Chapter 142: Military Advisor

The news of the Oirat invasion flew swiftly into the imperial palace.

At that time, Zhu Qiyu was playing with his son, Zhu Jianji, who had just turned one. Upon hearing the news, he was so startled that he dropped the toy in his hand and rushed frantically out of the living quarters of Noble Consort Hang.

It was not yet time for the morning audience. Zhu Qiyu stepped outside and turned to ask the messenger, Cheng Jing, "Where have the Oirat people reached at this moment?"

Cheng Jing answered as they walked, "Reporting to Your Majesty, our scouts met the main Oirat army at Yizhou. I am afraid that in less than an hour, the Oirat vanguard will reach the vicinity of the capital."

Zhu Qiyu seemed somewhat anxious and flustered, his pace growing increasingly rapid. After walking a short distance, he suddenly commanded, "Pass the decree! Have Minister Yu enter the palace to see Us immediately!"

Cheng Jing said with a troubled expression, "Your Majesty, this servant just received word that Lord Yu has personally gone outside the city to oversee the battle. I fear he is still beyond the city walls at this hour..."

"Minister Yu has gone outside the city?"

Zhu Qiyu halted abruptly, staring at Cheng Jing with disbelief.

Cheng Jing smiled bitterly and said, "To uphold military discipline, Lord Yu donned armor and went personally to the battlefront. I hear that his subordinates tried every way to dissuade him, but to no avail."

"Minister Yu is in supreme command of the capital's defense! How can he personally brave arrows and stones and put himself in such mortal peril?"

Concerned for Yu Qian's safety, Zhu Qiyu stamped his foot and said, "The business of fighting wars is for those military generals to handle. Send men swiftly to call Minister Yu back. He is not permitted to leave the city again; he may at most oversee the battle from atop the ramparts!"

"Understood, this servant will attend to it immediately."

Cheng Jing also felt this was the best course of action. Yu Qian shouldered the safety of the Great Ming dynasty and its altars of state; if anything were to happen to him, who else could shoulder the heavy burden at such a time?

"Wait."

Having just turned to take a few steps, Zhu Qiyu suddenly called out, "You do not need to go personally. Tell Xing An and Li Yongchang to proceed respectively to Lord Yu and Shi Heng to assist in military affairs. All matters in the camp, great or small, must be reported to Us!"

To call it assisting in military affairs was actually sending supervisors. Staying safely within the palace, he was completely blind to affairs outside, only learning of Yu Qian's departure to the front lines after the fact.

This served as a reminder: if he could not grasp the latest frontline situation, he would inevitably lose his grip on the overall strategic picture.

Facing those two pillars of the state, Yu Qian and Shi Heng, only Xing An and Li Yongchang—the highest-ranking eunuchs within the palace—held enough weight to speak with them. With these two keeping watch, he would feel somewhat more at ease.

Of course, this was not out of distrust toward Yu Qian and Shi Heng, but rather because doing so would grant him a greater sense of security.

Meanwhile, Xing An and Li Yongchang emerged from the imperial city and rode fast horses directly to the Desheng Gate.

However, after boosting morale at the Desheng Gate, Yu Qian had moved on to several other city gates, and his exact whereabouts were currently unknown.

Compared to Xing An, Li Yongchang—a favorite in the inner circle of Empress Dowager Sun—was far less fortunate.

As the regional commander, Shi Heng not only had to direct military affairs but also personally led tens of thousands of elite troops stationed at the Desheng Gate as the main force to intercept Esen of the Oirats. For Li Yongchang to assist in military affairs under Shi Heng, he naturally had to go straight to the military camp.

Seeing Li Yongchang off as he left the city, Xing An raised his eyes to gaze into the distance, searching the nearby camps for a glimpse of Yu Qian.

After scanning the surroundings, he found nothing.

Xing An turned his head and was about to order a soldier to inquire about Yu Qian's whereabouts when he spotted a youth dressed in white standing atop the city ramparts, similarly leaning against the crenellations and gazing outward.

This sight caught Xing An's attention. He strolled over to a spot not far from Xue Rui and asked curiously, "Young lad, what are you doing up here on the city walls?"

Hearing the shrill, high-pitched voice characteristic of a court eunuch, Xue Rui turned his head. Before him stood an older eunuch with a smooth, hairless face. Judging by his bright red python robe, his status was clearly extraordinary.

