Emperor Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 4 Transferring Troops to Beijing
"Son, pay respects to Father Emperor!"

Zhu Youjian wrote two edicts and one secret decree in succession, and was a little tired, so he took a nap.

But just when he squinted his eyes and took a nap, he heard a boy's voice.

Zhu Youjian opened his eyes and saw that it was the prince Zhu Cihong who was wearing a bright yellow four-clawed dragon robe, and he was also his eldest son.

The prince's pink makeup and jade carvings, his jewel-like eyes are clear and transparent without any blemishes.

But on the day when the empire was about to die, his young prince did not have the stubbornness of a boy of the same age, and he was very calm.

"My son, come here!"

Zhu Youjian has become accustomed to substituting himself as Emperor Chongzhen, not to mention inheriting the memory and emotions of Emperor Chongzhen. There is nothing unacceptable to Zhu Cihong, a 15-year-old son.

As soon as Zhu Cihong came over, he patted him on the shoulder lightly and said:
"Father wants you to leave the capital from today and go on a long trip, only you and Wang Daban will accompany you alone, without father, emperor and queen mother to take care of you, do you dare?"

"My son dare!"

Zhu Cihong couldn't help biting her lips tightly, her small cheeks were biting tightly, tears streaming down her face, but she managed to hold back her tears.

Perhaps at the age of 15, he has already realized what he will face next.

Zhu Youjian stroked his head, called Wang Chengen over, took out a will and a secret decree and said to Wang Chengen:

"Wang Cheng'en, this is the secret decree I intend to give to Yuji, the commander-in-chief who guards Shanxi and Daizhou and Ningwu three passes!
You immediately take the prince to see Zhou Yuji, hand over the secret decree to Zhou Yuji, and tell him that he will take his elite troops to King Qin of the capital immediately and abandon Ningwu Pass!

If Li Zicheng has already broken the capital when he arrives at the capital, let him not have to re-enter the capital, and go south directly with my will to help the crown prince ascend the throne!
In addition, tell Zhou Yuji that there are obstacles on the way, no matter who they are, they will be killed without mercy! "

Hearing this, Wang Chengen couldn't help rushing to Datong. He knew the importance of Ningwu Pass at this time. Once Ningwu Pass was lost, it meant that Li Zicheng's army could reach Datong smoothly:

One is Ningwu Pass guarded by Zhou Yuji, and Juyong Pass guarded by Tang Tong.

But now that His Majesty directly transferred Zhou Yuji to the capital in an emergency, he undoubtedly voluntarily gave up a dangerous pass and accelerated the speed of Li Zicheng's troops besieging the capital.

Therefore, Wang Chengen couldn't help but knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, you can't, if you transfer Zhou Yuji to the capital, then I will not be able to defend Datong, I'm afraid it will be difficult to resist Li Zicheng!"

"Whether there is Ningwu Pass or not, it is difficult to resist Li Zicheng. Instead of this, it is better to transfer the only reliable army into the capital to protect me or the prince from going south. These damn civil officials want to prevent me and the prince from going south. Isn't it just bullying me? Soldiers, we only have to wait for Zhou Yuji to come, and I have a certain amount of military power, and I, Da Ming, may still have a chance!"

As Zhu Youjian said, he drew out his sword and pointed at Wang Chengen: "Don't talk nonsense, pass the decree, or you will be killed for the crime of resisting the decree!"

Although Zhu Youjian is sure that Wang Chengen is a reliable person, otherwise he would not be buried for himself, but at this moment Zhu Youjian must be tougher to deter these people.

"Old slave complies with the order! Please rest assured, Your Majesty, this old slave will definitely take good care of His Highness the Crown Prince, and will also lead Zhou Zongbing to the capital to rescue His Majesty before Li Zicheng!"

As Wang Chengen spoke, he couldn't help crying, and at this time Zhu Cihong was about to cry too, and finally couldn't help shouting:
"My son is reluctant to part with my father!"

