Chapter 21: The curtain falls on the later years of a legendary hero!

Tang Dynasty, Zhenguan era.

Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, clapped his hands and laughed, saying to his officials:

"Hahaha! What a Qi Jiguang! Can he write to pacify the world and ride a horse to settle the universe?"

"No! He is capable of calming the seas, settling the borders, building cities, and governing the army! In one person, he combines the ability of Li Jing (good at training elite soldiers and winning by surprise), the straightforwardness of Wei Zheng (submitting petitions to recruit soldiers), and even the talent of the Minister of Works!"

"If our Great Tang had such an all-around talent, why worry about the four barbarians not being pacified? Wei Zheng, what you worried about earlier, it seems he... has temporarily carried it."

Wei Zheng's expression softened, but he was still worried,

"Your Majesty, I am relieved, but also more worried. What I am relieved about is that Huaxia has such a pillar, which is truly the blessing of the common people. What I am worried about is that the four words 'powerful for a time' are like a sharp sword hanging over his head."

"He is now at the peak of his official career, with merit too high to be rewarded... I hope the emperor of later generations will have the capacity to tolerate people and not let the regret of 'destroying the Great Wall' reappear in the world."

Fang Xuanling sighed sincerely: "This person's talent is close to the Dao."

"Whether it is naval warfare, infantry warfare, or siege warfare, he can understand the essence and formulate strategies. His achievements are not just courage, but the crystallization of great wisdom, great perseverance, and great responsibility."

"Looking at his life, he can be called a model of a 'perfect general' and is worthy of being a teacher for all generations."

Cheng Yaojin was completely convinced,

"I have nothing to say! He fought in the south and then in the north, and after fighting in the north, he made the enemy afraid to come!"

"Junior Guardian, Left Chief Commander! A first-grade official! He earned enough face for us military generals! Satisfying!"

Ming Dynasty, Hongwu plane.

"First grade... Junior Guardian... Left Chief Commander..."

Zhu Yuanzhang muttered repeatedly, the joy on his face fading, turning into depth.

"The power is too heavy. The garrison system we established was surpassed by the 'Qi Family Army' he trained; the Great Wall we built was improved even better by him... This child's talent is unprecedented, it is the blessing of our Great Ming."

"But it is also... too dazzling. The emperor of later generations, I am afraid, will be difficult to control."

"Issue an imperial decree to write Qi Jiguang's northern defense achievements into the appendix of the 'Ancestral Injunctions of the Imperial Ming,' both as a commendation and as a warning: for a general, when merit is achieved, one should think of retreating; for an emperor, when one gets a person, one must be good at controlling."

Yongle plane.

"Good! What a 'lock and key of the northern gate'!"

Zhu Di drew his sword and pointed directly to the north,

"With Junior Guardian Qi here, why worry about the Mongols not being pacified! Gaochi, Zhanji, you remember! This is the model of our Great Ming's civil and military excellence, capable of being a general and a prime minister!"

"He not only knows how to fight, but also how to build! Those hollow enemy towers, wonderful! Master Yao, quickly set these border town construction strategies, along with sea transport charts and firearm manuals, as eternal examples!"

Yao Guangxiao smiled slightly,

"Your Majesty, this person's luck, talent, and timing are all indispensable, and he finally became a generation of military gods. His system has been formed, and even after he is gone, it can guarantee the peace of the border for decades. This is a sign of the national fortune."

Zhu Gaochi sighed sincerely: "Sixteen years of border peace, the people spared from the flames of war, this is a great merit. Only by being able to fight can one talk about peace, and only by being able to defend can one achieve peace. Junior Guardian Qi is truly a minister of the country."

Zhu Zhanji was fascinated by this,

【Grandfather, I think the most powerful thing about Junior Guardian Qi is that he transformed personal talent into a national system.】

【The Qi Family Army can be trained, the Great Wall enemy towers can be built, and defensive tactics can be passed down. What he left behind is a strong border defense, not just his personal reputation.】

【Under the Sky Screen · Personal Plane】

Qi Jiguang himself, about fifty years old, might be inspecting the Jizhen border wall or in the Commander-in-Chief's mansion.

When he looked up and saw the Sky Screen unfolding his life like a scroll—

From the vow in Shandong, to the hard training and bloody battles in Zhejiang, to the iron-like city defenses and peaceful borders in Jiliao at this moment.

This commander, known for his iron will, revealed his complete distraction and shock in front of everyone for the first time.

