Li Shuangxi came in, knelt down and bowed to the emperor: "Du Xun has arrived, waiting for the summons." ”

Li Zicheng nodded and commanded softly: "Pass him to enter the hall immediately." ”

Li Shuangxi went to the door and gave an order to the guards, and then two preacher shouted in unison: "Chuan Shexun enter the hall!"

After a while, Du Xun cautiously bowed down and entered the hall, knelt down in front of Li Zicheng, kowtowed three heads, and said sharply: "Slave minister Du Xun knocks to see the emperor." ”

The eunuchs of the Ming Dynasty originally called themselves slaves and maids in front of the emperor, but today Du Xun added a minister to Li Zicheng's self-proclaimed slave and maidservant, and it took some thought in his heart beforehand. He relied on his status as a supervisor in the important town of Xuanfu to welcome the surrender, and wrote a letter to persuade the eunuch Du Zhizhi to go out of the pass to welcome the surrender, and he was a person who made great contributions to the new dynasty, and should be reused by the new dynasty in the future, so he added a minister after the slave maid, if the emperor of Dashun tacitly agreed, it would make the status of the eunuchs in front of the emperor a step higher in the future. Li Zicheng didn't understand Du Xun's subtle intentions at all, but he was not ambiguous on an important issue, he didn't ask Du Xun to flatten his body, nor did he ask him to sit down, let alone affectionately call him a Qingzi.

He asked: "Du Xun, I just heard Prime Minister Niu say that you are willing to go into the palace to persuade Chongzhen to give way, is this true?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. If Chongzhen is willing to abdicate, the emperor has the reputation of the world, and the subjects of Jingshi can avoid the suffering of war. ”

"Do you think Chongzhen is willing to give way? If he is willing to give way, I will not only protect him from death, but also treat him with courtesy, and he will still be rich and noble, do you think he can give way?"

"Now Chongzhen is trapped in the empty city, isolated, there is no one available in the government and the opposition, if you don't give way, there will be the disaster of destroying the country and the clan, and if you give way, although you will lose the country, you can save the life of the family and enjoy the wealth and prosperity. The slave and maid were originally the cronies of Emperor Chongzhen, as long as they could enter the palace, meet the old master, state the interests, and persuade bitterly, so that Emperor Chongzhen knew that His Majesty was martial and lenient, and returned to his heart. It is very good that he can listen to persuasion, and if he does not listen, he will not miss His Majesty's siege. Moreover, when the slaves and servants enter the city, they can also tell the eunuchs guarding the city to know the situation, and persuade them to open the door and dedicate the city to welcome His Majesty. ”

Li Zicheng thought to himself: "This guy is really good at talking." ”

Then he looked at Du Xun and asked, "I heard that Chongzhen was stubborn and self-serving in his life, and his temperament was violent, and he killed ministers at will. You're going to persuade him to give way, not afraid he'll kill you?"

"The slave and maid have a younger brother and a nephew and the whole family live in the capital, as long as the Chongzhen Emperor is angry, he will not only kill the slave and the slave, but also kill the slave and the slave and the slave and the minister's family of ten. However, the ancients said: If you don't enter the tiger's den, you will get the tiger. The slaves and servants are bent on serving His Majesty and fulfilling His Majesty's reputation for being in the world, and they are willing to risk the disaster of being broken and the whole family being killed. ”

"When are you going to enter the city?"

"I will enter the palace tomorrow morning, and no matter what the result of persuasion is, I will definitely come back in the afternoon. If there is no news about the slaves and servants tomorrow afternoon, they must have been killed by Emperor Chongzhen, please Your Majesty attack the city in a big way. ”

"Well, you go into town. Tomorrow afternoon, I await your reply. ”

After Du Xun kowtowed and withdrew, Li Zicheng finally wondered why Du Xun was so willing to kill himself, so he asked Niu Jinxing, Song Xiance and others: "Tomorrow Du Xun will enter the palace to persuade Chongzhen to give way, how much hope is there for success?"

Song Xiance replied: "In Weichen's view, Chongzhen is not a weak person, if he can't escape from Beijing, there is no way to recover the country, he will definitely commit suicide and die for Sheji, and there is no reason to give way for fear of death." ”

Li Zicheng asked again: "Chongzhen's temperament, Du Xun is fully aware, what is his intention in offering a plan to risk death to enter the palace to persuade him to surrender?"

