After four days of careful and frantic trekking, Ma Luan and Zhu Yousong finally found Huang Degong's Chinese army camp in Qimen County. Huang Degong has tens of thousands of soldiers and horses, and it is really not easy to find Huang Degong, the main general. And they didn't dare to reveal their identities, so they could only send people to inquire in private, and several people were caught and beaten half to death by the locals.

said that this road was crazy because they didn't dare to go to the county seat, but this large group of people always had to eat and drink, so they could only go to the villages and towns to rob like thieves, and then quickly escape. Since they were beaten and scattered by the villagers, they knew that they were two, and they would never dare to meet the team again.

Huang Degong didn't believe it at first, but when he really saw Zhu Yousong, he could only cry bitterly. An emperor who escaped from the capital with only a few troops, what else can he do? However, he was still loyal to the Ming Dynasty, so he could only settle Emperor Hongguang and send someone to inform Shi Kefa and come over to discuss how to act together. After all, Shi Kefa is the cabinet supervisor, and some things are much more justifiable than these generals.

And Zhu Yousong was finally able to sleep at ease at this time. These Beijing soldiers were so unreliable that they were easily dispersed by Xiang Yong. However, he still didn't feel at ease, this place was close to the front line of confrontation with Zhang Xianzhong, if Zhang Xianzhong attacked, wouldn't he be in danger again?

After resting for the night, Zhu Yousong summoned Huang Degong and said, "Jingnanhou, I have thought about it again and again, it is still not safe here. It's better for Jingnanhou to lead the troops and escort me to Hangzhou. ”

Huang Degong persuaded: "Your Majesty, let's wait for the Shi Pavilion Department, the Shi Pavilion Department should be able to come over tomorrow to see the driver." ”

"Even when he comes, I'm going to leave." Zhu Yousong said a little eagerly: "If you wait for Shi Kefa to come over, if something happens during the period, isn't it too late to regret it?" After all, this is the front line, Zhang Xianzhong, Zuo Mengeng, and Li Yan may all call. ”

Huang Degong assured: "Your Majesty, rest assured, this place is still a hundred miles away from the front, and the enemy is not so easy to come." Moreover, His Majesty left alone this time, and all the ministers stayed in the capital, and if the Cabinet Department was there, he could always give His Majesty some help. ”

"But Shi Kefa is pedantic, and when he was in Nanjing, there were some things that I didn't take into account of their thoughts, would he take the opportunity to do something that made me embarrassed?" Zhu Yousong asked with some expectations.

When they were in Nanjing, Ma Shiying and others did not have trouble finding Donglin and Fushe. And he also agreed to Ma Shiying's request, and transferred Shi Kefa, who was originally the first assistant, out of the court, and made Shi Kefa supervise the teacher outside. Now that he is in the army of Shi Kefa's superintendent, Shi Kefa has made some requests, and Zhu Yousong really doesn't know what to do.

Huang Degong hugged his fists and said: "Your Majesty doesn't have to worry, there are loyal sons and daughters of your subordinates to protect your left and right, and no one can force Your Majesty." And now in extraordinary times, I don't think I'm a person who doesn't care about the overall situation. ”

Hearing Huang Degong's assurance, Zhu Yousong really put his mind at ease. As long as Huang Degong is still loyal to him, then there is no need to fear the retaliation of Donglin and others. Donglin didn't want him to be the emperor in the first place, but now if he controls Huang Degong and Liu Liangzuo, then it will not be difficult to change someone to be the emperor.

After Zhu Yousong was not worried about his throne and safety, he finally remembered the situation in Nanjing. So he asked, "Is there any news from Nanjing?" Are the civil and military ministers in the city okay? ”

Huang Degong replied: "Nanjing has been surrounded by Li Zicheng, but the news I received yesterday shows that Nanjing is still resisting. ”

"Huh? Not yet captured? Zhu Yousong said in surprise: "It seems that Zhao Zhilong still has some talent as a general, if he can escape from the encirclement this time, he will be reused in the future." ”

Huang Degong said reproachfully: "The city wall of Nanjing is high and thick, and it is close to the river. If His Majesty is in the city and summons the kings of all towns, he may be able to defeat the thieves in one fell swoop under the city of Nanjing. It's a pity that now that there is no His Majesty in Nanjing, it must be a group of dragons without a leader, fighting on their own, and it is only a matter of time before it falls. ”

Zhu Yousong nodded, but he was glad that he escaped in time. Either way, he wouldn't let himself be trapped again. He stood up and tidied up his clothes, bowed to Huang Degong, and said, "My life is entrusted to the hands of the Marquis of Jingnan." ”

Huang Degong hurriedly knelt down and bowed: "I dare not accept Your Majesty's gift." As long as the minister still has a breath, a soldier will definitely protect His Majesty. ”

At this time, Li Zicheng, who was outside Nanjing, finally found a suitable place to dig a hole and blow up the city after besieging Nanjing City for a day. The Tianhou Temple in the north of the city, with the gable against the Nanjing city wall, is a good place to dig holes. So after dark, he sent troops to sneak into the Tianhou Palace, and immediately began to excavate under the cover of the temple.

On the night of the second day, the little Taoist priest who escaped from the Tianhou Temple went up to the city and reported the news that the army was digging tunnels in the Tianhou Temple. But whether it is Guo Chengdong in the city, or Zhao Zhilong in the city, Han Zanzhou and others, they are all at a loss.

They all know what these soldiers in the city will be. If they had to deal with an intruder who was still on the ladder with more than a dozen on the city walls, it would be okay. But to let them go out of the city to fight against the invading army is simply to send them to death. Therefore, this news only spread among the dignitaries and nobles in the city, so that the rich gentry who had just settled down raised their hearts to their throats again.

Some of them began to quietly find people to connect with each other, plotting to establish contact with Li Zicheng outside the city, whether it was to sell intelligence or betray the soldiers guarding the city, and first clear the responsibility of defending the city with themselves. They have heard that in just three or four days, there have been thousands of casualties among the invading army, and if the city is broken, it will be strange if the city is not slaughtered. At this time, there was news that the army was going to blow up the city wall, and they bought it from Li Zicheng before the city was broken, at least to save the lives of the family first.

And Guo Chengdong, after being depressed for a long time, also began to dispatch troops to prepare for the worst. They are already in the city of Nanjing, even if they die in battle, they have to pull more enemies to back their backs, so that they can be regarded as dead without regrets.

He specially asked Mu Jiuchou and Ouyang Yun to take eight people to Fengyi Gate, and transferred 2,000 soldiers and civilians there, so that they could establish a second line of defense there, and try their best to prevent the intruding army from entering the city. Of course, there were not enough personnel, and there were dozens of large and small artillery, as well as six catapults, and almost all the remaining thirty cans of kerosene.

"What's the use?" Wang Sixi said in frustration: "As soon as the city wall collapsed, those soldiers and people ran faster than rabbits, and they couldn't stop any enemy at all. ”

Guo Chengdong said casually: "Do what you need to do, and the rest is left to fate." If you can block it for a while, you can't wait for it. ”

"Will General Huang come at all?" Wang Sixi asked with a hint of hope.

Guo Chengdong waited for a while before he replied lightly: "It will take three or four days to communicate with Kaifeng's news." If the day after tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, I haven't seen General Huang coming, then I won't come. At that time, Li Zicheng was almost able to dig a hole in the ground. Hehe, whether we are dead or alive depends on the next two or three days. ”

"Damn!" Wang Sixi scolded, then looked at the sky, as if praying, and muttered to himself: "I hope Li Chuang can dig more slowly." ”

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