At the end of the war, the soldiers patrolling the outer city of You'anmen and Quang Ninh Gate also staggered against the pillars, and some even began to weaken their physical strength, and they fell down with a sway, unable to stand up again.

And outside the city gates, you can faintly hear the voices of people talking? He said, "Son! You died such a miserable death! ”

"Husband, husband, what's wrong with you?" There is even the sound of gongs and drums in the mansion at night?

A Ming army with decent physical strength was passing by the city tower while patrolling, and suddenly heard a soldier shouting, "Ghost! Ghosts...? ”

The frightened soldier sat on the ground and pointed in the direction of the distance outside the city, his face pale and a little delirious! Ming Jinwu Right Guard Commander: He Zhixiang, seeing this, shook his head and sighed, "It's over!" The dignified Gyeonggi area, how can it become like this? ”

In fact, what the soldier saw just now may be a phantom or a white dress or something? Because of the death of the residents in the capital area one by one, coupled with the posting of runes and practices in the residents' houses, it caused panic in the hearts of the soldiers, and mistakenly thought that they had seen ghosts? In this way, the whole of Gyeonggi is in a very dangerous environment.

At the beginning of the next day, March 17, an old man over 60 years old in cloth came forward at the gate of the household office, and when the guards saw him, he thought he was a hungry person, so he waved his hand and said, "Let's go!" Let's go! We don't have anything to help you. ”

But the old man tidied up his clothes and said, "A few officials have misunderstood!" The old decay did not come to ask for food, but to donate silver. ”

When the guards heard this, they all laughed and said, "It's up to you? Also donate silver? Old man, I advise you to come from and where to go, right? As soon as the words fell, the old man took out a bag of silver and said, "This is the 400 taels of silver accumulated by the old man all his life, and he was going to leave it to his grandson, who would have thought that he would die last night!" ”

The guards who had taken the opportunity to snatch the silver, as soon as they heard that his grandson was dead? Think it's the epidemic? He didn't dare to get close to him and was about to close the door, but the old man said, "Don't be afraid, the old grandson died of drowning." ”

This put the guards at ease, and just as they were about to move, they heard someone behind them ask, "What's going on outside?" ”

Everyone took a look and found that the person who came was the Ming Household Department Shangshu: Huang Lin, when he saw an old man coming, he asked, "Who are you?" The old man immediately stepped forward to hold back his tears and donate silver to him, and the Ming Hubu Shangshu who was holding the bag weighed it, and opened it to see that there were 400 taels of silver.

Then he played this matter to Ming Yizong, and learned that the people of the capital: Meng Gui, after donating 400 taels of silver, and the silver in front totaled about 200,000 taels of silver, Ming Yizong was particularly happy that he saw for the first time that there were people in the capital who were willing to contribute to the country, and as soon as he was happy, he named Meng Gui as "Nanzhen Fusi Jinyi Wei Thousand Households" to allow his hereditary.

At the same time, under the leadership of Emperor Dashun, 350,000 Dashun troops and 100,000 surrendered Ming troops, also successively marched eastward to the Xizhimen City of the outer city of the capital of the Ming Emperor, rows of neat troops carrying all kinds of pennants fluttering in the wind, frightened the Ming army who defended the city and hurriedly closed the city gate, and the soldiers on the city quickly ran to the bell tower to ring the bell to warn (bell, bell, bell) The sound spread in all directions.

Immediately after that, the right guard of Ming Yanshan who was guarding the city was calmed: Guo Danheng, when he saw the alarm bell ringing, he didn't see the sound of artillery on the city tower? Did he think something was strange? So he went up to the castle tower and looked at it.

When I walked up the steps, I found that the soldiers in several battlements were either lying on the ground and vomiting! Either they were sick and resting against the pillars, and only a few soldiers were shooting outside the city with a musket charge, but this could not stop any of the rogue troops at all!

The angry Ming Yanshan right guard calmed down and thought that the soldier was doing this on purpose? They were whipped (snap, snap, snap) and despite this, the soldiers were still lying down and couldn't get up at all, and occasionally one soldier was whipped, but the other soldier lay down again!

The Liukou army outside the city began to set up artillery, and then loaded the shells and set up artillery to bombard the Xizhimen of the capital, and after more than a dozen solid bullets were fired, the defenders of Xizhimen were killed, and some soldiers infected with the epidemic were still lying on the ground.

