Ming Dynasty: Gain one supernatural power every day

At this moment, the campfire blazed brightly, and the aroma of wine and meat filled the air.

The 500,000 soldiers were feasting inside and outside their tents, their laughter and cheers almost turning the night sky over Tumu Fortress.

However, long before they prayed for rain, Zhang Fu had already sent a messenger on an urgent journey of eight hundred li to the capital.

The messenger urged his horse onward, not daring to rest for a moment, until both of the horse's legs were almost broken, all in order to send the message back to the capital as soon as possible.

The urgent document clearly states:

The urgent report clearly stated: The Oirat army has besieged Tumu Fortress, and 500,000 Ming troops have been without water for a day and are in imminent danger.

Just then, auspicious clouds descended from the sky, and Emperor Taizong, Emperor Renzong, and Emperor Xuanzong appeared together, accompanied by Empress Renxiaowen, the Prince of Han and the Prince of Zhao, as well as Marshal Tianpeng from the Heavenly Court, who commanded 80,000 naval troops.

Emperor Taizong immediately ordered the arrest of the treacherous eunuch Wang Zhen, and then ordered Prince Rui to summon divine rain to quench the thirst of the three armies.

Wang Zhen has now been executed, and his body has been hung high at the gate of the camp as a warning to others.

The report also stated that the current emperor, who personally led the expedition, was misled by Wang Zhen and made poor command decisions. He has been publicly punished by several former emperors and is currently recuperating in his camp due to his injuries.

Emperor Taizong decreed that Minister of War Kuang Ye and Duke of Yingguo Zhang Fu temporarily take charge of military affairs, and that they would be dealt with after the troops returned to the capital.

Of all these cases, Zhu Qizhen suffered the most.

He lay in the imperial tent, wrapped up like a rice dumpling, with only his eyes and mouth showing.

The military doctor came to see me and said I would need at least a month to recover.

To be honest, Zhu Qizhen had never suffered like this before. Even during his time studying in the Oirat Mongols, he was never half-paralyzed in bed like he is today.

At this moment, he could only lie in the back tent and drink a few sips of rice porridge so thin that you could see your reflection in it.

Outside, the sounds of dice games, laughter, clinking bowls, and the aroma of roasted mutton drifted in through the gaps in the tent flaps.

His stomach was growling, but he couldn't open his mouth. Every slight movement caused him pain all over his body.

He regretted it.

If he had known these ancestors were so formidable, he would never have listened to Wang Zhen.

Wang Zhen has ruined me!

But it was too late for regrets now. He didn't even have the strength to turn over. Who knew that those ancestors would really beat him to death! And his father, who was only a few years old, was whipping him to death. How could he have so much strength at such a young age!

Outside the tent, someone began to sing a toasting song from the grasslands. The voice was rough and bold, and as Zhu Qizhen listened, he felt increasingly uneasy.

He had heard this song before in the palace; it was a song that came from the Oirat tribe.

Now it sounds like it was sung for that unfortunate emperor.

Empress Xu was kind-hearted and ordered someone to bring him a bowl of soup.

Zhu Qizhen was so moved that tears almost welled up in his eyes, and he mumbled "great-grandmother".

Empress Xu sighed and simply said, "Be smarter in the future." Then she left.

After several rounds of drinks, Zhu Gaoxi, seeing that it was getting late, leaned close to Zhu Di and whispered, "Father, it's almost time. It should be dawn over there. There's still a lot of work to be done in Annam."

Zhu Di nodded, put down his wine bowl, and ordered someone to summon Zhang Fu and several other key generals to his side.

Zhang Fu and the others were drinking when they heard that Emperor Taizong had summoned them. They quickly wiped their mouths and ran over, standing ramrod straight.

Zhu Di glanced at them and said calmly, "Now that this matter is settled, I am preparing to return."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Fu and the others' expressions changed.

"Your Majesty! You...you're leaving already?" Zhang Fu's voice trembled, as if something extremely important had been taken away from him.

"The siege of Tumu Fortress has just been lifted, and the army has not yet returned to the capital. If you and the princes were to return to the Immortal Realm now, we...we are truly at a loss!"

"Yes, Your Majesty! Please, Your Majesty, grant me more time!" Kuang Ye also prostrated himself and pleaded.

"I beg Emperor Taizong to stay and oversee the situation for a few more days, until the army has safely returned to Huailai, before we depart!" Cao Nai also said.

In an instant, civil and military officials inside and outside the tent knelt on the ground, and some even began to sob.

They had just witnessed a miracle and felt that the sky over the Ming Dynasty would not fall, but Emperor Taizong said he was leaving. Who could bear to part with him?

Zhu Di looked at the kneeling ministers and waved his hand, "Stop wailing. I have other matters to attend to. I will come again when I have time."

Everyone's eyes lit up when they heard "we'll come again later".

Zhang Fu raised his head, his voice still somewhat strained: "Is what Your Majesty said true?"

Zhu Di said, "Does a ruler speak in jest?"

Zhang Fu finally breathed a sigh of relief, and a smile returned to his face: "That's good, that's good. This humble general will wait here for Your Majesty."

When everyone heard Emperor Taizong say that he would come again, they all stopped crying and started laughing.

Just a moment ago he was gloomy and depressed, but in the blink of an eye he was all smiles, saying repeatedly, "That's good, that's good."

Zhu Di glanced at them again and sighed, "Get up, all of you. After I'm gone, I'll have to trouble you to take good care of this unworthy descendant of mine."

The ministers quickly replied, "How dare we? Assisting Your Majesty is simply our duty!"

Zhu Di thought for a moment, then took out two jade tokens from the gourd. They were communication jade tokens given to him by Zhu Gaoxi.

He kept a few for himself, but now, with a heavy heart, he took out two and handed them to Zhang Fu: "Keep these jade tokens. Use one for yourself, and give the other to Zhu Qizhen when he wakes up. With this, you can contact me, and also your eldest, second, and third sons..."

Zhu Di was just about to suggest that his second son create a group chat to facilitate handling matters concerning the legitimate dynasty.

But when he turned his head, he saw that Zhu Gaoxu was already drunk and staggering, clinging to Zhu Bajie's arm, repeatedly saying, "Drink another bowl, I can still drink."

Zhu Di frowned, swallowed the rest of his words, and changed his tone to Zhu Gaochi, saying, "Boss, create a group chat to handle things here, and while you're at it, teach Zhang Fu how to use it."

Zhang Fu nervously accepted the jade tablet, holding it in his hands as if it were an imperial edict, his voice trembling slightly: "This...this is a celestial treasure?"

Zhu Di said, "Almost. Don't lose it."

Upon hearing this, everyone present was startled once again. Emperor Taizong had actually bestowed a magical artifact upon Zhang Fu?

This magical artifact can actually connect Emperor Taizong, Emperor Renzong, and Emperor Xuanzong?

Someone turned to look at the young Zhu Zhanji sitting on the stool, but contacting Emperor Xuanzong seemed to be of little use.

Even so, the weight of this jade tablet was enough to leave everyone in the tent speechless.

How many years had it been since the deaths of Emperor Taizong, Emperor Renzong, and Emperor Xuanzong during the Zhengtong reign?

This thing can actually connect directly to these former emperors across the divide between Yin and Yang and across time; this is nothing short of a thunderclap from a clear sky.

Some of the more ambitious ones were already thinking that if they could get one, they would be able to walk sideways in the court in the future.

"Even if it costs me my life, I will never let this jade pendant be lost!" Zhang Fu carefully put the jade pendant away from his body and then solemnly kowtowed three times.