Daming pirates

Their speed exceeded everyone's expectations, and the defenders in the city had no time to react. They swept towards the imperial city like a hurricane.

Chongzhen got up early as usual and went to the front for the morning court. Today he found that many court officials had not arrived, and all he heard was some bad news, so he had no interest in continuing, so he just asked

Let’s take a look at the situation of the war in the east of the city and ask the ministers if they have any good strategies for retreating from the enemy. However, these ministers are all looking at each other with big eyes and small eyes. The so-called strategies for retreating from the enemy are all empty words.

Has no effect at all.

So Chongzhen quickly ended the morning court, announced his retreat and returned to his imperial study. He was very upset and worried. The Yu family army rebelled and was forced to the gates of the capital. However, none of the Ming Dynasty generals

He was very disappointed that people dared to go out of the city to fight to the death.

Just as he was listening with fear to the rumble of cannons and shouts of killing coming from the east of the city, suddenly he seemed to hear some chaotic noises coming from the east of the city.

The sound that the rebels made when they attacked the city, and it seemed that this chaotic sound was getting closer and closer to the imperial city.

So he stood up, dropped a memorial in his hand, and asked the eunuch: "What happened outside? Why did I hear some noise coming from the east? Go and find out what happened."

, come quickly and repay me!"

The eunuch hurriedly ran out and rushed to the palace gate, but as soon as he reached the palace gate, before he had time to ask what happened outside, he saw someone rushing into the palace gate in a hurry, shouting: "No!

It's over! The rebels have invaded the city! They are heading towards the palace, close the palace door quickly!..."

The eunuch who ran to the palace gate to inquire about the news was immediately frightened to death. The inside of his crotch suddenly became wet and hot. He was so frightened that he peed. He rolled and crawled towards the imperial study room and ran back.

While running, he shouted: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty! It's not good! The rebels have invaded the city!"

Chongzhen was standing in front of the imperial study room waiting for news. Suddenly he heard the eunuch shouting from a distance, but for a while he couldn't hear clearly what he was yelling about, but an ominous feeling still rose in his heart.

premonition.

And soon he saw some eunuchs and maids becoming panicked in the distance, and many of them were shouting and running around.

At this time, the eunuch had already run up to him. Panting heavily, there was still a trail of water on the ground behind him. He threw himself to the ground and cried loudly: "Your Majesty, something bad has happened. The rebels have invaded the city.

It is said that they are attacking the imperial city, I hope your Majesty can take shelter as soon as possible!"

When Chongzhen heard this, it was like thunder struck him. He was a little dumbfounded at the time. Didn't Gao Qiqian ask for a reward last night, saying that he wanted to reward the soldiers and improve their morale to prevent the rebels from attacking the city? How come it was only noon and the rebels had already broken through the city?

?

The huge capital is garrisoned by officers and soldiers who far outnumber the rebels. Although the officers and soldiers are eager to fight, they can still defend the city for some days, right? Even if the capital is made of paper, they won't be able to hold on for even a few days.

Don't come down, are these rebels all immortals?

Chongzhen couldn't believe it, and listened carefully to the sounds outside. At this time, the imperial city was already in chaos. The eunuchs and maids were running back and forth shouting, and the shouts of killing from the east of the city were getting clearer and clearer.

After getting up, Chongzhen finally believed that the rebels had really entered the city.

After Chongzhen was stunned for a while, his face turned pale, and he seemed to have suddenly become much older. After standing there for a while, he gritted his teeth hard, and without saying a word, he turned around and returned to the imperial study room, reaching out from the wall of the imperial study room.

He took off a sword, grasped the hilt in his hand, pulled out the sword with a clang, dropped the scabbard on the ground, ran out of the imperial study room with the sword in hand, and headed towards the palace gate.

The servants were so frightened that they all hurriedly knelt on the ground and hugged Chongzhen tightly, telling him not to go to the palace gate. Chongzhen seemed to be crazy at this moment, roaring: "How can I not go? You are waiting for me.

