quiet!
Extremely quiet.
A group of chattering people at the entrance of the vegetable market looked at the young man who made the noise with strange eyes.
The person who spoke out was also a little confused, not sure why these people looked at him like this.
After a while, an older man shouted angrily: "Sanwazi, what are you talking about? The white-pole soldiers are from Sichuan, how did they come to Beijing?"
"Old Uncle Li, what I said is true. The white-armed soldiers have really arrived in Beijing."
Sanwazi was anxious and quickly explained: "Really, I went to deliver goods outside the city in the afternoon and met a few businessmen. I heard what they said while chatting."
"Okay, the white-pole soldiers are here, and these two bastards will be taught a lesson."
"Don't talk nonsense. The white-armed soldiers may still go to aid Liao as they did eight years ago, but they are just passing through Beijing."
"Whatever, this has nothing to do with us people."
…
The speaker had no intention, but the listener had the intention. Just such casual words spread quickly.
Slowly it spread to the ears of the gentry and courtiers in Beijing.
All the courtiers who learned the news were shocked by the news. After the shock, they prepared to go to the palace to meet the emperor. However, they were stopped by the night watchmen of the Five Cities Patrol Division as soon as they left.
"My lord, the curfew has begun. No one is allowed to go out without a warrant from Lord Li."
"Get out of the way. I have an urgent military situation to meet with His Majesty. You can't afford to delay the military situation."
"Bring me a warrant. If you don't have a warrant, you should just stay calm. You should know very well what happened to those people in the past few days. Don't make things difficult for us."
"You, you..."
The same scene was played out everywhere in Beijing, but without exception, they were all stopped by the people from the Five Cities Patrol Department.
"Brother Wang, what if these people really have a military emergency? We're stopping you like this..."
"Stupid or not, if it is an emergency military situation, it should be reported by people from the Ministry of War and the Beijing Camp. It has nothing to do with these people. This is obviously a cover."
"I mean what if, what if it's true?"
"What does that have to do with us? We are just following Mr. Li's orders. Even if we go to His Majesty, we are justified. Okay, let's continue patrolling."
The ministers who were stopped back were all furious, but they had no choice. Who allowed the newly appointed admiral of the Five Cities Inspection Department to also hold the official position of left minister of the Ministry of War and temporary leader of the Ministry of War.
All night long, the ministers in Beijing could not sleep at home, making various speculations.
After finally making it to court time, the ministers rushed out.
An hour later, all the ministers arrived at the Meridian Gate.
When the palace door opened, the ministers entered the Huangji Palace.
After Chongzhen came out of the Qianqing Palace, Wang Chengen whispered: "Your Majesty, there was news from Li Banghua last night, saying that everyone in the city was talking about the white-pole soldiers entering Beijing.
Last night, all the ministers wanted to go out, but they were all blocked by the night watchmen of Mr. Li's Five Cities Patrol Department. It is estimated that the ministers have not exchanged news at this time. "
"If you let them, it's a foregone conclusion, and there will be no waves."
Chongzhen chuckled lightly, and when he arrived at Huangji Hall, after completing a set of procedures, cabinet minister Shi Fenglai left directly.
"Your Majesty, I impeach Qin Liangyu."
Chongzhen pretended to be surprised and said: "What's the reason?"
"Qin Liangyu led his troops to Beijing privately without orders from the Ministry of War or the Cabinet, which is really a crime of treason."
"Qin Liangyu obeyed my will, what crime did he commit?"
Chongzhen directly admitted that it was more than a hundred miles away and he had to march in a hurry to arrive in one day. There was nothing to hide.
The ministers were all shocked. They had some guesses in their minds, but they didn't expect that it was really His Majesty.
After the shock, Shi Fenglai immediately said: "Your Majesty, may I ask you why you sent the white-pole soldiers to Beijing?"
"Your Majesty, it is against the ancestral system to go beyond the Ministry of War, the Cabinet, and the Supervisor of Ceremonies."