Song Xiance didn't answer, and Li Yan didn't make a sound. Niu Jinxing stood up respectfully and said, "Why Du Xun is willing to risk his life, the minister can't understand. However, our army will definitely be able to conquer Beijing within one or two days, Du Xun will not succeed in entering the palace, it will not hinder the big plan, we just need to prepare everything to enter the city tomorrow. ”

Li Zicheng also said: "Zong Min, no one in Beijing is willing to defend the city for Chongzhen, the hearts of the people have been dispersed, everything should be done after the city is broken, can you be prepared? How to break the outer city first, and then the inner city, after entering the city, where the battalions are stationed, must be decided in advance, so as to avoid temporary disturbances." And how to arrest officials above the sixth grade of the Ming Dynasty and strictly pursue the stolen goods, you have to be prepared. ”

Liu Zongmin was not used to standing up quickly every time he spoke in front of Li Zicheng, bowing down his hands. He sat on the chair and said loudly: "Please rest assured, the emperor is ready, the minister and the military adviser are ready, tomorrow is March 18, first break the outer city, and then break the inner city on March 19." A few months ago, many of our troops had already entered the outer city, pretending to be all kinds of people in the rivers and lakes, small merchants and hawkers, small craftsmen, nailing plates and bowls, and bone road pots. ”

"They have many secret contacts with the poor people in the city, and they also have connections with the Hui people living in the Quang Ninh Gate, and it has already been said that they will only wait for the army to besiege the city, and the poor people living in the Quang Ninh Gate will open the city gate and let our army enter the city. Break the outer city first, everyone in the inner city will be afraid, and the eunuchs who defend the city will also sacrifice the city gates. Du Xun is willing to persuade Chongzhen to give way and let him go, in fact, this is like catching a rabbit on the first day of the new year, with it for the New Year, and without it, there is also a New Year. ”

Li Zicheng laughed, and several ministers also accompanied him to smile, but except for Liu Zongmin, none of the ministers dared to laugh out loud. Liu Zongmin said suddenly: "Your Majesty, as soon as I arrived at the military camp outside Fuchengmen this afternoon, I listened to the generals' report that the soldiers and civilians defending the city of Guangning Gate had already connected with our fine work two days ago, and intended to wait for the army to open the door to surrender after the siege of the city. ”

Li Zicheng asked: "When will the door be opened to welcome the surrender?"

"It is only said that the door will be opened on the 18th to welcome the landing, and the time is undecided. Yesterday the gates of the city were closed, and the inside and outside were closed, and there was no further connection. ”

Li Zicheng said in a deep voice: "If there is a light rain on the 18th, the outer city can be broken, and after the outer city is broken, the inner city can be broken at dawn on the 19th. It's good to try to urge the soldiers and civilians defending the city to open the door as soon as possible to welcome the surrender, and offer advice, do you have a way?"

Song Xiance replied: "In the past few months, our army has entered Beijing in all kinds of fine works, all of which have been personally dispatched by Liu Tichun, and some of them live in Guangning Gate, and have long been mixed with the residents. It was only because the situation in Manchuria and Shanhaiguan was unclear that the envoy and Li Yan could not rest assured, and had already ordered Liu Tichun to lead his Xiaoliu battalion to Tongzhou to spy on the news of Manchuria and Shanhaiguan. The ministers immediately sent flying horses to force Liu Tichun to come back, and discussed with him overnight that they must find a way to communicate with the city, urging the soldiers and civilians guarding the city at Guangning Gate, and be sure to open the city gate tomorrow and let our army enter the city. ”

Liu Zongmin suddenly said loudly: "There is! There is no need to call Liu Tichun back, I have a way to make the people of the defending army and people of Guangning Gate collapse, and quickly open the door to welcome the surrender, and do not work for our army to attack the city." ”

Li Zicheng was overjoyed: "Zong Min, what can you do?"

"I naturally have a way, so I won't say it for now. Liu Zongmin turned to look at the two military advisors and said, "Offer advice, Li Yan, go, follow me to Guangning Gate to have a look." Your Majesty, you can rest in peace, after I went to the Guangning Gate with the two military advisers to see it, I prepared overnight, and entered the palace early tomorrow morning to play to you. ”

Song Xiance asked in surprise: "Zong Min, you have a good plan, say it in front of the emperor first, and discuss it, okay?"

