My aunt is Queen Ma

Chapter 56 Heroes Can Be Discussed Even Without Wine

“Bo Ren is reckless. What about Li Wenzhong? Didn’t we send him to assist Bo Ren? Why didn’t we stop him?”

Zhu Yuanzhang was furious; that was an army of 90,000!

Any mishap would be a huge loss for the Ming Dynasty.

Not to mention the chain reaction after failure.

Although Chang Yuchun's memorial detailed the military deployment plan, it seemed feasible.

But it's only on the surface.

He dared not think about what might happen if there were even the slightest mistake.

The key point is that he believes there is absolutely no need to take the risk.

With its high walls and abundant grain reserves for over a decade, the Ming Dynasty had gained a significant advantage, allowing it to dominate the world.

According to the plan, unifying the world and then marching out of the pass with overwhelming force would ensure victory.

He thought it was too foolish to take risks when he had a significant advantage.

Empress Ma was also very anxious, but she still pretended to be calm and comforted her:
"Although Bo Ren was reckless, he was not ignorant of military strategy, and Si Ben was a meticulous person."

"The two of them must be very confident of victory to do this."

"We are in the rear and do not know the situation on the front line. We should not make wild guesses so as not to disrupt the morale of the troops."

Zhu Yuanzhang knew perfectly well that she was trying to comfort him, but he just sighed and said:

"We can't blame Siben entirely; only Tiande can control Boren's temper."

"Oh, it's all our fault, it's all our fault."

"Knowing Bo Ren's temperament, they still let him take command and guard Beiping."

Empress Ma was at a loss for words to offer comfort.

Consort Chang was also very anxious. Although she didn't know much about military affairs, she was good at reading people's expressions.

The fact that both the emperor and empress were so worried clearly indicated that their father was being too reckless and might be getting into trouble.

She wanted to plead for her father, but didn't know how to start.

Xu Miaoyun wanted to offer comfort, but the oppressive atmosphere made her hesitant to speak.

Just then, a palace attendant cautiously reported that Zhu Shuang and Ma Yu requested an audience.

Empress Ma couldn't help but wonder what they were doing there, so she let them in.

When Zhu Shuang and Ma Yu arrived at the main hall, they sensed that something was amiss.

The main reason is that Zhu Yuanzhang's face was so long it could be used as a shoe insole; anyone who isn't blind could see it.

Zhu Shuang was still wondering who had angered him so much.
Ma Yu had already guessed that this timeframe was most likely when Chang Yuchun and Li Wenzhong went beyond the Great Wall.

After exchanging greetings, Zhu Shuang cautiously asked, "Mother, who made Father angry?"

Empress Ma sighed, "Your cousin and Chang Yuchun."

Zhu Shuang was about to ask them what was wrong when Ma Yu spoke first:
"Handmaster Chang and General Li have gone beyond the Great Wall?"

Upon hearing this, everyone turned to look at him in shock.

Only Zhu Shuang looked completely bewildered. What? They went beyond the Great Wall?

Zhu Yuanzhang, forgetting his anger, pressed on, asking:

"How did you know?"

The intelligence he possessed was delivered by express courier, which could be said to be faster than anything else.

Moreover, he came to Kunning Palace as soon as he received the intelligence, without telling anyone outside the palace.

How did Ma Yu find out?
Ma Yu shrugged and said, "I guessed it would be like this from the moment you assigned the two of them to guard Beiping."

"A guess?" Zhu Yuanzhang frowned, naturally disbelieving.

Ma Yu said, "Personality determines behavior. If you understand the personalities of Marshal Chang and General Li, it's not hard to guess what they will do."

Zhu Yuanzhang retorted, "Bo Ren is impulsive by nature, so it's not surprising that you can see that."

"Kesiben has always been cautious and thoughtful. How did you figure that out?"

Ma Yu replied, "Because he is a young man, and a young man who has achieved early success."

"Young people have their own kind of pride."

"Given his current status, what could be more appealing to him than becoming Huo Qubing?"

"If he were alone, he most likely wouldn't have done that."

"But with Commander Chang encouraging them from the sidelines..."

"No, it doesn't necessarily require any encouragement. I reckon that as soon as Commander Chang mentioned it, he readily agreed."

