In the eleventh year of Chongzhen, October 22nd, Chen hour.
The Yongding Gate in the south of Beijing slowly opened, and a group of elite cavalry from the Beijing camp rode out. They were all brightly armored and very good-looking, wearing bright red cloaks that fluttered in the wind.
After the cavalry team left the city, they lined up on both sides of the city gate. Then the officials from the Ministry of Rites rode their horses slowly. They got off their horses and saluted before Lu Xiang's horse was raised. Then, in accordance with the regulations of the Central Government, they explained in detail the noon ceremony to Zhang Cheng and other three people. Detailed requirements for door-to-door prisoner gifts.
After everything was ready, the Yongding Gate slowly opened again, and officials from the Ministry of Rites acted as the forerunners and rode ahead.
Lu Xiangsheng rode his horse in front of the convoy. The elite of his Supervisor Battalion were arranged on both sides of the convoy. Following the leading officials of the Ministry of Rites, they escorted 377 Qing army heads and slowly entered Yongding Gate.
Both sides of Yongdingmen Street were already crowded with onlookers, and there were many soldiers from the Beijing army maintaining order on the street.
Emperor Chongzhen ordered Lu Xiangsheng to lead the Xuanzhen army and horses into the city to present prisoners. The news had already spread throughout the capital. People came to queue up on Yongdingmen Street early to occupy their seats. Even the eaves along the street were densely packed with people.
"Wow, wow..."
"Look, that's the Tartar head."
"Look, look, carts and carts of Tatar heads!"
When the onlookers saw the carloads of Qing army heads, they exclaimed like a tide. The Qing army had invaded the capital and ravaged the capital several times, and the surrounding people had suffered greatly. Today, they saw so many Qing army heads at once. , both surprised and happy, everyone felt very happy.
Yang Guozhu, the commander-in-chief of Xuanzhen, rode his horse slowly from Yongding Gate. He was placed behind the cart where the heads of the Qing army were placed. The carts behind him were escorting Qing army prisoners, and each cart contained There are five cages, each with pigtails like rat tails, and their bald heads are swinging back and forth on the cages.
"Look, the Tatars...are the Tatars..."
"Damn Tatars, damn. They are all damned Tatar soldiers."
"Look, look, it's Tatars, they're all Tatars!"
If the onlookers felt happy when they saw the carloads of Qing army heads, then seeing the carloads of Qing prisoners now made them hate it.
"Fight, fight the Tartars..."
"Beat the Tatars...kill the dog Tatars..."
I don't know who cursed "...Death to the Tatars...", then threw a small stone and hit it on the prison cage. This immediately resonated with the onlookers, and more stones came from both sides. The fine cavalry from the main barracks in Xuanzhen were thrown in, and many of them hit the cages, but there were also some Qing prisoners whose heads were smashed and bloody, which made the onlookers feel very relieved.
Outside Yongding Gate.
Zhang Cheng saw that the cart escorting the prisoners in front had entered Yongdingmen Street. He held the reins in his left hand, raised his right hand high, and shouted: "Generals, listen to the order and enter the city to present the prisoners!"
After saying that, he rode his horse forward slowly and entered Yongding Gate first.
Behind him there were two columns of knights on each side, shouting loudly: "Tiger, tiger, tiger!"
Zhang Cheng was ordered by the emperor to present prisoners at the Meridian Gate, and he was allowed to bring two sentry troops and horses into the city. He also wanted the princes in the court and the people in the capital to see the power of these soldiers who killed the Qing soldiers and rode on the frontier.
Yesterday evening, after Zhang Cheng returned to his military tent, he arranged for the four sentry commanders to each bring an army and horses to form two sentries. They followed him into Beijing and presented the prisoners at the Meridian Gate. He asked the soldiers to bring their armor and weapons. Wipe it brightly and don't embarrass Xunzhen.
Zhang Cheng appeared on Yongdingmen Street on horseback. He was wearing the armor and sword given by the emperor when he performed meritorious service at the horse farm. The shining steel armor shone dazzlingly in the sun. He was riding a maroon horse. The war horse is as majestic as a god.
"Is this person Zhang Cheng?"
"He killed all these Tatars..."
"Is this the reincarnation of Grandpa Yue... Kill these old Tatars..."
His appearance aroused exclamations of exclamation. Ever since Emperor Chongzhen summoned Lu Xiangsheng to the city to present his prisoners last night, stories about Zhang Cheng's battles at Mafang and Shiqiao began to spread in Beijing.
First, the princes in the court, and then the officials in various ministries, inquired about each other. Among them, the officials from the Ministry of War were the most popular. When they figured out who Zhang Cheng was, the whole city of Beijing began to spread that Zhang Cheng was about to go. Fang fought alone against the Tatars and killed more than a hundred Tatar soldiers. This time he fought against the Tatar Jia Lazhangjing for 300 rounds at Shiqiao and captured him alive with one man's power.
"This young general is so handsome and young... Is he really the Tatar official he captured..."
"Jia La Zhang Jing... a Tatar high official..."
"Look, it is said that this armor was awarded by the emperor..."
Amid the exclamations of the people on the streets, the knights of the four columns came slowly on horseback in high spirits. On the cart being escorted in the middle of the cavalry, a pure white Jia La Zhang Jing Guan official flag was slanted. On top, the flag was slightly torn, and the blood stains remaining on it could be vaguely seen.
"Look at that big flag...Jia La Zhangjing's big flag..."
"Tatar Jia Lazhangjing's large scroll...there are still blood stains on it..."
Every time a cart came slowly, there was a burst of exclamations. The cart behind supported a set of pure white helmets, with a shiny breastplate on the chest, and a high white tassel on the helmet. Dancing in the wind is the armor of La Zhangjing, the armor of the Qing army.
"Wow, this must be the armor of a Tatar official..."
"Look, there is a hole there. It must have been poked by that young general Zhang Cheng..."
The procession of offering prisoners marched northward along Yongdingmen Street, with exclamations coming one after another.
At first, the soldiers of the Beijing camp who were on duty on the street didn't pay much attention to those who threw stones. Everyone hated the Tatar soldiers. Most of the people surrounding the street had fled outside the city to seek refuge. Now facing the Tatar soldiers who forced them to flee their homes, they were filled with anger.
However, as the team marched, most of the Tatar soldiers in the cages were suffering from bloody wounds. The commander-in-chief Yang Guozhu was worried that it would affect the prisoner ceremony at the Meridian Gate later, so he ordered the sergeants on both sides to stand on the side. Raise your shield.
Seeing this scene, the soldiers of the Beijing camp on duty on the street began to shout at the people who were throwing stones, but the curses became louder, mixed with the cheers, and the curses continued.
The cavalry rolled forward and entered the inner city through Zhengyang Gate. The cavalry that presented prisoners on Qipan Street turned east and headed towards Dong'an Gate of the Imperial City.
At this time, the team offering prisoners finally entered Dong'an Gate. Officials from the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Rites were waiting here. They took over from the previous officials from the Ministry of Rites and continued to guide the cavalry offering prisoners to the Donghua Gate of the Forbidden City.
After entering the Dong'an Gate, you will find the Imperial City inside. There are no longer any onlookers on the street. The Imperial Guards stand solemnly along the street, with a stern appearance. Occasionally, officials and dignitaries walking around stopped and looked at Zhang. Cheng's prisoner cavalry here was pointing.
Behind the officials of the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Rites led by Zhang Cheng and other followers, they entered the Forbidden City through Donghua Gate and rushed all the way to Chengtian Gate.
I was ordered to pacify a certain place, and the prisoners I captured were presented to the palace to request the order.
