253, Li Zicheng hanged himself in a small courtyard
Surrounded by a group of guards, Li Zicheng hurriedly walked along the backyard of Dashun Palace, hoping to leave the palace and find an opportunity to escape from Xi'an City.
Along the way, we met many people. Many eunuchs and palace maids subconsciously wanted to follow Emperor Li Zicheng, but they were immediately beaten and kicked by the accompanying guards and drove away directly.
Several officials shouted loudly, wanting to join Li Zicheng's escape ranks, but Li Zicheng also ignored them directly.
Li Zicheng didn't even want his wife and children, so what are these ministers?
Soon, Li Zicheng had approached a side door exit of the Xi'an Palace.
This place was originally a channel for purchasing food and transporting various daily necessities in the palace. It was rarely visited by people, but now it has become Li Zicheng's way to escape.
Everything seemed to be going well, and Li Zicheng couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
"Wait a minute, let me take a break!"
Li Zicheng is no longer the Li Zicheng he used to be. In recent years, he has basically not personally charged on the battlefield. In addition, his body and age have been exhausted, and physical strength has become a huge problem.
Li Zicheng ordered that everyone could only stop.
Li Zicheng was gasping for breath, and someone brought clean water. After drinking it in a big gully, he felt refreshed.
The pleasure this clear water brings to him is actually more than any beautiful wine and beautiful woman.
After Li Zicheng finished drinking, he looked up at the surroundings.
At this moment, there were about two or three hundred guards beside Li Zicheng, not many.
To be fair, Li Zicheng was a little disappointed.
But he also knew very well that it was already very good to have these people protecting him in a hurry.
Li Zicheng made a promise: "Second and third son, you will protect me from retreating today. When I make a comeback in the future, you will be the founding heroes of Dashun!"
The reason why Li Zicheng was able to support the Ming Dynasty for sixteen years, ups and downs, was that he was always able to unite people in failure.
This time, Li Zicheng's promise seemed to have achieved the same effect.
The guards responded in unison: "Please rest assured by your Majesty. We will definitely escort Your Majesty away from here!"
Suddenly, the entire palace became more and more noisy.
A heart-wrenching shout came not far away: "The imperial army has entered, everyone should run away!"
Then, the sound of banging musket fire began to come and it kept approaching over time.
Li Zicheng was shocked and suddenly stopped breathing. He spoke directly: "Hurry, follow me to leave here!"
Everyone opened the palace gate, got another carriage, and hurriedly protected Li Zicheng to leave the Dashun Palace.
Looking at the Dashun Palace, which was gradually being thrown away behind him, Li Zicheng felt both glad and loss.
Fortunately, he was able to leave while the Ming army had not yet captured the palace, and was disappointed because of this departure, so I don’t know when I could return to this palace.
Li Zicheng cheered up and ordered: "Let's go west and see which city gates there are still controlled by the loyal people!"
After all, Li Zicheng is a person with rich experience in escape, and he drafted a route to escape in a short time.
The main force of the Ming army led by Zhu Cixuan came from the east, and the direction of breaking the city was basically the east, so Li Zicheng's escape to the west was the most likely way to leave Xi'an City now.
Along the way, many ordinary people and officials in Xi'an were in panic, and the entire city was in chaos and all kinds of rumors were flying all over the sky.
"The Ming army has broken the city, and His Highness the Crown Prince and the Queen have been arrested!"
"Your Majesty has hanged himself in the palace, and Dashun is destroyed!"
"We will surrender quickly, otherwise the court's troops will be held accountable by then."
Li Zicheng was too lazy to pay attention to these things, so he would escape first.
Running all the way, we arrived at Zhengyangmen in the northwest.
Although there is a bit of chaos here, there are still signs of military activity on the city walls.
Li Zicheng looked through the car window and then was overjoyed: "It's Li Erwazi, and he's still guarding here. It's so great."
Li Erwazi refers to Li Zicheng's second nephew, Li Zhengqi, who was appointed as the Grand Marshal of the Dashun Jingzuo. He was considered to be one of the military generals who had low rankings in Dashun, but had the power to defend the "Beijing".
Li Zicheng hurriedly said, "Hurry, let Erwazi open the city immediately, and then escort me away with his troops!"
The light of hope was already revealed in Li Zicheng's eyes. He could feel that the opportunity to leave Xi'an was right in front of him and freedom was right in front of him!
Li Zicheng's order was immediately implemented resolutely, and a guard officer hurriedly walked up to the city wall to negotiate.
A moment later, the body of the guard fell from the sky and landed heavily not far from Li Zicheng's carriage.
Li Zicheng was shocked.
Then, many arrows fell from the city wall like raindrops, directly covering the carriage where Li Zicheng was.
The palace guard beside Li Zicheng never expected that the friendly forces on the city wall would suddenly turn against each other, and suffered heavy losses without any preparation.
Even the general who loyally guarded Li Zicheng leaving the palace died in this rain of arrows.
Subsequently, Li Zhengqi, who was called "Li Erwazi" by Li Zicheng, heard from the city wall.
"Hurry up, go down and take down the rebel Li Zicheng and hand it over to the court. His Royal Highness will receive a lot of rewards!"
Li Zicheng is completely muggy.
There is no need to say too much. Just this sentence, Li Zicheng already understood everything.
Everyone has betrayed him!
Li Zicheng jumped out of the carriage and staggered towards the alley not far away. Behind him, the only dozens of guards were shouting, fighting with the pursuit troops led by Li Zhengqi.
Li Zicheng ran for a while, suddenly his feet slipped and fell into a simple courtyard not far away.
Behind him, the dense footsteps were approaching, and Li Zhengqi's voice was still loud: "The thief Li Zicheng cannot run far, everyone, please search! Whoever catches Li Zicheng, will I give him a bounty of 1,000 taels!"
A voice laughed and said, "General, I heard that the prince of the court offered a bounty of 100,000 taels to offer a reward of His Majesty... Where is Li Zicheng's head, do you give us this little?"
Li Zhengqi laughed and scolded: "So much nonsense, you can find it first!"
Li Zicheng listened to these conversations and knew that the guards who were loyal to him in the end had all been slaughtered by Li Zhengqi, and he couldn't help but lose all his thoughts. He knew that this time he had no luck.
Li Zicheng looked left and right and happened to see a crooked tree in the courtyard. He gritted his teeth and took off the belt around his waist and made a condom on the branch.
"I should have unified the world and swept across the Liuhe River, but I am not lucky enough! Alas, how sad!"
Li Zicheng no longer hesitated and directly penetrated his head into the condom, then kicked the stool under his feet.
After a while of swaying, Li Zicheng's body no longer moved.
Chapter completed!