Chapter 217 Li Yan's death

Forbidden City, Donghuamen.

When Niu Jinxing was about to visit Li Zicheng in Wenhua Palace, he suddenly saw several soldiers from the King of Rebellion outside Donghua Gate stopping a rebel general. Niu Jinxing looked carefully and saw that wasn’t Jing Maocheng under Li Yan’s tent? Jing Maocheng looked anxious, but the soldiers said that they would not let him in.

Niu Jinxing coughed and stepped forward and asked, "What's going on? Why are you quarrel?"

A personal soldier clasped his fists and replied, "Prime Minister, this guy said it was a side general in front of General Li Yan's tent, and he insisted on seeing the king, but he asked him for a certificate but he didn't."

Jing Maocheng saw Niu Jinxing in a blink of an eye and said happily: "Prime Minister, tell them quickly. The last general is really a side general under General Li Yan's tent. If you have urgent matters, you have to report to the king."

"An urgent matter?" Niu Jinxing stroked the willow beard on his chin and asked, "What urgent matter? The king has been in a bad mood these days. You just entered in a rash manner. It is inevitable that you will be bored. Why not do this? Let me tell you first, and I will report to the king for you."

Did Jing Mao become: "This..."

"What?" Niu Jinxing said coldly, "Can you not believe in the true form?"

"Ah, of course not." Jing Maocheng hurriedly said, "Actually there is no urgent matter, but my general was seriously injured, so he ordered the last general to come to Beijing to send a message to the king. My general said, "I ask the king to defend Beijing no matter what, and wait for the troops from Shanxi, Shaanxi, Shandong and Henan provinces to come to help."

"Oh?" Niu Jinxing said in a narrow voice, "General Li Yan was seriously injured. Where is he now?"

Jing Maocheng said: "I have moved towards Tianjin Wei, and I plan to join the army from Shandong and Henan first, and then come to Beijing."

"Okay." Niu Jinxing said, "General Li Yan's suggestion must be conveyed to the king on his behalf, and you can go back."

"Thank you, Prime Minister."

Jing Maocheng bowed with his fists, turned around and left.

Wenhua Palace.

Li Zicheng was lying on the back of the chair, closing his eyes to rest. A slight sound of footsteps suddenly woke him up. When he opened his eyes, he saw that Prime Minister Niu Jinxing had come. He breathed a sigh of relief and sat up, saying hello, "Prime Minister, are you here?"

Niu Jinxing did not dare to be negligent, and knelt on the ground three and nine kowtowed, then sang: "My aunt Niu Jinxing, long live my emperor, long live long live long live long live long live long live long live long live long live long live long live long live long live long live long live long live long live long live long live long live long live long live long live long live long live long live long live long live long live long live long live long live long live long, long live long live long live long live long, long live long live long live long, long live long live long live long, long live long live long, long live long live long, long live long live long, long live long live long, long live long live long, long live long live long, long live long live long, long live long live long, long live long, long live long, long live long, long live long, long live long, long live long, long live long, long live long, long live long, long live long, long live long, long live long, long live long, long live long, long live long, long live long,

"Forget it." Li Zicheng waved his hand and frowned, "How are you preparing for the throne?"

Niu Jinxing said: "Long live the start, it's ready."

"Well, that's good." Li Zicheng nodded and said, "Then you go down and prepare first. The throne ceremony will be held tomorrow and the day after tomorrow will be evacuated from Beijing."

"I received the order." Niu Jinxing turned around and took less than two steps and came back, whispering, "Long live, I don't know if I should say it or not?"

"Tell me." Li Zicheng closed his eyes and rubbed his temples while asking, "What's the matter?"

Niu Jinxing said: "Just just met Jing Maocheng, a side general in front of Li Yan's tent outside Donghua Gate, and said that he brought a message to Longsui by Li Yan's order."

"Oh?" Li Zicheng said, "What words did Li Yan bring?"

Niu Jinxing said: "Li Yan suggested that he stayed alive to defend Beijing and wait for the troops from Shaanxi, Shanxi, Shandong and Henan to come to support him."

"What?" Li Zicheng suddenly opened his eyes and said in a voice, "Li Yan suggested that I defend Beijing to the death? What is the reason?"

Niu Jinxing said: "I didn't say this."

"Is there such a thing?" Li Zicheng said, "Will guard Beijing to the death, let me fall into the trap of the king? What is this guy Li Yan's intention?"