The command flag or book in his hand slipped quietly, and his body, straight as a pine, swayed imperceptibly.

Those sharp eyes that understood every detail of the battlefield were now filled with unbelievable trance.

"This... is this me?"

A very slight voice, almost only he could hear, spilled from his throat.

The images of a lifetime of fighting rushed in—the loneliness of studying military books late at night, the harshness of being hoarse when training soldiers, the determination of life and death on the battlefield, the hardships of sharing joys and sorrows with soldiers and people when building the border wall... all were condensed and presented by this brilliant Sky Screen, and labeled as the "peak of achievement."

He saw the solemn face of his father, Qi Jingtong, and heard his own childish but firm voice from his youth: "My intention is not to be ennobled, but to see the seas calm."

Now, the seas are calm, and the northern gate is solid.

After the shock, what surged into his heart was not ecstasy, but a heavy feeling close to piety, and a complex warning hidden in the depths of his eyes about the final evaluation of "powerful for a time, ranked first grade."

He slowly closed his eyes and took a deep breath of the biting air of the border.

When he opened them again, he had regained most of his usual composure.

He bent down, silently picked up the fallen command flag or book, and brushed the dust off it.

Then, Qi Jiguang turned to the deputy generals, staff, or personal soldiers beside him who might have been stunned,

His voice returned to its usual stability, but with an unprecedented depth:

"Did you all see it? This is not the merit of one person, but the result of the soldiers' efforts, the court's trust, and the people's support."

"Achievements... are in heaven. We guard the land and fulfill our duties, which is our duty."

He looked up again at the words "Conferred as Junior Guardian and Left Chief Commander" on the Sky Screen, his gaze piercing through the glory before him, as if seeing a more distant and unpredictable future.

A lifetime for the country, reaching the peak.

The road ahead, perhaps only caution, and more caution.

The wind in the north blew his battle robe.

This commander, who had just learned of all his achievements from the "Sky Screen," looked particularly lonely and particularly tall in the sunset of the border.

The Sky Screen's explanation continued.

【The Qi Family Army is the most dazzling medal of Qi Jiguang's life. This army is famous for its strict discipline, powerful combat strength, and unparalleled loyalty and bravery. The soldiers all have the heart to protect their country, fighting without fear of death, winning every battle, and are known as the strongest army in East Asia in the 16th century.】

【From the southeast coast to the northern border, wherever the flag of the Qi Family Army went, the enemy was terrified, and the people welcomed them along the way, becoming the most solid military barrier of the Great Ming Dynasty.】

【However, prosperity leads to decline, and the hero's later years eventually ended in desolation.】

【In the tenth year of Wanli (1582), Qi Jiguang's most solid political backer, Senior Grand Secretary Zhang Juzheng, passed away. The political situation in the court changed suddenly, and the forces opposing Zhang Juzheng began to liquidate his party members. Qi Jiguang, with his great military achievements, was regarded as Zhang Juzheng's confidant and became a victim of political struggle.】

【In the eleventh year of Wanli (1583), Qi Jiguang was transferred away from Jiliao and demoted to Commander-in-Chief in Guangdong, far from the core of power, equivalent to exile. Although he still performed his duties, he was already disheartened.】

【In the twelfth year of Wanli (1584), under the constant impeachment of officials in the court, Qi Jiguang was completely dismissed and had no choice but to retire and return to his hometown in Dengzhou, Shandong.】

【The former first-grade Junior Guardian and border general was penniless after returning home.】

【He was honest all his life and did not covet money. After being dismissed, he had no savings. In his later years, he suffered from serious illness and didn't even have money to get medicine. His former subordinates didn't dare to recognize him, and he was accompanied only by a lonely lamp.】

【On January 5, 1588, in poverty, serious illness, loneliness, and indignation, the famous general Qi Jiguang closed his eyes at the age of 60.】

【Above the Sky Screen, the golden light gradually faded, leaving only a line of characters hanging in the firmament:

Driving out the Japanese pirates in the south, resisting the northern dust in the north, a lifetime of military service to guard the home and country; high merit shakes the master, later years are desolate, a loyal soul shines through the ages.】

【This is Qi Jiguang's life, from a young man in a military family to a famous general resisting the Japanese pirates, from a pillar of the border to returning home in loneliness, using his life to practice his youthful vow to serve the country, but eventually failing to escape the wind and rain of the court, leaving behind a heroic legend that makes people sigh.】 ===== CHAPTER 22 =====