Du Xun entered Beijing again on Li Zicheng's orders, but it was no longer a negotiation, but an ultimatum. Chongzhen still wants to talk about it again and delay it for some more time. However, since Liu Zongmin already knew the reality of Beijing, he naturally did not wait long, and began to attack on the same day.

The soldiers and civilians at the head of the city fired artillery, bows and arrows indiscriminately under the command of the officers. The shells didn't know where they went, and they were all afraid of exploding, so the gunpowder was very small. The arrows also flew down the city weakly, and almost did not cause much damage to the Dashun army.

The Dashun army shouted excitedly and rushed to the bottom of the city, erected a long ladder, and climbed up with a waist knife in his hand. There was little resistance from the city, and the first soldiers made it to the top of the city. There was a cheer from the soldiers below, and more people climbed the ladder up the wall, then opened the gates and took the outer city.

At this time, Chongzhen was very anxious when he heard the sound of cannons and shouts of killing outside, so he immediately summoned the emperor's relatives and asked them to gather their families and come to escort them. But this is the city of Beijing, and the control of the relatives is usually relatively strict, and no one dares to keep their families and armor privately, and everyone is unthinkable.

Chongzhen had no choice but to take dozens of eunuchs around, holding a short-handled three-eyed gun to protect himself, wanting to see if there was a chance to rush out of the city. But the gates were in great confusion, and the defenders of the city opened fire on them. Chongzhen had no choice but to return to the imperial city.

He went up the coal mountain, looked at the light of the fire in the city, and knew that the thief army had entered the city and began to attack the imperial city. But there are no defenders in the Forbidden City, only some eunuchs are defending the city with swords and guns, and they can't stop it at all.

"Daming Jiangshan, it's really going to be over" Chongzhen asked sadly to Wang Chengen next to him.

Wang Chengen persuaded: "Emperor, there is still a chance, Wu Sangui is coming." ”

"The city is broken, but what if it comes"

Wang Chengen hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, why don't you change into the clothes of the people, when the thieves enter the city, there will be chaos, and the slaves and maids will escort the emperor out." ”

Chongzhen shook his head: "The king of the dead country, what is the face of the world, I can only die." ”

"There are also the crown prince and the two kings of Yong and Ding." Wang Chengen saw that Chongzhen had no business, so he hurriedly persuaded him.

Only then did Chongzhen remember that he hadn't arranged the aftermath yet. So he didn't say anything, and immediately came down from the coal mountain. Let the queen concubines commit suicide first, and then slash and kill the princess Changping and Zhaoren.

However, Changping is his eldest daughter, and she is usually very fond of her. And because of the thieves, Changping's marriage date was repeatedly postponed, and by this time, the capital had fallen, and Changping was not married. He couldn't bear to see this daughter die in front of him, so he closed his eyes and slashed with his sword. Changping subconsciously raised his hand to dodge, but his left arm was cut off and fell in a pool of blood.

After that, he found the crown prince, the king of Yong, and the king of Ding, and asked them to change into the clothes of the people. Then he told his sons to pay attention to disguise, how to call people, and how to speak.

"You have to hide well, and when you have the opportunity, you will go out of the city and go to Nanjing." Chongzhen looked at his three sons and instructed with tears in his eyes: "Remember today's hatred, remember to reorganize the mountains and rivers, the Northern Expedition to the Central Plains, and recover Shenjing." ”

"Father, let's go together, I wish to protect my father." The crown prince Zhu Cihong also pleaded with tears in his eyes. King Yong and King Ding were younger, and they were already crying in Hatao.

Chongzhen laughed miserably, and continued to instruct the three of them: "You are my sons, and you are the prince of my Ming Dynasty, remember the great feud between the family and the country, go." ”

Following Chongzhen's orders, several eunuchs immediately pulled the prince and the others away. Chongzhen asked the eunuchs to hide separately with their three sons, and he didn't know which of his sons could escape from the capital, but it was just a matter of their own destiny. As long as one of them can escape to Nanjing, there is still hope for the Ming Dynasty. Taizu was able to expel Meng Yuan on the Northern Expedition, and he believed that his son could also restore the mountains and rivers.

As for himself, once the thieves take control of Beijing, it will inevitably be the whole city. When the time comes, instead of letting people search out of the hiding place, it is better to stop here, not only to leave a good reputation for yourself, but also to give a good impression to the subjects of the world, and make a little contribution to the Ming Dynasty in the end.

He thinks about it now that he has been in the past ten years, he is not greedy for money, he is not lustful, he is not slacking off his administration, he has abolished the factory guards, removed the mine supervisor, and strived to prosper. According to the standards of those civil servants, he can definitely be regarded as a holy monarch. The final result was that even the capital was lost. He was resentful when he thought about it, are those righteous gentlemen ready to serve the new dynasty now?

Chongzhen took off his robe, picked up a pen, and wrote on one sleeve: "Because of the loss of the country, I have no face to see my ancestors, and I dare not finally go to bed." ”

After that, it was written on the sleeve on the other side: "All the officials are going to the East Palace." ”

When Wang Chengen saw Chongzhen write like this, he knew that Chongzhen was determined to die. So he persuaded: "Emperor, don't worry, now the thieves haven't attacked the imperial city yet, so let's wait." Perhaps, maybe Ping Xiber will be here soon. ”

Although Chongzhen killed his concubines and daughters, he just didn't want them to fall into the hands of thieves and lose royal face. He still has a son, as long as Wu Sangui really comes, of course he doesn't want to give up his life.

He looked around and found that there were only two of them in the hall, and the eunuch and the palace maid didn't know where to go. He smiled weakly: "It's all gone, it's all gone." ”

"There are also old slaves accompanying Your Majesty." Wang Chengen said in a snorkel.

Chongzhen nodded, and walked away, and they climbed the coal mountain. This is the highest point in the city, and you can see the whole city of Beijing. They only saw the dotted torches constantly approaching the Forbidden City, and then the Forbidden City was also full of torches, and then it seemed that a palace was burning. But until the sun rose, there was still no chaos in the east, that is, Wu Sangui did not come.

"Almost, if I let the thieves come, I won't even have the last face." Chongzhen finally said in disappointment.

After saying that, he walked to a locust tree, where the white silk for hanging was already hung.

In the seventeenth year of Chongzhen, March 19, early in the morning. Emperor Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty hanged himself on an ancient acacia tree on the coal mountain.

On the same day, the Dashun army occupied the city of Beijing. Li Zicheng came from Gonghua City in the north, accompanied by Liu Zongmin, Niu Jinxing, Song Xiance and others, and asked their guards to reorganize their armor, polish their swords, and enter Beijing City from Desheng Gate in a procession.

The people of the capital set up an incense case at the door to greet them, writing "Long live Emperor Yongchang of Dashun, long live". And some people put a note on their hats that said "obedient to the people". This is the way of survival of the people, the emperor on the dragon chair has little to do with them, they have to work hard every day for firewood, rice, oil and salt.

And when Li Zicheng entered the palace, the crown prince Zhu Cihong had been caught and asked to kneel outside the palace gate to greet him. Before nightfall, King Yong and King Ding were also arrested one after another, but Emperor Chongzhen did not see anyone alive or dead. Two days later, the body was finally found on the coal mountain.

The Ming Dynasty, perished.

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