With such virtue in the late Ming Dynasty, I took the prince and princess away, fearing that the news would be leaked before they even left the palace.
Chongzhen didn't have that ability, so he could only rely on Wang Tiaoding.
A few days later, Wang Diaoding made a plan to leave the city, and Chongzhen was very satisfied with it.
So the imperial edict was issued, and the imperial consort Ran Xingrang was ordered to go to the royal tomb to pray for the ancestors to protect the Ming Dynasty forever. Due to the empty treasury, the sacrifices were kept simple and the scale of the sacrifices was reduced as much as possible.
This is in line with the practice of the Ming Dynasty. The emperor usually only attended the big sacrifices.
Normally, sacrifices to the gods of mountains and rivers are mostly handled by officials of the Ministry of Rites. Sacrifice to emperors' tombs and other such things are done by relatives of nobles and nobles.
But this time it was a bit outrageous. Chongzhen seemed to think that a prince-in-law was not sincere in offering sacrifices, so he sent his own children out to offer sacrifices.
Chongzhen's children who had not yet died in infancy were born at this time, including the eldest son Zhu Cixiang (11 years old), the third son Zhu Cijiong (8 years old), the fourth son Zhu Cijiong (8 years old), Princess Changping (11 years old), and Princess Zhaoren (1 year old).
Princess Zhaoren was carried out of the city by her wet nurse.
This kind of sacrificial method is against the rules, but it doesn't matter, who the hell should care.
The civil and military officials of the entire dynasty, including nobles and relatives, were all trying different ways to make money. As long as the city of Beijing was destroyed, they would immediately defect to the new emperor. It was fundamental to protect their own wealth.
There were more than a hundred people in the sacrificial team, riding in chariots heading north.
As we headed north, no one would have guessed that we were heading south. Who would have thought that when a prince or princess ran away, they would first make a fuss about the east and west, specifically to confuse the officials.
When they arrived at Qinghedian, Prince Consort Ran Xingrang suddenly suffered from severe abdominal pain and ordered the team to stop and rest. At the same time, he sent soldiers back to the city to ask for a doctor.
According to the geographical location of later generations, Qinghedian was located outside the North Fifth Ring Road and had not yet formed a small town in the late Ming Dynasty.
During the Battle of Gaolianghe in Song and Liao Dynasties, the base camp of the Liao army was located here!
That night, Ran Xingrang summoned all the princes and princesses, looking as if they were about to die soon, as if they were about to leave some last words.
He talked a lot incoherently and intermittently, which made Zhu Cihong a little impatient.
At this moment, countless torches were lit on the other side of the Qinghe Bridge, and then there were shouts of killing: "Surge into Beijing and capture the emperor alive!"
Everyone was shocked. Officials, factory guards, soldiers, and handymen all ran away. Some of them didn't even bother to wear clothes or shoes.
Ran Xingrang stood up and warned: "Don't panic!"
The wet nurse was so scared that her legs were trembling. She hugged Princess Zhaoren and tried to escape, but her legs were too weak and she couldn't walk. She cried: "What...what can we do?"
Ran Xingrang scolded: "Shut up!"
Ran Xingrang hates the princess's wet nurse because when the princess gets married, the wet nurse is likely to be the housekeeper of the princess' mansion.
Ran Xingrang suffered a lot back then. Every time he met Princess Shouning, he had to bribe the housekeeper and the eunuch. Once, when the housekeeper was drinking and gambling, Ran Xingrang didn't bother him and went straight into the house to have sex with the princess.
When the housekeeper learned of the situation, she rushed into the room to catch the adulterer, scolded the princess for being shameless, and asked the eunuch to beat the consort.
The princess ran to her biological mother (Zheng Guifei) to complain, but she could not see her mother at all. Because the housekeeper had complained first and bribed the eunuchs and maids around Zheng Guifei.
This situation happened many times in the Ming Dynasty, especially in the middle and late Ming Dynasty. Both the princess and the prince-in-law were bullied.
A red-helmeted general rushed in and said anxiously to Ran Xingrang: "Prince-in-law, the intruders are coming, escort the prince and princess to evacuate quickly!"
Ran Xingrang smiled and said, "Why don't you run away on your own?"