"Now it's almost three watches, we went to Guangning Gate to see the terrain, and prepared quickly overnight, without delaying for a moment. Let's go and take Li Qiang and Wu Ruyi with you. ”

Liu Zongmin did not hesitate and asked Song Xiance and Li Yan to leave the palace with him. Li Zicheng felt strange in his heart, looked at Liu Zongmin's back and smiled slightly, and then said to the ministers: "Zongmin, the Ming army only knows that he is brave and invincible. In fact, in times of emergency, he is very resourceful and has the talent of a general. He went to inspect the terrain and the defense of the city outside the Quang Ninh Gate, and he must have had a new idea. ”

Niu Jinxing said: "Ruhou must have an unexpected good idea, please wait for the emperor." ”

Li Zicheng nodded, and then ordered the ministers to go back to their stations to rest. When everyone saluted and withdrew, Li Zicheng walked into the courtyard and looked at the city for a while, but saw that the lights on the city were sparse, and there was no cannon shot, and there was no shouting from the city guards, only the lonely sound of bangzi came from a few places. He thought that Ruhou must have a good plan tonight, the attack on Beijing is in front of him, and the enthronement is also in front of him, with a smile on his face, and he said softly in his heart: "Dashun will be decided from now on." ”

March 18th.

Although Li Zicheng has been very tired for several days, he got up very early today. Before the fifth watch, he had already woken up, called his adopted son Shuangxi to the bed, and asked Liu Zongmin and the two military advisers what plan they had agreed on after inspecting outside the Guangning Gate last night, and how to prepare for the night. Shuangxi explained last night's events in detail, and after Li Zicheng understood, he nodded and smiled, and said softly: "This plan is feasible." ”

After he freshened up under the service of the slaves, Song Xiance entered the palace. He told him in detail about the preparations for tomorrow night, and this morning he asked the emperor to come to the gate of Changyi, sit in front of the imperial tent, and tell the soldiers and civilians defending the city to descend quickly. Li Zicheng asked: "Isn't it Guangning Gate, why did it become Changyi Gate again?"

Song Xiance said: "Although the west gate of the outer city of Beijing is called Guangning Gate, Beijingers are used to calling it Changyi Gate, and it is often the same in public and private documents. In previous years, the minister sold Bu Jingshi and lived outside Xuanwu Gate, which was close to Guangning Gate, so he was also used to being called Changyi Gate. ”

"How far is the Imperial Tent from the city?"

"From a distance, the people in the city can't see clearly, so the imperial tent is only more than a mile away from the city gate, so that the soldiers and civilians defending the city can see the emperor's demeanor and the military appearance of the imperial camp. ”

"It's only a mile away from the city gate, so you're not worried about artillery attacks from the city?"

"Last night, Zong Min looked at the terrain at Changyi Gate, and when he said this suggestion, the minister and Li Yan were also worried about the cannon in the city. However, we carefully studied and made arrangements overnight, believing that the soldiers and civilians defending the city would be even more impressed, and we would never dare to open a single shot to the imperial camp. Yesterday afternoon, the holy car through the Xizhi Gate to the south, only two miles away from the city, the guard of honor yellow umbrella leading, hundreds of officials followed, the imperial camp was neat, according to the bridle graceful Xu Xing. ”

"Once, His Majesty stopped at the horse, looking at the head of Beijing in the east, looking at the king's spirit in the west mountain, raising his whip and pointing at him, how calm. At this time, the soldiers and civilians in the city secretly watched and watched, silent, and no one dared to fire a cannon, nor did anyone dare to shout and scold, which is enough to witness that people's hearts are scattered and they dare not be our enemy. Yesterday's situation was already like this, not to mention that since last night, the inner and outer cities have been completely besieged, the siege is ready, and the soldiers and civilians defending the city have been even more disintegrated.

"Besides, after the overnight deployment of the ministers and others, the soldiers and civilians defending the city were even more frightened. Therefore, this idea of the Marquis of Ru seemed to be a dangerous move at first glance, but in fact there was no danger, just to borrow the divine power of His Majesty, but to make the people in the city open the door and surrender as soon as possible. ”