Chapter 79 Chapter 32 Memories of Two Missionaries

Zhang Xianzhong was methodical at first, then flustered, and finally panicked and desperate. For more than ten years, I have held my head against the wind and rain, and taken the lead. Although it is difficult, it is also satisfying.Victory is also won happily, and defeat is also defeated simply.Now he lives in the imperial palace and opens up the imperial business, but falls into boundless anxiety and troubles. As a professional soldier, he has not yet learned the art of playing the piano, which requires juggling multiple things at the same time, which is governing the empire.There are so many things going on every day, so many things to think about, scratching at my heart, my heart is on fire, the pressure is coming from all directions towards Zhang Xianzhong alone, almost crushing him to pieces.The news coming from all sides is alarm and defeat.Pressed the gourd and picked up the ladle, finally suppressed one place, and more flames ignited around.

The initial freshness has passed, and now he is getting more and more lazy to go to court, and his temper is getting worse.One day when he went to court, he suddenly took off the golden crown inlaid with precious stones on his head, threw it on the ground, and trampled on it with his feet, until it was smashed to pieces.The people next to him looked at each other in blank dismay, and no one dared to go up to persuade them.After stepping on it, he snatched the big-brimmed cloth cap from the guard next to him, put it on his head, and said with a big smile, "Damn it, I still feel comfortable wearing this."

He became more and more suspicious that it was a mistake to send troops into Sichuan.At first I thought that Shu people were soft and brittle, easy to conquer.I don't want them to be soft but not brittle, and they fall down at the end of the day, but they don't give in for a long time, just like "Shu Bi" commented: But Xichuan's people are stupid by nature, they are obedient and rebellious, they don't care about power, and they don't want to be called unrighteous. Therefore, the thieves and officials in the counties and counties where they live specially threaten them with soldiers, and the people obey them. Of.

At this time, Zhang Xianzhong's army captured two Western missionaries who were preaching in Sichuan, Lilesi from Italy and Anvins from Portugal.They came to China in the tenth year of Chongzhen (AD 1637) and the thirteenth year (AD 1640) respectively, and entered Sichuan to preach in the fifteenth year of Chongzhen (AD 1642).They were kept by Zhang Xianzhong's side and got along with each other for more than a year.After escaping from Zhang Jun, what he saw and heard was recorded in the book "Sacred Religion Entering Sichuan", leaving a precious historical record for future generations.

The two missionaries recalled that with the military defeat, Zhang Xianzhong drank more and more, and relied more and more on watching others bleed for a little excitement.They often saw Zhang Xianzhong losing his temper, and no one could dissuade him. One day, Zhang Xianzhong was in a bad mood, "He killed three military officers and declared his guilt, saying that Yi and others talked loudly during the meeting, and had no scruples"; Tired"; "Seven more eunuchs were killed, saying that most of the officers whispered in the court, and the eunuchs and others failed to report their duties, and the crime should be executed."

Whether it is men and women in the palace or officials of all sizes, as long as they are slightly unsatisfactory, they will be hanged, beheaded, or smashed to pieces.Wu Jishan, a good friend of the priests and Minister of Rites, was ordered to distribute horses to each army and asked Zhang Xianzhong to make a list. He offended Zhang Xianzhong with this detail, and died of torture.There was a military officer who was always favored by Zhang Xianzhong. Because he worshiped heaven on the Winter Solstice, he did not follow Zhang Xianzhong's order to read the article, so he offended Zhang Xianzhong and was whipped to death.Another official was sentenced to death for admonishing Zhang Xianzhong to kill innocent people less.

Because he drank too much alcohol, Zhang Xianzhong's spirit also showed signs of abnormality.That day, while sitting alone eating and drinking, he suddenly saw thousands of hands reaching out from the sky to snatch the food on his desk.Zhang Xianzhong was startled, wiped his eyes, and regained consciousness, but there was nothing left. Raising a glass to dissipate sorrow and sorrow, Zhang Xianzhong's mood continued to sink into the abyss, and sporadic killings gradually turned into mass killings.He hated the customs of the officialdom very much all his life, even for the civil servants he appointed, he couldn't restrain his disgust.Once, Sun Kewang, a general under his command, returned from an expedition, and the civil servants under Zhang Xianzhong went out of the city to greet him, presenting congratulatory gifts and handing over "certificates of joint names" according to the old official practice of the Ming Dynasty.When Zhang Xianzhong heard about it, he was "annoyed that he followed the bad habits of the old dynasty and killed 200 people with clubs by name."Once, due to a small mistake, Zhu Lian killed more than 300 civil servants under him.Some people persuaded him that whoever would serve him after killing them all, Zhang Xianzhong said: "Aren't the civil servants afraid that no one will be there?"