Chapter 842
Chapter 842
The dramatic changes in the celestial phenomena shocked all those who knew astronomy, and they began to pay close attention to news from the capital and the northern regions.
Although the young emperor was always willful, he was the ruler of a country and had great responsibilities.
Only he could cause such a dramatic change in the celestial phenomena.
Everyone felt a pang of anxiety and prayed fervently to Heaven, hoping that the Emperor could return to the capital safely.
Pan Yun touched the jade pendant in her hand with one hand and stroked the small statue of the mountain god with the other, praying in her heart.
Pan Xiaohei knelt at her feet, looking up at her with earnest, his dark eyes filled with concern: "Are you holding a butcher's knife, praying to heaven for his safety?"
Pan Yun: [If he is safe, the executioner's knife will not be raised.]
Xue Shao had gone down to sleep on the roof at some point, leaving only one person and one cat sitting on the roof all night.
On the grasslands, Peng Deqing, the newly appointed Director of the Imperial Observatory who had always been labeled as Wang Zhen's confidant, went to wait outside Wang Zhen's tent before dawn and advised him, "Sir, the celestial phenomena last night warned that we can no longer advance. Otherwise, if we trap the Emperor in the wilderness, who will be responsible?"
Wang Zhen stubbornly refused to listen and sneered, "We will arrive in Datong tomorrow. If we do not enter the city, wouldn't we be returning empty-handed? His Majesty will certainly not agree to that."
Peng Deqing said in a low voice, "His Majesty is good at accepting advice. Why don't you stay here and rest today? If you persuade him a few more times, he will eventually listen."
“No!” Wang Zhen gritted his teeth and said solemnly, “Due to the continuous heavy rain, the marching speed has been slow and there have been constant accidents. His Majesty is already somewhat dissatisfied with me. He insisted on personally leading the expedition, which caused a great unpleasantness with the ministers. How could he possibly turn back? If I were like Kuang Ye and Zhang Fu, His Majesty would definitely despise me.”
"Moreover," Wang Zhen lowered his voice, "His Majesty has promised me that I will pass through Weizhou on my return journey, and I haven't been home for twenty years..."
Wang Zhen didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.
Peng Deqing was momentarily speechless with words of advice, because he knew that further persuasion would be useless.
At daybreak, the army broke camp and continued its march.
The army was slow and sluggish, with occasional gaps in its formation, yet it remained crowded together, its morale low, and it no longer had the high spirits it had when it left the capital.
Yu Rui took the medicine Pan Yu found and got through the fever and cough stage. He has now recovered, but he still coughs from time to time and his face is a little pale.
His limbs were still a little weak, but he didn't think it was because he was sick, but because he was hungry.
Yes, I was hungry.
The emperor gave the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue only two days to prepare, from the time he issued the order until they left the capital.
Although we had already expedited the preparation of provisions along the way, and the Ministry of Revenue had also hurriedly transported a batch ahead, with the main army carrying some as well, it was still not enough, far from enough.
In war, supplies are always the first priority. There are emperors, for example, but they are always the vanguard.
The vanguard soldiers typically carried only three days' worth of rations, after which they would retrieve food from where they were stationary.
However, the emperor led an army of 200,000 men, and with the transport troops and servants, the total number was about 250,000. With so many people, it was impossible to obtain the necessary provisions on the spot.
Kuang Ye, Chen Xun, and others were so worried about procuring provisions that they went gray with worry.
Under these circumstances, the army finally arrived in Datong at noon the next day.
The people of Datong were overjoyed and lined the streets to welcome the imperial procession.
The emperor was also very pleased, and a smile finally appeared on his face. He said with a smile, "Send out the order that I will reward the soldiers tonight."
The soldiers and their entourage happily agreed.
When the order reached Kuang Ye and Chen Xun, the worry on their faces became even more pronounced: "What should we use to reward them?"
The British Duke, riding on horseback, was thinking about something else. He glanced around and sensed that something was off about the atmosphere in the city.
He spurred his horse, and when the Imperial Son-in-Law Jing Yuan and the Earl of Ping Township Chen Huai caught up, he whispered, "You two quietly send someone away from the group to inquire about the situation in Datong and see how the battle is going these days."
Jingyuan and Chen Huai exchanged a glance and responded in a low voice.
General Guo Deng of Datong and the supervising eunuch Guo Jing welcomed the emperor into the city. After they settled in the city, Guo Deng reported on the battle situation in Datong.
He stated that the Oirat army had been temporarily repelled, and the defenders of Datong had achieved a partial victory.
The emperor casually remarked, "My intention is to hunt them down in the north and completely expel the Oirats. Where do you think would be a better place to fight them?"
Guo Deng immediately knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, Datong is already the front line. We must not go any further north."
The courtiers also hurriedly joined in the persuasion, saying that in just twenty days, quite a few soldiers had been injured or fallen ill, and that if they continued further north, the emperor might spare them.
