Changbai Mountain, a sacred mountain for the Manchus, is crowned with white pumice stones and snow, as well as a beautiful Tianchi. The water in the pond is bluer than the sky in the summer and as white as snow in the winter. It is the source of the Songhua River, the Yalu River and the Tumen River, and the Manjiang River and the Jinjiang River on its western slope are the sources of the Songhua River.

The river flows along the western slope, the shore is full of dense forests, and the sound of birds and birds comes and goes, a vibrant scene. About 100 miles west from the source, the Manjiang River suddenly made a big bend and flowed into a valley. Surrounded by mountains, this valley provides shelter from the cold winter winds and plenty of water, making it an excellent place to hide soldiers. Below it is a mountain stream from which the river flows, and only a few horses can travel along the bank. As long as rolling logs and stones are set up on the mountain, even thousands of troops will not be able to attack it.

The valley was dotted with tents, and it was roughly estimated that thousands of people had set up camp here, and they came and went by sturdy Jurchens, often bare-chested, dressed in coarse cloth, carrying bows and arrows behind their backs, and holding weapons such as axes and maces, and very few using single knives as weapons. The Jurchens are not very hygienic, and with thousands of people gathered together, the air is filled with a smell of sweat mixed with the stench of feces, which makes people sick, but the Jurchens are accustomed to it and do not think it is strange.

In the middle of the camp is a slightly larger tent, in which two people sit on the main seat, the one on the left is stout, but there is a bookish air, it is Li Zhongzhong, the king of Qinghai in Korea; The person on the right is burly, but there is a cunning aura between his eyebrows, and he is the fierce brother Timur, the leader of the Jianzhou Jurchens. And in front of them, kneeling was Alkhatu, who had returned from the mission.

"Alhatu, do you think Li Yuan believes what you say?"

"Back to the King of Qinghai, this little one can't be seen, but Li Yuan is very cautious and didn't make a decision immediately, and even when the little one came back, he also sent people to follow us, intending to find our camp."

"But don't worry, adults, after entering the mountain, they will be dumped by the small ones."

"Hmm!" Li Zhongzhong's complexion was slightly flat, and he looked back at Brother Meng: "Brother, what do you think?" Will Li Yuan be tricked? ”

Brother Meng Timur frowned, and said respectfully: "Big brother, this slave of Alhatu is still very shrewd, and there should be no flaws, but the Ming army now has an advantage, and they may not be willing to take risks." I heard that the emperor had a will, and if the loss was too great, the leading generals would be punished. ”

"This Ming Emperor is really a woman's benevolence, how can he not die in a war? And there are so many Ming people, what's the big deal about how many die? The foolish brother really doesn't understand. ”

"If the eldest brother doesn't understand, the younger brother doesn't understand!"

"Alas, Brother Xian, if the Ming army doesn't get hit, what should we do?"

"I'm afraid," Brother Meng's Timur sighed slightly: "Maybe we have to go further north, we can't stay here!" ”

"Yes, when the Mongol army withdraws, our little people are no match for the Ming army at all."

"yes." Brother Meng Timur said in a low voice.

"Brother Fool is a little worried about the emperor's side, I heard that Seoul was breached, and the emperor fled alone, I don't know what is happening now?"

"Big brother, rest assured, the emperor will be blessed with great fortune, and he will definitely be able to be in trouble." Brother Meng's Timur said expressionlessly.

"Hehe," Li Zhongzhong shook his head, patted Brother Meng's shoulder and said, "Brother Xian, I know that you have a knot in your heart for the emperor, and you feel that the emperor abandoned us at the beginning. But we also have to understand the emperor, he had no way at that time. Besides, my Li family has been loyal to the emperor since my father, and my foolish brother was named the king of Qinghai, and you were named the king of the West Sea, and now the emperor is in danger, you and I must work together to be loyal to the emperor and repel the Ming army! ”

"The eldest brother is too worried, and the younger brother is the only one who looks ahead!"

"Well, Brother Fool knows, you are a person who values love and righteousness, and it is difficult for you!" As he spoke, Li Zhongzhong patted Brother Meng's Timur on the shoulder heavily, and said with a smile: "Brother, I'm going back, Mahamu is still waiting for news, and you will send Alhatu to Tonghua in two days to see if there is still a chance!" ”

"Well, little brother understands!"

Meng's brother Timur personally sent Li Zhongzhong out of the valley, and the two parted in tears.

