This is the year 1610 AD, the end of the lunar year in Beijing. The continuous rain and snow for several days added a touch of gloom to this ancient palace. At this time of the year, eunuchs and palace maids are extremely busy because in a few days, they will be welcoming the arrival of another new year. In the early morning of the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month, a cry of a baby came from the Eastern Palace. Zhu Youjian, the fifth son of the eldest son Zhu Changluo and the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty, arrived on earth. Coming to the world on a snowy morning, bidding farewell to the world on a stormy night, this fallen ruler has never had a sunny day in his life. Zhu Youjian’s biological mother passed away when he was five years old. His father asked Xi Li to choose Consort Kang to raise him, and at the age of eleven, he was raised by Consort Dong Li Zhuang. Empress Zhuang was generous and gave all the care to Xiao Zhu Youshuan. This huge and gloomy palace was full of gloom for Zhu Youshuan. His grandfather, Emperor Wanli, was fond of alcohol and lust. His father passed away suddenly one month after ascending the throne, and only his older brother, Zhu Youxiao, who was a few years older than him, had a deep affection for him. This emperor’s older brother seems not interested in his job, or perhaps he lacks the courage to shoulder the dilapidated country. In short, this Emperor Xizong of the Ming Dynasty was more skilled in carpentry, and his skills as a carpenter were much stronger than those of the current emperor. Zhu Youjian and his brother are very close. One time, he asked his brother, “Can I be an official like you?”. Xi Zong smiled and said, “Sure, after a few years, you can do it.”. Unexpectedly, one word became a prophecy. Emperor Xizong truly only served as an emperor for a short period of seven years. An accident while playing made him seriously ill. On August 11th, 1627, in the seventh year of the Tianqi reign, Emperor Xizong summoned Zhu Youjian at the West Nuan Pavilion of the Qianqing Palace, preparing to hand over the crumbling Ming Dynasty to his younger brother who was not yet 18 years old. He encouraged his younger brother to boldly govern and revitalize the Ming dynasty, and entrusted two things: first, to treat the central palace well, and second, to appoint Wei Zhongxian. On August 22, 1627, the day after his brother’s death, Zhu You was checked into the palace. Before entering the palace, Empress Zhang, the sister-in-law of the emperor, repeatedly warned him not to eat palace food. When entering the palace, remember to hide some wheat cakes in his sleeve, because the trusted Wei Zhongxian, believed by Emperor Xizong, could harm him at any time. When Emperor Xizong was critically ill, Wei Zhongxian intended to launch a palace coup, but was later dissuaded by his close ally Cui Chengxiu and did not implement it. However, his support for Zhu Youjian at this time was purely against his heart, and the hidden murders were always present. Zhu Youjian brought a sword from the patrolling eunuch and placed it beside him, but still stayed up all night. On the 24th day of the eighth lunar month in 1627, which was supposed to be a cool and sunny autumn season, it was still cloudy and overcast. Zhu Youjian held a grand coronation ceremony at the Huangji Hall and decided to change the reign name to Chongzhen the following year. Business legend: Sometimes when Emperor Chongzhen ascended the throne, it was during the peak of their (eunuch) dictatorship, because Emperor Tianqi was a completely indifferent and playful emperor. In fact, in the history of the Ming Dynasty, there were many emperors who played around like this. But these emperors, while playing, have someone working for them, which is the cabinet. And the first and second ministers of the cabinet, including these members of the cabinet, are all social elites. They are some officials who emerged from the system of civil service examination for literati and are managed by them. But by this time, it was no longer there, and the cabinet had become very weak, becoming a eunuch with absolute power. Like Wei Zhongxian, he is illiterate. These people have extremely low quality and a strong desire to seek personal interests. So describing the entire political system as chaotic is not bad at all. However, the dangers and challenges faced by Emperor Chongzhen, who had just ascended to the throne, far exceeded those of the eunuch rebellion within the imperial court. In the Liaodong region, only a few hundred kilometers away from the capital, the border defense situation of the empire