Ming Dynasty: Every day, Zhu Yuanzhang is in trouble

Many people here will have such thoughts at this time.

Zhu Yuanzhang didn't find it strange.

After all, the Ming Dynasty has become so devastated.

He had no expectations of these people at all, as they were all loyal subjects and would die for their country.

Be able to shed the last drop of blood for the Ming Dynasty.

However, there are some things he still can't figure out.

So what are those fathers-in-law thinking?

How could they actually do such a thing?

Other ministers might have had some chance of survival after Li Zicheng arrived.

Even in the future, you can become an official again and receive good treatment.

But why do these royal relatives do this?
Do they think that after Li Zicheng conquers the capital, their lives will be better than before?

Do you think Li Zicheng will let them go?

How can it be!

Ever since the Sima family killed the emperor in the street, setting a bad precedent.

The emperor's sacredness was thrown into the stinking ditch!
Killing emperors also became common.

Especially when a new dynasty replaces the old one.

This kind of thing is especially common.

It is bound to be liquidated.

And from some of the images seen in the simulator.

Zhu Yuanzhang could also see that when Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong were fighting for the world.

Some princes and the like who were appointed by the Ming Dynasty were simply beheaded and killed by them.

How could they, the royal relatives of the current dynasty, be spared?

He wanted to see what would happen after Li Zicheng entered the city.

What will be the ending of these people?

Will you regret it then...

While Zhu Yuanzhang was thinking this, the images in the simulator continued to display
Continue to tell him about the chaos at the end of Ming Dynasty——

On March 16, Li Zicheng's vanguard arrived at the outskirts of Beijing, captured Changping, and burned the imperial tombs.

On this day, Zhu Youjian was drinking tea leisurely while examining 33 local officials including Huang Guoqi, the magistrate of Ziyang, at the Zhongzuo Gate on the topic of "pacifying the people's hearts, suppressing bandits, and generating sufficient wealth".

At the hour of Hai, he received the news, his face changed suddenly, and he stood up and entered the palace.

On March 17, Zhu Youjian went to court to ask for strategies for defending the city.

The king and his ministers cried together, helpless.

Some people even suggested using those involved in the "rebellion case". Zhu Youjian shed tears and wrote a line of words on the table with his fingers: "All civil and military officials can be killed." He asked the eunuch Wang Zhixin from the East Factory to read it and then erased the words.

On that day, Li Zicheng's army began to attack the city.

The three camps defending the city were mostly composed of the elderly, the weak, the sick and the disabled, with no fighting power and collapsed at the first blow.

Zhu Youjian's emotions were out of control. He wailed to the sky, walked around the hall, beat his chest and stamped his feet, sighing all night long.

He shouted: "All the civil and military officials inside and outside the country have misled me! Misled me!"

On the morning of March 18, he summoned his cabinet ministers for the last time and said: Why don’t we finish the work in Fengxian Hall…

"Ugh!"

Zhu Yuanzhang sighed, feeling sorry for his misfortune and angry at his lack of fighting spirit.

I was exhausted by Chongzhen's incompetence, and my mood was very complicated...

On the same day, Li Zicheng sent the surrendered eunuchs Du Xun and Shen Zhixiu to Beijing to negotiate with Zhu Youjian.

One of the conditions offered was to "cede territory for peace," allowing Li Zicheng to establish his own kingdom in the northwest and reward him with a salary of one million taels of silver.

He could help suppress other rebel forces and the Qing army in Liaodong, but he would not pay homage.

Another theory is that Zhu Youjian should abdicate.

In short, Zhu Youjian did not agree.

There was wind and rain that morning. The rain stopped at noon and Li Zicheng ordered to continue the siege.

At 3:00 p.m., a group of Hui people opened the Guangning Gate and the outer city fell.

After Zhu Youjian learned the news of the fall of the outer city, he wanted to summon Li Guozhen, the Earl of Xiangcheng, who was the governor of the Beijing camp, to lead the three camps to protect him.

The eunuch reported that the soldiers had been defeated and advised him to flee quickly.

Zhu Youjian took the eunuchs to the Coal Hill behind the Forbidden City to look out.

Finding that the city of Beijing was under siege and difficult to escape, he went down the mountain and returned to the Qianqing Palace.

At the beginning of the night, Zhu Youjian summoned his brother-in-law Gong Yonggu and Liu Wenbing to bring servants to protect him.

The two men replied that according to ancestral rules they were not allowed to have servants.

Afterwards, Zhu Youjian arranged for eunuchs Wang Zhixin, Li Zongzhou, and Wang Zhijun to take three princes, namely the Crown Prince, Prince Ding, and Prince Yong, out of the palace.

Sent to Duke Chengguo Zhu Chunchen and others.

Then he held a final banquet with Queen Zhou and other concubines.

Ask them to commit suicide.

Queen Zhou hanged herself after returning to Kunning Palace.

Concubine Yuan was slashed by Zhu Youjian.

Afterwards, Zhu Youjian roared, asking why I was born in my family, and swung his sword at Princess Changping and Princess Zhaoren respectively. The former fainted after her arm was cut off, and the latter died on the spot.

