"I wonder what your Majesty wants to discuss when he invites old ministers here?" Zhu Chunchen entered the Wuying Hall and saluted Chongzhen and asked directly.

He noticed that in addition to him, there were cabinet minister Ni Yuanlu, Princess Zhu Nasuo of Kunxing, Shangzhi Army commander Wang Guoxing, and then more than a dozen Jinyi soldiers standing in the palace.

The composition of this staff was so strange that he could not guess Chongzhen's intention at all.

Chongzhen said with a straight face: "Don't be anxious, Duke Cheng. You will know what to discuss soon."

After saying that, he waved his hand.

Immediately, two soldiers in Jinyi came over quickly and held Zhu Chunchen down.

Logically speaking, Zhu Chunchen, as the greatest general in the Ming Dynasty, should be very capable of fighting.

But he was originally a nobleman from the last generation of the dynasty, and he was not young at all, so he was easily held down by two young and strong soldiers in brocade clothes.

Zhu Chunchen's face was filled with astonishment and confusion.

It took several breaths before he came back to his senses and shouted: "Your Majesty! What mistake did I make?!"

Seeing Zhu Chunchen being held down, Chongzhen no longer concealed the murderous intent in his eyes and shouted: "Zhu Chunchen, you want to have an affair with a thief, do you think I don't know about it?!"

When Chongzhen said this, he naturally wanted to accuse Zhu Chunchen of a big crime based on the historical data provided by Hao Guangming.

After that, if you combine it with the charges of corruption, perverting the law, and bullying the people, you can justifiably seize the Chengguo Palace.

Unexpectedly, Zhu Chunchen's face turned pale after hearing this, as if he had been struck by lightning.

'How did Chongzhen know that I wanted to have an affair with a thief?'

"Did someone betray me, or did Wang Jiayan discover some clues?"

'However, although I wanted to have an affair with the intruder, I didn't even write a letter to the intruder. Chongzhen couldn't have any evidence. How did he confirm this?'

Zhu Chunchen's heart was in turmoil, but he couldn't figure it out.

Chongzhen noticed the change in Zhu Chunchen's expression, but he didn't know that he was right. Zhu Chunchen really wanted to have an affair with a thief.

His expression became even colder, and he wished he could draw his sword and kill Zhu Chunchen right now.

Ni Yuanlu didn't really believe that Zhu Chunchen would be a traitor. After all, Zhu Chunchen was now the greatest nobleman besides the royal descendants of the Ming Dynasty. It could be said that he would live with the country. If the Ming Dynasty fell, the Duke Cheng's line would not benefit at all.

Now that I see Zhu Chunchen behaving like this, I realize that Zhu Chunchen really wants to collude with the thieves.

He was both surprised by Chongzhen's early discovery and sighed secretly.

A top nobleman like Duke Cheng Guo is about to become a traitor. It seems that the people of the capital are on the verge of collapse.

After all, the capital had been plagued by food shortages and plague (bubonic plague) before. Now that it was besieged by bandits, many people could see that the capital of the Ming Dynasty was in a desperate situation.

"I have been wronged!" Zhu Chunchen came to his senses and shouted loudly, "My family has been favored by the emperor for generations and has always been loyal to the Ming Dynasty. I have never thought of collaborating with thieves, Your Majesty!"

Zhu Chunchen thought clearly that no matter how Chongzhen knew that he was plotting against the thief, he could not admit it.

After all, he was also Duke Cheng, the greatest nobleman of the Ming Dynasty. Is it possible that Chongzhen could kill him without a trial?

cant.

However, Chongzhen did not say much to Zhu Chunchen, and waved directly: "Take him down and imprison him next to Zhou Kui."

Four Jinyi soldiers were ordered to take Zhu Chunchen away.

When Zhu Chunchen's voice of grievances obviously became quieter, Ni Yuanlu asked: "Your Majesty is wise, how did you know that Duke Cheng Guo was going to collaborate with thieves?"

Chongzhen said: "This is not something that Ni Aiqing should be concerned about. Now Ni Aiqing just needs to take my handwriting to take over the grain that Li Ruolian copied from the Chengguo Palace."

Ni Yuanlu glanced at Zhu Yuyao.

He felt that the matter of Cheng Guogong was inseparable from Zhu Yuluo and even the mysterious man who had previously talked to Chongzhen in the palace.

But Chongzhen obviously didn't want to talk about it, so it was hard for him to ask again.

So he took the order and left.

Before the results of the inspection by the Chengguo Palace came out, the guards at each wall and gate in the inner city sent people to ask for help.

"Your Majesty, the Xizhimen thieves are attacking fiercely, please ask for reinforcements!"