When the Liukou soldiers landed in the city, Ming Yanshan's right guard Zhenfu felt ashamed, and after slashing and killing six Liukou, he was unable to resist and swung his knife to kill himself!

In order to successfully control the Jingshi, Emperor Dashun also specially ordered the generals to kill in the direction of Desheng Gate and Fucheng Gate, and the main force entered the inner city to the vicinity of Chongguo Temple.

The arrogant and unreasonable Marquis of Dashun also asked the soldiers to escort the monks of Chongguo Temple and asked: "Come to Cuckoo, I have something to ask you, dare to ask, what valuable objects are in this temple?" I heard that this is a temple built during the Northern Mongol and Yuan Empires, and there are many emperors who believe in Buddhism? ”

The monks replied, "Amitabha! The donor has indeed received royal courtesy, but he has not given any objects, and he asks the donor not to rebel against the purity of Buddhism! ”

Dashun Ruhou, who was unwilling to withdraw like this, scolded: "Damn bald donkey, Cuckoo asked you to give you face, come on!" Search for me! ”

At this moment, the general of the right battalion of Dashun came over and stopped him, and persuaded him: "Lord Marquis, what are you doing here?" Although we said that the rebels plundered the official mansion, this is a temple! It is not under the jurisdiction of the imperial court, and what can the monks rob? Let's let them go! ”

Despite this, Dashun Ruhou still did not intend to leave, until he saw the rear of the Dashun Emperor's personal guards before stopping, and continued to enter the Bei'anmen to attack the city, while the Dashun Emperor detoured to the main gate of the imperial city, Chengtianmen, and sent Dashun Mianhou and Dashun Guangshanbo to besiege Xuanwu Gate and Daming Gate respectively, intending to completely cut off the connection between the inner city, the outer city, and the imperial city.

At this moment, a eunuch in the Imperial City (Forbidden City) ran quickly in the direction of the Qianqing Palace, and shouted as he ran, "It's not good!" Jingshi is in a hurry! Big things are not good! …。 ”

The commander of the soldiers and horses of the Ming Zhongcheng patrol: Tao Liwen, seeing that the eunuch was so flustered, he stopped him and asked, "Dare to ask my father-in-law!" What's going on to be so nervous? ”

The eunuch who had stopped hurriedly came over and replied, "Ouch! It's the commander of the Nakajo Terracotta Division! Big things are wrong! The outside of the inner city is full of rogue troops, and they are all fighting with the soldiers defending the city, so you should quickly dispatch the troops of the five cities to resist it! We still have to report to Your Majesty in advance! ”

Hearing this news, he was immediately frightened by the commander of the Mingzhong City Soldiers and Horses Division, and the deputy commander of the Mingzhong City Soldiers and Horses Division beside him: She Haojun, who was observant of his words, stepped forward and asked, "Dare to ask the commander, are we going to unite with the pro-army Jingwei Command Envoy?" Or go and inform the military department? ”

After hesitating for a while, the commander of the Ming Zhongcheng Soldiers and Horses Division decided to discuss with the rest of the commanders of the Four Cities Soldiers and Horses Division first, and they were planning to defend against the enemy.

Ming Yizong, who received the battle report at the right gate at noon, was completely driven crazy, and he said angrily: "These damn civil and military officials! Didn't you say that Liukou was still outside Yanqing Wei Juyong Pass? Why are you coming to the city so quickly! What about my army of King Qin? Where is it now? Quickly let them enter the king of Jingqin, and if they don't come to me, they will be arrested by the rogue. ”

Seeing that His Majesty the Emperor was so nervous, the accompanying Ming Si Rite Eunuch Bingbi Eunuch and Ming Si Rite Eunuch Palm Seal Eunuch all lowered their heads and were silent! The angry Ming Yizong immediately ordered: "Hurry up and pass the decree, so that the officials in the imperial city who can reach the imperial hall can put down all their affairs and go to the imperial palace as soon as possible." ”

When the two great eunuchs heard that they were going to the Imperial Palace? This hurriedly asked the palace maids and eunuchs to prepare to drive, and waited for His Majesty the Emperor to change the (crown robe) worn by the court in the Baohe Palace, and took off the yellow gon (dragon robe), and walked through the Zhonghe Hall accompanied by the eunuchs.