Leaving the Great Wall? Huo Qubing?

Zhu Shuang couldn't help but gape: "You mean, Commander Chang and General Li have gone to the grasslands?"

Ma Yu shrugged and said, "It's obvious."

Zhu Shuang exclaimed in shock, "This... how is this possible?"

On the other hand, Zhu Yuanzhang still found it unbelievable; Li Wenzhong didn't seem like an impulsive person at all.

But Ma Yu never lies, and this time he had indeed guessed the truth first, which made him have no choice but to believe it.

I raised Li Wenzhong myself, I never expected him to have this side to him.

At this moment, Empress Ma interjected with the question she was most concerned about:
What do you think the outcome of this battle will be?

Zhu Yuanzhang, Consort Chang, and Xu Miaoyun all looked at him as if his words represented the final outcome.

Ma Yu said with certainty, "They are advancing with unstoppable momentum. I estimate that they will be able to take Shangdu in about twenty days, or at most thirty days."

For some reason, Consort Chang felt a sense of relief.

Empress Ma asked with some surprise, "You have so much confidence in them?"

Ma Yu said, "That's for sure. Among all the generals of the Ming Dynasty, only these two are capable of accomplishing this feat."

"This time, the two of them will act together again, and there is absolutely no chance that they will fail."

Xu Miaoyun's eyes flickered a few times, and she felt slightly unhappy.

Where do you put my father when you say that?

But she didn't dare to voice her doubts, and could only mutter to herself that Ma Yu was nothing special.

Zhu Yuanzhang fell into deep thought, and after a long while, he surprisingly agreed, saying:
"What you say makes sense."

"Other generals either lack the courage, the ability, or are too cautious."

"Only Bo Ren has both the courage and the ability."

"With Li Wenzhong added to the mix, they are indeed extremely confident in this operation."

"But... it's still too risky."

Ma Yu disagreed, saying, "Your Majesty is being too cautious. Sometimes, it's necessary to take risks."

"This battle can buy the Ming Dynasty at least ten years and save countless manpower and resources."

"Moreover, the Ming Dynasty will eventually send troops to the grasslands, but many generals will have concerns about leaving their familiar environment and fighting on someone else's home ground."

"This battle can also set an example for our generals, showing them that even on the grasslands, the Mongols are no match for us."

"On the contrary, our army roams freely across the grasslands as if they were in an empty land, which will be a major blow to the morale of the Mongols."

"The difference between the two can have a huge impact."

Zhu Shuang finally snapped out of his shock and sighed with regret:

"Oh dear, if only I had gone to Beiping too. I missed this battle. What a pity!"

Everyone simply ignored him.

Zhu Yuanzhang was naturally not easily persuaded, but he did not argue with Ma Yu. Instead, he said:

"You seem to know quite a bit about the generals of the Ming Dynasty."

Ma Yu smiled and said, "I only know about the more important civil and military officials."

Zhu Yuanzhang immediately became interested and asked:

"Oh, then you give us your opinion. We'd like to hear your thoughts on them."

Ma Yu did not speak, but merely glanced at the eunuchs around him.

Empress Ma immediately said, "You may all leave."

The eunuchs quickly withdrew, but Consort Chang and Xu Miaoyun were left behind.

Ma Yu then asked, "Whom does Your Majesty wish me to critique?"

Zhu Yuanzhang casually replied, "Heavenly Virtue."

Ma Yu pondered for a moment and said, "The number one military figure in the Ming Dynasty, and the most meritorious founding general."

"He is cautious and humble, dislikes court infighting, and his weakness is that he is too concerned with stability."

Xu Miaoyun's lips involuntarily curled up, and the little grudge in her heart instantly disappeared.

Ma Yu isn't entirely ignorant; he knows how powerful my father is.

Zhu Yuanzhang raised an eyebrow. Everything else was easy to discuss; it was something everyone already knew.

However, not many people know that he dislikes court infighting.

It seems that his claim of having extensive knowledge of the generals of the Ming Dynasty was not unfounded.

This piqued his interest even more, and he asked again:
"How is Feng Sheng?"

