Back to Ming Dynasty with Industrial Revolution System

Chapter 418 Empire Twilight
Li Zicheng led a mighty peasant army of 20 to the vicinity of Xizhimen, the outer city of the Forbidden City, only a stone's throw away from the dragon chair of the Ming Empire!

Looking at the majestic city wall, Li Zicheng never dared to dream that one day he would reach the pinnacle of his life and covet the imperial artifact.But now he is really standing outside the outer city of the Forbidden City, and the Ming garrison stationed in Gyeonggi can only panic and dare not come to stop him!

"Where is Zhang Yuan's South Route Army advancing now?" Li Zicheng asked.

"According to the latest news, they have arrived in Gu'an and are marching towards the southern city," said a lieutenant general.

"Arrived in Gu'an? The progress was a bit slower than we expected. How did Zhang Yuan do it? It's not as strong as before." Li Zicheng complained a little, but he was very satisfied.

"Perhaps Zhang Yuan was trying to cut off Emperor Chongzhen's way to the south. With Zhang Yuan around, Emperor Chongzhen would be trapped in the Forbidden City and could not move." Some generals who admired Zhang Yuan explained.

It's just that they didn't know that their explanation was making Zhang Yuan jealous of Li Zicheng.

"It is said that the Forbidden City where the emperor Lao Tzu lives is magnificent and has 3000 beauties in the harem. I don't know if it is true?" A general of a peasant army looked at the Forbidden City that was within his reach, and his heart beat wildly.

"The emperor has three thousand beauties, can he handle it with his small body? Why don't we divide them up at that time, and ask for one hundred and eighty wives, this time everyone is making a fortune!" Another Said the general of the peasant army.

"Return one hundred and eighty. The ladies in the palace don't know how to farm. Can you afford to take it back?"

"You group of people are thinking of something good, and what do you want other people's wives to do. There are so many women in the world, and there is no good family." Li Zicheng felt helpless towards his subordinates.

It's okay to think about the women of the emperor's family, but he even plans to let them farm... they are always honest and law-abiding farmers.

"Hey, when the time comes, the most beautiful woman in the palace, what kind of empress, the empress dowager will be chosen by our king first, and the rest of the brothers will be divided." A general said.

"Fuck you, do you know who the empress dowager is? You want you to get it." Li Zicheng almost turned his nose in anger, "Prepare the artillery, we will bombard Xizhimen! Xizhimen defenders are ordered to surrender within twelve hours , otherwise if we break through the city, no chicken or dog will be spared!"

Under Li Zicheng's signal, more than a dozen bronze cannons purchased from the merchants of the Liao army were dragged to Xizhimen.The Ming garrison guarding Xizhimen panicked.

Although Xizhimen has also deployed a lot of artillery, but this is the capital of the empire, and there are very few wars!Let a group of soldiers who don't fight much fight against the surging 20 peasant army.Moreover, the 20 peasant army has survived the bloody battles with Hong Chengchou, Shanxi, and Ningwuguan, and grew up with blood. It is very different from the peasant army that was just established in northern Shaanxi.At least death made them more numb, and even more reckless when attacking.

boom!boom!boom!The sound of artillery fire from Xizhimen startled countless people in the capital.The sound of roaring artillery announced that the intruders had begun to attack the city.This was definitely the bleakest period of time for the Ming Empire. Sitting on hundreds of millions of subjects in vain, they were attacked from the west to the east by Li Zicheng's peasant army, piercing through most of the Ming Empire, and returned to the capital.

Li Zicheng watched the effect of the shelling with great satisfaction.

Although the artillery could not knock down the city wall of Xizhimen, it has already frightened the Ming defenders at Xizhimen.

Emperor Chongzhen was awakened in his sleep with a feeling in his heart, breaking out in a cold sweat.

"Come here, are the thieves starting to attack the city?" Chongzhen asked the eunuch who was close to him.

"Your Majesty, the Minister of the Ministry of War has already commanded the troops to go to Xizhimen to set up defenses. Intruders cannot enter the city." The eunuch said.

"Shangshu of the Ministry of War, is it Xiong Mingyu?" Chongzhen was a little confused.

"Your Majesty, have you forgotten? Xiong Mingyu was dismissed and imprisoned by you last month because of poor deployment. The current Minister of War is Zhang Fengyi." The eunuch said.

"It's because I've been confused recently. Zhang Fengyi, I hope he can take up the role of Minister of the Ministry of War." Chongzhen hoped that the newly appointed Minister of the Ministry of War would be able to create miracles like Yu Qian.

However, Zhang Fengyi, the newly appointed minister of the Ministry of War, who Chongzhen placed high hopes on, was fidgeting in the barracks at Xizhimen.He is eagerly awaiting news.

"Master Shangshu, the intruder is willing to negotiate with us." After the messenger Zhang Fengyi sent to communicate with Li Zicheng returned, Zhang Fengyi brought good news.

"Okay! What did he say?" Zhang Fengyi asked.

"The intruder said that as long as Lord Shangshu opens the Xizhi Gate to let them in, and guides the army outside the city to capture His Majesty alive, the soldiers and civilians in the entire capital can be forgiven, and the army can be restrained from burning, killing, and looting. Moreover, Lord Shangshu can still return to his original post and become a Minister of the Ministry of War of the new imperial court." The messenger said.

"It doesn't matter whether we can continue to serve as Minister of the Ministry of War. It's just that it doesn't make any sense for us to guard this Xizhimen. Soon the South Route Army led by Zhang Yuan will also arrive at the South City Gate. After the two bandits join together, there will be 30 people. It is simply not something we can resist. Moreover, with our traitorous and bloodthirsty character, if we resist, that Daizhou, Ningwuguan, and Xuanfu Town will be our end. The capital is different from those places, There are millions of people here, if they burn, kill and loot, it will be the biggest disaster for our Ming Dynasty!" Zhang Fengyi said.

"Master Shangshu, don't have any psychological burden. His Majesty the Emperor has frequently replaced officials recently and wants to open up a new situation. However, many things in our Ming Dynasty have become a practice for more than 200 years, and there are still so many aristocratic families blocking it. Change, unless a great talent like Zhang Shoufu is born, can turn the tide, otherwise it will be useless to replace anyone. So instead of being trapped here with His Majesty, it is better to take refuge in the bandits, and maybe we can solve this dead game. said the messenger.

"You are more open-minded than I am, you little boy. Well, let me, Zhang Fengyi, be the bad guy today. I'll break the pot!" Zhang Fengyi gritted his teeth, thinking about what happened to Xiong Mingyu, and made up his mind.

In the late autumn of this year, the Ming garrison at Xizhimen was only subjected to symbolic shelling by Li Zicheng's artillery, and did not even put up much resistance.

Zhang Fengyi led the Ming garrison on the side of Xizhimen, looking downcastly at the 20 peasant army swarming in, feeling very strange.Should I feel sad and indignant for my own incompetence?Or was he freed because of the fall of the capital of the empire he guarded?But one thing is certain, they are safe, and the peasant army led by Li Zicheng will not point their knives at them who still have the ability to resist.

(End of this chapter)