Prince Chongzhen

Chapter 63 Bai Ling
Ever since the beacon fire on the city started again, Xu Yu's head had been buzzing. Even when he arrived at Chaoyang Gate with Xu Yinjue and others, he was still in a daze.

The weather is not good! The weather is not good!
These four words kept echoing in his mind, making this man, who had been a teacher all his life, want to kill a few people with a knife.

Since the death of the previous emperor, the political situation has become increasingly turbulent and the military generals have become more and more domineering. Although the Shi Ge Department has the desire to turn the tide, it is unable to change fate.

Eventually, all the towns surrendered one after another, and the Tartars easily crossed the natural barrier of the Yangtze River across thousands of miles without any effort.

This was a heart-wrenching pain and a flesh-cutting wound for Xu Yu.

When Hongguang quietly escaped, he was even more disheartened. He ignored even the advice of his good friends and was willing to die with the city.

Available at this time.

Zhu Cilang was like a ray of light in the darkness that suddenly shone on him.

He persuaded Zhu Xu and arrested King Zhao. Not only did he use surprising tactics to stop those with ill intentions from getting their hands on military power, but he also used some ordinary means to make the defenders look like they were reborn.

Isn't this the kind of person he has always dreamed of?

Can.
"My two lords, please enter the tower. If the battle goes badly..."

The words "the war is not going well" pulled Xu Yu out of his grief. When he looked blankly, he saw Xu Yinjue handing the white silk to him.

Although Xu Yinjue had not finished speaking, his meaning was clear.

At this point Xu Yu had no other ideas. As an old scholar who was weak and helpless, he had to hang himself before the city was broken, otherwise he would not even be able to die when the enemy soldiers arrived.

"Just leave the white silk to Lord Xu."

Just as Xu Yu was about to answer it, he heard Yue Qijie say something beside him.

Then, under the slightly surprised gazes of the two, Yue Qijie took a goose-feather knife from the weapon rack beside him and said with a smile: "Although I am a civil servant, I also fought in the battlefield when I was young."

Although he did not say much during the previous meeting, he could clearly see the thoughts of those present.

Don't be fooled by everyone's generous words. Zhu Guobi and Qian Qianyi both have their own plans. Only the two Xus are truly in the same mind with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

But the two Xus were always led by the two men and wasted a lot of time.

Of course, a little more time or a little less time would not help the current situation, but Yue Qijie, who was once accused of being a member of the eunuch party, could not help but complain in his heart.

But things have come to this point, and it is possible that he will go with these two to pay homage to the late emperor in a short while. If he continues to keep a sullen face, isn't he afraid of being alone on the road to the underworld?
"Then I will go and prepare first."

As he spoke, Xu Yu bowed to the two of them, then solemnly held the white silk in his hands and walked towards the city wall.

"Master Xu, please go ahead. I will come back to talk to you after I have killed some generals."

Xu Yinjue shouted at the figure that was gradually receding, but Yue Qijie just returned a salute and turned to look towards the outer city.

At this moment, there was no one within his sight, which made Yue Qijie, who had been a soldier for half his life, feel even more depressed.

Xiaoling Mausoleum is near Chaoyang Gate, so people can still see houses outside other city gates, but outside this gate there is only a wilderness.

Under normal circumstances, the defeated soldiers should have returned by now, but until now there is still no one to be seen in this vast wilderness. From this, one can imagine how sudden the fall of Yaofang Gate was, and how swift the Qing army's outflanking was after entering the city.

"Sir, if this is the case, do you need your help?"

Just as Yue Qijie was trying his best to look into the distance, Chang Guanlin, who was making some arrangements not far away, walked over hesitantly.

"Well..." Xu Yue and the other man looked at each other, and finally Yue Qijie spoke up: "Be quick."

"Don't worry, sir. Although Old Chang has declined a bit in recent years, his skills have never declined."

As he spoke, Chang Guanlin seemed to recall the time when he killed the enemy under Grand Tutor Lu, and he began to talk about it incessantly. The atmosphere, which originally had a feeling of whistling wind, faded as he spoke.

At first, Xu Yue and the other two were a little surprised why Geng Hao talked about these things at this time, but when their nervousness subsided a little, they understood his intention.

Death is the only way through the ages.

It is not easy to be willing to die for one's country, and it is even more difficult to face it calmly.

If he could not dispel the fear in his heart, he would eventually be afraid of losing face, so Chang Guanlin went to the two adults and made jokes, which was uncharacteristic of him.

"Haha."

A burst of laughter broke out, and from a distance the three of them looked like old friends gathering together. It was hard to tell that they had already made up their minds to die. "I really didn't realize that you, Old Chang, are such an interesting person."

"My lord is joking."

"We will go first, you must follow us quickly, otherwise the road to the underworld will be lonely without someone as interesting as you."

"Don't worry, sir. I'll come back after I kill a few Tartars."

"A word is settled!"

"A word is settled!"

"A word is settled!"

Yue Qijie was the first to extend his hand among the three people, and Xu Chang and the other two also extended their hands at the same time. The three people with very different identities and status actually put aside the barriers in their hearts at the last moment of their lives.

"Report victory~~~!"

At this moment, a sound seemed to come from outside the city.

"Report victory~~~!"

At first, the three of them thought there was something wrong with their ears, but when they saw the expressions of the other two, they couldn't help but be stunned.

Report victory? Report what? What victory?

Where can we get quick results at a time like this?

Could it be reinforcements?
But where will the reinforcements come from?
"Report victory~~~!"

Another sound was heard. Before Xu Yue and the other man could recover from the brief pause in their brains, Chang Guanlin threw himself on the top of the city wall and tried his best to look outside.

"Stop whoever comes!"

"Mr. Chang, what's wrong with you?"

Yue Qijie had just asked half a question when he shut his mouth as if he realized something.

This good news came too strangely. Who would dare to let it into the city without asking questions clearly?

They were indeed prepared to die for their country if the city fell, but if the Tartars came they would fight to the death, not just wait to be killed.

"Open the door! Report victory!"

"Speak clearly, what victory are you reporting?"

"At the end of the Yin month, the Tartars attacked the city. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince led the garrison and the Royal Guards to repel them. Twenty-five were killed in battle, sixty-four were captured, and the rest were routed!"

When these words were spoken, the already grim city became even more silent.

"Several beacons have been lit in the outer city. What's the situation in other places?"

"The Tartars are mainly attacking Yaofang Gate, and the rest of the places are just for show."

After asking, Chang Guanlin looked at Xu Yue and the others and said, "It seems to be true."

"Ah."

"Then put it in."

After a while, the soldier came up to the three people with an unhappy look on his face and said, "My lords, His Highness has ordered me to go to the city to report the victory. I'm afraid I won't have much time to waste."

"What are you afraid of? This is Lord Xu from the Duke of Wei's Mansion, this is Lord Yue, the Governor of Henan, and this is..."

Under normal circumstances, let alone Xu Yue, even Chang Guanlin would definitely whip this pawn if he showed displeasure.

But now they really wanted to know what happened in the outer city, so they didn't take the rudeness to heart, and instead introduced it in a friendly manner.

"Oh no! Lord Xu is still in there!"

(End of this chapter)