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

Lu Zhong was slightly angry when he saw Shi Heng standing openly in front of Zhu Qiyu without any manners.

"Shi Heng, why do you not kneel before His Majesty? How can you openly look directly at His Majesty without knowing the etiquette of the Great Ming Dynasty?"

Shi Heng hurriedly bowed and paid his respects, looking at Zhu Qiyu, but dared not utter a word of greeting.

He was filled with doubt and suspicion. This was clearly the Prince of Cheng. When did he become the emperor?

Zhu Qiyu then looked at Shi Heng, who had a handsome face.

With a broad, square face, large ears, stern eyes, long flowing beard, and a robust physique, he clearly embodied the characteristics of the three brothers Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei. Just by standing there, it was obvious to anyone with eyes that he possessed extraordinary abilities.

"Ignorance is no excuse," Zhu Qiyu waved his hand, indicating that Lu Zhong should not make a fuss, and said, "Lu Zhong, just take the Embroidered Uniform Guard and guard the entrance of the Imperial Prison. I have something to say to General Shi."

Upon hearing Zhu Qiyu address him as "General," Shi Heng immediately lowered his head considerably.

"But..." Lu Zhong hesitated, looking at Shi Heng's strong body, and dared not back down.

If Shi Heng were to become ruthless and launch an attack, how could His Majesty, with his delicate skin, possibly withstand it? If anything goes wrong, the entire clan would have to pay with their lives.

"What? Are you worried that General Shi will disrespect me?" Zhu Qiyu smiled, looked at Shi Heng, and said, "General Shi, would you disrespect me?"

Shi Heng quickly kowtowed and pleaded guilty, saying, "This sinful subject dares not!"

Lu Zhong stared at Shi Heng for a few moments before reluctantly leading the Imperial Guards out.

After Lu Zhong left, Zhu Qiyu gestured for Shi Heng to stand up, saying, "Let's sit on the ground!"

"Here you go!"

Zhu Qiyu looked at Shi Heng, noticing a hint of surprise in his eyes, and explained, "It was at the request of the people, the urging of the court officials, and the decree of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor Emeritus. I could not refuse, and have now ascended the throne. The enthronement ceremony will be held on September 6th!"

Shi Heng knew that no one in the world would dare to joke like this. He moved with lightning speed; as soon as he sat down, he braced himself with his arms and kicked his legs, instantly forming a full-bodied bow, saying, "This sinful subject pays respects to Your Majesty!"

Zhu Qiyu watched as Shi Heng went from sitting down to bowing and paying his respects in one smooth motion, and immediately felt that this man was quite skilled!

Lu Zhong's worries were not unfounded; this person did indeed act somewhat eccentrically.

"No need for formalities. Sit down. I have something to ask you. I'll ask, and you'll answer truthfully. Keep your ulterior motives to yourself. If your answer satisfies me, I'll give you a promising future."

"Here you go!"

Shi Heng straightened up, sat up straight, and held his breath, knowing that his chance had come!

"Why did you lose the Battle of Yanghekou? Was it because Esen's army was too powerful, or because you were all incompetent?"

Zhu Qiyu roughly knew the reasons for the defeat, but the defeat was not the point. The point was to understand whether the Oirat army was really that powerful. If they really couldn't be defeated, they should quickly pack up their buckets and run away.

Shi Heng's expression was particularly complicated; this was the greatest shame of his life.

"Your Majesty, we are responsible for the consequences. However, the eunuch Guo Jing has misled the country. He has been stationed in Datong for more than 20 years and has considerable prestige. Moreover, he has people backing him in the court and has monopolized military power. However, he has no strategy for leading troops to victory. At that time, Guo Jing disregarded the court's orders and the battle strategies discussed by the generals and forcibly sent troops. Even when we sent troops to meet the enemy, he still forbade the soldiers to trample the Miao, which caused us to miss the opportunity to win the battle."

Falling into Esen's trap, the various tribes could only lead their armies to fight independently, leading to their being defeated piecemeal and ultimately their defeat. I even suspect that Guo Jing was secretly colluding with the Oirats; otherwise, how could Esen have been so cunning? I have fought the Oirats for over a decade; if the Oirats truly possessed such abilities, why would they only be invading our borders now?”

Zhu Qiyu believed Shi Heng's words at this moment. This prohibition against trampling on the Miao people was a precursor to Wang Zhen's actions. Moreover, with the troops that Shi Heng had trained in Datong over the years, the army's combat strength was extremely strong. Even if it was at its worst, it would not be completely wiped out.

Zhu Qiyu was overjoyed at this moment. Fortunately, he acted quickly. If Guo Jing had been left in Datong, he probably would have already opened the gates to welcome Zhu Qizhen, and Datong would have fallen into Esen's hands.

"I have ordered Guo Jing to be escorted back to the capital and executed by slow slicing."

