Chapter Seventeen: Seizing the Gate

Outside Desheng Gate in the capital, an elderly eunuch dressed in red dashed out wildly from the city gate, accompanied by dozens of men. From afar, he spotted the banners of the Great Shun and hurried forward, dismounting swiftly and kneeling on the ground.

“I, your humble servant Wang Dehua, respectfully welcome His Majesty the King of the Great Shun into the capital!”

Kneeling low, Wang Dehua did not dare to raise his head. At that moment, a man burst into hearty laughter, pointing at Wang Dehua.

“Old eunuch, raise your head. I ask you, how does the Great Shun Emperor compare to the Ming Emperor?”

Emboldened, Wang Dehua lifted his head to see a burly man clad in a yellow robe and golden armor astride a yellow-brown horse. His rough-hewn features were marked by a scar at the corner of his left eye, lending him a fierce and wild aura. This was none other than the famed, indomitable rebel leader—King Li Zicheng!

Wang Dehua glanced furtively before bowing his head again and said, “Your Majesty is a heroic ruler who founded a dynasty. How could you be compared to Chongzhen?”

Li Zicheng threw back his head and laughed uproariously, pride shining in his eyes. He looked around and declared, “Brothers, follow me into the city to enjoy riches and honor!”

With that, Li Zicheng and his men surged directly through Desheng Gate into the capital. As he reveled in his triumph, his general Li Yan suddenly rode up beside him.

“Your Majesty, this was just handed to me by one of my men. Please take a look,” Li Yan said, presenting a leaflet. It was one that Gu Zhenhua had scattered earlier; the Great Shun troops had found it by chance, and now it had fallen into Li Yan’s hands. Skilled in composing folk songs and rhymes to win popular favor, Li Yan immediately sensed trouble and reported it to Li Zicheng.

“Hahaha, what’s the fuss about? It’s nothing to get worked up over,” Li Zicheng laughed dismissively.

Li Yan grew anxious. “Your Majesty, this leaflet says the Great Shun army will confiscate loot to support the troops, and will kill nobles, eunuchs, and high officials.”

“Master Li, that’s true enough,” General Liu Fangliang chuckled. “If we don’t kill these scoundrels, what are we going to eat and drink? All officials deserve to die!”

Others like Liu Tichun and Tian Jianxiu eagerly agreed. Li Yan’s face flushed with anger—these generals in the rebel camp were as stubborn as wooden beams!

“Your Majesty, we have only twenty thousand troops, while the nobles and high officials’ retainers number several thousand. If this leaflet falls into their hands, it will surely sow chaos and cause widespread desertion, making the situation even more unstable.”

Li Zicheng frowned, finally sobering up. “What do you suggest then?”

“Post proclamations to calm the people, especially the nobles. We must try to win them over.”

“No way!” Liu Fangliang exclaimed. “These people have lived high and mighty for years. Should we really spare them now?” The other rebel generals chimed in. Having fought and bled alongside Li Zicheng for years, they saw this as their moment to claim rewards—no one wanted to spare the Ming nobles.

Li Yan grew more desperate, shouting, “Whether to kill or not is just a word. We must stabilize the situation first, then deal with them later. Emperor Chongzhen is still at large. To make too many enemies now would be unwise.”

At last, Li Zicheng regained clarity. “Li Yan, take men to pacify the people immediately. And make sure to capture whoever is spreading these leaflets—I want to see who dares spoil my plans!”

While Li Zicheng gritted his teeth, the instigator was smugly pleased elsewhere. Gu Zhenhua, at Wang Gong Workshop, had first secured three thousand matchlock guns. Then, guided by Gun Master Ge, he found twenty tiger-crouching cannons, ten foreign muskets, three hundred arquebuses, and one hundred self-igniting firearms in Warehouse C.

These firearms were newly produced, reportedly funded by Chongzhen’s private treasury to bolster the capital’s defenses. But only a fifth had been completed before Li Zicheng struck.

Though they had failed to turn the tide for the Ming, these weapons were crafted with care—no match for the exquisite arms of Zhu Chuncheng’s estate, but hardly flimsy pieces prone to bursting.

