Let Xue Rui step forward to answer.

“What does that have to do with me?”

Xue Rui felt wronged and could not help but cry out in protest.

Xing An walked alongside him and said, “Yesterday, when His Majesty heard about the great victory at Desheng Gate, he was overjoyed and excited for the better part of the day. Early this morning, His Majesty had someone fetch his armor, declaring that he wanted to come to the city walls in person to boost the soldiers’ morale. We simply couldn't stop him, so we were hoping the ministers of the outer court would persuade him.

Alas, His Majesty’s mind was made up. He said that even a half-grown youth like you dared to take to the field to serve the court, so how could the Son of Heaven be inferior to a mere boy? These words left all the officials utterly speechless. Now that His Majesty has arrived at the battlefront in person, the officials are following right behind, and they should be here shortly.”

Xue Rui was stunned. If Zhu Qiyu wanted to come, so be it; why drag him into it? What would happen if the officials decided to vent their anger on him later?

Arriving atop the ramparts of Desheng Gate, Zhu Qiyu looked down at the military camp outside the city.

The encampment on the opposite bank of the moat was laid out with considerable strategy. It looked chaotic yet orderly, relaxed on the outside but tightly guarded within. Anyone who looked at the arrangement could tell it was the work of a seasoned veteran well-versed in the art of war.

Seeing the magnificent sight of camps stretching for miles, Zhu Qiyu nodded and asked Yu Qian, “Minister Yu, whose subordinates make up this garrison outside the city?”

“Reporting to Your Majesty, they are the elite troops of the Capital Garrison under the command of Regional Commander Shi Heng,” Yu Qian replied, bowing.

“Not bad. Shi Heng still shows some competence. I hope he lives up to my expectations,” Zhu Qiyu nodded approvingly.

“General Shi is a rare military talent. His fifty thousand elite troops form our main force against the Oirats. Furthermore, they must deal with potential emergencies at Baiyang Pass and Juyong Pass, and if other city gates fall into crisis, he will need to rush to their rescue. Whether our army achieves victory likely depends upon him,” Yu Qian proactively explained.

“Shi Heng carries a heavy responsibility on a long road,” Zhu Qiyu remarked with a sigh.

After inquiring about the situation at the various city gates, he turned his head and asked, “Minister Yu, the Oirats suffered a crushing defeat yesterday, so they will undoubtedly raise troops to attack today. Do you have a countermeasure, Minister?”

“Your Majesty, the most crucial issue right now is to determine Esen’s strategic intent. Figuring out which city gate he will choose to attack is the pivotal question.”

Zhu Qiyu strolled over to a long table spread with a map atop the ramparts and asked Yu Qian, “Where is the main Oirat force currently stationed?”

“The Oirat army is still in Liangxiang. However, they possess a vast number of warhorses and move swiftly. In less than an hour, their entire force could reach the capital directly.”

Yu Qian traced a route across the map with an empty gesture.

“From the looks of it, the southern three gates are the most likely targets for Esen's attack?” Zhu Qiyu said thoughtfully.

“That is indeed a possibility, but we cannot rule out the chance that Esen might attack Fucheng Gate, Xizhi Gate, or Desheng Gate. Especially Desheng Gate; the terrain outside this gate is exceptionally open and well-suited for cavalry warfare. It is entirely possible that Esen will choose to launch his assault here,” Yu Qian said with a solemn expression.

While the two men were discussing military affairs, Minister of Personnel Wang Zhi and a crowd of officials arrived one after the other.

Xue Rui quietly stepped aside, striving to make himself inconspicuous while secretly sizing up Wang Zhi’s appearance.

This was his first time seeing Wang Zhi. The man looked elderly, extremely frail, and slightly hunchbacked, giving the impression of someone with one foot in the grave. Supported by two middle-aged officials, he moved with considerable difficulty.

As the Minister of Personnel, he was the head of all civil officials. Following the Tumu Crisis, it stood to reason that Wang Zhi should have taken charge of the overarching situation, but alas, at seventy years of age with a frail constitution and failing energy, he had voluntarily stepped into the background, entrusting the heavy responsibility of defending the capital to Yu Qian.

Seeing that the ministers had all arrived, Zhu Qiyu had Yu Qian briefly outline the current situation and invited everyone to share their views.

