In the Qianqing Palace, Emperor Xiaozong of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Youtang, had just gone to bed. It was extremely cold in the palace in the snowy weather. However, Zhu Youtang refused to let the servants light a charcoal fire in the palace to keep warm.
During the extremely cold weather every year before the twelfth lunar month, he would not allow the servants to do this.
Because he thought it was too expensive. If such a large palace was completely lit with charcoal fire, it would cost at least several hundred kilograms.
It was also dark in the Qianqing Palace, with only some lights in critical places. The huge palace was gloomy and gloomy, like a cold cellar.
This was also the meaning of Emperor Xiaozong. He believed that there was no need to light so many lights at night and waste candles and incense oil. When it was dark, he would go to bed, and when it was cold, he would just get into bed and sleep. There was no need to waste firewood and candles.
This emperor of the Ming Dynasty, who did not hesitate to spend a lot of money on fasting and worshiping, wasted a lot of money, did not feel sorry for giving land to honorable relatives and nobles, and could reward others with tens of thousands of acres of land with a wave of his hand, but he was making charcoal fires and I don’t know what he is thinking when he is harsh on himself for small things like lighting lamps and eating and drinking.
When Zhu Youtang was about to fall asleep in a daze, he was awakened by the sound of running footsteps coming from the corridor outside the dormitory door. When the door was open, a cold wind whistled in, causing the tents to flutter, and the cool air Let Zhu Youtang wake up instantly.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, are you asleep?" the chamberlain called in a low voice outside the tent.
"What's the matter? I didn't sleep." Zhu Youtang raised his head and asked.
"Your Majesty, the chief assistants of the cabinet, Mr. Liu Jian and Li Dongyang, the two great bachelors Xie Qian, Mr. Xu Jin, the right minister of the Ministry of War, and the imperial censor of the left capital, Shi Daishan, have come to have an audience. They said they have something urgent to report," the chamberlain said quickly. .
Zhu Youtang sat up suddenly and frowned: "Is it still snowing outside?"
"Your Majesty, it's snowing heavily."
"Hold the lamp and invite them in." Zhu Youtang opened the quilt and put on his clothes. The waiter hurriedly came forward to serve, but Zhu Youtang shouted: "Why don't you go and invite them in."
The chambermaid Nuonuo quickly turned around and left.
Several candlesticks were lit, and the hall immediately became bright. The sound of clattering footsteps was heard, and a group of ministers entered the bedroom with a cold air. After a while, Liu Jian, Li Dongyang and more than ten important officials of the court came to the bedroom.
"I will bow before the Emperor." Everyone knelt down and saluted.
Zhu Youtang was sitting on the edge of the bed, wearing thin trousers on his lower body and a thin middle coat on his body. He had not yet had time to put on his fur robe, so he just draped it on his body.
"Excuse me, everyone. Why did you come into the palace on a snowy night? What happened? So many people came?" Zhu Youtang asked eagerly.
Everyone thanked them and stood up. Liu Jian, the chief minister of the cabinet, said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, I have just received major military news. The matter is urgent, so I went to the palace to see the Emperor to discuss countermeasures. I hope you will forgive me for disturbing the Emperor's rest."
Zhu Youtang was surprised and said: "What major military information? Tell me quickly."
Liu Jian turned his head and glanced at Liu Daxia, and said in a deep voice: "Liu Shangshu, please report this to the emperor."
Liu Daxia nodded, stepped forward and handed over his hands, and reported in a low voice: "Your Majesty, the Ministry of War just received urgent military information from Hetao Kuaima an hour ago. The Tatar thief chieftain's young prince Batu Meng personally led 30,000 soldiers. The army invaded our Ningxia border town..."
Zhu Youtang frowned and said: "Isn't it unusual for the Tatars to invade the border areas? They invade Ningxia and Gansu not just once or twice. The soldiers and horses in the border towns just fight them and drive them out."
Liu Daxia said in a deep voice: "...Your Majesty...the pass of Huamachi Great Wall has been broken..."
