Emperor Ming Dynasty

Chapter 119 Torturing Hundred Officials (Fourth Change, Please Subscribe)

Wu Sangui still has feelings for Daming, especially Emperor Chongzhen who spared no effort to support the Guanning defense line.

In addition, he also deeply understands that as long as Daming exists for a day, both parties can benefit.

The kingship proposed by the Manchu Qing Dynasty appeared under this circumstance.

Therefore, he couldn't wait for Emperor Chongzhen's call for help.

But now, the balance is broken.

I just don't know, what is the intention of the burglar?
"Stop, fix it right away."

Wu Sangui was riding on the horse, with thick eyebrows furrowed, he raised his hand and said.

Immediately, the [-] cavalry stopped, and the dust swept across.

After waiting for less than half a day, Chuang Jun finally sent a visitor.

"As long as Wu Zongbing returns to Dashun, I will not hesitate to be named a Marquis."

The literati raised his chin, facing Wu Sangui, who was intimidated by armor, and said without fear: "Emperor Chongzhen was hanged, and the power of the Ming Dynasty was exhausted. It is only logical that the general surrendered to Dashun."

"In this way, the father's hometown in the capital is small, and it can be preserved. Isn't it beautiful?"

Wu Sangui frowned, the condition was too broad, without details, and without sincerity at all.

"Please give me a few more days to think about it carefully."

"Hmph, the general is doing his own thing. After passing this village, there will be no such shop."

With that said, he flung his sleeves and left.

"Presumptuous, too presumptuous!"

"furious!"

The faces of all the generals were ashen, full of fear.

Even Wu Sangui is ignored, isn't this a slap in the face?
What made them particularly angry was that the leader, Zongbing Wu, was nothing more than a mere marquis, with no money or food at all.

Can't even drink a mouthful of soup, what a fart?

Seeing the anger of the crowd, Wu Sangui remained silent.

There is no sincerity at all, this is very different from Man Qing, if he agrees, he will really be a fool.

After a long time, he finally said: "The current plan is to go back to Shanhaiguan!"

As a result, Guan Ning's cavalry turned around and returned to the city.

……

At this time, Li Zicheng heard the news that Wu Sangui's conditions were not agreed, hugged the beauty, and was quite surprised: "A certain person's condition is very rich, the whole Dashun is no higher than a prince, what else does he want?"

Li Yan said in a timely manner: "The Ming court has always been short of money and food, and Guan Ning's cavalry has also begun to cut their wages. They must be asking for more money and food."

"Here, give as much as you want."

Li Zicheng said grandly: "The Jiannu outside the pass are still there, so you can't be stingy at this time."

"Your Majesty, it's not unwillingness, but powerlessness."

Prime Minister Zuo Niu Jinxing said helplessly: "Only 170,000 taels of gold and 130,000 taels of silver were found out of the internal funds. Even if we are preparing for His Majesty's enthronement ceremony, it is not enough."

Hearing this, Li Zicheng was astonished: "Why are there so few?"

"It's not enough for His Majesty to be enthroned. The sons and daughters have rewarded him, but he has not fallen so far, and there is already a lot of resentment."

Liu Zongmin yelled, and the tiger's eyes were dissatisfied: "The household department is empty, the inner money is empty, and the pockets of the sons are empty. If this continues, I am afraid it will lead to a mutiny."

Hearing this, Li Zicheng was silent.

Li Yan, Niu Jinxing and others on the side were even more angry.

This guy was the first to rush into the palace and looted a lot of gold and silver artifacts, so he had the nerve to say this.

"General Liu, when His Majesty enters the city, he issued a military order that no looting of property is allowed. Girl, why did you take the lead in disobeying it?"

Li Yan was extremely dissatisfied. This military order was promulgated by him.

"Your sons come to sit in the world and enjoy the wealth and honor, and they don't get rewarded, so they can only do this."

Without fear, Liu Zongmin said casually.

"That's it!"

Li Zicheng couldn't stand it anymore, he waved his hands and said, "The army is now 500,000, and we can't do without money and food."

We still have to use the old method, pay persuasion!

As he spoke, he looked at the crowd.

Niu Jinxing and other civil officials hesitated to speak.

Liu Zongmin said carelessly: "If you don't have money, just follow the old method and ask for donations."

"These civil and military officials are fat and oily. Although they are not blessed with the great fortune of the Wang family, they are quite a lot together."

As he spoke, he looked longingly at Li Zicheng, with a look of courage to take responsibility.

The generals are also full of anticipation, just around the corner.

Li Zicheng was lost in thought.

Not to mention anything else, my enthronement ceremony cannot be missed.

Therefore, after moving to Beijing, Li Zicheng set up the first yamen: Bixing Town Fusi.

Hosted by Liu Zongmin and Gao Yigong.