He also sent people to various palaces to urge Empress Dowager Yi'an and Li Xi to commit suicide.

Afterwards, Zhu Youjian summoned Wang Chengen, the eunuch in charge of the capital's interior and exterior, to discuss matters and drank with him.

At three o'clock in the morning, Zhu Youjian went to Wang Chengen's residence, changed into a big hat and eunuch's clothes, held a three-barreled gun, and led hundreds of eunuchs to break out from Chaoyang Gate, Chongwen Gate, and Zhengyang Gate, but all failed.

Zhu Youjian and Wang Chengen returned to the palace and changed their clothes.

It was already the fifth watch of March 19th, and Zhu Youjian personally rang the bell to summon all civil and military officials.

But no one entered the court.

Finally, he and Wang Chengen climbed up Coal Hill and hanged themselves on a tree.

Wang Chengen also hanged himself...

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the screen in the simulator, the motionless Chongzhen hanging on Coal Hill, and the eunuch who accompanied him to the last scene. Wang Chengen, Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes turned red.

His fists were clenched tightly together.

At this moment, his emotions were extremely complicated.

He was heartbroken that the Ming Dynasty, which he had founded, was destroyed, and he also hated Chongzhen for his incompetence.

After a series of random operations, he finally destroyed his own Ming Dynasty.

The country could have possibly survived and breathed a few more breaths, but it was completely destroyed in his hands.

Even if the capital is destroyed but the ruler is still alive, it is not considered the country's demise.

But now, the capital has been destroyed and the monarch has died.

Under such circumstances, the country will be destroyed!
However, at the last moment, Chongzhen chose to hang himself on Coal Hill.

Finally, I couldn't help it and my eyes became a little moist.

This descendant wants to work for the Ming Dynasty.

He also saw and remembered all the situations at the end of the Ming Dynasty.

Although he had good intentions but ended up doing something bad, at the last moment, he still had the courage to take this path.

It preserved his integrity and saved the last bit of face.

Many other thoughts arose in Zhu Yuanzhang's mind.

In the end, the thing he was most worried about did not happen.

Chongzhen was much better than the emperors of the Song Dynasty, especially Song Huizong, Song Qinzong, and Zhao Gou.

Not as shameful as these people...

With these thoughts surging in his mind, Zhu Yuanzhang was waiting for the image in the simulator to disappear.

Falling back into the cooling-off period.

After all, it had always been like this before.

As long as the person being imitated dies.

Then the next scene will come to an abrupt end.

But this time something unexpected happened...

After Zhu Youjian's death, the images in the simulator did not disappear.

Gotta go on.

This made Zhu Yuanzhang, who was already prepared, stunned for a moment.

Then he suppressed all the thoughts in his mind and continued to focus on the simulator.

Then watch the various images that appear above.

It's not a bad thing to wait and see what happens in the future. You can also learn from the things of the future and do something to prevent those things in the future from happening again...

Although there were still many things to do, his blood pressure did indeed spike when he was watching...

——On the morning of the day Zhu Youjian hanged himself, the entire city of Peking surrendered.

Li Zicheng entered the imperial city and found the bodies of Queen Zhou and other female relatives.

The three princes were also betrayed by eunuchs Li Zongzhou and Wang Zhijun and became captives.

But Zhu Youjian's whereabouts were not discovered.

So Li Zicheng offered a reward of 10,000 taels of gold to search for Zhu Youjian.

It was not until noon on March 20th that Zhu Youjian's body was found...

On his chest and vest was a bloody will, expressing his self-blame for having achieved nothing in the past 17 years.

Emphasize that "my ministers have misled me."

Finally, I said that even if the thieves were allowed to split my body, they should not harm any civilians...

Looking at the bloody will displayed on the simulator, especially when seeing the words that allow the thieves to dismember my body without harming any of the people.

Zhu Yuanzhang's mood became more and more complicated.

Chongzhen's words were indeed very tough.

It can also change people's impression of him.

But at this time, Zhu Yuanzhang really wanted to talk about Li Zicheng who was leading his troops to attack outside.

There were also many people who followed Li Zicheng in.

Was he originally a thief?

Not a thief!
But the people of the Ming Dynasty!
He was forced to become a thief by the world and all kinds of chaos...

The scene continues - You Jian's body is transported outside Donghuamen.

Placed together with the remains of Queen Zhou,
Among the ministers, thirty people knelt and wept, sixty people knelt but did not cry, and the rest all looked on with disdain.

Afterwards, at the request of Ming Dynasty eunuch Wang Dehua and others, Li Zicheng reburied the bodies of Zhu Youjian and his wife in a better coffin.

She was buried in the tomb of Concubine Tian on the third day of April.

Only eunuchs and common people attended Zhu Youjian's funeral.

During this period, seven Ming officials who committed suicide for their country included Xinle Hou Liu Wenbing and his brother the governor Liu Wenyao, Zhangwu Hou Yang Chongshan, the son-in-law of the emperor Gong Yonggu, and Xuancheng Bo Wei Shichun.

As well as more than 20 civil officials including Fan Jingwen, Ni Yuanlu, and Li Banghua.

