Chaoyang Gate, called Qihua Gate in the Mengyuan Dynasty, renamed Chaoyang Gate after the founding of the Ming Dynasty, and the folk are also called Qihua Gate.

Outside Chaoyang Gate is the Cao Yun Wharf of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, and then forty miles to the east is the North Tongzhou Wharf, whether the Cao grain transported from the south to the north is landed in Tongzhou, or landed at the Cao Yun Wharf outside Chaoyang Gate, must be transported into Yanjing City through Chaoyang Gate, for this reason, Liu Bowen also deliberately carved a bunch of grain ears on the city gate hole.

This Chaoyang Gate is the starting point of the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal, the officials and merchants who leave the south of Beijing, or the officials and merchants who enter Beijing from the south to make pilgrimages and do business have to stop at the Chaoyang Gate Guanxiang, so from the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty, the Chaoyangmen Guanxiang is one of the most lively urban areas in Yanjing, the shops on both sides of the Guanxiang are lined up, the teahouses are sprinkled one after another, and the traffic is busy all year round.

However, at this time, the Chaoyangmen Gate is a chaotic scene.

All the shops closed early, and all the teahouses and restaurants closed.

Soon after nightfall, Zhu Chunchen, the Duke of Chengguo, who was ordered by the emperor to guard the Chaoyang Gate, had already surrendered the door to the thieves, and a group of more than 30,000 thieves had entered the inner city of Yanjing through the Chaoyang Gate, controlling the urn city and the entire Guanxiang area outside the city.

The military discipline of the thieves is indeed very different from when the army was first raised, and under Li Zicheng's order, the army of thieves from all walks of life really did not commit any crimes against the people of Beijing.

Not long after this gang of thieves took control of Chaoyangmen, more than a dozen small boats quietly approached the wharf at night, because the wharf was full of ships of all sizes stranded in Yanjing, and the approach of these dozen small boats did not attract the attention of the dozens of thieves guarding the wharf.

A head poked out of the cabin of one of the boats, glanced out onto the dock, and quickly retracted.

A frustrated voice immediately sounded in the cabin: "General, it looks like we're late, the dock and the entire compartment have been controlled by the thieves, damn!" ”

"Don't worry." A deep voice sounded in the cabin, "Huang Degong, you first dive under the water and kill that sentry, Shi Lang, immediately inform the brothers on the rest of the ships that the group of thieves from all sides must be dealt with in the shortest possible time, and they must not make too much noise, so as not to alarm the thieves inside and outside the city gate." ”

"Yes!"

Two muffled responses rang out from the cabin, and two figures emerged from the cabin.

Soon, more than fifty figures came out of a dozen small boats, scattered under the cover of night, and quietly touched the twenty or so thieves guarding the dock, and Huang Degong even slipped into the water like a fish, and swam from the water to the thief sentry who stood on the arrow tower like a javelin.

The Rogue Sentinel's vigilance was poor, and he didn't expect anyone to attack the docks.

These more than 50 people are all elite officers and soldiers who are one in a hundred, and they are personally commanded by Wang Pu!

Wang Pu only entered Beijing this time to save people, and it was easy to expose the target if there were too many people, so he only brought 300 people and took ten large ships to disguise themselves as a grain convoy of the Cao Gang into Beijing.

For the sake of prudence, Wang Pu left behind ten big ships and most of the people, and only took more than 50 people to take thirteen small boats and quietly touched the Chaoyang Gate, so there was the scene just now.

Huang Degong ghostly floated up from the water and silently climbed up the arrow tower along the wooden stakes driven into the water.

Taking advantage of the opportunity for the thief sentry to turn around and pee, Huang Degong pounced, and with a slight wave of the dagger in his hand, the throat of the thief sentry had been cut, Huang Degong reached out and hugged the body of the thief sentry again, and the thief sentry twitched a few times in his arms and then stopped moving.

Not far away, more than two dozen thieves were still sitting lazily around chatting and relieving their boredom, oblivious to what was happening here.

Whoosh ......

A gust of wind swept by, dozens of black shadows rushed out of the surrounding shadows like cheetahs, although more than 20 thieves are also veterans of a hundred battles, but compared with these elite officers and soldiers who are one in a hundred, they are obviously not opponents, in less than a moment, all the thieves have been killed on the spot!

Wang Pu finally got out of the cabin and said in a deep voice: "Monk, you take more than 20 people into the city with me, Huang Degong and Shi Lang stay, pretending to be thieves to guard the dock!" ”

The three of them should drink and act separately.

Huang Degong and Shi Lang pretended to be thieves and continued to guard the dock, while Monk Zhang selected more than 20 brothers with strong martial arts to follow Wang Pu and went straight to Chaoyang Gate. ”

Wang Pu was half a step behind and glanced at Monk Zhang behind him.

