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

Chapter 94 Esen, I challenge you to a duel!

Upon hearing that Zhu Qiyu was personally leading the expedition, Wang Zhi and others were so frightened that they abandoned all state affairs and hurriedly headed towards Deshengmen.

Throughout the journey, Wang Zhi cursed incessantly, almost to the point of cursing Yu Qian's ancestors for eighteen generations.

"Tingyi has gone mad! He's letting His Majesty run rampant like this! I must impeach him!"

The officials rushed along, clearly reacting to the emperor's personal campaign, spewing profanities incessantly.

Upon arriving at Desheng Gate, Wang Zhi and his companions were somewhat relieved to see that the Embroidered Uniform Guards and the officials of the Imperial Horse Administration were all present. They hurriedly stepped forward to inquire.

Upon hearing that Zhu Qiyu was on the city wall, he breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly requested an audience.

Wang Zhi and the others cursed inwardly, thinking that someone had deliberately spread the rumor that His Majesty was personally leading the expedition, causing the officials to make a wasted trip.

With Zhu Qiyu's permission, Wang Zhi and others came to pay their respects.

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

Zhu Qiyu knew perfectly well why Wang Zhi and the others had come, but he asked knowingly, "Why have you all come here instead of going to the government office?"

""

Wang Zhi said, "When we heard that Your Majesty was personally leading the expedition, how could we sit still? Fortunately, it was just a rumor; it truly terrified us!"

Zhu Qiyu chuckled and said, "It's not a rumor. I went and then returned!"

Wang Zhi and the others' expressions suddenly changed. What did it mean to "I went and then came back"? This was war, not shopping!

Wang Zhi and Hu Dan, both old men, immediately bowed and remonstrated, saying, "Your Majesty, how can you risk your life?"

"Get up! Is there any bait in the world more tempting than me?" Zhu Qiyu was unconcerned, having no time for their clamor. His gaze drifted towards the distant houses. A loud crash echoed, and Zhu Qiyu excitedly pounded on the city wall, exclaiming, "The Oirat army must have fallen into our ambush!"

Wang Zhi and the others no longer had any intention of advising him. Their bodies seemed to be springy, and they straightened up instantly, quite agilely, all looking nervously into the distance.

However, due to the distance, all that could be seen was thick smoke and constant sounds, clearly indicating a fierce battle was taking place ahead.

"Your Majesty, what is this?"

Zhu Qiyu laughed heartily and said, "The civilian houses are all ambush points for the brave warriors of my Great Ming Divine Machine Battalion. Shi Heng and Fan Guang will lead my Great Ming cavalry to cover the rear. The Oirat army cannot escape!"

"Your Majesty's expedition is merely a ploy to lure the enemy here?" A look of horror flashed in Wang Zhi's eyes. This was incredibly audacious.

"Minister Wang, if you were Esen, could you resist the temptation to capture the two Ming emperors? If I don't personally intervene, how can the Oirat army possibly walk into the trap!"

Although Zhu Qiyu's words make sense, they are fallacies!

"Your Majesty, this is far too risky. Your Majesty, this must not be done again!"

Hu Dan couldn't hold back any longer and hurriedly tried to dissuade him, saying, "Your Majesty, you must not venture into such a dangerous place!"

Zhu Qiyu waved his hand, signaling Wang Zhi and the others to rest assured, he would dare to do it again next time!

"Minister Wang, immediately order all officials to return to their offices. If you delay state affairs, I will hold you accountable. It's not yet closing time, yet you're already absent from work. Do you intend to collect your salaries from the court for nothing?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Zhi's face darkened. Seeing that Zhu Qiyu was indeed alright, he could only send the other officials back to their work, while he and Hu Dan stayed behind to keep a close watch on Zhu Qiyu.

After an unknown amount of time, the sounds from afar gradually subsided. Hao Yi, who was stationed at the Deshengmen camp, rushed over to report that he had stumbled and fallen down at the foot of the city wall, and had just managed to give a proper salute!

Hao Yi looked up excitedly and shouted, "Your Majesty, a great victory! A great victory! The Oirat army that entered the civilian houses has been completely annihilated!"

