Chapter Nineteen: All Hit

  When Li Gong saw the city gate tower of Xibian Gate, he mixed in with the crowd and led his horse slowly into the city. The time was already October 15th of Chongzhen's sixteenth year.

  He rushed to Weinan, which took him four days. On the return trip, he was much more relaxed, also because he had been too tired from rushing on the road before, and his body really couldn't hold up, so he could only take it easy, walking for a few hours each day and resting. It wasn't until the evening of the 15th that he barely made it into the capital city before the city gate closed.

  Entering the city, calculating the time, it was already too late to enter the palace. So, I simply continued east and stopped only when I reached the vicinity of Dongchenggen near Xuanwumen.

  Although it was already dark, the capital city was still densely populated and extremely lively.

  Arriving here, there's a bit of a feeling of being home, and Li Gong couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

  After traveling thousands of miles, with a face full of wind and frost, hearing this familiar hometown accent is like a gentle stream flowing slowly, washing away all fatigue. Even the shouting of those vendors on the street, which normally sounds too noisy, now sounds pleasant to the ear, warm and intimate.

  Just walking into the city, there is an inexplicable awkwardness between every step.

  His home was just near the East City, looking at the time, his family had already finished dinner, and he didn't want to go back home to disturb them. So he found a tavern to stable his horse, and when the waiter came out to greet him, he instructed: "First give the horse a good wash, then feed it some high-quality fodder... add a few eggs, and we'll settle the bill later."

  "Ah, come on... an old customer, hurry up and serve him!"

  Inside, there were not many diners, only a table of five or six people by the window, wearing short brown and gray clothes with hemp shoes. It was unknown how they could come to such a high-end restaurant. Although it was curious, this group of people had their backs to him, and Li Gong didn't think much of it. He sat down and ordered: "Cut two catties of lamb's head meat, pour four cups of wine, bring another bowl of noodles, scrambled eggs... that's all, hurry up!"

  "Alright, old customer, wait a moment!"

  After ordering wine and dishes, Li Gongxian came over with nothing to do, taking a casual glance around, feeling that it was greatly different from usual.

  Normally, the hotels in Dongchenggen were frequented by Confucian scholars wearing square scarves and loose robes, who looked unassuming but might actually be officials from some ministry or imperial censors from the Ducha Yuan, exuding elegance and refinement. After changing into casual clothes with a few close friends, they would come to this kind of tavern for a drink.

  After all, without being a high-ranking official of the first or second grade, without having a large mansion and a group of servants waiting on you, it's still more convenient to go out and eat with friends.

  Today is vastly different from usual, looking around, guests wearing long shirts are scarce, more than half of the wine tables are empty, even if there are occasionally one or two tables with people sitting, mostly one or two people, drinking quietly, looking like they're not having fun, but rather drowning their sorrows.

  "The situation in Beijing seems extremely oppressive."

  As soon as he thought of this, Li Gong couldn't sit still. He returned slowly, but the news spread quickly, the Ming army report was the fastest, and the Ministry of War's 600-li express was even faster. The road from Shaanxi to Beijing had not been cut off, and with more than half the time it took him to return, he could send the latest news to the capital.

  "Alas, unfortunately I couldn't enter the palace, otherwise there would definitely be some real news." Just as Li Gong was worrying, someone came into the shop. Li Gong looked and was overjoyed, took two steps forward, clasped his hands together in greeting, and said: "It's Xiaosheng, my younger brother! Brother pays his respects."

  "Ho, it's Big Brother Li!"

  A man wearing a Taoist robe made of green cloth, with his hair untied and only a simple belt around his waist. Despite the cold weather, he looked quite spirited. However, this bald-headed Taoist was holding a fan made of Xiangfei bamboo in his hand, making his outfit even more bizarre.