became increasingly severe. In the 44th year of the Wanli reign (1616 AD), Nurhaci established the Later Jin regime, rose up to attack Ming, and two years later captured Fushun. The following year, the Ming government launched a campaign against Later Jin with a force of 180000 troops divided into four routes. The two armies fought a decisive battle in the area of Sarhu, but the Ming army suffered a major defeat and each other’s strength was greatly damaged. The rise of the Later Jin Dynasty became a major concern for the northeastern border of the Ming Dynasty. The domestic situation is even more pessimistic. Since the Wanli Dynasty, people’s taxes have been continuously increasing, bureaucrats and nobles have lived extravagantly, wars have occurred frequently, and all expenses have come from the people. During the Tianqi period, there were more names. The people had no food or clothing, fled everywhere, and finally stood up. In the second year of Tianqi (1622 AD), the White Lotus Uprising led by Xu Hongru broke out in Shandong, Hebei and other areas. In the seventh year of the Apocalypse (1627 AD), King Er of Baishui in Shaanxi led hungry people to kill Supervisor of the County County, opening the prelude to the peasant uprising in the late Ming Dynasty. Eunuchs monopolize power, the court is dark, the border is in danger, and the people live in poverty. Emperor Chongzhen took over such a mess from the imperial historian, which shocked him greatly. So, what will this young emperor choose as the breakthrough to end the chaos and realize his dream of rejuvenation? To end the chaos, first start by eradicating the eunuchs. On October 13th, 1727, in the seventh year of the Tianqi reign, the censor Yang Weiyuan submitted a memorial accusing Cui Chengxiu, the leader of the eunuch party’s Five Tigers. Seven days later, Emperor Chongzhen dismissed Yun Cui Chengxiu from his position as Minister of War, thus unveiling the curtain of overthrowing Wei. On October 26th, Qian Jiazheng, a tribute student from Haiyan County, submitted a memorial listing the ten major crimes committed by Wei Zhongxian. Emperor Chongzhen instructed eunuchs to read memorials in front of Wei Zhongxian. After hearing this, Wei Zhongxian was extremely frightened and requested to resign the next day. A few days later, Emperor Chongzhen issued an edict to demote Wei Zhongxian to the ancestral tomb of Fengyang in the central capital for incense. However, Wei Zhongxian’s aura did not diminish. When he left the capital, he led more than a thousand guards and marched forward and backward, showing off. Emperor Chongzhen was furious upon hearing the news and issued an order to arrest him and bring him back to the capital. On the sixth day of the eleventh month in the seventh year of Tianqi (1727 AD), in Nanguan, Fucheng County, Wei Zhongxian and his close eunuch Li Chaoqin, who were fleeing in panic, lived in a small charity. At this time, Wei Zhongxian had fully understood the determination of Emperor Chongzhen, knowing that he was bound to die. He sighed and drank wildly compared to the eunuch. In the middle of the night, someone in the neighboring room started singing a small song called “Gui Zhi Er”. At such a time of desperation, this piece of music, to Wei Zhongxian’s ears, was nothing more than a desperate melody. In despair, he untied his belt and hanged himself. Under the strict supervision and responsibility of Emperor Chongzhen, the liquidation of the eunuch party began. Emperor Chongzhen appointed a group of officials who were once excluded by Wei Zhongxian, and rectified countless wrongful cases. The clean and neat attitude of these people greatly pleased Emperor Chongzhen. He did not deliberately leave behind ink treasures, praising the officials around him: “Clear and realistic, understanding and understanding, with five refined and strict rhymes, and eight noble laws, navigating within the rules, surpassing all phenomena of science, there is a person like him, but also, if it ends in writing, there is nothing more.” Emperor Chongzhen bestowed the character Cao Huachun, and his joy at this time was evident, eliminating the eunuch party of Wei Zhongxian, which further strengthened his confidence in turning the world around and revitalizing the Ming dynasty. On March 19th, 1629, the eunuch rebellion that lasted for more than a year was finally concluded. A total of 258 eunuch members were appointed. Eliminating the eunuch party did indeed make Emperor Chongzhen feel much more secure. On the one hand, he began to reform the internal affairs and revitalize the court, while on the other hand, he began to think about how to