I am the prince of the Ming Dynasty, I don't give up

Chapter 551 Zhu Houzhao's Order
These steel gun shields played a significant role. The shells on the city had slowed down a lot after flying over 3,000 meters. They could be easily deflected when hitting the gun shields with a certain arc. Many guns were saved from becoming scrap metal, but the corresponding casualties were still unavoidable.
Fortunately, the artillery on the city wall was quickly extinguished. Some of it was destroyed by the shells fired from below the city, and some of it was because the gunners evacuated. After all, it was a very difficult task to fight under the bombardment of so many artillery.
The sound of the bombardment outside the north city could be heard throughout the capital, causing countless people to fall into panic.
"What's that sound?" Zhu Houzhao said with difficulty in his tiny voice while lying on the bed, "Why does it sound like there are so many cannons... cough cough cough."

Zhu Houzhao looked like he had lost a lot of weight. He was covered with a thick quilt, and his cheekbones were protruding. He looked skinny and frail.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, are you awake?" the white-haired Zhang Yong cried.

The eunuchs and doctors around him also knelt down.
Zhu Houzhao did not open his eyes, but panted for a while before slowly opening his mouth:
"Jingwu. Is the King of Wu back?"

More tears welled up in Zhang Yong's eyes. He didn't know how to answer for a moment, and finally said, "I'll be back soon."

A trace of disappointment flashed across Zhu Houzhao's face, and he panted and said, "Why haven't you come back yet? I really want to see him. Cough cough cough."

Zhu Houzhao seemed to have used up a lot of energy after saying this, and he looked a little more depressed.
Zhang Yong covered his mouth tightly, trying not to cry out loud, and then whispered, "Your Majesty, take a good rest and take care of yourself. You will be able to see King Wu when he comes back."

"I'm afraid I can't wait any longer. Cough cough cough." Zhu Houzhao coughed weakly.
"Your Majesty, please stop talking. I beg you." Zhang Yong could no longer control herself and burst into tears.
"Pass the order. Ahem." Zhu Houzhao continued stubbornly.

"I am listening."

"Appoint the King of Wu as the Emperor. The crown prince will inherit the throne. Cough cough cough." Zhu Houzhao seemed to have exhausted all his strength after saying this and fainted.
"My Lord, My Lord!" Zhang Yong knelt on the ground and cried helplessly.
"How is His Majesty doing?" A voice suddenly came to Zhang Yong's ears.
He was very familiar with this voice, it was Jiang Bin's voice
"I am incompetent. Your Majesty has been having a fever for a long time. He has been having a low fever and eating very little. He has been in a coma most of the time. His condition is worse than the past few days." A man dressed as an imperial physician replied quickly.

"Jiang Bin, when did you come?" Zhang Yong asked, wiping away his tears.

"Just when His Majesty was speaking his will." Jiang Bin looked at Zhu Houzhao on the bed with a complicated expression.

"The emperor has been very kind to you over the past decade. You have heard the emperor's order. You..." Zhang Yong said quickly.

"I know your majesty's kindness to me, but I can't turn back now." Jiang Bin looked a little more panicked. Zhang Yong's eyes fixed. This was the first time Jiang Bin showed such emotion recently. Could it be that the situation outside had changed?
Without waiting for Zhang Yong to speak, Jiang Bin said, "I have something to do, and I need you to step aside for a while."

After saying this, he waved his hand, and a dozen personal soldiers rushed in from outside and escorted everyone in the room out.
Zhang Yong struggled violently, but in the end it was of no avail.
"Let them in." Jiang Bin waved his hand and said.

Soon, seven men in Guards uniforms were led in.
Jiang Bin had a look of grief on his face. He said to them, "His Majesty is in bed. He is still very weak and needs to rest. You must be careful and do not disturb His Majesty."

The seven representatives of the Imperial Guard nodded vigorously. They walked forward carefully, and after seeing Zhu Houzhao's appearance, they knelt down. Tears immediately fell, and they could not hold back at all.
"Go outside and cry, don't disturb His Majesty." Jiang Bin said hurriedly.

They tried their best to control themselves, but some people couldn't help themselves and walked out in big strides, and then bursts of suppressed crying could be heard from outside.
"It was that treacherous king who harmed His Majesty into this state. If that treacherous king breaks into the city, will His Majesty be in good shape?" Jiang Bin said in a low voice.

All the representatives of the Imperial Guards were silent, and just looked at the unconscious Zhu Houzhao with sorrow.
"Go back and tell your brothers everything you saw today. We can't let that treacherous king succeed." Jiang Bin continued to cheer them up.

The representatives of the Imperial Guards were naturally unable to ask anything of Zhu Houzhao who was in a coma, and were finally easily persuaded to leave by Jiang Bin.
After they left, Jiang Bin sighed deeply and looked at the unconscious Zhu Houzhao with an uncertain expression.
The days in winter are still relatively short. The sun soon set behind the mountain. The artillery trains under the city finally stopped firing, and the city walls, which had been battered by potholes, finally got some time to breathe.
The Andingmen Tower was already on the verge of collapse. In fact, the frequency of the railway gun firing was not high. First, the reload was slow, and second, it had to stop to cool down after firing a dozen shots. However, there were too many cannons, and there were railway guns in other directions to take turns.
The artillerymen pulled out the steel wedges beside the wheels, and the train guns slowly left their positions. They needed to be pulled to the rear for maintenance.
Zhu Houxuan was looking at the brightly lit walls of the capital in the distance. He was holding a piece of paper in his hand. The content on the paper was how Zhu Houxuan assassinated Zhu Houzhao, and there was also an imperial decree from Empress Dowager Zhang, calling on the old guards to capture Zhu Houxuan. Whoever captured Zhu Houxuan would be conferred the title of Duke.
"I didn't expect that the enemy is better than us in propaganda." Zhu Houxuan said lightly.

These papers were thrown by the enemy from the towers at the gates of the capital. If the wind direction was right and the wind was strong enough, they could fly very far. Many of them fell into the hands of the old guards who were besieging the city, causing some commotion.
"I am incompetent. Tomorrow I will build a platform and use the same method to distribute leaflets in the city." Sun Gong from the Propaganda Department said with his head down.

"Don't waste your energy. How high can you build the platform? You have to build a platform of at least 40 meters. Otherwise, your leaflets may be blocked by the 15-meter-high city wall of the capital. I know you have done your best in publicity. Let's do it this way for now. Prepare your leaflets. I have other arrangements for publicity." Zhu Houxuan said.

Then he looked at the Minister of Light Industry and said, "Haven't you finished what I told you to do?"

(End of this chapter)