  But that's not all. This person is handsome and elegant, with a refined and dignified demeanor, especially in his eyes, which shine brightly, revealing at a glance that he is a scholar who has read extensively. However, when speaking and acting, he is unusually straightforward. As soon as the two had exchanged greetings, Li Gong's wine and dishes arrived, and this person burst out laughing: "Great timing! Thanks for the treat. I was just thinking of coming out to drink some wine to dispel my boredom, and now I've run into you - what a coincidence!"

  "You're good at talking your way out of things," Li Gong said with a smile: "Normally you can't even get an invitation."

  "Too busy! Composing poems, writing couplets... and still having to get up early for official business, handling affairs at the government office, writing letters to my fellow members of the Revival Society about current events and discussing literature, writing social niceties for the big shots... normally I'm so busy my feet don't touch the ground, but that mother of mine at home isn't easy to get along with either... not joking, really have no free time..."

  "Haha, that's also something you brought upon yourself, don't blame others. With your exceptional talents in poetry, books and painting, what more do you want? Moreover, it was you who chose her from the Qinhuai River, now speaking up is too late."

  It's indeed fate that these two could meet. In Dongchenggen, most of the residents are officials and scholars, but Li Gong is a descendant of a 200-year-old imperial guard family, who fortunately managed to keep their old mansion from being taken over by others.

  Surrounded by scholars, the air is thick with pretentiousness. Fortunately, this Gong Dingyu, although a scholar and a renowned figure in Jiangnan, later generations would rank him alongside Qian Qianyi and Wu Weiye as one of the "Three Masters of Jiangzuo". His learning is beyond reproach, but fortunately he doesn't have an air of superiority, instead being straightforward and magnanimous. He's also neighbors with Li Gong, and over the years they've become like brothers.

  When the two men had exchanged greetings and sat down, Li Gong poured wine and raised his cup high to drink with Gong Ding. Only then did he ask: "Younger brother, why have you come alone? Usually there are three or five good friends who come out together. Today you're alone! Also, since entering the city and arriving at this place, I feel that something is not quite right. I don't know if it's just my imagination?"

  He and Gong Dingyu were close neighbors, with a good relationship between their families. Although they said that now the literary and military paths are different, when speaking, they didn't avoid each other's appearance, and directly asked him out.

  "Dou Zhong indeed has encountered a big problem." Gong Dingyue still had a calm face, took a bite of the dish and swallowed it with a mouthful of wine, then smiled comfortably at Li Gong: "Big brother, have you gone out recently?"

  "Yes, I've been out for about ten days and just got back... Never mind that, let's talk about the news."

  Gong Dingyu smiled and said: "Big brother is still good, I am his neighbor for several years, I know you are just a fallen military officer in the capital, oh, and also went to Songshan with Hong Zhi Jun, killed some Tatars, that night charging into the array, fortunately escaped with one's life... Those who don't know, might still think brother is a pillar of the country, a great general of the imperial court."

  "Laugh and tease, filial piety rises... Lately, my experiences have been quite different from before. When I'm free, I'll tell you in detail."

  "Alright, I'll ask you again later." Gong Dingyu and Li Gong were familiar with each other and didn't stand on ceremony. After teasing him, he was about to get down to business. As for the change in circumstances that the other party mentioned, he hadn't taken it to heart.

  After all, there is too much of a difference in status!

  He was a prestigious Give Secretary, a senior minister of the state, who could write eight stocks from the age of twelve or thirteen, and his name was known throughout the countryside. He then became a jinshi and served as a county official, before being selected for the imperial court to serve as a Give Secretary, and also joined the Fushe Society, becoming a key figure in both the Donglin and Fushe societies!

  With such a background, it's easy for Da Ming to get promoted, especially since he has always been known for being a outspoken official and daring to speak the truth. He even impeached Zhou Yanru and Chen Yan, the current chief assistant, and also dared to submit a memorial to the emperor to speak out against him. Chongzhen appreciates him very much, and his friends in the Fushe Society are also helping to make his name known throughout the court... Gong Dingyue can almost be certain that he will enter the cabinet in the future, but it's hard to guarantee that he will become a high-ranking official, however, becoming a provincial governor or minister is almost a certainty.