solve internal and external problems, turning his attention to Liaodong. This was also the second step for Emperor Chongzhen to revitalize Zhuge. This decision has changed a person’s fate. He is Yuan Chonghuan, a famous general who resigned and retired due to the exclusion of Wei Zhongxian. In the year when the Battle of Sarhu broke out between the Ming Dynasty and Later Jin Dynasty, Yuan Chonghuan passed the imperial examination and became a jinshi. A few years later, he was ordered to rush to Liaodong. In the sixth year of the Tianqi era (1626 AD), Yuan Chonghuan stationed his army alone in Ningyuan and defeated the Later Jin Dynasty with Hongyi cannons. Nurhaci was seriously injured and retreated, but soon died of illness in Shenyang. Yuan Chonghuan became famous in World War I. He carefully laid out and strengthened defense in Liaodong, giving the Ming government an excellent turning point in the Liaodong war situation. In the view of Emperor Chongzhen, the reactivation of Yuan Chonghuan was undoubtedly an important step in pacifying Liaodong. Emperor Chongzhen appointed Yuan Chonghuan as the Minister of War and fully entrusted him with the important task of solving the external troubles in Liaodong. During a summons in the first year of Chongzhen, Yuan Chonghuan passionately told Emperor Chongzhen that in five years, the external troubles in Liaodong could be pacified, and the entire Liao could be restored. However, when someone privately asked Yuan Chonghuan what strategies he had, he didn’t take it seriously and casually said, comforting his ears. Biography: Of course, Yuan Chonghuan was a great military strategist, but he was not a great politician. At that time, Liaodong had already gained power, which was not the situation before the Battle of Sarhu back then. Because it was already the late Jin dynasty, in the later Qing dynasty, they took an offensive, but the Ming dynasty gradually retreated and adopted a defensive stance. In the end, the outer edge of Shanhaiguan had almost no strength left, and there was no turning point. We had to hold onto Shanhaiguan. In such a situation, speaking such big words is nothing more than showing oneself. A few years later, in Xingcheng City, Liaoning Province, the ancient city of Ningyuan, Yuan Chonghuan paid the price of his life for the praised Haikou. After taking office, Yuan Chonghuan quickly realized that the situation in Liaodong was complex and complicated, and it was not easy to pacify Liaoyuan for five years. The actions of Mao Wenlong, the general guarding Pi Island, attracted the attention of Yuan Chonghuan. In June of the second year of Chongzhen (1629 AD), Yuan Chonghuan first executed and then reported, capturing and killing Mao Wenlong for the crime of twelve pieces of execution. Yuan Chonghuan swore that if I cannot restore Liaodong, I would like to thank the Minister of Rites. Business Biography: In fact, in the late Ming Dynasty, there was fierce party struggle, forming various political factions. In this situation, after he killed Mao Wenlong, many people were very opposed to him and wrote literary works such as “Lonely Haotian Record” to disclose this incident, which attracted everyone’s attention. In fact, it buried the contradiction between him and a considerable political force. Mao Peiqi: As a military commander, it is necessary to establish one’s own prestige and strengthen one’s side every time one goes to a place. But killing generals without authorization is likely to bring about changes in the entire military landscape. Mao Wenlong’s subordinates are scattered throughout the country, and he is a tight defense network as well as a tight network of relationships. So with the killing of Mao Wenlong, the attitude and mentality of these people will change, and the security situation of the entire northern border will also change. Yuan Chonghuan’s unauthorized use of the Shangwen Sword to kill the General of Zhenliao greatly exceeded the trust of Emperor Chongzhen in him. After Mao Wenlong was killed, the control of the Later Jin by the side was lost. In October of the second year of Chongzhen (1629 AD), the Later Jin army marched southward on a large scale, directly causing the Later Jin army to besiege the outskirts of Beijing, known as the “Jisi Incident” in history. Huang Taiji’s 100000 strong army bypassed the heavily guarded Ningyuan and Jinzhou frontlines, bypassed the Harashen troops, and quickly broke through the Great Wall pass. In late October, they faced the military stronghold of Zunhua City. Zunhua City is only two to three hundred miles away from Beijing. On November 1st, the capital declared martial law. In theory, Yuan Chonghuan should lead his troops to intercept the Later Jin army on the front lines of Shunyi, Jizhou, and Sanhe, and should not retreat to Tongzhou and Changping. However, Yuan Chonghuan, with a focus on the safety of the capital, led his army to drive directly towards the capital and resist the front line of the Later Jin Dynasty, and was suddenly pushed to the outskirts of Beijing. My subordinates advised him that the troops from other towns should not rashly enter the capital city without following orders. However, Yuan Chonghuan said, “Your father is in a hurry, let alone he sympathizes. If you get help, even if you die without regret.”