Even though Zhu Youxiao was hard-hearted, he was a little moved at this time, but he still restrained himself and shouted:

"What are you crying about, man, you're so desperate, try your hands, and heal the sky! If something happens to me, Zhu Cihong, you are the emperor of my Daming, and you have to bear the responsibility of my Daming Zhongxing, otherwise, under the nine springs, the ranks of Daming will be destroyed!" Your ancestors and I will definitely not tolerate you, understand?"

"My son understands!"

Zhu Cihong was sensible, knelt down and kowtowed to Zhu Youjian before hurriedly clenching his fists to Kunning Palace where his mother Empress Zhou lived.

But Wang Chengen was called over by Zhu Youjian, and did not let him follow him:

"Let him talk to his mother later, and let me ask you, how much money is left in the money?"

"Return to Your Majesty, the current silver is less than 2000 taels, and we can't even afford the money for visiting the horse," Wang Chengen couldn't help crying.

This surprised Zhu Youjian, he didn't expect an emperor to be so poor!

It is also thanks to his previous life that he read online information and really believed that Chongzhen had tens of millions of taels of internal money after his death, but now it is a huge lie;

Now that I think about it, my own country is no longer guaranteed, so why does Chongzhen keep tens of millions of taels?

Unless the brain is showing off.

What's more, after Li Zicheng occupied the capital, he didn't find much money in the palace, and finally he had to squeeze all the officials.

This can also prove how poor the emperor is.

But if the time comes, the only way to rely on Prince Zhu Cihong and Wang Chengen to go south is to provide troops and horses, and they must have a sum of money to pay for the army.

Zhu Youjian couldn't help but looked back at his Qianqing Palace, pointed at Nuoda's Qianqing Palace and said:
"Wang Chengen, let's choose. The room is full of antique jades. You can choose whatever you want. Choose the expensive ones and pack them lightly to take them out of the palace with the prince Zhu Cihong."

Wang Chengen didn't expect that His Majesty would let him take away all these royal belongings, and he was so frightened that he knelt down again:

"Impossible! Your Majesty, these are tributes from various countries, each of which is priceless, and cannot be enjoyed by His Majesty. Your Majesty will let the old slave take it away, and the old slave dare not!"

"stand up!"

Zhu Youjian couldn't help roaring at him, and said:

"It is precisely because these antiques and jades are priceless that I let you take them all away. Instead of leaving them to the rogue Li Zicheng, it is better to let you take them away. When the time comes, I can use these treasures to revive the rivers and mountains when I go to the south of the Yangtze River. Do you understand! "

"The old slave understands! Woohoo!"

Wang Chengen couldn't help crying a few more times, and kowtowed to Zhu Youjian again.

"Follow the order", after Zhu Youjian said this, Wang Chengen stumbled to his feet, came to a box full of antique jade wares, and took the Yige Kiln porcelain in his hand.

Seeing him walking slowly, Zhu Youjian came over and lifted up Wang Chengen's robe in person, took out four or five antiques and threw them into his arms, and threw down a pile of ancient books, calligraphy and paintings.

Soon, Wang Chengen left Qianqing Palace with a large bag of antique jade, and turned to Zhu Youjian and said:

"Don't worry, Your Majesty, even if this old servant dies, he will bring Zhou Zongbing's troops to Beijing before Li Zicheng!"

Zhu Youjian didn't say much except to ask Gong Yonggu, the captain-in-law.

It is only one month away from the collapse of Beijing.

Now that I let Zhou Yuji abandon Ningwu Pass, it is very likely that Li Zicheng's troops will come to Beijing faster, so I must race against time to make all preparations for going south before Li Zicheng breaks the city.

These ministers with ulterior motives let themselves stay in the capital and wait for the enemy to break through the city, so that they could dedicate themselves to Li Zicheng?

no way!

(End of this chapter)