"Your Majesty, Xuanwumen's defense equipment is about to be exhausted, and the situation is critical!"

"Your Majesty, Deshengmen is in danger, please send reinforcements quickly!"

“···”

As urgent military information from various places spread directly to Wuying Palace, the situation became clear.

Previously, the Chuang army did not attack the city on a large scale, and the Ming army was able to defend it with the help of its tall city walls.

But when the Chuang army began to attack desperately, the disadvantages of the Ming army's weak major generals and insufficient preparation of defensive equipment quickly became apparent.

As a last resort, Chongzhen could only order Wang Guoxing to temporarily abandon the defense of the imperial city, leaving only part of his own troops to defend the Forbidden City, and taking most of the Shangzhi Army to support the city walls and gates that were in urgent need.

Later, Wang Chengen was ordered to recruit young eunuchs in the palace to serve as reinforcements and put them under the command of the great eunuch Fang Zhenghua.

After Chongzhen issued this order, there was no one else in the Wuying Palace for the time being. Zhu Aa couldn't help but said: "Father, why don't you break out of the encirclement?"

"Breaking through?" Chongzhen supported the imperial case and smiled bitterly, "Now that the intruders are surrounding the city, where should I break out? And why should I break out?"

Zhu Yu'ao said: "Didn't Mr. Hao say that you can summon some elites and use xenon lamps to open the way? It is possible to break out."

"Xenon lights···"

Hearing Zhu Aelao's words, Chongzhen couldn't help but look at the xenon lamp on the table.

At this time, the sun was further to the west, and Wuying Hall was getting darker.

Chongzhen turned on the xenon portable lamp and saw the dazzling light shining on him. He couldn't help but close his eyes for a while just standing aside.

As he marveled at the magic of the xenon lamp again, he still couldn't help but wonder: Can this thing really help him break out of the city?

Even if he does break out, can he escape the intruder's subsequent pursuit?

Even if he escapes pursuit and there is no army around him, how can he ensure that he reaches Nandu safely?

When Chongzhen looked at the xenon lamp hesitantly, Zhu Ya'ao also looked at the xenon lamp, but the bold idea emerged in her heart again.

She looked away from the xenon lamp, gritted her teeth and said, "Father, my daughter has a plan that may help my father break out of the encirclement, or even make the intruders flee."

Chongzhen was surprised and expectant after hearing this, and asked: "What's the plan?"

Zhu Aona said: "My daughter went to Chuangying to meet Li Zicheng and presented this xenon lamp as a treasure.

During the introduction, you can use this lamp to shine on the intruders, their generals in the tent, and their personal guards, and then let the warriors who follow my daughter take the opportunity to kill Li Zicheng and other intruder generals!"

After hearing this, Chongzhen's eyes lit up at first, but then he frowned and asked: "Doesn't this put you in a dead end..."

As soon as he finished speaking, Chongzhen stopped.

Because it suddenly occurred to me that Zhu Yuluo had a special ability, that is, she could go to Hao Guangming's world at a thought.

Sure enough, Zhu Aona smiled and said: "Father, don't worry, as long as my daughter is not killed immediately, she can go to Mr. Hao."

As she spoke, she looked hesitant again, and continued: "But the warrior who followed his daughter to assassinate Li Zicheng is probably going to die."

As long as Zhu Yusuo could survive, Chongzhen did not care about the life or death of the people accompanying him, and immediately said: "I will reward the brave family generously."

Zhu Yasuo was stunned for a moment, then asked: "Father, did you agree?"

Chongzhen said: "At this point, my father can only let you take the risk. If you can kill Li Zicheng, maybe you can really defeat the intruders."

Zhu Yusao remembered Hao Guangming's words, but she did not tell Chongzhen. Instead, she prepared to instruct the accompanying warriors to kill Li Guo when the time came.

At this time, Chongzhen said again: "媺娟, if you can't succeed this time, go to Mr. Hao's place and don't come back for a short time... Do you understand what my father means?"

"Father..."

Why didn’t Zhu Aolao not understand Chongzhen’s meaning?

Now the defense of the inner city is in critical condition. If her assassination fails, the intruders will be angry and attack more violently, and the inner city may be breached tonight just like in history.

It would be useless for her to come back then, and she might be in danger instead.

She wanted to say something to Chongzhen, but she felt that it was useless to say anything at this time.

So he nodded heavily and said, "My daughter understands!"

Chongzhen sighed, then pointed to the imperial case and said: "Send these twenty-four seals to Mr. Hao for now."

Zhu Aina nodded first, and then thought of something, "Father, I also want to send my grandma to Mr. Hao - my daughter can take her with her."
Chapter completed!