When Zhu Cixiang led his troops to escort Zhang Jinyan, Xiang Yu and other rebels into the Daming Gate, the morning court had already begun, but there were still late officials slowly going to the Meridian Gate one after another. The various yamen in Daming Gate were also running feebly. They all opened their doors, and officials and clerks arrived one after another.
This scene is almost the same as before Li Zicheng's army came to Beijing!
Officials and scribes, big and small, all looked very relaxed. Some people were chatting while walking. Most of the topics discussed had nothing to do with the ongoing war. Many of them were simply about gambling and drinking wine last night.
Last night, there were gunfire all night around the outer city!
Not many of the officials and courtiers of the Ming Dynasty cared about it... Most of them obviously had the same idea as Zhang Jinyan and Xiang Yu. They just wanted to surrender! If you can't become an official in the Ming Dynasty, then you can become an official in Dashun. If that doesn't work, you can go home and retire at the worst.
Of course, there are also people who are anxious to get angry. However, most of these people were pulled over by Zhu Cihong and either joined the Kenan camp or the Beijing camp; or they spent money to buy escape orders and ran away to Tianjin; or they packed their bags at home and waited to escape with Zhu Cihong and Emperor Chongzhen. .
There are only a few dozen ministers who have now arrived at Huangjimen to discuss the strategy of retreating from the enemy with Emperor Chongzhen who is like ants on a hot pot.
Zhu Cixiang, who was wearing armor, led a fully armed army, escorting more than a dozen officials, including the former Minister of War and Zhan Shifu, and twenty or thirty men dressed as servants, and rushed in. At Daming Gate. The air inside the door suddenly solidified!
The officials of the Ming Dynasty, who were walking slowly, chatting with gusto, and thinking about how to escape or surrender, all seemed to be under a restraining spell, looking at this unbelievable scene in front of them.
So what happened?
Why did the Crown Prince lead troops into Daming Gate? And they arrested so many officials...is this a palace coup? The crown prince finally couldn't stand the fatuous king who had subjugated his country?
But the rogue bandits are all approaching the city. Is it too late for the palace to change now?
In addition, didn’t Zhang Jinyan step down? Why else would the prince arrest him? Could it be that Zhang Jinyan, who was dismissed and investigated, still wanted to prevent the crown prince's coup? Is he that loyal?
Just when everyone was thinking wildly, the guards of the East Palace with loud voices began to shout: "Listen carefully, everyone, Zhang Jinyan, Xiang Yu and others openly rebelled outside Zhengyang Gate this morning, acting as internal agents for bandits, and were suppressed by Qiantose Master's troops. , were seized on the spot, and a dozen copies of surrender letters and congratulatory forms were copied, as well as dozens of weapons... The evidence is overwhelming!
Therefore, Lord Chitose issued an order to escort these rebels outside the Meridian Gate and behead them! "
What?
Zhang Jinyan and Xiang Yu became rebels? The action is so fast!
But why was he so careless and caught by the Crown Prince? Isn't this too unlucky?
And now they are beheading outside the Meridian Gate... But is outside the Meridian Gate a place for killing people? Right now, when the emperor is in court, the emperor is inside the Meridian Gate. You, the prince, are killing dozens of people at a time outside the Meridian Gate. Who are you showing this to! ?
The officials outside the Meridian Gate were all stunned by Zhu Cixiang's behavior. They just watched in a daze as more than a thousand East Palace guards and soldiers from the Kenan Camp escorted dozens of death row prisoners towards the Meridian Gate, and then outside the Meridian Gate. , set up the execution ground for murder!
This is really killing someone!
Seeing Zhu Cixiang's seriousness, Xiang Yu and several concubines had almost fainted from crying. After all, Zhang Jinyan had been the Minister of the Ministry of War. He was a bit tough, but his face was already pale. The servants who followed Zhang Jinyan to surrender didn't even gag. They all cried loudly and begged for mercy.
Many officials and scribes gathered around to watch. Zhu Cixi also dismounted, pressed his hand on the hilt of his sword, and stood up straight, with a fierce look in his eyes. He just looked coldly at the rebel who was about to be stabbed.
His head guard Wang Qize is arranging the executioner... not just anyone is qualified to kill! Those who are qualified to serve as executioners are all noble sons and daughters of the East Palace Guard Camp. I have never killed anyone before, but this is my first time!
