I have a cornucopia

Chapter 250 This Time There Was a River of Blood
"Close the door, close the door quickly!"

Prime Minister Ma ran and shouted anxiously.

Of course, it was too late now. He had inadvertently acted as a guide, and the scholars outside were driven by the chaos to find shelter...

The front of Chengtian Gate was full of scholars, who were originally blocking the outside of Chengtian Gate. Although there was Wulong Bridge as the boundary in theory, in reality no one cared. Even on weekdays, people often ran to Wulong Bridge, and some even went fishing on it. So the scholars in the front were all outside the gate. At one point, someone even tried to put a ladder on the Chengtian Gate platform and climb up directly, but had to give up after the escort opened fire.

The gunshots behind them made them all panic. They were rushing forward desperately, but at this moment Ma Shiying happened to open the door, so of course they rushed in without hesitation.

The city gate tunnel seemed to be filled with a green torrent as if a reservoir dam was releasing floodwaters.

There were a few others who were pushed down, and their screams were instantly drowned out by their companions, and then the screams soon died down.

The scene is very much like that of a zombie movie.

"Stop them!"

Ma Shiying didn't even have time to run to the horse path. He ran along the corridor leading to Duanmen, shouting anxiously.

Inside were Dong Qiongying and her 300 female soldiers who came out with him. They were also stunned when they saw the scene...

"Array up!"

Dong Qiongying shouted without hesitation.

Two hundred female soldiers quickly formed a battle line in the corridor.

In the past, the main weapons of these female soldiers were actually spears, swords, shields and crossbows. They rarely used firearms. In fact, they were equivalent to female version of white-pole soldiers. The subordinates of the chieftains in eastern Sichuan were basically equipped with this configuration.

But as the princess's guards, they don't need crossbows on a daily basis.

It is very dangerous for the guards to use long-range weapons against the monarch. After all, you don't know who among them will secretly aim at the target they are protecting.

So now they have swords and shields in front and spears behind, but the spears extended forward form a dense spear formation in front of the swords and shields.

The sword and shield men were actually in the forest of spears.

"Enter!"

Holding a knife in one hand and a shield in the other, Dong Qiongying, who was at the front, shouted.

The dense formation of three hundred female soldiers pushed forward in the corridor. These female soldiers were not just for show. They had all been on the battlefield and their hands were stained with blood. Moreover, the barbarian maids had no respect for the scholars. In fact, due to language problems, they could not even communicate with the outside world. As slaves, they only listened to Dong Qiongying. As they moved forward, the dense spearheads also moved forward. The scholars on the opposite side, who were originally pushed forward from behind, looked at this scene in horror.

"Stop!"

"Stop!"

……

They screamed in terror.

Then they hurriedly tried to stop, but the problem was that they couldn't.

Because people behind were still pouring in, although this corridor was actually nearly a hundred meters wide, there were too many people pouring in from outside, and those behind couldn't see clearly what was ahead.

All they knew was the chaotic sound of gunfire behind them and the escape door in front of them.

Then the scholars at the front were horrified to find themselves being pushed forward involuntarily. They turned around and screamed like crazy, trying to stop the push from behind, but those behind were also unable to stop themselves. The whole crowd seemed to be squeezed from both ends, and those squeezed in the middle were already screaming...

"I can't breathe!"

"Let's go!"

……

The female soldiers led by Dong Qiongying were still moving forward.

The scholars in front were also screaming and squeezing, and some were trying to move to the sides, but the formation of three hundred female soldiers completely blocked the corridor.

That is their duty.

This is the imperial palace. The Wulong Bridge outside Chengtian Gate is a boundary. The area outside is open and even developed into a commercial street. A lot of rent is collected every year. After all, the place is spacious. However, the area north of the Wulong Bridge is theoretically a restricted area, and Chengtian Gate is even more restricted. Even officials need a badge to enter. Trespassing into the palace can result in the execution of three clans. As the imperial guards, they have the right to kill without mercy, but they also have the responsibility to stop them from moving forward. The spears in formation pushed forward.

Soon it hit the backs of those scholars.

"stop!"

Dong Qiongying shouted.

The three hundred female soldiers stopped immediately.

Then the woman looked at the scholars who were trying to dodge like crazy with a cruel smile.

"Let me go!"

"Stop crowding!"

……

The latter wailed.

Then the first unlucky person appeared.

The scholar twisted his head and screamed in despair, then watched his back get closer and closer to the spear head, and even felt the coldness of the spear head piercing into his back, and the coldness continued to penetrate deeper...

"Killing!"

The scholar opposite him watched in horror as blood gushed out of his mouth.

"Those who trespass into the palace will be killed without mercy."

Dong Qiongying said calmly.

