Jingtai: Making the Ming Dynasty Great Again

The next morning, Zhu Qiyu arrived at the Wenhua Hall, where the court meeting was to be held.

Although he doesn't have any taboos, he still wants to maintain this fine tradition: go to Zuoshunmen if you want to fight.

When the courtiers entered the hall, Zhu Qiyu immediately spotted Yu Qian, who had dark circles under his eyes, indicating that he hadn't slept all night.

The court assembly began with Xing'an reading out the personnel appointment edicts that had been finalized the previous day.

This was a special period, and these important edicts not only required the approval of the Directorate of Ceremonial, but also the stamping of the Empress Dowager's golden seal.

After the imperial edict was read aloud, Xing'an shouted loudly, "Speak up if you have anything to report!"

Yu Qian was the first to step forward: "Your subject, Yu Qian, Minister of War, has a memorial to present."

Your Highness, I request that you pardon the crimes of Vice Commander-in-Chief Shi Heng and appoint him as the commander-in-chief of the Beijing Garrison.

Immediately after these words were spoken, someone stood up and said, "Shi Heng is a defeated general; how can he be given an important position?"

Zhu Qiyu looked at the speaker, who was none other than Jiang Yuan, who had just been promoted to Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice.

The Minister of Justice is currently in Fujian suppressing a rebellion and is not in Beijing.

Zhu Qiyu had a good impression of Jiang Yuan, so he promoted him to Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, and concurrently appointed him as a lecturer in the Hanlin Academy.

Yu Qian replied, "The defeat is not General Shi's fault. Besides, there are very few capable generals in the capital at present. It would be better to let him atone for his crime by defending the capital."

Jiang Yuan: "Then we cannot let him command the capital garrison. Such an important task must be undertaken by someone who has fought a hundred battles."

Yu Qian: "General Shi has already participated in the most battles in the capital..."

Upon hearing this, the courtiers fell silent once again.

All the experienced and prestigious people in the capital died at Tumu Fortress.

Now, all that's left in the capital are "Boy Scouts" who haven't really been on the battlefield.

Other experienced soldiers are stationed in various garrisons, mostly responsible for guarding their respective areas, and very few are able to be transferred to the capital.

In ancient times, during the era of cold weapons, the combat effectiveness of those who had fought on the battlefield and those who had not was worlds apart; in life-or-death battles, a 1v3 situation was not a problem.

Seeing that no one objected, Yu Qian continued, "I have prepared a list of generals. I request Your Highness to issue an edict summoning them to the capital to lead the defense."

After speaking, Yu Qian handed a memorial to Xing An.

Zhu Qiyu took it and looked at it: Tao Jin, Liu An, Zhu Ying...

They were all generals who had played a significant role in the historical defense of Beijing.

Zhu Qiyu immediately said, "Granted. You can handle these matters, Minister Yu."

I remember Shi Heng is still in the Northern Garrison Command's prison; let him out too.

Yu Qian bowed and said, "I ordered him to be released yesterday, and he is now leading troops in training."

The other ministers looked at Yu Qian with complicated expressions.

Zhu Qiyu appointed Yu Qian as the head of the capital's defenses, which led to Yu Qian's promotion from Vice Minister of War to Minister of War.

And he rose above all of them.

There's a growing trend of him being second only to one person and above thousands.

In the past, who would dare to release someone without reporting to the emperor?

The key point is that Lu Zhong, the current commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, really listens to him.

However, they dare not voice any objections now.

They realized yesterday that His Highness Prince Cheng is now solely focused on fighting to the death in Beijing.

But they themselves lacked the confidence to defend Beijing.

Moreover, they believed that no matter who became emperor in the future, they would not tolerate someone like Yu Qian who held such a large military force.

Once this period is over, they will have plenty of ways to deal with Yu Qian.

Zhu Qiyu hummed in acknowledgment, then continued, "Minister Yu, how is the grain transport progressing?"

Yu Qian replied, "Your Highness, I have already ordered the Ministry of Revenue to gather all the people of the city to transport grain to Tongzhou."

