At noon the next day, a group of people and horses came galloping from the west. Each of the horses was foaming at the mouth and snorting. They were running to the point of losing their strength. The knights on the horses were also exhausted, but each of them had a firm expression and a stern look.
Looking at the tall city wall in the distance.
The leading man looked to be about 24 or 25 years old, with a neat short beard, a dark face, a dignified appearance, and a pair of majestic eyes. He was none other than the long-lost His Highness Zhu Zhanji, the grandson of the Ming Dynasty!
About ten hours have passed since Wang Xian's men sent the news, and His Highness Taisun miraculously appeared at the gates of Beijing!
"Your Highness, the news is correct. The gates of the capital are closed. How will we enter the city?" Qin Ya, who was behind the grandson, asked with worried eyes: "Should we wait until dark and try to get the Marquis' people to take you in?"
"No! Gu is a great grandson, how can he imitate those people who croak like cocks and dogs, and lose his prestige for nothing!" Zhu Zhanji said coldly: "Put on Gu's banner! Just call for the city gate to be opened!"
"Yes!" His Highness Taisun made a decision. Qin Ya stopped trying to persuade him and led the crowd on horseback to escort Zhu Zhanji forward.
Although the city of Beijing at this time was not as prosperous as that of later generations, it still had a population of one million. The city had long been overcrowded, and it naturally developed towards the outside of the city. Outside the Nine Gates, near the military camp, there were already many towns and densely populated areas.
of prosperity.
There was no martial law outside the city, and the streets were full of soldiers and civilians. They watched the group of people galloping in. They waited until they saw the bright yellow flag with the word "zhu" written on it and the young man with a black face under it.
The people all exclaimed: "It's His Highness Taisun! His Highness Taisun is back!"
Zhu Zhanji led the crowd through the town without squinting his eyes.
The city gates have been closed these days, and the people outside the city have been speculating. Now that they see His Highness Taisun coming back, there is no reason not to follow and watch the excitement. They all put down their work and follow His Highness Taisun to Fucheng Gate.
Zhu Zhanji seemed to have the consciousness to wait for the people to catch up. He slowly rode his horse and strolled to the bottom of the city.
The defenders on the Fucheng Gate had long noticed the unusual movements under the city. They all came to the top of the city to look down, and couldn't help but whisper among themselves.
"That person seems to be His Royal Highness, right?"
"What does it mean, it seems like it is!"
"real?"
"His Royal Highness Taisun has been in the capital for so many years and has entered and exited the city gates countless times. How could he possibly admit his mistake?"
The soldiers were talking a lot, but the next moment they all suddenly fell silent, because Qianhu Gaozheng, who was in charge of the defense of Fucheng Gate, heard the news and climbed to the top of the city.
"Go back! What do you look like huddled together in a ball!" Gao Zheng scolded his subordinates with a straight face, then slowly walked to the city wall and looked at Taisun and others who had already arrived in front of the moat.
"Who is under the city?" Gao Zheng asked knowingly.
"Are you blind? Can't you see that it's His Highness Taisun?" Qin Ya next to Taisun said sternly: "Hurry up and open the city gate!"
"The distance is too far and we can't see clearly." Gao Zheng, however, didn't buy his fault at all and said coldly: "The capital is under martial law and the city gates are closed. No unauthorized opening is allowed!"
"Bold! His Majesty the Grand Sun has been ordered to return to the capital. How dare you stop him? Will you risk your life?" Qin Ya showed the yellow silk in his hand, and the angry sound spread throughout the city.
"According to the order? Where did the order come from..." Gao Zheng was stunned. He did not expect that the grandson actually had an order in his hands.
"Of course it is the emperor's order!" Qin Ya said solemnly: "Do you dare to resist and disobey the order?!"
"This..." Although Gao Zheng surrendered to King Zhao, he didn't dare to say that he dared to disobey the order in front of everyone, so he could only say: "Wait, let me ask for permission."
." Then he hurried down the city and rushed to report to King Zhao...
In the Xiyuan, King Zhao has been hesitant and undecided, so he has been having a hard time these past few days. He is resourceful, but lacks the courage to make a decision. Before he does not need to make a final decision, he can do things with ease and make plans calmly, but when it comes
When I opened the lid, I was worried about gains and losses, lest I lose everything with one careless move.
His Royal Highness King Zhao, who always loved cleanliness, actually had a layer of green stubble on his face, his eyes were even bloodshot, and he was no longer as elegant as before.
When he received the report, he was even more frightened. He suddenly broke the tea cup in his hand, stared at Eunuch Yang who reported the report with red eyes, and said, "What did you say?!"
"Your Majesty, His Highness Taisun has arrived outside Fucheng Gate, holding an imperial edict to enter the capital to meet the Holy Spirit..." Eunuch Yang repeated it bravely.
"How is it possible?!" King Zhao roared: "Where did he get the imperial edict?!" Behind the hysteria was deep fear. The grandson was the crown prince of the Ming Dynasty who was appointed by the emperor and recognized by the world! He is the prince.
It can never be compared to...
"Of course it was Yang Shiqi and the others who gave it to him." Zhao Ying's conspiratorial voice sounded in the ears of His Highness King Zhao. The old eunuch appeared at the door and said coldly: "Your Highness, if you continue to stop this, the consequences will be obvious soon."
"It's only been two days..." King Zhao wanted to argue, but he bowed his head sadly and stopped. The old eunuch was right. If he made a decisive decision, in two days, regardless of success or failure, the result would have been achieved.
"Your Highness," Zhao Ying looked at King Zhao. At the moment, everyone was like grasshoppers on a rope. He could only suppress his anger and said in a deep voice: "If you can make up your mind, I will risk my life and I will kill you too."
