I

Historically, if Chongzhen wanted to move his capital to Nanjing, he had to make preparations at least one month in advance.

Li Zicheng's capture of Beijing was an extremely exciting battle. First, the troops were divided into two groups, and then divided again, cutting off the officers and soldiers from the north and south, and approaching with a pincer offensive, forming a large-scale encirclement strategy for Beijing.

At the same time, there were also partial troops blocking the canal. Even if Chongzhen fled south, he could only go to sea from Tianjin.

Now there is no need for that. The court cannot pay the troops and the officers and soldiers have surrendered. Li Zicheng can just push him all the way.

Along the way, Li Zicheng's army did not harm the poor people at all.

There is nothing to commit. The people are all poor and it is difficult for them to survive. How can they have money and food to rob?

However, the gentry was a bit unlucky.

Especially the gentry in the city often had to pay a lot of money.

When Li Zicheng conquered Taiyuan, he was very vigorous in his campaign. The Beijing campaign was just a replica of the Taiyuan campaign.

The eighth day of April is Zhao Han’s birthday.

Li Zicheng's vanguard troops occupied the earthen wall of the north city of Yuan Dynasty. The capital was horrified, all officials were eclipsed, and the emperor and his concubines were feasting and having fun.

The next day, the vanguard of the Dashun Army arrived at the gates of Beijing.

On the way to the army, Li Zicheng had already proclaimed himself emperor, with the country's name of "Dashun" and his founding title of "Yongchang". He only had to go to Beijing to hold the enthronement ceremony.

Li Guozhen, the uncle of Xiangcheng, commanded three battalions of Beijing soldiers and stationed them outside the city, forming a dichotomy with Beijing.

When Dashun's troops arrived, Li Guozhen fled without fighting. Not only did he lose his troops, food and fodder, but he also lost more than ten artillery pieces to Li Zicheng.

The important task of defending the city fell into the hands of the eunuchs.

Many Beijing soldiers who had never practiced were driven to guard the city walls. They had sufficient weapons and equipment, but unfortunately they had no rations, so they could only stand guard on the city wall hungry.

If there was still food at home, relatives would carry cereals and porridge and call their names along the city wall, just asking for their sons, brothers, and fathers to have a full meal before dying in battle.

But the situation was so chaotic that they couldn't find their families.

If a relative met and the soldiers came off the city wall, the whole family would hold their heads and cry, causing the whole wall to start wailing.

Suddenly a horse came and Gao Chun, the eunuch guarding the mausoleum who surrendered, shouted loudly: "King Chuang has an order. As long as Chongzhen abdicates, the life of the royal family can be saved, and the people of Beijing can avoid being attacked!"

"Pull him up!" said Wang Dehua, the eunuch in charge of guarding the city.

Gao Chun was hoisted to the city in a basket, and the two eunuchs discussed secretly alone.

Gao Chun asked: "Who is the commander in the city?"

"I have full authority to make the decision." Wang Dehua said.

Gao Chun asked again: "Where are the two supervisors, Sun Chuanting and Chen Xinjia?"

Wang Dehua said: "Sun Chuanting has been relieved of military power and is in prison. Governor Chen has closed his door to see no guests and seems to have no intention of resisting." After speaking, Wang Dehua asked, "Brother Gao, can you recommend someone? We have also admired King Chuang for a long time. .”

Gao Chun smiled and said: "Hey, it's time to call him emperor. King Chuang has proclaimed himself emperor, and his country is named Dashun."

Wang Dehua said: "Brother Gao is also asked to go back and tell Emperor Dashun that Chongzhen has long been determined to die and has sent the prince and princess to Nanjing."

"Is this happening?" Gao Chun has been guarding the mausoleum, and there is very little information.

Wang Dehua said: "Let's go and persuade the soldiers to surrender, and we will soon be able to open the city to welcome the new emperor."

Li Zicheng's temporary headquarters was in Changping, and Gao Chun rode all the way there to inform him of the situation in Beijing.

Li Zicheng was shocked and asked: "Have all the princes and princesses been sent to Nanjing?"

"That's true." Gao Chun said.

Niu Jinxing sighed: "The ones fighting for the world are Your Majesty and Zhao Han. Your Majesty should be diligent and love the people, treat the scholars well, and reorganize the army. Extorting wages is not a long-term solution. You have to grow your own food and collect taxes."

