I was living at the end of the Ming Dynasty, and I dealt a brutal blow to the Eight Banners!

What's to the north!?

Are they refugees?

On the city wall of Shanhaiguan, Ming soldiers were filled with doubt.

At this time, it had been almost three months since Guangning City was besieged by the Qing army. All that was known in Shanhaiguan was that Wu Sangui and other generals were trying to lift the siege of Guangning. No other news had come back.

The prepared provisions and supplies are being stockpiled inside Shanhaiguan, on the one hand to provide basic provisions and supplies for the Ming army outside the pass, and on the other hand to prepare for the defense of Shanhaiguan.

After being besieged in Guangning, General Ma Ke of Shanhaiguan had a bad feeling. He then used his remaining silver to recruit and train the refugees gathered in Shanhaiguan in order to strengthen the defense of Shanhaiguan.

At that time, Wang Pu was beheaded, and Ma Ke was forced to sign a military pledge in order to keep his position as the commander-in-chief of Shanhaiguan. If he missed another opportunity to win the battle, he would be executed without mercy.

Therefore, holding Shanhaiguan Pass is Ma Ke's last line of defense.

Upon learning of the large number of refugees appearing in the north, Marco immediately dispatched scouts to investigate, and the news they returned was shocking.

Those that appeared north of Shanhaiguan,

They weren't refugees at all; they were actually defeated soldiers from the Ming Dynasty!

this means,

Not only has Guangning City fallen, but the many fortified camps between Guangning City and Shanhaiguan are also likely doomed.

Upon hearing this military intelligence report, Marco felt a surge of nausea and vomited blood.

Upon learning of this news, Zhang Ruoqi, the military supervisor who was inspecting Shanhaiguan, fell off his horse.

With the help of his guards, Zhang Ruoqi stumbled and climbed the gate wall.

Just then, they saw Wu Sangui leading over a hundred cavalrymen galloping towards them.

Wu Sangui's face was covered in blood, and broken arrows were stuck in his body. Most of the cavalrymen behind him were wounded, clearly having just fought their way out of the Qing army's encirclement.

Wu Sangui looked up at Zhang Ruoqi and Ma Ke on the gate tower, composed himself, and said loudly:

"Ma Shaoyu surrendered to the Qing, Guangning City fell, Li Fuming and Cao Bianjiao fought valiantly and died in battle, Tang Tong and Bai Guang'en led their troops to cover the rear, their fate is unknown!"

Upon hearing what Wu Sangui said,

Zhang Ruoqi was stunned, as if struck by lightning.

A look of terror instantly filled his entire face.

He was almost possessed.

He just kept muttering:

"How is it possible...how is it possible..."

……

The news of the Ming army's crushing defeat outside the Great Wall struck like a thunderbolt.

immediately,

It began to spread from Shanhaiguan to all directions.

There were two routes for transmitting messages the fastest, namely, the carrier pigeon, which was even faster than the urgent courier service.

To ensure the message was delivered accurately, at least five carrier pigeons were released for each route.

They traveled south from Shanhaiguan, heading straight for the capital.

Another route went east from Shanhaiguan, heading straight for Fuzhouwei, Guam, Liaodong.

……

Several carrier pigeons flew to the capital one after another.

immediately,

Warning bells rang throughout the capital.

Since the first year of the Chongzhen reign, when Huang Taiji led his army to bypass the Guan-Ning-Jin defense line defended by Yuan Chonghuan, detour through Mongolia, enter the Ming Dynasty through Xifengkou and head straight for Beijing, the bell would ring if the frontline troops were to suffer a defeat that could endanger the capital.

This was so that the garrison in the capital could prepare for defense in advance.

Warning bells rang out from the city gate towers.

For a time,

The atmosphere in the entire city of Beijing instantly became oppressive and tense.

After a brief moment of disbelief, the people in the city packed up their stalls, closed their shops, and went home.

Wang Chengen, who happened to be on leave today and was holding his own birthday banquet at his residence, was enjoying the flattery and congratulations from his servants.

When the alarm bell rings

Wang Chengen overturned the table where the guests were being entertained, scolding them for having the nerve to eat and drink at this time, and throwing away all the gifts the guests had brought.

He was a eunuch who served Zhu Youjian when he was Prince Xin, and now he is the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, serving Zhu Youjian at his side.

