Unofficial History of Emperor Wuzong of the Ming Dynasty

Afterwards, Emperor Zhengde's diligence failed to win the praise of the civil officials, and the officials who finally learned the truth were still immersed in the endless criticism of Emperor Zhengde's affair with the tiger.Of course, most of the officials are old foxes, and they are not in a hurry to beat Qian Ning, a dog in the water, because Qian Ning is still sitting in the position of commander of Jinyiwei, and second, they are busy trying to test someone.

Needless to say, this person is Jiang Bin, the celebrity in front of Emperor Zhengde.

Jiang Bin never refuses anyone who comes, and greets and sees off anyone who comes and walks in a friendly voice.Now that he has not gained a firm foothold in the court, civil servants cannot be offended or wooed.

Emperor Zhengde didn't care much about these things. On that day, after crying to Li Dongyang, the chief minister of the cabinet, that the situation was tight, he changed his clothes and took Jiang Bin with a few ostentatious "big Han generals" to the street to "select a site." ".

Address, what address to choose?

Jiang Bin was quite puzzled.

Emperor Zhengde, dressed as a Confucian scholar in a shirt, asked Jiang Bin, who was dressed as a servant, to lead the donkey with a heavy burden, while he himself carried a compass from Yongding Gate to the Bell and Drum Tower. On the scroll of the painter's map, a circle was drawn at the position of the golden ratio of the north-south central axis.

"Your Majesty, this is...?" Jiang Bin poked his head to look.

Emperor Zhengde straightened the soap sash and dangled the soft towel and said, "I'm thinking about finding a job."

Jiang Bin felt a faint pain in his stomach.

"I want to tinker with some firearms, but they just think I'm fooling around." Emperor Zhengde felt sorry for himself.

Jiang Bin remembered that when he first saw the paper tubes that Emperor Zhengde was tinkering with, he also felt that they were just a pastime for Emperor Zhengde. There is a magic machine battalion in the army. Naturally, Emperor Zhengde does not need to worry about the manufacture of these firearms. It seems that he didn't take it as a pastime.

On the same day, when Emperor Zhengde was returning home in high spirits, he suddenly said, "Go back to Xuanfu on the seventh day of the lunar new year?"

Jiang Bin nodded, and heard Emperor Zhengde close his fan and say, "Go together."

Jiang Bin thought of the tearful faces of Liang Chu and Jiang Mian, and his stomach hurt even more.

Three days later, the resolute Emperor Zhengde left a group of ministers who cried, made trouble and hanged himself, and officials who jumped to point and scold at him, and went straight to the Xuanfu with Jin Yiwei, his servant and mistress Jiang Bin.

The mountains and rivers of Xuanfu are disputed, and the land is dangerous and narrow. It is less than 28 miles to the capital.In the 14th year of Hongwu, the Taizu appointed the prince Zhu Su as the king of the valley, and he took over the Xuanfu, guarding this important border area.In the [-]th year of orthodoxy, Yingzong was captured during the civil engineering revolution, and Xuanfu was invaded by war and occupied by Wacha.Until Emperor Jing of the Ming Dynasty came to the throne, Yu Qianli rejected the proposal of moving to the south, stuck to the capital, personally fought against the Oirat army that was approaching the capital and repelled them, and the Ming army regained the border.

"If there was no Yu Shaobao at that time, there would not be the Xuanfu today." Emperor Zhengde rode on his bay red horse, looking at the border where the setting sun was like blood, and sighed, "It's a pity that those people who didn't need to exist, finally wanted him. life."

Jiang Bin also remembered the upright and upright general who died unjustly. Jiang Ziqing once said that the heights are not very cold, and the integrity of one person is not worth the gold of many mouths, let alone the suspicion of the emperor.Therefore, Jiang Bin often reminded himself, don't show your sharpness, and don't be proud of being favored.

When the two were sighing, Wang Ji, the commander of Wanquan who had received the order, and Li Shichun, the commander of the commander, had appeared in sight on horseback, but there were only a few followers behind them. Such a battle to welcome Emperor Zhengde is obviously a slight.

Commander Wang Ji led a group of people to dismount first to salute, and then said bluntly that Commander Wanquan was busy with work, and he and Li Shichun had given enough face to pick up Emperor Zhengde.The Wanquan Commander Division was established in the fifth year of Xuande, governing two prefectures, fifteen guards, two thousand households, five forts, and seven cities. It is true that the military affairs are complicated, but it is not appropriate for the emperor to come to the military parade in person. courtesy.

