In the middle of the night on 12 May, Nanjing was already in a panic, and it was already known that Li Zicheng had occupied Dangtu and was heading for Nanjing. Although the imperial court had issued an urgent order to the Shi Gebu, asking him to send troops to attack Li Zicheng, delay Li Zicheng's attack, and wait for the servants Shan, Huang Fei, Fang Guoan and other towns to reinforce the Jingshi.

But people didn't believe it would do anything. Before, Gao Jie was still blocking Zuo Liangyu's Qing Jun side army in Taiping Mansion, but suddenly Gao Jie had no trace, allowing Li Zicheng to occupy Dangtu smoothly. Since Gao Jie will suddenly disappear, it is very likely that other generals will not listen to orders.

The dignitaries and dignitaries walked around in a chaotic manner, connecting the news. Some are packing up their gold and silver and preparing to escape, while others are impassioned and want to unite to defend the southern capital. After all, it was Li Zicheng who came, specializing in killing high-ranking officials and eunuchs and imperial relatives, and they had to be prepared.

However, the people of Nanjing were indifferent, Emperor Hongguang did not give them any benefits, but many daughters of ordinary people were robbed and pulled away when the draft girls were drafted. However, they heard that Li Zicheng was not very good for the people under his rule, and all kinds of taxes and miscellaneous labor would still be collected. Anyway, whoever comes is the same, they all have the same fate, and there will be no change in the slightest, so they don't care.

But the palace was even more frightened.

Ma Shiying and Ruan Dacheng hurriedly entered the palace late at night to report the latest situation to Zhu Yousong. They know more than the outside world, they have just received the news that Liu Zeqing has fled Yangzhou and Guazhou has been lost. Moreover, Zheng Hongkui's Jiang waterproof division did not flee without a fight, and the Yangtze River moat was meaningless. Nanjing will not only be attacked by Li Zicheng, but will also be flanked by Li Yan, who has crossed the river, and the situation is extremely critical.

Zhu Yousong's expression of displeasure because he was disturbed to rest has turned into horror after listening to Ma Shiying's report. He stammered and asked, "Ma Aiqing, this, is this true?" Yangzhou, Yangzhou has been lost? ”

"It's true!" Ma Shiying also hurriedly replied: "The minister arranged for a family member to go to Yangzhou before, and this news came from Kuaima, so there will be no mistake." ”

Zhu Yousong commanded in fear: "Then, what should I do?" Now hurry up and inform the minister, and come to the palace to discuss countermeasures. gave Shi Kefa an order and asked him to immediately bring troops to Nanjing to escort him. Give Huang Degong an edict, give Liu Liangzuo, and give the town generals an edict. ”

"Your Majesty, it's too late." Ruan Dacheng immediately dissuaded: "When Tu arrives in the capital, there are no garrison troops anymore, and the same is true from Zhenjiang to Nanjing." In just one day, the thieves will be in the city. Coupled with the troops of the traitor Li Yan, I am afraid that there will be hundreds of thousands of troops besieging the city, even if the soldiers and horses from various towns come over, they will not be able to relieve the siege of the capital. ”

At this time, Zhu Yousong remembered the terrible siege of Luoyang, hundreds of thousands of thieves blocked the water of Luoyang, and climbed the city wall in groups one after another. The poor ghosts in the city are also moving around, ready to cause chaos in the city at any time, echoing the thieves outside the city. And the defenders of the city had nothing to do but ask his father for money and food. If the generals' wishes are not fulfilled, they will join forces with the thieves outside the city, hand over the city to the thieves, and then divide the money among themselves.

But Ma Shiying immediately answered: "Your Majesty, don't open a court discussion." ”

"What do you mean, sir?" Zhu Yousong asked with a pale face.