Send me a big treasure!" After a pause, he lowered his face and said, "If you still can't make up your mind, I have no choice but to have someone open the city gate and let His Highness Grand Sun into the city."
After Zhao Ying finished speaking, he turned around and prepared to leave.
King Zhao's face changed several times, and he finally made up his mind and laughed loudly: "My father-in-law stayed back. In fact, I have made up my mind for a long time. I just want to see if my father-in-law is determined to follow me to the end."
"..." Zhao Ying stopped and looked back at King Zhao. Although he knew that this was not the case, he could not go into details and could only say lightly: "The prince has already had an idea."
"I just don't know, father-in-law, if you have already captured a palace gate?" King Zhao looked at Zhao Ying.
Zhao Ying nodded and said softly: "Yong'an Gate."
"Great!" King Zhao was overjoyed when he heard this, and said in a deep voice: "I will leave the palace immediately and summon my men to deploy operations."
"Excuse me, Your Majesty, what should I do with my grandson?" Zhao Ying asked.
"Open the city gate and let him in!" King Zhao regained his usual calmness and wisdom, and said with a sneer on his lips: "Letting him outside the capital is always a disaster. Now I have thrown myself into a trap, which saves me a lot of effort."
"Your Majesty is very worried." Zhao Ying nodded. He was originally worried that his grandson's entry into the capital would cause a lot of trouble. But now he is ready and determined to catch them all. It is naturally better for his grandson to be outside the capital than to be in the capital and in the palace.
It is naturally better to be inside the palace than outside.
"Send someone to protect him when he enters the palace, and don't let him come into contact with other people." To be cautious, King Zhao added.
"Yes." Zhao Ying agreed softly and asked, "Where is Wang Xian?"
"It will be done as promised." Once King Zhao made up his mind, he would no longer be hesitant.
"Okay." Zhao Ying nodded approvingly. This is what it looks like to achieve great things.
As for what was agreed, naturally, Wang Xian would be killed before launching the attack...
"After handling the matters here, father-in-law, please hurry to my palace and finalize the final important matter." King Zhao looked at Zhao Ying deeply and said in a deep voice.
"Yes." Zhao Ying nodded in agreement...
His Royal Highness Taisun and his party waited outside Fucheng Gate for a full hour before the city gate slowly opened. They saw Zhao Ying, the eunuch of Dongchang, the admiral, leading a hundred Dongchang fans wearing big red pythons.
, and five hundred Jinyi guards wearing flying fish uniforms and carrying embroidered spring knives on their waists came out majestically and eye-catchingly.
Seeing Zhao Ying's posture, Zhu Zhanji's pupils shrank, he sat on the horse, pursed his lips tightly, and his face was as heavy as water.
"The old slave respectfully welcomes His Highness the Grand Sun." Zhao Ying bowed to the Grand Sun in a formal manner, then bowed and said: "Your Highness, please follow the old slave into the palace."
"Eunuch Zhao," Zhu Zhanji's heart sank, knowing that he had guessed correctly. Zhao Ying was going to take him directly into the palace and not let him come into contact with anyone. "Is this what my grandpa Huang meant?"
"Your Highness, please." Zhao Ying avoided answering and turned sideways to invite His Highness Taisun into the city.
Zhu Zhanji stared at Zhao Ying coldly for a while, and finally had no choice but to follow him into the city. After all, it was well known to the world that the emperor was critically ill. As the emperor's most beloved grandson, he should go straight to the palace as soon as he entered the capital.
It is really unjustifiable not to enter the palace.
Although he knew that Taisun's departure would be unlucky, due to the rules, Qin Ya could only leave most of his guards outside the city and personally brought a few people to serve His Highness Taisun.
The streets had long been cleared, and apart from the Dongchang Jinyi Guards, only the soldiers of Shuntian Prefecture could be seen, and not a single commoner could be seen. No matter how dull Zhu Zhanji was, he could smell the thick atmosphere of uneasiness in the air.
The mountain rain is about to come, the wind is filling the buildings, and the black clouds are pressing down on the city, threatening to destroy it.
Zhu Zhanji was ‘escorted’ by Zhao Ying all the way and entered Xiyuan directly.
As soon as he entered Xiyuan, Zhu Zhanji galloped on his horse. Dongchang fanzi was shocked when he saw this. He was about to stop him, but was stopped by Zhao Ying. The old eunuch put his hands in his sleeves and looked at the eunuch who was running away.
His Highness Sun smiled softly and said, "Let him go..."
"Grandpa Emperor!" His Highness the Grand Sun ran all the way to the door of the palace, shouted, got off his horse, and ran quickly into the palace.
"Your Highness..." Eunuch Yang was about to stop him when he saw this.
"Get out of the way!" But Zhu Zhanji pushed him onto his buttocks and he really rolled to the side.
Pushing aside Eunuch Yang who was blocking the way, no one dared to stop His Highness Taisun. Zhu Zhanji strode towards the inner hall, his eyes filled with tears and his expression was very heartbroken.
Entering the inner hall, Zhu Zhanji saw the scrawny emperor, lying on the dragon bed in anger. His Highness Taisun could no longer suppress the tears in his eyes. He rushed to the dragon bed crying and shouted: "Grandpa Huang"
!”
But no matter how much he called, Zhu Di refused to wake up. Zheng He on the side also had red eyes, and after persuading him for a long time, he called His Highness Taisun out of his deep pain.
Zhu Zhanji inquired about Zhu Di's condition in detail, then knelt in front of the dragon bed without saying a word, only staring at the emperor closely, as if he wanted to remember his appearance in his heart forever.