The Duke of England, who had been silent all along, finally spoke up, suggesting that the emperor withdraw 100,000 troops and order Jing Yuan, Chen Huai and others to lead the army to drive out the invading Esen army and reclaim the occupied land. Another 80,000 troops would remain by the emperor's side to protect the emperor, and 20,000 troops would serve as the vanguard to clear roadblocks along the agreed route back to the city, so as to prevent the Oirat people from setting up ambushes along the way.
Guo Deng was displeased and pursed his lips, saying, "Duke of Ying, Datong has never fallen. How could His Majesty have encountered the Oirats on his return journey from Zijing Pass?"
The British Duke calmly said, "We certainly trust General Guo, but it's always good to be cautious."
The emperor pondered, "Wouldn't this mean I'd be taking a day trip to Datong?"
If he can't command a large army to charge into battle, why did he endure so much hardship and travel thousands of miles to get here?
The emperor was unwilling and said in a deep voice, "This matter will be discussed again."
Chen Huai was anxious and couldn't help but shout, "Your Majesty—"
The emperor said with displeasure, "Everyone is exhausted from the march, so why don't we rest first and discuss the battle later?"
The Duke of England sighed, bowed, and withdrew.
Since the British Duke had withdrawn, everyone else had no choice but to follow suit.
As soon as they left, the emperor immediately ordered Guo Deng to be summoned again: "Bring me the map. Where is the Oirat army now? How were the previous battles fought? How many were won? How many enemies were killed?"
Guo Deng was filled with apprehension, fearing that the emperor would really go to the front lines in person, but he had no choice but to find the map.
Taking advantage of the emperor's inattention, Guo Jing secretly gave Wang Zhen a wink, and the two left the room one after the other. Inside, only the emperor's excited voice and Guo Deng's calm explanation could be heard.
Wang Zhen let Guo Jing hold his hand, and when they reached a secluded spot, he said with a half-smile, "You're lucky. Although you were involved in the case of reselling military equipment, because it involved Prince Lu and Earl Huichang, the case was dropped, and you escaped a disaster."
"Thanks to the Grand Master's intervention in the palace, my life was saved," Guo Jing said in a low voice. "I understand, so even in front of Guo Deng, I must warn the Grand Master."
Wang Zhen's smile faded, and he asked in a deep voice, "Warning? What warning?"
Guo Jing said in a low voice, "Guo Deng concealed military intelligence, and Esen's army marched south. In several battles, the defenders of Datong were no match for the Northern Yuan army and suffered heavy losses."
Wang Zhen's expression changed drastically: "What did you say? Guo Deng dared not report such a big thing!"
Guo Jing said in a low voice, "Who would have thought that His Majesty would personally lead the expedition?" When Guo Deng first asked the capital for help, he was reporting the military situation truthfully. He only wanted the capital to send him reinforcements so he could continue his work.
He whispered, “Esen must have been preparing for a long time. His forces far outnumber those of the Datong army, and their cavalry is extremely formidable. If we go out of the city to meet them, we will surely be defeated! Guo Deng first asked Xuanfu for help, but Esen had another army heading towards Xuanfu. Yang Hong did not send any troops to help, so we could only ask the capital for help. Who knew that His Majesty would personally lead the expedition?”
When the emperor personally led the expedition, Guo Deng glanced down at the battle report and found it dismal, let alone the officials who had accompanied the emperor.
Guo Deng could practically see the guillotine hanging over his head, which forced him to lie about the military situation.
Why didn't Guo Jing, as the military governor, expose him in front of the emperor and his ministers?
Because he was also involved.
With the war going like this, how can the warlord expect a good end?
However, Guo Jing was still loyal; he could betray the emperor, but he couldn't betray his own beloved emperor.
Wang Zhen had saved him from danger several times, so of course he had to tell Wang Zhen the truth: "Master, Datong is very unsafe now. You should have passed through Yanghe on your way. A few days ago, the garrison there fought with the Oirat army and suffered a crushing defeat. They didn't even have time to collect the corpses. You should have seen the bones on the road..."
He certainly saw it; corpses littered the ground, including not only soldiers but also ordinary civilians, but he didn't take it to heart.
In war, people always die.
But... if Datong keeps losing.
Wang Zhen swallowed hard and asked, "Is Datong unsafe now?"
"Yes," Guo Jing said in a low voice, "If the Grand Secretary can persuade His Majesty to return to the capital as soon as possible, then it would be best to return to the capital sooner rather than later."
Wang Zhen began to ponder.
Meanwhile, the ostracized ministers surrounded the Duke of England, hoping he could give them some advice.
Zhang Fu glanced at the crowd and sighed softly. He was seventy years old. This time, he was supposed to be accompanying the emperor on the expedition, but he only had a noble title and no general's name.
He knew that the emperor had only appointed him as an advisor, so he had no real power.
Apart from a very few who rose to their positions through favor and had no ambition, who among those present didn't have some discernment?
But he pretended to be clueless and let an old man like him make the decision.