"Has Your Majesty forgotten the lessons of the first emperor?" Ma Shiying said bitterly: "The princes of the imperial court, each boasting of their iron bones, what they care about most is integrity, and they will naturally oppose the proposal to move the capital. The first emperor wanted to move south in order to make a comeback, but under the pressure of his ministers, he repeatedly discussed and decided for more than a month, and finally missed the opportunity and was besieged in Beijing by thieves. Poor emperor is fierce and self-hanging, and those righteous gentlemen who oppose the southward migration, how many martyrs are there? How many of them are there to pray to the thieves? Your Majesty should think twice. ”

Zhu Yousong heard Chongzhen hang himself, and his whole body trembled. He remembered the scene when his father sat on the ground and let him escape, the family who died tragically at the hands of Li Chuang, and the misery of running away in panic. He nodded suddenly nervously: "Yes, yes, you can't consult with the ministers, you can't consult with them." ”

Ruan Dacheng immediately said: "Please Your Majesty prepare a little, and at three o'clock, the ministers will escort Your Majesty out of the city." ”

"Is it okay to go out of town at night?" Zhu Yousong suddenly regained some of his senses, and asked with concern: "Also, where are our monarchs and ministers going?" ”

Ma Shiying confidently reported: "Your Majesty rest assured. The courtier is the commander of the Yongwei battalion of the Beijing camp, and the minister also has a thousand soldiers, and if he goes out of the city tonight, the thieves will not be able to fly near the capital even if they have wings. So this time to go south, it is absolutely safe. ”

Zhu Yousong was finally relieved, nodded and said, "Okay, okay, I'll go and prepare." ”

Ruan Dacheng reminded: "Your Majesty, as long as the person is gone, other fine and soft things can be neatly arranged when they arrive in the place, and Your Majesty doesn't need to worry about it." ”

"I'm provincial, I'm provincial." Zhu Yousong responded again and again. He fled all the way from Luoyang, so naturally he didn't care about those things outside his body.

Ma Shiying and Ruan Dacheng had already made preparations, just waiting for Zhu Yousong. After a long wait, it was finally time to get out of town. The brigade went out of the city at night, but it did not arouse any alarm in Nanjing.

They headed south overnight, and when they finally arrived at the rafting in the afternoon, they were in trouble. Since they fled secretly this time, the local authorities naturally did not know that it was the emperor who traveled, so the local troops did not hesitate to attack this gang of bandits pretending to be the emperor. Don't look at the bright equipment of the Beijing battalion, the salary is twice that of other soldiers, but the combat effectiveness is several levels lower.

A group of thousands of men and horses were attacked by the local native soldiers, and they were actually scattered in the ranks. Ma Shiying escorted Empress Dowager Zou to continue her march to Hangzhou, but Ma Luan had to flee southwest with Zhu Yousong. Because there are still Huang Degong and Liu Liangzuo in the Jiangxi defense line, as well as Shi Kefa, he can't take care of the view of the portal at this time. If it falls into the hands of Li Zicheng, they will definitely die, and even if Shi Kefa disagrees with politics, he will not dare to kill the monarch and rebel.

As soon as Zhu Yousong, Ma Shiying and others ran away, the city of Nanjing was completely chaotic. The ministers went to the emperor to discuss a strategy to defend the city, but found that the emperor had abandoned the city and fled. The people were furious, and someone actually rushed into the Jinyiwei prison and snatched out the fake prince who was still in prison, and wanted this fake prince to be the emperor and lead them to defend the city. There is no way, it is Li Zicheng who came, they are rich officials and gentry, and if they don't resist, they will not end well.

But not everyone wanted to hastily let a fake come to be the emperor, and Zhao Zhilong, the lord who garrisoned Nanjing, and others were inclined to surrender to Li Yan's troops. After all, Li Yan is still quite gentle, and the Zhou Wang family in Kaifeng has been treated very well. It is the best choice for these ministers to surrender in the past, not only to have no worries about their lives, but also to keep the family wealth accumulated for several generations, and to live a stable life.

However, Li Yan's troops don't seem to be as fast as Li Zicheng, which is a troublesome matter.

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