Chapter 0001: Deadlock

Zhu Youlang could no longer bear to watch and interrupted the disputes among the court officials with a dry cough

The inner chamber is now completely empty, and Zhu Youlang stands up and paces back and forth, occasionally letting out a sigh of lament.

The current situation of the Ming Dynasty is precarious as if it were a pile of eggs. What are the differences between going to Yunnan's western region and going to Sichuan?

What does King Jin think?

The thirteenth day of the twelfth month in the twelfth year of the Yongli era of the Great Ming, Kunming, Yunnan

Upon hearing that the Son of Heaven had fainted, the imperial physicians of the Taiyi Hospital hurriedly brought their medicine boxes to come and examine him

Guizhou has now fallen again, truly reaching a critical moment of life and death

Is he really going to be trapped in this southwestern land?

After being pricked with several needles in succession, Zhu Youlang finally regained consciousness, but he appeared dazed and did not utter a word

Zhu Youlang, possessing the memories of future generations, certainly understands that the emperor he has traversed into is not a great ruler; on the contrary, he is a fleeing emperor

The eunuch Han Miao knelt before the imperial couch and spoke tremulously

The thirty-five-year-old emperor Zhu Youlang, dressed in a deep yellow twelve-cluster dragon robe with twelve symbols, sat solemnly on the imperial throne, his face haggard

Han Miao nodded, as long as the Emperor is fine

Zhu Youlang looked again at Li Dingguo

Is it truly just a matter of being an emperor for a few days to indulge in the experience

Zhu Youlang nodded, as he also believed that Jin Jianchang's entry into Sichuan was a good choice. Compared to the barren western Yunnan, Sichuan is indeed a land of abundance. Although it has experienced considerable turmoil and desolation in recent years, a dying camel is still larger than a horse, and it is far from being comparable to western Yunnan

Cough cough ... ...

Damn it, how could his luck be so bad, having crossed over into the body of a dying person

He approached the Emperor and respectfully said: "Your Majesty, I would like to respond to the words of Minister Liu. At this time, moving the capital to Jianchang must pass through Wuding. However, Wuding is desolate, so we must take the route through Binzhou, in order to facilitate the supply of provisions."

At this moment, Zhu Youlang is no longer the Yongli Emperor he once was; his soul has come from a later time, that of Zhu Youlang, the curator of a private arms museum from the Prussian period located in Europe, who fell into a drunken stupor and passed into the past

If one does not take the opportunity to flee before the Qing army arrives, it will be too late to consider leaving once the Qing army is at the gates of the city

Zhu Youlang quickly assumed his role, waving his hand to signal Han Miao to withdraw

After much contemplation, he could not devise a foolproof plan; no matter how one looks at the current situation, it is a deadlock.

After Zhu Youlang issued his commands, he felt somewhat fatigued and impatiently waved his hand

Although he is trying his best to hold on, it is evident to discerning individuals that His Majesty the Emperor has reached the brink of collapse

After Sun Kewang defected to the Qing, the actual control of the Ming Dynasty was reduced to the three provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan

In this situation, Yunnan lost its barrier, and the city of Kunming became a target; the fall of the city was only a matter of time

What do you all think of the current affairs

It is now the twelfth year of the Yongli era. If he remembers correctly, the Yongli Emperor will soon abandon Kunming and flee to the western part of Yunnan, and shortly thereafter, he will abandon the country and enter Myanmar

In his impression, Han Miao was the elder beside him, having been by his side since he was still known as King Yongming

As for the matter of the imperial entourage, Zhu Youlang entrusted it to Marquis Guangchang, Gao Wengui

The commander of the Jinyiwei, Marquis Ma Jixiang, dressed in a flying fish robe, stepped forward and reported: "Your Majesty, I believe we should relocate to the west of Yunnan to temporarily avoid the spotlight and devise further plans"

That evening, Zhu Youlang suddenly fainted. The close attendant Han Miao hurriedly summoned the imperial physician to provide treatment.

They immediately knelt down on the ground, not daring to make a sound.

... ...

Seeing that Li Dingguo also agreed, Zhu Youlang nodded and said: "In that case, Minister Gong and Minister Wang, please prepare to move to Sichuan regarding the relevant matters."