"A generous reward!" Zhu Qiyu's heart finally settled down. With the annihilation of this cavalry force, it was Esen's turn to be the one with a headache.

"Marquis of Ningyang, Minister Li, come with me to the main camp!"

Chen Mao and Li Xian nodded and followed. Both were completely impressed by Zhu Qiyu; this ruler was truly extraordinary. He was ruthless when necessary and steadfast in his refusal to interfere where it was inappropriate—a ruler everyone admired.

Zhu Qiyu turned around and went down the city wall, preparing to open the gate and leave the city.

Zhu Qiyu originally wanted the guards to hang him. But no one dared to take the risk. If the emperor were to fall and die, his entire family would be executed. It was better to ensure safety, remove the barriers blocking the gate, and let Zhu Qiyu leave the city.

Wang Zhi and the other man were shocked and quickly grabbed Zhu Qiyu.

"Your Majesty, you mustn't!"

Zhu Qiyu looked at the two burdened children and said, "Hurry back to the court and report the victory! Don't worry about the war, handle the government affairs well, and determine the rewards for the soldiers. I will record your merits!"

When Wang Zhi and the other man saw that they couldn't persuade him, they got angry and followed Zhu Qiyu closely, never leaving his side.

"Cheng Jing, go back and report the victory!"

Cheng Jing nodded, overjoyed, and headed straight for the palace, where he could receive a reward.

Zhu Qiyu went straight into the military tent of the main camp. Yu Qian and others had already gathered to discuss matters. However, Shi Heng and Fan Guang were still covered in blood and had not yet had time to clean themselves.

When the generals saw Zhu Qiyu arrive, they seemed to gradually get used to it and began to welcome him. At least some of the emperor's ingenious ideas were indeed effective.

In terms of battle deployment, the main focus is on obedience, a stark contrast to the incompetent and playful retired emperor.

"His Majesty!"

The generals bowed respectfully.

Zhu Qiyu waved his hand, indicating to his generals that they did not need to be so polite, and asked, "How is the battle going?"

Yu Qian finally showed a slight smile and said, "We have won a great victory. The results have not yet been tallied. Most of the Oirat army has been killed in action, and the civilian houses are littered with corpses. There are about several hundred prisoners and many warhorses, but a few escaped. I am worried that Esen will soon receive news of the defeat and will definitely take action."

Zhu Qiyu was startled and asked, "Does Minister Yu mean that Esen will launch another attack?"

"Your Majesty, if I were the commander of the Oirat army, and such an elite force were wiped out, this place must be where their most elite troops were lying in ambush. Their forces elsewhere would then be weak or easily defeated, presenting an excellent opportunity to break through. Esen, a seasoned warrior, couldn't possibly be unaware of this. His previous ambush of our Ming elite forces at Tumu Fortress proves he is exceptionally courageous and adept at taking risks; we must be on guard!"

Zhu Qiyu's expression immediately turned serious, and the joy on his face vanished without a trace. The revolution was not yet over, and it was not the time to be happy.

This is the difference between him and Yu Qian and others. He was still immersed in the excitement of his great victory, while Yu Qian and the others were worried and their faces showed no joy. True generalship lies in remaining humble in victory and undeterred in defeat; he still has much to learn.

"In your opinion, where will Esen attack?"

Yu Qian replied, "Your Majesty, after our discussion, the most likely targets are Xizhimen and Andingmen. These two gates are located on either side of Deshengmen. Now that a major battle has taken place at Deshengmen, they will certainly need to rest and regroup. If we attack these two gates, the main force of Deshengmen will not be able to provide support in a short time. If we attack other gates, the Oirat will have to take a detour, and our Ming army can adjust its strategy at any time. Esen will not be so foolish as to let go of a fleeting opportunity."

Shi Heng added, "Your Majesty, the cavalry can support these two gates, but the infantry cannot keep up. With the current number of cavalry, which has just been engaged in battle, we can only support one gate. Dividing our forces would be too risky. If we encounter Esen's main force, dividing our forces could very well result in our being wiped out by Esen's army."