Take the weapons and go with me to kill the traitors! The rebels have invaded the capital, and I will personally go and kill these traitors!"

At this time, Wang Cheng'en, the chamberlain, ran over quickly, hugged Chongzhen's legs, and cried loudly to persuade him, saying that he would not let Chongzhen go to the palace gate with his sword. At the same time, he loudly ordered the chamberlains to quickly go to the various inner cities.

Gate, close the city gate to prevent the rebels from entering the inner city.

Chongzhen was really helpless and had to give up the idea of ​​leaving the palace to fight in person, but a feeling of despair had enveloped him at this time. How would Yu Xiaotian, a rebellious man, treat him after entering the city? Chongzhen couldn't guess, but

He could guess that Yu Xiaotian must have the idea of ​​seizing the world and taking his place as emperor.

And when Yu Xiaotian enters the capital, will he be treated kindly? Chongzhen doesn't know that although Yu Xiaotian's banner at this time is that he is on the side of the Qing monarch, once he is allowed to control the capital, then this beast will definitely threaten the emperor and order the princes.

Even if he does not ascend the throne and proclaim himself emperor by then, will the Ming Dynasty still belong to the Zhu family?

Thinking of this, Chongzhen shuddered. Suddenly he remembered something, and he almost beat his chest with regret. This time Yu Xiaotian led the rebels to attack the capital. Although everyone in the capital was very nervous, few people expected that.

It would be captured by the rebels so quickly.

This also included Chongzhen himself, so no one thought of moving the imperial relatives first, and arranging for the princes to evacuate the capital and go to a safe place to hide. Up to now, several princes are still in the imperial city.

Among them, the rebels have now invaded the city, and these princes must be transferred quickly.

Even if something unexpected happened to Chongzhen, as long as some of these princes are still alive, it means that they can continue to inherit the throne, lead the army and the people of the world to fight against the thief, and regain the country. But if even these princes are blocked.

In the imperial city, the Ming Dynasty would have no legitimate successor.

Thinking of this, Chongzhen immediately issued an order, asking Wang Chengen to find a few loyal chamberlains, rush to the East Palace, take a few princes with him, take them out of the palace first, and then find a way to escort them out of the capital temporarily.

Go to Nanjing first, and if something unexpected happens to him, let one of them ascend the throne in Nanjing and proclaim himself emperor, inherit the rule, lead the soldiers and people of the world, continue to fight against the traitors, and regain the country.

After Wang Chengen received the decree, he quickly went down to start making arrangements. However, before he could make arrangements, he took several princes out of the palace and heard bursts of gunfire from outside the imperial city.

A eunuch rushed to the imperial study and shouted: "Your Majesty, something bad has happened! The rebels have arrived outside the Xuanwu Gate! Block the Xuanwu Gate!"

When Chongzhen heard this, his head suddenly became dizzy and he almost fell to the ground. He hurriedly ordered the imperial guards to guard the palace gate and not allow the rebels to invade the palace. He also sent people to the East Palace to urge Wang Chengen.

Hurry and send the prince out of the palace through Xihua Gate or Donghua Gate.

But not long after, another eunuch rushed over and shouted: "Your Majesty, the rebels have arrived at Donghua Gate and blocked it!"

After hearing this, Chongzhen felt his scalp numb. Although the rebels had invaded the city, it was only a short time before they actually reached outside the imperial city. There was still a short distance from the imperial city to Dongzhimen, and there were still many places in the city.

The young defenders, but why did they not stop the arrival of the rebels at all?

From the time he learned that Dongzhimen had been breached, it had only taken less than an hour, but the rebels had rushed directly from Dongzhimen to the outside of the imperial city. This speed was too outrageous!

So Chongzhen became even more panicked, and quickly issued an order to urge Wang Chengen, asking Wang Chengen to send someone to escort the prince out quickly.

