Chapter 554: The Emperor’s Sharpness and Suspicion

The term “Wulangha” was merely a general name used by the Ming Dynasty to refer to the three Doyan guards, just as “Tartar” and “Oirat” were used to distinguish between the main Mongol forces and the Oirat tribes after they retreated to the desert. At that time, the Khorkhin Aday Taiji of the Fuyu Guard was afraid that the Ming emperor would turn his wrath on him, so he fled with Arutai. As a result, the remaining Wulangha people never expected the Ming army to launch a counterattack after advancing northward. When 20,000 soldiers from the Ming army’s five vanguard forces attacked, everyone from nobles to ordinary herders was stunned.

Compared to the Doyan guards who had followed Zhu Di southward during the Jingnan Campaign, the Wulangha people still retained considerable combat strength. But Arutai had led some of them away, and the rest had no idea such a devastating disaster was coming. Thus, they were forced to retreat in disarray. A few tribes managed to gather a few thousand troops to hold off the Ming army, while the rest fled westward in panic, driving their cattle and horses. Yet, on the other side lay an even more formidable army than the Ming vanguard.

By the Kuli River awaited the emperor’s personally led central army camp!

After rushing three days nonstop, Zhu Di had completely forgotten that he was the ruler of a nation, the emperor of the world. Riding his carefully selected warhorse, carrying his sword that had been used to kill countless enemies, and clad in heavy armor, he once again felt an unstoppable surge of energy throughout his body. Without hesitation, he gave orders to his officers and led his troops into battle.

Although it wasn’t the first time they saw this scene, Yang Rong and Jin Youzi still felt a chill run down their spines. It was rare for the emperor to lead an expedition personally, and even then, he usually stood under the main flag to inspire morale. Who would ever expect the emperor to fight in the front lines himself? Zhang Yue, who was left behind with the two ministers, watched as the Ming army suddenly broke into the enemy ranks. His blood boiled, and his fists clenched unconsciously.

“The situation is already settled. Using forces meant to fight the Tartars against these minor Wulangha guards is like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut!” Yang Rong murmured to himself, then turned to Zhang Yue and said, “The emperor is quite interested in your previous proposal. But the old city of Danning has been abandoned for almost twenty years. Repairing the ruins costs money, and maintaining troops also costs money. Instead, it would be better to incorporate the surrendered guards and use them to defend the borders.”

This assertion doesn’t sound wrong, but Zhang Yue still couldn’t help but ask in reply, “Scholar Yang, the Tang Dynasty also made use of former enemy generals. When the dynasty was at its peak, most of these foreign generals and troops were loyal and dared not rebel. But as the saying goes, those who are not of our race will surely have ulterior motives. If the dynasty weakens over several generations, they will surely take advantage of any opportunity. The Song Dynasty also employed foreign troops and generals in the border regions, but sometimes even the commanders would die in uprisings—let alone the others. Their obedience now is merely out of fear of military force; how could it be genuine?”
“Whether it’s genuine or not, using foreign forces to weaken the Central Plains is never a good strategy.”
Jin Youzi interjected at the right moment, ending the debate. Both Yang Rong and Jin Youzi were traditional scholars who were always opposed to starting wars without reason. Although they couldn’t persuade the emperor, they could naturally assert their seniority in the face of Zhang Yue. In their view, relying on a large army to conquer the Mongols was a last resort; subduing them through blockade was the best way to defeat them without fighting. Whether it was the former lands of Danning or Jiaozhi, they were both useless assets—neither worth keeping nor worth discarding.
The fierce battle lasted two days, or rather, it was a one-sided fight for two days. On the first day, Zhu Di personally led his troops in pursuit of the Wulangha people for thirty miles, killing countless people, including their chiefs and warriors. On the second day, they searched and raided along the Hexi region again, achieving significant gains. On that day, Zhang Yue was also allowed to join the army.
All the anger accumulated over several months was vented on the Doyan Three Guards. When returning to camp, Zhu Di’s face showed indescribable satisfaction. Although his guards did their duty around him, he himself had personally killed several people with his sword. The only regret was that his sword, which had accompanied him for years, developed a crack this time and became completely unusable. Covered in sweat, dust, and blood, he looked disheveled, but he seemed energetic, except for his slightly hoarse voice.
“Long live the Emperor!”
Faced with such overwhelming cheers, the triumphant Zhu Di simply waved his hand without saying much. He was frustrated for not being able to chase down Arutai and defeat him completely, but that anger had now passed. In this campaign against the Wulangha, nearly two thousand heads were cut, and countless supplies, cattle, and sheep were captured. More importantly, those who had pretended to obey him while secretly trading with the Ming Dynasty and colluding with the Tartars were now like stray dogs.

