Ding Yuanzhao watched his children leave him. When Xie Tian was about to leave, Ding Yuanzhao stopped him: "Xie Tian, go back and tell Ding Yunyi that Wang Qingheng cannot be trusted. If a thief comes to Beijing,
, he must be the first to surrender. I kept Wang Qingheng to remove some harm to your Marquis Wu Lie, so that they will remember this."
"Yes." Xie Tian said silently: "Is there anything else you would like to give me?"
Ding Yuanzhao let out a long sigh: "Let Ding Yunyi never forget that he is still a minister of the Ming Dynasty no matter what. In the future, no matter what, please ask him to leave some blood for the Ming Dynasty."
Xie Tian nodded silently.
Outside, the carriage was ready, and about twenty solemn-looking people were closely guarding the carriage. Once the Ding sisters and others got on the carriage, the curtain was quickly lowered, and then the carriage left quickly.
Xie Tian stared blankly at the Ding family for a while, then bowed his head to the end.
At this time in Ding's house, Wang Qingheng was restless, but Ding Yuanzhao smiled and said to his wife: "Madam, no matter what, we are still together."
Ding Chen Wanhe also smiled slightly: "Actually, you are still very proud of Xiang Wen, right?"
Ding Yuanzhao nodded and said: "Yes, although Xiang Wen is lawless, few people can create such a large scale in such a short period of time like him. And I always have
I have a hunch that as long as Xiang Wen is here, our Ming Dynasty will never be destroyed."
"It can't be destroyed, it can't be destroyed." Ding Chenwanhe said with a smile: "Our Ming Dynasty cannot be destroyed, and our Ding family cannot be destroyed either."
Wang Qingheng is very surprised why this old couple can still laugh...
What Chongzhen really didn't expect was that the defenders in the strategic towns of Taiyuan, Ningwu, Datong, Xuanfu and other places would be vulnerable to a single blow and collapsed at the first touch. Why? A total collapse caused by long-term accumulation of bad government. Since the Jiajing period, the border defense army
The problem of arrears in military pay was never resolved, morale was extremely low, and it quickly collapsed under the strong pressure of the rogue bandits.
Li Zicheng's army captured Pingyang on the 23rd of the first lunar month, advanced to Fenzhou on the second day of the second lunar month, captured Taiyuan in July, and marched north from Taiyuan on the 15th of July. At Ningwuguan, they were resisted by General Zhou Yuji. General Jiang of Datong
Not only did Quan refuse the order to reinforce Ningwu, he surrendered to the bandits, and Datong fell without a fight. On the sixth day of March, the bandits advanced to Yanghe, and deputy general Jiang Xuan surrendered. On March 13, the bandits advanced to Xuanfu, and Governor Zhu Zhi
Feng and General Wang Chengyin surrendered, and Xuanfu fell without a fight.
The situation is like destroying the dead, and the autumn wind sweeps away the fallen leaves. Did the Ming Dynasty just let "most of them are exhausted" and do nothing? Of course Chongzhen and his ministers were not willing to accept it, so they planned an expedition, moved south, and King Qin's countermeasures. However,
None of them worked.
On the ninth day of the first lunar month of the seventeenth year of Chongzhen, the Ministry of War received a document sent by Li Zicheng, announcing that the soldiers would arrive at the gates of Beijing on the tenth day of March, and the two sides would start a decisive battle.
This was obviously a challenge to the authority of the Ming Dynasty and an extreme contempt for the combat effectiveness of the Ming Dynasty army. Therefore, the time for the decisive battle was publicly announced. There was not much time left for the court to prepare for the war.
As the leader of a country, Chongzhen was so anxious that he had trouble sleeping and eating. For several days in a row, he was so angry and exhausted that he did not think about food or food. When he went to court, he told his innermost thoughts to his ministers: "I am not a king who will subjugate the country. Everything is a sign of subjugation.
