sjar Chapter 971 The End of Emperor Wenchu
Chapter 971 The End of Emperor Wenchu
When a thick stack of secret letters was delivered to Emperor Wenchu's desk, he first looked through them one by one in disbelief.
Upon recognizing those familiar handwritings, a surge of anger rose to the top of his head.
Emperor Wenchu was furious and slammed his hand on the imperial desk with a deafening roar: "Traitors! They are all traitors!"
He roared and slammed the letter to the ground, his chest heaving violently.
But after the outburst of rage, a chill crept up his spine like a venomous snake.
So many people... so many generals of the Southern Army, including many high-ranking officials, were secretly fawning over Li Che.
What does this mean? It means that the morale of his army has long been shattered, and it exists in name only!
Aside from those aristocratic families who have completely broken with the Northern Dynasty and have no way out, there are probably very few people who still want to continue fighting.
If he were to propose surrender now, I'm afraid there would be a huge number of people who would agree.
But if others can lower their prices, can he lower his own?
Thinking of this, Emperor Wenchu's face drained of all color.
Those officials who surrendered were simply changing their allegiance to someone else; they might even be able to secure a minor official position in the new dynasty.
But what about him?
The best outcome for him after surrendering would probably be being imprisoned within high walls, where he would spend the rest of his life.
The thought of those dark and hopeless prisoner lives sent chills down his spine.
"Prime Minister Qin!" Emperor Wenchu forced himself to remain calm as he looked at Qin Huizhi, who had been standing silently to the side for a long time. "How are the warships prepared? When can they set sail?"
Qin Huizhi's gaze swept over the secret letters scattered on the ground, a hint of fear flashing in his eyes: "Your Majesty, we have already requisitioned more than a hundred ships of various sizes, but it is still quite difficult to transport all our soldiers to Qiongzhou."
"However, Your Majesty, rest assured, once the vanguard lands on the island and confirms that it is safe, you may lead your guards across the sea first."
"No!" Emperor Wenchu interrupted almost shrilly, "I won't leave!"
Realizing his loss of composure, he quickly softened his tone and tried to make amends: "I...I mean, I cannot be the first to leave. I am the supreme ruler. If I abandon the army in this critical moment, what will the soldiers think?"
"The morale of the army will surely collapse at that time, and I cannot bear to do that. I will stand with my soldiers through thick and thin!"
Qin Huizhi raised an eyebrow slightly and looked at Emperor Wenchu with some surprise.
This puppet emperor has always been cowardly and afraid of death. He even made excuses to go to the front lines to comfort the troops. Yet now he can say such righteous words.
He harbored doubts, but remained outwardly composed: "Your Majesty's concern for the soldiers is deeply appreciated by me. However, Your Majesty's safety is of paramount importance, as it concerns the very foundation of the nation."
"Your Majesty, please prioritize the overall situation and cross the sea first to stabilize the situation in Qiongzhou. We will stay here to cover the rear and ensure the army's gradual withdrawal."
Emperor Wenchu was extremely anxious. He didn't want to advance or retreat together; he simply didn't want to go to that isolated overseas island!
He had even planned his escape route, secretly selecting several well-known Buddhist temples in Lingnan, ready to shave his head and become a monk once the situation collapsed.
It's better to spend the rest of my life in seclusion with only the dim light of a lamp and the ancient Buddha than to live in fear and anxiety in that overseas land of Qiongzhou, or be escorted north and humiliated.
Not only have I planned out my escape route, but I've even lost almost all my hair!
"No! I..."
Before he could finish speaking, Qin Huizhi frowned impatiently.
He had neither the mood nor the time to argue with this puppet emperor any longer, and his tone instantly hardened: "Enough! Your Majesty, this matter concerns survival, not child's play! It's settled then!"
Having said that, he didn't even look at Emperor Wenchu's instantly pale face, and turned and left.
The imperial palace was deserted, with only Emperor Wenchu standing there in a daze.
He then realized that he, the emperor, had been nothing more than a puppet with no control over his own destiny from beginning to end.
They couldn't even control their own life or death.
He slumped down, staring at the gray sky outside the window, his heart filled with despair.
It's a pity... a pity that he can no longer stay in those Buddhist temples he had arranged.
I finally managed to find a few places near nunneries...sigh...
. . . . . .
Another winter is approaching.
Winter is not a good time for fighting; the damp cold of Lingnan is more penetrating to the bone than the dry cold of the north.
The Southern army soldiers were quite uncomfortable, and their morale was even lower due to the repeated defeats.
The war in the south also came to an end amidst this gloomy and desolate atmosphere.
Despite the complex terrain of Lingnan, with its towering mountains and dense forests, which greatly limited the deployment of the Qing army's large troop formations.
However, the morale of the Southern army had already plummeted, and they were truly in a state of utter defeat, with no power to fight back.
Yang Zhongsi was a shrewd and experienced commander, and with Wang Sanchun providing support, there was no commander in the Southern Army who could rival them.
The two men advanced cautiously, taking turns, like two iron pincers, constantly compressing the Southern army's living space.
What made the Southern Army even more desperate was that He Conglong, who was originally stationed in Sichuan, had withdrawn and led tens of thousands of well-rested and fresh troops to attack the battlefield from the west.
The arrival of this new force completely shattered the last balance on the battlefield.
Several Southern armies left behind to cover the rear struggled to hold on, taking advantage of the terrain.
However, faced with overwhelming power, their resistance did not last long.
The Southern army that covered the rear was either ambushed and surrounded, or divided and disintegrated, and ultimately could not escape the fate of being annihilated.
Now, the only option left for the puppet regime is to flee across the sea to Qiongzhou.
The heads of the major families had already fled. They hadn't prepared any warships, but they weren't ready to accept the emperor and his army.
After all, the wealth and people of the powerful families had to be sent over first before it was the emperor's turn.
During this time, Emperor Wenchu did consider escaping.
Ever since the argument with Qin Huizhi that day, Qin Huizhi had noticed that he was acting strangely and kept a closer eye on him, practically placing him under house arrest.
Emperor Wenchu tried several times to find a loophole, and even considered sneaking away disguised as a soldier, but ultimately failed to find an opportunity.
The sea breeze in November already carried a biting chill.
The first batch of remnants of the Southern Army began to hastily board ships and retreat towards Qiongzhou Island on the other side of the vast sea.
Chaos reigned at the dock, with brawls even breaking out over the limited number of boat berths.
With people's hearts scattered to this extent, there is no semblance of order or propriety left.
Emperor Wenchu stood in the crowd, wearing only a thin cloak over his dragon robe, shivering.
There were only a few palace maids and eunuchs around him, and none of them cared about the emperor's condition.
Today, his value to the aristocratic families is almost zero, and he has even stopped bothering with the pretense.
The private soldiers of powerful families boarded the ship first, followed by the soldiers of the Southern Army, while he, the dignified Emperor of Daqing, was only assigned to a dilapidated cargo ship.
The boat appeared to be used for transporting fish, as the hold reeked of a nauseating fishy smell.
Emperor Wenchu huddled in a corner, listening to the noise outside the cabin, his eyes lifeless, looking just like a dead fish.
Unseen by anyone, an even larger ship appeared on the shimmering sea in the distance.
The Qing army's fleet had been lying in ambush in the nearby waters for a long time, just waiting for this moment.