Thus, in half a day, all civil and military officials in Beijing, honored officials and noble relatives were all arrested.

Liu Zongmin even prepared [-] pairs of sticks and distributed them to various military camps to force them to pay.

The decree: "One hundred thousand in the middle hall, seventy thousand or fifty-thirty thousand brocade clothes in the capital of the Ministry, fifty-thirty thousand in the Daoist department, thirty thousand, twenty thousand, ten thousand in the Hanlin, and a thousand for each of the subordinates."

All of a sudden, sticks flew wildly, cannons scorched tendons, eyes were gouged and intestines cut, and the miserable howls of Ming Dynasty officials resounded everywhere in Beijing.

University scholar Wei Zaode was imprisoned alone in a dark room, and his wailing was endless. He couldn't help begging through the crack of the door:
"If the new dynasty wants to use me as an official, let me out, don't lock me here."

This way, Liu Zongmin was reminded instead.

Liu Zongmin took Wei Zaode into the hall for interrogation in person. He used torture first, and asked, "You are the chief assistant, why are you disrupting the country?"

Wei Zaode deserves to be named after his tongue, while howling, he cried: "I am a scholar, and I don't understand political affairs. The first emperor had no way, so I ended up here."

Liu Zongmin was furious: "You won the number one scholar as a scholar, and after three years as an official, you became the first assistant. How can Chongzhen feel sorry for you, how dare you falsely accuse him of being a corrupt emperor!"

So General Liu slapped him dozens of times.Seeing this, the soldiers yanked with their sticks.

Senior scholar Wei's ten fingers were broken, and he shouted in pain: "I have a daughter, and I would like to dedicate it to the general as a concubine!"

Liu Zongmin called someone to take his daughter immediately, raped her and sent her to the military camp, where the sergeants could enjoy it.

However, Liu Zongmin looked down on Wei Zaode, who offered his daughter, even more, and ordered the soldiers to step up the torture.

They "served" for six days and six nights. In the end, Wei Zaode's head was crushed by the torture board, and his brains leaked out to die.

For a time, all civil and military officials regretted it.

And with Liu Zongmin's presiding, it became even more unruly.

And some, because the punishment was too heavy, paid money and died.

For example, Zhou Kui, the patriarch of the state, when Chongzhen persuaded him to donate, it was only ten thousand taels, which prevented the prince from entering the mansion. Now he is forced to spit out 600,000 taels, countless satin and treasures, but he still died.

Even if it was a surrender, such as the heart of the king of Dongchang, the great scholar Chen Yan, was also arrested.

Because Chuangjun hates corrupt officials so much, as long as he is caught, he will be punished and executed, and life is worse than death.

Even if you pay the money obediently, you may die in the penalty; if you are lucky enough to survive, you will be arrested and forced to hold you as soon as you leave.

In just three days, more than [-] officials and relatives were arrested, and a total of more than [-] million taels of silver were copied, as well as a large amount of silk, satin, jewelry, etc., worth more than [-] million taels.

The huge amount of money made everyone crazy.

Enlarged, greatly enlarged.

Wu Sangui, whose father Wu Xiang was recruited by Li Zicheng, was also arrested and his home was ransacked. Chen Yuanyuan was plundered by Liu Zongmin; die……

For a time, all those who had a fortune were arrested, thousands of people.

Due to torture, three out of ten committed suicide.

In order to occupy money and reduce the number of troops.

Liu Zongmin even proposed that every five households must support a soldier.

Of course, this ridiculous suggestion was rejected by Niu Jinxing and others.
However, with the hundreds of thousands of troops (including 200,000 surrendered troops, who were not good birds in the first place), as Liu Zongmin plundered and tortured unscrupulously, military discipline gradually relaxed, and countless houses were looted.

Due to the plague, the entire city of Beijing fell into a situation where there were more soldiers than people.

In an instant, the city of Beijing panicked and feared its prosperity.

However, after having money, Li Zicheng asked Tang Tong to send 40,000 taels and several months of military rations to Shanhaiguan.

Boxes of silver make people dizzy; carts of grain make people swallow.

A lot of wine and meat come out sideways, full of sincerity.

Watching all this, Guan Ning's iron cavalry was greatly moved, and his affection for Chuangjun doubled.

And Wu Sangui, staring at Qian Liang motionlessly, silently responded.

For the cheers of his subordinates, there was no smile on his face.

On the side, the servant stood up aggrieved.

His house was ransacked, his concubine was occupied, and his father was tortured.

He can bear all these.

However, after changing hands, 40,000 taels of silver were sent, which broke his defense.

"Your mother and maidservant also copied my wealth and bought my army's morale, what a Li Zicheng, what a great Shun—"

"It's tolerable, but it's unbearable!"

Wu Sangui was furious, stomping his feet and cursing continuously.

(End of this chapter)