Tang Dynasty, I can lead troops through ancient and modern times

After watching the scouts of King Chuang leave, Li Chengqian and his party continued to move south.

Before long, the towering city walls of the capital came into their sight.

From a distance, the city wall towers into the clouds, like an insurmountable barrier.

However, at this moment, this city, which once symbolized the glory and majesty of the Ming Dynasty, is shrouded in haze.

Inside the Forbidden City, the atmosphere was so depressing that it made one feel suffocated.

Emperor Chongzhen sat in the Golden Throne Hall, his face ashen and his eyes bloodshot.

He angrily slapped the armrest of the dragon throne and roared, "Li Zicheng's army has already left Shanxi and will soon arrive in the capital! You are still chattering uselessly here."

The ministers stood trembling in fear under the palace, each with their heads lowered, not daring to speak.

Emperor Chongzhen looked at these ministers and his anger grew even greater.

"I'm asking you a question! If the Ming Dynasty can't be saved, you won't have an easy life!"

A minister raised his head cautiously and said, "Your Majesty, the situation is critical now. You can order the troops from all over the country to enter the capital and recruit soldiers locally to resist the enemy."

Emperor Chongzhen's eyes widened with anger, and he pointed a trembling finger at the ministers of His Highness, "I asked you to collect military funds, but you only gave a little! You keep saying that you are willing to support the court, but what is the reality?

Just take out a little bit of the family wealth.

After Li Zicheng enters Beijing, he will want more, even kill you, haven't you ever thought about it?"

The emperor's voice echoed in the hall, carrying endless anger and despair.

When the ministers below heard this, they all lowered their heads and remained silent, and no one dared to respond.

They all had their own plans in mind, but no one dared to offend the emperor at this time.

These ministers thought they were smart and believed that Li Zicheng would not do anything rash and at most would just replace the emperor.

In their view, changes of dynasties are common, and they can simply change their allegiance and continue to be high-ranking officials.

Emperor Chongzhen looked at these selfish ministers and felt sad and helpless.

He knew that these ministers were beyond redemption. They only cared about themselves and not the Ming Dynasty.

He felt so lonely and helpless, as if the whole world had abandoned him.

How he wished that these ministers could wake up and work together for the survival of the country.

But he also knew that this was just wishful thinking. The Ming Dynasty was rotten from the root and could not be saved.

Emperor Chongzhen sat weakly on the dragon throne, looking ahead with empty eyes.

We can only wait for the judgment of fate.

And those ministers are still immersed in their own fantasies, waiting for new opportunities to safeguard their own interests.

At this time, a minister hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, please calm down. We have done our best and we really can't give you more military pay."

Emperor Chongzhen sneered and said, "Do your best? I think you don't want to work for me! If the Ming Dynasty is destroyed, it will be at the hands of you civil officials!"

The ministers knelt down one after another, shouting: "Your Majesty, please calm down. We deserve to die."

Emperor Chongzhen looked at these ministers and his heart was filled with despair.

He knew that these ministers only cared about their own interests and would not work hard for the safety of the country.

He thought of Wei Zhongxian, the eunuch who had once been a thorn in his side.

Ever since he killed Wei Zhongxian, no one could suppress the Donglin Party.

These civil officials constantly fought for power for their own selfish interests, which led to corruption in the court and a shortage of military pay.

He thought of Yuan Chonghuan again, the general who once guarded Liaodong for him.

However, he killed Yuan Chonghuan because of momentary suspicion.

From then on, Liaodong lost its general in charge, and the situation became even more critical.

He knew that it was he who pushed the Ming Dynasty into the abyss step by step.

Emperor Chongzhen was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "I want to move the capital to Nanjing to plan for future actions."

As soon as these words were spoken, the ministers were immediately furious.

A minister quickly said, "Your Majesty, this is absolutely impossible! The foundation laid by our ancestors cannot be abandoned. Moving the capital will lead to the destruction of the country."

Another minister also said: "Your Majesty, although Nanjing is good, it is not the capital after all. Once the capital is moved, people will panic and the world will be in chaos!"

Emperor Chongzhen looked at these ministers and his heart was filled with anger.

He knew that these ministers were afraid that the relocation of the court to the south would damage their interests in the south of the Yangtze River, so they strongly opposed the relocation of the capital.

They didn't care whether the emperor lived or died, they only thought about their own interests.

"You are a bunch of selfish people! You only think about your own interests and ignore the safety of the country! Li Zicheng's army is about to arrive at the city, but you are still fighting for power here!" Emperor Chongzhen said angrily.

The ministers lowered their heads and dared not speak.

Chongzhen sighed helplessly and said, "Forget it, forget it. Since you don't agree to move the capital, I won't force you to do it."

Emperor Chongzhen's face was filled with fatigue and despair, and he slowly left the Golden Palace.

The once glorious palace now looks so desolate.

He sent someone to summon Crown Prince Zhu Cilang to see him, his heart full of worry and concern about the future.

Not long after, Crown Prince Zhu Cilang hurried over. When he saw his father's haggard face, his heart ached.

"Prince, you must leave the city immediately and flee to the south. The capital can no longer be defended..."

Emperor Chongzhen's voice was hoarse and heavy, and every word seemed to have exhausted all his strength.

Zhu Cilang burst into tears. He clenched his fists tightly and said, "Father, I don't want to leave you. I am willing to guard the capital with you."

Emperor Chongzhen shook his head, with a hint of tenderness and determination in his eyes.

"You are the hope of the Ming Dynasty. You must live and preserve a trace of blood for the Ming Dynasty."

Zhu Cilang knelt on the ground, and the dull sound of his kowtow seemed to be the echo of his inner pain.

His forehead was pressed against the cold ground, tears welled up in his eyes, but he tried hard not to let them fall.

His heart was filled with reluctance, reluctance to leave his father, reluctance to leave this familiar capital city, and reluctance to leave the Ming Dynasty.

How he wanted to stay and fight alongside his father to protect their homeland.

However, reason told him that he couldn't do that.

He knew that his father's decision was for the overall situation and to preserve a glimmer of hope for the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Cilang was struggling painfully inside...

On the one hand, he longed to stay by his father's side, fulfill his filial duty as a son, and face the coming storm together with his father.

He imagined himself standing on the city wall with his father, commanding the soldiers to resist the enemy's attack and fight for the dignity of the Ming Dynasty.

He didn't want to leave at this time, he was afraid that this separation would be forever......