Ma Yu recalled the historical records about Feng Sheng and said:
"General Feng has extremely strong military capabilities, but he is quite competitive and has a poor temperament, making him prone to making mistakes. He needs to be constantly reminded and disciplined."

He guessed correctly again, and Zhu Yuanzhang had no choice but to believe him this time. After pondering for a moment, he suddenly said:

"How did you know?"

Ma Yu smiled and said, "My elders once commented on the heroes of the world, and I vaguely remember some of them."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, confirming his suspicions.
"So how did your elders evaluate us?" Ma Yu pondered for a moment and said, "The only ones who gained the world were Zhu and Chen."

Zhu Yuanzhang's outward expression remained unchanged, but inwardly he was overjoyed and had grown even more appreciative of his elder, Ma Yu.

Look at what good taste really means.

They saw long ago that we were destined to conquer the world.

As for being ranked alongside Chen Youliang, he didn't see any problem with it.

Although he was the victor, he still acknowledged the strength of his opponent, Chen Youliang.

But if he were to be placed alongside figures like Zhang Shicheng, he would fly into a rage and hurl insults.

At this moment, Empress Ma interjected and asked:

"If that's the case, why don't your elders choose one to serve?"

Ma Yu countered, "Whom should we serve?"

Empress Ma immediately fell silent. If they surrendered to Chen Youliang, the Ming Dynasty might not exist.

Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but secretly rejoice that his elders hadn't chosen to take sides.

Ma Yu then added, "Both sides are Han Chinese, and my elders do not want to help the Han Chinese to slaughter other Han Chinese."

Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma did not agree with this view. Wouldn't it be better to join forces with one side and end the chaos sooner?

Moreover, if they had sided with one side earlier, the family would most likely not have been destroyed.

But they would never say that.

After all, Ma Yu's elders might serve anyone.

Since they are not all going to the Ming Dynasty, it's best to let them stick to their principles and not take sides.

Empress Ma asked again, "Have your elders ever commented on Mr. Song?"

Ma Yu nodded and said, "He is the leading scholar of our time, and a devout gentleman."

He had actually said this in prison.

Zhu Yuanzhang, however, had a different opinion: "Although I have never met your elders, I can see from you that your talent far surpasses that of Song Lian."

Ma Yu neither admitted nor refuted it, which others interpreted as tacit acceptance.

But no one thought he was arrogant; on the contrary, they thought his family was too humble.

Despite possessing such profound knowledge, he still consistently praises others in this way.

At this moment, Zhu Yuanzhang had a sudden thought and said, "What about Liu Bowen?"

Empress Ma's heart skipped a beat, and she looked at Ma Yu with worry, fearing that he might say something inappropriate.

Ma Yu thought for a moment and said, "A capable minister, but not pure."

Empress Ma breathed a sigh of relief. Although it wasn't a particularly good evaluation, everyone knew that he wasn't pure.

So it's not particularly bad.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded and continued, "What about Wang Guangyang?"

After a moment of reflection, Ma Yu said, "His loyalty is commendable, but he is ambitious yet lacks talent."

"A good prime minister is not necessarily a good one in times of peace, but he is not capable of shouldering great responsibilities in times of chaos."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded again. This assessment was similar to his own, otherwise he would have appointed Wang Guangyang as prime minister long ago.

"Has anyone commented on Yang Xian?"

Ma Yu didn't think much this time and said directly:

"Cruel officials can be used but not trusted."

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned slightly; this was completely different from what he had expected, but he did not refute it and continued to ask:

Where is Gao Qi?

Ma Yu thought carefully before remembering who this person was, and said:
"Aloof and superior."

Then Zhu Yuanzhang asked several more people, and even people from other factions.

For example, Zhang Dingbian, Mao Gui, and others.

Ma Yu could recall whose work it was and gave brief comments on each one.

If you don't remember, just answer "I don't know".

Even so, it still alarmed Zhu Yuanzhang.

Because, apart from a few individuals whose images did not match Zhu Yuanzhang's perception, all of those he commented on were almost identical.

It is evident that his elders had indeed done a thorough analysis of all the powerful figures.

Putting everything else aside, just based on his understanding of so many people, he could easily disrupt the situation by joining any of them.

This made Zhu Yuanzhang even more relieved; thankfully, they hadn't taken sides.