Other nobles and civil and military officials basically surrendered to Li Zicheng.

Chen Yan and Zhu Chunchen also took the lead in persuading Li Zicheng to ascend the throne...

"My Ming Dynasty still has loyal ministers and capable generals!"

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the scenes in the simulator and couldn't help but have a long talk.

The mood seems complicated and a little heavy.

Under Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze, the images on the simulator continued to tumble.

Showing the rest of the scenes after Li Zicheng entered Beiping——

After Li Zicheng moved into the Forbidden City, he made the palace maid Dou Meiyi his concubine.

When the Dashun Army entered Beijing, there were less than 20,000 soldiers and Li Zicheng issued an order: Anyone who dared to injure people or rob people’s property and women would be killed without mercy.

The order in the capital is still good, and shops are open as usual...

"It seems that the person who will replace the Ming Dynasty and gain the world is undoubtedly Li Zicheng.

Li Zicheng already has the support of the people here.

Now that he has arrived in the capital, he has taken such action again.

The people are united..."

Zhu Yuanzhang felt both uncomfortable and relieved.

At the same time, I feel fortunate that this land belongs to the Han people after all.

Our own Ming Dynasty, after all, was not like the Song Dynasty, and shamefully lost the country to foreigners...

But soon, the expression on Zhu Yuanzhang's face changed.

The scene that appeared on the new screen in the simulator was something he had not expected...

——Every day the Meridian Gate was crowded with former ministers of the Ming Dynasty, waiting to be summoned or hired.

At most, there are more than 3,000 people!
On March 23, after much anticipation, Li Zicheng finally arrived at the Huangji Palace to select talents.

Wei Zaode, the former chief minister of the cabinet, requested a trial period based on his qualifications.

Li Zicheng looked at him and said: As the chief minister of the cabinet, you have received great favors from Chongzhen.

Why not be loyal to him?
Wei Zaode said: I am willing to serve the new dynasty and I dare not die easily...

Li Zicheng felt that this man was shameless.

I'm too lazy to argue with him anymore.

Let Prime Minister Niu Jinxing make the decision and select ninety-six people to be sent to the Personnel Government to await appointment.

For those who were not selected, since you are here, there is no need to go back.

The Dashun soldiers escorted him to the powerful general Liu Zongmin and put him under strict supervision...

"What's going on? What is Li Zicheng going to do? He's not going to kill all these people, is he?

This is even more cruel than me!"

Zhu Yuanzhang was full of surprises.

The screen then showed the secret to Zhu Yuanzhang:

Liu Zongmin began to work, determined the amount of financial aid for these former ministers according to their official positions, and notified their families to send the money and pick up the people.

Prices are transparent.

The Grand Secretary of the Cabinet received 100,000 taels of silver.

The Shangshu and officials of various departments received 70,000 taels of silver.

The Kedao and Yuanwailang were given 50,000 taels of silver.

The salary for Hanlin is between 10,000 and 30,000 taels.

The rest of the minor officials received several thousand taels...

There is no fixed number for royal relatives, princes and nobles, and all the stolen money must be recovered.

The price is clearly marked, so no one can be deceived.

What if I can’t afford it?
This was not a problem at all for Liu Zongmin.

He used torture directly, using tongs, branding irons, whatever was convenient.

When the former Prime Minister Chen Yan saw the situation, he immediately offered 40,000 taels of silver, 3,000 taels of gold, and three buckets of pearls.

Chongzhen's father-in-law Zhou Kui first offered 100,000 taels of silver, but Liu Zongmin thought it was too little and used a branding iron to serve him.

Zhou Kui squeezed out little by little, and finally handed over a total of 600,000 taels of silver, plus countless other gold and jewelry...

Liu Zongmin saw Wei Zaode hiding behind him and loudly scolded him for being the prime minister but ruining the country.

And I put the clamp on myself...

With just one pinch, the top scholar and the chief minister donated 20,000 taels of silver...

The price of twenty thousand taels was obviously not convincing enough for the Prime Minister.

Liu Zongmin ordered the torture to continue, and it lasted for five days and five nights.

Wei Zaode eventually died of a bursting brain.

Before he died, he cried out: I didn't serve the Lord loyally before, now it's too late to regret!
After talking to the fellow villagers, the total amount of silver was 70 million taels...

"Hahaha……"

Zhu Yuanzhang watched a scene appear on the screen.

Especially after seeing the mountain of accounts that were finally summarized to Li Zicheng, which amounted to a full 70 million taels.

Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help laughing.

Li Zicheng really has a good way of doing things!
This is a great move, it really makes people happy!

Seventy million taels!
How ironic it is to compare the fact that when Emperor Chongzhen asked them for help, they only managed to scrape together a total of 200,000 taels.

Each of these people has different thoughts.

Want to serve the new dynasty.

Now, it’s been directly destroyed by Li Zicheng!

It feels so good!

However, after laughing, some worries arose in Zhu Yuanzhang's heart.

Li Zicheng's move was truly a relief.

But...the Liaodong Tartars are still there.

After this move, can he still defeat the Tatars?
But don’t... let the Tartars take over our country!

(End of this chapter)