Emperor Ming: Your Majesty, you have caused me so much suffering.

They've rebelled! They've rebelled!

Empress Dowager Sun was furious upon hearing this, her face turning frosty. Was she supposed to just wait to die if she didn't come to the king's aid?

Suppressing her anger, she disregarded the rule that "the empress dowager should not interfere in politics" and, without relying on Li Yongchang as her mouthpiece, directly asked, "Gentlemen, what is the meaning of this?"

These words drew a hint of disdain from the officials, who believed that the rule against the empress's interference in politics was indeed a wise one.

Yu Qian could only explain, "I report to the Empress Dowager that it is not that we do not want to mobilize troops to defend the emperor, but that we cannot mobilize troops from all over the country. At present, our Great Ming still has a million soldiers. If we were to gather troops from all over the country here, how would we provide supplies? How would we control such a large army? If it were to get out of control, the country would be in chaos. In the past, the Northern Song Dynasty also sent a million troops to its aid, but not only did it fail to save the country, it also caused the northern border to be devastated and the people to suffer. It was of no benefit to the current situation."

"The best course of action now is to recruit soldiers from nearby areas, and only those soldiers who are capable of fighting will be effective."

The Ming Dynasty's garrisons are now showing signs of decay. It is unknown how many soldiers are actually receiving salaries without working. Moreover, the army's combat effectiveness is deteriorating. The most capable soldiers have already been given to the enemy. If more incompetent soldiers are conscripted, it will not only waste food but also send people to their deaths. What's worse, it could lead to a mutiny. In that case, there would be no need to fight; the Oirat Mongols would win directly.

Upon hearing this, Empress Dowager Sun felt her face burning. She was skilled in palace intrigue, but seemed to have taken things for granted in warfare. She immediately fell silent.

Zhu Qiyu picked up the conversation and asked, "Minister Yu, where can we mobilize troops?"

"The reserve troops of the two capitals, the reserve troops of Henan, the reserve troops of Nanjing, the reserve troops of Shandong, the grain transport troops of Jiangbei, and the troops of Marquis Ningyang Chen Mao. However, Marquis Ningyang is still suppressing the rebellion in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. If they are rashly transferred, the southern rebels will rise again, which will be no less dangerous to the court than the Oirat Mongols. Therefore, we must be cautious."

When Zhu Qiyu heard the names of the armies Yu Qian mentioned, his face almost turned black. The word "Bei" was particularly intriguing, referring to reserve and logistics troops. It was obvious where the main force had gone.

In other words, this group of "backup troops" is currently the best army in the Ming Dynasty. Even Chen Mao's troops, who are capable of fighting, may not be able to return.

Zhu Qiyu frowned and said, "According to the rules, even if the troops under the command of Marquis Ningyang cannot rush to the aid of the capital, he must arrange the proper deployment of the troops, and he must return even if he is alone."

Now, a large number of military generals and nobles in the capital have been lost, and there is not a single one who can fight. If Chen Mao can return, at least he can stabilize the current situation and maintain the balance between civil and military affairs.

Yu Qian nodded upon hearing this. It was a choice he had to make out of necessity. Although he was the commander of the Beijing garrison, he really needed a veteran general to oversee things.

Zhu Qiyu suddenly remembered someone and asked, "Can the troops under the command of Marquis Jingyuan, Wang Ji, be mobilized?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Qian and several senior officials exchanged glances, unsure how to respond.

This man belongs to Wang Zhen's faction. During the Battle of Luchuan, Wang Ji's efforts were in vain, and he was impeached for deliberately wasting troops and money. It was Wang Zhen who vouched for him, thus sparing Wang Ji from punishment.

Currently, the rebellion of the Miao people is being suppressed in Huguang. If the Tumu Crisis were to be investigated, Wang Zhen would certainly be the chief culprit, and Wang Ji would likely be implicated as well. This is the main reason why the officials have temporarily mentioned Wang Ji.

If he stays in Huguang, even if there is a purge, military affairs can be used to keep him there. If he is summoned back to the capital, it will inevitably affect him.

Zhu Qiyu scrutinized the assembled officials, seemingly able to see through their thoughts.

Historically, Wang Ji was over eighty years old when he still risked participating in the "Tumu Crisis," largely to secure titles and honors for his descendants and to maintain his own reputation—all things he could currently provide.

Wang Ji was the first civil official in the Ming Dynasty to be granted a title for his military achievements, so it was of great significance to bestow favors upon him.

"What difficulties are there?"

Yu Qian and the others exchanged glances and could only offer a flimsy reason: "Huguang is unlikely to leave the Earl of Jingyuan for the time being."