Niu Jinxing took out a secret letter from his sleeve and handed it to Li Zicheng's case, and whispered: "Long live, look at this again."

"What?" Li Zicheng frowned, "You tell me."

Niu Jinxing said: "This is a secret letter just sent over there. The letter said that Li Yan had led his army to move towards Tianjin Wei without authorization, and repeatedly claimed in front of his generals that if Long Live had listened to his advice, and should not underestimate the enemy and go out of the Great Wall to fight Wu Sangui with a decisive battle, there would be no defeat in a stone!"

"Bastard!" Li Zicheng was so angry that he slapped and yelled, "If Li Yan's right-wing cavalry had not collapsed first, how could my army be defeated by Wu Sangui and Jiannu? This damn Li Yan, I have not settled the debt with him yet, so he would have criticized me for not coming. It's really outrageous!"

Niu Jinxing said: "Long live, when it comes to the defeat of a stone, I am also suspicious."

Li Zicheng said: "What do you think?"

Niu Jinxing said: "Long live, the right-wing cavalry legion at that time was the most elite cavalry in our army. It was not only well-equipped but also experienced many battles. It was only stronger than the Jiannu cavalry outside the pass. But in fact, in less than half an hour, the eight thousand cavalry on the right wing collapsed all over the line!"

Li Zicheng's eyes gradually became cold.

Niu Jinxing said again: "Also, what is even more confusing is that after the collapse of the right-wing cavalry corps, Major General Li Guo was killed and Deputy Military Advisor Song Xiance was killed. But only Li Yan was safe. Not only Li Yan was safe, but several of his generals and five hundred trusted cavalry were safe. Long live, is this a coincidence?"

Li Zicheng said: "What do you mean?"

"There is only one explanation, that is, Li Yan had already escaped before the right-wing cavalry legion collapsed!" Niu Jinxing took a deep breath and said in a voice, "I think it was because of Li Yan's failure to fight that disrupted the morale of the army, which caused the right-wing cavalry legion to collapse on the entire line, and eventually led to our army's defeat in a stone battle!"

"This..." Li Zicheng frowned, "Li Yan seems not a person who is afraid of death."

Niu Jinxing said: "Of course Li Yan is not a person who is afraid of death, but he does this for a reason."

"Cause?" Li Zicheng said, "What's the reason?"

Niu Jinxing said: "Long live, there is something that I have been hesitating whether to report to you. Now it seems that it will be impossible not to report."

Li Zicheng said: "What exactly is it?"

Niu Jinxing said: "According to the verification of the eminent officials, the night when the army entered Beijing, the general in front of Li Yan's tent, Jing Maocheng, the princess Canming, the princess Yong, Ding, Princess Changping, and the Nanjing Admiral Wang Pu of the Canming and the following soldiers were secretly seized in the prison at Chaoyangmen Pass."

"What did you say?" Li Zicheng's face changed drastically, and he said, "Is this really the case?"

"It's true! Many soldiers of the rebel army witnessed this scene at that time." Niu Jinxing said, "It's a pity that when Weichen learned about this, Wang Pu had already escaped with Prince Canyang and others. However, Weichen wondered why Jing Mao became so not to report to the king? Thinking about it now, there must be Li Yan's instructor behind this matter."

"You mean..." Li Zicheng gritted his teeth, "It was Li Yan who let Prince Canming and Wang Pu go?"

Niu Jinxing said: "Although it's just a guess, I think that's what it is."

"Why?" Li Zicheng said angrily, "Why did Li Yan do this?"

Niu Jinxing said: "If we link the two things about letting Prince Can Ming go and suggesting Long Live to defend Beijing, Li Yan's conspiracy will be obvious! He wants our rebel army to fight against Jiannu in Beijing and let Can Ming reap the benefits! All signs show that Li Yan had already had a secret relationship with Can Ming, and even Li Yan had defected to Da Ming as early as the time of Datong."

"Damn it, this is something that is stingy!" Li Zicheng clenched his fists angrily and roared, "Send someone to Tianjin Guard to capture Li Yan immediately. If you dare to resist arrest, you will kill him on the spot! Then let Li Hu lead his army to Beijing to meet!"

Niu Jinxing lowered his eyebrows and smiled sinisterly: "There is a bad minister."

Nanjing.

The imperial city originally had palace buildings modified during the period of Emperor Hongwu, and eunuchs were kept in care. After a little repair, the prince, King Yong, King Ding and Princess Changping moved into the palace from the Yanziji military camp.

