On 17 March, Li Zicheng's troops came to the city of Beijing. The Beijing camp outside the city all surrendered, and only a few soldiers were guarding the city.

In view of the several battles of defense of Beijing, the Ming Dynasty was able to hold out for several months, waiting for the army of King Qin from all over the country, and finally won the precedent. Although the reinforcements from the south were basically blocked by Li Yan this time, only Wu Sangui from outside was concerned. But Beijing's defense alone was enough for them to have a headache, so Li Zicheng still wanted to send someone to persuade Chongzhen to surrender.

The one sent was Du Xun, the eunuch who surrendered in Xuanfu. Du Xun wanted to bite Li Yan when Sun Chuanting won last year, but he waited for the news that Sun Chuanting was defeated and Li Zicheng quickly occupied Shaanxi. At this time, Du Xun stopped talking, even if Li Yan really attacked Hebei, he didn't open his mouth. He can see that this Ming Dynasty is really dangerous, and it is difficult to say what the world will be like in the future, so he still doesn't want to make trouble for himself.

The result was really as he expected, and Da Ming saw that it was about to end. As eunuchs, they can only have room to survive by serving the emperor. Therefore, Emperor Dashun asked him to persuade the Ming Emperor to surrender, and he was naturally very willing.

There was no obstacle for him to enter the city, and now the people guarding the city gate were the eunuchs in the palace, all of whom were acquaintances, and they were let in after shouting two voices. This is because there are too few defenders in the city, so Chongzhen organized the rough envoys and eunuchs of the palace and guarded the city gate first.

However, there was still a shortage of people on the city wall, so he requisitioned the people of the capital to go to the city. However, because of the difficulties encountered in raising money before, the people were very hasty and chaotic. At noon, the people came to bring food to their men and children, but no one was there, and the sound of calling someone to eat sounded in the capital as if in the countryside. However, the city wall of the capital is more than 100 miles, where can I find it, so there are very few Ding Zhuang who can eat.

And when organizing people, there was no screening, how many counted, and even those who were suffering from the plague were driven up the city wall. These Ding Zhuang were even hungry and sick, and many of them couldn't stand up, and the soldiers whipped them, and they just stood up for a while and then lay down weakly.

Forbidden City, Qianqing Palace.

"Your Majesty." Du Xun knelt down and saluted Chongzhen.

Chongzhen stared at Du Xun for a long time, and asked in disbelief: "Even you have surrendered to the thief."

Du Xun kowtowed to Chongzhen, and then said, "Your Majesty, this is the will of God." Da Ming, there is no hope. ”

"I am the Son of Heaven and ordered by Heaven, as long as I am still here, Da Ming will be there" Chongzhen shouted loudly, more like cheering himself up.

Du Xun persuaded: "Your Majesty, since ancient times, there has been no eternal country, and the rise and fall have changed, this is the way of heaven. Since His Majesty ascended the throne, disasters have continued, thousands of miles of red land, beacon fires everywhere, this is the wrath of heaven. Now that the soldiers of the new dynasty have besieged the city, there is no news from the armies of the kings from all walks of life. The new emperor is benevolent, as long as His Majesty descends early, he should be able to enjoy the glory and protect the descendants of the temple. ”

Chongzhen sneered in his heart. The vassal kings before Li Zicheng were counted as one, and all of them were killed, and they were exterminated. And he has already been rewarded, saying that when Li Zicheng came, he had burned down the imperial tomb and saved the descendants of the temple

But at this time, he was not confused. He now knows that the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty are unreliable, but only Wu Sangui can still look forward to it. Wu Xiang and other Wu Sangui's more than 30 family members are all in Beijing, and the families of many of Guan Ning's generals are also in Beijing.

Although Wu Sangui only had 30,000 soldiers, he believed that the Guan Ning soldiers, who could fight with the elite soldiers of the Qing State, could deal with Li Zicheng's thief army with one as ten.

And he has a trick up his sleeve. He has issued a secret decree to crown Li Yan as the Duke of Liang Guo, and promised that as long as Li Yan defeats Li Zicheng, he can be crowned a prince and be hereditary. He knew that Baoding had been surrounded, but he still let the eunuch go to Baoding. What he wants is for Li Zicheng's people to get this secret decree, and then let Li Zicheng and Li Yan attack each other, so as to relieve the pressure on Beijing. He also had no doubt about Li Yan's combat power, Li Zicheng had never won against Li Yan.

So at this time, what he has to do is to stall for time. He looked at Du Xun coldly and asked, "This is what Li Zicheng meant."

Du Xun nodded: "The new lord is benevolent, and he can't bear to let the lives of the capital be ruined." Although the slave maid and others surrendered, they still did not forget the kindness of the master, and they also begged in front of the emperor of Dashun. ”

"Hehe," Chongzhen didn't move the corners of his mouth, and said with a dry smile: "Okay, I don't value you in vain." ”

Du Xun urged: "Your Majesty, the Dashun soldiers are strong and strong, and the capital must not be defended by millions of people." I also hope that Your Majesty will make a decision as soon as possible, comply with the mandate of heaven, and open the city to beg for surrender. Otherwise, the war will be together, and when my Dashun army enters the city, Your Majesty, his harem, and the princes and kings will have no reason to regenerate. ”

Chongzhen sneered: "The capital is majestic, how can it be broken by thieves, and the siege of the city with an army of 500,000 was just an embarrassment." You go back and tell Li Zicheng that I have contacted Li Yan, the guest of last week's domain, and that he has been named the Duke of Liang. If Li Chuang quit the Jingshi here, I will pardon his guilt. Otherwise, Li Chuang would have only one way to be defeated and die. ”

Du Xun looked at Chongzhen in a daze, he really didn't know, why did the emperor become like this, if Li Yan had always been loyal to the imperial court, would Li Zicheng still be able to fight in Beijing, as long as Li Yan and Sun Chuanting sent troops to Huguang together, Li Zicheng might have been beaten into a rogue again.

"Your Majesty, don't count on Li Yan, he has long been a subordinate of Emperor Dashun." Du Xun lied.

Chongzhen coldly ordered: "You just have to say that you know with Li Zicheng, such a big thing, and you can put your beak Li Zicheng is not me, be careful that your head is not protected."

Du Xun had no choice but to kowtow and retire.

Chongzhen relaxed a little here, and finally delayed a little bit. And Du Xun, who went back, immediately told Liu Zongmin, who commanded the siege, all the reality of Beijing City.

Tucheng in the north of the city, Liu Zongmin's big tent.

"Really," Liu Zongmin asked with some disbelief.

Du Xun said affirmatively: "It's true. The artillery in the city was cast by the eunuchs in the palace. They hadn't touched artillery before, and the slave knew that they had only started practicing casting three days earlier. ”

Liu Zongmin laughed. said: "Sure enough, it's a fortune, I was worried that the guns at the head of the city would be sharp, but it was redundant." ”

"Regarding Li Yan's matter, the slave maid didn't know whether it was true or not, so she told Master Hou." Du Xun said cautiously.

Liu Zongmin snorted coldly and said, "Li Yan, we have already taken precautions. With those eunuchs and people in Beijing who couldn't eat, even if Li Yan really wanted to come to the rescue, he couldn't catch up. ”

"Then, will the slave go back and continue talking?" asked Du Xun.

Liu Zongmin said casually: "Then wait for the meaning of self-fulfillment." Although it has been several months since Li Zicheng ascended the throne, Liu Zongmin has not changed his words. Maybe they don't want to change their words at all, they are all old brothers who rebelled together, who bows their heads than others

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