"Xiang, the world where our ancestors were protected by the wind and rain, once lost, what will happen to the earth? I am willing to supervise the master to fight a decisive battle, even if I die on the battlefield, I will not care about it, but I will not die in peace."
After that, he burst into tears and angrily asked the ministers: The situation is like this. There is no manpower outside the imperial court to turn the tide, and the imperial court's finances are close to drying up. What should we do? Can you share my worries?
When the ministers heard that the emperor planned to personally supervise the army and fight to the death, they did not dare to neglect. Chen Yan, the chief assistant of the cabinet, was the first to express his willingness to go out on the emperor's behalf. Chongzhen replied without hesitation that southerners were not qualified and refused. The second assistants of the cabinet were Wei Zaode, Jiang Dejing, Qiu Qiu and others.
Yu, Fan Jingwen, Fang Yuegong and others successively requested to go on an expedition on behalf of the emperor, but Chongzhen disagreed.
At this time, Li Jiantai, who entered the cabinet together with Fang Yuegong in November last year, spoke: "The emperor is so worried and angry, how dare I not contribute my own strength. I am from Shanxi, understand the situation, and am willing to use my family wealth as military pay. Please
Lead troops and go to war."
Chongzhen originally intended to let this Shanxi native lead troops on an expedition. Hearing his statement, he was overjoyed and praised him repeatedly. He also said that he would personally farewell to him in the suburbs of Beijing to show the majesty of "going out on behalf of the emperor".
Who was Li Jiantai? He was a native of Quwo County, Shanxi Province. He was a Jinshi in the fifth year of Tianqi's reign. He served successively as a minister of wine in the Imperial Academy, the right minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and entered the cabinet in November of the sixteenth year of Chongzhen.
This man often talked to his colleagues about the war in his hometown, and was willing to donate his family wealth and go out to quell the chaos. It seems that his coming forward was not a whim, but was mentally prepared. Of course the emperor wanted it, because Li Jiantai was from Shanxi, and in order to defend his
He will definitely fight to the death in his hometown, not to mention that this man is a local rich man, so he doesn't have to worry about military pay. It's really the best of both worlds.
On the twenty-sixth day of the first lunar month, the ceremony of "going out on behalf of the emperor" was solemnly held. First, Prince Consort Wan Wei offered sacrifices to the Imperial Ancestral Temple, and then the emperor came to the main hall and held the so-called "sending ceremony". On the spot, he wrote in handwriting the four characters "I am going to fight on my behalf", together with the symbol of power.
Jieyue and Fang Baojian were also rewarded to Li Jiantai. Then, the group of people rode to the Zhengyang Gate Tower, where the emperor personally hosted a farewell banquet. Along the way were soldiers holding flags and flags, lining up from the Meridian Gate to Zhengyang
Outside the gate, golden drums were beating, flags were waving, and the atmosphere was quite lively. Nineteen tables of banquets were placed on the Zhengyang Gate Tower. In the center was the emperor's royal banquet, to the east were nine tables for civil servants, and to the west were nine tables for military ministers.
The drinking utensils on the table were ancestral ritual vessels. The emperor used gold cups inlaid with precious stones, while the ministers used ordinary gold cups. As the music sounded, the emperor toasted Li Jiantai three cups and said emotionally: Sir, it is as if I were here in person.
When you go to war, everything can be done cheaply.
After the banquet, the eunuch put on a red robe and a red cloak for Li Jiantai. Amidst the sound of drums, Li Jiantai left the Zhengyang Gate Tower, and the emperor watched him off from the tower.
Such a grand expedition ceremony placed high hopes on the emperor and the court. So, could Li Jiantai, a Shanxi man, really turn the tide?
The situation in Shanxi was very chaotic. It is not an exaggeration to describe it as "the three Jins are invincible". Before the rogue bandits arrived, the defenders fled, leaving behind empty cities and panic.
In this emergency situation, Li Jiantai should have worked hard and traveled day and night. However, he took his time and used ancient military techniques to march no more than thirty miles a day. He really failed the emperor's trust. The emperor personally assigned him 1,500 troops.
