The bell on the Meridian Gate rang.

As usual, Chongzhen took a chariot to court again.

Since Jiajing, several generations of emperors of the Ming Dynasty rarely attended the court and even rarely met with ministers. However, after Chongzhen ascended the top, he tried his best to correct the accumulated problems of "shortness of the imperial system" and went to court every day. An emperor like him was a rare emperor in history, and his diligence was even comparable to that of the higher emperors.

It was not until the army of treacherous people passed the Xuanfu that due to military emergency, many problems needed to be dealt with at any time, and he also needed to summon a few ministers and secret businessmen at any time, so he stopped the method of the morning court every day and changed to the imperial gate to listen to the government on 369 days. However, today was not the 369th day, and he suddenly decided to go to court. He did not issue an order yesterday. How could the ministers come?

When Chongzhen took a chariot and left the Ganqing Palace not far from the Jianji Palace, he realized that he was wrong. He was already confused and sighed in his heart:

"Is this also a sign of a country's demise?"

But the bell on the Meridian Gate had already rang for a while, and it was too late to cancel the court.

He thought about it again and said that as the current situation, it would be good to see only a few officials on the platform. Maybe someone would come up with an emergency solution. If Wu Sangui's rescue is not available today and the "rebel" breaks the city, this is his last time to rule the imperial gate...

Thinking of his ancestors' country being thrown into his hands, he almost cried bitterly.

Today, the emperor suddenly decided to come to the court. Although the bells on the Meridian Gate rang for a while, most of the officials scattered in the East and West City and the North City did not hear it, and the few who heard the bells could not arrive. Therefore, in the seventeen years of Chongzhen's reign, there was never such a ritual as today. There were only a few eunuchs to serve him. There were only two ministers kneeling on the platform: one was the censor Li Banghua, the censor of the Censorate, and the other was the assistant minister of the Ministry of War, who assisted Rong Zheng, Wang Jiayan. The 71-year-old Li Banghua was as white as silver and floated on his chest, and Wang Jiayan, who was fifty-seven, also had white beards. Seeing that there were only two old ministers kneeling a few feet away from the imperial case, except for them, there were only a dozen internal officials who followed him, and the courtyard was even more empty. For a moment, he burst into tears.

In the past, even the usual court had at least one or two hundred people, and they were arranged in two shifts step by step. Chongzhen did not think that today was a temporary bell ringing in court, so there were not many court officials coming. He just sighed sadly in his heart compared to the past situation:

"Oh! It's really a sign of a country that is destroyed!"

Chongzhen could not even bear this unconventional phenomenon, so he ordered.

"Retreat the court".

This surprised the eunuchs and the two ministers. Before everyone could turn around, Chongzhen had already stood up and walked backwards. But as soon as he was about to go to the chariot, he regretted not having to retreat to the court suddenly? His mind was so panicked! Thinking that Wang Jiayan was the Minister of War, and he was responsible for defending the city. Now that he was coming to the court, he would definitely report important matters.

Should I ask in person about the situation of the defense in Mingcheng? As for Li Banghua, he was also an old minister of the four dynasties. He was a knowledgeable and ethical official. He was upright and respected by the court officials.

He even continued to think about the fourth day of this month? Li Banghua and Fan Jingwen both suggested escorting the prince to Nanjing. How good is this suggestion, just because a censor opposed it at that time? He was unable to make up his mind for a moment, but it was not adopted in the end.

Hateful! Hateful!

Some court officials suggested that he move to Nanjing by himself? It was not adopted because the censors opposed it.

Hateful, hateful!

The censor is really hateful!

Chongzhen, who was regretful, suddenly had another thought in his heart? Could it be that Li Banghua has any new suggestions today?

"I sent a message to Li Banghua and Wang Jiayan to the East Warehouse to wait for the call!"

Chongzhen ordered the eunuch, with a choking voice in his voice.

After returning to Dongnuan Pavilion, Chongzhen waited for the arrival of the two of them. He thought hatefully in his heart.

