Chongzhen Daming: Starting from Coal Mountain

Chapter 32 The Emperor
Soon another night passed.

At about right time, the first ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds and leaves and shone on Li Yan's body, melting away the thin layer of cold dew that had condensed on Li Yan's eyebrows.

But the cold dew in Li Yan's heart became more and more serious.

Chongzhen really hit the spot. After leaving the Miyun guard yesterday afternoon, the thief really killed his carbine and quietly returned to Gubeikou under the cover of night to ambush again.

However, this was futile after all, and the Ming army did not appear.

"Master You, let's go back." Li You said with a light sigh.

Gu Kecheng also persuaded: "Yes, if you don't go back to the Lord, you will really be angry."

Li Nian and Li Mou also looked at Li Yan silently. Although they didn't speak, the meaning was obvious.

Li Yan looked up at the rising red sun in the eastern sky, and finally nodded: "Okay, go back!"

This time, Li Yan finally did not return to his carbine, and led his army to Beijing directly after leaving the Miyun guard. After a day and night of rapid marching, he finally rushed back to Beijing before Li Zicheng sent troops.

"My lord, this minister is incompetent." Li Yan said with shame, "I failed to capture Chongzhen."

"I'll talk about Chongzhen later. Anyway, he was trapped in Yanshan and couldn't escape." Li Zicheng didn't blame him too much, and immediately continued, "Youjun, Beijing will be handed over to you."

"Ah?" Li Yan was stunned when he heard the words, which was somewhat beyond his expectation.

What does this mean, my lord?Are you going to let him stay in Beijing?The Lord is willing to let him alone?

At that moment Li Yan turned his attention to Niu Jinxing, Niu Jinxing smiled slightly and said: "My lord means that Beijing is too important to allow any loss. Only the right army division stays to guard him, so I can rest assured."

It was indeed Niu Jinxing's suggestion to Li Zicheng to let Li Yan stay in Beijing.

But Niu Jinxing's original intention is by no means because only Li Yan can take on this important task.

This is actually part of Niu Jinxing's plan to eradicate Li Yan.

"Yes." Li Zicheng said, "In addition to Lao Tian and Lao Liu, you can reassure me, but now Lao Tian is far away in Xijing, and Lao Liu will follow me on the expedition, so you can only stay and guard Beijing."

After a pause, Li Zicheng said again: "As for the army left behind, let the commander of Lao Gu stay, and the commanders of Li Mou and Li Nian follow me to the east. My Zhongji camp cannot lack these two. A strong general."

Li Yanxin said that as expected, the master was still on his guard against him.

Otherwise, Gu Kecheng would not be allowed to stay, and then he would take Li Nian and Li Mou to the expedition.

But it doesn't matter, he is open-minded and never selfish, the Lord will understand one day.

At that moment Li Yan said: "Since the lord is not going to let the subordinates accompany you, then there is one sentence that must be said to the lord. When you go to Shanhaiguan, you must be careful of Wu Sangui leading slaves into the customs."

Li Zicheng replied casually: "I already know about this matter."

Seeing this, Li Yan knew that Li Zicheng didn't take this to heart.

When Li Yan was about to persuade him again, Li Zicheng had already galloped away, turned back from a distance and said, "Master You, while I'm not in Beijing, please remember to prepare for the enthronement ceremony first."

Li Yan cupped his hands and said, "Yes, my subordinates will remember it."

……

Another five days passed in a blink of an eye.

Thirty miles away from Gubeikou, in a hidden valley.

Several civil officials, including Wang Jiayan, Wu Linzheng, and Meng Zhaoxiang, were gathering together to discuss how to persuade them.

"Everyone, we can't wait any longer." Wang Jiayan said solemnly, "Today is already April [-]th, and nearly a month has passed since the fall of the capital. Judging from the time, the officials in Liudu should have received the news long ago."

"That's right." Wu Linzheng said worriedly, "If it drags on, there might be big changes."

Meng Zhaoxiang, Wang Wei and other civil officials also nodded in unison. They all knew what Wu Linzheng meant.

Wang Jiayan said again: "I'm going to go to the Holy Majesty to advise, if the Holy Majesty doesn't listen, then I will die. In short, today I have to persuade the Holy Majesty to lead the troops into the customs no matter what!"

"Yes, if the Holy Majesty doesn't listen to me, he will hit me head-on to death."

"Add me. If Daming dies, what's the use of keeping me?"

The few civil servants became excited as they spoke, and an atmosphere of decisiveness soon permeated. The few civil servants present were not talkers, they were real activists.

While discussing, Chongzhen suddenly walked over.

"The Qing family are all here." Chongzhen smiled, "What are you talking about? How can I feel the resolute and decisive breath of Yi Shuihan?"

"Returning to the Holy Spirit, I will wait..."

Wang Jiayan was brewing emotions, but was interrupted by Chongzhen suddenly.

"Okay, let's not talk about it now." Chongzhen waved his hand and said, "Pack up quickly and prepare to enter the customs!"

"Ah?" Wang Jiayan suddenly felt a punch on the cotton, and said in astonishment, "Entry today?"

Several civil officials including Wu Linzheng, Meng Zhaoxiang and Wang Wei also looked at each other in blank dismay. What do you mean?They were all prepared to remonstrate, but the Holy One suddenly offered to enter the customs?
Before this, the Holy One didn't reveal anything.