"I have said that King Chuang will not accept food when he comes, how can I still go back on my promise?" Song Xiance immediately objected, "What's more, there is a severe drought in the northern provinces, how can we grow food? All the eunuchs and officials in Beijing have died unjustly. If they take away their money and food, they can support the army!"

Niu Jinxing asked back: "How long can we support the army with just wages? In the future struggle for hegemony between the north and the south, if our army cannot win quickly, what will we use to fight Zhao Han?"

Song Xiance sneered: "King Chuang comes and refuses to pay for food. If this nursery rhyme spreads to the south, people everywhere will definitely respond. By then, even Zhao Han's soldiers will turn against your majesty! The Eighteenth Son is the main artifact, and your majesty is destined by fate. Lord, why can’t you conquer the world?”

"Okay, let's talk about this later." Li Zicheng didn't want to argue anymore.

Niu Jinxing's method was too slow to take effect, and as Song Xiance said, it would be impossible to grow enough food in each province during a drought. If we really farm the land honestly, all the Dashun soldiers will starve to death before the food is grown.

Li Zicheng and Liu Zongmin immediately led the main force to approach Beijing.

As soon as Li Zicheng's flag came, the city gates of Beijing were immediately opened, and the defenders fled back home.

Wang Dehua led the eunuchs out of the city and knelt to greet him. Li Zicheng nodded and said, "You have done a good job in dedicating the city. Please follow me and serve."

"Thank you for your appreciation!" Wang Dehua immediately hit the snake with a stick.

In the Ming Dynasty, titles such as "Huang Ye", "Grandpa" and "Long Live Lord" were exclusive titles given to the emperor by the inner court, and they must have a close relationship with the emperor.

In the Qing Dynasty, foreign ministers could also shout like this.

That's because some Manchu foreign ministers came from the royal family and called the emperor and long live the Lord as domestic slaves.

If Hanchen didn't have the status of being a prisoner, he wouldn't even be qualified to call him Long Live Lord.

The soldiers cleared the way, with Li Zicheng riding in front, Liu Zongmin one horse behind, followed by the two military advisors, and the two eunuchs Wang Dehua and Gao Chun could only trot along the way.

The team arrived outside the Meridian Gate, where hundreds of civil and military officials were kneeling and waiting.

Wang Dehua immediately rushed forward, pointed at the ministers and cursed: "Thieves who have ruined the country, where is the emperor? What are you doing here!"

The ministers replied: "Kneel down to welcome the Emperor."

"You are all traitors to the country. The Ming Dynasty has been ruined to this extent. It is all your fault. Do you still have the nerve to kneel down to welcome the new emperor?" Wang Dehua began to punch and kick, beating the officials.

"Well done!"

The Dashun soldiers cheered and applauded, thinking that Wang Dehua was a good eunuch.

Li Zicheng issued an edict on the way, which did not mention not paying food, but also took the initiative to cleanse Chongzhen's land. It is said that Chongzhen was not a foolish emperor, but was deceived by his internal and external officials, and was caused by corrupt officials who made the people's livelihood miserable. He also said that even if Chongzhen was not a foolish emperor, he would still lose the world, which proves that the Ming Dynasty has lost its destiny, and it should be up to him, Li Zicheng, to help the country.

It took a full month for the edict to be issued, which has become a consensus. Therefore, neither the soldiers nor the people hated Chongzhen, thinking that corrupt officials were doing bad things.

Wang Dehua's actions, beating and scolding the ministers of civil and military affairs, were first to show that he had drawn a clear line with the old dynasty, and secondly to support the content of the new emperor's edict.

Hundreds of civil and military ministers knelt in front of the Meridian Gate and allowed themselves to be beaten and insulted by a eunuch.

Li Zicheng smiled and said to Liu Zongmin: "The ministers of the Manchu Dynasty are so cowardly, no wonder the Ming Dynasty has lost its kingdom."

Liu Zongmin sneered and said: "Your Majesty, don't look at how embarrassed they are now. In the past, they searched for people's wealth and wealth, but each one was more ruthless than the other."

"You're right," Li Zicheng nodded solemnly, "They plunder the people's fat and the people's anointing, so I'm here to plunder their anointing. This is called taking from the people and using it for the people!"

