Li Zhen pursues the case of serial murder. Even visited the family of the deceased in person, but still could not find out the cause of the murderer's death. The cause of these deaths was unknown, as if they had committed suicide, and the cause could not be found. But seven days in a row people died, and one every day, apparently it could not have been a suicide.

Such a thing is definitely premeditated!

Li Zhen speculated like this, but he couldn't find enough reasons to argue it, and he couldn't even determine who was suspected. Li Zhen sat in the Admiral's Yamen all day long, and the time had reached the Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15.

On this day, the city of Beijing is very lively.

Countless people walked out of their homes and played on the streets to celebrate the arrival of the Mid-Autumn Festival. It seems that they have forgotten that some people died in a row some time ago, and there have been no dead people for a long time, and those worried officials have also relaxed and are no longer worried.

Li Zhen failed to solve the case, but his own heart was very uncomfortable.

During this time, everyone stared at him, and all eyes fell on him, waiting for him to solve the case. However, Li Zhen's reply was a failure, and the case was not solved. On the 15th of August, Li Zhen calculated that the time was approaching the date agreed with Su Shun, and knew that it would be difficult to solve the case, so he took the initiative to pack his bags and ordered Long Xi and nearly 50 soldiers of the Jiandao Battalion who remained in Beijing to stand by and prepare to leave Beijing for the Jiangbei camp.

It's not that Li Zhen doesn't want to solve the case, it's that he can't solve the case.

Besides, there was not much time given to Li Zhen, because Su Shun would not let Li Zhen stay in Beijing for long.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, Li Zhen went to the palace to resign.

He first went to the East Palace, met with the Empress Dowager Ci'an, and after expressing his intention to leave Beijing to the Empress Dowager Ci'an, and with Ci'an's consent, Li Zhen went to the West Palace to meet Cixi.

In the palace, Cixi's delicate face was full of frustrated applications, and her eyes were full of unwillingness.

At the moment, she is only the empress dowager of the West Palace, and Zaichun has only ascended to the position of emperor, and she herself does not hold great power, so Cixi is unwilling in her heart and wants to grasp more power.

Cixi looked at Li Zhen and said solemnly: "Admiral Li, is there no other way to stay in Beijing?" If Admiral Li leaves Beijing, our orphans and widows will definitely be bullied by Su Shun, and I ask Admiral Li to think more about ways to stay! ”

From the bottom of her heart, Cixi wanted Li Zhen to stay.

As long as Li Zhen stayed in Beijing, he would confront Su Shun and his gang. In this way, Li Zhen is in front, she is behind the scenes, Li Zhen attracts the attention of Su Shun and others, and Cixi can slowly accumulate strength. Once Li Zhen left Beijing, Su Shun and others had no enemies in the court, and Cixi would definitely be suppressed by Su Shun and others.

Li Zhen knew Cixi's thoughts well and understood that Cixi was using him. And Li Zhen also hopes to stay in order to expand his rights. It's a pity that providence is not up to man......

Li Zhen shook his head and said, "Back to the Queen Mother, the minister really can't think of a way." ”

Cixi sighed: "Could it be that the will of heaven is like this?"

After a pause, Cixi continued: "That's it, that's it! Don't think about these annoying things. Today is the annual Mid-Autumn Festival, which is a good day. Today, you are in the palace to watch a play with the mourning family, and after today, tomorrow** will set off for Jiangbei camp. I hope you will pacify the bandits as soon as possible and lead the army back to the court, so that the emperor and I will not be bullied. ”

Li Zhen hugged his fists and said: "The minister must do his best, and he will not dare to slack off in the slightest." ”

Next, Li Zhen and Cixi had dinner together and then watched the play.