"In the past? All the ministers and workers in the capital, this request is right? That request is right. Why has the country been destroyed since the capital was besieged, but no one has requested a call? In the past, not only did many documents be sent from all over the country every day, but also all the ministers and workers in the capital have also had many memorials every day, but in the past three days, no one has offered any advice to save this dangerous situation! Is this the official raised by the Ming Dynasty? All the officials have misled me! He is hateful! He is hateful!"

While waiting for Li Banghua and Wang Jiayan, Chongzhen wondered why Wang Chengen was not seen. His heart was in chaos. An internal official came in and bowed to report:

"Li Banghua and Wang Jiayan have arrived and are waiting for the order to be summoned."

Chongzhen said:

"Call them in quickly!"

The inner official respectfully withdrew from the order. After a moment, a eunuch lifted the curtain, Li Banghua in front and Wang Jiayan in the back, entered the warm-up hall and bowed in front of Chongzhen.

"No gift."

Chongzhen asked:

"Wang Jiayan, how about the city guards? What's the movement of the traitor?"

Wang Jiayan held the scepter and said:

"Your Majesty, the troops on the city are weak and the hearts of the people have been scattered. Now many of the surrendered soldiers from the Jing camp are attacking the city outside Xizhimen and Fuchengmen. The surrendered soldiers in the Jing camp kept shouting at the city gate that the strength of the rebels was strong. There were 200,000 elite soldiers surrounding the capital, and they could break the city at any time. They advised the people of the city to know the current affairs and open the door as soon as possible to avoid being slaughtered. They also said that if they did not surrender in five days, they would slaughter the entire city. The guards on the city are now in a state of turmoil..."

Wang Jiayan, who was crying in tears when he mentioned the situation on the city, couldn't continue to say anything. When did this happen in all dynasties?

Is the Ming Dynasty really exhausted?

Li Banghua also cried silently. He regretted that he was just a righteous person and dared to speak out, but he did not dare to have a firm opinion on the proposal of moving south, which caused the disaster today.

Seeing the two ministers crying, Chongzhen couldn't help but cry, but what's the use of crying now?

After looking at Li Banghua, Chongzhen thought that there were important things to talk to him in secret. The King of Tears asked:

"Since you entered the officialdom, you have been an old minister in three dynasties. Now this is the second time you have devoted yourself to the city guarding of Beijing, and the king and his ministers share weal and woe..."

The emperor's words made Wang Jiayan cry out loud. Chongzhen also cried.

When the king and his ministers were crying, Li Banghua interrupted in tears:

"At this point, all civil and military officials cannot give up the blame. The old minister should not speak, but let Your Majesty down, and he will be worthy of death!"

Chongzhen was not very clear about the true meaning of Li Banghua's two sentences, and he didn't care about it, and then said to Wang Jiayan:

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"Wang Jiayan, you are my loyal minister. At this point, are you unable to do anything?"

Wang Jiayan choked and said:

"Your Majesty, the hearts of the people have been dispersed, and my strength has been exhausted. I can only repay Your Majesty for his death for his gratitude!"

His answer made Chongzhen fall into despair, and tears fall like rain for a moment. Wang Jiayan also sobbed and whimpered. Li Banghua also burst into tears. He secretly regretted in his heart that he had not persisted in moving south to the end.

The monarch and ministers cried for a while, and Chongzhen said to Wang Jiayan:

"Your Mail to patrol the city quickly and try your best to defend, waiting for Wu Sangui's reinforcements to arrive!"

Wang Jiayan, who was crying on the ground, kowtowed and stood up, waving tears and then left the warm room.

After Wang Jiayan withdrew, Chongzhen looked at Li Banghua and said:

"Sir, please sit flat!"

After Li Banghua bowed to thank him, he sat sideways and waited for the emperor to ask questions. Chongzhen always respected Li Banghua's knowledgeable and ethical old ministers, and as usual he called him a gentleman without calling him a name. However, he understood that the capital was surrounded by people, which was not a time to calmly discuss the truth. Even though Li Banghua had the prestige of an old minister of four dynasties, it was useless to save the overall situation. With a sigh, Chongzhen asked casually:

"Sir, I am confused today and I will go to court temporarily. The civil and military officials do not know in advance. I am already in my seventies, so how can I come to court? I wonder what important Chen memorial is?"