Gu Zhenhua, embodying the spirit of the Iron Broom, loaded all the firearms and tiger-crouching cannons onto wagons. Yet he hesitated over the ten foreign muskets. At Wang Gong Workshop, he had procured only a hundred wagons. After loading the guns, gunpowder, and tools, only ten wagons remained.

Two wagons were reserved for the Crown Prince and eunuch Kou Gui; six more for Gun Master Ge and his men. The rest were insufficient. After much thought, Gu Zhenhua chose only two 300-pound foreign muskets to carry, leaving the remaining cannons behind.

“Sir, there is still gunpowder left in the warehouse. Should we blow up these cannons?” Gao Hongtu said slyly.

Gu Zhenhua paused, then shook his head. Logically, they should destroy them to avoid aiding the enemy. But on second thought, these cannons would likely prove decisive in the coming Battle of Yipian Stone. Killing a few more barbarian soldiers was a good thing.

So with a grim face, Gu Zhenhua said, “Escaping safely is the priority. Do we want to make it harder and lure the King in?”

Hearing this, Gao Hongtu nodded eagerly. “You are truly a man of deep foresight, sir. We obey your command!”

As the troops gathered, Gu Zhenhua tallied their numbers: a hundred wagons, over three hundred soldiers excluding drivers. Only eight were his trusted men, the rest included the Crown Prince’s guards, Gao Hongtu’s capital troops, and some Wang Gong Workshop defenders—a typical ragtag band.

Leading such a group safely out of the city was like climbing to the heavens. But no matter how difficult, they had to break through this hurdle. Whether dragon or worm, it all depended on this gamble, Gu Zhenhua thought inwardly.

Mounting his horse, he addressed everyone, “Brothers, the King’s army has entered the city. I cannot guarantee we will all live to see the end, but I promise to fight alongside you to the last moment—no one will be abandoned or left behind!”

At his words, a surge of blood stirred in the hearts of all present. They shouted in unison, “No abandonment, no surrender! No abandonment, no surrender!”

Even the Crown Prince’s guards joined the cry. In times of peril, a strong leader is most needed, and Gu Zhenhua had unquestionably taken on that role. A flame of hope ignited in their hearts.

“Divide into three groups. I will lead fifty men to blaze the trail. Third Brother, you and Xie Bin take a hundred and fifty men to protect the Crown Prince and the artisans—no mistakes allowed. General Gao, you lead a hundred men to guard the rear. Stay close and keep formation. Anyone who deserts in battle will be executed without mercy!”

With orders given, all sprang into action, escorting the hundred wagons swiftly out of Wang Gong Workshop. The streets were even more chaotic—refugees fleeing in panic, scattered soldiers running like headless flies.

In truth, this chaos was partly Gu Zhenhua’s doing. Upon receiving the leaflets, the nobles fled in droves. Their flight spurred others to panic.

Officials, wealthy merchants, eunuchs—anyone sensing danger fled. Unlike ordinary families, their large carriages, gold and silver, and armed guards clogged the streets, worsening the chaos.

Gu Zhenhua had not anticipated such a scene. Not only had he delayed Li Zicheng’s advance, but he had also trapped himself.

Looking up at the moon, past midnight on the nineteenth day of the third lunar month, history recorded that King Li had entered the city and Emperor Chongzhen had hanged himself on Coal Hill. Thinking of that pale “bean sprout” figure, Gu Zhenhua shuddered—his time was truly running out!

“Clear the way! Anyone who blocks the path will be executed without mercy!” Gu Zhenhua shouted fiercely, charging ahead like a tiger. Those still on the road scattered in terror; those who could not evade fell to the ground. Gu Zhenhua paid no heed and crashed forward.

The soldiers behind followed closely, forcing open a path. The wagons pressed on toward Chaoyang Gate.

“Sir, just around the next corner is Chaoyang Gate!” a soldier called out excitedly. A hint of joy appeared on Gu Zhenhua’s face.

But suddenly, a cavalry unit dressed entirely in black charged from the street corner. Their leader’s eyes gleamed upon seeing the convoy.

“General Liu Zongmin is here—prepare to die!” With that, Liu Zongmin dashed at Gu Zhenhua like a streak of lightning.