Only later did Zhu Cixiang learn that the Dashun army that arrived outside Beijing on the 16th was not the one led by Li Zicheng himself, but the more than ten thousand cavalry led by Liu Zongmin who had detoured from the direction of Zhending.
Both Liu Zongmin and Liu Fangliang's armies were used by Li Zicheng as partial troops, and they advanced successively beyond Taihang. Among them, Liu Fangliang formed an army with Li Zi in Pingyang, while Liu Zongmin formed an army with Li Zi in Taiyuan. Of the two partial divisions, Liu Zongmin's troops moved faster and arrived in the west of Beijing on the afternoon of the 16th.
The Diaoyutai and Yuyuantan areas, about five miles away from Fuchengmen, had built a large number of villas for the capital's dignitaries, so they had long been selected by Song Xiance, Li Zicheng's founding military advisor, as the residence where Li Zicheng would command the siege of Beijing. Therefore, after Liu Zongmin arrived in the west of Beijing, he first sent people to occupy the Diaoyutai and set fire to some houses near the Diaoyutai. On the one hand, he used it to frighten the defenders in Beijing; on the other hand, he sent a signal to Li Zicheng's main force moving from the north to the south.
After occupying Diaoyutai, Liu Zongmin led his troops to bypass the walls of Beijing and go north to Shahe to meet Li Zicheng. For some reason, there is still a Ming army stationed in Shahe, with only 3,000 people in total. The army is led by another commander in chief of the Beijing camp, Xiangcheng Bo Li Guozhen (after he left the city, Zhu Chunchen took over his duties).
How could these Beijing soldiers dare to fight Liu Zongmin's cavalry? I simply came to a standstill and collapsed. However, Li Guozhen, who commanded them, was a stupid and loyal minister. He neither surrendered nor ran to Tongzhou or Tianjin. Instead, he took a few servants to Beijing.
When I ran outside Desheng Gate, I found that the city gate was blocked, so I had to go around the city. In the early morning of March 17, the 17th year of Chongzhen, I entered the Chaoyang Gate on the east side of the inner city of Beijing in panic.
In the Wengcheng of Chaoyangmen, Li Guozhen, who had despaired of the Ming Dynasty and couldn't figure out why he still entered the city, saw an incredible scene.
There is actually a real army in Chaoyangmen Wengcheng!
And it's a cavalry!
There are not many people, but there are more than 300 strong men - some are old men, but at first glance, they have been in the killing array! Wearing a battle coat and iron armor, the murderous aura cannot be concealed.
In addition to these armored soldiers, there are also a large number of carriages and horses gathered in Wengcheng. The various carriages are filled with luggage. The carriage drivers are guarding beside their carriages. There are also many pure troops around. Get off patrol and guard the carriage and luggage.
Seeing this, even the dim-witted Li Guozhen understood that the brain-dead emperor finally got the idea and was ready to abandon the city and run away...
"But Uncle Xiangcheng?"
Just when Li Guozhen was thinking about going home and tidying up so that he could escort him to escape, a military general in his twenties, who looked quite powerful and spoke Liao accent suddenly strode up to him and bowed his hands in salute.
"Ah, I am Uncle Xiangcheng, you are..." Li Guozhen did not remember that there was such a hero in his own camp.
Although Li Guozhen himself didn't know how to fight, he still had a sharp eye, and he could see the murderous aura in this guy at a glance.
"Wu Sanfu, the deputy general of the Kenan camp under the official command! In accordance with the order of the military affairs crown prince directly under the control of the governor of the Fu army, we want to requisition the general's servants. Please ask the general to keep the servants and go to Fuchengmen Wengcheng to see the crown prince!"
It turned out that it was Wu Sanfu who stopped Li Guozhen. After announcing the requisition of Li Guozhen's servants, he handed over a copy of the prince's decree.
"What? The Governor of Fujun, the Prince of Zhili Military Affairs..." Li Guozhen, who was handsome and had particularly big eyes, stared as big as a bell after hearing Wu Sanfu's words.
The prince is only sixteen years old, and he has always been honest. I have never heard of him being cruel and cunning. How can he be the governor of the army and directly under the control of military affairs?
Could it be that...the Holy One has already run away and left the capital to the Crown Prince?
Thinking of this, Li Guozhen couldn't help complaining about Chongzhen in his heart... If you want to run away, you have to take this count with you! My ancestor was a hero in both the founding of the country and the peace and stability of the country! So loyal!
Seeing that he was in a daze, Wu Sanfu quickly reminded: "General Rong, go to Fuchengmen to see you... Military affairs are urgent, don't delay."
"Oh..." Li Guozhen finally realized what he was doing. Just as he was about to greet his servants, he remembered that Wu Sanfu said he wanted to requisition his servants... Isn't this inappropriate?
