Jingtai: Making the Ming Dynasty Great Again

Chapter 123 Are you Esen's man?

Zhu Qiyu looked at his ministers: "Do any of you have any further suggestions?"

Yu Shiyue stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I have a concern."

What will happen to the generals trained at the Military Academy in the future?

If students from the military academy are promoted too quickly, it will cause dissatisfaction among hereditary military officers.

If promotions are too slow, it will discourage students.

This balance needs to be carefully managed.

Zhu Qiyu nodded: "My idea is that students graduating from the Military Academy should not be directly granted high-ranking positions."

Instead, he returned to his original garrison to serve as a junior officer.

For example, someone who was originally a junior officer can be promoted to senior officer after graduation.

Originally a squad leader, he could be promoted to centurion after graduation.

Let them gain practical experience for a few years, and then gradually promote those who truly have the skills and knowledge.

In addition, an assessment system can be established.

Every year, the Ministry of War would send people to various garrisons to assess the performance of graduates from the military academy.

Those who perform exceptionally well will be given priority for promotion.

Those who perform poorly will continue to gain experience.

Those who misbehave will have their graduation certificates revoked and will never be employed again.

A diploma doesn't guarantee a secure job; you still need to work hard after you get it.

The ministers all nodded in agreement, feeling that the system was very well designed.

Hu, Chen Xun, Jin Lian, and others also bowed and said, "We second that proposal!"

Zhu Qiyu nodded: "Then let's do it this way. Next, Junior Protector Yu, you will work with the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry of Personnel to draft a detailed set of regulations."

The draft decision must be submitted to the cabinet within one month.

Yu Qian and the others bowed and said, "Your Majesty, we obey your command."

Zhu Qiyu added, "After the decree is issued, I will also take the time to give a few lectures."

The ministers looked at each other in bewilderment. Was His Majesty giving a lecture in person?

Zhu Qiyu noticed their confusion and laughed, "What, can't I give a lecture?"

I have beaten the drums atop the city walls of Beijing and personally killed the Oirat people.

Based on this alone, I should be qualified to teach my students about defending a city, right?

Yu Qian quickly replied, "Your Majesty is certainly qualified."

"If His Majesty would personally come to the military academy to give lessons, it would be an immense blessing for the soldiers."

Zhu Qiyu waved his hand: "Whether it's a blessing or not is another matter."

I just want those soldiers to know that the emperor is not just someone who sits in the palace and enjoys himself.

The emperor could go to the battlefield with them, and shed blood and sweat with them.

The ministers were all moved upon hearing this.

Just as Zhu Qiyu was about to continue speaking, he suddenly saw a palace attendant hurrying in from outside the hall.

According to the rules of court assembly, unless there is an extremely urgent matter, eunuchs are not allowed to enter during the meeting.

The eunuch staggered, clearly indicating that something serious had happened.

The people in the hall immediately fell silent, and all their eyes turned to the eunuch.

The eunuch walked to the imperial steps and knelt down with a thud, his voice trembling as he said, "Your Majesty! An urgent message from eight hundred li away!"

Minister Yue—Minister Yue has sent an urgent report from Xuanfu!

Zhu Qiyu frowned: "What is it? Speak!"

The eunuch prostrated himself on the ground: "The Emperor Emeritus—the Emperor Emeritus was caught in an avalanche on his way home—he has passed away!"

A deathly silence fell over Fengtian Gate instantly.

Zhu Qiyu sat on the throne, his face expressionless.

After an unknown amount of time, Hu Dan suddenly knelt down and hissed, "Your Majesty! This—how is this possible?"

The retired emperor—”

Before he could finish speaking, the septuagenarian veteran of five dynasties was already in tears, prostrate on the ground, unable to rise.

He served as Vice Minister of Rites during the Yongle reign and Minister of Rites during the Zhengtong reign.

He watched Zhu Qizhen grow from a child into a teenager and ascend the throne as emperor.

Although this emperor later did many absurd things, he was, after all, someone the emperor had watched grow up.

Chen Xun also knelt down, trembling all over.

One after another, the ministers knelt down.

In the blink of an eye, the Fengtian Gate was filled with a dark mass of people kneeling down.

Yu Qian gazed at Zhu Qiyu on the throne with a complex expression.

Zhu Qiyu finally spoke: "Where is the memorial?"

With trembling hands, the eunuch presented an urgent report sealed with sealing wax.

Zhu Qiyu took it, opened it, and read through it line by line.

Yue Qian's memorial detailed how an agreement was reached with Esen to escort the retired emperor on his journey, only to be caught in an avalanche, resulting in Zhu Qizhen's death.

In his memorial, Yue Qian claimed that he had failed in his duty to protect the emperor and deserved to die, requesting that His Majesty punish him.

After reading the memorial, Zhu Qiyu handed it to Xing'an and said, "Read it."