But just when Wang Chengen sent people to protect several princes and rushed to Xihua Gate, news came from the Meridian Gate that a group of rebels had blocked the Meridian Gate, also known as Chengtian Gate, and the Meridian Gate had been blocked.

No more entry or exit.

After hearing this, Chongzhen felt his scalp numb. It was really incomprehensible for the rebels to advance so quickly. Why did the rebels almost surround the imperial city so quickly? What were the imperial guards and so many soldiers and horses in the city doing?

have eaten?

What did Gao Qiqian do for food, and what did Cao Huachun do for food? Where were they? The rebels had all reached the outside of the imperial city. Why didn't the defenders in the city move, nor did they rush over to King Qin to block the rebels?

The rebels were driven out of the city?

Chongzhen was furious and ordered someone to go out of Xihua Gate immediately to ask Gao Qiqian and Cao Huachun why they had not brought troops to help. He ordered them to immediately lead their troops back to the imperial city to fight against the invaders.

.

But before his imperial edict was spread, there was a sound of firecrackers from the Xizhimen side, and then a eunuch rushed back in panic, crying and reporting: "Your Majesty, Xizhimen... the rebels have arrived at Xizhimen

, has blocked Xizhimen”

After hearing this, Chongzhen immediately fell down on the dragon chair, saying that he was finished! Now the imperial city has been completely surrounded by the rebels, cutting off all connections between the imperial city and the outside world. No one can leave.

Thinking of this, Chongzhen suddenly burst into tears. He immediately went to draw his sword and wanted to kill himself, but the eunuchs hurriedly snatched the sword away and hugged Chongzhen tightly.

Chongzhen cried loudly and said: "I am ashamed of my ancestors. Now that I have allowed the rebels to attack outside the imperial city, how can I live in shame? The Ming Dynasty perished at my hands, and I can only apologize with death!"

Don't try to stop me! Let me die!

I would rather kill myself than be a prisoner of a traitor to a traitor. I will definitely not be able to follow the example of Song Huizong, who was kidnapped by the Jin and became a prisoner of his subordinates!"

While Chongzhen was making a fuss, several princes who had not yet had time to escape from the palace arrived at the imperial study under the escort of eunuchs. Chongzhen looked at his young sons and couldn't help but feel even more sad.

He hugged several young princes and cried loudly.

Among the princes, only the eldest prince Zhu Cixiang was eleven years old and somewhat sensible. The rest of the princes were still young and not very sensible. They started crying in panic along with Chongzhen.

At this time, Chongzhen had already prepared for the worst. If the Yu family army attacked the imperial city and the imperial city fell, even if he died, he would never fall into the hands of Yu Xiaotian. And these princes would probably not be able to save their lives.

, if Yu Xiaotian wants to usurp the throne and seize power, then he will never leave them a few troubles.

After coaxing several princes for a while, he asked people to take them aside first, and ordered Wang Chengen to go to the East Palace to inform the concubines in the harem that if the imperial city was captured, they would be ordered to die together.

He could not let the rebels gain anything or be humiliated by the rebels. His emperor's woman could not be ruined by the rebels.

Then Chongzhen calmed down. The palace was in a mess. The eunuchs and maids were running around in the palace. Just before the Yu family army surrounded the imperial city, some eunuchs and maids were frightened.

He took some palace belongings with him and escaped from the imperial city through Donghua Gate and Xihua Gate, taking with him a lot of valuable things.

However, many people had no time to react and were now blocked in the palace. However, many people had unclean hands and feet. At this time, they stole things everywhere and hid them secretly, preparing to steal things once the palace was breached or take advantage of the chaos.

Either escape with some items, or use the hidden property to buy a life from the rebels.

In short, the palace is in complete chaos now, and only a few of the loyal eunuchs who served Chongzhen in Prince Xin's Mansion are left around Chongzhen, and they still stay with Chongzhen to obey his orders.

(Thanks again to Brother Xiaochunfeng of the Desert for the reward!)