Eager, Zhu Di met with several generals who had returned from great victories in one go, yet he still did not rest. Instead, he summoned Yang Rong and Jin Youzi to inquire about the various memorials sent from the capital. After listening to them for an entire hour, he finally showed signs of fatigue, but still refused to rest. After the two left, he summoned Zhang Yue again.
“After defending the city and now experiencing field battles, what’s your impression?”
Having faced both resistance and pressure in front of Yang Rong and Jin Youzi the previous day, Zhang Yue wasn’t discouraged, but he still felt frustrated. When the emperor asked this question right away, he pondered for a moment before lowering his head and answering, “I merely feel that the Doyan Three Guards, once powerful, are no longer what they used to be. Not only the Doyan Three Guards, but even when facing Arutai in Xinghe in the past, I felt they were not as formidable as the Mongol cavalry I had heard about.”
“It is said that a defeated general cannot be called brave. In my view, a general who has suffered repeated defeats is even less brave!” After meeting so many people in a row, Zhu Di’s fevered mind gradually cleared. Hearing Zhang Yue’s words, he smiled sarcastically before saying thoughtfully, “When it comes to cavalry combat, these Tartars may still have an edge. But since they have already lost control of the land, all they have left is their cavalry. They have no cannons, no muskets. It would take them decades to train cavalry skilled in both riding and archery, but it only takes two or three years for my Divine Machine Corps to cultivate a elite soldier!”
Although he really wanted to say that the Mongol cavalry had indeed declined, and that the Ming’s infantry and cavalry were also not as strong as at the time of founding the dynasty, and who knew how much worse things might become with prolonged peace, Zhang Yue ultimately did not say those words. People often said he was honest, which certainly had its advantages, but being overly honest without principles made one a fool. Just as he was trying to bring up the old city of Danning again, a voice suddenly came from outside.
“Your Majesty, urgent news from the capital.”
Hearing those words, Zhang Yue instinctively thought of the Jinyiwei and the Dongchang, and quickly planned to retire. But before he could say anything, Zhu Di stopped him with a glance. Seeing a young eunuch enter carrying a copper tube and present it respectfully, Zhu Di opened the seal of the tube right in front of him and carefully examined the scroll inside. He could only wonder in his heart whether it mentioned Liu Yongcheng.
“What a kind prince, what a prince who knows how to show compassion!”

Hearing this sound, Zhang Yue couldn’t help but look up. Seeing Zhu Di’s furious expression, he knew someone must have again complained about the crown prince. Thinking that Yuan Fang probably wouldn’t be so “dutiful,” and Lu Feng constantly trying to curry favor with the Eastern Palace, he concluded that they would never do such things that could harm the future unless it was an extremely urgent matter. He was filled with doubt.

“He just keeps being too kind and lenient, always showing favoritism. What use is a crown prince who can win over all officials like this! Last time I exiled that Chen Qianhu, he arbitrarily pardoned him. I executed Zhou Mian and demoted Liang Qian—shouldn’t he have learned his lesson? Now he wants to spare Zhang He, who violated protocol during court, just because Zhang He is Lü Zhen’s son-in-law? He has disappointed me greatly. This isn’t mere kindness—it’s… it’s clearly ulterior motives!”

Fueled by rage, Zhu Di threw the inkstone on the desk. Then he glanced at the neatly written report on the paper, which mentioned other matters as well, so he continued reading. After finishing it, his mind was filled with anger, and he couldn’t help but slam his fist on the table.

His chest heaved for a while before he finally collapsed, clutching his chest and gasping for breath. At that moment, the eunuch serving nearby grew anxious. “Your Majesty, shall I summon a physician?”

“Get out! I led troops into battle during the day—I’m still fully alert! Zhang Yue, come here!”

Zhang Yue, who had been hoping to act as a perfect scapegoat, sighed inwardly but dared not disobey the emperor, so he stepped forward. The moment he lowered his head, he saw bloodshot eyes filled with a terrifying glint, which shocked him greatly.

“Between the crown prince and the crown prince’s son, who is more fit to inherit the throne?”

Even though Zhang Yue was prepared for difficult questions, he never expected the emperor to throw such a challenging one at him. He was stunned and even raised his head. Seeing Zhu Di’s piercing gaze fixed on him, he felt his heart almost stop beating. It took him a while to remember the proper etiquette for addressing the emperor, so he quickly bowed his head.