Monk Zhang understood, and immediately strode forward, and shouted: "Lao Tzu is Jing Maocheng, the partial general in front of General Li Yan's account, and he has urgent military affairs to report to the king in person on the order of the general, let your people get out of the way, if you delay the major event of the military aircraft, hum, you kid can't eat and go!" ”

"General Li Yan?" The little leader of the thieves was stunned, "Didn't the army of the South Road just pass through Baoding, why did it arrive in Yanjing in the blink of an eye?" ”

"Get out of the way!" Monk Zhang drew his knife and roared, "If you don't get out of the way, don't blame Lao Tzu for being polite!" ”

Wang Pu whistled, and more than 20 brothers at the same time pulled out the knife, the night sky was cold, the little leader of the thieves guarding the city gate was inevitably timid, instinctively dodged to the side, Monk Zhang, Wang Pu had already rushed into the city gate hole with more than 20 brothers, the little leader opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but poured a mouth of ashes.

After passing the urn city and the Guanxiang, Wang Pu led people straight to the Forbidden City.

Both sides of the long street are pitch black, at this very moment of changing the dynasty, no one in Beijing dares to light the lamp, from time to time there are teams of thieves patrols who carry out open fire battles, most of them will stop Wang Pu and his party for interrogation, and they are easily sent away by Monk Zhang Qiao and Jing Maocheng! After all, there are too many thieves, four or five hundred thousand people, except for a few major leaders, who knows who below?

■■■

Shouning Palace.

Princess Changping didn't sleep either, in fact, how many people in Yanjing City could sleep tonight?

The current Princess Changping is sixteen years old, with crooked willow eyebrows, a pair of beautiful big eyes that are black and bright, her skin is as white as jade, deceiving frost and snow, her slender and delicate body is graceful, and she walks like a weak willow in the wind, and she is like a fairy turned into a person, compared with other beautiful women, she has more of the luxury of a royal princess.

Seeing Emperor Chongzhen walking in with a bloody sword in his hand, Princess Changping's face was gloomy, she soon knew her fate, and involuntarily stepped forward and grabbed Emperor Chongzhen's sleeve and cried a pear blossom with rain, which was even more moving, and Emperor Chongzhen saw it in his eyes but hurt in his heart.

Queen Zhou is open-minded and generous, with the style of the mother of the country, Tian Guifei is gentle and virtuous, never pampered and arrogant, they all have a decisive weight in the heart of Emperor Chongzhen, but the woman Emperor Chongzhen cares about the most is none other than Princess Changping!

Princess Changping has been wearing pink makeup since she was a child, cute and abnormal, Emperor Chongzhen has always regarded it as a treasure, it is really afraid of melting in her mouth, and she is afraid of falling in the palm of her hand, so she can't wait to take off the moon in the sky and give it to her, which shows that when Emperor Chongzhen decided to marry Princess Changping to Wang Pu, he valued Wang Pu's ability to command the army!

Emperor Chongzhen's tears flowed involuntarily, and he looked at his most beloved daughter and sighed: "Alas, Ru'er, Ru'er, why were you born in the emperor's house, why were you born in the emperor's house?" If you were born in a family of ordinary people, how good it would be, how good it would be......"

Emperor Chongzhen's tone was sad and his expression was lonely.

At this time, Emperor Chongzhen was no longer the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, he was just a helpless and helpless father, he was only left with deep guilt and endless sorrow in his heart, he was guilty of not being able to protect his most beloved daughter, and he was sad to kill his most beloved daughter with his own hands......

Witnessing such a poignant scene, Wang Chengen, who was behind Emperor Chongzhen, couldn't help but turn around and cry.

Emperor Chongzhen let out a long sigh, and finally made up his mind, blocked his face with his left hand, and stabbed Princess Changping in the chest with his right hand.

Emperor Chongzhen's heart was in mourning, this sword could not be pierced anymore.

"That's it!"

Emperor Chongzhen threw his sword on the ground, sighed and turned away.

Wang Chengen chased after two steps and came back lamely, and said to Princess Changping: "Your Royal Highness Princess, you can't stay in the palace for a long time, you better leave the palace quickly and run for your life." ”

"Father." Princess Changping paused on the ground, looked at the back of Emperor Chongzhen who was gradually moving away, and cried bitterly, "The palace is the home of the sons, where can you go out of the palace?" ”

Emperor Chongzhen didn't hear it, and left without looking back.

