Xie Ming

Chapter 16 Internal Troubles Begin
According to historical records, at dawn on March 1644, the th year of Chongzhen (), the Dashun Army captured Beijing, and Emperor Chongzhen Zhu Youjian hanged himself on Coal Hill.

On that day, Li Zicheng entered Beijing and the Ming Dynasty collapsed.

In the next two or three months, the Dashun regime, relying on its military might and popular support, quickly took over the entire Yellow River basin and part of the Yangtze River basin. Its ruling areas included Shaanxi, Ningxia, Gansu, Qinghai, Shanxi, Henan, Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin, the entire Shandong province, as well as parts of Hubei, Jiangsu, and Anhui.

Outside Shanhaiguan, the Ming army retreated into the interior under the leadership of Wu Sangui, the Marquis of Pingxi, and Li Yutian, the Governor of Liaodong, and surrendered to the Dashun regime together with Gao Diyidao, the general of Shanhaiguan.

The Qing court took the opportunity to send Prince Zheng Jirgalang and others to take over the areas outside the Great Wall, thus creating a situation in which the Dashun regime and the Qing regime were separated by the Great Wall.

The famous Jiashen Rebellion in history began from here!
Just a few hours before the rebel Li Zicheng entered Beijing, at the beginning of the first hour of the Chinese calendar (1:15), Xiao Jingchuan's troops cleaned up the battlefield, and after reorganization, they began to march on foot towards Hujialing in the heart of Xiangshan.

At 2:15 am, all the troops arrived at the top of the mountain east of Hujialing.

"Lao Xiao, Lao..., Lao Xiao!"

"It's almost time, let's take a break. We haven't had a proper rest since we came out of the capital."

"If we keep going, we'll be exhausted to death!"

Behind Xiao Jingchuan, who was leading the way under the stars, Qiu Zhizhong came up from behind the team breathlessly, intending to stop the march.

After saying that, Xiao Jingchuan turned around and looked down the mountain for a long time.

"Okay, let's stop here for today."

"Chang Ting, go and order the team to stop, rest on the spot for the night, and set off again at dawn!" Xiao Jingchuan said.

"Yes!" Gu Changting, the personal soldier beside him, took the order, turned around and left.

"Fei Yu (Qiu Zhizhong), you are in such a hurry to come here to report something. Did those princes and ministers do something weird again?"

"I have no great abilities, but I am full of bad habits."

"It's just a mountain road, why are you putting on airs? The Crown Prince and the Third Prince are of noble status, and they are young and not strong enough, so I can just send someone to carry them. But Liu Wenbing and Gong Yonggu are only about 30 years old, why do they have to ask someone to carry them?"

"It's only because you tried to stop them, otherwise I would have just lost my temper and killed them both!"

"What a nobody, just a relative. We are on the march, not hunting in the mountains!"

Xiao Jingchuan was furious.

"Oh, that's enough, my General Xiao!"

"After your scare, they have been much quieter on the way."

"It's important to think long-term!"

Qiu Zhizhong tried to comfort him with words, and then handed the water bag to Xiao Jingchuan. The two of them found a big rock to sit on.

"Oh, I know, I'm just complaining to you!"

Taking the water bag, Xiao Lang took a few sips, took out the dry food he carried with him, gave some to Qiu Zhizhong, and the two of them started eating.

"Old Xiao, don't be fooled by the fact that Gong and Liu are so happy. In my opinion, these two people are not very cunning. They are just used to a life of luxury and comfort, so it's inevitable that they have bad habits and behave in an ugly way!"

"If you really want to, let him go through a few battles with real swords and guns, and after killing his temper, maybe he can still be used by you!"

After hearing what Qiu Zhizhong said, Xiao Jingchuan did not comment.

"Maybe. When I get a chance, I'll train them. It would be great if they can be used by me!"

"I know that although you and I have some family background, our reputation is too weak. We can recruit as many princes and nobles as possible into the team, which will also help improve the status of the new army."