"I sincerely request your Majesty to order Qin Liangyu to lead his troops back to Zhongzhou!"
"Your Majesty, you asked Qin Liangyu to lead his troops to the capital. What if there is another rebellion in the Shizhu area while Qin Liangyu is in the capital?"
…
"enough!"
Chongzhen shouted angrily and stood on the edge of the platform: "Is it the king's land in the whole world? Is it the king's ministers on the shore of the land? What do I want to do and do I need to report to you?"
"Your Majesty, this..."
"Shut up!"
Chongzhen shouted angrily again, interrupting Shi Fenglai's words.
"Li Ruolian, lead people to surround the Huangji Palace. Not even a fly can fly in. No one is allowed to enter or leave the Huangji Palace without my will. Even if they go to the toilet, they must send someone to follow them."
"Li Banghua, from now on, all the city gates inside and outside Beijing will be closed. No one else is allowed in or out except for those who inquire about military intelligence. You will be personally responsible for this matter and supervise all the military equipment in the city."
The city gate is closed, and there is a 30-meter-wide moat outside. Even flying can't fly across it, let alone deliver the news.
Closing the city gates was not only to prevent news from being conveyed within the city, but also to protect the British public in case they suddenly defected.
Chongzhen glanced at the ministers coldly, turned around and left, waiting to settle the accounts with those in charge of the military.
After Chongzhen left, the officials in the Huangji Palace had different expressions. The eunuchs gathered together, their faces full of gloom and fear.
There are few fools who can reach this position. By now, they have seen clearly.
The city of Beijing has the Twenty-one Guards, the Four Guards of Tengxiang, the Jinyi Guards, and the Jingying Camp. Together they have tens of thousands of troops. Several hundred miles away from the city are Jizhou, Xuanfu, and Datong Military Towns, with tens of thousands of soldiers and thousands more mobilized. What are the white soldiers inside and outside doing?
It is obvious that His Majesty does not trust the soldiers and horses around the capital, and there is only one purpose for bringing the white-armed soldiers to the capital, and it can only be this one - to quell the party dispute.
As dependents of the eunuchs, they will definitely be liquidated.
And their backbone Wei Zhongxian is probably still in the dark at this moment, and there is definitely no hope.
Trapped in the Emperor's Palace, unable to deliver the message, he was just a piece of fish on the chopping board, ready to be slaughtered.
The faces of the Donglin Party and the Zhejiang Party are also extremely ugly. Judging from the methods of this new emperor, it is definitely not a good thing.
The eunuchs have been liquidated. If they still dare to jump around, His Majesty will really kill them regardless.
They seemed to see the shadow of Taizu and Chengzu in the new emperor. Thinking of this, the ministers trembled all over and their eyes were full of fear.
Others, such as Guo Yunhou, the Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, and other ministers who were dedicated to serving the country and the people, were full of joy. Without party strife, the Ming Dynasty would have a chance to breathe.
Chongzhen, who returned to Dongnuan Pavilion, stood at the door of Dongnuan Pavilion and looked to the southwest of Beijing, which was the direction where the white-pole soldiers entered Beijing.
"Your Majesty, the Fang family has received news that the Baigan soldiers are only one hundred and eighty miles away from Beijing. Excluding the time to deliver the news, the Baigan soldiers should be less than one hundred and thirty miles away from the city of Beijing. They will be here tomorrow morning at the latest. Will go outside Beijing."
Listening to Wang Chengen's response, Chongzhen nodded.
"Big companion, arrange for someone to go to Gaoyang and ask Sun Chengzong to come to Beijing as soon as possible!"
"Wang Cheng'en, take people to the Supervisor of Ceremonies, capture all the Supervisors of Ceremonies, take all the seals, etc. to Dongnuan Pavilion, and bring some more blank imperial edicts."
"Fang Zhenghua, please go with me and go to the Royal Horse Prison and capture the eunuch Liu Yingkun and others who are in charge of the Royal Horse Prison!"