Wang Chengen sighed and said, "Your Highness, the crown prince and the two little princes have already gone to the Guozhang Mansion. ”

"But ......," Princess Changping cried, "but this princess doesn't know the way?" ”

Princess Changping has grown up in the palace since she was a child, and there are palace maids and eunuchs waiting when she usually goes out, and there are sedan chairs to ride, and suddenly let her go to the Guozhang Mansion by herself, she really doesn't know the way, but Wang Chengen has no way, the eunuchs and palace maids in the palace are running, scattering, and hiding, he just wants to find someone to lead the way for Princess Changping and can't find it.

"Ugh."

Wang Chengen finally stomped his feet and sighed, and chased after Emperor Chongzhen.

Leaving Shouning Palace, Emperor Chongzhen came to Zhaoren Hall again, this time he did not relent, the nine-year-old Princess Zhaoren who was still asleep hacked to death in bed, and then went to the harem to hack dozens of concubines, at this time the front hall was full of killings, and the thieves had already entered the palace, Emperor Chongzhen then fled to the coal mountain in panic accompanied by Wang Chengen, and sighed in the Shouhuang Pavilion: "I treat the people well, and now I say this, why is there no one among the ministers?" ”

In the end, Emperor Chongzhen had no choice but to hang himself under an old plum tree.

■■■

Shouning Palace.

Princess Changping staggered out of the main hall, standing on the steps and not knowing where to go, a group of "thieves" who were fighting with open fire suddenly rushed to the front, Princess Changping was shocked, and when she hurriedly wanted to avoid the palace, the group of "thieves" had already swarmed up and surrounded her in the middle.

Princess Changping has reached adulthood, has been through personnel early, and she is worried that she will be insulted if she falls into the hands of thieves, and she is about to commit suicide by hitting the steps to keep her innocence, when a clear voice suddenly sounds: "Your Royal Highness Princess!" ”

Princess Changping trembled when she heard this, and when she looked up urgently, she saw a slender figure standing in front of her, that person was white-skinned, sword eyebrows and starry eyes, although the clothes were tattered, it was difficult to hide the heroic spirit between the eyebrows, this look was a little familiar, and when she thought about it carefully, she couldn't help but be overjoyed, isn't this enemy the princess Wang Pu?

"You, you ......"

Princess Changping has experienced great sorrow and great joy, and she is speechless.

Wang Pu waved his hand and said to the monk behind him: "Monk, quickly change the clothes of Her Royal Highness the princess, it is not appropriate to stay here for a long time." ”

Monk Zhang didn't move, and said in a low voice: "General, this matter ...... but he did not dare to obey his fate. ”

Wang Pu will come to his senses, and can't help but say that he dragged Princess Changping into the Xinuan Pavilion of Shouning Palace, and when the two came out again, Princess Changping had already taken off her graceful and luxurious palace clothes, and put on Wang Pu's rag shirt with the smell of sweat, fortunately, Princess Changping had a slender body, more than 1.70 meters, and Wang Pu's clothes were wide on her, but they were not too embarrassed.

Wang Pu gave the princess the only rag shirt on his body, and he wore a pair of bull-nosed shorts, and shouted to Monk Zhang and more than 20 brothers shirtless: "Quick, go to the Guozhang Mansion immediately!" ”

Just when she was changing her clothes, Princess Changping told Wang Pu that the crown prince Zhu Cijiong, Yongwang Zhu Cijiong, and Dingwang Zhu Cijiong had gone to Guozhang's Mansion, but Emperor Chongzhen didn't know where he went!

Wang Pu was still hesitating, if he saw Emperor Chongzhen, he would knock him unconscious and take him to Nanjing, but there was no need to think about it, because the thieves had already entered the palace in a big way, and there was not much time left for Wang Pu to search for Emperor Chongzhen, and the top priority was to leave the Forbidden City as soon as possible.

After all, the palace is not as good as the outside of the palace, the thieves who can enter the palace to search must have a senior leader to lead the team, Monk Zhang's pretending to be Jing Maocheng has bluffed the ordinary thief leader, but he may not be able to bluff the big leader of the thieves who entered the palace, in case he encounters a thief leader with a higher status than Li Yan, just interrogate a few words and goof?

Wang Pu's luck is not bad, the thieves he met along the way are busy taking people around the palace, and no one cares about Wang Pu's group at all, obviously, the thieves treat them as their own, originally, in addition to the emperor Lao'er in the palace is usually a eunuch and palace maid, such a group of strong men in homespun clothes, who else can they be if they are not thieves?

It didn't take much to do anything, Wang Pu and his entourage of more than 20 people left the Forbidden City and went straight to the Guozhang Mansion.

■■■

Kokujo Mansion.

