Li Wenlan quickly ran into the inner hall, pushed away the subordinates who were blocking the car, and shouted anxiously: "Benefactor, benefactor!" It's a big deal. ”

There are no elegant pavilions and pavilions in the small courtyard with three entrances and three exits, and the rockery fountain is nowhere to be seen. Just a few ash trees are alone in the yard, enjoying the summer sun.

Li Wenlan was sweating profusely, and regardless of any etiquette, he directly broke into the master's study in the backyard.

"Benefactor! Something is wrong! Li Wenlan said anxiously, wiping the sweat on his face as he spoke.

Li Xingyuan in the study frowned, but instead of reprimanding, he smiled, put down the brush that was practicing calligraphy, and said: "Yanqing, it's not like you, you are so disadvantaged, even if the sky falls." ”

It's just that Li Wenlan said solemnly: "Master, I'm afraid this time the sky will really collapse!" ”

Li Xingyuan also saw that he was not joking, and said solemnly: "What is it that makes you so frightened?" ”

"Tianjin has fallen!" Li Wenlan said mournfully.

Li Xingyuan was suspicious: "Didn't the thieves in Zhili have already been exterminated by Lord Lin?" How did you get to Tianjin? Wrong! You mean......? ”

"That's right, my lord, it's the Nanda army coming from the sea?" Li Wenlan emphasized word by word.

"Oh my God!" Li Xingyuan exclaimed, but also panicked, and swept away the pen and inkstone on the table.

But the two of them were in such a mood that they didn't pick it up.

Li Xingyuan frowned, grabbed Li Wenlan's hand, and asked with concern, "Yanqing, tell me in detail." ”

Li Wenlan nodded and said, "My lord, Yan Qing told you about his leave, that is, he went to Tianjin to visit friends, but before he reached the border, he saw some villagers and rebellious soldiers fleeing towards the capital. Yan Qing stopped a green battalion soldier and asked about the situation. The green battalion soldiers, last night, the Southern Dynasty Navy raided Dagukou, and captured the green camp in Tianjin Town, this morning sent prisoners, opened the gate of Tianjin, and has entered Tianjin City. ”

Li Xingyuan asked, "How many enemy troops are there?" ”

Li Wenlan shook his head and said, "That soldier said that there were no less than 200,000 troops, and Yan Qing felt that it was untrue. Although the Southern Dynasty was at the height of its military strength, it was appalling to transport 200,000 troops by sea. ”

He paused, and then said: "According to what the students have seen, I am afraid that the Tianjin and Dagu garrisons are too mediocre and incompetent, and they will collapse at the touch of the Southern Dynasty soldiers, so they exaggerate the facts. ”

Li Xingyuan nodded in agreement and said, "In this land of Gyeonggi, although there are many precautions, it is a long time to sparse the battle formation, and it is not enough to practice. I heard that the people of the Southern Dynasty trained at night, and they also had firearms, and the soldiers used their lives. I'm afraid of 50,000 horses, and the court can't resist it. ”

Li Wenlan sighed and said, "The student hurried back, just to inform the adults as soon as possible, and the adults need to plan for the future!" ”

Li Xingyuan flicked the sleeves of his robe and said angrily: "Li Wenlan, what do you mean by this?" Do you want this official to defect to the enemy and betray the country? ”

Li Wenlan shook his head and said, "The so-called good birds choose the wood, and the virtuous ministers choose the master. Now the Qing Dynasty may have come to an end. This Southern Dynasty sailor dared to directly cross the sea to attack Tianjin, presumably completely prepared. I'm afraid that Lord Lin has already encountered misfortune in Henan. Henan has only tens of thousands of people, but in Jiangsu and Hubei, the army of the Southern Dynasty is no less than 200,000. The adults must have privately thought about who the final winner of the Central Plains would be. ”

Li Xingyuan sighed and was silent.

He was a ten-year jinshi of Daoguang, a ten-year prefect of Changsha, and a first-time Northern Expedition as soon as he took office. The Western Route Army of the Southern Dynasties fought all the way from Guangdong to Sichuan, and even men and horses crossed the Qinling Mountains and fought a few battles with the Shaanxi army. He personally experienced the Battle of Changsha and clearly understood that the Southern Dynasty army and the Qing army were completely different concepts.

If the southern army advances, it will be like thunder, and if it retreats, it will act like the wind. The men and horses he organized were beaten so that they could not find the north and were in a state of confusion when they faced the artillery fire and bullets of the southern army. At that time, the Southern Army was only about 200,000, but now it is said that the Southern Army has exceeded 500,000, and if they can reach the strength of the army he saw at that time, it would be a joke to say that the Qing Dynasty recovered the lost land.