Zhu Qiyu asked a crucial question: "Which sect is confident of repelling Esen's army?"

Shi Heng said, "Your Majesty, it is naturally Anding Gate. We are confident that we can provide timely support before Esen arrives. The garrison at Xizhi Gate is currently insufficient. Commander Mao Fushou will lead the army to Zhangyi Gate. There are only Liu Ju with less than 10,000 troops at Xizhi Gate, and only a few hundred cavalry."

Zhu Qiyu pondered for a moment, then decided to repeat his previous tactic, saying, "What if I challenge Esen to a duel at Xizhimen?"

Shi Heng didn't realize what was happening and assumed Zhu Qiyu was feigning defeat again. He quickly stopped him, saying, "Your Majesty, you mustn't! Xizhimen isn't like Deshengmen. It's a wide open field there, impossible to set up an ambush. If we feign defeat, and Esen's army catches up, we might not be able to escape in time. Besides, Esen won't fall for it a second time!"

Yu Qian, however, quickly realized what was going on and asked, "Your Majesty, what are you considering?"

Shi Heng was taken aback. His Majesty seemed to have just mentioned Xizhimen, not the Andingmen where the battle was to be fought!

"Raise the dragon flag again at Xizhimen, and I will immediately rush to Xizhimen. You shall send someone to the Oirat camp to deliver a challenge. I invite you to come to Xizhimen to engage in a gentleman's war."

"Furthermore, order Jiao Jing to have his troops ready to leave the city and assist Xizhimen at any time. If Exian falls for the trap, trust me and come straight to Xizhimen for a decisive battle; at least we can hold them off for a while. If Exian doesn't fall for the trap, he will definitely head to Andingmen. Then I will leave everything to Shi Qing, and I will also have Zhang Chao lead his troops to garrison near Andingmen."

It must be said that this tactic of feigning reality while making it real might actually be effective. Even if it doesn't work, adjustments can be made in time, at most resulting in a temporary defeat and possible loss of some soldiers.

Seeing his generals deep in thought, Zhu Qiyu decisively declared, "Esen had the Retired Emperor as his shield, and you all have me as bait. Let's use that. If I'm not afraid, what are you afraid of!"

Upon hearing this, the officials looked at Zhu Qiyu and thought to themselves: Your Majesty, you are worth far more than the retired emperor; you are not even worth the same price.

Moreover, the more Zhu Qiyu acted this way, the more valuable he became in the eyes of the officials, who were now reluctant to reveal him.

"There's no time to lose, Yu Qian, give the order! I'm going to Xizhimen right now!" Zhu Qiyu simply called out the name.

He then acted decisively, leaving no room for further discussion among his generals, and simply walked away.

Seeing that things had come to this point, and knowing that Zhu Qiyu was not leaving the city, Yu Qian knew that there was no danger for the time being.

He couldn't help but instruct, "Your Majesty, you must not leave the city. If you do go to Xizhimen first, you must not observe from the city wall; you must hide!"

"Don't worry, I'm leaving!" Zhu Qiyu departed gracefully.

He's not stupid. If a large army were to attack the city, why would he show his face and let them kill him instantly? Unless he's insane, he would definitely hide!

He was quite adept at quietly retreating behind others.

Yu Qian watched Zhu Qiyu leave with an air of nonchalance, thinking to himself, "This man is truly—a delightful surprise!"

Wang Zhi and Hu Dan exchanged a glance and suddenly felt that they had wasted decades of their lives. They realized that the emperor could be used in this way. No wonder Yu Qian did not dissuade Zhu Qiyu from personally leading the expedition.

"Minister Wang, Minister Hu, why don't you go back? Don't follow me. I'll be fine!"

Zhu Qiyu looked back at the two old men and couldn't bear to make them suffer. However, Wang Zhi and the other man seemed not to hear him. They were having some difficulty riding horses, but they could manage in a carriage.

On the other side, the few Oirat riders who had managed to escape rushed inside to report.

"Grand Tutor, Boluopingzhang and Maonahaipingzhang have been defeated and killed in battle; their entire army has been wiped out!"