Emperor Zhengde didn't mind, and after saying a few words of condolence, he went to the Xuanfu teaching ground under the guidance of the two.The invasions of various ministries in the Northern Yuan Dynasty mostly entered from the border of Xuanfu, so there have always been many troops stationed in Xuanfu.As an important military base, the teaching ground of Xuanfu, the mother-in-law of Datong, and the city wall of Jizhen are also known as the "three wonders" of this dynasty.The Xuanfu teaching ground was built in the early years of Hongxi. It is located more than one mile outside Changping Gate. The houses and walls are all made of bricks and stones. There are the official halls of the generals of each battalion.

Emperor Zhengde stood on the military parade platform at this time, looking down at the hundreds of people scattered below with the autumn wind blowing.The command envoy Wang Jiyan who didn't even pour a cup of tea for Emperor Zhengde said succinctly that he hadn't seen the dispatch order or seal letter from the Ministry of War, nor had he received any official documents from the higher authorities. Even if Emperor Zhengde came in person, he could only invite these hundred people Come to accompany his old man for a walk.

Emperor Zhengde was not annoyed after hearing this: "Then please ask Commander Wang to play against Li Tongzhi!"

Wang Ji respectfully said that he and Li Shichun wore a pair of trousers since they were young, and knew each other's tactics and strategies well. This kind of drill really doesn't make much sense.Emperor Zhengde looked bitterly, and looked at Jiang Bin beside him eagerly, Jiang Bin could only bite the bullet and said: "Please ask the king to borrow troops from me..."

Wang Ji and Li Shichun looked at each other, as if they felt that Emperor Zhengde and the "Ning Xing" beside him were too easy to talk to.After Emperor Zhengde gave Jiang Bin some instructions, he and his fellow commander Li Shichun went aside to rest.

Jiang Bin was the commander of the Weizhou Guard at the beginning, and he was neglected because of his poor family background. If the Beijing army was not in good shape and the border army was transferred to suppress the rebel army, he might never have a bright future.However, after he became the governor of the left, he did not have the opportunity to lead troops after he was appointed as a first-rank official. He usually watched the Beijing army's drills, and now he finally had the opportunity to perform.

The [-] soldiers were divided into two battalions, the commander Wang Ji led a battalion to pretend to be Mongolian soldiers, and Jiang Bin led a battalion to pretend to be Ming soldiers.

The two battalions faced each other, and Emperor Zhengde waved on the military parade platform: "Beat the drum!"

The soldiers immediately blew their horns, and the drums sounded like thunder.

The "Mongolian soldiers" led by Wang Ji took the lead in attacking.Jiang Bin on the opposite side was not in a hurry to deal with it, and he still lined up and waited solemnly.When the "Mongolian soldiers" rushed to less than one mile away, Jiang Binfang waved the military flag.The cavalry in the first row immediately retreated after receiving the signal, revealing the three rows of soldiers holding firearms hiding behind them.

With an order, the first row of soldiers aimed at the "Mongolian soldiers" who were galloping on horses within the range and fired their firecrackers.Before the enemy could react, the soldiers holding the guns in the first row quickly retreated to the third row to load gunpowder and projectiles, and the soldiers holding the guns in the second row immediately filled up, and after another order was issued, a new round of gunfire was launched. attack.This round of bombings frustrated the morale of the "Mongolian Army". As soon as the "enemy general" ordered to adjust his formation to circumvent the attack range of the firecrackers, the troops were divided into two groups to outflank the Ming army's flanks, only to find that the left wing had been covered by the Ming army's cavalry at lightning speed. A hole was opened.This strategy of attacking from the east to the west made our army shattered, and the "enemy army" was cut off from the flanks.Jiang Bin did not give the opponent a chance to breathe, and led the soldiers to charge all the way, cutting the "enemy army" into several sections and annihilating them one by one.When all the dust settled, Jiang Bin begged to withdraw his troops.

Everyone was stunned, including Li Shichun, who had underestimated Jiang Bin before, and Wang Ji, who had become Jiang Bin's opponent.The ground was full of firecrackers filled with clay pellets that replaced lead bullets and iron bullets and did not cause much harm to people. This match ended quickly with a one-sided attitude, which was beyond everyone's expectations.

Emperor Zhengde looked at Jiang Bin with eyes full of approval. Although it was a tactic he ordered, Jiang Bin played it to the fullest.For such a result, Jiang Bin didn't show the pride of the winner, and didn't say anything on the scene. He just nodded at Wang Ji and got off his horse.

Wang Ji was stunned for a moment, and then returned a salute.

