After the "Tumu Crisis" occurred, Emperor Jingtai, Zhu Qiyu, ascended the throne. Subsequently, the leader of the Oirat Mongols, Esen, led his army to attack Beijing. Emperor Jingtai then promoted the court official Yu Qian to Minister of War, tasking him with fully defending the city of Beijing.
Yu Qian was a native of Qiantang, Zhejiang, born into an official family and receiving a fine education from a young age. Highly gifted and diligent in his studies, at twelve he wrote the timeless poem "Song of Lime," with the famous lines "I fear not even being ground to dust, so long as I leave my purity in the world," revealing his extraordinary ambition. At twenty-three, he passed the imperial examination to become a jinshi, thus beginning his official career.
Yu Qian was exceptionally talented and highly valued by successive emperors. After Emperor Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Zhanji, ascended the throne, Prince Han Zhu Gaoxu plotted a rebellion. When Zhu Gaoxu was captured, the emperor ordered Yu Qian to enumerate his crimes one by one. Yu Qian was an eloquent speaker, and at that moment, he stood with righteous indignation, his voice stern and his expression fierce, berating Zhu Gaoxu so harshly that the prince lay prostrate on the ground, trembling like a leaf.
Emperor Xuanzong was very pleased with this, and subsequently sent Yu Qian to inspect Jiangxi. During his time in Jiangxi, Yu Qian overturned several wrongful convictions and reported cases of soldiers harassing civilians. Due to his outstanding performance, Yu Qian was later promoted again, taking the position of Vice Minister of War.
After Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Qizhen, ascended the throne, he showed great favor to the eunuch Wang Zhen. Wang Zhen's influence in the court continued to expand, and court officials flocked to bribe him, with Yu Qian being the only exception. Well-meaning colleagues advised Yu Qian not to go empty-handed, suggesting that even if he didn't offer silver, he should at least send some local specialties as gifts to Wang Zhen. Yu Qian, however, shook his sleeves and said, "I have nothing but the wind in my sleeves." The phrase "two sleeves of clear wind," often used in later generations to describe an incorruptible official, originated from this story.
Yu Qian's maverick behavior angered Wang Zhen, but at the time, the "Three Yangs"—Yang Shiqi, Yang Rong, and Yang Pu—were still in court assisting with state affairs, and they all held Yu Qian in high regard. Intimidated by their authority, Wang Zhen, though deeply resentful of Yu Qian, dared not retaliate against him. However, after the "Three Yangs" either passed away or retired, one after another leaving the court, Wang Zhen began to secretly take revenge on Yu Qian.
Wang Zhen instructed his henchmen to falsely accuse Yu Qian, imprisoning him and sentencing him to death. Because Yu Qian was honest and upright during his official career and deeply loved by the people, the news immediately sparked widespread public outrage. Officials and commoners alike submitted petitions pleading for Yu Qian's life, and Wang Zhen, pressured by public opinion, had no choice but to release him without charge. Subsequently, Yu Qian was demoted and sent to serve as a local official in various places. It was not until the eve of the Tumu Crisis that Emperor Yingzong of Ming recalled him to the capital and appointed him as Vice Minister of War.
Before Emperor Yingzong personally led the campaign, Yu Qian repeatedly submitted memorials urging him not to go, but was ultimately unable to persuade the emperor. When news of the Tumu Crisis reached the capital after Yingzong was captured, many court officials proposed moving the capital south to Nanjing. Yu Qian strongly opposed this, arguing that the capital was the heart of the nation; if it fell, the country's demise would be imminent. He insisted that if the Ming Dynasty did not want to repeat the mistakes of the Song Dynasty, it absolutely could not relocate the capital.
At that time, the prince regent Zhu Qiyu, known as the Prince of Cheng, firmly sided with Yu Qian and appointed him as the supreme commander of the defense of Beijing. Since the main force of the capital's army had been completely annihilated at the Battle of Tumu Fortress, only 100,000 troops remained in Beijing, most of whom were elderly and frail, clearly unable to resist the elite cavalry of the Oirat Mongols.
Under these circumstances, Yu Qian on one hand recruited a large number of soldiers within the capital, and on the other hand mobilized nearby reserve troops to converge on Beijing. Before long, 200,000 troops had gathered in the capital, ready to meet the attack of the Oirat army. Zhu Qiyu greatly appreciated Yu Qian and promoted him to Minister of War.
At this time, the ministers submitted memorials one after another, demanding severe punishment for the remaining followers of Wang Zhen, the chief culprit behind the "Tumu Crisis." Yu Qian, acting on imperial orders, confiscated Wang Zhen's property, while Wang Zhen's associates, such as Ma Shun, were dragged into the court by the enraged ministers and beaten to death on the spot. Afterwards, Yu Qian ordered Ma Shun's corpse to be paraded through the streets, which dealt a heavy blow to the eunuch faction within the imperial court.
