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

Chapter 92 Fire the Cannon! I Will Personally Bombard the Retired Emperor

Zhu Qiyu waited for Wang Zhan and the other two to return at the Deshengmen camp.

Zhu Qiyu did not want the two men to die. Although it would have been more valuable for them to die, why sacrifice his own subjects when he could defeat Esen honorably?

Wang Hong and the other man have proven their loyalty to Zhu Qiyu through their actions. Zhu Qiyu is unwilling to sacrifice such loyal ministers.

"Your Majesty, Wang Hong and his companion have returned!" Yu Qian rushed in, a hint of joy on his face.

Zhu Qiyu visibly breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Please come in quickly!"

The two hurriedly entered and bowed to Zhu Qiyu.

"Your Majesty, we, your humble servants, pay our respects!"

"how?"

Wang Hong replied, "Your Majesty, Esen is a wolf in sheep's clothing. We have already reprimanded him. However, Esen wants to send Minister Wang, Minister Yu, Minister Hu, and Admiral Shi along. He must be harboring evil intentions. If he detains these important officials, our Ming army will be leaderless, and the court will fall into chaos."

Zhu Qiyu sneered. "He's dreaming! Why doesn't he let me go there myself? He should send all the civil and military officials to the camp. How could he even think of that?"

"Ignore them. One mission is enough. Esen wants me to open the gates and surrender? Dream on!"

Wang Hong was taken aback, and exchanged a glance with Wang Fu. Did Esen have this request?

You must have remembered it wrong; there is indeed such a requirement!

Wang Hong said with righteous indignation, "Your Majesty, Esen is extremely arrogant and rebellious. I will convey Esen's intentions back to the court shortly so that all officials may know."

Zhu Qiyu smiled, his words conveying everything: it wasn't that I didn't want to welcome back the retired emperor, it was just that Esen had gone too far!

Zhu Qiyu then composed himself and asked, "Imperial Censor Wang, Vice Minister Wang, how is Esen's camp?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Qian and the others became serious and listened attentively.

"Your Majesty, we did not have time to examine it closely. However, the southern side, which faces the capital, is not heavily fortified. Perhaps it is because of that low wall that makes passage difficult. Cavalry cannot use the southern side to break through the enemy camp, and even infantry breakthroughs are extremely slow and make them easy targets. The other sides are likely heavily guarded. As soon as we approached the enemy camp, we had the Oirat soldiers escort us into the main camp to see Esen."

Zhu Qiyu nodded. It was too difficult to use envoys to spy on the enemy camp; their actions were restricted.

"You two have rendered meritorious service on your mission, and from now on you will serve the king in your diplomatic duties. However, you will still need to serve in the army until this battle is won!"

Zhu Qiyu was quite generous; these official positions were earned by the two men at the cost of their lives, and they had no other choice but to remain loyal to him.

Wang Hong and his companion hurriedly expressed their gratitude, saying, "Your Majesty, we thank you for your great kindness!"

Zhu Qiyu gestured for the two to stand up, then turned to Yu Qian and the others, saying, "I have an idea!"

Yu Qian understood immediately and said, "Your Majesty, is this a night attack?"

Zhu Qiyu was shocked. Could it be that everyone was so wicked and had the same idea?

Upon seeing this, Shi Heng hurriedly took out a map and spread it out in front of everyone.

Zhu Qiyu exclaimed, "Good heavens! This was well-prepared. These generals had been thinking of using this tactic for a long time."

The capital was their own territory; they were far more familiar with every brick and tile there than with Esen, this outsider. It would be an injustice not to launch a surprise attack.

Yu Qian spoke up: "Your Majesty, Imperial Censor Wang and his entourage have returned from their mission. Esen also feels that there is no hope for peace talks in the short term. According to my opinion, Esen will definitely not sit still and will launch an attack as early as tomorrow to coerce our Great Ming into submission. Tonight is the time for the Oirat to recuperate and build up their strength, and it is also the best time for our army to launch a surprise attack."

Zhu Qiyu understood. Today was probably the night when the soldiers in Esen's camp slept the most soundly. A good night's sleep meant a day full of energy tomorrow.