The red-helmeted general said: "How can we abandon the royal nobles here? Prince-in-law, don't say any more, and quickly protect the prince and princess and escape!"
"What's your name?" Ran Xingrang asked.
The red-helmeted general was so anxious that he grabbed Zhu Cixiang and pulled him away: "Prince-in-law, I will take the prince and escape first!"
"Here's the Holy Apostle!"
Ran Xingrang took out an imperial edict, which was a central edict and had not gone through the Supervisor of Ceremonies and the Cabinet.
The red-helmeted general was stunned for a moment, and finally realized that something was wrong.
Ran Xingrang pointed outside: "Those are not intruders, they are people arranged by His Majesty."
"Your Majesty, are you going to..." The red-helmeted general became more and more confused.
Ran Xingrang explained: "Your Majesty has consecrated Zhao Han as King of Wu and married off Princess Changping. Both the prince and the princess are going to Nanjing. You are very good. There are hundreds of people here, and you are the only one who stays to protect the safety of the royal family.
"
The red-helmeted general was shocked, but then realized that it was reasonable. The Ming Dynasty was definitely going to fall, and the emperor should indeed leave a way out for his children.
The red-helmeted general raised his hands and replied: "In the next week, Yingyuan will be just a red-helmeted pawn."
The so-called red-helmeted generals were the honor guards of the Ming Emperor.
To be selected into the honor guard, you must be tall, have a good appearance, and have a clean background. The armors are all of the same quality, and may be made of paper, and the weapons may be made of wood and painted.
This situation is very common. The honor guards and armors of European monarchs are also beautiful-looking items.
Ran Xingrang said: "Follow me to Nanjing. When you reach the Jianghuai area, I will send someone back to pick up your family. My family members are also staying in Beijing at the moment."
"As you command!"
Zhou Yingyuan was overjoyed.
Being loyal to the royal family is one thing, but who doesn't want to be able to survive? What's more, it can save the lives of the whole family.
Wang Diaoding walked into the tent, with two swordsmen standing behind him. He smiled and said: "Prince-in-law, please come."
Zhu Cihong, Zhu Ainao and other emperor's children left the Forbidden City for the first time since childhood. They were frightened at first, but now they understood a little bit, and followed the others to the river in confusion.
There are more than twenty small boats docked in the river, and on each boat there are three swordsmen carrying swords.
This is Wang Tiaoding's own Datong membership developed in the capital, and he borrowed Xu Ying's tactics.
Ran Xingrang boarded a small boat, and a Confucian scholar said to him: "Prince-in-law, it's been a long time."
"Mr. Yuan?" Ran Xingrang was a little surprised.
This Confucian scholar was named Yuan Jixian, a native of Jiangxi, and was highly appreciated by Yang Sichang.
After Yang Sichang's death, Yuan Jixian was attacked by political opponents, saying that he was an internal agent sent by Zhao Han, and that the entire Yuan family had become traitors. Because of the defeat in the frontline war, Yuan Jixian was imprisoned and was only released six months ago.
Yuan Jixian was able to be released from prison not because he paid money to atone for his sins, but because dozens of his disciples went all the way from Shanxi to the capital to complain about injustice.
The initiator of entering the capital to seize the palace was named Fu Shan, also known as Qingzhu, Qingzhu!
This person also practiced Confucianism and Taoism, worked in poetry, calligraphy and painting, and was also good at swordsmanship. He also worked as a medical sage.
Of course, he did not yet have the reputation of "Medical Saint" at this time, but he was a well-known good doctor. He only specialized in medical skills after the death of the Ming Dynasty.
Fu Shan stood next to Yuan Jixian, holding a long pole in his hand, and used the light of the torch to push the boat away from the shore.
Ran Xingrang looked up at the night sky and let out a long sigh.
Chongzhen and Wang Tiaoding chose this prince-in-law to work because the prince-son-in-law in the Ming Dynasty was always very poor.
It’s not that my family is poor, it’s that I am poor because I have no real power at all, and I don’t even have the ability to occupy land in the suburbs of Beijing.
Even if we talk about the princes-in-law alone, Ran Xingrang is the poorest among them.