. He immediately led nine thousand Guan Ning iron cavalry, running day and night, to reach the gate of Guangqu before Huang Taiji. The next day, the news of Yuan Chonghuan’s army entering the capital spread, causing a public uproar among the court and the public, saying that Yuan Chonghuan’s actions were intentionally summoning the enemy. On November 20th, Yuan Chonghuan’s army and the Later Jin army engaged in a decisive battle at Guangqumen. Yuan Chonghuan led the way, the Ming army won a great victory, and Huang Taiji retreated. The next day, Huang Taiji deliberately released the captured eunuch. The eunuch who hurriedly fled back to the palace brought back a shocking news to Emperor Chongzhen. The eunuch said that the night before, he personally heard Huang Taiji’s hand whispering in a low voice, saying that today’s withdrawal was a secret agreement between Huang Taiji and Yuan Chonghuan, and the matter could be completed soon. This is actually a carefully crafted counter plot by Huang Taiji. On the first day of December, Emperor Chongzhen summoned Yuan Chonghuan and announced his arrest and imprisonment. At the same time, he joined forces with the General of Datong, Man Gui, to lead the troops of various diligent kings. Not long after the retreat of the Later Jin army, Emperor Chongzhen executed Yuan Chonghuan Lingchi, with a tragic death. Business legend: Even if he didn’t die as a traitor, it would be difficult for Yuan Chonghuan to sustain himself. He is a capable minister valued by Emperor Chongzhen, not a close retainer of Emperor Chongzhen. In Yuan Chonghuan’s political career, he did not notice the interweaving of various political forces at that time, where these political factions fought against each other. The killing of Mao Wenlong by Yuan Chonghuan has caused many people to hold grudges against him, and they will want to put it to death before it is too late. So good, now the opportunity has come, we must lose this matter and let him die. The accusation of Yuan Chonghuan colluding with the enemy and betraying the country was not finally vindicated until the Southern Ming Dynasty. The anti war strategy implemented by the Later Jin Dynasty was certainly one of the reasons for Yuan Chonghuan’s death, and the later Qing Dynasty government was also willing to use it to show off Huang Taiji’s strategy. However, his arbitrary decision-making and stubborn personality also led to Yuan Chonghuan’s own tragedy. Anyway, it is an undeniable fact that Yuan Chonghuan, a famous general of his generation, died tragically under the sword of his loyal monarch and in the midst of the chaotic political struggles of the court. The Ming Dynasty destroyed the Great Wall on its own. The external troubles have not yet subsided, and internal worries are rising again. In just three months from July to October of the first year of Chonghuan, Wang Jiayin, a fugitive from Dingyuan, Shaanxi, Prince Shun of Baishui, Gao Yingxiang of Ansai, Wang Zuohang of Qingjian, and Wang Daliang of Hannan raised flags and led a rebellion. In the second year of Chongzhen (1629 AD), Li Zicheng launched a mutiny in Yuzhong. In the third year of Chongzhen, Zhang Xianzhong rebelled in Zhizhi, and the peasant uprising army spread like a wildfire from Shaanxi to the outside. Who should take on the task of annihilating the peasant army? The position of Governor General of the Three Sides of Shaanxi was vacant for several months, and Yang He was appointed in the face of danger. He adopted a policy of appeasement, but with little effect. The peasant army in the county surrendered and rebelled, which was unpredictable. As a result, he was criticized by the court ministers. Yang He requested his resignation, but Emperor Chongzhen did not allow it. In the fourth year of Chongzhen, Yang He was finally imprisoned for a rebellion. In November of the fourth year of the Chongzhen reign, Hong Chengchou took over as the Governor General of the Three Borders of Shaanxi, transforming support