Xue Rui had always maintained an attitude of respectful distance toward these unmanly men. Now that the other party had taken the initiative to question him, it would not do to offend him, so Xue Rui answered honestly, "Reporting to the Eunuch, this student has been commanded by Minister Yu of the Ministry of War to come and participate in military affairs."

"You? Participating in military affairs?"

Xing An's expression froze. If an adult had said this, he surely would have believed it, but coming from Xue Rui, he felt somewhat skeptical, and thus looked Xue Rui up and down.

Seeing his disbelief, Xue Rui hurriedly said, "Eunuch, the soldiers on these ramparts can all vouch for me. I truly accompanied Minister Yu here; I am not trespassing in a vital military area."

Noticing his appropriate responses and unhurried demeanor, Xing An believed him by a few parts and guessed, "Could it be that you are the young master of some general's estate, well-versed in military strategy?"

"The Eunuch misunderstands. This student serves in the Bureau of Astronomy as an astronomical scholar, and only understands military matters superficially," Xue Rui said modestly.

"The Bureau of Astronomy... Could you be Xue Rui?"

Recalling rumors he had heard, Xing An asked with surprise.

Xue Rui replied in amazement, "I never expected that this student's humble name would reach the Eunuch's ears. I am truly honored."

Confirming his identity, Xing An was quite pleased. "It really is you! I have heard your name repeated multiple times within the palace, and even His Majesty has mentioned you on several occasions, praising your quick wit and intelligence. For Minister Yu to keep you by his side, he must value this sharp mind of yours. I saw you gazing out from the ramparts for quite a while—have you made any discoveries?"

"Thanks to His Majesty's excessive favor, this student possesses only a few petty cleverness. Military affairs still require seasoned and steady figures like Minister Yu and you, Eunuch, to manage them." Seeing that this eunuch spoke rather politely, Xue Rui gladly offered a flattery.

"Ha-ha, you young man certainly know how to speak. I suppose you do not yet know my name and title. To tell you the truth, I am Xing An, the Palace Writer Eunuch serving by His Majesty's side. Have you heard of me?" Xing An asked with keen interest.

So it was Xing An!

Xue Rui stared in astonishment at this person whose name was recorded in the history books.

Xing An, much like Jin Ying, was a captive brought back by Zhang Fu after his expedition to Annam during the Yongle reign. By the Zhengtong era, their seniority within the palace was unmatched, and both enjoyed the deep trust of Emperor Zhu Qizhen.

Xue Rui had studied Xing An's background: he had served Zhu Di during the Yongle reign, and during the Xuande era, he was promoted to a long-attending imperial servant, managing the storage and disbursement of treasuries.

In the early years of Zhengtong, Xing An was dispatched to the two Zhe regions, Suzhou, Songjiang, Yangzhou, and Taizhou to reform the salt laws and select soldiers. Handling matters appropriately, he was promoted to Junior Vice Supervisor with the commendation of being "impartial and forgetting self, honest and scrupulously cautious, followed by public opinion and convincing to the hearts of the people," and later rose continuously to become the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonies, bestowed with a python robe and a jade belt.

After the Tumu Crisis, Zhu Qiyu ascended the throne. When readjusting the positions of palace officials, he alone retained Xing An—who possessed both exceptional ability and moral character—as Palace Writer Eunuch, while Jin Ying was marginalized by fellow palace officials due to a lack of trust from Zhu Qiyu.

Now meeting a eunuch with such a favorable historical reputation, Xue Rui felt a sense of respect. He cupped his hands and said, "This student has heard thunderous praise of the Eunuch's name. May I ask what brings the Eunuch here?"

Xing An assumed Xue Rui was merely exchanging polite pleasantries and paid it no mind, casually replying, "I came here to assist Lord Yu. Do you know where he has gone?"

"After inspecting the Desheng Gate, Minister Yu took several fast horses with his bodyguards and headed toward the Xizhi Gate. He must intend to inspect all nine city gates... The wind is strong atop these walls; the Eunuch might as well go down to rest. When Minister Yu returns, you can come back up to discuss military affairs."

With winter approaching, Xing An was already sixty years old, and enduring the howling cold wind atop the ramparts might prove too much for him, prompting Xue Rui's kind reminder.

However, Xing An shook his head with a smile and said, "I am not one of those delicately raised bodies. If a half-grown lad like you can brave the cold wind, how can I allow myself to lag behind?"

So he was a eunuch who cared deeply about his pride!

Helpless against this, Xue Rui could only flatter him: "The Eunuch is truly full of spirit and vitality; this student cannot match it."