Shi Heng had been waiting for this opportunity for revenge for a long time, and immediately volunteered, saying, "Your Majesty, I am willing to personally lead cavalry to raid the camp and give the Oirat army a wake-up call!"

Zhu Qiyu felt that Shi Heng's idea was not a good one.

"No, that's too risky. If it's a night raid, we can just bombard it with artillery. If the cavalry raids the camp and Esen reacts, our Ming cavalry might not be a match for them. Besides, the Oirat are better at night fighting, so there might be casualties."

Zhu Qiyu never understood why the Oirat Mongols would set up their main camp in the earthen city.

Could it be that this was to defend against a surprise attack by Ming cavalry, since the Ming dynasty didn't have many cavalry?

Or perhaps they are simply afraid of the cold, and Tucheng can provide shelter from the wind and rain.

Or perhaps this is the site of the former capital of the Yuan Dynasty, and Esen wanted to sleep here and experience the glory of the Yuan emperor.

This place has a major drawback: cavalry cannot launch a surprise attack because these low walls serve as natural protection. However, when they come with cannons, these low walls become natural cover for the Ming army. If the Oirats want to attack the Ming soldiers, they need to send troops to flank them from both sides. If they come from the front, the Shenji Battalion will gladly accept their heads.

Upon hearing Zhu Qiyu's words, Shi Heng's eyes revealed a hint of excitement. As a veteran general, how could he not know that artillery attack was the best option? But he could not say these words.

Yu Qian glanced at Shi Heng, his eyes filled with hesitation. The retired Emperor Zhu Qizhen was in Esen's camp. If the retired emperor were accidentally injured during the bombardment, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Out of a sense of duty as a subject, Yu Qian couldn't help but remind him, "Your Majesty, the Emperor Emeritus is still in Esen's camp. The artillery fire is merciless; what if—"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Qiyu adopted a compassionate and sorrowful expression.

"It's alright. I have already offered sacrifices at the ancestral temple and moved the spirit tablet of my late father to the Wuying Hall. My late father has already agreed to my actions, and the Retired Emperor also knows that 'the nation is of paramount importance, and the emperor is less so.' For the sake of the eternal stability of the Ming Dynasty, the Retired Emperor will not blame me. I will go with you."

Yu Qian and the others widened their eyes in disbelief. They couldn't believe they could do this. They were asking the Emperor to come and teach the Emperor Emeritus a lesson for being an unfilial son.

Zhu Qiyu had already made up his mind. If Zhu Qizhen was indeed killed by cannon fire, he, Zhu Qiyu, would definitely vindicate Zhu Qizhen, making him the true Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty, who died for the country.

"Fire at me!" would be the most glorious moment in Zhu Qizhen's life.

Yu Qian was surprised that Zhu Qiyu was so responsible as to go there personally. He was willing to bear the infamy alone, but it must be said that only His Majesty could do something like bombing the retired emperor. If a subject did it in private, someone would die.

However, Yu Qian still had concerns. The more unusual Zhu Qiyu's behavior became, the more cautious Yu Qian became. He directly expressed his concerns: "Your Majesty, this is not advisable. Even if artillery is used, it must be deployed far away from the main camp. If the artillery bombards Esen's camp, the Oirat army will be terrified and pursue you, putting Your Majesty in danger. This plan is not feasible!"

Zhu Qiyu waved his hand, indicating that although he was not knowledgeable in military affairs, such a move was absolutely impossible.

"Absurd. To launch a counterattack after being attacked at night and not even having a chance to assess the enemy's situation is ridiculous. Unless Esen has gone mad, even if the enemy is fierce and has the Divine Machine Battalion and infantry and cavalry to support them, I can still retreat to the main camp."

Yu Qian was persuaded by Zhu Qiyu in an instant.

"Your Majesty, I implore you to grant me one request: I have the authority to make decisions on the battlefield, and Your Majesty must obey my orders!"

"As you wish!"

Seeing this, Shi Heng petitioned, "Your Majesty, if this is the case, I request that cavalry be dispatched. After the artillery bombardment, the Oirat camp will surely be thrown into chaos, and Esen will only be able to retreat to the rear and the flanks away from the artillery bombardment area. I can then engage the Oirat soldiers in flanking maneuvers. In this way, we can not only attack the Oirat soldiers, but also prevent them from advancing south to attack the Shenji Camp."