into suppression and launching a large-scale killing campaign, which achieved remarkable results. By the end of the following year, the entire Shaanxi province had been basically leveled. However, scattered peasant armed forces are spilling over to nearby provinces. Tens of thousands of peasant armies crossed the Yellow River and penetrated into Henan, Hubei, Sichuan and other areas. The rallying rod for suppressing the peasant army reached the hands of Chen Qiyu. In the seventh year of Chongzhen (1634 AD), Chen Qiyu appointed the governors of the five provinces of Shan, Shan, Yu, Huguang, and Sichuan. In the end, it turned out to be a big mistake at a critical moment. In June of the seventh year of Chongzhen, Chen Qiyu besieged the retreating Li Zicheng peasant army in the carriage gorge. Li Zicheng had no choice but to feign surrender, but Chen Qiyu actually agreed. Li Zicheng was able to escape death and later rebelled again. Emperor Chongzhen was furious and imprisoned Chen Qiyu. According to a business legend, there were two ways to deal with it. One was during the chaotic ambush, when one person won the battle, it was up to you. This was one way, and the other was not enough. Send one person, send one person for less than two days, defeat them, and once defeated, withdraw, and then switch to another person. Mao Peiqi: You’re like an official, constantly changing his position like a horse lantern. He can’t make a difference. During the seventeen years of Chongzhen, there were as many as fifty cabinet members. What do you think they can accomplish. The mural of Li Zicheng’s palace, located in Mizhi County, Yulin City, Shaanxi Province, once again burned fiercely. The regenerative power of the peasant army exceeded the emperor’s expectations. After the peasant army broke through the encirclement, they gathered in Henan Province and then divided into four directions. The threat rapidly escalated, and before the Ming army could gather, a portion of the peasant army entered Fengyang Prefecture in southern Zhili from Henan. In the eighth year of Chongzhen’s reign (1635 AD), the Yuanxiao (Filled round balls made of glutinous rice-flour for Lantern Festival) Festival, the 15th day of the first month of the lunar month, destroyed the imperial mausoleum of Fengyang. Under the arrangement of Emperor Chongzhen, Hong Chengchou supervised the northwest and Lu Xiangsheng supervised the southwest. Just as Hong Chengchou and Lu Xiangsheng’s encirclement of the peasant army had slightly improved, the situation in Liaodong became urgent once again. In April of the ninth year of Chongzhen in Shenyang City, Liaoning Province (1636 AD), the Manchu, Mongolian, and Han military commanders, generals, and civil and military ministers gathered in Shenyang, the capital of Shenyang, to hold a grand ceremony. The Qing Dynasty was officially established, and Huang Taiji ascended to the throne, becoming Emperor Taizong of the Qing Dynasty. At the end of June in the ninth year of Chongzhen, the Qing army marched south from Xifengkou, and the capital was once again under martial law. A few days later, Manchurian iron cavalry attacked Tianshou Mountain, where the Beijing Imperial Mausoleum was located, and advanced to Changping. The vanguard reached Xishan. Emperor Chongzhen had to mobilize troops and generals to deal with them with all his might. Lu Xiangsheng was appointed as the Governor General of Xuanda to guard the capital, and the peasant army once again had a chance to breathe. Mao Peiqi: Emperor Chongzhen faced internal and external troubles, and he did hesitate when choosing whether to prioritize internal stability or external resistance. This was actually a tightrope situation in his political landscape. Of course, the Ming Dynasty had several opportunities to completely quell domestic peasant uprisings, but Emperor Chongzhen underestimated the degree of corruption in the Ming Dynasty’s regime, that is, underestimated the hatred and dissatisfaction of farmers towards the government, and also underestimated the regenerative ability of peasant uprisings. Sure enough, the peasant army that had gained breath quickly grew stronger. Li Zicheng, who was promoted as the vanguard, continued to fight in the areas of Sichuan, Gansu, and Shanxi. In March of the tenth year of the Chongzhen reign, Yang Sichang proposed a strategy to Emperor Chongzhen to eliminate the peasant army by “spreading a net in four directions, six corners, and ten sides”. This strategy first restricted the mobility of the peasant army, and then gradually broke through each one. Once implemented, it was quite effective. Zhang Xianzhong was defeated and surrendered to the Ming Dynasty. Li Zizi was ambushed by Hong Chengchou and Sun Chuanting in Weinan and was defeated, leading 17 martyrs to hide in the Shangluo Mountains. Upon achieving this great victory, Emperor Chongzhen was overjoyed. He specially bestowed a letter to Yang Sichang, praising him greatly. “Yanmei is temporarily serving as a dry city, and the general is commanding the fine willow camp. Once the bandit atmosphere is swept away, it will be peaceful, and the people’s livelihood will be improved.”