However, he couldn't just ignore it. The emperor was in the army, and if anything happened to him, Zhang Fu would be condemned to death.
He could only suppress his sigh and said in a deep voice, "The corpses lying everywhere south of Yanghe City show that Datong failed to hold the line, or at least once, he failed to hold it, allowing the Oirat army to reach the rear. His Majesty is personally leading the expedition, and the situation is complicated. We cannot blindly listen to what Guo Deng says. You must be prepared."
Kuang Ye said, "It would be safest to ask His Majesty to withdraw his troops."
The Duke of England said irritably, "His Majesty is currently focused on heading north to intercept the Oirats. We rarely even see him, so how can we offer any advice?"
Traveling is different from being in the palace.
In the palace, officials could meet the emperor in the court or the study, or even kneel at the palace gate. With so many powerful figures in the palace, there was always a way to make their voices heard by the emperor.
However, when the emperor traveled, he was always under the highest level of security. Apart from Wang Zhen, who could see the emperor at any time, everyone else had to go through Wang Zhen to see the emperor.
Last time, Kuang Ye and Chen Xun had a conflict with Wang Zhen, and Wang Zhen issued an imperial edict ordering them to kneel outside the main tent all night. To this day, they still don't know whether it was an imperial edict or Wang Zhen was falsely issuing one.
The Duke of England was exhausted. After instructing them to investigate the actual battle situation in Datong and reassuring the soldiers, he went to rest. As he left, he touched Jingyuan's hand.
Late at night, Jingyuan secretly went to see the British Duke.
The Duke of England lay on his couch, looking sickly.
Jingyuan was deeply worried: "Is the Duke ill?"
The attendant beside him whispered, "The Duke is over seventy years old. He has been caught in the rain and rushed along the way, and on top of that, he has been treated badly. How can he endure this at his age?"
The Duke of England stopped his servant from speaking and pointed to the door, telling him to leave.
When only the two of them remained in the room, the Duke of England whispered, "My lord, now, perhaps only you can save His Majesty and the people."
Jingyuan asked in surprise, "Why does the Duke say such a thing?"
The Duke of England sighed, "None of us can see His Majesty. Of all these people, you are the only one with a chance."
He married Princess Jiaxing, daughter of Emperor Renzong, making him the emperor's uncle. He was also exceptionally capable, one of the more presentable sons-in-law of the Ming Dynasty imperial family.
He abandoned his studies to join the army and made many military achievements. He also served as a garrison commander in the north to fight against the Northern Hu people. He can be considered both a scholar and a warrior.
The young emperor always favored talented people, and he trusted his uncle-in-law greatly, so he placed him in the Imperial Guard and took him with him on military campaigns.
British public opinion knows that Jingyuan has always been unwilling to offend Wang Zhen. Who would be willing to offend Wang Zhen?
He's too old to want to.
If it's not out of necessity.
Now we've reached a point where we have no other choice.
The Duke of England held his hand and gently advised him, saying in a low voice, "His Majesty is the pillar of stability. If he were to go abroad and cause trouble, the world would surely be in chaos, which would plunge the people into misery."
The Duke of England gripped his hand tightly and said in a deep voice, "If something really goes wrong, we will all be held responsible and die a thousand deaths. So, I can only beg you."
After saying that, he was about to get out of bed and kneel down before Jingyuan.
Jingyuan was startled and quickly helped him up with both hands, then knelt down first, his face flushed: "Duke, are you trying to kill me? How dare I accept your kneeling? Just tell me what you want me to do, and Jingyuan will do it even if it means dying a thousand deaths!"
The Duke of England then said, "Go see His Majesty and be sure to persuade him to return to the capital."
Jingyuan grabbed a handful of hair and said painfully, "Lord Duke, you watched His Majesty grow up. You should know his temper. He has always been a man of great vision, but he is also straightforward, willful, and concerned about his reputation. He insisted on leading the expedition in person. How could he possibly return to the capital without even drawing his sword?"
Duke of England: "I know that if Guo Deng holds Datong and really keeps Esen out of the Datong defense line, I wouldn't mind arranging a show for His Majesty to review and command the troops before the battle. However, Guo Deng is obviously hiding something. With His Majesty here, there is no time for us to investigate slowly. The best way is to leave!"
The Duke of England said in a deep voice, "No matter how much you care about your reputation, is it more important than your life? Just tell the Emperor that as long as a person is alive, anything is possible; if a person dies, nothing is left."
Jingyuan seemed to be deep in thought.
The British official said, "Guo Jing is Wang Zhen's man. You should have His Majesty question Wang Zhen."
He sneered, "Wang Zhen is good at disguising himself, but he's afraid of death and losing power. He's also short-sighted and brainless. If the emperor asks, His Majesty, with his intelligence, will surely notice something amiss. At that time, you should desperately try to persuade him. His Majesty doesn't have a crown prince yet. If something happens in the north, what will happen to the Empress Dowager, the capital, and the Ming Dynasty?" (End of Chapter)