The Ming Dynasty began in the seventeenth year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign.

Li Zicheng was very pleased with Zhu Cilang's words. Little did he know that Zhu Cilang's flattery was merely a ploy to give his father a proper burial!

Li Zicheng smiled and nodded:

"My word is my bond, and I will absolutely not make things difficult for you."

After saying that, he looked at Li Yan:

"Minister Li, this matter is entrusted to you. Place the body of Emperor Chongzhen outside the Imperial City and allow all officials to pay their respects for three days before burial."

Li Zicheng had no money on hand, nor did he intend to raise funds for Chongzhen's burial. He left the matter to Li Yan, but he had his own plans, aiming to get Zhu Cilang to find the money.

Li Yan guessed Li Zicheng's thoughts and quickly cupped his hands in greeting:

"The Crown Prince has sent 100,000 taels of silver. Your Majesty, I wish to keep 20,000 taels to reward my men, 10,000 taels for the funeral expenses of Emperor Chongzhen, and 70,000 taels for Your Majesty. I beg Your Majesty's permission!"

As a Ming Dynasty scholar, Li Yan had no choice but to rebel. Today, for the safety of the Crown Prince and the smooth burial of Emperor Chongzhen, Li Yan offered 100,000 taels of silver to please Li Zicheng.

He hoped that Li Zicheng would not seek revenge later, and even more so, not put Zhu Cilang to death, which would be his last act for his former master.

Although 70,000 taels of silver is not a large sum, it was a timely help for Li Zicheng at that time.

Peasant armies are different from government troops. When Liu Zongmin and his men looted the silver of officials, gentry, and landlords, they and their soldiers took the lion's share, and were lucky if they could give half to Li Zicheng.

"Can!"

Li Zicheng nodded, then looked at Zhu Cilang and smiled:

"You can work with Li Yan to handle the funeral arrangements for Emperor Chongzhen. To make things easier, I hereby bestow upon you the title of Prince of Song."

"If we are to give Emperor Chongzhen a grand funeral, we will certainly need a large amount of gold and silver. We hope you can tell us where Emperor Chongzhen's treasures are hidden..."

Just like in history, he was enfeoffed as the King of Song by Li Zicheng.

However, historically, the conferment of titles of kings took place in the imperial court, but now it has become Jingshan Park!

It was obvious that Li Zicheng was short of money and thought that if he made Zhu Cilang the Prince of Song, Zhu Cilang would be grateful and reveal the location of Chongzhen's hidden treasure.

As the crown prince, Zhu Cilang was well aware of his father's situation. If his father had money, he wouldn't have ended up in this situation.

With the Zhu family's empire overthrown and his father's death a testament to his loyalty, Zhu Cilang would not truly be grateful, let alone be granted a title by Li Zicheng. Even if Li Zicheng were to withdraw from the capital at this point, Zhu Cilang would not be truly thankful.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Cilang cupped his hands and said:

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I have no desire to be involved in any conflict and only wish to live as an ordinary citizen. The talk of my father's treasure is utter nonsense!"

"During the Chongzhen reign, natural disasters and man-made calamities were so severe that even rats could starve in the national treasury. My father's private treasury had at most a few hundred thousand taels of silver."

When my father dismissed me, he gave us 100,000 taels of silver. There should still be tens of thousands of taels of silver in the imperial treasury. This is the entire savings of the Ming emperor.

The Shun army advanced unimpeded, heading straight for the capital. Why didn't they encounter any reinforcements? It's because the Emperor couldn't afford to reward the army, so they were unwilling to come to the Emperor's aid!

……

Zhu Cilang's words left Li Zicheng and his men speechless...

How could the emperor of the mighty Ming Dynasty be so poor?

But Zhu Cilang's expression when he spoke didn't seem like he was lying at all...

It seems difficult to get silver from Zhu Cilang; we'll have to think of other ways.

Seeing this, Zhang Nai quickly pulled Li Zicheng aside and whispered:

"Your Majesty, please don't worry. We'll find out whether Zhu Cilang has the funds when Emperor Chongzhen is buried. He can't possibly give his father a hasty burial..."

Li Zicheng nodded upon hearing this, then turned to Zhu Cilang and Li Yan. Although he couldn't laugh inside, he forced a smile and said:

"Haha, whether there's treasure or not doesn't matter. What's important is to give Emperor Chongzhen a grand funeral. From now on, you'll follow Li Yan as the Prince of Song. We're both scholars, so it'll be easy to get along!"

"Follow Li Yan?"

Zhu Cilang was overjoyed and hurriedly bowed in greeting:

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Li Zicheng waved his hand and led Zhang Nai and others away...