. The meaning is that you, Yang Sichang, are a virtuous talent. When the country was in trouble, you sent troops to suppress the rebellious bandits, thus stabilizing the country and allowing the people to rest and recuperate. In times of crisis, obtaining such a good minister was like meeting a dead end, and Emperor Chongzhen seemed to once again see a glimmer of vitality. However, just as Zhang Xianzhong was defeated and Li Zicheng returned to Shaanxi, the situation in Liaodong became once again urgent. In September of the eleventh year of Chongzhen (1638 AD), the Qing army entered Qiangziling, and Wu Aheng, the governor of Jiliao, died in battle. The capital was under martial law. In a critical situation, Emperor Chongzhen had to be transferred back to Hong Chengchou from the front line of the peasant army’s operations. Under the protection of the elite troops urgently dispatched by Chongzhen, Beijing was unharmed. However, the Qing army’s iron cavalry penetrated into the mainland for two thousand miles, breaking through more than 70 cities and galloping freely, as if entering an uninhabited territory. After a full plunder, they returned north. Business legend: Because he is a minority after all, he only has a few people. To manage such a large country with so many people, he lacks confidence. So his main concern, from the time of Mongolia until the Qing army entered the border, was harassment. He did not aim to occupy your territory and expand my territory. Mao Peiqi: Why did Emperor Chongzhen not concentrate on suppressing the peasant uprising? It was because there was a disturbance in the north. Once he had the strength to fight back, he immediately led Little Sinai to face the problems in the north. He has always put the hostility of the Qing army first, and he has not placed Li Zicheng in the most important position. Unfortunately, the domestic conflicts at that time were as intense as tea. Regardless of whether Huang Taiji had ambitions to dominate the Central Plains at that time, this southern invasion really made Emperor Chongzhen anxious, and the situation seemed difficult to reverse. Both of his inner troubles had become stronger, and bad news came one after another. In the 13th year of the Chongzhen reign (1640 AD) in Mizhi County, Yulin City, Shaanxi Province, Li Zicheng entered Henan while the main force of the Ming army was chasing Zhang Xianzhong in Sichuan. Coincidentally, during the Henan disaster, Li Zicheng took in starving people, opened warehouses to distribute grain, and proposed the slogan of “no taxes for the entire country.”. For a moment, the starving people from far and near echoed in unison, singing the ballad of welcoming the king and not accepting food, as they hoed and headed towards. The rapid growth of Li Zicheng’s army led to the formation of the most threatening peasant army to the Ming Dynasty. In February of the 14th year of Chongzhen (1641 AD), Zhang Xianzhong captured Xiangyang and executed Xiang Wang Zhu Xuming and Guiyang Wang Zhu Changfa, among others. Yang Sichang’s Four Zhengs and Six Corners Plan completely went bankrupt. In January of the same year, Li Zibu also gained popularity and captured Luoyang. He nailed down the Prince of Fu, Zhu Changxun, and cooked his meat mixed with deer meat, calling it the Fulu Banquet. In March of the 14th year of the Chongzhen reign (1641 AD), the Qing army once again invaded the border, and the entire army of Hong Chengtuan was defeated, ultimately leading to defection. Songshan and Jinzhou successively fell, Tashan and Xingshan fell, and the Ming Dynasty lost a large area north of Ningyuan. In January of the 16th year of Chongzhen (1643 AD), Li Zicheng established political power in Xiangyang. In April, the thunder shook and the beast kissed in the Fengxian Temple. In May, Zhang Xianzhong established the Daxi regime in Wuchang. In September, there was an earthquake in Fengyang. On October 11th, Li Zicheng occupied Xi’an. This year, there was still an epidemic of diseases in the capital, and the deceased slept peacefully. May it be that the heavens are about to destroy our great Ming dynasty, the country is in ruins, and the country’s generals are in decline. As a monarch, I am powerless. Emperor Chongzhen reminisced about the past and the present, with countless emotions. He picked up a pen and copied a poem from the Tang Dynasty poet Cen Can: “The West Yuan Post Road hangs at the city’s head, and the scattered guests have not rested in the rain at the river pavilion. When you go and look at the Fen River, the white clouds are like autumn in the Han Dynasty.”