Song Xiance immediately echoed: "Your Majesty is wise!"

"well!"

Niu Jinxing sighed secretly, letting the eunuchs beat and scold the ministers, and not training officials himself. Who will manage the territory in the future, and how will he compete with Zhao Han for the world in the future?

Even though Li Zicheng occupied so much territory, many cities were in a state of anarchy, and agricultural taxes and commercial taxes could not be collected at all.

Wang Dehua had a grudge against Xue Guoguan. He beat Xue Guoguan severely and shouted: "You, the chief minister, are the leader of thieves who have harmed the country. Tell me quickly, where is the Emperor of Heaven?"

Xue Guoguan was resentful and angry, but he did not dare to show any expression. He kept this grudge in mind and would repay it slowly in the future. He immediately bowed his head and replied: "The Emperor of Ming Dynasty may be in the harem."

Wang Dehua stood up straight and shouted: "Open the Meridian Gate!"

...

Chongzhen and his concubine had a meal in Xiyuan, but there was no food to go with the wine because the cook had disappeared somewhere.

"You all, get on your way." Chongzhen, slightly drunk, supervised the suicide of the queen and concubines.

He had been extremely strong all his life and could not afford to surrender to Zhao Han, so the only way he could do was to die for his country as a king.

Since the king is dead, the concubine cannot live. Living is an insult to the Ming Dynasty, and she may be raped and humiliated by the rebels in turn.

Empress Zhou cried and said: "My husband, I cherish you."

Several concubines also shed tears, and finally wept together.

Chongzhen turned around and walked outside the door, staring blankly at the sky, as if life was a dream.

Several pieces of white silk were hung up, and the sound of stools falling to the ground was heard one after another, each sound hitting Chongzhen's chest.

Chongzhen didn't want to stay here, so he asked Wang Chengen to row him to the other side of the lake.

Over there is Meishan Mountain, also called Wansui Mountain, which is the highest point in the entire city of Beijing.

Climbing to the top of Wansui Mountain, Chongzhen overlooks the entire city of Beijing. Unfortunately, he did not have a telescope and could not see very far with the naked eye. He only saw chaos in the Forbidden City.

"Should I really be the king of subjugation?" Chongzhen looked up to the sky.

If Zhao Han were here, he would definitely say: You are so.

Not to mention this time and space, Hong Chengchou and Zu Dashou had no responsibility for the battle that determined the life and death of the Ming Dynasty in history. Except for the two of them who surrendered in the end, the whole war was remarkable, and it can even be said that there was no mistake at all.

At that time, the Manchu Qing Dynasty was seriously short of military rations. As long as the Ming army did not make mistakes, it could win a stupid war.

One Chen Xinjia and the other Zhang Ruoqi kept urging the troops to advance quickly, and Hong Chengchou was almost deprived of command.

So he took the risk and advanced quickly. The army ran far away, but the rations were still behind. Huang Taiji, who was about to run out of military rations, was like a vulture discovering carrion. He saw the right opportunity and seized the Ming Dynasty's military rations.

More than 100,000 soldiers of the Ming Dynasty lost their food and grass.

At such a time, Hong Chengchou could still remain calm and found no flaws in any military orders. As a result, during the withdrawal, the generals scrambled to escape, and the retreat instantly turned into a rout.

Not to mention Governor Hong Chengchou, even if Han Xin was replaced as the coach, it would be impossible to win this stupid battle.

The two main culprits who caused the defeat, Chen Xinjia and Zhang Ruoqi, had nothing to do after the defeat, and were still trusted by Emperor Chongzhen.

To be honest, as long as Chongzhen doesn't randomly send out supervisors and doesn't throw Zhang Ruoqi out to mess around, it will be really difficult for the Tatars to successfully enter the customs.

Looking down at his own city of Beijing for a moment, Chongzhen looked for a crooked-neck tree.

Wang Chengen knelt on the ground and watched Chongzhen hang himself.

"My country." Chongzhen took one last look at the city of Beijing, feeling infinite nostalgia and reluctance in his heart.

The city is noisy and chaotic, but Meishan is quiet and lonely.

The spring breeze blew, the branches and leaves swayed, and the emperor's body also swayed.

This is the end of a dynasty.

(I have something to do today and there are only two updates, so I won’t ask for a monthly ticket.)