The heavy snow lasted for seven days and seven nights. When Liu Ziguang's Northern Expedition army arrived at the gate of Zhengyangmen, a raging fire had already broken out in Zhengyangmen, and no one could save it. It is said that the founding emperor of the Zhou Dynasty died in the sea of fire.
Among them, unfortunately he only lasted two days as emperor from beginning to end.
The army marched into Beijing in the snow and immediately launched a large-scale suppression. All the rebels were beheaded in the street without mercy. The first to enter the city were the remnants of the original Hebei Red Shirt Army. This army came with a blood feud.
, that would be called a cruel killing, but they do not disturb the people or plunder, and their military discipline is not the least bit good.
"Kill, kill. Revenge where there is a grudge, redress where there is an injustice, don't hold back." Liu Ziguang didn't care about them. This old debt must be settled no matter what, otherwise it would be difficult to lead the team.
The Northern Expedition army poured into the city like a tide, quickly controlled all key points, and announced martial law with loudspeakers, prohibiting anyone from taking to the streets, and violators would be killed. After controlling the situation, they began to search for war criminals and execute them in the streets. All the inner and outer gates of Beijing
They are all sealed off and non-military personnel are strictly prohibited from entering or leaving.
The Emperor of the Zhou Dynasty left the palace to go on an expedition in person, and the person responsible for guarding Zhu Youxiao also took the opportunity to run away. So Zhu Youxiao and Wei Zhongxian came to the Hall of Supreme Harmony again. The emperor and his ministers sat and stood together, just like in the Fengtian Hall in Nanjing.
It was the same as before, but now there is no one in the splendid hall. The door of the hall is wide open, and the north wind blows in the snowflakes. It is indescribably cold to the bone, but the two people's hearts are colder than ice and snow. This is a kind of desperation.
of despair.
The footsteps outside were like thunder, and a large group of people drove into the palace and entered the Meridian Gate. Countless pairs of combat boots stepped on the square of the Hall of Supreme Harmony. The eunuchs and maids ran away screaming in fear, but Zhu Youxiao didn't even have an expression on his face.
, he heard some noises next to him, turned around and saw that Wei Zhongxian was holding a dagger and gesturing at his neck, but he did not dare to start. He was obviously afraid of death and pain.
"Xiao Weizi, don't make it difficult for yourself, just accept it." Zhu Youxiao said.
"I don't dare. If it falls into Liu Ziguang's hands, I'm afraid life would be worse than death." Wei Zhongxian cried, but he still couldn't bear to cut the dagger.
A group of soldiers rushed over. When the soldier saw Wei Zhongxian holding a knife in his hand, he raised his blunderbuss and was about to shoot. However, the officer held him down and said, "Catch him alive."
"I am the Emperor of Ming Dynasty, why don't you kneel down?" Zhu Youxiao shouted.
All the soldiers were surprised. It turned out that this boy was the emperor. Someone replied: "Your Majesty, what we eat is not paid by you, so we cannot kneel to you."
Zhu Youxiao nodded and said: "I understand, this Ming Dynasty's army is all Liu Ziguang's private soldiers. Come on, come and arrest me."
However, the soldiers did not come to tie him up, but only dragged Wei Zhongxian out. The one who could stay with the emperor must be the eunuch Wei Eunuch. Everyone knows this without guessing.
The soldiers receded like a tide, and only Zhu Youxiao was left sitting alone in the hall. After a while, footsteps sounded, the sound of military boots stepping on gold bricks. Zhu Youxiao looked up and saw a familiar figure.
Just walking in.
"Liu Aiqing, come and see my flying wings."
"Liu Aiqing, come and take a look at this four-wheeled vehicle."
"Liu Aiqing, let's go racing."
...Scenes of past events came to mind, and none of them could be repeated. Two tears flowed from Zhu Youxiao's eyes, and he closed his eyes speechlessly.
Suddenly, his shoulders felt warm, and it was Liu Ziguang who put the big cloak on himself.
"Your Majesty, be careful of catching cold." Liu Ziguang said.
"Oh, winter in the north is indeed cold." Zhu Youxiao replied.
"Let's go for a walk."
"good."
The monarch and his ministers walked side by side like old friends they had not seen for many years, with a thousand words in their hearts but nothing to talk about.
Walking outside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the square was already completely white. Liu Ziguang held his hand on the railing and said, "Do you still remember that time we gambled on the Qinhuai River? We robbed more than 200,000 taels of silver."
"Why don't you remember that you also beat up that guy who was floating on the water?" Zhu Youxiao said.
The two laughed at the same time, and then there was a long silence.
"It would be great if I were not the emperor."
You choose your own destiny, and there is nothing wrong with being an emperor, but you could have chosen to be a good emperor, but you didn't."
There was another long silence.
"I have a few requests."
"Say it."
"Really all these years... I have treated the queen badly, and I feel sorry for him. I know you are very capable, so please think of a way to help her find another in-law."
"Can."
"I have thought about it. Wei Zhongxian and Huang Zongxi are to blame for these unprovoked disasters. However, I still want to plead for them. Can they die quickly?"
"Okay, I promise you, I won't torture or kill you."
"The last one, after I die, I hope to be able to enter the ancestral mausoleum and give me a posthumous title. It's best to leave some thin noodles for me."
"Your Majesty is overly worried. I have no intention of regicide."
"What? Could it be..." Zhu Youxiao's body trembled, and his tone was obviously a little excited. He had already made up his mind to die, but he didn't know that Liu Ziguang actually promised not to kill him. There was no need to lie at this moment, so he could arrange a casual meeting
A small accident could kill Zhu Youxiao, and frame it for the devil Yuan Chengzhi. If such a good opportunity was missed, could it be said that Liu Ziguang...
"I promised the Queen Mother that I would not kill you and not betray the Ming Dynasty. As long as I, Liu Ziguang, live for one day, this world will belong to the descendants of the Zhu family."
Liu Ziguang looked at the snowflakes in the sky and said slowly.
Zhu Youxiao's eyes were moist. At this moment, he felt extremely remorseful. He had forced such a loyal minister to the road of despair again and again. To this point, he could have the world at his fingertips, but he couldn't.
It's not unusual, but still allows the descendants of the Zhu family to dominate the world. How generous is this?
"I...I'm really sorry for you, my mother, my sister, and the world."
Liu Ziguang turned around, stared at Zhu Youxiao and said: "No matter what, the world has been in turmoil for half a year because of you. There have been countless casualties, countless money and food wasted, foreign enemies invaded, the court was in chaos, and the Ming Dynasty was almost ruined. This throne
, you can’t sit down any longer, give way to Xian, I’ve already thought of your whereabouts.”
"Who do you want to give me to? Where do you want to place me?"
"I haven't decided who to give up the throne to. Take your time. Don't be in a hurry. As for Your Majesty, there is Yunlong Mountain in the south of Xuzhou City. There is Xinghua Temple on the mountain. I think it is quite suitable for self-cultivation. You can still do anything.
We are engaged in research and development, etc. The empress dowager lives in the palace at the foot of the mountain, so we can talk to each other when everything is fine, which is great."
Zhu Youxiao smiled bitterly when he heard this. It is indeed the best place to become a monk. Once he enters Buddhism, his six roots will be pure and he will not care about worldly affairs from now on. That's good.
If you want to know what happens next, listen to the explanation in the next chapter.