In this way, the personnel are dispersed, and there is no need to organize military escorts...

Yu Qian then explained the arrangements for transporting grain and mobilizing troops in detail again, and finally said, "Please ask Lord Shen of the Ministry of Revenue to provide a detailed explanation of the specific situation."

Yu Qian was referring to Shen Yi, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, as both the Minister of Revenue and the former Left Vice Minister died at Tumu Fortress.

Logically, Shen Yi could have been promoted to Minister of Revenue.

However, Zhu Qiyu was unsure whether this person was a member of the Southern Migration faction, so he simply promoted him to the position of Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, temporarily holding the post of Minister of Revenue.

Shen Yi continued Yu Qian's words, saying, "Your Highness, I have organized 500 carts, 100 cargo ships, and 20,000 civilians to go to Tongzhou."

Zhu Qiyu interrupted Shen Yi: "Twenty thousand people? That's so few, how long will it take to transport them all?"

Shen Yi replied, "This is the number of people who reported yesterday. There are still many people who have doubts about this."

The first batch of grain transporters returned before the court session today, and the transport fees have been distributed as requested by Minister Yu.

The number of people registering to go to Tongzhou is increasing.

Zhu Qiyu nodded: "Yes, register everything. The shipping costs and rewards will be allocated by the national treasury and must be distributed according to the standards."

Just as Zhu Qiyu was about to continue his questioning, a commotion arose outside the hall.

Then a eunuch stumbled in, knelt before Zhu Qiyu, and cried, "Your Highness, an urgent report from Xuanfu, eight hundred li away!"

Zhu Qiyu recognized this eunuch not because he intended to promote him to one of his own, but because of his name: Cao Jixiang.

Zhu Qiyu gestured for Xing'an to bring the report over, saying at the same time, "What kind of behavior is this, all this panic?!"

The others were also puzzled. No matter how urgent the military situation was, it should have been sent to the Ministry of War or the Ministry of Justice first.

Even during Emperor Taizong's five expeditions to the northern deserts, this situation never occurred.

Zhu Qiyu's expression grew increasingly grim as he read the memorial.

Although I knew this history long ago, I still couldn't help but feel my blood boil when I actually experienced it.

Zhu Qiyu instructed Xing'an to deliver the military report to Yu Qian.

He then spoke up, saying, "Yang Hong, the commander-in-chief of Xuanfu, has come to report that Esen, along with the Emperor, is at the foot of the city wall and is asking Yang Hong and his men to open the gate."

These words caused an uproar throughout the Wenhua Hall.

Several ministers rushed forward, grabbed Cao Jixiang by the collar, and asked urgently, "Where did this report come from? Is it true?!"

Cao Jixiang tearfully recounted, "Yang Jun, the Vice Commander-in-Chief of Xuanfu, personally delivered it; he is currently outside the palace."

Yang Jun is the son of Yang Hong, the general of Xuanfu, and the news he personally delivered could not be false.

The ministers immediately turned ashen-faced.

The emperor, escorted by the enemy, arrived at the gates of his own city and demanded that his general open the city gates.

This is the only example of its kind throughout history.

Even the previous emperors, Emperor Huizong and Emperor Qinzong of the Song Dynasty.

Even after their capture in the north, the two did not do anything like ordering their own garrison to open the city gates wide.

Zhu Qiyu, barely suppressing his anger, said, "Let Yang Jun in."

Yang Jun walked in quickly.

Zhu Qiyu interrupted his bow: "Tell me the specific circumstances at that time."

Yang Jun hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Two days ago, Esen brought the Emperor to the city of Xuanfu."

Esen asked my father to open the city gates under the pretext of respectfully seeing the emperor off to the capital.

The father did not agree; it was not a return to the emperor at all, as the Oirat army was right behind them.

As soon as the city gates open, they will surely storm in instantly.

When Esen saw that his father would not open the city gate, he lowered his head and whispered a few words in the emperor's ear.

Then the Emperor spoke, instructing his father to open the door and greet him…