The friendship between the military officers is generally like this, and Jiang Bin can convince Wang Jishu, so there is an opportunity to cherish each other.When Emperor Zhengde was walking around, the two fell behind and chatted like each other. When Emperor Zhengde said that he wanted to rest, Wang Ji, who was impressed by Jiang Bin, had already invited Jiang Bin to his house as a guest. After talking, he remembered that there was another Zhengde. The Lord is on the sidelines.

Emperor Zhengde glanced at the slightly embarrassed Wang Ji: "I still have something to do with Zuo Dudu, and I will not bother you until tomorrow."

Wang Ji breathed a sigh of relief, and answered a few questions about Emperor Zhengde's daily military affairs, and sent Emperor Zhengde out of the teaching ground with Li Shichun.

Emperor Zhengde sat in a carriage and went to Xuanfu accompanied by Jin Yiwei and several old local officials.

On the way, he didn't forget to pat Jiang Bin on the shoulder and praised: "If you are the King of Yan, I will definitely step aside."

Jiang Bin was startled.Zhu Di, the fourth son of Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty, king of Yan, launched the Battle of Jingnan to seize the throne and changed his Yuan to Yongle.

He didn't know if Zhengde's words had ulterior motives, he was thinking about how to explain it in a futile way, but he heard Emperor Zhengde say: "Where is your uncle in the city?"

"North Gate."

Emperor Zhengde then rambled and changed the topic.

Built in the 27th year of Hongwu, Xuanfu City is six miles and thirteen steps on a side and twelve kilometers in circumference.

When Emperor Zhengde arrived at the north gate when the sky was dark, he saw only the closed doors of every house, the lights were sporadic and lifeless.

Emperor Zhengde got out of the car, looked around, he couldn't help but wondered, and asked the accompanying official why he was walking tremblingly, the old official knelt down and said "I am afraid", Jiang Bin couldn't stand it, and begged Emperor Zhengde to let him go back Rest.After the old man left, Jiang Bin finally couldn't help it, and said to Emperor Zhengde in a low voice: "The suspension bridge and the imperial moat have been in disrepair for a long time, and the people in Xuanfu City will be robbed by Tatars from time to time. Every time they raided from different directions, the frontier army was exhausted, and everyone was in danger, so they had to close the door early."

Xuanfu City no longer has the King Gu who guarded the vassal land in the past, nor does it have the peace and tranquility of the border in Yongle.Although fifteen camps and two thousand-household camps were set up here, because seven gates were closed at one time, every time tens of thousands of Tatars rushed over to loot by surprise, the guards on the turrets above the city had no time to notify them. The soldiers were also difficult to resist, and when the reinforcements arrived, the Tatars had already left.

"Today, when the emperor made his rounds, he gave orders and envoys. He had already made repeated reports, but he didn't get a response. He thought that the emperor ignored the people of the Xuanfu, so today..."

The Xuanfu, like Liaodong, has a capital commander and envoy, but no administrative envoy, and a criminal inspector. Therefore, the Xuanfu commander Wang Jiyu can directly report to the governor, the governor, and even the Emperor Zhengde if there are major events.Wang Ji is so negligent towards Emperor Zhengde today, not only because he is not happy to be flattered by nature, but also because the memorials he submitted to Emperor Zhengde about repairing the suspension bridge, cleaning up the imperial moat, setting up turrets, expanding the pass city, and sending more troops are still missing. So much so that he firmly believed that Emperor Zhengde was a faint emperor who was swayed by courtiers.

"Oh? But I've never seen this memorial."

Jiang Bin was taken aback, how could this memorial disappear out of thin air?

The two were silent for a moment with their own thoughts. Emperor Zhengde seemed unwilling to continue this topic, and took the lead in taking the lead, signaling Jiang Bin to continue leading the way.

Jiang Bin didn't say any more, and led Emperor Zhengde and several big Han generals and servants dressed as servants to go together with the occasional barking of dogs.

The road is getting more and more sideways, and the night is getting darker and darker.Occasionally a cloud covered the moon, making Xuanfu City look like a dying ghost town.

Just like this, I walked to a remote place with a few turns and turns, and a stone-paved path was carved out in front of the unpretentious door under the moonlight.Through the fence, I can vaguely see a few neat rows of leaf petals in the farmland in front of the house, with my head slightly lowered, resting peacefully under the moonlight.Emperor Zhengde just wanted to open his mouth to praise, but found something wrong.Fengshui is popular in this dynasty, and Xiangzhai has become a practice.It doesn't matter that the house in front of me is located in a remote place without seeing the mouth of the water, but it still faces the mountains behind the water, I always feel a little strange.