"Ha-ha-ha..."

Xing An chuckled a few times and then proceeded to ask Xue Rui various questions about military matters.

During his days at the Ministry of War, Xue Rui had not wasted his time and had gathered a great deal of military intelligence. When Xing An questioned him, his replies flowed effortlessly, leaving Xing An quite astonished at his breadth of knowledge.

*Clop, clop, clop*—

As they were talking animatedly, the sound of hoofbeats echoed from along the ramparts.

Turning their heads, they saw Yu Qian riding a fast horse, galloping toward them surrounded by bodyguards.

"Whoa—"

Yu Qian pulled on the reins to slow the horse to a stop, then leaped down and walked over.

"Greetings, Lord Yu."

Not daring to put on airs, Xing An stepped forward a few paces and proactively saluted Yu Qian.

Yu Qian cupped his hands and asked, "When the Eunuch arrived, did you bear His Majesty's decree?"

"Precisely. I came under His Majesty's edict specifically to assist Lord Yu in organizing military affairs," Xing An nodded and added, "Furthermore, His Majesty issued an oral mandate ordering Lord Yu to select elite troops to station at the drill grounds for ready deployment. Any regional commander down the ranks who disobeys orders shall be beheaded to serve as a warning, and reported afterward."

This oral mandate effectively granted Yu Qian the power of summary execution—if any officer or soldier refused to obey orders, there was no need to report to the court; they could be beheaded on the spot. This undoubtedly heightened Yu Qian's authority.

"Your minister obeys the decree!"

Upon receiving the decree, Yu Qian immediately summoned the herald and issued his first stern military order: "Any commander who flees the battle before his troops shall have his head severed! Any unit of troops that flees before their commander shall have the rear ranks execute the front ranks!"

This military order sent a chill through everyone standing on the city walls.

Presently, an army of over two hundred thousand Ming troops was stationed outside the city, facing a battle with their backs to the water. According to Yu Qian's decree, victory was the only permitted outcome; defeat meant dying by the blades of the Oirats, while fleeing meant dying at the hands of the supervisory corps.

In short, to stay alive, one had to win the battle!

After Yu Qian's passionate mobilization, the morale of the troops outside the city had already been greatly boosted. Now, backed by such strict and clear military discipline, the soldiers lost all delusions of luck and embraced a determination to meet death as returning home, ready to fight the Oirats to the death.

In an instant, the morale of the two-hundred-thousand-strong army surged, their courage redoubled.

Not long after Yu Qian returned, a scout reported that the main Oirat army had arrived at Liangxiang in Hebei.

Due to the fierce resistance at the Zijing Pass, which inflicted heavy casualties on the Oirats, Esen had been forced to order a halt for reorganization. Taking advantage of these few days, the capital region had intensified its scorched-earth policy, executing it with absolute thoroughness.

Marching all the way, apart from capturing some scrap metal, the Oirat army had found none of the vital supplies like grain and cloth, leaving them in a miserable state.

It was not until they reached the vicinity of the Lugou Bridge that some impoverished commoners, reluctant to abandon their homes and flee, yielded to the Oirat intimidation and took the initiative to offer tea, fruits, sheep, and wine to Zhu Qizhen.

Looking at the ragged commoners and the slightly unripe fruits and vegetables, Zhu Qizhen felt a bitter turmoil in his heart.

After seeking Esen's permission, Zhu Qizhen penned three letters, having them delivered respectively to the Sacred Mother Empress Dowager Sun, his younger brother Zhu Qiyu, and the civil and military officials.

In the letters, Zhu Qizhen roughly detailed the strength of the Oirat army and his own recent circumstances.

Perhaps frightened out of his wits, Zhu Qizhen exaggerated the might of the Oirat army somewhat within the letter, urging the court to hold fast to the state altars at all costs; otherwise, the empire would be in grave danger.

Having read the contents, Esen did not demand any revisions and instead dispatched his subordinate Nahachu with men to escort Yue Qian in delivering the letters.

The party reached the southwest of the outer city (near the later-built Zhangyi Gate). Nahachu and Yue Qian stepped forward alone to parley with the Ming guards stationed outside the Xuanwu Gate.

Presumably instigated by Esen, Nahachu dismounted and launched into a torrent of foreign gibberish facing the Ming soldiers, the gist of which was that they had brought back the Ming emperor and demanded the guards immediately open the gates to welcome them.