. Emperor Chongzhen, who had a dream of rejuvenation in his heart, did not want the Ming Dynasty to be as strong as the Han Dynasty. However, at this moment, he was powerless to turn the tide. At the end of the 16th year of the Chongzhen reign, every household in Beijing was busy bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new. However, deep within the red walls of the Forbidden City, everything appeared so gloomy and gloomy, lifeless. At the sound of the New Year’s bell, Li Zicheng’s troops swept across the land of Qin and Jin, quietly approaching the capital. On the first day of the first lunar month in the seventeenth year of the Chongzhen reign (1644 AD), the city of Beijing was shrouded in dark clouds, with no light in the sun. A strong wind suddenly rose, and sand and stones flew horizontally. The bad news of the Fengyang earthquake in Nanjing has also spread to the palace. Witches perform divination and divination, which are even more ominous signs. The wind starts from dryness and becomes violent. When the army breaks through the city, the subjects are not blessed. As the stars enter the moon, the country falls and the ruler falls. On the morning of New Year’s Day, Emperor Chongzhen, who arrived at the main hall early, only saw the commander of the Jin Yi Wei on duty. It was not until the sound of the advance bell kept ringing that civil and military officials flocked in. On this day, Xi’an City was a different scene, with a clear sky, a bright red sun, and a joyful atmosphere. Li Zicheng changed the country name to Dashun, and the 17th year of Chongzhen in the Ming Dynasty became the first year of Yongchang. On the eighth day of the first lunar month, the main force of the Dashun Army marched eastward, aiming straight at Beijing. Li Zicheng’s army is pressing the border, and it’s time for a decisive battle. Emperor Chongzhen urgently issued an edict to the King of Military Diligence, but officials negotiated with him over military pay, and in the end, only a mere 8000 soldiers and horses were allowed to enter the guard. Emperor Chongzhen only then realized that Li Zicheng’s threat far exceeded that of the Manchurian army. The foundation of the Ming Dynasty for over two hundred years, could it be buried in one’s own hands like this. Emperor Chongzhen decided to make a final move. He made up his mind and ordered Wu Sangui, who was guarding the front line in Ningyuan, to quickly enter Beijing. However, Emperor Chongzhen did not expect that at this moment, Wu Sangui was hesitant with 500000 troops. We set off from Ningyuan in early March, traveling only fifty miles a day, and only entered Shanhaiguan on the 16th. On this day, Li Zicheng captured Changping and immediately invaded the Ming Emperor’s Mausoleum, burning the Xiang Palace, cutting down pine and cypress trees, and digging up ancestral graves. Upon hearing the news, Emperor Chongzhen burst into tears. On the 17th day of the third month in the 17th year of the Chongzhen reign (1644), the sound of gunfire echoed from both the Gaobei Hall and the Xizhi Gate. Emperor Chongzhen persisted in his early reign, and his courtiers wept in opposition. The next day, Beijing was shrouded in bitter winds and rain, and many officials in the city had fled in various places. An unknown official wrote in his “Yandu Diary”: First, for ten consecutive days, the weather was gloomy and the sun was dull. On that day, strong winds, heavy rain, hail, and lightning struck. Some people have recorded that at that time, the city of Beijing was shrouded in cloudy and rainy weather, with flying snow covering the city. The aura of miserable nails penetrated people’s hearts and minds. The last days of the Ming Dynasty regime and Emperor Chongzhen have arrived. On the night of March 18th in the 17th year of Chongzhen (1644 AD), Ming Dynasty officials and soldiers in Beijing opened the city gates and rushed to surrender. The sound of artillery stopped and the peasant army took control of the entire city. On that night, fine rain mixed with snowflakes scattered over the city of Beijing, misty with smoke, onto the ground. Emperor Chongzhen, accompanied by his trusted eunuch Wang Cheng’en, quietly