I obey your command

It is merely a matter of being able to linger on for a while longer in Sichuan

After a long while, Zhu Youlang finally spoke in a deep voice: "I am fine, you may all leave now, my loyal ministers."

In the grand hall, the court officials were in disarray, each engaged in endless disputes, lacking any semblance of a formal assembly for deliberation.

However, these no longer seem important to Zhu Youlang

The Minister of Revenue, Gong Yi, and the Minister of Works, Wang Yinglong, immediately stepped forward to receive the imperial decree

This must have frightened the imperial physicians; His Majesty the Emperor cannot possibly be foolish, can he

Traveling to western Yunnan is a good choice, and the Nujiang River can serve as a barrier for defense. If necessary, one can also seek refuge in Myanmar.

Li Dingguo today is no longer the youthful prince of the Great Western Kingdom he once was, but has grown into a legendary warrior. As a prominent figure, he once gave the Yongli court a glimmer of hope for a turnaround. Unfortunately, in the end, internal strife led to his ultimate failure

After a thorough consultation, the imperial physicians decided to administer acupuncture

The migration of the army and the logistics of provisions are of utmost importance

Upon waking, he became the Yongli Emperor Zhu Youlang, usurping the nest of the magpie, and inherited all the memories of his host.

Wait, how does he remember that Zhu Youlang ultimately decided to go to Sichuan during the morning court session

The imperial physicians, as if granted a great pardon, hurriedly carried their medicine boxes and exited the hall

The chief eunuch of the Grand Council has been replaced from Wang Kun to Pang Tianshou, while the head of the cabinet has seen a revolving door of personnel changes; only Han Miao has remained steadfastly loyal, serving faithfully by their side

The Hanlin Academy lecturer Liu Zhen, however, held a different opinion and presented his case: "Your Majesty, I have heard that the region of Shu is flourishing, with military achievements as numerous as clouds, and that King Gongchang's entire army is following the path of Zunyi. If we are fortunate enough to plan for the revival of Shu, it would be a foolproof strategy. Now, the situation in Yunnan is surrounded by enemies, and if the imperial carriage were to venture abroad, not a single civil or military official would be willing to follow. Even if we manage to escape swiftly, we would have lost our feathers and would perish in the miasma of the region. However, Jianchang has had abundant harvests for several consecutive years, with grain piled high in the mountains. If we were to take the route through Xiangling and head directly to Jiading, we could gather our strength and prepare. Even if the enemy's forces are pressing hard against Jiayang, we could mobilize thousands of warships and merchant vessels in an instant, sailing downstream to Chongqing and directly reaching Kuiguan. Upon hearing of the imperial presence, the thirteen military leaders would surely come to greet us along the river. Taking advantage of this formidable power, we could strike at the vulnerabilities of Jingxiang as easily as if it were within our grasp!"

In that case, let us disperse for the day

Currently, the military strength of the Qing army is at its peak, and the Ming Dynasty has also lost Guizhou

Zhu Youlang certainly would not know that historically, Zhu Youlang also initially planned to go to Sichuan. However, due to Ma Jixiang's fear of Wen Anzhi being in Sichuan and potentially competing for power, he slandered him to King Jin Li Dingguo, persuading Li Dingguo and Yongli to ultimately change their destination to Yongchang

If a ranking of fleeing emperors were to be established on the forum, the Yongli Emperor would undoubtedly secure a place in the top three, with Song Gaozong Zhao Gou being able to barely compete for the top position.

How is this different from historical circumstances? Or is it that he is unaware of certain details

... ...

Having spoken, he bowed and exited the hall, carefully closing the main door behind him

Your Majesty, you have nearly frightened me to death

You may also withdraw, no one is allowed to enter without my command

The sun and moon on the shoulders of the ceremonial robe, the five-colored stars arranged on the back press down on this Son of Heaven of the Ming Dynasty like a giant stone, making it difficult for him to breathe

Li Dingguo had a very robust physique, standing there like a small mountain.

As the most loyal guardian of the Yongli court, the opinion of Prince Li Dingguo is evidently of great significance

Han Miao still trusts Zhu Youlang, but he is currently feeling troubled and wants some time alone to reflect

Ma Jixiang's attitude is also the attitude of most court officials today