Ming Empire

Chapter 297 Li Zicheng's Troubles
In Xi'an, "Dashun Kingdom Palace", Li Zicheng is convening important cronies to discuss matters.

The former hero is old, and his will has almost been destroyed.After fleeing from Beijing and returning to Xi'an, Li Zicheng did not work hard as Cao Yue thought, but was intoxicated with wine and sex all day long. He could not accept the fact that he was defeated and returned to Shaanxi soon after the capture of Beijing. To anesthetize himself with wine and sex.It can be said that the current Li Zicheng is no longer qualified to be called a hero, he has collapsed mentally.

Li Zicheng, who was sitting at the head of the hall, opened his swollen and bloodshot eyes, looked at the two rows of civil and military ministers below with no expression, and said mechanically: "Quick play if there is something to do, and retreat to the court if there is nothing to do!"

"Your Majesty, I have something important to report!" The prime minister, Niu Jinxing, who was very anxious and angry, took the lead to go out and said, "According to the report from the inspector, Hong Niangzi is leading one hundred thousand Ming troops to Tongguan. The army was defeated and unable to resist the attack of the Ming army, and the Ming army will reach Tongguan in a few days!"

"What?!" Hearing Niu Jinxing's report, Li Zicheng was taken aback. He stood up from his seat and scolded angrily: "The Ming army is almost at Tongguan? report?"

"Your Majesty, I was going to report this matter a few days ago, but I couldn't see Your Majesty," Niu Jinxing replied with a wry smile, "I wanted to see you, but was blocked by your Majesty's courtiers. Please don't bother you with anything!"

"This..." Li Zicheng, who was messing around with a beautiful woman he just snatched these days, couldn't reprimand Niu Jinxing on this matter, he waved his hand impatiently, "Okay, don't worry about this, since the military situation It's urgent, so let's talk about how we can retreat from the enemy!"

Hearing Li Zicheng's question, all the civil and military officials of His Highness lowered their heads, and no one was willing to stand up and say something.

They didn't know what to say, and no one could figure out how to resist the attack of the Ming army equipped with powerful firearms.The strength of the Ming army trained by Cao Yue can be said to be well known to all women and children. They defeated the Jiannu led by Dorgon with their inferior forces, and the Ming army led by the female Hong Niangzi easily defeated Dashun. military.Now the strength of the Ming army attacking Shaanxi has increased again, 10,000+ Ming troops are coming to attack, what can Dashun do to resist?
The rout soldiers who had fled back talked about the battles of the Ming army when they attacked, and they were frightening to death. The overwhelming shells, and the bullets were as dense as rain. The soldiers on the battlefield did not even have the courage to raise their heads, let alone face the rain of bullets. Charged.

This battle was impossible to fight at all. Jiannu, who easily defeated the Dashun Army, had no way to deal with it, let alone the Dashun Army.

There are only two endings, either Dashun is wiped out by the Ming army, or he surrenders.In fact, there were indeed quite a few important figures in Dashun secretly contacting the Ming army, and many of them also used their former acquaintance with Li Yan or Hong Niangzi to contact them.

The treatment of Hong Niangzi and her men and horses is a fatal temptation for the rogues.

Since Hong Niangzi's rebel army can be reorganized into the Ming army, and a woman of the generation still holds important positions, if they follow Hong Niangzi's example and surrender, will they also enjoy the same treatment?And according to the information they collected, the rumors released by the Ming army are like this. As long as the Dashun army can surrender, they can enjoy high treatment. If you continue to serve as a soldier, you can get severance pay and go home to farm.

Even people like Niu Jinxing secretly sent someone to contact Hong Niangzi, preparing to bargain for a way out for himself.

Seeing that no one stood up to answer his question, Li Zicheng couldn't help being furious: "Why don't you talk anymore? Don't you people with roots have been frightened by Hong Niangzi, a female generation? Millions of people The army has been taken care of by the army led by me, and I will still be afraid of this mere [-] Ming troops and a woman? Since you have no idea, then I will personally lead the army to capture this rotten woman, Hong Niangzi."

"Your Majesty, there are not many people around Xi'an. How can Your Majesty lead the conquest?" Niu Jinxing hurried out to dissuade them.

Today's Dashun, the total army strength is not much, the Xi'an area, including Tongguan garrison, does not exceed 10 people, and more than half of them are recruits forcibly recruited.Niu Jinxing knew that after the current Dashun Army suffered consecutive defeats, their morale was low, their morale was low, and they had no combat effectiveness at all. How could they fight against the well-equipped and well-trained Ming Army?If Li Zicheng went to conquer in person, he would have thrown himself into the trap.

After hearing what Niu Jinxing said, Li Zicheng was extremely shocked. He never expected that Dashun would be so weak now.With a single thought, just a little bit of arrogance suddenly turned into smoke and went to nowhere.

"Could it be that I, Dashun, have really fallen to the point of being slaughtered by the Ming army?" Li Zicheng sighed dejectedly.

Niu Jinxing hesitated for a moment, but finally gritted his teeth, and stepped forward, "Your Majesty, I feel that I, Dashun, have few choices now. I think we have only three options: one is to fight to the death with the Ming army, It is better to have broken pieces of jade than to be whole; the second is to submit to the Ming army and ask for surrender; the third is to unite with Zhang Xianzhong's Daxi to resist the encirclement and suppression of the Ming army."

Hearing what Niu Jinxing said, Li Zicheng was stunned for a moment, and the corners of his mouth became bitter.

He knew what Niu Jinxing meant, that is, with the current strength of the Dashun Kingdom, there was absolutely no way to fight against the Ming army. If they fought hard, they would only end up in ashes and smoke.Li Zicheng felt that there was no way he could do it. After all, he personally led the army to break through Beijing. Emperor Chongzhen committed suicide because of the fall of Beijing. The Ming court could not let him go.Li Zicheng was unwilling to join forces with Zhang Xianzhong.

Zhang Xianzhong was his defeated general, but now he was asked to bow his head to Zhang Xianzhong for help, he really couldn't bear this face.

But apart from the few suggestions Niu Jinxing said, Li Zicheng really couldn't think of other ways.The situation of Dashun that Niu Jinxing said just now must be true. How can such a weakened Dashun fight against the Ming army with strong soldiers and horses equipped with a lot of firearms?
At this time, Niu Jinxing said again: "Your Majesty, the Ming army is strong and strong, and it is not our Dashun Army that can stop it alone. There is really no other good strategy except to ask the Daxi Army for help, unless we voluntarily remove the country and surrender. Please make an early decision, Your Majesty. How to decide!"

Li Zicheng remained silent, and even slightly closed his eyes. Niu Jinxing didn't dare to say any more, and stood aside with his hands down, let alone the others.

After a while, Li Zicheng slowly opened his eyes, and asked lightly, "Will Zhang Xianzhong send troops to rescue him?"

"It should be." Seeing Li Zicheng's question, Niu Jinxing knew that he was tempted, so he hurriedly said again, "Our lips and teeth are close, and our lips are dead and our teeth are cold. Your Majesty, if my Dashun dies, then the Ming army will deal with Daxi Kingdom next. Zhang Xianzhong will not You may not know this, but as long as we give Zhang Xianzhong some benefits, he will definitely agree to join us in fighting against the Ming army. I am willing to go to Sichuan and personally persuade Zhang Xianzhong!"

"Well, wait for me to think about it!"

(End of this chapter)