At this time, Jiang Bin was not in the mood to worry about what Emperor Zhengde was wondering. Standing in front of this familiar house after a long absence, he felt a feeling of closeness to his hometown.After Jiang Bin was promoted to Zuo Dudu, he thought about returning to his hometown many times.But this official position was not glorious, and the spread was unsightly. Naturally, it was impossible to beat the gongs and drums in front of the neighbors.What's more, what Jiang Bin expected to return home was just a compliment from his uncle.But these repeated rejections have already made him a little cold.I just hope that if I take the liberty to come here today, my uncle will not look coldly at him because of his old love.

Jiang Bin raised his hand to knock on the door. The sound of the tentative knock was very clear in the silent night, and every sound was on his heart.

After a while, Jiang Bin finally heard footsteps, and the latch was pushed open, revealing an old face after opening the door.

"Uncle...why is it you?"

The man surnamed Deng who was called uncle by Jiang Bin was a carpenter who lived nearby. His wife and daughter died of the disease, leaving him alone, often under the care of Jiang Bin and Jiang Ziqing.

"What? Your uncle didn't tell you?"

Jiang Bin only felt that his whole heart was severely pulled out and trampled into the mud.

Seeing Jiang Bin standing there blankly, Deng Bo guessed what was going on. He glanced at the Emperor Zhengde behind Jiang Bin, as well as the muscular burly man and the beardless handsome man. He let them all into the room and burned them. Then he took out a letter from under the pillow and handed it to Jiang Bin.

There is only a few sentences in the letter: "Life is shortened, it is worth what it is, and each has its own star."

Jiang Bin's hand holding the letter trembled a little. He read the letter several times before asking in a low voice, "Where did he go? When did he leave?"

Deng Bo sighed and said, "I've been away for a month, and I didn't say where I was going. I just taught me to watch here, and said that I will hand over the letter to you when you come back."

Jiang Bin looked at that line again and again, as if it was a scripture, and he couldn't understand it.

His uncle, the uncle who raised him, just walked away so cruelly?Don't give him any chance to make amends, and don't let him know whereabouts...

Deng Bo was illiterate, but seeing Jiang Bin's remorseful expression, he hurriedly comforted him: "You are away all year round, and you can't stay for a few days. I will let you know as soon as there is news."

Jiang Bin thanked Deng Bo, but he knew in his heart that after Jiang Ziqing left, he might not come back.

"What about the family letter? Have you received it?" Jiang Bin remembered that he had sent more than ten letters one after another.

Dumbledore shook his head vigorously.

Jiang Bin was puzzled, the latest letter was clearly sent by someone, and it should have arrived long ago, so how could there be no news?

Deng Bo thought that Jiang Bin had voted for a post station, and comforted him by saying that these letters would always be delayed, so Jiang Bin had to say a few perfunctory words.

Emperor Zhengde also seemed to notice the strangeness, and ate a few dry cakes with hot soup with a group of Jinyiwei and servants very well, and then arrested a magistrate to go outside for a night.

Jiang Bin wanted to follow, but was left behind by Emperor Zhengde. Jiang Bin thanked him and went back to his room.

On the simple bookshelf on the left side of the room are displayed volumes of books that have been turned to a slightly curled footer, with Jiang Ziqing's petty annotations interspersed between the lines.Hidden under the bed was the chessboard that was smashed with a corner missing and an inaccurately drawn map.On the right side is the carefully wrapped training weapon, which is not made of high-quality materials. Compared with today's knives, it is simply scrap copper and iron, but it has been with Jiang Bin for a long time. He still remembers that Jiang Ziqing How did the amiable appearance when he was taught him hand in hand, how did he become like this overnight?

Jiang Bin lay on his own bed, wrapped in a damp quilt that he hadn't used for a long time, and didn't close his eyes all night.

Early the next morning, Jiang Bin went to look for Emperor Zhengde with dark circles under his eyes. Emperor Zhengde saw his listless face, and after eating together, he took him, several Jin Yiwei and internal servants to the Commander Siyamen of Wanquandu.

Wanquan Commander Si Yamen is the most magnificent building in the Xuan Mansion besides the General’s Mansion.Emperor Zhengde, who was dressed in a very low-key manner, circled around the commander's yamen, until the neck of the gatekeeper who had been staring at the suspicious figure was almost pinned, and then he brought a few Jinyi guards and servants to the gate.