When the eunuch Gao Qiqian of the palm print came to the Guozhang Mansion with more than a dozen little eunuchs guarding the crown prince Zhu Cihong, Yongwang Zhu Cijiong and Dingwang Zhu Cijiong in a panic, he saw that the gate was closed, and Gao Qiqian sent someone to call the door for a long time, only then did a family member climb on the wall and shout loudly: "Who are you?" If we don't leave, we're going to release arrows! ”

"Presumptuous!" Gao Qi shouted angrily, "Do you know who our family is? ”

The guy said honestly, "Who the fuck knows who you are?" Get lost! ”

Gao Qiqian's face turned pale, and he suppressed his anger and said: "You guys listen to our family, our family is the eunuch Gao Qiqian, who is the master of ceremonies, go and ask the old emperor to come out to see our family!" ”

"Hush." The family on the wall sneered, "You fucking are also the eunuchs who are still the master of ceremonies? Lao Tzu returned Wang Chengen. ”

"You ......," Gao Qiqian held back his anger again and screamed, "Do you know who is standing on the steps?" is the nephew of today's prince and the old emperor! ”

The family was unmoved, and said coldly: "Prince!?" You fucking think Lao Tzu is a three-year-old child, so easy to coax? The crown prince is staying in the palace so well, how can he come to us? If you gangsters don't leave, we're going to shoot arrows!" ”

As soon as the family's voice fell, dozens of figures of the family came out of the courtyard wall, one by one either holding a bird gun or a crossbow, Gao Qiqian hurriedly escorted the prince Zhu Cihong to retreat to the bottom of the steps, and shouted from a distance: "The old emperor, the old emperor, our family is Gao Qiqian, if you hear it, squeak......

Guozhang Zhou Kui was actually hiding inside the wall, he heard the conversation between Jiading and Gao Qiqian clearly just now, but he didn't let Jiading open the door, of course he knew that outside the gate was the eunuch Gao Qiqian, the eunuch of the master of ceremonies, and he also knew that his nephew, the current prince Zhu Cihong was also outside the door, but he couldn't take care of so much for self-protection.

For Zhou Kui, the crown prince Zhu Cihong has now become a hot potato.

The disappearance of the prince is not a trivial matter, and the thieves will definitely search the whole city at that time, if the thieves find the prince from his Zhou Kui mansion, can they spare him? Zhou Kui, a fool, still fantasized that the thieves could treat him the same as the people of Jingshi, so that he did not commit any crimes in the autumn, and he already wanted to be a rich man in the Great Shun Dynasty.

Gao Qiqian shouted for a long time and didn't see a response, so he gave up.

At this time, several little eunuchs quietly approached Gao Qiqian, and one of them whispered: "Godfather, this old thing Zhou Kui is the prince's grandfather, and now he doesn't even care about the prince, what else can we do?" Besides, the Lord of Long Live only ordered us to send the prince and the two little princes to the Guozhang Mansion, and now that the people have been delivered, they will not do our business. ”

The other chimed in: "Well, let's split up and run for our lives, if the thieves find out, then we will all die." ”

There was a little eunuch who was the most vicious, and suddenly said with compassion: "Godfather, just don't do anything, we kidnapped the prince and the two little princes, and dedicated them to the thieves!" Maybe you can still make a great achievement, and in the future, you can continue to stay in the palace and work for King Dashun, hehe. ”

Gao Qiqian's heart was pounding, this was indeed an idea.

There is a way that the tree is down, in Gao Qiqian's view, the demise of the Ming Dynasty is inevitable, and those of them who have no "roots" should also think of a way out for themselves, if they can really tie up the prince and Yongwang, King Ding to see the thief, maybe it is really a great achievement, after the thief ascends to the pole in the future, there will naturally be someone in the palace to be on an errand, then his opportunity to rise and dive will not come?

"Godfather, make a decision." The little eunuch hurriedly said, "Look, the thieves have been killed!" ”

Gao Qiqian Huo Ran looked up, and sure enough, he saw a group of thieves rushing along the street.

The opportunity was fleeting, and he suddenly shouted: "Come on, tie people up to our family!" ”

More than a dozen little eunuchs who had been waiting for Gao Qiqian to speak rushed up and pressed the prince, Yongwang and Dingwang to the ground, poor prince, Yongwang and Dingwang were young, and they had no power to resist, only the prince shouted: "Gao Qiqian, you slave dare to commit the following crimes, what crime should you be guilty of?" ”

"Hey, hey." Gao Qi smiled compassionately, and said in a cruel voice, "Prince, I'm sorry." ”

■■■

Outside the Chaoyang Gate.

A group of four or five hundred rogue cavalry rushed to the city gate like a lightning speed along the official road, and the little leader of the thieves who was in charge of guarding the city gate stepped forward and shouted: "Stop, who are you?" ”

"Lao Tzu Jing Maocheng." The thief general at the head shouted, "General Li Yan's tent is biased!" ”

"What?" The little leader of the thieves guarding the city gate was stunned and said, "Another Jing Maocheng?" ”

……

(To be continued)