Shi Heng's suggestion was unanimously approved by Yu Qian and Zhu Qiyu, as it was the safest option.

Zhu Qiyu nodded and said, "We must not linger in battle!"

That night, it was extremely cold, perfect for sleeping.

Zhu Qiyu was wearing armor, with an additional layer on top, making him a slightly agile, large man, yet he still felt a slight chill.

Wu Xing, the commander of the Fenwu Battalion, led his scouts to clear the road. After receiving Wu Xing's report, Yu Qian and Zhu Qiyu took the lead, with the soldiers of the Fenwu Battalion pulling cannons across the houses and approaching the earthen city, where the cannons were lined up in a row.

Yu Qian immediately asked for instructions: "Your Majesty, preparations are complete. There is no time to hesitate. The Oirat outpost has been attacked, and the Oirat army will soon notice something amiss."

"I will personally fire the first shot!"

Zhu Qiyu was quite decisive; he took the torch that had just been lit and placed it directly on the cannon fuse.

Yesen, wake up!!!

Upon seeing Zhu Qiyu light the first cannon, Yu Qian immediately gave the order.

"fire!"

When the Oirat camp sentries saw a fire in the south, they quickly blew their horns and the drums beat loudly.

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

With a thunderous roar, the cannonballs flew over the low wall and landed precisely in the earthen city.

In an instant, the southern camp of the Oirat Mongols was thrown into chaos. Many Oirat soldiers were killed by cannon fire, their screams echoing throughout the camp. Warhorses neighed and ran amok in the camp, while Ming cannon fire continued unabated, creating a truly terrifying scene!

Esen had a very long dream in which he sat on the dragon throne in Dadu, and the whole world submitted to him.

Bang bang bang!

Esen was startled awake from his sleep and looked around blankly.

Boluo, accompanied by several officers, came to report: "Grand Tutor, the Ming army has launched a surprise attack on the southern camp, with continuous artillery fire. We don't know how many troops they have!"

Esen remained calm, knowing that cannons had limited range. He quickly ordered, "The entire army should retreat lightly equipped. There is a low wall to the south that will prevent the artillery from getting in. We only need to withdraw out of the cannon's range. The cavalry will be positioned on both flanks to provide support and prevent the Ming army from breaking through our camp."

The officer accepted the order and left.

Boluo frowned and asked, "Should we send troops to attack the Ming artillery?"

Esen, still cautious, hurriedly donned his armor and said, "No! A hasty attack risks an ambush. We must retreat, regroup, scout the situation, and then launch our attack!"

"Here you go!"

Inside the earthen city, Zhu Qizhen was startled awake by the sound of cannons and sat up. Yuan Bin, who was beside him, had already woken up. The two men looked at each other in bewilderment.

Because Zhu Qizhen was positioned at the rear, the artillery fire couldn't reach him at all. If Zhu Qiyu knew this, he would surely have sighed with regret.

"Is it our Ming army attacking the city?"

"Your Majesty, it seems so!" Yuan Bin was also startled and still couldn't figure out the situation.

A moment later, Yuan Bin suddenly remembered something and hurriedly ran to the door, where he was met by two guards.

"Your Majesty, the enemy is attacking! The Grand Tutor has ordered an immediate retreat!"

"Alright, alright!" Zhu Qizhen quickly agreed and subconsciously followed the two guards.

Seeing that the two guards had their backs to him, Yuan Bin panicked and was almost completely off guard.

Once outside the room, Yuan Bin grabbed a wooden stick from the wall and struck both men with both hands, knocking them to the ground.

Zhu Qizhen was extremely shocked and asked, "Yuan Bin, what are you doing?"

"Your Majesty, the chaos in the Oirat camp presents a good opportunity to escape. The Oirat soldiers are surely retreating now. Your Majesty can run south, close to the edge of the artillery fire, and hide there. The artillery fire of our Great Ming will not be continuous and is expected to subside soon."

As soon as the shelling subsided, His Majesty seized the opportunity to flee south. This place, having been bombarded, must be poorly defended; perhaps Esen would never have imagined that His Majesty would dare to venture forth amidst the gunfire.