"What?" Zhu Youtang stood up in shock, and the fur robe he was wearing fell to the ground. The chamberlain quickly picked it up and put it on Zhu Youtang, but Zhu Youtang waved it away.
"You mean, Huamachi Pass was captured by the Tatars?" Zhu Youtang asked loudly.
"Exactly. The Tatar soldiers and horses invaded our guard posts around Huamachi in early October. Our Ningxia Zhongwei soldiers immediately fought against us. In mid-October, the Tatars defeated our Yongqing Fort, Liuyang Fort, and Anding Fort, and then approached the Great Wall Pass.
"We attacked Huamachi Pass for three days and destroyed our Great Wall Pass..." Liu Daxia said solemnly.
Zhu Youtang said angrily: "Who will lead the troops to garrison Huamachi?"
Liu Daxia said: "Your Majesty, the Huamachi soldiers and horses are the Ningxia rearguard troops, and the commander is Wang Tai. Wang Tai has died in battle and sacrificed his life for the country."
Zhu Youtang stood with eyes wide open.
Liu Daxia continued: "After the Tatars broke through the Huamachi Great Wall pass, they marched in. The troops were divided into two groups. One way they surrounded Lingzhou and the other way they broke through Weizhou. They looted, burned and killed along the way. Now that Lingzhou is besieged, the situation is critical. Therefore,
Report to the court urgently."
Zhu Youtang slowly sat down on the Dragon Collapse, sighed and said: "Are the Tatars trying to invade in a big way and destroy our Ming Dynasty?"
Liu Jian said in a deep voice: "I have reported this to the Emperor. I have discussed this matter urgently and believe that this is not the purpose of the Tatars. The Tatars do not have the courage. In previous years, they harassed people in autumn and winter because they were short of supplies. Most of them used
calamity
But this time they broke through the Great Wall pass and rushed to Yanchi Weizhou and besieged Lingzhou. Their purpose was definitely not to harass and plunder. I believe that their purpose was to occupy our Ningxia town and seize our Ningxia land.
."
Zhu Youtang said in a deep voice: "It's extremely abominable. The land of the Hetao has been occupied by it, which has become a serious problem. Fortunately, Ningxia Town blocks it and prevents it from entering our hinterland for the time being. Do they want to seize it from Ningxia Town? Isn't it just a dream? You guys
Are there any countermeasures?"
Liu Jiandao: "We discussed it and divided our opinions into two groups. The opinion of several adults in the cabinet is to mobilize the soldiers and horses of the Yulinbian Town Guards Station in Yansui Town to go for reinforcements. The Ningxia Town Zhongwei and the avant-garde units are ordered to relieve the siege of Lingzhou. Yulin
The guards cut off their retreat and drove the Tatar soldiers out."
Zhu Youtang pondered: "This strategy is feasible, are there any other ideas?"
Before Liu Jian could speak, Liu Daxia said in a deep voice: "The idea of the ministers and the officials of the Ministry of War is that it is better to mobilize soldiers and horses from Yansui, Shaanxi, Gansu, and Ningxia towns to rush for reinforcements, and gather together to annihilate the Tatars in Ningxia Town. Eat the three of the Tatars.
Tens of thousands of troops can take this opportunity to march northward and regain the Hetao land in one fell swoop. If the Hetao land is not recovered, the two towns of Yansui and Ningxia will never have peace. It’s time to make a decision. Give him a once and for all."
Zhu Youtang looked at Liu Daxia's eager eyes and felt something in his heart. Liu Daxia's proposal was even more exciting. If the Hetao is recovered and the Tatars are driven to the north of the Yellow River, then the situation in the northwest border town will be
Greatly improved.
"Is Liu Shangshu's proposal feasible? It sounds like this is an opportunity. If 30,000 Tatar soldiers and horses can be gathered in Lingzhou and annihilated in the Hetao area outside the Great Wall Pass, the Tatars should not have many soldiers and horses to regain the Hetao.
Is it possible?" Zhu Youtang asked.
"What a whim!" Xie Qian, the cabinet scholar, said loudly.