"Correct!"

"Old Xiao, your brain is getting smarter and smarter!"

Qiu Zhizhong praised Xiao Lang for his insight, but he also did not forget to tease him. "Go to hell!"

"These two guys are not worth it for you, Mr. Feiyu (Qiu Zhizhong), to come and sigh with me, right?"

"Tell me, is there something wrong with the Crown Prince, or do those old foxes (ministers) who have been in the officialdom for many years have other ideas that they want you to convey?" Xiao Jingchuan said quickly.

"Haha, Lao Xiao, why are you so popular?" Qiu Zhizhong laughed.

"To be honest, compared to those old foxes you mentioned, Gong and Liu are nothing but children."

"Just now, Minister of Revenue Ni Yuanlu, together with Xu Zhi from the Ministry of Personnel, Li Shichun, and Lin Zengzhi, came to talk to me and strongly recommended Jin Xuan from the Ministry of War, Liu Wenbing, and Gong Yonggu, the son-in-law of the emperor. They want you to recruit these three people into the new army and appoint them to military posts to serve the crown prince in the south!"

"I have recommended a few good men from among the servants. You can use them as you wish."

Hearing this, Xiao Jingchuan suddenly raised his eyebrows.

"Haha, these old guys are amazing. We just left the capital and haven't even spent the night yet, and you're already thinking about seizing the military power!"

"The way you eat is really ugly! How abominable!" Xiao Jingchuan said harshly.

"Alas, we are all in this together, Lao Xiao, you don't have to be so angry."

"You were the one who brought these people out from the capital, so you must have had some considerations. To me, these old officials are a bit pedantic, but it is understandable that they are worried about your hegemony."

"His original intention is not necessarily bad, he is just loyal to the emperor and the prince, and he is afraid that you will become too powerful in the future and it will be difficult to control you!"

In fact, Xiao Jingchuan knew clearly what Qiu Zhizhong said. If these people had not been described as loyal and righteous by historians in later generations, he would not have risked dragging them out.

But given the current situation, he had just left the capital, and had no more than 500 soldiers and horses with him, yet the ministers already had a grudge against him, so Xiao Jingchuan was somewhat angry for a while.

"Oh, I see!"

"Jin Xuan, Liu Wenbing and Gong Yonggu, I will remember to train and promote them as appropriate."

"Fei Yu (Qiu Zhizhong), I'm afraid you will have to mediate this matter. Try not to make the relationship awkward!"

"Yes! Yes! Yes! We will obey General Xiao's orders!" Qiu Zhizhong replied jokingly.

"Although these people are somewhat different from what you and I are planning, they will still be useful in dealing with the Donglin Party in the secondary capital in the future."

"Alas, it's hard to say whether we can become a party in the future."

"Eat the emperor's salary, be loyal to the emperor, even if they can't agree with me, as long as the greater good is loyal, I, Xiao Jingchuan, will not make it too difficult for them!"

At this point, Qiu Zhizhong was very pleased and the smile on his face became even brighter.

"It's just you, the once carefree second-generation rich kid, the handsome scholar."

"From now on, we will have to worry and work hard, and we will have to endure hardships!"

"Can you endure it?" Xiao Jingchuan suddenly changed the subject.

"Haha, I, Qiu Zhizhong, have great ambitions, and I only wish to realize them in my lifetime!"

"Xiao Lang, Xiao Lang, you better hold on tight, don't let all my hard work go to waste!"

"Hahaha"

After saying this, they both laughed out loud at each other.

In the early morning of March 19th, the mountains were cool and clear, without any clouds or fog, and the sky was filled with stars and the moonlight was bright.

Soon after Xiao Jingchuan and Qiu Zhizhong finished their conversation, they lay down on a large rock and gradually fell into a deep sleep.
In the dream, Yuzhen's delicate face quietly appeared in front of Xiao Lang!
(End of this chapter)