After he stepped down as governor of Shaanxi, he returned to Beijing to take up his post, and he also had a close observation of the new army trained by Sushun. Except for taking foreign guns and cannons, CAO turned left and right when practicing, which was no different from the old army. There is no trace of the iron-blooded aura of the soldiers of the Southern Army.

The first priority of the three armies is morale, and if there is no morale, what can they do to fight an enemy who is several times their size.

"This official has been serving in the Qing Dynasty for more than ten years, and the so-called loyal ministers are not the two masters, since the Qing Dynasty is going to be destroyed, this official will accompany the funeral." Li Xingyuan's breath was a little low, and Li Wenlan could hear the strong unwillingness from it. Li Xingyuan is a virtuous and ambitious official, and his career is still promising, so no one will be willing to be buried with a corrupt dynasty like this.

Li Wenlan advised: "My lord, everything in this world has glory and disgrace, and the qi of the banner people is exhausted, why should they perish with other races?" The adult is a famous minister of the Han people, who is rich in five cars and has seen supermen. At the beginning of the establishment of China and the DPRK, it was the time to employ people. The official reputation of the adults is very good, and the people have praised it, it must not be difficult to find a background in the Southern Dynasty, please think twice. ”

Li Xingyuan smiled sadly and said, "This official now has a good name, but if he votes for the enemy, he doesn't know where there will be a good name." ”

"What the adults said is not true, the students have studied the laws of the Southern Dynasties, all of which are different from the previous generations, and the matter of the monarchs and ministers in the Southern Dynasties is not as important as the dedication to the people. The emperor of the Southern Dynasty surrendered his identity, and the same identity as the people, since there is no loyalty to the monarch or disloyalty to the monarch, this official only serves the country, for the people to ask for their lives, but there is no pedantry that the monarch wants the minister to die and the minister has to die, and the students think so. ”

Li Xingyuan slapped the table and scolded: "Presumptuous, this monarch and minister often do not have a program, the country will not be a country, how can it be a big thing?" ”

Li Wenlan didn't care and asked: "My lord, this Manchu Qing Dynasty has brought a set of monarchs, ministers, and ministers to the top, but the people are still struggling and civil strife is everywhere. Civil officials love money, military attaches are afraid of death, social and social affairs, internal and external troubles, and the Southern Dynasty, which has no monarchs and ministers, is rich and strong, and its strength is increasing. Moreover, the Southern Dynasty was not just a pedantic group of monarchs and ministers, but it vigorously promoted the system of morality and etiquette, and civilians were educated, so that everyone could read and write and understand the truth. Respect the monarch and be loyal to the monarch, but not confined to the king's fate. Yan Qing felt that this was the right thing. ”

Li Xingyuan said lightly: "This is widely educated, but it is a good deed. ”

"Your Excellency still needs to make a decision earlier, when the news of the fall of Tianjin reaches the palace, the Nine Gates will definitely be closed immediately, and then the adults will be in the city, not to mention the swords and guns without eyes, there is a damage during the war, even if the blue-clothed army takes the capital, and the adults go to surrender again, but they will fall into the final section and be treated as a prisoner, it will not be interesting!"

Li Xingyuan returned to Beijing to wait for work, and most of his family members were not around, and he was extremely incorruptible, and even his residence could be described as simple. Li Xingyuan knew that when the interruption continued, he was in trouble, gritted his teeth, and said: "Without further ado, don't bring this soft thing, put on makeup, and the two of us will go out of the city to find the people of China and North Korea!" ”

Li Wenlan was overjoyed, and he could connect the way. He was a famous scholar in the capital, not only like to be vassal, reciting poetry and painting, but also able to write and martial arts, and quite courageous. Li Wenlan was full of relatives and nobles because of his sins, and the road to the imperial examination was difficult, so he joined Li Xingyuan's sect as a staff member and gave advice.

In his opinion, the Manchu Qing Dynasty was almost rotten, and if he wanted a better way out, it was nothing more than a change of environment. So, what could be a more drastic change of environment than a change of dynasty? He persuaded Li Xingyuan, a local magistrate, to defect to the Chinese Empire, undoubtedly adding a major weight to his background, and whether he joined the army or politics in the future, he had room to play. He is full of talent, but he has the meaning of a treasure pearl covered with dust, and the fall of Tianjin has brought him more opportunities than fear.

The two simply packed up, took a few henchmen, and hurriedly slipped out of Beijing City before the city gate was sealed.

As soon as their group left on the front foot, the people who led the yamen in the rear footsteps army closed all the major gates of the capital in a chaotic manner, and the masters who were good at fighting the camp and patrolling the camp began to search for "fine works that have blended into the capital" aimlessly and with destruction and looting all over the city.