To be honest, Li Zicheng didn't want to kill Zhu Cilang, nor was he worried that Zhu Cilang would retaliate. Emperor Chongzhen had already hanged himself; what could a crown prince of a fallen kingdom do?

If he were placed under the command of Liu Zongmin or Hao Yaoqi, Li Zicheng worried that the brutes would kill Zhu Cilang.

The safest way is to have Li Yan keep an eye on Zhu Cilang, while Hong Niangzi, being vengeful and quick-witted, will not give Zhu Cilang a chance to escape.

……

Historically, after Emperor Chongzhen was discovered, his body was left exposed outside the imperial city for three days, with only a handful of people coming to pay their respects.

For Chongzhen, the fact that his ministers avoided him for the sake of their own future was an absolute humiliation.

Zhu Cilang did not intend to do so; he wanted his father to be laid to rest as soon as possible.

After Li Zicheng left, Zhu Cilang cupped his hands to Li Yan and said:

"Please trouble you, my lord, to send someone to escort my father's remains out of the city for burial at Consort Tian's tomb tomorrow!"

Li Yan was taken aback and hurriedly asked:

"Why was His Majesty buried in the Imperial Concubine's mausoleum? Doesn't His Majesty have his own mausoleum?"

Zhu Cilang shook his head:

"Father is only thirty-three years old this year and has not prepared his own mausoleum at all. He should be laid to rest as soon as possible!"

Li Yan was speechless...

After a moment, he still advised:

"It would be best to keep His Majesty's body outside the capital for three days, so that officials in the capital can pay their respects. This is the will of the rebel leader!"

Upon hearing Li Yan's words, Zhu Cilang sighed softly:

"A bunch of treacherous officials, few have come to pay their respects. Since it is the King's order, we will carry it out. Thank you, Lord Li!"

Li Yan knew very well that Li Zicheng's move was to tell the Ming Dynasty officials that the Chongzhen Emperor was dead, and they had better obey.

If Emperor Chongzhen were to be buried quietly, some officials loyal to the Ming Dynasty might not give up and could cause trouble.

It was said to be for the convenience of officials to perform sacrifices, but its real purpose was to issue a warning.

Second day

A canopy appeared outside the imperial city, beneath which were the coffins of Emperor Chongzhen and Wang Chengen.

Eight thousand taels of silver to buy two coffins made of Phoebe zhennan wood—that's all Zhu Cilang could afford for the time being; he dared not spend any more money.

Dressed in mourning clothes, he knelt before the coffin, lit stacks of paper money, and gently placed them into the brazier, silently vowing in his heart:

"Father, may you rest in peace. Your son will surely reclaim our lost territories and rebuild your palace..."

On the same day, Li Zicheng issued an order to post notices of the Chongzhen Emperor's death throughout the streets and alleys of Beijing...

Upon hearing this news, most of the common people shed tears, while the official Xun Gui felt both joy and sorrow.

Those who suffered were the officials loyal to the Ming Dynasty, while the treacherous ministers were secretly delighted, fearing that Chongzhen's resistance would lead to the massacre of the city by bandits...

Upon learning of Emperor Chongzhen's death, some loyal ministers and nobles also followed him in death...

Upon hearing the news, Grand Secretary Fan Jingwen rushed to the outskirts of the Imperial City to pay homage to Emperor Chongzhen.

"As a minister, to die without being able to achieve merit on the battlefield is a regretful thing."

After the ceremony, he was filled with suicidal thoughts, left a final message, and jumped into the moat to commit suicide.

Ni Yuanlu, the Minister of Revenue, and his entire family of thirteen committed suicide.

Li Banghua, the Left Censor-in-Chief; Shi Bangzhao, the Vice Censor-in-Chief; Ling Yiqu, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review; Wang Jiayan, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, and others, all died alongside Emperor Chongzhen in battle…

The civil officials, led by Li Banghua and Fan Jingwen, and the relatives of the emperor, led by Liu Wenbing, Marquis of Xinle, and Gong Yonggu, totaled about forty people who died for their country.

If their families are included, thousands died for their country, or committed suicide by self-immolation, hanging, or throwing themselves into wells...

More than 8,000 officials died in battle and were posthumously honored.

Thousands of people committed suicide to die for their country.

More than 700 gentry members and their families committed suicide, affecting more than 4,000 people.

Choi Hyo-il, a Korean, died after a seven-day, seven-night hunger strike.

Historically, all empresses and concubines committed suicide.

Thousands of eunuchs died in battle, and hundreds committed suicide.

More than 300 palace maids committed suicide to serve their country.

This time, due to Zhu Cilang's soul transmigrating, the fates of many palace maids and eunuchs were changed.

Emperor Chongzhen dismissed the palace maids and eunuchs in advance, allowing many people to escape disaster...