An accompanying servant first showed the official seal to the guard and asked him to go in and report.After a while, Wang Ji took Li Shichun and a group of subordinates out to greet him.

Emperor Zhengde didn't reveal his identity, he only went on a tour accompanied by Wang Ji and Li Shichun, Wang Ji's previous words were not all coping, and Wan Quan commanded Si Yamen to be too busy to accompany Emperor Zhengde in military training In addition to being in charge of the military administration, Wan Quandu commanded the envoys to take charge of the impeachment of a province's criminal names, rectify evil officials, suppress rape and violence, settle prison lawsuits, avenge injustices, and promote morality. Summarize and register the numbers and fields, educate the people, and supply the royal family, clan relatives, officials at all levels and military rations stationed in the province.

Emperor Zhengde enthusiastically visited the Confucianism Administration, History Administration, Classics and History Administration, Guerrilla Administration, and Military Weapons Administration on the left and right of the yamen, and then asked Wang Ji about the Xuanfu. Lift your feet and leave.Jiang Bin originally wanted to mention to Wang Ji that Emperor Zhengde had not received the memorial, but he was afraid that the matter would be left alone and make Wang Jikong happy, so he swallowed the words.

Jiang Bin followed Emperor Zhengde all the way, from the Commander of the Xuanfu Front Guard in the east of the Bell Tower to the Commander of the Xuanfu Left Guard in the west of Chaoyuan Guanxi, and then wandered to the Xuanfu Right Guard next to Shanggu Academy.The thirsty, energetic Emperor Zhengde stopped and said: "This Shanggu Academy was originally the Palace of the King of Gu. The King of Gu, Zhu Xi, was the No. 19 son of the Taizu. He first came to town in Xuanfu, and Houying was still the King of Yan at that time. Zhu Di, the founder of Zhu Di, made great achievements in Jinchuan, and moved to Changsha. Later, he was deposed as a commoner because of his attempted rebellion..." Emperor Zhengde looked at the academy, as if looking at a piece of dusty history: "Do you know where King Gu went wrong? ?”

"I don't know."

"His fault was not thorough." Emperor Zhengde said, "At the beginning, he didn't defend thoroughly. Seeing that the general situation was gone, he opened the Jinchuan Gate to welcome the king to accept the surrender. Later, he did not thoroughly. "

Jiang Bin was taken aback by Emperor Zhengde's words. If someone else said this, it would be outrageous. He didn't know what Emperor Zhengde wanted to imply.I was still thinking about it, but I heard the report from the servant who had just been dismissed by Emperor Zhengde that the Dutch firearms ordered by Emperor Zhengde to be traded had arrived near the Great Wall of Xuanfu.The excited Emperor Zhengde immediately pulled Jiang Bin excitedly to pick up his Hongyi cannon, and Jiang Bin understood the purpose of Emperor Zhengde's visit to Xuanfu.

A piece of red cloth was covered on the Hongyi cannon surrounded by several Jinyi guards in the suburbs. Emperor Zhengde lifted the red cloth and looked as excited as if he had seen a newlywed.This Hongyi cannon has a long barrel and a thick wall, with the cylindrical lugs on both sides of the center of gravity of the cannon as the axis, and the firing angle can be adjusted. for precise.The most worth mentioning is the range of the Hongyi Cannon.Nowadays, even the firecrackers used by Shenji Battalion have a maximum range of only three miles, and there is a danger of explosion.But this Hongyi cannon, which is less than three meters long, can easily hit a target eight or nine miles away...

The excited Emperor Zhengde fondly touched the Hongyi cannon, but finally couldn't bear it anymore, and decided to try the power of this "newly married woman" immediately.Today, all the attendants who followed were speechless, and those who could control the Emperor Zhengde stayed in the palace. Jiang Bin couldn't persuade him a few words, but let the few guards in Jinyi adjust to be carried by cars under the command of Emperor Zhengde. The angle of the Hongyi cannon, filled with gunpowder, fired a cannon in the direction of Mongolia outside the Great Wall.There was an earth-shaking bang, and then, Emperor Zhengde, who had plugged his ears, looked at the smoke and dust in the distance that hadn't dissipated for a long time and smiled very complacently.

Although Jiang Bin had some research on firearms, he had never seen one with such power, so he was naturally excited.

If the Ming army had this thing, wouldn't it be invincible?

A gust of wind whizzed past the sand and dust outside, and Emperor Zhengde squinted his eyes and looked at the unmoving Lianlian in the distance: "Jiang Bin, you and I have witnessed this extraordinary moment together. From now on..." He grinned , "You and I are friends."