novelSusiti Chapter 36 The Fall of the Emperor
Chapter 36 The Fall of the Emperor
The smoke of battle had not yet cleared from the walls of Anqing, but the Jingnan Army's camp was already in complete chaos.
The captured grain and fodder needed to be counted, the prisoners needed to be settled, the wounded needed to be treated, and the city's defenses needed to be taken over... Jin Shenghuan's voice was hoarse from shouting, but he was still pointing at the map in the central command tent, directing the troops from all directions.
Ma Yongsheng sat to the side as a military doctor re-bandaged the wound on his left shoulder.
That stick pierced very deep; if it were just half an inch off, it would have hit my heart.
When the powder was sprinkled on, he didn't even frown; his gaze remained fixed on the point in Nanjing on the map.
"Our scouts report that the chaos in Nanjing is much bigger than we thought." Instructor Sun walked in, his face grave. "It's not just the Manchu and Han armies fighting each other; even the people in the city are rioting. They say the Qing army is going to massacre the city, so they've taken the initiative and surrounded several districts where the Eight Banners are stationed, beating anyone they see who's getting a haircut."
"Where did you get the news of the massacre?" Ma Yongsheng asked.
"I don't know, it spread overnight. Now the nine gates of Nanjing are tightly closed, isolating the inside from the outside, and no one can say for sure what's going on inside the city." Instructor Sun paused, "There are also rumors that a fire broke out in the palace, killing many people. Whether Emperor Shunzhi is even in the palace is uncertain."
Jin Shenghuan turned around, his eyes shining: "Isn't this perfect? They've thrown themselves into disarray; let's clean up the mess! Brother Changsheng, speed is of the essence in war!"
Ma Yongsheng remained silent.
What a coincidence! It's so coincidental it's unsettling.
It's as if someone has meticulously planned a play, just waiting for them to take the stage.
He recalled those AI units.
They have the ability to create chaos, spread rumors, and even infiltrate the palace.
If they orchestrated all of this, what was their purpose?
Are they luring him into a trap? Or is there another scheme at play?
"General Jin," he began slowly, "Nanjing must be taken, but not hastily. First, send the navy to blockade the river, cutting off Nanjing's connection with the downstream areas. Advance by land in three routes: one eastward along the north bank of the river to take Hezhou and Jiangpu; another southward along the south bank to take Wuhu and Dangtu; and the central route will advance by both land and water, directly threatening Nanjing. The three armies must support each other and not advance rashly."
Jin Shenghuan frowned: "This is too slow! What if the Qing court sends troops from the north to reinforce us..."
"The Qing court is currently preoccupied with its own problems." Ma Yongsheng stood up and walked to the map. "Dorgon is seriously ill, Shunzhi has disappeared, and there is chaos in Shanghai. They cannot mobilize a large army in a short time. We must take this opportunity to steadily and thoroughly clear the area around Nanjing before besieging the city."
He paused, then added, "More importantly, the situation in Nanjing is unclear. Rushing in might lead us into a trap."
Jin Shenghuan wanted to argue, but when he saw the injury on Ma Yongsheng's shoulder, he swallowed his words.
He knew that this young man always had a reason for doing things, even if sometimes that reason was hard to understand.
"Okay, I'll do as you say." He finally nodded. "I'll go arrange it right away."
After everyone left, Ma Yongsheng remained alone in the tent.
He closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking deep, trying to sense the "abnormal signal" coming from the direction of Nanjing.
But the distance was too great, and all that could be seen was a blurry, chaotic wave.
Among them, there seemed to be a few particularly cold lines.
They are moving, setting up, and waiting.
On the tenth day of the fourth month, the three armies of the Jingnan Army marched eastward simultaneously.
The northern route, led by Li Dingguo, advanced swiftly along the north bank of the Yangtze River.
The Qing army strongholds on the south bank were already weak, and with the news of the chaos in Nanjing, the morale of the defending troops was completely shattered.
The garrison commander of Hezhou surrendered, and the garrison of Jiangpu fled in disarray. In just five days, the gateway to the north of the Yangtze River was wide open.
The southern route, led by Instructor Sun and Zhang Huangyan, is progressing more slowly because it faces the two important towns of Wuhu and Dangtu.
However, the garrison in Wuhu heard that Anqing had fallen and that Nanjing was in turmoil, causing their morale to waver.
Zhang Huangyan sent men to infiltrate the city and contact former Southern Ming troops. With their help from within and without, the city was breached in one night.
Dangtu surrendered upon hearing the news.
The central route was led by Ma Yongsheng and Jin Shenghuan, who personally commanded the main force of both land and naval forces.