Zhang Zian, the eunuch in Nanjing, transformed into an eunuch in charge of the seal of the Sili Supervisor, and Han Zanzhou, the eunuch in Fengyang, and Han Zanzhou, the eunuch in charge of the Yanxi Supervisor. In addition, more than 100 eunuchs were recalled from the mining, tax and salt supervision yamen in Jiangnan to take care of the daily life of Princess Changping and the four brothers.

In fact, the four brothers and sisters of Princess Changping are quite pitiful. The eldest is only sixteen years old, the prince is fourteen years old, the king of Yong is twelve years old, and the youngest is only six years old, but they also lose their father and mother. In Nanjing, they have no relatives, and only a group of eunuchs who are not men and women are with them day and night.

The four siblings who had been frugal since childhood tasted the taste of the country and the family. Princess Changping Zhu Weiru grew up almost overnight. Every day, in addition to urging the prince and the work of Yong, he also had to coax King Ding to play and sleep. He took on the responsibility of taking care of the three younger brothers with her tender shoulders.

When Wang Pu came to the bedroom with Zhang Zi'an, Han Zanzhou and Lu Jiude, he respectfully invited the prince to court, Princess Changping was wearing a dragon robe for the prince himself. Today is the auspicious day chosen by the Ministry of Rites. The prince Zhu Cilang, who was only fourteen years old, was about to ascend the throne and become the seventeenth emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

"Crown Prince." Zhang Zi'an knelt in front of Zhu Cixuan with a few memorial books and said in a charming voice, "These adults from the Ministry of Rites have drafted a few years and asked the prince to choose."

The young prince said hesitantly: "Miss!"

"Sister obeys the order."

Zhang Zi'an agreed and opened the memorial book in one by one, and started to recite it, "Hongli, Yongli, Longping, Yongxing, Longwu..."

"Okay, this is good." The prince said, "Longwu is good, it's Longwu."

Tianjin Wei, Li Yan’s residence.

Looking at Li Yan, who looked gray and haggard on the soft couch, Madam Hong couldn't help but feel heartbroken and tears fell like rain.

Li Yan opened his sour eyelids, looked at Hong Madam coldly, and said, "Since you have left, why are you coming back?"

The Hongniang cried and said, "I heard that you are injured..."

"You don't have to worry about it." Li Yan said coldly, "I have given you the divorce letter. The name of you and my husband has been eliminated. The grudges and grudges are clear. The life and death of this general has nothing to do with you."

The Hongniang said sadly: "But..."

"Nothing but." Li Yan groaned and shouted, "Old Qi!"

Li Jun flashed into the tent and said sadly: "Brother, I'm here."

Li Yan glanced at Hong Niang coldly and said in a muffled voice: "Don't let irrelevant people come in again in the future."

"Brother." Li Jun said anxiously, "He is his sister-in-law..."

"Shut up!" Li Yan said angrily, "Your sister-in-law is dead!"

The Hong Madam looked miserable and covered her face with a sad cry.

Looking at the direction of the departure of Hong Niang, Li Jun said sadly: "Brother, you shouldn't treat your sister-in-law like this. I can see that my sister-in-law has you in her heart."

"Enough." Li Yan breathed a sigh of relief and said dejectedly, "I'm tired and want to sleep."

"well."

Li Jun sighed softly and lowered his head and left Li Yan's room.

Soon, Li Jun went back, and Li Hu, Jing Maocheng and three rebel envoys came in together. These three rebel envoys were sent by Li Zicheng. Leaders were Li Yi, Li Yi, Li Yan, Li Hu, Jing Maocheng and others knew each other and said loudly: "The king has an order, Li Yan, and Li Hu received the order."

When Li Hu was in charge of the mission, he did not dare to neglect and had to kneel in front of Li Yi.

Li Yan quickly said to Li Jun: "Lao Qi, help your elder brother up."

When Li Jun stepped forward and helped Li Yan to kneel down, Li Yicai glanced at Li Yan coldly and shouted in a deep voice: "According to investigation, Li Yan secretly colluded with Can Ming, and privately persuaded Can Ming Crown Prince Zhu Cixuan and Nanjing Admiral Wang Pu and others to commit crimes. The crime is unforgivable. He immediately locked it into Beijing and handed it over to the Ministry of Justice for prosecution. The army of his troops will be temporarily led by Li Hu!"

"ah?"

"this?"

As soon as Li Yi finished speaking, Li Yan raised his mouthful of blood and immediately fainted on the ground with a "pop".
To be continued...