Esen was shocked and enraged. He stood up, grabbed his riding whip, and lashed it hard across the soldier's face.

"Nonsense, nonsense! This is disrupting morale and deserves to be killed!"

A moment later, Esen burst into tears. Boluo was his younger brother, born of the same mother. How could he die?

Mauna Hai was the most powerful general of the Oirat Mongols. How could he have died in battle? Esen didn't want to believe it, but he had no choice but to believe it, because there had been scouts who had already investigated and the army might have been ambushed.

Esen could only watch helplessly, unable to rush to the rescue in time, nor daring to do so. Knowing there was a trap, he still went in, which would have been suicide.

Suppressing his grief, Esen asked coldly, "How could the entire army have been wiped out?"

The cavalryman, still shaken, wept, "Grand Tutor, the Ming Emperor personally led the expedition. Boluo Pingzhang and Maonahai Pingzhang failed to see through the treachery in time. We routed the Ming army in the first battle and pursued the Emperor, but unexpectedly, the Ming army's Shenji Battalion ambushed us in civilian houses. Our cavalry couldn't maneuver effectively in the cramped space and were repeatedly felled by firearms and arrows. The Ming cavalry retreated, cutting off their escape route, leading to the annihilation of the entire army!"

When Esen heard this, he was so angry that he gritted his teeth. He never expected that the emperor in the capital would have such audacity. Not only did he dare to launch a night attack, but he also dared to personally act as bait today. This defeat was not unjust.

Esen decided to take charge personally, saying, "Bayan Temur, King of Datong, order the entire army to march!"

Bayan Temur, thinking that Esen was blinded by anger, hurriedly tried to dissuade him, saying, "Grand Tutor, shouldn't you slow down?"

Esen suppressed his grief, reverting to his ruthless nature, and carefully analyzed the situation: "The army is still unaware of the defeat, and their morale is not damaged. The main force of the Ming army must be at Desheng Gate. There are ambushes in the civilian houses, so we cannot attack Desheng Gate again. The defenses of the other gates must have weaknesses. If we attack now, we can definitely catch the Ming army off guard."

Upon hearing this, Bayan Temur immediately found it reasonable. Confirming that Esen's attack was not rash, he hurriedly asked, "Which gate should we attack?"

Just as Esen made up his mind, the soldiers outside left with arrows.

"Grand Tutor, the Ming army sent men to shoot this object!"

When Esen saw the slips of paper tied to the arrows, all with the same words, his face turned extremely ugly. He couldn't read Chinese characters, so he hurriedly summoned Haming.

"What did you write?"

Ha Ming reported back: "Grand Tutor, the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty has invited you to a decisive battle at Xizhimen, saying it will be a gentlemanly battle reminiscent of the Spring and Autumn Period!"

Esen was so angry he laughed. This Ming emperor was truly ignorant of his own limitations. He had won one or two battles by luck and had become so arrogant.

"The arrogant Ming emperor, I'll show him the might of the Oirat warriors today!"

The Prince of Datong frowned, sensing something was amiss, and said, "Grand Tutor, the Ming Dynasty has seen through our intention to send troops. Could we postpone our campaign?"

Esen confidently waved his hand and said, "No, this is a delaying tactic by the Ming Dynasty. If we hesitate, once the main force of the Ming army at Desheng Gate recovers, there will be no more loopholes in the defense of the nine gates."

Bayan Temur and the King of Datong nodded in agreement. There was indeed an opportunity for battle. After all, fighting a war depends on people, and the main force of the Ming army would also get tired.

"Form ranks and march!"

The Prince of Datong hurriedly asked, "Grand Tutor, are we truly going to attack Xizhimen and fight a decisive battle with the new Ming emperor?"

Esen sneered, "Does the Ming Emperor think we are mere children? He intends to use such clumsy tactics again and again! Attack Andingmen immediately! With the Ming Emperor stationed at Xizhimen, its defenses are sure to be formidable!"

"Here you go!"

With the order given, the Oirat cavalry marched in a mighty force straight toward Andingmen!