With the appointment of Zuo Rong and Zuo Hua, Xia's unification war officially began to get on the right track.
Behind the scenes that ordinary people cannot see, massive amounts of materials are gathered in different places, which will eventually become the capital for the army to sweep across the world.
As for the Ming Dynasty, they had a premonition of the danger of the country's destruction, and all kinds of demons and moths emerged one after another.
"My dear friends, do you have any strategies to defend against the enemy?"
Seeing the Shun army breaking through the bamboos and getting closer and closer to the capital, Chongzhen finally panicked.
He looked towards the court, hoping that someone could share his worries and resolve the situation.
But the entire dynasty is full of civil and military officials, so how can they have any strategy?
There was silence in the court hall, which filled Chongzhen's heart with sadness.
"The country has supported scholars for two hundred years, you...are you worthy of Taizu?"
Chongzhen's scolding did not move the officials.
It's a good thing he didn't mention Zhu Yuanzhang.
Thinking of the precarious days of officials in the Zhu Yuanzhang era, these civil servants had little affection for the Ming Dynasty.
Of course, Ming Dynasty still had loyal ministers.
Taichang Shaoqing Wu Linzheng stood up.
"Your Majesty, Wang Yongji, Governor of Jiliao, please report. The country is in dire straits and we urgently need soldiers capable of fighting. Please withdraw the troops stationed in Ningyuan and focus on guarding Shanhaiguan. In this way, we can select soldiers capable of fighting to defend the capital."
Chongzhen perked up and asked hurriedly: "Mr. Chen Ge, Mr. Wei Ge, what do you think?"
Chen Yan and Wei Zaode made up their minds almost instantly.
"Two hundred miles of land were abandoned for no reason. I dare not accept the blame, and I have no face to see the ancestors of the Ming Dynasty."
Chongzhen couldn't take a breath and almost felt suffocated.
Abandoning Ningyuan and withdrawing Guan Ning's army to defend the capital was obviously a no-brainer.
But it is also the best solution that can be thought of now.
Then the two cabinet ministers Chen Yan and Wei Zaode did not express their opinions or express their approval. Apparently they did not want to take the blame for losing their troops and territory.
Chongzhen was so angry that he wanted to kill someone.
If you don't take the blame, why should I do it?
"This matter... Let's discuss this matter later. If anyone has any good ideas, please come to us as soon as possible. I will definitely reward you heavily."
You see, Chongzhen himself was unwilling to take responsibility, so what else could he expect his ministers to do?
After so many years, everyone has already become aware of Chongzhen's virtues.
Anyway, it’s your Zhu family’s empire that is ruined. You, the emperor, are not willing to bear the responsibility of cutting off the tail to survive, so we will not bear the infamy.
Chongzhen didn't know the slander of his ministers, but he still tried his best to perform.
"I don't want to be the king of a subjugated country, but everything is like a subjugation of the country. The world that my ancestors conquered in the wind and rain is about to be lost now. How can I see my ancestors? I am willing to personally supervise the division and fight to the death with the intruders.
, I have no regrets even if I die on the battlefield. But I... will not die with my eyes in peace!"
At this time, the ministers even howled in unison but failed to respond.
Only one person is very positive.
"Your Majesty, my hometown is about to be taken over by thieves, and my father and fellow villagers are suffering from the poison, as if they have fallen into hell. When I heard this, I was heartbroken and grief-stricken. I am willing to donate all my family wealth, recruit soldiers and horses, and rush to Shanxi to deal with the intruders.
in the end."
Chongzhen looked over in surprise and saw that the person standing up was Li Jiantai, the right servant of the Ministry of Personnel.
When he learned that the Shun Army had invaded Shanxi, he was afraid that his hometown would be occupied and his family would be in trouble, so he couldn't be more active.
When the country was in ruins, there were still people who were willing to take the initiative to stand up, and Chongzhen was moved again.
"I have love for you, and great things can be accomplished."
Immediately, Chongzhen gave Li Jiantai the Minister of War and Shang Fang Sword, and ordered him to supervise Shanxi and act expediently.
On the twenty-sixth day of the first lunar month, Chongzhen specially and solemnly held a ceremony to send generals away.
The prince-in-law, Captain Wan Wei, offered three sacrifices to the Imperial Ancestral Temple.
At noon, Chongzhen personally went to the Zhengyang Gate Tower and brought the cabinet, the Six Ministries, the Five Prefectures, the Metropolitan Procuratorate and all the civil and military officials in the capital to give Li Jiantai a banquet to see him off.
It can be said that the scene is very grand.
Chongzhen obviously regarded Li Jiantai as the last straw.
So is Li Jiantai useful?
One can imagine.
As soon as Li Jiantai and his assembled troops and horses left the capital, they were hit by a storm and violent sand, and the entire team was blown to pieces.
The fortune teller also said that the hexagrams are unfavorable and the road ahead is dangerous.
This time, the military morale collapsed even more.
Li Jiantai has been a civil servant all his life, how can he know how to march and fight?
When he first requested the governor, he was still brave and fearful that his hometown and people would be killed.
But after he actually started marching, he realized that marching and fighting was a bit different from his understanding.
Feather fans and turbans, and the oars and oars being turned into ashes while talking and laughing, are obviously just the romance of literati.
Just the food and fodder for the army made his hair turn gray from worry.
As soon as they reached Zhuozhou, the soldiers, who had completely stopped, began to lose control, and more than 3,000 people ran away.
After a few days, he only had a mere five hundred soldiers and horses left in his hands.
Such a small number of people are not enough to fill the gap between the army and the army.
Just at this time, news came from Shanxi that his hometown Quwo had fallen into the hands of the Shun Army. Moreover, his ancestral home was also confiscated by the Shun Army, and all his family's assets were lost.
Li Jiantai was anxious and angry, and fell ill.
This caused his marching speed to be even slower, and he could only walk thirty miles a day. The soldiers were so hungry that they fled in an endless stream.
When we got to Guangzong, something happened again.
The magistrate of Guangzong looked at this beggar army and was very suspicious of its identity, and refused to open the city under any circumstances.
"I am the Minister of the Ministry of War, and I have been ordered to supervise the division. You, a small county magistrate, dare not open the city gate. Don't you know Shang Fang's sword?"
The county magistrate on the top of the city sneered.
"Everywhere is in chaos now, and there are a lot of things that are cheating the city. Who knows whether you are real or fake? Stop making noise and go somewhere else!"
When did Li Jiantai encounter this? He was really smoking at a gas station - he was so angry!
"Siege the city! Attack it for me and catch this dog official!"
The soldiers and horses leaving Beijing finally fight!
But the one he hit was his own county.
After a bloody battle, they finally broke into Guangzong City.
The frightened county magistrate was caught in front of Li Jiantai, and the old man drew Shang Fang's sword.
"You bastard, can you recognize Shang Fang's sword now?"
The county magistrate was so frightened that he peed.
"Xiaguan... I recognize it, I really do!"
"It's too late!"
Li Jiantai, furious, slashed with his sword and executed Magistrate Guangzong on the spot.
But doing this will not help the supervisor except to vent his anger.
Guangzong was in an extremely dilapidated state. The people in Hecheng were destitute and could not find any food.
Li Jiantai's troops had no choice but to continue their journey hungry.
When they reached Baoding, Li Jiantai only had three to four hundred soldiers and horses in his hands. He didn't have a grain of food in his hands, and he couldn't walk at all.
Li Jiantai asked to enter the city, but Shao Zongyuan, the prefect of Baoding, also refused.
When Li Jiantai took out the seal awarded by Chongzhen, Shao Zongyuan remained resolute.
"You have received great favor from the emperor. The emperor once personally went to Zhengyang Gate and gave you the Shangfang Sword. He also gave you wine to practice for you. Now you don't go to the west on behalf of the emperor, but you have to knock on the gate to avoid thieves.
?”
These accusations revealed Li Jiantai's pain and made him lose all reason.
Li Jiantai held up Shang Fang's sword and threatened to kill Shao Zongyuan if he did not open the city gate.
There was a lot of quarrel between the two sides.
Fortunately, someone in the city knew Li Jiantai, so he was released into the city.
Otherwise, the vigorous Mr. Li would probably freeze to death in the cold wind of Gyeonggi Province.