The soldiers of the Beijing camp were equipped with Ling, the chief of the military department, Guo Zhongjie, the general soldier, and Tang Ruowang, the missionary in charge of Western weapons. The lineup was not weak. Cheng Yuan, a Jinshi, rushed to Zhending Temple and encouraged Li Jiantai to rush to Taiyuan to calm people's hearts.
He also showed Ling the defense strategy of Pingyang and Taiyuan. However, everything was in vain. Li Jiantai did not want to take the risk and go to Taiyuan to calm people's hearts.
Shanxi has long been in chaos. On December 21 last year, the city gates of Pingyang were opened wide. Officials abandoned the city and fled, leaving them in an undefended state. On the 23rd of the first month of this year, rogue bandits arrived in Pingyang from Puzhou.
, the prefect Zhang Lin surrendered. Five days later, the news of the fall of Pingyang reached the capital. The information transmission was so slow and delayed.
The poor functioning of the Shanxi local government directly affected the imperial court's strategic decision-making, making Li Jiantai's "campaign on behalf of the emperor" an afterthought.
The imperial court did not have precise military intelligence, so it focused Beijing's defense on the southern flank - the Taihang Mountains to Zhending, and the Baoding line, and neglected the northern flank - Datong, and the Xuanfu line, assuming that it would be heavily guarded to ensure safety.
The emperor's decision-making was based on the wrong analysis of the Ministry of War. The first step when he ordered Li Jiantai to go south to Baoding was to consider that "the imperial court's worries" were in Baoding, not Xuanfu and Datong; even if Baoding was lost, it would still be possible.
Xuanda's troops can be recruited to defend the capital.
This judgment is completely inconsistent with the actual situation. Even if Li Jiantai's expedition is fruitful, it will be difficult to ensure the safety of the capital. At best, he can only resist Liu Fangliang's partial army. Moreover, Li Jiantai does not want to defend Shanxi to the death. His behavior is just a political gesture and a bluff.
He brought 1,500 forbidden troops, and all the food and salary supplies in Baoding area had to be solved on the spot. The local officials were afraid that he would come to recruit troops and demand payment, so they refused to allow his troops to enter the city, which ruined the prestige of the dignitary superintendent. Here.
Previously, Wei Zhengu, the imperial censor, pointed out to the emperor: One soldier and one pay are all dependent on the local area, so why should he be in charge of the important and control the weak? In his opinion, "auxiliary ministers are not enough to rely on, and state affairs cannot be blamed." That means, don't put too much hope in Li Jiantai's
Go to war.
Li Jiantai himself was not a loyal and brave person. His request to "go on behalf of the emperor" was nominally to share the emperor's worries, but in fact it was to save the property of a wealthy family in his hometown. However, when he was still traveling from Baoding Prefecture to Zhending Prefecture, Shunde Prefecture
Before heading towards Shanxi, his hometown Quwo fell. In this way, his motivation to save his hometown was completely lost. Like a deflated rubber ball, the heroic words he said in front of the emperor a few days ago were suddenly gone.
He threw the situation into the clouds. He knew that the situation in Shanxi was beyond control, and he did not want to attack the stone with eggs. From then on, Li Jiantai had no intention of going westward and had been lingering south of Beijing, waiting to see the situation and doing nothing.
Chongzhen, who had high hopes for Li Jiantai, heard that Zhending had been captured by rogue bandits and thought that Li Jiantai had "died his life for the country." On February 28, he summoned Zhang Jinyan, the Minister of War, to verify the situation with him.
Zhang Jinyan replied: "I've never heard of it."
Chongzhen was a little angry: "I already know it, why do you still hide it?"
Zhang Jinyan replied again: "I didn't see the Tang newspaper."
Chongzhen was very angry: "Zhending has fallen. Of course it is impossible to spread the news. Why doesn't the Ministry of War send someone to investigate?"