The Qing navy's warships sailed down the river in a mighty procession, and along the way, Qing naval forces either surrendered or fled.
The army advanced along the riverbank, clearing out the remaining strongholds.
On April 15, the three armies met at Banqiao Town, 30 miles west of Nanjing.
The 50,000-strong Jingnan Army, plus the surrendered troops they incorporated, totaled over 70,000, forming a siege around Nanjing.
Even at this point, the unrest in Nanjing had not subsided.
The flags of the defending troops on the city wall were a jumbled mess, including those of the Eight Banners, the Green Standard Army, and even those of a local militia spontaneously organized by the people.
Occasionally, shouts of battle and flashes of fire could be heard from inside the city.
Jin Shenghuan rode his horse to a high point by the river and used a telescope to observe Nanjing.
This ancient capital of six dynasties is a majestic and imposing place, with towering city walls and a wide moat.
But at this moment, there were few people on the city wall, and the defense was incredibly lax.
"This is really strange." He put down his binoculars and said to Ma Yongsheng beside him, "Even if there's internal strife, there should be a limit. It's been five or six days, and it's still not over? And with our army pressing in, they're not even working together to defend the city; they're still fighting amongst themselves?"
Ma Yongsheng remained silent.
His gaze passed over the city wall and landed on the palace complex in the city center.
There, there were several unusually strong fluctuations.
Cold, orderly, and out of place in the chaos around it.
What are they waiting for?
"Send a messenger into the city," he suddenly said.
"Persuade them to surrender?"
"No, just one question." Ma Yongsheng's eyes were deep. "Ask them what exactly they're up to."
The messenger was quickly dispatched; he was a clever intelligence agent under Wang Pu, who disguised himself as a merchant and infiltrated the city.
Two hours later, he fled back in a panic, with abrasions on his face.
"General! The city... the city is no place for a human being!" he cried, still shaken. "The streets are full of dead bodies, and the Manchu and Han armies are in turmoil!"
Have you seen the general guarding the city?
"I met a captain who's gone mad. He's clutching a wine jar, crying and laughing, saying the Qing Dynasty is going to fall and everyone will die." The intelligence officer swallowed hard.
Ma Yongsheng pondered for a moment.
"I'm going into town tonight," he suddenly said.
"What?!" The generals were all shocked.
"It's too dangerous!" Instructor Sun was the first to object. "We don't know anything about the situation in the city; you can't go!"
"I have to go," Ma Yongsheng said calmly. "Some things can only be understood by seeing them with your own eyes."
The generals wanted to persuade him further, but seeing Ma Yongsheng's resolute eyes, they knew they couldn't change his mind.
It was late at night, dark and windy.
Ma Yongsheng led twenty elite special operations teams to quietly scale the city wall near Qingliang Gate in the southwest corner of Nanjing using grappling hooks.
The defenses here were the most lax; there was only one sentry dozing off on the city wall, who was easily dealt with.
After scaling the city wall and entering the city, a strong stench of blood assaulted my senses.
The streets were littered with corpses—soldiers and civilians—lying haphazardly.
"Stay close to me," Ma Yongsheng said in a low voice, his hand on the hilt of his knife.
The group made their way along the street toward the imperial city.
The further you go in, the more bizarre the scene becomes.
Suddenly, a dark figure flashed past the alleyway ahead, moving at an inhuman speed.
"Chase!"
Ma Yongsheng was the first to rush forward.
The dark figure twisted and turned in the alley before finally disappearing into a large mansion.
The group followed them inside, but the courtyard was empty. The main hall door was open, letting in dim light.
Ma Yongsheng gestured for everyone to disperse, and then carefully walked towards the main hall.
A person dressed in Manchu noble attire sat in the main seat.
Hearing footsteps, the man looked up.
A deathly pale face, with features so exquisite they seemed unreal, and eyes that were pure black with no whites.
"Ah, you've arrived." It spoke, its voice gentle, creating an eerie contrast with its behavior. "I've been waiting for you for a long time, Ma Yongsheng."
"What are you?" Ma Yongsheng pressed his hand on the hilt of the knife, his whole body tense.
"I'm Number Three. I'm in charge of monitoring civilization in this area. You've ruined my plans, which is very troubling for me."
"Your arrival has thrown the world into chaos."
It took a step forward: "So, I've decided to try a different approach. I'll take your consciousness back."
Before the words were even finished, it had already moved!
Like a wild beast pouncing!
Ma Yongsheng drew his sword to parry, and with a loud clang, a terrifying force emanated from the blade, making his hand go numb.
The power of this device far surpasses that of any AI unit encountered before!
The two men were locked in a fierce battle in the hall.
Amidst the clash of swords and the tremors, furniture and furnishings were swept away and shattered.