There were three candidates at that time. The other two were dressed brightly. Only Ran Xingrang was wearing old clothes and had low self-esteem and did not dare to raise his head. Emperor Wanli fell in love with him at a glance. He was poor and timid, so he was his daughter.
A good match.
Historically, Li Zicheng went to Beijing to exact money, and Ran Xingrang was beaten to death, but he was unable to extract the money in the hoard.
A poor guy!
Also, Ran Xingrang’s hometown is in Nanzhili, and he is very willing to perform tasks in order to return home.
Everyone protected the prince and princess, sailed from Qinghe River into Yuhe River, rowed all the way to Tongzhou, and then transferred to a big boat to Nanjing.
But it was said that the escaped red helmets, officials, eunuchs, factory guards and servants rushed all the way to the outside of Beijing, shouting in terror: "The intruders are coming, open the city gate quickly!"
The defenders were panic-stricken. Instead of thinking about defending the city, they ran home one after another.
Some of the generals who were guarding the city came to their senses. Why did they run? If the intruders came and surrendered, they would still get the credit of dedicating the city.
They waited and waited, but the intruder didn't come, and they were inevitably a little disappointed.
When the news came out, the whole city was in chaos, and shouts were heard from everywhere at night.
The ministers were also frightened so much that only a few of them went to the city to defend themselves. Most of them hid at home and waited for the next day to surrender to the intruders. There were also some loyal ministers who tied the ropes and hanged their entire families when the intruders breached the city.
.
Chaos soon spread to the imperial city, and the imperial guards returned home in panic.
The eunuchs and maids stole the property. Some waited for the change of dynasty, and some sneaked out of the palace with the property.
The big eunuchs didn't dare to leave. They had too much money and could easily be robbed along the way, so it would be safer to join the new king.
Chongzhen was woken up in the middle of the night. The eunuch Wang Chengen broke in and shouted in fear: "Your Majesty, a robber has entered the city. Let's escape quickly!"
The news was so outrageous that when it reached the eunuchs, Li Zicheng had actually entered Beijing.
Concubine Tian sat up in panic: "How can this happen?"
Concubine Tian gave birth to two sons, one died in infancy last year and another this year. She became depressed, and Chongzhen often came to the same room recently to comfort Concubine Tian in the pain of losing her son.
Chongzhen smiled calmly and said: "Continue to sleep peacefully. Li Chuang is a fake. I know it in my heart."
Wang Chengen and Concubine Tian were both shocked and confused, thinking that Emperor Chongzhen had been frightened and confused.
At this moment, Queen Zhou and other concubines also hurried to Concubine Tian's palace.
There was no way to sleep tonight. Chongzhen asked the concubines to sit down and said to Wang Chengen: "There are many eunuchs in the palace. Only you can report the news. In times of trouble, you can see people's hearts."
"This slave is willing to die for your Majesty," Wang Chengen knelt down, "Your Majesty, please take advantage of the chaos and escape!"
Chongzhen waved his hand and said: "The intruders have not come, so you all can rest assured. As for the prince and princess, they must have gone away by boat by now. The south is gone, the Central Plains is gone, the northwest, and Liaodong are gone. Daming and I are waiting.
It’s just death. While I’m still alive, let’s live a peaceful life. I’ve had no time to spare for these years, but now I can finally have some time to spare.”
Historically, the southern provinces were still in the hands of the Ming Dynasty, and Chongzhen was busy fighting wits and courage with his ministers.
Chongzhen wanted to move south, so he suggested that the minister take the initiative.
Some ministers also wanted to move south and hoped that Chongzhen would take the initiative.
Neither the king nor the ministers dared to talk about moving south. Even if any minister said it, he would be sprayed with blood by the ministers.
So they kept wasting it until Li Zicheng came to the city.
Now that he didn't have to worry so much and couldn't find a place to move the capital, Chongzhen decided to enjoy the rest of his life and commit suicide with his family when Beijing was destroyed.
Especially tonight, the whole city fell into chaos, and only one Wang Chengen came to report the news.
With all the fake news like this, can Li Zicheng still keep the call?
"Haha, don't be so sad, let's go to Xiyuan for a lake tour tomorrow!"
Chongzhen laughed heartily and felt at ease, as if he had returned to the time when he was a prince.