Throughout history, when designating an heir apparent, some dynasties appointed an imperial crown prince, while others chose an imperial crown prince brother. There were also various less common titles such as imperial crown prince grandson and imperial crown prince uncle, all of which are recorded in historical texts. However, since the Han and Wei dynasties, it had become customary to have an imperial crown prince without appointing an imperial crown prince grandson. Apart from Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Zhu Di, he couldn’t recall any other such examples. Moreover, Li Chongzhao was appointed as heir apparent at a young age and was deposed along with his father after only a few years in power. Zhu Di was different; he often took Zhu Zhanji on his inspection tours, which was clearly a way of telling the crown prince that his position as heir apparent was due to having a capable son. Yet, the legitimacy of an imperial crown prince grandson stemmed from being the legitimate eldest son of the imperial crown prince. If the crown prince was no longer the crown prince, how could the crown prince grandson still hold that title?

“Your Majesty, whether it is the imperial crown prince or the imperial crown prince grandson, they are both chosen personally by Your Majesty. The imperial crown prince is kind and filial, while the imperial crown prince grandson is brave and decisive—both can ensure the continuity of our Great Ming for two more generations.”

“I don’t want to hear such generalities!”

That was unreasonable! Zhang Yue inwardly smiled bitterly, thinking he should have found an excuse to leave earlier to avoid getting entangled in such trouble. He then steeled his heart and said firmly, “Since Your Majesty doesn’t want generalities, I can only say that the hierarchical order of father and son, as well as the principles of propriety, must not be disrupted—this is a truth that has held true since ancient times.”

Throughout history, he could only recall one case where the father of an emperor was not an emeritus emperor and was still alive—Emperor Puyi of the Qing dynasty. Although it couldn’t be ruled out that other dynasties had such cases, it was unlikely to have happened in the four great prosperous dynasties of Han, Tang, Song, and Ming. In his anger, Zhu Di asked this question on a whim. If anyone thought this was an opportunity to say something treasonous, they would surely die the next day, with no one able to save them!

To Zhang Yue’s relief, Zhu Di stared at him for a while before ending the interrogation and sending him away. Outside the imperial tent, he saw the sky filled with stars and couldn’t help but squint. He felt endless sympathy for the imperial crown prince, Zhu Gaochi. Having to deal with such a difficult ruler and constantly managing state affairs while trying to please him must have been extremely tough for Zhu Gaochi, who was already in poor health!

Back in his own tent, he didn’t reveal a single word to Yang Rong or Jin Youzi and went to bed early. In a daze, he didn’t know how much time had passed when he suddenly heard movement inside the tent. He opened his eyes just in time to see two figures leaving the tent one after another. Sitting up slightly and looking around, he found that only he was inside the tent—Peng Shisan was nowhere to be seen.

Had something happened?

Just as a chill swept through his heart, someone swiftly slipped in. Seeing him sit up, the person rushed forward at lightning speed and spoke in a hushed voice, “The activity by the imperial tent seems unusual. When I went out to relieve myself just now, I noticed the guards had multiplied several times, and there seemed to be many figures moving inside the tent. Scholars Yang Jin and the other must have gone there for this reason—likely either because they need to withdraw or because the emperor is unwell.”

Was it really necessary to summon two scholars in the dead of night just to withdraw? Even Peng Shisan had learned to dodge the truth!

It was obvious something had gone wrong with Zhu Di… Given Zhu Di’s uncontrollable anger during the day, coupled with his excessive excitement from leading the troops into battle, anything could happen now. He wasn’t very clear about which northern expedition the historical Yongle Emperor had undertaken, and the problem was he didn’t know how many times he had flapped his “butterfly wings.” If he still believed in so-called history, he might not even know how he would die!

Although he really wanted to go out and find out what was going on, Zhang Yue forced himself to suppress that impulse and lay down again. Peng Shisan, standing there, saw Zhang Yue’s state and retreated to his own straw mat in a corner, sitting cross-legged and gazing blankly at the tent roof. This unbearable silence lasted until dawn, and Yang Rong and Jin Youzi still hadn’t returned.

For three consecutive days, Yang Jin and the other never returned to their tent. Zhang Yue was extremely anxious. Although military discipline was strict, whispers were already circulating among the troops. Fortunately, Zhu Di finally appeared when the remaining Wulangha forces knelt at the gates and begged for mercy, which calmed the troops’ minds. That evening, although Zhang Yue didn’t see Zhu Di, a eunuch came to deliver the emperor’s words verbatim.

“Kaiping reports that military provisions are running out, and there aren’t enough carriages and horses to transport supplies. With hundreds of thousands of troops outside, how can they let provisions run out? Are they trying to starve me to death? Go back and take a route via Xuanfu from Kaiping, then return to the capital. See what my generals, my ministers, and my crown prince are doing!”

Faced with these vague orders, Zhang Yue was utterly perplexed—if he met the crown prince and was asked how the emperor was, how should he answer?