After returning to the big tent, the fierce brother Timur asked Alhatu about the envoy again, and then was silent for a while before saying: "Alhatu, do you think the Ming army will be fooled?" ”

"Little ones don't know!"

"Hehe, then do you think Li Fangyuan still has hope?"

"This, the little one doesn't dare to say!"

"Alas, it's a pity that Emperor Ming's conditions are too harsh, otherwise, I ......" Brother Meng's brother Timur shook his head and sighed.

Alhatu lowered his head and did not dare to speak.

For a time, there was an atmosphere of decadence and despair in the big tent......

Beijing, the Empress Dowager's dormitory.

"Queen Mother, are you angry?" Zhu Yunwen asked for peace with some apprehension.

"It's nothing, my mother is not an unreasonable person, you are the emperor, you have your ambitions, Yun Xi, as your younger brother, should naturally help you."

"Alas, my mother can understand best, and I can't help it. If I don't divide the seals, I can't show my determination. Hundreds of thousands of troops were recruited to march north, and there was no room for any mistakes. ”

"Well, my mother can understand." Empress Dowager Lu looked at her son's slightly pale face, and sighed: "Yun Wei, you have been too tired recently, you should pay more attention to your body, but don't be like your father......"

"My son understands that my son still has a lot of things to do, and when this time is over, when the Northeast settles down, my son will return to Beijing, and he won't be so busy at that time."

Empress Dowager Lu hesitated for a moment, withdrew everyone, and then said, "Yun Wei, my mother has always wanted to ask you, what do you want to do?" ”

"What's wrong? Why did my mother suddenly ask about this? ”

"Hehe," Empress Dowager Lu smiled bitterly and said: "Yun Wei, in fact, my mother came to Beijing this time, not all for Yun Xi's affairs, and there are still some things to talk to you about." ”

"Mother, please say, my son listens!"

"Yun Wei, my mother has been in the deep palace for a long time, and I don't understand many things, but my mother doesn't understand, why do you want to alienate Confucians like Mr. Huang and Mr. Fang?"

"No, I let Mr. Fang manage the Guozijian, and Mr. Huang served as the political envoy of Henan, both of which are of great use."

"You!" Empress Dowager Lu paused: "Yun Wei, do you know how disappointed you are for the courtiers?" ”

"Disappointed?"

"Your era name is Jianwen, this is what the courtiers expect from you. However, after you ascended the throne, you repeatedly raised troops, expeditions to barren lands, and even conquered Korea, a country that was not conquered by Taizu; In addition, the sea was banned, and customs were set up to encourage trade; Staying away from Confucianism, revising the imperial examination system, and advocating arithmetic, law, physics, chemistry and other miscellaneous studies, the atmosphere of the Guozijian changed greatly, and the prisoners were proud of miscellaneous studies. ”

Listening to Empress Dowager Lu's slightly accusatory and slightly angry words, Zhu Yunwen felt nothing, and even snickered a little.

Seeing his appearance, Empress Dowager Lu couldn't help but feel a little angry: "Yun Wei, if you do this, aren't you afraid of the historians of later generations?" ”

"Hehe, I'm not afraid," Zhu Yunwen smiled, looked at the Empress Dowager Lu, and said word by word: "Empress Dowager, I feel that the people of Daming are living too hard, and I want everyone in Daming to be fed and clothed; Moreover, I also want the territory of the Ming Dynasty to expand to the end of the sky and the sea, so that the whole world will be filled with my people of the Ming Dynasty. ”

"As long as I've done this, what's so terrible about me?"

"You! You! Empress Dowager Lu was stunned for a long time, and said: "Yun Wei, you are already the Son of Heaven, the so-called Sihaizi is not the king's land, and the shore of the land is not the king's minister, what are you not satisfied with?" ”

"Queen Mother, this is just the nonsense of those vassal countries that deceive people, how can the Queen Mother still take it seriously? If this is the case, why does Li Fangyuan call him emperor? Why don't you come to me and confess your sin? ”

"This," Empress Dowager Lu shook her head: "Do you still have to fight all the time and completely destroy Mongolia before you are willing?" ”

"Yes!"

"But," Empress Dowager Lu didn't know how to say it, so she had to say: "What Emperor Taizu can't do, do you think you can do it?" ”

"Of course! I believe I can! Zhu Yunwen said in a deep voice.

……

The exchange between Zhu Yunwen and Empress Dowager Lu broke up unhappily, but Empress Dowager Lu's words made him realize that he seemed to have neglected something, that is, education.