Here, let’s not mention that Wu Shigong was naked and wiping the blood on his body in the tea shed, which was very pornographic and violent. We also don’t mention that County Magistrate Qi and Yao Yuanwai were doing little things behind Wu Shigong’s back, mocking Wu Shigong for being stupid and naive.
Let’s stop the shot of Wu Shigong for a moment and take a look at the situation of the entire Ming Dynasty at that time.
The Holy Spirit Society that Wu Shigong encountered this time revolted. Although there were reasons for the Holy Spirit Society to instigate it, the main reason was: the drought in the first year of Chongzhen.
And this drought was not limited to Henan, but a major drought that swept across the entire northern region of the Ming Dynasty. This drought had an extremely far-reaching impact. After this drought, many people affected the demise of the Ming Dynasty.
The characters all started to take action.
First let us focus on Shaanxi:
Let us first take a look at Gao Yingxiang at this time. During the lean period in April of the first year of Chongzhen, not only Wu Shigong had a rebellion by the Holy Spirit Society, but Gao Yingxiang also raised the flag of rebellion in Anzhai, northern Shaanxi. At this time,
Rebellions also occurred one after another throughout northern Shaanxi. Gao Yingxiang was also one of the first leaders to raise the banner of rebellion.
Gao Yingxiang was a horse trader, good at riding and shooting, and had extraordinary physical strength. He was later jointly elected as King Chuang by the thirty-sixth battalion of the rebels, and became the main leader in the early stage of the peasant rebellion in the late Ming Dynasty. He was also the predecessor of Li Zicheng, King Chuang. From
From this point of view, Gao Yingxiang has extraordinary abilities in terms of military talent, as well as his conduct and conduct as a person.
However, at this time, Gao Yingxiang is still at the stage where he has just lit a spark.
Let's take a look at Li Zicheng at this time. At this time, the post station where Li Zicheng worked as a postman had been laid off, and Li Zicheng had been unemployed for several months. And at this time when there was no job, Li Zicheng had no choice but to borrow money from Ai Zhao, the governor of the county.
Got usury.
Li Zicheng would definitely not be able to get out the usury money at compound interest by the end of the year. Therefore, at the end of the year, Li Zicheng was sued by Ai Juren to the Mizhi County Yamen. Of course, the county magistrate was helping Ai Juren, so he paraded Li Zicheng through the streets.
, to put Li Zicheng to death. Fortunately, Li Zicheng's relatives paid for Li Zicheng's rescue.
After being rescued, Li Zicheng learned that his wife had committed adultery with someone else (Li Zicheng's charisma as a man may be lacking, as his two wives seemed to have committed adultery).
Ai Ju and his wife were both killed.
In the second year of Chongzhen, Li Zicheng, who was involved in two murder cases, had no choice but to join the army with his nephew Li Guo. Due to Li Zicheng's personal bravery, he was soon promoted to General Commander (a low-level military attache in the Ming Dynasty, equivalent to the current company commander, leading
More than a hundred soldiers).
But not long after, due to lack of pay, Li Zicheng launched a mutiny and killed his military superiors and the local county magistrate. In this way, Li Zicheng raised the banner of rebellion and joined Gao Yingxiang's rebel team.
Go in.
As the second Chuang King, Li Zicheng became the main leader of the peasant rebellion in the late Ming Dynasty, and the rebel army he led eventually became the gravediggers of the Ming Dynasty. His military talents are still in his conduct and conduct, and he must be the same.
Outstanding.
However, from the reasons for Li Zicheng's rebellion and the methods he adopted, we can see that Li Zicheng was a man with extremely clear grudges, and his methods of revenge were also very cruel.
Li Zicheng was the only leader of the peasant rebellion in the late Ming Dynasty who did not accept the Ming Dynasty's official recruitment. His hatred for the Ming Dynasty was unforgettable and completely sworn in. Of course, Li Zicheng was completely forced by the Ming Dynasty officials to rebel.
.
Moreover, the main generals who gathered around Li Zicheng and some of the literary staff he obtained later had an unforgettable hatred of the Ming Dynasty officials. Therefore, the policies they formulated were absolutely opposed to the entire gentry class. This was also the reason for Li Zicheng
The main reason why you have conquered a country but cannot be a leader.
Next, let's take a look at Zhang Xianzhong. At this time, Zhang Xianzhong had been dismissed from his post as a police agent in Yan'an Prefecture. He also joined the army at this time.
Later, he broke the law in the army and was executed. However, his superiors saw Zhang Xianzhong's strange appearance, so they dismissed Zhang Xianzhong after beating him with a hundred military sticks. Zhang Xianzhong also lived in the countryside from then on. From this point of view, Chang Xianzhong
Weird people also have a future.
Forced by life, Zhang Xianzhong organized a rebellion in the third year of Chongzhen's reign. He named himself the Eight Great Kings and became the Eight Great Kings of Xiying. He soon became the main leader of the Thirty-sixth Battalion.