Unexpectedly, the garrison troops beneath the wall assumed they were a trick party coming to seize the city gate and grew intensely furious. Without waiting for Yue Qian to step forward to translate, Commander Tang Jie ordered his subordinates to draw their bows and loose a volley of arrows directly at the two men.

Nahachu was a rare warrior among the Oirats, possessing exceptional agility. Upon seeing the Ming troops loose a rain of arrows, his combat instincts caused him to roll rapidly backward several times, narrowly dodging the arrows aimed at his vital spots.

However, the volley was too dense; his shoulder blade and thigh were still struck by an arrow each. Crimson blood instantly soaked his clothes, and the piercing pain wrung a groan from him.

As for Yue Qian, he was not as fortunate as Nahachu.

After a single round of arrow fire, Yue Qian had been pierced like a porcupine. He lay flat on the ground, his eyes fixed on the sky as if dying with everlasting regret.

Wounded, Nahachu dared not linger. He climbed back onto his horse with a limp and, escorted by a squad of his men, fled rapidly back to the main Oirat camp.

With the two provocative Oirats leaving one dead and one wounded, the morale of the Ming troops surged. Commander Tang Jie hurriedly ordered men to carry back Yue Qian's corpse so he could claim credit before the imperial court.

When the soldiers brought back Yue Qian's body, Tang Jie inspected it and found something amiss. Although Yue Qian's garments were tattered, they were Han Chinese attire, and his topknot differed from that of the Oirats.

Tang Jie had his men search the corpse, and three letters were recovered from his sleeves. Two of them were soaked in blood, while only the middle one remained relatively intact.

"Respectfully addressed to the Sacred Mother Empress Dowager!"

Seeing the bold characters written on the envelope, Tang Jie drew in a sharp breath of cold air. Nine times out of ten, this letter was written by the Retired Emperor Zhu Qizhen, yet he had just ordered his men to shoot and kill the very people delivering it to the court!

He was utterly doomed...

Tang Jie's head pounded with a severe headache. Two of the three letters were unreadable, and he had no way of knowing whether they contained critical information.

His subordinate, Centurion Chen Shen, stepped forward and suggested, "Commander, things have reached this point; we had better report this swiftly to Minister Yu of the Ministry of War. The Oirats have suffered a loss and surely will not let the matter rest. We must prepare ourselves to respond."

With matters having come to this, Tang Jie had no other recourse. He ordered a soldier to ride a fast horse to the Desheng Gate and inform Yu Qian of the incident.

Upon hearing the report, both Yu Qian and Xing An wore grave expressions.

The contamination of those two letters was a secondary concern; in any case, Zhu Qizhen was unlikely to write anything useful. The most crucial issue now was how Esen would react after the Ming troops killed his envoys.

Following a brief discussion between the two, Xing An suddenly turned his gaze to the observing Xue Rui and asked, "Young Xue, how do you think Esen will respond?"

Yu Qian also turned to look at him, seemingly awaiting his reply.

After pondering for a moment, Xue Rui answered, "This student believes that the Oirat army has come from afar and requires time to recuperate. Esen's envoy was injured by our forces today, and while he will certainly be angered, he is unlikely to mobilize his entire army to attack the city immediately. According to my conjecture, Esen may dispatch elite cavalry to probe our strength first before plotting his next move."

"That is my view as well. Lord Yu, do you think we should remind Tang Jie to tightly guard his encampment to prevent the Oirats from taking advantage?" Xing An turned to look at Yu Qian.

"Tightly guarding the camp would inevitably impair troop morale. In the face of Oirat provocation and probing, if we fail to deliver a forceful counterattack, we risk shaking the army's resolve," Yu Qian frowned and said.

Xue Rui thought for a moment, cupped his hands, and said, "This student does have a stratagem that might heavily damage the invading enemy!"

"Oh? Speak quickly—what is your plan?"

Xing An readily sought counsel from his inferiors, treating Xue Rui entirely as a military advisor.

Seeing that Yu Qian offered no objection, Xue Rui pointed to a spot on the military map and said:

"This location is an area of civilian dwellings with a chaotic and irregular layout. If the Oirat cavalry comes to retaliate against Tang Jie's forces, they will inevitably bypass this residential cluster and choose the adjacent main avenue to charge straight toward the Xuanwu Gate. In this student's view, we might as well dispatch several hundred brave soldiers from the Divine Engine Corps to conceal themselves within these residential alleys. Once the Oirat cavalry bypasses this spot, our men can emerge to strike them in a pincer movement from front and rear. Who knows, we might achieve unexpected results!"