After Emperor Yingzong was captured, the court officials consistently sought to establish Prince Zhu Qiyu of Cheng as the new emperor. However, Zhu Qiyu, feeling fearful in his heart, repeatedly declined. Later, through the persuasion of Yu Qian, Zhu Qiyu finally agreed and ascended the throne as Emperor Jingtai.
Next, Yu Qian began mobilizing the people of the capital to repair the city's defensive walls and organized both soldiers and civilians to transport large quantities of grain from Tongzhou to prepare for wartime needs. At the same time, Yu Qian ordered a large number of craftsmen to work day and night, producing vast amounts of armor and weapons. Yu Qian submitted a memorial to the Jingtai Emperor, outlining his defense plans, and the Jingtai Emperor accepted each one.
A month later, Esen led the Oirat army south to attack Beijing. Yu Qian ordered several senior generals to command 200,000 troops, each defending one of the nine major gates of Beijing, and personally oversaw the battle.
Esen specifically brought Emperor Yingzong of Ming along on this campaign, expecting the Ming army to be intimidated, but the reality was quite different. Esen first used the emperor as a hostage to extort money and goods, then demanded negotiations with Yu Qian, only to be rejected on both counts. Seeing that Beijing was as impenetrable as an iron bucket, not even a fly could get in, the Oirat army suffered repeated defeats, and Esen nearly lost all confidence to continue the attack.
However, Esen was ultimately unwilling to accept defeat, so he chose the Desheng Gate as his next target for attack. Yu Qian dispatched the great general Shi Heng to set up an ambush, luring the enemy deep into their lines, where the Oirat army suffered a major defeat. They then shifted their attack to the Xizhi Gate, but once again encountered fierce resistance from the Ming forces. Over the next five days, the two sides remained locked in a stalemate. This time, Esen finally gave up completely and withdrew, taking the Ming Emperor Yingzong with him. Under Yu Qian's command and leadership, the Ming dynasty's soldiers and civilians ultimately succeeded in defending the city of Beijing.
Emperor Jingtai rewarded those who had rendered meritorious service, including Yu Qian, whom he appointed as Junior Guardian and placed in charge of the nation's military affairs. Following Yu Qian's advice, the emperor dispatched a large number of troops to defend key border fortresses such as Baoding and Zhuozhou, to prevent the Oirat cavalry from launching a renewed attack.
After this, the Ming army repeatedly defeated the invading Oirat forces. Esen, intimidated by the Ming army's strength, sought to negotiate peace with the Ming government. Many court officials proposed bringing back Emperor Yingzong, Zhu Qizhen, which greatly displeased Emperor Jingtai. Yu Qian advised Emperor Jingtai that since the situation was now settled, even if Emperor Yingzong returned, he would not be able to accomplish anything. Thus, Emperor Jingtai finally agreed to bring Emperor Yingzong back. This later planted the seeds of danger that led to the deaths of both Emperor Jingtai and Yu Qian.
During the reign of Emperor Jingtai, he held Yu Qian in high regard and entrusted him with great responsibilities, to the point of almost following his every advice. Yu Qian was an upright and incorruptible man who could not tolerate even a grain of sand in his eyes, and many incompetent court officials were impeached by him, which led to him being repeatedly sidelined in the imperial court. Fortunately, Emperor Jingtai had great trust in him. The period of Emperor Jingtai's reign was the most brilliant chapter in Yu Qian's political career. However, this good fortune did not last long; the "Coup at the Gate" erupted, Emperor Yingzong of Ming was restored to the throne, and Yu Qian and Wang Wen, whom Emperor Jingtai had heavily relied upon, were immediately imprisoned.
Because Yu Qian had never been well-liked at court, many officials took the opportunity to kick him while he was down, falsely accusing him of plotting rebellion. Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty believed these slanders, sentenced Yu Qian to death, and exiled his son Yu Mian to the frontier. After Yu Qian's death, the emperor sent the Imperial Guard to confiscate his property, only to find that his household had no surplus wealth, containing only the most basic necessities. This clearly shows how incorruptible Yu Qian was.
The common people deeply loved and revered Yu Qian, and his death caused the entire capital to weep and mourn for him; even the Empress Dowager could not help but sigh in regret. Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty, recalling Yu Qian's immense contributions and meritorious service to the Ming court, could not help but begin to blame himself.
At the time, many officials deeply admired Yu Qian. One official secretly collected Yu Qian's remains and buried them in Hangzhou, facing the tomb of the anti-Jin hero Yue Fei from a distance. After Emperor Yingzong's son, Emperor Xianzong, ascended the throne, he rehabilitated Yu Qian, recalled his son Yu Mian, and renamed his former residence the "Loyalty Shrine." During the reign of Emperor Shenzong of the Ming Dynasty, Yu Qian was posthumously granted the honorary title "Zhongsu" (Loyal and Solemn). Yu Qian dedicated his entire life to the country and its people, giving his all until his death. His immense role in the Defense of Beijing, in particular, made him another great patriotic hero in Chinese history, earning him eternal fame.