  But somehow, after two years of being an official, he couldn't muster up the energy, so he indulged in pleasure and idleness with his concubines, enjoying poetry and wine. And recently received news only confirmed what Gong Ding had been thinking all along: The Great Ming was on its last legs.

  He looked at Li Gong, his expression already much more serious, and slowly said: "Two days ago, news came that Xi'an had fallen."

  "So soon?"

  Li Gong was shocked by the words and his face also showed an incredulous expression.

  He was fighting in the front line and came back, so he naturally knew the situation in Guanzhong. The rebel army had tens of thousands of soldiers entering the pass, and it was inevitable that Xi'an could not be defended. However, Xi'an was rebuilt at the beginning of the Ming dynasty, with high walls, thick and sturdy, covered with large bricks, well-constructed and beautiful. The female wall, the barrier, the moat, and the horse face fort were all complete. Even if there were not many soldiers, but with heavy rewards to recruit strong men, it would not be surprising to defend for several months. Unexpectedly, it has already fallen.

  After calculating the time, it was just two or three days after he left that Li Zicheng arrived at the foot of Xi'an City.

  "On the day of the rebel army's arrival, they breached the city walls on the same day. There were no soldiers or supplies within the city, and the provincial governor Feng Shike requested that the Qin king provide funds from his personal treasury to pay the troops. The Qin king claimed that there was no money in the provincial treasury and only gave a chair from the Hongwu era... Isn't this a huge joke? Deputy General Wang Yongnian was immediately enraged, and on the same day, they agreed to surrender the city. The rebel army arrived in the morning and spent the night within the city..."

  When it comes to such absurd things, Gong Ding's expression is only faintly, and even Li Gong can only reveal a wry smile.

  Fu Wang's family assets were worth tens of millions, but he refused to spend a single penny on the army. Xiang Wang's family assets were worth one hundred million, and they gave it all away to Zhang Xianzhong for free. The big and small relatives of the royal family, no matter how poor, had accumulated wealth over two hundred years, but when the city was besieged by others, they still found it hard to part with their money, and in the end, they handed it over with both hands.

  "Once Xi'an is lost, Li Kuo will surely cross the Yellow River at the end of this year or next year to attack Taiyuan. By then, the capital will be in danger. What you said was all empty talk and didn't grasp the situation, probably because of this."

  "So it's like this, with news like this, it'll be a tough year."

  "Can't it?" Gong Dingyue smiled and said: "I'm afraid many people have already prepared to leave Beijing temporarily, anyway, taking a half-year or one-year leave is not a big deal."

  Li Gong suddenly realized that the atmosphere he felt when he entered the city was not quite right, and it was because of this. At this time every year, the tenants from the countryside would enter the city to pay their annual rent, and the local gentry and merchants near the capital would also come into the city to buy goods for the new year, purchasing fashionable items that couldn't be found in the countryside. As for the merchants traveling north and south, there were even more of them, with camel teams and horse teams constantly entering and exiting through the Zhengyang Gate, ringing their bells as they passed through the streets and alleys, bringing a joyful atmosphere to the citizens of the capital that hadn't been seen in years.

  At this moment, not many merchant teams entering the city can be seen, and the team of Zhuangtou entering from the front gate has not been seen either... Although it is still a bit early now, looking around, all are camel teams leaving the city, which shows that the situation is different from usual.

  Moreover, there are countless refugees who have been reduced to shivering with cold in the slums. After a few heavy snowfalls, hundreds and thousands of dead bodies had to be carried out of the city... Looking back on this spring's great epidemic, the entire capital was like a ghost town. Wasn't it because of the large number of refugees and the stench from the garbage in the sewers of the capital?

  Such a scene is seen by people, isn't it just an unspoken doomsday scene? Such a scene, can it be called a pleasant and delightful sight to behold?