From Zhang Xianzhong's experience of being fired by his boss twice, we can see that Zhang Xianzhong is a man who ignores laws and acts boldly.
Among the leaders of the peasant rebellion, Zhang Xianzhong was not famous for his military ability, but for his resourcefulness and good judgment. Zhang Xianzhong was also the most cunning, cruel and ruthless among these leaders.
Finally, let’s take a look at Luo Rucai. Luo Rucai’s situation at this time is unknown. But because he is about to rebel, his life must not be very good.
Among the peasant rebel leaders in the late Ming Dynasty, Luo Rucai had the most distinctive characteristics. He had the most outstanding military ability; he was also the most wavering about the cause of rebellion; and he had the strongest aura of banditry.
However, Luo Rucai is a person with a bold personality and a strong sense of loyalty. He looks like a hero in the novel. However, in real society, especially in the crazy era of the late Ming Dynasty, his character is destined to be a loser.
A tragic figure. This also proves the current popular saying - character determines fate.
Next, let’s set our sights outside the customs.
It has been two years since Huang Taiji took the throne. With the use of his superb political skills and the cooperation and support of several of Huang Taiji's brothers, especially Erbeile Daishan, Huang Taiji has firmly secured his throne. However, Huang Taiji
We are still facing internal and external troubles.
The Jurchens, also known as the Manchus today, are not a nomadic nation. The Jurchens are divided into mature Jurchens and raw Jurchens. At that time, after Emperor Hachi unified the Jurchens, the Hou Jin regime established was dominated by mature Jurchens
of.
The Nasheng Jurchen still retains the tradition of fishing and hunting. But the Mature Jurchen mainly cultivates fields and grows food. Therefore, the severe drought that swept the entire northern region caused extremely heavy damage to the Houjin area under the jurisdiction of Huang Taiji.
.Basically caused the entire region to suffer from almost no food harvest.
In addition, Huang Taiji also faced the embarrassing situation of being surrounded by enemies on three sides. Needless to say, the Ming Dynasty army in the south. To the east of Huang Taiji, there was North Korea, the die-hard vassal state of the Ming Dynasty.
Although Hou Jin launched his first conquest against North Korea as soon as Huang Taiji came to the throne, even though North Korea signed a treaty with Hou Jin, it still flirted with the Ming Dynasty overtly and covertly, and even sent shipments to Mao Wenlong's army stationed in Dongjiang.
A lot of supplies.
Especially Mao Wenlong in the Dongjiang River. As long as Hou Jin's army was not paying attention, he would take the opportunity to launch a harassing attack on Hou Jin, which restrained a large number of Hou Jin's troops. However, because Mao Wenlong was stationed on Pi Island, Hou Jin did not have a naval force.
The army had nothing to do with Mao Wenlong's army. It could only send two banners, which was a quarter of the strength of the Hou Jin army (the Hou Jin army had eight banners) to keep a firm eye on Mao Wenlong's army.
To the west of Huang Taiji, there is Lin Dan Khan who has the dream of becoming another Genghis Khan.
Although the Hou Jin army continued to attack and win over the Mongolian tribes during the reign of Hachi. However, as the nominal supreme leader of the entire Mongolian tribe, Lin Dan Khan's influence was also extremely huge.
A mountain cannot accommodate two tigers, and the same applies to a grassland. Lin Dan Khan and his Chahar tribe fought against Hou Jin many times. Although the Hou Jin army repeatedly won, they were also troubled by Lin Dan Khan's Mongolian army.
In February of the first year of Chongzhen, Huang Taiji sent the Hou Jin army to launch a fierce attack on the Mongolian tribes that supported Lin Dan Khan. Although they won a great victory, Lin Dan Khan's vitality was not greatly damaged. Therefore,
Huang Taiji is preparing to launch another attack on Lin Dan Khan in the autumn.
Therefore, we can see here that with enemy troops on the left and right, the current Hou Jin army was simply incapable and did not dare to launch an attack into the interior of the Ming Dynasty.
From what has been said above, we can also see that when Chongzhen first came to the throne, the situation in the Ming Dynasty did not reach the point of being out of control at all. It should be said that the entire Ming Dynasty still had a lot of good cards in its hands. As long as
The court of the Ming Dynasty solved the problems step by step. In fact, the situation in the Ming Dynasty was still very stable.
Therefore, a wrong view must be corrected here: Emperor Chongzhen took over the mess left by the previous emperors. Although he was very diligent, he still had no choice but to perish in the end.
Of course, the collapse of the Ming Dynasty cannot be blamed on Emperor Chongzhen alone. However, as the emperor of the Ming Dynasty at that time, he must bear the main responsibility.
Therefore, in the end, we focus our attention on Beijing.
At this time, Emperor Chongzhen re-appointed a highly anticipated minister.
A few months later, Emperor Chongzhen had a conversation with this minister. But this ordinary conversation had an unimaginable impact on the situation after the Ming Dynasty, especially the situation outside the Liaodong Pass.
effect.
This conversation was between Emperor Chongzhen and Yuan Chonghuan - summoned by the platform.