Without basic political acumen, how could he have gotten to where he is today?

Before Zhu Youjian could even summon him, Wang Chengen rushed into the palace and returned to his post.

Upon entering the Hall of Prudence,

Inside, they found a group of high-ranking officials kneeling on the ground.

Minister of War Chen Xinjia, Director of the Imperial Household Department Wang Dehua, Minister of Justice Fan Jingwen, and Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard Luo Yangxing all knelt on the ground, not daring to utter a sound.

Emperor Chongzhen, Zhu Youjian, sat on the dragon throne, looking at the memorial in his hand with a gloomy expression.

Wang Chengen quietly stepped forward and knelt down.

"Your Majesty, minister..."

"Snapped!"

An imperial decree struck Wang Chengen squarely on the head.

"Go immediately to Fuzhou Garrison and request my Marquis of Pinglu to take charge of the overall situation!"

……

"It's almost noon. Take the disgraced official Tian Hongyu to the execution platform!"

At the executioner's command, two jailers brought Tian Hongyu, dressed in prison clothes and wearing shackles, to the execution platform.

Tian Hongyu's hair was disheveled, and his eyes were filled with sadness.

He knelt on the execution platform.

Looking up at the gray sky, a question arose in my mind.

Could it be... that I really made the wrong choice?

Do not,

I didn't make the wrong choice; the mistake lies with His Majesty and the ministers in the court!

Establishing a fiefdom was the idea of ​​the Earl of Pinglu.

Tian Hongyu felt that this was not wrong.

The Qing forces were strong, and the Ming army in Guangning was lax in its defenses and lacked unity, making it impossible for them to stop the Qing.

To preserve the vast territory of Liaodong, the only option is to establish a vassal state and allow the Earl of Pinglu to govern himself. Only then can there be a sliver of hope and the defense of the northern border of the Ming Dynasty.

"Heaven is going to destroy my Great Ming Dynasty!"

Thinking of this, tears of resentment streamed down Tian Hongyu's face.

Looking at the crowd of onlookers below the execution platform, Tian Hongyu couldn't help but shout loudly:

"Your Majesty, only the Earl of Pinglu can defend the northern border for our Great Ming and drive out the Qing invaders!"

Tian Hongyu's shouts moved all the onlookers.

For a time,

There was much discussion and debate.

Seeing that Tian Hong was still trying to stir up public opinion even as he faced death, the executioner's face darkened, and he roared angrily:

"Tian Hongyu, even on your deathbed you still spread falsehoods and mislead the public! Guards, execute him!"

finished,

The executioner threw the execution warrant on the ground.

The executioner, carrying a large, gleaming sword and a bowl of strong liquor, calmly walked onto the execution platform.

When Tian Hongyu saw the executioner walking towards him, he trembled all over, feeling utterly terrified.

"I...I...I am innocent!!!"

Tian Hongyu cried, sobbing uncontrollably.

Right now,

What is the Ming Dynasty, what is the Earl of Pinglu, none of them are worth as much as my own dog's life.

It's all my fault for being too reckless; I shouldn't have brought up the matter of establishing a fiefdom.

But now, it's too late for regrets.

The executioner spat the last mouthful of strong liquor onto the executioner's blade, and just as he was about to raise the knife, he frowned.

He smelled an unpleasant odor, a stench of urine that even strong liquor couldn't mask.

A slight smile appeared on the executioner's lips.

Having been an executioner for so many years, he had chopped off at least eighty or a hundred heads; he had seen such scenes countless times.

Even the toughest bone and the most stubborn mouth will be terrified in front of one's own ghost-headed blade.

"Don't worry, my knife is sharp, it won't hurt!"

Just as the executioner raised his blade to strike,

A rider on horseback galloped down the street, shouting, "Spare his life!"

The crowd looked in the direction of the voice and saw a palace eunuch holding the imperial edict high as he approached the execution platform.

The eunuch first glanced at everyone, and upon seeing that Tian Hongyu was still alive, he breathed a sigh of relief.

then,

Shouting at the top of his lungs, he held up the imperial edict and proclaimed:

"His Majesty has decreed that Left Commander-in-Chief Tian Hongyu be appointed Imperial Commissioner and ordered to proceed immediately to Fuzhou Guard to request the Marquis of Pinglu to take up his fief and oversee the overall situation in Liaodong!"

……