Li Banghua bowed on the chair and said:

"I heard from Your Majesty that since the thief broke through Changping, the old minister knew that the great things were no longer possible, so he moved to Prime Minister Wen's temple and refused to go home. He decided to hang himself on Prime Minister Wen's side when the thief broke the city. For two days..."

Li Banghua's words shocked Chongzhen's heart. He waved his hand and told him not to continue. He suddenly remembered a fierce dream last night, thought that he would hang himself, and that his ancestors' country would be lost, he could not help but cover his face and sobbed. Seeing the emperor crying, Li Banghua also started to cry. He regretted that he was responsible for the "disaster of the country" that came to the front of him. He didn't know that Li Banghua regretted Chongzhen, who was clear-headed, sobbed for a moment and said again.

"If all the ministers were as honest and loyal as gentlemen, how could the state affairs be so bad today!"

The emperor's praise made Li Banghua leave the chair, kneel down and kowtowed and apologized:

"Your Majesty! The country has reached this point, and the old minister will never hide his innocence!"

Chongzhen was shocked, stunned for a moment, and asked:

"Why did you say this sir?"

"The minister has the crime of misleading the king and misleading the country."

"What happened to the country?"

"Your Majesty does not know about this, but I understand it in my heart. Now I regret it is too late!"

Chongzhen heard that Li Banghua's words contained a deep sense of remorse, but he didn't understand it at the moment. While he was randomly guessing, he asked Banghua to sit down and speak. After Duhua kowtowed again and sat down, Chongzhen asked:

"What is the sir?"

Li Banghua bowed and said:

"At the beginning of the first month, the bandits crossed the river and entered Jin. Although Taiyuan has not yet fallen, the entire Jin Dynasty is empty and the defense of the capital is weak. Those who know each other know that the capital will not be able to hold on. Li Mingrui suggested that Your Majesty take advantage of the enemy's troops and drive a southward tour quickly, and then rely on the wealth and resources of Jiangnan to consolidate the army and practice martial arts. This is the best strategy to plan for the country..."

"At that time, some censors tried their best to oppose it, which made me confused. I regret it now. I hate that the verbals and ordinary civil servants are ignorant, but they only talk about it in vain. Now, I think about it, many things have been ruined by these crows over the past seventeen years, which is very hateful!"

"Although some civil officials at that time knew the classics but did not know the power, obstructed His Majesty's plan to go to the south and misled the king and the country. However, I was an old minister of the four dynasties. As a capital constitution, I was also full of concerns at that time and failed to take up my courage and insisted on the southern tour. It was really a crime of misleading the king and misleading the country."

"At that time, you suggested that you choose important officials to escort the prince to escort Nanjing, which is also a good way to save the country."

Once again, Chongzhen regretted it. If the prince had sent the army to Nanjing at that time, how could the ancestors lose their country?

"I originally intended to suggest that the emperor go to Nanjing. Seeing that Li Mingrui's suggestion was opposed by many people, I changed to ask the prince to send the army to Nanjing."

Li Banghua's tears flowed down again.

"ah!"

Chongzhen looked at Li Banghua in surprise.

"That is why I am guilty of the country."

Although Chongzhen, who woke up from his dream, was surprised, he did not complain to Li Banghua, but shook his head and said:

"This is the number of air, the number of air."

After a moment of pause, Chongzhen said again:

"According to the sir, what would the journey be if I went to Nanjing at that time?"

"At that time, the Li thief army had just crossed the river and entered Jin. They wanted to intercept the sage's southern tour, but there was no possibility of this. They wanted to chase after them from behind, but they were still more than two thousand miles away. Moreover, there were military and civilians defending the city and blocking the rivers, so that the thieves could not advance for a long time."

"But Henan was lost at that time, and Shandong..."
To be continued...