"Once the artillery fire of our Great Ming ceases, we cannot wait for the Oirat army to attack. We will surely retreat to our camp. Even if Your Majesty flees south, you will not be harmed. In this way, Your Majesty only needs to run back to the houses near Deshengmen and hide there. The opportunity to return to the capital is right before your eyes. Your Majesty, hurry!"

Since being captured by Zhu Qizhen, Yuan Bin has been thinking about various ways to escape. Escaping has almost become a conditioned reflex for him, his mission!

He could seize any opportunity that arose instantly, and this time was no exception; moreover, his strategy was quite effective.

Yuan Bin had calculated everything, but he hadn't anticipated Zhu Qizhen's courage. Zhu Qizhen had backed down again!

Zhu Qizhen did not want to take any risks, and was even more worried about being shot and killed on the way. In his view, it would be safest for Esen to release the man himself first, and then for the court to welcome him back in full view of everyone.

He doesn't believe any other methods!

"Yuan Bin, you may leave. I cannot act in this manner!"

"Your Majesty, please trust me this once!" Yuan Bin immediately knelt down, tightly hugged Zhu Qizhen's legs, and pleaded.

"Let go! I'm not leaving. You can't leave like this!"

Zhu Qizhen was unsure of himself and worried that if he escaped back, the Ming garrison might not welcome him as emperor and assassinate him, making his death pointless.

Secondly, he believed that Esen would eventually break through the capital. After all, his more than 200,000 elite troops had been wiped out by Esen, and the hastily assembled rabble in the capital would certainly not be a match for Esen.

Even if he escapes back and is not killed, Esen will still execute him or imprison him permanently after the city falls.

It would be better to wait until Esen captures the capital and restores his own rule, then it would be more prudent for both sides to negotiate.

Yuan Bin was truly desperate at this moment. He couldn't understand what Zhu Qizhen was thinking. Hearing that Zhu Qizhen wasn't leaving, how could he betray his master? Even though staying might mean death, he still chose to protect Zhu Qizhen.

Yuan Bin released Zhu Qizhen and did not disobey Zhu Qizhen's orders again.

The master and servant hurriedly retreated north, but after only a few steps, they were met by Bayan Temur.

Upon seeing Zhu Qizhen, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at the two guards lying on the ground, Bayan Temur instantly understood what had happened, but he pretended not to see it.

"Your Majesty, come with me!"

Zhu Qizhen nodded without hesitation. He knew that Bayan Temur was a good person, the only one in the Oirat army who was truly good to him. He trusted Bayan Temur even more than Yuan Bin, this "cunning" confidant.

On the other side, Yu Qian saw that the artillery bombardment was almost over and that any further bombardment would cause the cannons to explode.

"Your Majesty, retreat!"

Zhu Qiyu did not hesitate any longer. Under the protection of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and other soldiers, he hurriedly retreated. Before leaving, he did not forget to take a look, wondering if his elder brother had gone to see the late emperor!

Shi Heng and his men fought for a long time, but dared not go any deeper. Upon receiving Yu Qian's order, they could only hastily retreat back to their camp.

After the night raid ended, Esen sent out scouts to scout and confirm that the Ming army had retreated before summoning his generals for a meeting with a grim expression.

"Do you know who launched the night attack?"

Esen was already on guard against a night attack, but he was completely unprepared for the Ming army to bombard him with artillery. After all, Zhu Qizhen was there, and he did not believe that any Ming subject would dare to be so rebellious.

As it turns out, the Ming Dynasty officials were indeed bold enough to bombard their emperor.

The generals shook their heads upon hearing this, but the strategist happy Ning suddenly said, "Perhaps it is the emperor from the capital who has come in person!"

Upon hearing this, everyone realized the case was solved, and a look of horror flashed in their eyes.

Zhu Qizhen's face was extremely ugly. Xi Ning's words were most likely true. Only if his own brother, the emperor, came in person would the cannons dare to bombard for so long, completely disregarding his own life.

Esen angrily lashed out his whip, looked south, and felt no longer as relaxed as before. Such a ruthless character would not be easy to deal with.

Esen gritted his teeth and said, "I underestimated this new ruler! We must quickly regroup, send out more scouts, and at dawn, I will meet this new ruler!"

"Here you go!"

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