Then, one by one, the scholars, pushed and shoved by their companions, hit the female soldiers' spears with their backs. The female soldiers, who were used to killing people, held their four-meter-long spears at an angle and watched them commit suicide calmly. Dong Qiongying, who was standing in the middle of the spears, had already used her shield to protect herself, and her knife was also ready to chop and kill. The scholars who first used their backs to hit the spears were pierced in the crowd, and the spears emerged from their chests. They lowered their heads with blood gushing out of their mouths.

Then it was the turn of the scholars in front of them who began to rush forward like crazy.

Fortunately, at this time, the congestion behind stopped.

The gunfire stopped.

Outside Chengtian Gate.

Thousand-step corridor.

"It's Jianlu!"

The followers walked out of the shop, dragging the dead bodies of the previous gunmen.

The wig on the latter's head had been pulled off, revealing the rat tail inside. Of course, this was only part of it. There were still some people who had not been caught in the crowd. The followers were already searching. They immediately found the position of the gunman after he fired. In the black powder era, the gunpowder smoke was obvious when the gun was fired, and it was impossible to hide. The Qianbu Corridor was backed by the city wall, so all you had to do was run along the city wall to the right position and slide down with a rope. These followers were Yang Feng's elite, and they were on duty to protect the princess. They were all battle-hardened, but because they were all men, it was not convenient for them to protect her closely like the female soldiers.

The scholars and common people, who were still in shock, were looking at the dead bodies.

As for Huang Zongxi...

They had been hiding for a long time.

After all, the first person to be beaten to death was Wan Sinian.

Moreover, things have become quite serious now. There have been many deaths and injuries due to the crowding and trampling in the chaos. In the end, someone has to be held responsible.

So hide first.

As for the existence of Jianlu spies, it was quite normal. Nanjing was a commercial city with merchants coming from all over the place. It was impossible for them to pull everyone's hair at the city gates. Besides, if Jianlu really had spies, they would not necessarily need wigs. In this case, there were actually many spies in the city. It was obvious that they saw an opportunity to take advantage of this time. After all, if Nanjing was really in chaos, Dorgon could breathe a sigh of relief.

"Get out of the way, get out of the way!" Along with a shrill shout, the de facto chief steward of the imperial palace, the eunuch Han Zanzhou who was in charge of the Nanjing garrison, also came out, supported by two attendants.

He was actually in charge of the situation at Chengtian Gate, but it was useless for him to come forward before. After all, as a eunuch, he was the most disliked by the Qingliu. His coming forward to mediate would be like adding fuel to the fire. But now that someone has died and everyone has calmed down, then his words, as a thousand-year-old master who has been in charge of Nanjing for many years, will be effective...

"What are you doing? Don't you think calmly? Now that someone has died, the Jianlu have got an opportunity. Fortunately, it is the Emperor Taizu Gao who has protected us. If the Jianlu had taken the opportunity to rush into the palace and injured the Regent, you would all be sinners of the people in Jiangnan. You want the Regent to pretend to be the Crown Prince, which is actually a good thing. After all, it is indeed not as good for a Princess to be a Regent as a Crown Prince. But does the Regent have the final say on this matter? Shouldn't he report it to Your Majesty? Without Your Majesty's order, even if the Regent calls himself the Crown Prince, he will not be able to convince the people.

What's more, since the regent is a princess, wouldn't it be unfilial for her to do so?

You must first report this to Your Majesty.

It's fine for our family to make the report on your behalf, it's fine for Lord Ma to make the report on your behalf, it's fine for Liu Duxian or even an imperial censor to make the report on your behalf, but you are blocking the Chengtian Gate and forcing the Regent to agree to you, what are you doing?
"To force the emperor to abdicate?"

He shouted majestically.

The people first felt a little regretful.

Han Zan still has some prestige in Zhou Ji. After all, he has been the eunuch garrisoning Nanjing for many years. In history, he was also one of the decision makers in supporting Hongguang. At least in the past, he could be said to be the real controller of Nanjing. Even Matteo Ricci knew that the eunuch garrisoning Nanjing would kneel down and shout "Thousand Years Live the King".

"Everyone, go away. I will report to His Majesty when I get back."

Han Zanzhou said.

"What if Li Zicheng doesn't agree?"

A scholar shouted.

"Don't agree? If he doesn't agree, we'll cut off his food supply. The food is in our hands. He didn't starve to death because of our food. What qualifications do he have to negotiate with us? Is it that we can't beat him, or do we need his help? Last time, he couldn't even take Jiangxi. Are you still afraid of him?"

Han Zanzhou said.

"Yes, if Li Zicheng doesn't agree, we will cut off his food supply!"

"Why should we be afraid of him?"

……

There was immediate shouting all around.

Han Zanzhou looked on with satisfaction.

But at this moment...

"boom!"

There was a sudden burst of gunfire behind them.

Han Zanzhou turned around in shock and looked at the smoke on Zhengyang Gate...

Zhengyangmen.

"put!"