Zhang Jinyan's answer was even more puzzling: "Sending people to conduct reconnaissance requires money and food. The Ministry of War does not have money and food, so it cannot conduct reconnaissance."
After hearing this answer, Chongzhen was so angry that he had nothing to say, so he pushed forward the case.
Isn't it ridiculous that the Ministry of War, which holds the position of the military center, used the excuse that it was too poor to send spies? But what is even more ridiculous is that the emperor received the news that Li Jiantai "sacrificed his life for the country", which was completely false.
The actual fall was on February 23rd and March 3rd. This Li Jiantai actually suggested to the emperor to "move south" to prove that he was still alive, and the lie was self-defeating. However, Li Jiantai's false claim of "going out on behalf of the emperor" was therefore
And it was shattered.
Not only was the cowhide destroyed, but it also ended in a disgraceful end. Liu Fangliang commanded the bandits and soon captured Zhending, and Li Jiantai fled to Baoding. On March 13, Liu Fangliang surrounded Baoding City, but without any resistance, he sent the Chinese army to Guo Zhongjie City and announced that
He surrendered and became a prisoner himself. The imperial edict given by the emperor, the great seal of the governor, and Shang Fang's sword were all burned by the rogue bandits.
After the "Emperor's Expedition" failed, the proposal to move south was put forward again.
Li Mingrui told Emperor Chongzhen that on the way to Beijing, he heard that the situation was dangerous and that rogue bandits were approaching the capital. It was now a critical period for survival, and we had to take a long-term approach. At present, it seems that "moving south" is the only solution to alleviate the urgent task.
In view of the lesson that his "southern migration" proposal was stillborn, Chongzhen was more cautious about this and said perfunctorily: This matter is important and should not be raised easily. I don't know what God's will is?
Li Mingrui sighed and said: "Destiny is unpredictable, it all depends on human affairs, and human beings will definitely defeat heaven. The emperor's move is in line with God's will, and the slightest difference can be a huge mistake. Moreover, the situation has reached a critical juncture, and we can no longer delay and follow the rules. The authorities are confused, but the bystanders are clear, and the emperor must make a prompt decision.
"
Chongzhen looked around and confided his inner thoughts to him: "I have been determined to do this for a long time, and no one has helped me, so it has been delayed until now. I agree with you, but the ministers outside do not obey, so there is nothing you can do. This matter is important, please help me."
Keep it confidential and must not leak it.”
Chongzhen asked him in detail about the specific matters of the "southern migration".
Li Mingrui said confidently: "Under the escort of the army, the imperial court can go south by land, sea, and canal. The emperor must drive south by small road and reach the Huaihe River in twenty days."
Chongzhen expressed his approval and once again told this matter not to be leaked.
Seeing that the emperor seemed to have some considerations, Li Mingrui asked the emperor to make a decisive decision and leave Beijing in a hurry; there was no benefit in being trapped in a dangerous city.
After lunch, the conversation between Chongzhen and Li Mingrui continued. After dinner, Chongzhen felt that there were still many issues to be studied during the "southern move", so he made an exception again and summoned Li Mingrui. The two had a chat and discussed food and salary support during the "southern move".
Specific matters such as the stationing of troops and the use of internal funds.
When the conversation ended and Li Mingrui left the palace, it was already the second watch of the night.
This was an extraordinary meeting. It was on the third day of the Lunar New Year. People were still busy celebrating the New Year, but Chongzhen was considering his retreat - "migrating south."
To be fair, under the circumstances at the time, "moving south" seemed to be the only option available to get out of the predicament. With Zuo Liangyu's 100,000-strong army in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, and the troops from the four towns in Jiangbei in the lower reaches guarding the natural chasm of the Yangtze River, Nanjing was much safer than Beijing.
, even if the north falls, it is still possible to settle in the south of the Yangtze River.
The problem is that "moving south" means abandoning the ancestral temple and mausoleum, which is difficult to say. There must be a cabinet, and important ministers from the six ministries come out to oppose all opinions and form a unanimous consensus among the court.