This is a bit embarrassing, what are you talking about?
Your Majesty, can you say hello to the minister first when you do things in the future?

Otherwise, it would be very difficult for us ministers to keep up with your pace.

"Hurry up, you only have a quarter of an hour." Chongzhen left after speaking.

Watching Chongzhen go away, Wang Jiayan and other civil officials were stunned for a long time before they could react.

On the contrary, Gong Yonggu, his nobles, and Li Ruolian, the commander of Jinyiwei, had already laid down. After the collapse of the capital, they had already followed the emperor's lead.

On the other side, Hu Guozhu has summoned a thousand barbarians and is waiting for Chongzhen to speak.

As usual, Hu Xinshui was not with Yiding. Chongzhen was always very vigilant towards Hu Xinshui. Before he returned to Nanjing, it was impossible for him to stay with Yiding again.

Chongzhen is doing everything he can to make Yi Ding forget the existence of Hu Xinshui.

Seeing Chongzhen approaching, Yi Ding who had been resting on the ground got up one after another.

Chongzhen stretched out his right hand and walked in front of the queue, Yi Ding in the front row stretched out his right hand one after another, and gave Chongzhen a high-five one by one. This was a ceremony that Chongzhen brought to the Ming army.

The soldiers liked it very much.

"Long live!"

"Long live!"

"Long live!"

Yi Ding in the front row gave Chongzhen a high five and cheered enthusiastically.

Yi Ding in the back row couldn't give Chongzhen a high-five, but he still stomped the ground with the tail of his spear or slapped the rattan shield with his waist knife, making fiery noises.

Hu Guozhu frowned watching this scene, feeling very sad.

This Qianyi Ding didn't even treat his father like this, how could Emperor Chongzhen have any virtue?

Of course Hu Guozhu couldn't understand all of this. In fact, no one in this era could understand it, because Chongzhen used the knowledge of image management here.

Image management is generally defined to include internal identity and external public relations.

Chongzhen has been strengthening the recognition of his internal personnel, and at the same time, he has carried out public relations with Yiding, which has lasted for nearly a month.

The methods Chongzhen adopted included but were not limited to eating and living with Yi Ding, doing homework, etc., and successfully created an image of a people-friendly emperor who was sympathetic to the soldiers at the bottom.

For such an emperor, there is no reason for the bottom soldiers not to support him.

As the bottom of the bottom, Yi Ding has no reason not to love him.

Of course, it should be explained that the Yi Dings still have reservations about their love for Chongzhen. For example, once the food and salary are cut off, this love will be greatly reduced immediately.

In fact, this Qianyi Ding will soon face a test.

Test their loyalty to Daming and the emperor, whether they are really willing to follow the emperor.

Chongzhen walked back and forth in front of the Yiding queue, then climbed to a high place in front of the queue, and said loudly: "There is one thing I don't want to hide from you."

"Da Ming has already lost its foundation north of the Yellow River."

"That is to say, there is no place for us to stand north of the Yellow River."

"That's why I decided to avoid Jiangnan for the time being, and launch the Northern Expedition after reorganizing the army, so I have to ask you first, are you willing to go with me?"

Hearing this, Eddington was in an uproar.

This question was something they hadn't thought about.

Are you going to Jiangnan?Isn't that far from home?
Immediately, a barbarian asked loudly, "Then what about our wives and children?"

"I really want to say that you can bring your wives, children, and children along with you." Chongzhen's face showed a look of grief, and then he said with a dark face, "But the cruel fact is, absolutely not!"

If you bring your wife and children, you have to bring your fellows.

How can I march with the guys?Is it really a display of thieves?

"What, you can't take the family away?" The Yi Dings exploded in an instant.

Seeing this, Hu Guozhu's face showed a first-class schadenfreude.

Chongzhen didn't panic, because he knew that Yi Ding would definitely go with him in the end.

The reason is very simple, a woman can be found again, and a son can be born again, but the chance to change one's destiny is probably only once in a lifetime, if you miss it, you will miss it.

Chongzhen has been instilling this truth for almost a month.

The Yiding people have long been looking forward to the dream of being a Marquis and Boss in the future.

What's more, even if the barbarians followed him, the wives and children who stayed in western Liaoning might not necessarily be unable to survive, at most they would have a harder life, because in the end no matter whether it was Wu Sangui, the bandit or Jiannu who occupied western Liaoning , will not kill all the Liao people, and their wives and children are just the most ordinary Liao people.

This kind of thing can't give too much time to think.

Immediately Chongzhen shouted: "I will not force you, so I will give you a chance to choose. Those who are not willing to go with me will come forward, and those who are willing to go with me will stay where they are!"

Yi Ding looked around in a daze, but none of them was willing to step forward.

A few Yi Ding actually wanted to step forward, but they didn't move when they saw that others were not moving.

"Very good!" Chongzhen immediately shouted, "I must congratulate you, because you have made the most correct decision in your life, not only will you benefit from this decision, but your wives and children will also benefit from this decision." Follow the benefits, trust me, they will be fine!"

"Because we will soon return to western Liaoning."

"Now hurry up and pack your bags, and leave in a quarter of an hour."

(End of this chapter)