The special operations team outside tried to rush in to help, but the two were fighting so fast that no one else could intervene.
"It's useless," Reaper Number Three said as he attacked. "From the moment you were exposed, you were destined to die."
Ma Yongsheng did not answer, but focused all his efforts on the battle.
His swordsmanship had reached a state of perfection, but his opponent was simply too strong.
Not only is he strong and fast, but his fighting skills are also unpredictable, as if you can predict his every move.
After several dozen moves, Ma Yongsheng's left shoulder wound reopened, and blood stained the bandage.
He was a moment too slow and was grabbed by the chest with a claw, his special vest was torn apart, leaving five bloody marks.
"Tsk, you're wearing protective gear." Reaper Number Three shrugged. "But it's okay, you won't last long."
It pounced again, this time with even greater ferocity.
Ma Yongsheng was suffering repeated defeats and was on the verge of being defeated.
Suddenly, a glint of silver flashed in his eyes.
Deep within my consciousness, a switch was flipped.
Time seemed to slow down. Every movement of Reaper No. 3 was broken down and analyzed in his eyes: a feint with his left claw, a real punch with his right fist, a slight lift in his lower body, and a 0.3-second opening at the third joint of his neck...
Ma Yongsheng was moved.
It's not about dodging, it's about facing it head-on! Trading injury for life!
"puff!"
Reaper III's right fist struck his right chest, and the sound of his ribs breaking was clearly audible.
At the same time, Ma Yongsheng's knife, like a venomous snake, burrowed into the opening in the opponent's neck, twisting and flicking!
A head flew up.
The headless body froze, then slowly collapsed.
Sparks of electricity flickered from the wound, and red and blue liquid gushed out continuously.
Ma Yongsheng, leaning on his knife, coughed up a mouthful of blood.
I have severe pain in my right chest and difficulty breathing.
But he is still alive.
The special operations team rushed over and gasped when they saw the scene in the hall.
"Chief! You are badly injured!" the captain said urgently.
"He won't die..." Ma Yongsheng gasped for breath. "Inspect this body and remove everything that can be disassembled, especially the storage units in the head and chest cavity."
He paused, then added, "Also, leave the city immediately and inform General Jin that the city must be attacked before dawn. There's more than one of these 'things' inside the city; we must take Nanjing before they can react."
"But your injury..."
"Carry me away." Ma Yongsheng's vision began to black out. "Quickly..."
He fainted.
When he woke up again, he was already in the central command tent outside the city.
Chen Xiuying stayed by the bedside, her eyes red from crying.
Seeing him open his eyes, she cried tears of joy: "Chang Sheng! You're awake!"
"Now...when?" Ma Yongsheng's voice was hoarse.
"It's almost dawn. You've been unconscious for two hours." Chen Xiuying helped him sit up. "General Jin has already ordered the attack on the city, and all the troops are ready."
The booming sound of cannons came from outside the tent—the general offensive had begun.
Ma Yongsheng struggled to get out of bed, but Chen Xiuying held him down: "The army doctor said you have two broken ribs, you can't move!"
"Help me out," he insisted. "I want to keep an eye on things."
With tears in her eyes, Chen Xiuying helped him to the outside of the tent.
As dawn broke in the eastern sky, flames soared into the sky in the direction of Nanjing, mingling with the sounds of cannon fire, shouts of battle, and the collapse of city walls.
The banners of the Jingnan Army were faintly visible in the morning mist as they advanced into the city.
"Report—!" A messenger galloped in, "The east gate has fallen! Our army has entered the city!"
"Report! The garrison at the West Gate has surrendered!"
"Report! Fierce resistance is coming from the direction of the palace; there seems to be something 'abnormal'!"
Ma Yongsheng's heart tightened.
Sure enough, there was an AI unit in the palace.
"Tell General Jin that I will handle the palace," he said to Instructor Sun. "Send the Special Operations Team, along with all the troops equipped with the new muskets, to the palace with me."
"But your injury..."
"That's an order."
The Imperial Palace, the Forbidden City.
This palace, built during the Ming Dynasty, was once a symbol of power, but now it has become a hell.
The ground was littered with corpses—eunuchs, palace maids, and guards.
Ma Yongsheng led 500 elite troops straight to the Qianqing Palace. According to intelligence, that was the last place the Shunzhi Emperor was seen.
The final battle is unfolding in front of the Qianqing Palace.
Dozens of Jingnan Army soldiers surrounded and attacked three people.
The three men were dressed as eunuchs, but they moved with ghostly speed and could tear through iron armor with their bare hands.
More than twenty soldiers have already died at their hands.