It is a pity that those ministers were afraid of being stigmatized and did not dare to advocate "southern migration". On the ninth day of the first lunar month, when he proposed to the six ministers of the cabinet that "I am willing to supervise the army", the ministers rushed to express their willingness to "camp on behalf of the emperor" and no one mentioned it.
To "migrate south".
However, the situation is becoming more and more urgent. After Li Zicheng marched into Shanxi, he issued a proclamation to denounce the Ming Dynasty. The aphorism in it was - "The king is not very dark, isolated and blind; the ministers are all private, and they are less loyal than the party."
It caused a great shock. Although Li Zicheng said that "the emperor is not very bad" - the emperor is not bad, Chongzhen still issued a "Edict of Sin" to deeply reflect on the country's peril, and repeatedly claimed that it was all my fault. He
The original intention was to unite the increasingly scattered public sentiment and turn the tide. Unfortunately, the matter has reached this point, and empty words are of no use.
Chongzhen once again thought of "moving south" and summoned the prince-in-law Gong Yonggu alone to consult the emperor's relative for emergency measures. Gong Yonggu strongly encouraged the emperor to "move south" and if he was trapped in the capital, he would sit and wait for death.
Soon, Li Mingrui made a public appeal and suggested "moving south". He said: If the emperor "moves south", the Beijing camp troops can escort him, and hundreds of thousands of soldiers can be recruited along the way. Some royal palaces in Shandong can be stationed, and the Zhongdu Building in Fengyang
You can also stay in Nanjing. Nanjing has history and law, and Liu Kongzhao can entrust major events and establish the great cause of ZTE. Beijing can entrust Wei Zaode, Fang Yuegong and other cabinet ministers to counsel the prince and take care of the aftermath.
Chongzhen submitted his memorial to the cabinet for discussion. Chen Yan, the chief minister of the cabinet, opposed the "southern move" and signaled the military department to give the matter to Zhongguang Shiheng. He severely condemned Li Mingrui's "heretical theory" and threatened in a stern voice: If Li Mingrui is not killed, it will not be enough to calm the people.
Li Mingrui was dissatisfied and tried his best to defend the "southern migration". He cited the precedent of Guo Zuo that continued for 150 years after the Song Dynasty "southern migration", and repeatedly argued that only "southern migration" could have any hope of rejuvenation.
Chongzhen was very disgusted with Guang Shiheng's opinions, and reprimanded him face to face for being motivated by "clique", and issued an imperial edict: "Guang Shiheng blocked me from moving south. I should have been executed, but Gu spared me what happened." Although his attitude was very firm.
, but the ministers remained silent.
Li Banghua, the censor of Zuodu of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, supported Li Mingrui. He wrote a secret memorial to the emperor, proposing a compromise plan, sending the prince to "move south" and making Nanjing the companion capital, leaving a way out and maintaining the hope of the people. Chongzhen read it
He was so impressed by his memorial that he walked around the palace in excitement. He kneaded the memorial and refused to let it go. He immediately summoned Chen Yan, the chief minister of the cabinet, and told him: Li Banghua was right! Chen Yan was firmly opposed to the "southern migration."
, deliberately revealed the news to the outside world, and encouraged officials to lash out at the idea of "migrating to the south."
Chongzhen felt the pressure of "moving south", and his position changed subtly. When he summoned his cabinet ministers again, he made a decision that was completely different from his original intention: to stick to Beijing. His reason was: If I go alone, the ancestral temple will be destroyed.
What should we do with the country? What should we do with the mausoleums? What should we do with the millions of lives in the capital? It is moral orthodoxy that the monarch and the country live and die together.
The cabinet ministers suggested that the prince should be allowed to "move south" to continue the reign of the country.
Chongzhen retorted: I have been running the world for more than ten years, but to no avail. What has a brother like the prince done? Gentlemen, please study Zhan Shou's countermeasures as soon as possible. There is no need to say anything else.