Zhu Qiyu's eyes turned cold, and he said firmly, "Whether or not we can rush to the aid of the capital is up to the Earl of Jingyuan. How can those of you thousands of miles away know that we cannot? Gentlemen, the Earl of Jingyuan, Wang Ji, is a loyal minister of our Great Ming Dynasty. This is my statement!"

"Here you go!"

The ministers were shocked!

The officials had little objection to Zhu Qiyu's decision to protect Wang Ji. However, Chen Yi hesitated to speak, as he deeply resented Wang Zhen's faction and was naturally unwilling to let go of this powerful member of Wang Zhen's clique.

Given the current situation, Prince Cheng is determined to protect this person, and other important officials have no objections. He cannot easily offer advice, as it is indeed necessary to protect this person for the sake of the overall situation.

Chen Yi had served as governor of various regions many times in the past and had achieved political success. Although he had a fiery temper, he was indeed quite capable and was by no means a reckless man.

At that moment, an idea struck him, and he suggested, "Your Highness, there are still soldiers in Liaodong who are fit for battle. Could we mobilize them?"

Upon hearing this, the ministers' eyes lit up. The Liaodong army was a battle-hardened force, and now only Yang Hong's troops and Liaodong could be considered strong armies in the north.

How many troops does the Liaodong Army have?

Yu Qian replied, "Your Highness, we have forty to fifty thousand troops, thirty thousand of whom are elite, but..."

"Speak your mind!"

Yu Qian said with difficulty, "If the troops from Liaodong return to reinforce the capital, they will have to retreat back to the interior. In that case, Liaodong may not be able to be defended!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Yi said, "If the Oirats march south, break through the key northern towns, and attack our capital, then Liaodong will be isolated. The capital is like our heart and soul, and Liaodong is like our limbs. If the capital is not safe, what use is Liaodong?"

It must be said that Chen Yi's analogy is quite apt. What use are limbs if the heart is gone? Sacrificing the pawn to save the king is a reasonable strategy at this moment.

The key point is that the troops in Liaodong were capable of fighting, not a rabble.

Upon hearing this, the ministers nodded slowly. If Xuanfu and Datong could still serve as a defense and restraint against the Oirat Mongols, they could not be lost. However, Liaodong was different. If it was not reinforced, it would be like being isolated outside the pass, which would not help in protecting the capital, because the Oirat Mongols would not pass through there at all when they marched south.

Zhu Qiyu finally understood why Yu Qian was in a dilemma; this was losing territory before the battle even began, which would bring him infamy.

Emperors Taizu and Taizong painstakingly conquered the land, only to give it away in the blink of an eye. How are they any different from traitors?

This scene is strikingly similar to the An Lushan Rebellion in the Tang Dynasty. The Tang Dynasty sent its elite troops from the western border back to Guanzhong, resulting in the loss of the Western Regions. Centuries later, the Central Plains dynasties could no longer fully control the Western Regions.

It is clear that the withdrawal back then caused enormous harm.

Now that the main force in Liaodong has withdrawn, even if we defeat the Oirat, Liaodong may change hands. With the loss of Liaodong Garrison, the pressure on Jizhou Garrison and the Shanhaiguan border defense will increase significantly, and foreign enemies will threaten the capital at any time.

Zhu Qiyu did not want to be such a sinner, so he shook his head and said, "Liaodong cannot be abandoned. Order Fan Guang, the Vice Commander of Liaodong, to lead three thousand troops to rush to the aid of the capital. There must be no delay."

"Here you go!"

Yu Qian responded instinctively, his eyes wide open as he looked at Zhu Qiyu. He felt a sense of kinship with him. It was truly unbelievable that the Prince of Cheng knew his thoughts so well and almost always planned the same thing as him.

After a moment of contemplation, Chen Yi, Wang Zhi, and the others could only nod silently. After all, no one wanted to bear the infamy of losing their territory in such a humiliating way. If the various armies that Yu Qian had mentioned earlier could have rushed to their aid in time, they might have been able to defend the capital.

As for summoning Fan Guang back to the capital, it is feasible. After all, this man is famous for his bravery. In his early years, he fought against several people, killing three and capturing four. He is truly a brave general. However, the fact that Prince Cheng, who usually ignores court affairs, knows about this man has given the officials a strange amount of trust in Zhu Qiyu.

Zhu Qiyu asked, "Minister Yu, if we follow your advice and summon all the planned troops to the capital, are we confident that we can defend the capital?"

Yu Qian hesitated, not daring to make a guarantee, and said, "If they can all arrive, with nearly 200,000 troops, we should be able to defend the area!"

Shouldn't it be able to defend it?

"What difficulties are there?"