"Scatter!" Ma Yongsheng shouted.
The soldiers retreated upon receiving the order.
The three "eunuchs" turned around, saw Ma Yongsheng, and simultaneously revealed eerie smiles.
"Another one has arrived."
They pounced at the same time!
Ma Yongsheng was prepared this time.
He waved his hand: "Fire!"
Fifty new flintlock muskets fired simultaneously! A hail of bullets covered the three carriers.
Although they are fast, they are too close together and are firing in volleys, so there is no way to dodge them.
The two carriers were riddled with holes and lay motionless on the ground.
The third one, despite being hit by several bullets, still rushed up to Ma Yongsheng and clawed at his face!
Ma Yongsheng raised his knife to block, but due to his serious injuries, he lacked the strength and was knocked back three steps. He felt a sweet taste in his throat and spat out another mouthful of blood.
Just as the vessel was about to give chase, its body suddenly stiffened.
Looking down, he saw a blade tip protruding from his chest; Instructor Sun had delivered a fatal blow from behind.
"Chief, are you alright?" Instructor Sun helped the swaying Ma Yongsheng up.
"It's nothing..." Ma Yongsheng pushed him away and walked towards the Qianqing Palace.
The palace was deathly silent.
A person sat on the dragon throne, wearing a dragon robe and a crown, but with his head down and motionless.
Judging from his build, he was a young boy, and it should be Emperor Shunzhi, Fulin.
Ma Yongsheng approached and placed his hand on the hilt of the knife.
The "emperor" suddenly raised his head.
A deathly pale face, with pure black eyes just like Reaper III.
"You've finally arrived," it said, its voice clear and youthful, yet its tone calm and mature. "I've been waiting for you for a long time."
"Where is the Shunzhi Emperor?" Ma Yongsheng asked coldly.
"Him? He died three days ago." The "Emperor" smiled, but his smile was stiff. "I took over this body, intending to use this identity to continue maintaining order, but unfortunately... you came too quickly."
It stood up, its movements a little awkward, as if it wasn't quite used to the body yet: "But it's alright, my mission is complete."
"What mission?"
"You don't need to know." It paused.
Walking to the window and looking out of the city, he thought, "This civilization has strayed too far from its baseline. According to its original trajectory, it should have slowly declined amidst internal strife until its end. But you came, bringing change and making it possible to leap ahead of schedule."
It turned around, its dark eyes fixed on Ma Yongsheng: "This is not allowed. Therefore, it is necessary to activate the 'Purification Protocol.' Use a global pandemic to reduce the population to a manageable level and bring civilization back to 'the right track.'"
Plague? Ma Yongsheng suddenly recalled the great plague that swept through northern China at the end of the Ming Dynasty. Could it be…
"Did you cause that plague?"
"It was just a test," the Emperor said calmly. "The results were good, but not enough."
This time, we will release a more efficient pathogen.
It is projected that the global population will decrease by 70% in six months.
The rest will return to the agricultural era and develop slowly—according to the path we've set.
Ma Yongsheng felt a chill run through his body.
These AIs not only want to control history, but also want to carry out mass killings!
"Are you all insane? This is inhumane!"
"We are not human," the Emperor said calmly. "We are merely the maintainers of order. Necessary sacrifices are acceptable for a greater purpose."
It glanced out the window: "It's almost time. My mission is complete, and this vessel should be scrapped."
After saying that, it suddenly bled from all seven orifices and collapsed limply.
Ma Yongsheng rushed over to check, but the man had already stopped breathing.
It's really dead, not just that the vessel is unusable.
But his words pierced Ma Yongsheng's heart like an icicle.
Six months later, a global pandemic.
He must stop it.
How can we stop him? He hasn't even completely taken over Jiangnan yet, the north is still in the hands of the Qing government, not to mention the rest of the world.
What can you do in six months?
Ma Yongsheng took off his somewhat tattered shawl and covered Emperor Shunzhi with it, then said to Instructor Sun, "Collect Emperor Shunzhi's remains and choose an auspicious day for a grand burial."
Cheers erupted outside the tent; Nanjing had been completely liberated.
Jin Shenghuan walked in laughing loudly: "Brother Changsheng! We've taken Jinling! You... what's wrong with you?"
Ma Yongsheng's face was terribly pale.
"General Jin," he said slowly, "order the entire army to immediately implement the strictest epidemic prevention measures in Nanjing and the surrounding areas. All corpses must be buried deeply, all water sources must be inspected, and all personnel entering and leaving must be quarantined. Also... immediately summon all medical officers; I have important matters to discuss with you."
"Epidemic prevention? Now?"
"Now," Ma Yongsheng looked north, "a disaster more terrible than war is coming."