climbed the Coal Mountain to gaze and confirmed that the inner city had fallen. He decided to go down the mountain to arrange the aftermath. He asked his three sons to change into civilian clothes and escape, so as to leave a glimmer of hope for the Ming Dynasty. At the moment of parting in life and death, I am filled with emotions: why did the three of you unfortunately give birth to my family. The imperial concubines also reached another time to hire Emperor Chongzhen. Consort Yuan and Empress Zhou died one by the sword of Emperor Chongzhen, and the other by hanging themselves. Several other princesses and concubines also fell under the sword of Emperor Chongzhen, and even Empress Zhang of Emperor Xizong chose to hang herself. Business legend: Emperor Chongzhen had no choice, it was that all officials had a way out. He could surrender. With a new leader, anyone and I could surrender. Only he has no way out, he has no chance to surrender, otherwise he would be the emperor or nothing. Mao Peiqi: The trend of the downfall of the Ming Dynasty was actually irreversible by the Chongzhen period. Despite his diligence and his efforts to perk up, they were unable to work. So using one’s own strength to turn the tide and salvage a fallen summer is powerless to turn the tide. On March 19th, Wang Cheng’en once again accompanied Emperor Chongzhen to climb the Coal Mountain. The two faced each other in silence. Finally, under a large tree next to the Shouhuang Pavilion, the master and slave both untied their belts and hanged themselves. It is said in Jingshan Park, Beijing that when Emperor Chongzhen hanged himself, he left behind a blood clad edict, “Teng Zideng ascended the throne for seventeen years, invited heavenly sins three times, and caused captives to fall into the land three times. Rebels approached the capital directly, and the officials mistakenly accused me. Teng Wuyan saw the former emperor underground, covered his face with hair, and allowed the thieves to split my body. He could kill all the civil officials, not damage the tombs, and not harm one of our people.” On the 19th, the Dashun peasant uprising completely occupied Beijing, and without any offense, they drove into the inner city. At noon, Li Zicheng wore felt hats and ethereal clothes, rode on a black horse, and entered the city from Desheng Six in the north. Li Zicheng, who came from the background of a courier, became a tomb digger in the Ming Dynasty. Beijing did not fall into grief due to the death of Emperor Chongzhen. Citizens put up lanterns and decorations, set up incense and tables, and posted slogans everywhere to welcome the new owner. Zhu Youjian ascended the throne at the age of 18 and passed away at the age of 35 in the Ming Thirteen Tombs. He reigned for seventeen years and was diligent in political affairs. He was always awake at night, hoping to achieve rejuvenation, which was in stark contrast to his ancestors, fathers, and brothers. He once told court officials that since I was in the extreme, I have been working tirelessly day and night. Indeed, at the beginning of his reign, he restored the long abandoned tradition of calling to the throne, as well as daily lectures and banquets. Not long after, the ancestral system of daily viewing of the court was restored, and it lasted for more than a decade. In the last two days of his life, he persisted in going to court. He was so diligent that he became the ruler of the fallen country. Russian writer Lev Tolstoy said that emperors are slaves of history. This time, the history of the Ming Dynasty chose Zhu Youjian as its slave and sacrificed himself for it. 90 Seconds of History: During the late Ming Dynasty, the Jurchens of Jianzhou in Northeast China were originally a weak local tribe, and the Ming Empire was one of the largest civilizations on the world map at that time. It not only had a large population, abundant resources, but also a developed and huge administrative system. Even in the entire Northeast Asia, the Jurchens of Jianzhou were far inferior to many political forces such as Japan, Korea, and Mongolia. How did the Jurchens, led by Nurhaci Emperor Taiji and his son, integrate the many ethnic groups in Northeast China into Manchuria? How did the Qing Dynasty be established in the competition among various forces? How did you seize the opportunity of history and successfully occupy the Central Plains and dominate the world in one fell swoop? How did this dramatic dynastic succession event happen in just a few decades? What kind of historical opportunities have emerged throughout the entire process?
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