Xing'an took the memorial and read it aloud with a trembling voice.

After the memorial was read aloud, the hall fell into a deathly silence once more.

After a long silence, Yang Shan suddenly raised his head: "Your subject, Yang Shan, Right Vice Censor-in-Chief, has a memorial to present!"

Zhu Qiyu looked at him and said, "Speak."

Yang Shan, with tears streaming down his face, said: "Yue Qian failed in his duty to protect the Emperor, which led to the Emperor Emeritus's death. His crime is unforgivable!"

Your Majesty, I humbly request that Your Majesty immediately issue an edict to arrest Yue Qian and bring him to the capital for joint trial by the three judicial departments!

And that Li Yan, as a commander of the Imperial Guards, failed in his duty to protect the Emperor; he should also be punished!

These words immediately sparked a great deal of discussion in the hall.

Someone chimed in, "Censor Yang is right! The Emperor Emeritus met with misfortune on his return journey; someone must take responsibility!"

Some hesitated: "Avalanches are natural disasters, beyond human control—"

Yang Shan immediately retorted: "A natural disaster? Why did the avalanche happen to occur just as the Emperor Emeritus was passing by?"

Why did the Oirat people want to kill them to silence them?

There must be something fishy about this!

These words were spoken with great force, and the atmosphere in the hall immediately became strange.

Zhu Qiyu looked at Yang Shan: "Censor Yang, are you saying that Yue Qian deliberately caused the death of the Emperor Emeritus?"

Yang Shan kowtowed and said, "Your subject dares not make any presumptions, but this matter is full of doubts and must be thoroughly investigated!"

After a moment of silence, Zhu Qiyu suddenly asked, "Censor Yang, do you know who sent Yue Qian on this mission?"

Yang Shan said, "It was His Majesty who sent them."

Zhu Qiyu said, "So you're saying that I deliberately sent someone who killed the retired emperor?!"

Yang Shan's expression changed drastically, and he kowtowed repeatedly: "Your subject dares not! Your subject would never dare!"

"Your Majesty, I am only—I am only grieving over the passing of the Emperor Emeritus. Please forgive me!"

Zhu Qiyu ignored him, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials: "Is there anyone else who wants to speak?"

Yu Qian said, "Your Majesty, I have something to say."

Zhu Qiyu looked at him and said, "Please speak, Junior Protector Yu."

Yu Qian said, "I think we should first clarify a few questions about this matter."

First, was the route chosen by Minister Yue indeed the only way back home?

Second, did Minister Yue and his guards fulfill their duty to protect the emperor when the avalanche occurred?

Third, why did the Oirat people kill Minister Yue and others to silence them?

It's unwise to jump to conclusions before clarifying these three questions.

Yang Shan looked at Yu Qian: "Lord Yu, you—you're trying to exonerate Yue Qian?"

Yu Qian said seriously, "I am not making excuses for anyone."

I just feel that the whole country is grieving over the death of the Emperor Emeritus.

But that's precisely why we need to investigate things thoroughly.

If Yue Qian truly failed in his duty, the law will not tolerate it.

Even if it's truly a natural disaster, Yue Qian shouldn't be made the scapegoat.

Yang Shan angrily shouted, "Yu Qian! You—"

Zhu Qiyu slammed his hand on the imperial desk: "Enough!"

The hall fell silent immediately.

Zhu Qiyu rose and walked to the edge of the imperial steps, looking down at the assembled officials.

"You have all heard Yue Qian's memorial."

Avalanches are natural disasters, not man-made ones.

Yue Qian risked his life to protect the emperor, and he himself almost lost his life in the process.

The Oirat people wanted to kill them to silence them, so they were forced to fight back in self-defense.

You want me to investigate Yue Qian? What am I supposed to investigate him for?

Should we investigate why he failed to stop the avalanche?

For a moment, no one dared to speak.

Zhu Qiyu continued, "As for why the Oirat people killed them to silence them..."

I'd like to ask Esen what his plans are!

Esen repeatedly claimed that he would return the retired emperor and make peace with the Ming Dynasty.

The results of it?

The retired emperor encountered an avalanche shortly after setting off.

He deliberately chose this season to send the retired emperor back!

They deliberately made the retired emperor take that dangerous mountain path!

This is Esen's conspiracy!

He's the one who killed the Emperor Emeritus!

Zhu Qiyu's voice echoed throughout the hall, resounding with conviction.

The ministers exchanged bewildered glances, and Yang Shan spoke up: "Esen had no motive—"

Zhu Qiyu interrupted Yang Shan: "Are you one of Esen's men? You know everything he's thinking?!"

Yang Shan hurriedly kowtowed: "Your Majesty, that's not what I meant. I didn't mean that."

However, there are too many suspicious circumstances surrounding this matter. I implore Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly!