Chapter 378 No one can be trusted, the minister is willing to go to war
If the Great Fallen Angel intervenes, Chang Xiao's heart beats when he thinks of this. Chang Xiao has seen the horror of the Great Fallen Angel. In front of the Great Fallen Angel, Chang Xiao is just like a leaf in the wind and rain.
A small boat can capsize easily.
If the enemy is the Great Fallen Angel, then the power that Chang Xiao and Hidden have managed together is really just a joke, and it really means nothing.
However, Chang Xiao then thought about it. If the Great Fallen Angel really took action, the situation would be a bit too small. If a being like the Great Fallen Angel really wanted to take action, Li Zicheng would probably have already reached the gates of Beijing. He would definitely not do it.
Just arrived at Xuanfu.
However, Chang Xiao then thought about it. The Great Fallen Angel did not dare to be too arrogant in this world of humans. Otherwise, I am afraid that the gods in Middle-earth would definitely not let him do whatever he wanted, so he hid his methods, used his magical powers, and helped secretly.
It is not impossible for Li Zicheng.
Of course, this is just a speculation by Chang Xiao. The other party may not really be the Great Fallen Angel. It may also be some other existence. There may even be no immortals involved at all. It's just that Li Zicheng used his troops like a god and led his troops to appear and disappear.
Of course, this possibility is very slim! The number of troops Li Zicheng led who can capture Xuanfu will definitely not be a small number. If they reach 30,000, there will be nowhere to hide in this world.
Chang Xiao thought about it in various ways, and the Great Fallen Angel seemed to be a shadow shrouding Chang Xiao's heart, making Chang Xiao extremely depressed and unable to breathe.
Chang Xiao returned to the Imperial Study Room and saw Chongzhen, whose face changed greatly as he took a closer look at the blood-stained memorial.
Chongzhen's face became more and more gloomy. On the contrary, the old dragon behind Chongzhen became particularly energetic at this time, his eyes were shining, and the dragon scales all over his body seemed to have some life. Apparently even the old dragon felt it.
Crisis. Take heart.
Chang Xiao's eyesight could completely see what was written in the memorial that Chongzhen was reading. Chang Xiao read the memorial even faster than Chongzhen.
Li Zicheng's 300,000 troops occupied Xuanfu.
An army of 300,000, this number makes me feel nervous when I see this number.
This kind of power, gathered outside the Xuanfu, can be used to attack the capital. It is true that Li Zicheng has been growing stronger, and he can indeed have an army of 300,000, but how did these 300,000 horses get there?
The Xuan Mansion? Didn't it fall from the sky? Chang Xiao originally thought that it was a big fall. The heaven used some magical power to send Li Zicheng to the Xuan Mansion, which allowed Li Zicheng to occupy the Xuan Mansion. But now, Chang Xiao no longer insists on this idea. Once
To transport 300,000 people, I am afraid that even a being at the level of a true immortal cannot do this. This is not an act of immortality, but rather a human method.
Chongzhen looked dejected. His army was now in Shaanxi and Shanxi, and there was a border confrontation with Huang Taiji. The area around the capital was actually very empty. How could he fight against this 300,000-strong army?
Chongzhen's eyes are now closed, and his face is stiff. Chang Xiao can tell that Chongzhen is as fragile as a biscuit, which will be broken into powder with just a little force.
After a while, Chongzhen suddenly burst out laughing, and the laughter was even worse than crying.
Chang Xiao frowned slightly. Even when he faced a solid army of 300,000 people, he had no idea at all for a moment. In the face of the absolutely powerful force, any conspiracy, conspiracy or trick became ridiculous.
Listening to Chongzhen's laughter, Chang Xiao felt Chongzhen's despair for the first time. Chongzhen was never afraid of blows. He would regain his fighting power when he was frustrated to the extreme. But this time, Chang Xiao felt complete despair.
The total number of men and horses in the army was only 30,000, and the rest were all sent to Shaanxi, Shanxi and the border to fight against Huang Taiji.
Facing Li Zicheng's 300,000-strong army descended from heaven, all Chongzhen could do now was to close the city and defend it, and mobilize soldiers from all directions.
But the opponent has a crowd of 300,000, and the Xuanfu is only a small distance away from the capital. It is almost a square yard along the way. If they really charge all the way, the city of Beijing is so big. Although the Ming emperors of the past dynasties built the city wall of the capital like a copper wall and an iron wall,
There are so many entrances and exits, but the lack of manpower is in vain. Li Zicheng does not need to play any tricks. He can lead an army of 300,000 and just knock on the city gate. Once the army comes up, the Ming soldiers may not be able to guard it.
Moreover, the thieves are against the trend, and the capital is not monolithic. If there is no strong army as a barrier when the army presses the border, I am afraid that people's hearts will change, and disaster will arise within the elbow and armpit. At least none of these officials in the court are in Chongzhen's eyes.
Trustworthy!
This was truly a desperate situation, and Li Zicheng's arrival was too sudden.
After Chongzhen laughed for a long time, he looked at Chang Xiao. The smile on his face was gone, but the despair was no longer in his eyes. Now there was a golden and iron thought in Chongzhen's eyes, even a certain death.
From this thought, Chang Xiao could see that Chongzhen wanted to coexist with the capital and the Ming Dynasty's ancestral foundation. However, although it was a determination to die, there was still no lack of fighting spirit in Chongzhen's eyes. He was the kind of person who wanted to survive in adversity.
The fighting spirit to survive! Chongzhen, who refused to admit defeat, still refused to admit defeat!
At this time, Chang Xiao really admired an emperor like Chongzhen. Chongzhen's age was almost the same as that of Chang Xiao's current body, but he had a responsibility beyond this age. He tried his best to stir up the entire country and the country, working tirelessly and sleeplessly.
He worked endlessly and wholeheartedly just to rebuild this dilapidated country. Chongzhen did not look like a king who had subjugated his country. At least Changxiao did not see a trace of ignorance in Chongzhen.
However, Chongzhen still had shortcomings. After Chang laughed at it for a long time, he discovered Chongzhen's fatal weakness, which was that he regarded the officials as enemies. The officials were indeed incompetent and stupid, but Chongzhen spent too much time fighting with them.
Of course, there is nothing that can be done about it, and Chongzhen doesn't want to, but because all the officials always want Chongzhen to be a stable and incompetent emperor, just like the carpenter, the civil servants hope to become the master of the entire country, but Chongzhen
His character will never be a puppet emperor. This is the biggest contradiction between the two. Hundreds of officials are fighting, and Chongzhen has to deal with them. They consume each other. It can be said that Chongzhen's failure to solve the issues in the court is his biggest problem.
Failure! And the incompetence of the officials is also one of the reasons for the gradual decline of the Ming Dynasty. In fact, whether it is the officials or the emperor who make the decision, the Ming Dynasty may not continue to decline. But when neither the officials nor the emperor can make the decision, it seems that the Ming Dynasty will continue to decline.
Everything is settled!
"Chang Xiao, is there anything you can do?" Chongzhen asked without any hope.
After Chang Xiao thought for a while, he shook his head and said, "My lord, there is no way!"
This answer was within Chongzhen's expectation. In this desperate situation, no one could find any way to turn the tide.
Now it is no longer important how Li Zicheng arrived at Xuanfu. How to prevent Li Zicheng from approaching the capital is the most important.
Obviously, persuasion is useless, fighting is impossible, and no one can stop Li Zicheng's path forward.
The civil and military officials who had just left the court were quickly recalled to the palace. After hearing the reports of the battle ahead, the government and the public were in an uproar.
This was too sudden. Originally, for all the courtiers, the war ahead was still far away, but suddenly it was imminent. The sharpness of Li Zicheng's army had reached the tip of their noses!
Suddenly the whole court was in chaos.
When Chongzhen looked at these officials, he couldn't help but feel uninterested.
The Ming Dynasty seems to have fallen into an unextricable quagmire. Chongzhen secretly thought in his heart: "If the traitors approach the capital, how many people will surrender?"
Chongzhen looked at these courtiers one by one, weighed them one by one, and was disappointed with each one. In Chongzhen's eyes, none of the courtiers in the court could live or die with him. It seemed that as long as Li Zicheng's army arrived, all officials would be united.
Surrender is common.
From top to bottom, no one can be completely trusted.
Chongzhen asked without any hope: "Who among the hundreds of officials can share my worries?"
All the officials fell silent and then became silent, like a bird being pinched by the neck. The hall was immediately so quiet that you could hear a pin drop!
Chongzhen couldn't help but reveal a sad smile. This situation was not beyond his expectation.
At this time, a voice came to Chongzhen's ear: "I am willing to lead the troops to defend against the enemy! I will share the emperor's worries!"
Chongzhen's eyes lit up slightly, as if there was no one he could trust. He followed the sound and saw Chang Xiao standing there proudly. The voice came from Chang Xiao.
All the officials were startled when they heard this, and looked at Chang Xiao standing alone in the court like Chongzhen.
It has to be said that Li Zicheng had 300,000 soldiers and horses, and there were only more than 30,000 in the capital. There was a huge disparity in the strength of the two. Chang Xiao would only die if he challenged him. Such courage is certainly worthy of admiration. Chongzhen did not trust Chang Xiao in vain.
But after all the officials fell silent, they all burst out and said: "Your Majesty, you must not do this. There are only these few troops in the capital to defend the capital. If Chang Xiao takes him to his death, there will be no one to defend the capital and it will become an empty city! Here we go!
If you lose your strength by laughing often, the traitor can easily enter the city!"
Chongzhen nodded slightly. The situation is critical now, but it is not the time to show off as a hero. Thirty thousand people versus three hundred thousand people. Any fool knows what the outcome will be.
Chang Xiao said at this time: "Your Majesty, I will not use any soldiers in the capital."
At this moment, all the civil and military officials were stunned. Did Chang Xiao want to fight against 300,000 soldiers single-handedly? Isn't this a joke? Chang Xiao didn't want to die for his country, but he probably wanted to escape.
Chongzhen said doubtfully: "Chang Aiqing, if you don't lead soldiers, how can you fight against that traitor?"
Chang smiled and said: "The old subordinates I brought with me back then still have hundreds of people in the capital. There are more than a thousand people in Tianjin. These people are enough!"
Hearing this, all the officials booed. Chang Xiao was really too arrogant. He wanted to rely on more than a thousand people to compete with an army of 300,000. Isn't this a joke? How is this possible?
Chongzhen originally had a look of hope on his face. But now this look collapsed and he said dejectedly: "I understand Aiqing's intention, but this matter still needs to be discussed in the long term."
Chang Xiao said: "Your Majesty, now is the last chance. If we fail to seize it, the entire capital will immediately turn into powder. I dare not say that I can stop the thieves from rebelling against the 300,000-strong army, but I will not go in vain."