The officials who ascended the city walls today held positions of at least the third rank and possessed no small amount of insight. Hearing the Emperor’s inquiry, they voiced their respective opinions and offered many useful suggestions.

After Yu Qian noted them down one by one, he suddenly recalled what Xue Rui had left half-said earlier and raised his head to search the crowd for his figure.

Spotting Xue Rui cowering in an empty corner, Yu Qian lowered his voice and said to Zhu Qiyu,

“Your Majesty, earlier while we were discussing military affairs, Xue Rui seemed to have some unique insights. Might Your Majesty command him to come forward and explain?”

“Oh? Xue Rui is here as well?”

Following Yu Qian’s gaze, Zhu Qiyu indeed spotted a familiar figure.

Earlier, when he had ridden his horse straight to the ramparts in a bid to show off, he had nearly suffered an accident and had been genuinely shaken, failing to notice Xue Rui in the crowd. Now reminded, he immediately recognized the youth he had met once before.

“Go, summon Xue Rui here. I have questions for him,” Zhu Qiyu commanded, and a young eunuch acknowledged the order and departed.

Today, the city walls had gathered some of the finest minds in the Great Ming Empire, holding no shortage of ideas in their heads. Xue Rui knew his place and recognized that it was not his turn to interject, so when the Emperor and ministers were deliberating affairs, he had very consciously avoided pushing forward.

Just as he was trying hard to erase his presence, the group of officials ahead suddenly turned back to look at him. Before he could react, a young eunuch walked straight up to his face.

“Master Xue, His Majesty has issued an order commanding you to come forward and answer. Please come with this servant.”

The young eunuch looked Xue Rui up and down and made a gesture of invitation.

“The Emperor is calling for me?”

Xue Rui’s heart skipped a beat.

They always said that serving the monarch was like sleeping with a tiger. In such a sensitive period, he was not particularly eager to thrust himself before Zhu Qiyu.

After all, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, if he said something wrong or lacked proper etiquette, it would be all too easy for the ministers to seize upon his flaws. He might even be charged with uncourtly behavior or lese-majesty. Therefore, he had resolved to offer no opinions unless absolutely necessary.

When he reached Zhu Qiyu’s side, two Embroidered Uniform Guard officers immediately stepped forward to search him.

“Step back, both of you.”

Zhu Qiyu waved the two men away and took the initiative to address the crowd:

“I presume most of you do not yet recognize this youth. Let it be known to you all that during yesterday’s fierce battle at Xuanwu Gate, this is Xue Rui, who served as Minister Yu’s assistant in military affairs. Our army’s feat of wiping out three thousand Oirat elite cavalry owes a share of the credit to him!”

“It’s actually him?”

Surprised murmurs rippled through the crowd, and many stood on tiptoe, curiously gazing at the young man who had made quite a name for himself.

“Xue Rui, astronomical student of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, pays respects to Your Imperial Majesty. May Your Majesty enjoy boundless wellness.” N0v3lSt0rm.coM

Xue Rui had never learned the proper etiquette for an audience with the Emperor, so he simply imitated what he had seen in television dramas and bowed respectfully.

“I am well. Rise and speak.”

Zhu Qiyu did not dwell on his lack of proper etiquette, raising a hand to bid him stand as he asked with curiosity:

“Minister Yu mentioned earlier that you hold a different view regarding the impending battle?”

“This…”

Xue Rui subconsciously glanced at Yu Qian. Yu Qian, standing nearby, offered him an encouraging look.

Only then did Xue Rui understand why Zhu Qiyu had suddenly thought of him. It turned out Yu Qian wanted him to shine in front of the Emperor and had thus proactively brought up his name.

Since the Emperor had asked, he naturally could not be perfunctory. Xue Rui had no choice but to answer honestly:

“This student believes that today, after the Oirat army arrives in the vicinity of the capital, they will likely not launch an immediate attack. Our forces need only remain camped in place and hold their ground.”

Zhu Qiyu pondered this, turned to the ministers, and asked, “What do your Excellencies think?”

Yu Shiyue, who had recently been promoted to Minister of Punishments, memorialized:

“Reporting to Your Majesty, the Oirats suffered a crushing defeat yesterday and are eager to salvage their pride; they will certainly launch an assault. Our forces must maintain strict vigilance and must on no account listen to the nonsense of this ignorant child!”