Ling Yu, the commander-in-chief of the Huizhou militia stationed at Zhengyang Gate, said as he looked at Zeng Ying who was trying to force his way into the city gate from outside.

The red cannon beside him suddenly sprayed flames, and the shells whistled through the air, passing over their heads in Zeng Ying's astonished eyes, and fell into the Qinhuai River in the blink of an eye, creating a column of water on the river surface that was already covered with a thin layer of ice. The deterrent effect of the live ammunition immediately calmed down the Sichuan militia soldiers. They were originally speaking Sichuan dialect and were talking at cross purposes with the Huizhou militia soldiers, but they all shut up as quickly as possible. At the same time, the four small red cannons they pushed forward quickly aimed at the city wall...

"General Zeng, anyone who enters Nanjing armed without the military order of the King of the East Sea will be treated as a mutiny. Are you planning to mutiny?"

Ling Yu said with a sneer.

He escaped back from the north. He was originally the head of the Ministry of War in the capital and served as an advisor to Li Jiantai. After Li Jiantai surrendered, he fled south. According to history, he died while blocking the Qing army heading south in Henan.

But after going south this time, since there were not so many actual positions in the regent court, he simply joined the militia as an imperial censor.

Since he joined the militia, Huang Geng had to give up his position as commander-in-chief.

This is the Ling family of Shaxi.

Huizhou's top family of imperial examination candidates produced dozens of Jinshi (imperial examination candidates) in the Ming Dynasty.

Even Huang Geng, who was a top martial arts scholar, cannot compare to him.

"Zeng is entering the city on the orders of the Regent!"

Zeng Ying shouted.

"Where is the regent's decree?"

Ling Yu said.

Zeng Ying was speechless...

The princess never thought that the militia would hinder her!

She just asked Dong Qiongying to send someone out of the city to call for help. After all, Zeng Ying was Dong Qiongying's husband, so there was no written order.

"General Zeng, don't say you don't have the Regent's decree. Even if you do, it's useless. Your Northern Expedition Army is under the control of the King of Donghai. The King of Donghai is in charge of Ji and Liao, not the Regent. Even if the Regent wants to recruit you into the city, he must first find the King of Donghai, and the King of Donghai will transfer you into the city with a military order. In addition, you are Sichuan's official troops. Sichuan is also not under the jurisdiction of the Regent, but directly under the Xi'an court. Therefore, the Regent has no right to give you orders. In short, unless you show the King of Donghai's military order and the Regent's decree allowing you to enter the city, you can enter Nanjing armed.

Of course, if you leave your weapons behind, you can come in freely."

Ling Yu said.

Zeng Ying looked at him deeply.

He is also a smart man, this smell is obviously not right!

First, the King of Donghai was attacked and fell into the water and disappeared. Then, the scholars in the city made trouble and even broke into the palace. The regent invited them to enter the city to suppress it, but they were blocked by the militia guarding the city. If he still couldn't smell the smell of conspiracy, he would have lived in vain for more than 20 years. But the problem is that as a Fujianese who had been in Sichuan before, he really didn't know the situation in Nanjing. He really couldn't figure out what the conspiracy was, but one thing was certain, that is, the future of him or his family depended on his performance.

Besides, his wife is in the city.

"Imperial Censor Ling, I am a military man who knows nothing but to obey the Regent. The Regent has ordered me to lead the troops into the city. Whether you agree or not, I will lead the troops into the city.

Prepare to attack the city!"

He said simply.

His soldiers immediately began to prepare ropes.

These are mountain people from eastern Sichuan. Climbing city walls is a basic skill for them, although their equipment is not very good.

"That's offending."

Ling Yu said.

Then the Huizhou militia on the city wall immediately pointed out their guns, including the red cannons, which were aimed at Zeng Ying's subordinates.

At this moment, more Sichuan soldiers arrived from behind.

And it's not just the Sichuan soldiers, soldiers from Yunnan and Guizhou are also arriving.

They were all waiting in line at the parade ground to cross the river, but it was not their turn yet, so they stayed in the barracks. When the people sent by Dong Qiongying found Zeng Ying, several of their generals were drinking. The three provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan have gradually formed a group recently because of their special circumstances. In fact, they were originally like this, because Yunnan and Guizhou rely on Sichuan for tax supplements, including Sichuan's salt. They also have to go through Sichuan to go to the downstream provinces, and the gentry are more or less colluded.

And after the last alliance against Li Zicheng, they actually formed an alliance. When Zeng Ying led his subordinates to Zhengyang Gate, other generals also quickly summoned their subordinates for reinforcement.

Including Feng Shuangli.

Although the old bandit had a bad relationship with Zeng Ying, he still couldn't miss this kind of excitement.

A standoff quickly ensued outside Zhengyang Gate, and at the same time, the militia that came to reinforce Ling Yu also arrived, and all other gates were also put on alert.

(End of this chapter)