On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the sound of firecrackers, firecrackers, noisy noise, the sound of the ear, filled with a joyful atmosphere, the whole city of Beijing was boiling, like day, like a city that never sleeps, Li Zhen sat under the stands, listening to the people babbling and singing on the stage, glanced at the lively atmosphere around him, and felt a little sad in his heart. I felt like a bystander, out of place with the atmosphere at hand. It is clearly a scene of great chaos in front of him, but everyone in front of him is immersed in the memory of the great prosperous era, as if he is still in the period of Kangxi and Qianlong.

Li Zhen felt sad in his heart, but he didn't say what he thought in his heart.

"Boom! Boom!!"

Suddenly, the sound of artillery fire was remembered in the city.

The sound of this cannon was very loud, not only Li Zhen, but also Cixi and the palace maids and eunuchs could hear it clearly. It's just that after Cixi was stunned for a moment, she laughed, thinking that this was for the Mid-Autumn Festival, so she didn't pay attention to it, and continued to stare at the noisy stands, immersed in the bustling hustle and bustle.

Li Zhen looked up at the place where the ** sounded, which was located in the direction of the east gate of Beijing.

Li Zhen had a bad premonition in his heart, and he was uneasy.

He sat for a while, always sitting on pins and needles, feeling uncomfortable, so he got up and said: "Queen Mother, the minister still has some trivial matters to deal with, and I can't accompany the Queen Mother to watch the play." Please forgive the Queen Mother!"

"It's okay, you go!"

Cixi was in high spirits, as if she had forgotten the impact of Li Zhen's departure on her.

Li Zhen stood up and left, but did not walk out of the West Palace, but saw Long Xi running in quickly. When Li Zhen saw Long Yu enter the palace, he frowned and asked, "Brother Long, what happened, how did you enter the palace?"

Long Xi bent over, panting, and rested for a moment before he spoke: "Foreigners, some foreigners suddenly appeared outside the east gate of Beijing City and launched artillery attacks. The soldiers defending the east gate did not resist, and even took the initiative to open the door and surrender. Now, thousands of foreigners are heading straight for the inner city of Beijing, so hurry up. If you don't leave, it's too late. ”

When Li Zhen heard this, he knew something bad. The sudden appearance of thousands of foreigners outside Beijing without knowing it is obviously unreasonable and probably premeditated.

After all, it is very difficult for thousands of foreigners to hide from officials and ordinary people.

It is incredible, however, that the foreigners who are attacking Beijing are falling from the sky. When Li Zhen was thinking in his heart, he decisively ran back to Cixi's side, stopped the singing, and said loudly: "Queen Mother, the foreigners have attacked Beijing, and they have invaded the outer city and are approaching the inner city. Now there are thieves in the city who are responding to the foreigners, hurry, bring the emperor, and we will withdraw quickly. ”

Li Zhen's brain turned quickly and figured out part of the problem.

When Cixi heard this, her brain was immediately confused!

The foreigners are coming!

To withdraw!

This, what is the situation!

Cixi looked at Li Zhen blankly, but she didn't know what to say when she opened her mouth? I only heard Li Zhen say loudly: "Queen Mother, if you don't withdraw, we will all be caught by foreigners, hurry up." Li Zhen looked at the palace maid beside Cixi and shouted: "What are you stunned for, don't help the Queen Mother to take the emperor with you, hurry, hurry up." ”

After that, Li Zhen instructed the palace maid to go to the East Palace to inform the Empress Dowager Ci'an.

Immediately, Li Zhen looked at Long Xi again and ordered: "Brother Long, the foreigners are coming, and the other party is prepared." Immediately gather the men of the Admiral's Yamen, and send the soldiers of the five battalions to patrol and arrest. Remember, the people patrolling the fifth battalion should not be allowed to enter the inner city, because the foreigners entered the city before, wasn't it caused by these soldiers guarding the city to open the door? At the same time, it is necessary to let Zhang Guodong and Zhang Zhiping dispatch the Eight Banners Army in the inner city to defend the inner city, and they must delay time. ”

"Yes!"

After Long Ao got the order, he immediately took someone to pass on the order.

ps: first update;