Thinking of this, Zhu Yuanzhang asked again:

"How is Li Shanchang?"

This time, Ma Yu remained silent for a long time without giving an answer.

Empress Ma's heart skipped a beat. Could it be a bad comment?
Zhu Yuanzhang frowned involuntarily and urged:
Why don't you say?

Ma Yu slowly shook her head and said, "I don't remember."

Zhu Yuanzhang's expression froze, and he angrily said, "You're lying."

Ma Yu's expression remained unchanged as he said, "I really don't remember."

Zhu Yuanzhang was about to press further when Empress Ma interrupted:
"Your Majesty, please calm down. It's normal that he doesn't remember so many people."

"Why don't you let him go back and think it over? It's not too late to tell you when he has an idea."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked into her pleading eyes and his heart softened. He said:
"Alright, alright, let's not ask anymore."

"I still have official business to attend to, so I'll be leaving now..."

After saying that, he stood up and left.

As she watched his figure disappear, Empress Ma let out a long sigh.

Then she said to Consort Chang and Xu Miaoyun:

"You guys go out first."

The two women naturally knew the reason and quickly left the main hall.

After they left, Empress Ma said solemnly:
"Tell me, how did your elders evaluate Bai Shi?"

This time, Ma Yu did not lie and said:
"Exceptionally capable, but arrogant and narrow-minded."

Empress Ma pressed further, "Anything else?"

Ma Yu paused for a moment, then slowly said, "Disloyalty."

Empress Ma's face turned pale instantly, and her body swayed slightly.

Zhu Shuang quickly stepped forward to support her and said to Ma Yu:

"How could that be? Although Prime Minister Li is arrogant, he is loyal to my father. How could he be disloyal?"

Ma Yu said, "In the twenty-sixth year of the Zhizheng era, His Majesty decided to send troops to eliminate Zhang Shicheng and sought the opinions of his ministers for this purpose."

"The military officers were all eager to fight, but the civil officials were ambiguous in their attitude, and many even opposed going to war."

"If I remember correctly, Li Shanchang did not support the decision to send troops at that time."

Zhu Shuang asked, puzzled, "Isn't it normal for him to have different opinions? How can you say he's disloyal?"

Ma Yu said, "Others may not support him, but he is the head of the civil officials and your father's greatest strategist."

"Moreover, with his talent, he couldn't possibly fail to see that Zhang Shicheng must be destroyed before he could gain control of the country."

"He didn't support your father at the crucial moment. Can you guess why?"

Zhu Shuang asked, "Why?"

Ma Yu said, "Because..."

"Alright, that's enough," Empress Ma interrupted him, saying:

"What you've said is all speculation; how can you conclude that the whole household is disloyal based on that?"

Ma Yu did not refute, but lowered her head and said:
"Yes, these are indeed just speculations from my elders. There is no evidence, and it is possible that they are wrong."

Zhang Shicheng was most skilled at using spies and liked to win people's hearts with money, while Li Shanchang was very greedy for money.

Moreover, Zhang Shicheng treated scholars well, making him the best candidate for monarch in the eyes of intellectuals.

If scholars were to decide who rules the world, they would undoubtedly choose Zhang Shicheng.

That's why so many civil officials remained silent or even opposed Zhu Yuanzhang's plan to attack Zhang Shicheng.

However, it is understandable that others would object.

Li Shanchang's silence seemed too strange.

Although there is no evidence to prove that he received money from Zhang Shicheng, this seems to be the only reasonable explanation.

Empress Ma had never considered this possibility before, after all, she never doubted Li Shanchang's loyalty.

But now that Ma Yu had reminded her, how could she not have doubts?

However, she still refused to believe this reasoning.

Things have come to this point, and it's no longer appropriate to continue the conversation.

The main reason was that Empress Ma didn't want to say anything, so she chased the two of them out.

As they walked out of the main hall, they were greeted by Consort Chang and Xu Miaoyun.

Ignoring their probing gazes, he simply told them to go and keep Empress Ma company.

The two women dared not ask any more questions and carefully went to the main hall to take care of Empress Ma.

Afterwards, Ma Yu and Zhu Shuang left the palace and returned to the Ma residence.

(End of this chapter)