"General Wu Shen," Li Guozhen said with a frown, "all of my servants have been with me for many years... If the prince wants to use it, I'm afraid he won't be able to use it, right?"
"It's okay!" Wu Sanfu waved his hand, "Brother Xiangcheng, please go to Fuchengmen. Your old servant will comfort you."
As he spoke, he took another edict from his entourage and shouted loudly to the entourage behind Li Guozhen: "The governor of Fujun directly under the command of the Crown Prince of Military Affairs has issued an edict. All capital commanders are brave, willing to serve in the army, and have martial arts skills." Those who are superb, good at riding and shooting, or can skillfully control fire guns will all be awarded the title of hero for overcoming difficulties, and will be incorporated into the East Palace Pro-Army Overcoming Difficulties Camp. They will be given fifty acres of farmland in the south of the Yangtze River, and will be rewarded with twenty taels of silver and ten taels in advance. They will be sent to Tianjin. Then I will give another ten taels, and those who have official status will be immediately increased by two levels of official status..."
Being promoted to a higher position, given land, rewarded with silver...all the benefits that should be given were given to him at once! Boxes of white money were brought out, and when the lid was opened, the silver light immediately shone brightly!
Li Guozhen was even more dumbfounded when he saw the silver. Where did the money come from? Yi Yong gave twelve taels first... The more than 200 people he brought with him were immediately given out as more than 2,000 taels! Where did the prince get his money?
"Uncle Xiangcheng!" Wu Sanfu roared again, "Hurry up and give your people the order! Are you going to disobey the prince's order? The Holy One has given Shang Fang the sword. Princes and below should behead first and then report!"
Princes and below... Li Guozhen took a breath, and became even more convinced that there were only princes in Beijing now, not the saints!
Since the prince was the eldest, he did not dare to resist the order, so he quickly handed over his servants to Wu Sanfu, then took only a few followers and flew to Fuchengmen. While passing by Huangqiang North Street and Fuchengmen Street, Li Guozhen saw a large number of heroes from the capital lining up to recruit soldiers.
How is this going?
There are actually people enlisting as soldiers!
Could it be that the people in the capital suddenly remembered the two hundred years of benevolence of the Ming Dynasty?
With a lot of questions, Grand Earl Li Guozhen rushed to Fuchengmen quickly, but he did not see Zhu Cixiang immediately. Instead, he saw Zhu Chunchen, who was wearing a helmet and armor and was panting while walking. Zhu Chunchen was now wearing the clothes of his ancestor Zhu Nengliu. The armor underneath is so heavy! The weight of dozens of kilograms weighed him down so much that he could hardly walk!
But you have to walk even if you can’t walk! Because Zhu Cixiang issued an order, asking him to take his servants, all put on armor and weapons, and patrol the west wall of the inner city of Beijing!
While patrolling, he also loudly announced the good news that Prince Zhu Cixiang was coming to the battle to support the army and distribute heavy rewards!
If he dares not to execute it, use Shang Fang’s sword to kill him!
After a few hours, my calf and stomach were cramped. Now seeing Li Guozhen coming, Zhu Chunchen cried.
"Uncle Xiangcheng, it's good that you're here! You're still wearing armor... That's great. Please patrol the city for me! I'm almost exhausted... You are also the commander-in-chief, so you can patrol the city for me."
As he spoke, Zhu Chunchen sat down on the ground, breathing heavily.
"This, this, this... what is going on?" Li Guozhen looked at Zhu Chunchen in surprise, "Is Duke Cheng Guo going to the top of the city to kill thieves in person?"
"What kind of thief are you killing?" Zhu Chunchen wiped his tears, "It's all my fault that my life is miserable. I was sent by the Holy One to assist the prince... The prince is on top of the tower, what else can I do? I can only risk my life to accompany him? And he is still being killed. I sent a mission to patrol the city to distribute rewards. I have been busy since last night and am almost exhausted..."
Of course he was tired! Zhu Cixiang was still waiting for him to donate two to three hundred thousand taels generously! But this Duke is an iron rooster who never pulls out his hair. It would be strange if he is not exhausted to death!
"Wait a minute, you said the reward...how much reward will be given?" Li Guozhen asked hurriedly, "When I entered the city just now, I saw brave men queuing up to apply on the north wall of the imperial city and Fuchengmen Street. By the way...I The servants who were brought back were also detained by a Chaoyang ginseng general with the prince's decree. What's going on?"
"Oh, what else can happen?" Zhu Chunchen said with a mournful face, "It's just a gangster under the heavy reward! If you can, I will give you a reward of 20 taels of silver. What else will you give me the title of hero, a farm in the south of the Yangtze River, and be included in the Kenan camp?" The prince is a member of the army. In addition, those who can fight but cannot fight, from today on, they will be given one tael of silver for a day in battle, plus beheading... With such a heavy reward, of course you can recruit some people who are desperate for their lives! "