Shi Heng was overjoyed, feeling a sense of satisfaction at having avenged a great grudge, but his face remained utterly sincere as he said, "Your Majesty is wise!"

"Are the Oirat troops truly this formidable?"

Upon hearing Zhu Qiyu mention the Oirat Mongols, Shi Heng became cautious. He had to admit that the Oirat Mongols were indeed militarily strong and powerful, and their strength had increased significantly in recent years. Otherwise, he would not have submitted a memorial to remind the court to pay attention to the Oirat Mongols.

He pondered for a moment, then succinctly stated, "They are a formidable enemy!"

"If Esen marches south, are you confident you can defeat him?"

Shi Heng frowned slightly, and out of caution, he dared not make any boastful claims. He said, "Your Majesty, since my defeat, I have been thinking about how to defeat Esen. I believe I can repel Esen, but to annihilate him, I would need elite troops and strong generals. Forgive my frankness, but it is impossible to do so at present, unless fate is against the Oirat."

Zhu Qiyu understood Shi Heng's meaning. To directly destroy the Oirat Mongols now, unless a meteorite fell from the sky or the Oirat soldiers tripped over a stone and died, it would be impossible to destroy them head-on. Given the current state of the capital, Zhu Qiyu dared not dream of such a thing.

"Your words are enough," Zhu Qiyu paused, then said, "Now, among all those in the capital, you are the one who knows the Oirat army best. I can give you a chance to avenge Esen, to prove that the defeat at Yanghekou had nothing to do with you, and to clear your name!"

Shi Heng hurriedly bowed and said, "This sinful subject thanks Your Majesty for your grace and swears to serve you to the death!"

A glint of fanaticism flashed in Shi Heng's eyes; no one knew how he had managed to get through these past few days.

From a renowned general on the frontier to a despised and abandoned general, he harbored a deep resentment and was determined to retaliate against Esen!

Zhu Qiyu took in Shi Heng's expression. This man was quite genuine, and with such ambition, great things were on the horizon.

"You don't even ask what kind of opportunity it is?"

Shi Heng subconsciously replied, "Both thunder and rain are acts of imperial favor. This humble subject is willing to serve on the battlefield, even as a mere soldier."

This kind of deceptive nonsense can only fool children. Zhu Qiyu naturally didn't believe it and answered truthfully what he had just said.

Zhu Qiyu said, "You're not saying this from the heart. If I really made you a soldier, would you be willing to do it?"

Shi Heng chuckled awkwardly, clearly not yet comfortable with the new ruler, and offered a forced explanation: "This humble subject merely wishes to be modest!"

Zhu Qiyu glanced at Shi Heng and then said something astonishing: "I intend to appoint you to take charge of the Five Armies Camps, promote you to Right Grand Commander, and appoint you as Commander-in-Chief to assist Minister Yu in defending the capital!"

"What?" Shi Heng's expression changed drastically.

He had thought that Zhu Qiyu would let him guard a city gate or lead an army to fight alongside Esen, but he never expected that Zhu Qiyu would place him in such an important position. Before the war, he was the second-in-command, but during the war, he became the leader.

At this moment, Shi Heng's heart was pounding. The power he had longed for had finally come into his hands. Now it was time to fight Esen. The opportunity for revenge had arrived!

Seeing Shi Heng's shifting expression, Zhu Qiyu asked, "You dare not accept?"

Shi Heng snapped out of his daze, prostrated himself on the ground, and kowtowed heavily, saying, "This sinful subject accepts the decree!"

Zhu Qiyu nodded: "However, this battle is one of absolute certainty; defeat is not an option. If you are defeated, you will have no chance to escape, and you will die in battle. You can decline, but after the general amnesty, you will go to the south as a deputy commander to assist Wang Ji in the battle. Think it over and then give me your answer!"

Shi Heng was not about to let this opportunity slip by, and kowtowed again, saying, "Your Majesty has humbled yourself and come to the imperial prison. This humble subject is already moved to tears of gratitude, how could I dare to refuse? I am willing to die for Your Majesty. This humble subject will only die on the battlefield this time, and will never retreat a single step."

"Get up, and prove to me with your actions that if you succeed, I will certainly not treat you unfairly!"

"This humble subject thanks Your Majesty!"

"Today, carefully consider strategies to defend against the enemy. Tomorrow, you will also attend the meeting of the important court officials. I employ you, but you must also gain the trust of the other court officials."

"Here you go!"

Zhu Qiyu nodded, then stood up and went up the steps. Shi Heng was stunned and stood there, unsure whether to stay or leave.

Zhu Qiyu glanced back at Shi Heng and said, "Do I have to ask you to leave the imperial prison?"

"Your Majesty, I am foolish and ignorant! I dare not!"

After saying this, Shi Heng's smile vanished in an instant, and he hurriedly followed.