Back to the end of the Ming Dynasty when the emperor

Chapter 898 The Death of Xiao Zhuang (Part [-])
After going down to the city, the Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang went to her own Palace of Compassion, and the imperial doctor knelt down in front of the bed, and once again felt the pulse of the Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang.

When they got outside, Wu Keshan and Manzhu saluted and stopped the imperial physician.

"My lords, the Empress Dowager can no longer work hard, nor can she get angry anymore." The imperial physician shook his head and left after speaking.

Wu Keshan and Manzhu Xili are the elder brothers of Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, and they glanced at each other with bitter expressions on their faces.

When we were in the lower city just now, Feng Quan, Minister of State and Chief Assistant of the Cabinet, Gang Lin, Minister of the Ministry of War, Bai Yintu, Minister of the Ministry of Households, Leng Sengji, Minister of the Ministry of Officials, etc., repeatedly urged the two brothers to find The queen mother discusses the matter of peace negotiation, because Xiao Zhuang is the sister of the two of them, and they are close relatives, so it is convenient for them to talk.

Now the soldiers of the Qing Dynasty have no fighting spirit, and all civil and military officials are panicked.The Qing Dynasty was over, and there were only two paths before him, either to be a loyal minister of the Qing Dynasty and live and die with this city.Either recognize the situation clearly, sacrifice the city and surrender to save their lives, because the current policy given by the Ming army is "do not kill and surrender."

Everyone knows that it is better to live than to die. Not everyone has the heroic spirit of a warrior who is willing to kill. Even if he can be reborn, a dragon in a few years will not be as good as a worm now. , the Manchu Tartars were no exception.

Except for Xiaozhuang, nine and a half out of ten civil and military officials under him planned to surrender, but they dared not speak out.

The high-ranking officials of the cabinet and the six ministers, after mutual tacit understanding, also agreed that people have to bow their heads under the eaves, but this matter must be challenged. Wu Keshan and Manzhu Xili are also one of the six ministers. This important The mission fell on the two brothers.

Listening to the imperial physician's words, the two of them bravely walked into the bedroom of the Compassionate Ning Palace.

Xiao Dezi, the internal affairs director of the Compassionate Palace, led the two of them all the way to the Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang.

According to Man Qin's etiquette, the two elder brothers had to kneel down to greet their younger sister, and then send out Xiao Dezi, the court ladies and eunuchs, and the idlers.

The Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, half leaning on the bed, saw the eyes of the two brothers turn red, she shed tears of grievance.

Wu Keshan and Manzhu Xili lowered their heads, and the three brothers and sisters remained silent for a long time.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang cried for a while, feeling much happier in her heart, and wiped away her tears: "Big brother, fourth brother, what's the matter?"

"It's nothing serious, I just came to see your illness..." The two Mongolian princes glanced at each other, and finally Wu Keshan, the boss, explained the purpose of coming, "Now... where do we go, we want to hear my sister's opinion?"

"You are here to persuade me to sacrifice the city and surrender..." The Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang said weakly, "Then what do they mean?"

"Now the whole city is in panic, the generals have no fighting spirit, and the voices of those who advocate sacrificing the city are overwhelming. Our Great Qing Building will collapse, and there will be no support..."

"Second brothers, go out first and let me be quiet for a while." The Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang interrupted the two brothers, they bowed their promises, and then withdrew.

After the eunuchs and maids entered, they found that the Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang had passed away, with a long golden hairpin stuck around her neck, and blood flowed onto the phoenix bed and splashed on the ground.

Hearing the screams and cries, Wu Keshan and Manzhu Xili who were outside rushed in, hugged the corpse and wept bitterly.

The maids and eunuchs behind them all fell to their knees, not even daring to hum.

There are only a few words to seal the blood letter under the Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, which means that after the mourning family is gone, the rest can be surrendered, and I must be warned to love the descendants of Xinjueluo, and not to rebel within a hundred years.

"If the Queen Mother doesn't steal her life, how can we live alone?"

Wu Keshan and Manzhu practiced rituals, in pain, pulled out the Mongolian knife and pulled it on the neck, blood spattered, and the dead body fell to the ground with a bang.

The next day, Feng Quan took Gang Lin, Leng Sengji, Bai Yintu and other soldiers who ordered the city guards to throw all the knives and other equipment in their hands under the city, and then opened the city gate.Headed by Feng Quan, the senior officials of the remnant Qing knelt down on both sides of the city gate, forming two long rows.

This time Zhu Yousong had to leave Shengjing City without bloodshed.

After entering the city, Zhu Yousong issued a decree, asking Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong to control the 4 Qing generals in the city, as well as the civil and military officials who were willing to surrender, and then say that killing, torture, and private interrogation are not allowed.

Then the people on the street, no matter they are Han Chinese, Mongols, or Manchus, are competing to cut their whips, just like returning to the Republic of China from the Qing Dynasty, cutting off their long braids, intending to restore the Ming dynasty. The hairstyle of the Han people.

But the braids can be cut, and the front half of the head is shaved bald. In a word, no hair can grow, so it seems neither fish nor fowl.

Zhu Yousong saw it as ridiculous, but he didn't stop it. This was their voluntary behavior and had nothing to do with him.

But thinking of the empress dowager Xiaozhuang, a historical celebrity, she can be regarded as a chaste and strong woman, and she couldn't bear such a tragic ending.People don't die, Zhu Yousong passed the decree, and according to the rules of the Manchurians, the Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, Wu Keshan, Manzhu Xili and other three people were buried generously.

For the more than 4 generals who surrendered in the Qing Dynasty, Zhu Yousong neither killed nor shut them down, nor organized them into an army. Instead, he let them take off their military uniforms and work in farms for a few years. Offenders can restore their free status, those who are willing to continue serving as soldiers can re-enroll, and those who are willing to work in agriculture and business can follow their own paths.

This is actually equivalent to the labor reform of later generations. These people are also satisfied. Although they put in some effort and work hard, it is much better to live than to cut off their heads. Zhu Yousong has fulfilled his promise not to kill and surrender to them. .

On the contrary, Zhu Yousong thought for a while about the remnants of the remnants of the Qing Dynasty, headed by Feng Quan and Gang Lin, who were waiting for Zhu Yousong to decide their fate. Zhu Yousong passed down such a decree. Officials can submit to Daming, and depending on the situation, they can also be given a small official below the fifth rank. These specific matters will be arranged by the cabinet after returning.

But there are a few exceptions, and these are the few headed by Feng Quan, a scholar of Hongwenguan in the Qing Dynasty, a minister of state affairs and the chief assistant of the cabinet.

These people, like Hong Chengchou, used to be ministers of the Ming Dynasty, then surrendered to the Qing Dynasty, and now they surrendered to the Ming Dynasty. To put it bluntly, they are the second ministers. Looking at them, Zhu Yousong felt a little nauseous.

But Zhu Yousong didn't kill them either, the policy of not killing surrenders had been released long ago, and there was no reason why he would lose his trust in the world because of these clowns.

But Zhu Yousong also has a way to deal with them: "I won't kill you, but I can't just let you go, go with Hong Chengchou as companions, your little master Shunzhi is still waiting for you in Beijing, since you can't be a loyal minister in Ming Dynasty, Just be a loyal minister to the Qing Dynasty, I have to fulfill you, lest you will be punished and be infamous for thousands of years."

After hearing Zhu Yousong's words, these people felt as if they had fallen into an ice cave.

(End of this chapter)