Originally, according to the rules, the Huangji Hall was the place of the early dynasty, since the emperor changed his crown clothes, he had to go according to the form of the early dynasty's political discussion, due to the urgency of the situation and Ming Yizong's concern about the city defense, so he did not rest in the Zhonghe Palace, but went straight to the Huangji Hall to sit.

Soon, the general Gyeonggi officials anxiously walked through the Huangji Gate to reach the outside of the Imperial Gate, because of the urgency of the war and the fact that the Gyeonggi officials did not have as many people as in the previous early dynasty, so Ming Yizong specially ordered the Ming Si Rite Supervisor Bingbi Eunuch to go out and preach the decree, "Spread Your Majesty's dictation, and the ministers will enter the Imperial Palace to discuss politics." ”

Seeing this scene, the officials below the fourth rank felt that something was not right, and the rest of the ministers turned their heads and said: "In terms of official rank, we are afraid that we don't even have the qualifications to come to the imperial gate to discuss politics!" Now His Majesty suddenly asked me to wait in the Imperial Palace! This is probably the first and last time! ”

In fact, most officials understand that Li Thief's soldiers and horses are now outside the Forbidden City, and they may enter at any time, plus there is a plague situation in Gyeonggi, and it is only a matter of time before the city is broken!

When the ministers stepped into this imperial palace, they all felt honored to look at this magnificent hall, and Ming Yizong, who was sitting on the throne of the Ninth Five-Year Supreme Emperor on the top of the main hall, said, "All the Aiqing have summoned everyone to come today, and there is no need to be formal for anything else, I don't want to say anything about the past!" I just want to ask you Aiqing, how to resist the rogue now? ”

I saw that the Ming soldiers under the main hall were in the middle of the matter: Song Pingwei, stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the top priority is to convene the three battalions of the Jingwei Command Envoy, the Five Cities Soldiers and Horses, and the Beijing Army to work together to resist the Liukou army, as long as it lasts for ten and a half months, then King Qin's division will definitely reach Gyeonggi, and when the time comes, Li Thief will inevitably fall into a passive form if he can't attack for a long time." ”

Hearing this, Lu Jingxiang also echoed: "Since His Majesty Emperor Yonglewen, our dynasty has been besieged twice but successfully resisted foreign enemies, relying on the strong, tall and thick city defense, coupled with the unity of the army and the people of our dynasty, I believe that this time we will be able to repel the Liukou and defend the Beijing division." ”

Ming Yizong was very happy to hear this, and he laughed and said, "What Aiqing said is extremely true! Where is Xiangcheng Bo? ”

Ming Xiangchengbo, who was standing in the front row: Li Guozhen, hurriedly replied, "The minister is here!" ”

Then Ming Yizong ordered: "Grant Xiangcheng Bo as the Beijing camp and lead the three battalions to fight against the Liukou, there must be no mistake!" Eunuch of the Celebrant Palm Seal: Wang Chengen, I have appointed you as the Commander of the Nine Gates of the Beijing Division, and the two of you will guard each gate with 50,000 Beijing troops and 30,000 Beijing defenders, and you must hold on until reinforcements arrive. ”

The two hurriedly took the order to retreat to arrange the city defense, and asked Ming Chengguogong: Zhu Chunchen, to lead troops to protect the East Palace from the Ming crown prince, so Ming Chengguo sent troops to guard the Chaoyang Gate of the inner city, and planned to cover the crown prince to go out of Beijing to the outside of the city at any necessary time.

After the arrangement, the Ming Jing battalion Rong Zheng and Xiangcheng Bo: Li Guozhen, he summoned the three major battalions of the Beijing army to prepare to resist the Liukou, he thought that he was confident, when he gathered the army to count the number of people, he actually saw a row of soldiers standing in front of him! Some of them were unaware, some were dozing off, and after walking around, they found only a few soldiers standing upright.

This made Mingjing Yingrongzheng very disappointed! He immediately asked, "Where is the left deputy general of the 3,000 battalion, the 5th army battalion, the Shenji battalion, and these three battalions?" Get out of the queue quickly. ”