Wu Ning, the Junior Vice Minister who was temporarily managing the Ministry of War on behalf of Yu Qian, took two steps forward and said to Zhu Qiyu:

“Your Majesty, this minister agrees with Xue Rui’s view. Yesterday’s crushing defeat of the Oirats was partly due to their long-distance raid, leaving them in poor condition. Today, upon reaching the capital, the Oirat army will undoubtedly pitch camp and rest first, choosing to attack only after their combat strength has recovered.”

Both men made valid points, and the assembled officials chimed in with their own opinions in a cacophony of voices.

Seeing that both sides presented plausible arguments, Zhu Qiyu looked at Xue Rui and asked, “Why do you believe the Oirats will not make trouble today?”

Xue Rui bowed to Zhu Qiyu and the ministers, offering a bitter smile as he said:

“Your Majesty, your Excellencies, the reason this student is certain the Oirats will not attack is because the Retired Emperor’s carriage is still in the enemy camp. Esen will certainly make an issue of the Retired Emperor and naturally will not rush to resort to force…”

The Retired Emperor!

Those three words caused the heartbeats of everyone present to skip a beat.

Over the past month, the Oirats had dragged Zhu Qizhen along as they retreated into the Black Pine Forest, making the presence of the "Gate-Calling Emperor" much fainter.

Just now, everyone had been preoccupied with whether the Oirats would attack, completely forgetting that they still had a prime hostage in enemy hands.

Esen had traveled thousands of li to reach the capital; if he didn't exploit Zhu Qizhen, the slogan he shouted all the way south—claiming he was escorting Zhu Qizhen back to the capital to reclaim the throne—would have been shouted in vain.

At this thought, Zhu Qiyu’s expression immediately darkened, and the ministers wore faces full of worry.

Seeing this, Xue Rui’s heart hammered against his ribs, and he secretly berated himself for not having made up a random excuse to brush it off, avoiding the risk of arousing the Emperor's wrath.

At this moment, Yu Qian spoke up: “Your Majesty, this minister feels that Xue Rui’s words make sense. Now that the Retired Emperor remains in the enemy camp, Esen will surely make an issue of it. We must make preparations accordingly.”

Initially, Zhu Qiyu had not wanted to take the throne, but under the repeated urging of the ministers, he had reluctantly ascended. Later, as the situation stabilized, he gradually found his footing as emperor. Right now, he was full of high spirits and preparing to accomplish great things.

Yet his imperial elder brother, Zhu Qizhen, was an inescapable trial he could never bypass.

Now that the Oirats were launching an attack under the banner of escorting his imperial brother back to the capital to reclaim the throne, and were about to arrive outside the city walls, how to treat Zhu Qizhen had become his most thorny and troublesome dilemma.

After a long silence, Zhu Qiyu asked, “Do your Excellencies believe Esen will send the Retired Emperor back to the capital?”

“This minister thinks not.”

“This old minister believes Esen will use the Retired Emperor’s name to extort concessions from the court.”

“If Esen truly intends to send the Retired Emperor back to the capital, we must prepare to welcome the imperial carriage!”

“…”

The ministers voiced their individual opinions. Most believed Esen would not easily return Zhu Qizhen, while only a small faction felt that every possible effort must be made to demand him back; otherwise, having a former emperor act as a hostage in enemy hands indefinitely would damage the court’s dignity.

Listening to the chatter, Zhu Qiyu grew irritated and cast his gaze upon Xue Rui, asking, “You tell us, what will Esen do?”

Since Xue Rui had raised the topic, the ministers were eager to hear his perspective, and the surroundings quickly quieted down.

Realizing he could no longer avoid it, Xue Rui had no choice but to reply:

“This student believes that the Oirats returning the Retired Emperor to the capital is merely a facade; they will likely not release him easily anytime soon. As for what moves they will make, we need only wait a little longer—Esen, the Oirat Grand Tutor, will surely send a letter.”

“Really?”

Earlier, some ministers had also believed Esen would not easily release him, but upon hearing Xue Rui’s words, Zhu Qiyu subconsciously let out a breath of relief.