Less than a stick of incense passed, and behind most of the rebels who were kneeling outside the Meridian Gate, waiting to be stabbed, stood a young nobleman with a pale face.
People must be killed! This is the fate of their generation of Ming Dynasty nobles!
But there is one rebel who has no executioner behind him. This rebel is Shao Zhan Shiyu. Xiang Yu looked at Zhu Cixiang with pleading eyes. He was Zhu Cixiang's official! There should be some preferential treatment, right? How about being taken to the imperial prison and locked up first?
At this time, Zhu Cixiang had already walked up to Xiang Yu with a smile on his face, and then solemnly bowed to him: "Mr. Xiang, you are my lecturer, and you have taught me many saints' principles. I have always respected your knowledge very much. I also understand that it is easy to tell but difficult to do, and I also know that it is impossible for you, sir, to act completely according to the way of a saint. But I never expected that you, sir, would be so impatient to surrender!"
As he spoke, his eyes were cold and stern, slowly sweeping over everyone onlookers, and his tone suddenly became extremely cold.
"...It doesn't matter if Mr. Xiang refuses to die for the Ming Dynasty. Even if Chuang Ni is forced to do so out of desperation, I will not blame him. But what happened today was out of desperation? Chuang Ni hasn't entered the city yet. , the inner city of the capital is even more impregnable! You couldn't wait to surrender to the enemy and surrender! You have disappointed me so much!
But after all, I have learned the principles of saints from you! There is a teacher-student relationship...so I can't watch you die under the executioner's knife. "
Forgive me?
Xiang Yu breathed a sigh of relief.
At this time, Zhu Cixiang began to pace slowly, walked around behind Xiang Yu, and suddenly stretched out his left hand to grab Xiang Yu's hair bun. He had already drawn his sword with his right hand, and then used the blade of the sword to press hard on Xiang Yu's neck. One stroke. Warm blood spurted out, staining the blade of the sword red, and splashed on the back of Zhu Cixiang's hand and the armor leaves of his armor.
The sudden change was completely beyond Xiang Yu's expectation. His eyes were staring hard, as if he didn't believe that he was dead, and there was a gurgling sound in his throat.
Zhu Cixiang, who committed the second murder, was much calmer. He held Xiang Yu's body with one hand, an apologetic smile appeared on his face, and said in a gentle voice: "Mr. good!"
This prince is so cruel! The courtiers outside the Meridian Gate were all frightened.
His father was already cruel enough. He had killed many ministers over the years, but it was just words. This prince likes to do things himself! And this quickness... isn't this the first time you've killed someone, right?
He was only sixteen years old, and he killed someone like this? Will it be okay when you grow up?
By the way, this prince seems to be very cunning! He is cunning, cruel, and particularly good at buying soldiers' morale and amassing money... He is really not a good person!
Xiang Yu had already fallen. Zhu Cixiang wiped the sword and his palm with his official uniform, then put the sword into its sheath, then looked back at the dozens of other executioners with pale faces, and said with a smile: "It's your turn! Take action!" Well... the first time you kill someone, it’s always uncomfortable, but you’ll get used to it after killing too many people!”
…
"Your Majesty, please crawl..."
"Climb...how did you crawl into Beijing City?"
When Zhu Cixiang killed someone for the second time, Li Zicheng had already arrived outside Yongding Gate. Yongding Gate and the nearby city walls were occupied by troops commanded by Chen Yongfu.
Li Zicheng, who was listening to the good news in Diaoyutai, came excitedly with his imperial camp without asking any more questions when he heard that Yongding Gate had been captured.
On the way here, he had already planned to ride a big horse into Beijing!
He has been thinking about this for many years!
But who knew that Chen Yongfu hadn't opened the Yongding Gate yet. He just found a ladder, wrapped it in yellow cloth, and asked Emperor Dashun to climb into Beijing...
Chen Yongfu smiled bitterly and said: "Your Majesty, I can't do anything... Zhu Thief's soldiers blocked the city gate, not only Yongding Gate, but also You'an Gate, Guangning Gate, and Xibian Gate. So the soldiers who advanced to the city blocked The general is cleaning up. The door will probably be opened as soon as tonight, why don't you wait a little longer?"
