.

rub!
Zhu Youjian quickly rose from the dining table, followed by Qin Liangyu and Sun Shiwan. "Attend court! Wang Chengen, go and summon all the officials. General Qin will accompany me. Wanwan, you..."

"Your Majesty, I wish to listen in. My home is near the border wall of Xuanda, and I am worried about my mother and brothers at home!" Sun Shiwan's eyes were red.

"Alright, go change your clothes," Zhu Youjian said.

Then, Qin Liangyu watched in astonishment as Sun Shiwan changed into eunuch attire. Her expression was quite interesting; she had initially thought the emperor was just joking, but she hadn't expected him to actually allow his concubine to interfere in politics. Although it was somewhat absurd, she herself was a woman, so naturally she wouldn't voice her objections.

"Wasn't Ligdan Khan just defeated by Huang Taiji? What's gotten into him, coming to provoke my Great Ming?" Zhu Youjian asked angrily.

“The barbarian chieftain claims that our Great Ming Dynasty owes him his annual reward, and this invasion is actually to demand the return of that reward money,” Wang Chengen replied.

"Give him a damn reward!" Zhu Youjian cursed. "Those dogs! They took the annual reward and then turned around and plundered my Great Ming! During the Battle of Ningjin, they kept saying they would help my Great Ming restrain the Jurchens, but they disappeared without a trace! Wouldn't it be better if I had money to give to my Great Ming's soldiers?!"

Zhu Youjian led Qin Liangyu out of the palace gates and bumped into the newly appointed Minister of War, Zhu Xieyuan, who was being stopped by the White-Pole Guards. Zhu Xieyuan and Qin Liangyu were old acquaintances. When he saw Qin Liangyu following the emperor out of the inner court, he was initially surprised, but then his expression became clear.

The situation was urgent, and there was no time for pleasantries. Zhu Youjian went straight to the point, asking, "What is the current state of Datong? Can it still be defended? Is there any danger of the city falling? How did Prince Xuanda Xiangqian manage this? Isn't he usually a very reliable person? How could he have allowed Ligdan Khan to attack so easily?!"

"Your Majesty, Datong City is high and its walls are strong. There are still more than 10,000 soldiers guarding the city. It is unlikely to be breached in the near future. However, the watchtowers around Datong have been breached one after another, and the city walls have been breached in several places. Many soldiers and civilians in the vicinity have been killed or wounded."

Governor Wang was not negligent; he was stationed in Xuanfu, which is 300 li from Datong. The incident occurred suddenly, and even if he had the will to coordinate, it would be difficult to respond in time. Furthermore, he had been ill for a long time, suffering from leg ailments, swollen feet that made walking difficult, and advanced age causing blurred vision. He hoped His Majesty would consider the matter carefully.” Zhu Xieyuan explained.

Zhu Youjian was silent for a moment after hearing this, then said, "Summon him back to the capital to recuperate, and find someone else to replace him. My dear Zhu, who do you think is capable of taking on Wang Xiangqian's responsibilities?!"

Zhu Xieyuan was silent for a moment, then said, "I am qualified to succeed Wang Xiangqian."

"No!" Zhu Youjian refused outright.

Inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, court officials arrived one after another, but they dealt Zhu Youjian a heavy blow!
"Your Majesty, the Governor-General of Xuanfu and Datong, Wang Xiangqian, is old and senile, which has led to the fall of the border wall. I humbly request Your Majesty to dismiss him from his post and punish him!"

"Your Majesty, please allow me to explain! There are other hidden reasons behind this. Ligdan Khan is usually obedient, but this time he suddenly invaded the border of our Great Ming Dynasty. It is clear that someone is deliberately provoking a border conflict!"

Your Majesty, I risk my life to impeach Grand Secretary Bi Ziyan! If he hadn't arbitrarily suspended the annual rewards for the Mongol tribes, how could Ligdan Khan have provoked him to launch an invasion? Your Majesty, you are wise enough to know nothing of governing the country or saving the world. He is nothing but a mediocre minister who only knows how to cut back on spending and abolish government offices! If this continues, the Ming Dynasty will be in grave danger! Ligdan Khan's recent military action is irrefutable proof!
I humbly beseech Your Majesty to execute Bi Ziyan to appease the people, and then bestow gold, silver, and silk upon the Mongol tribes. In this way, war will cease and the borders will be at peace! I am filled with trepidation and humbly beg Your Majesty's wise decision!

(End of this chapter)