“If no letter arrives, please punish this student, Your Majesty!”

Xue Rui vaguely remembered that when the Oirat army reached the city gates, Esen had not chosen an immediate attack. Instead, he had heeded the advice of the traitor Xi Ning, using the pretext of returning Zhu Qizhen to trick Yu Qian and other ministers into leaving the city to welcome him, hoping to wipe out these pillars of the court in one fell swoop. Without these capable officials to maintain control, the capital would become ripe for the picking by the Oirats and would fall sooner or later.

Right now, Xi Ning was alive and well, serving as Grand Tutor Esen’s strategist. If he didn't pitch this wretched idea, he wouldn't live up to his reputation as a traitor to the Ming.

After waiting for quite a while, a Ming scout galloped in to report that a massive number of Oirat scouts had been encountered near the Lugou Bridge. Due to their small numbers, the Ming scouts had been unable to probe the true situation of the Oirat main force.

Everyone could not help but grow anxious.

In ancient times, lacking satellites and high-altitude reconnaissance, launching large-scale warfare required casting a wide net of scouts to gather intelligence on all surrounding battlefield developments.

The Oirats were born warriors on horseback; pull any one of them out, and they would be a skilled scout.

Although the Ming army also actively cultivated their own night-patrol scouts, they fell far behind the Oirats in sheer numbers, naturally putting them at a disadvantage in intelligence gathering.

The crushing defeat at Tumu was precisely because Esen had scattered his scouts widely, suppressing the Ming reconnaissance force to a very small perimeter, to the point where the Ming army remained completely oblivious to the fact that while relocating their camp for water, a vast Oirat force had been lurking nearby, ultimately leading to the catastrophe at Tumu.

Of course, based on the number of enemy scouts, it was also quite easy to deduce the scale of the enemy forces. After synthesizing the reports from various scouts, Shi Heng concluded that the Oirats had mobilized their entire army and were already not far from the capital.

Hearing this, the ministers advised Zhu Qiyu to return to the palace to await news and avoid danger.

Zhu Qiyu refused, however, ordering the Five Phoenix Tower Hall atop Desheng Gate to be tidied up and used as a temporary quarters for holding court and resting, determined to receive news regarding the Oirats firsthand.

In history, Zhu Qiyu had never personally gone to the frontline. Whether it was yesterday’s great victory that gave him confidence or Xue Rui setting an example for him, he had conceived this notion.

About an hour later, Xing An hurried into the hall and bowed to Zhu Qiyu, reporting, “Your Majesty, Esen has sent an envoy with a letter!”

“It really has come!”

Zhu Qiyu abruptly stood up and strode hurriedly out of the hall.

Up on the ramparts, soldiers were spinning the windlass, using a suspended basket to haul Li永昌 (Li Yongchang) upward.

Yu Qian and the other ministers stood waiting in a circle.

Helped down from the city wall, Li Yongchang drew two letters from his bosom, hurried to Zhu Qiyu, and bowed deeply as he said:

“Your Majesty, Esen has sent an envoy bearing letters, along with an attached imperial edict from the Retired Emperor. Please deign to inspect them, Your Majesty.”

“An attached edict from the Retired Emperor? Esen is truly getting quite arrogant!”

Zhu Qiyu let out a cold snort, first tearing open Esen’s letter and scanning it ten lines at a time.

After finishing it, he picked up the crude imperial edict written by Zhu Qizhen. Having read through it, he ground his teeth and said to the ministers:

“Esen states in his letter that he intends to escort the Retired Emperor back to the capital, but he attaches two conditions. First, the court must welcome the Retired Emperor back with the full ceremonial rites due to the Son of Heaven, and he specifically names Minister Yu and General Shi as the welcoming envoys, failing which he will not release him.

In his edict, the Retired Emperor also highlights these two points and commands the court to prepare provisions, grain, and silks for the Oirat army, so as to politely send the Oirat army back beyond the passes. What do your Excellencies think?”

The ministers subconsciously looked toward Yu Qian, thinking that such an absurd request surely would not be accepted by him.

To their surprise, after a moment of silence, Yu Qian bowed and said: “Your Majesty, this minister is willing to serve as an envoy to the enemy camp and respectfully welcome the Retired Emperor back to the capital!”