Nanjing City.

The news that Zhu Cijiong's troops were approaching the north bank of the Yangtze River had already spread throughout the city.

The people in the city were in panic.

Some people packed their bags and prepared to flee.

Someone found a remote place and hid the silver at home that had not yet been exchanged for Ming Yuanbao.

Some people even began to list the crimes of Nanjing officials, intending to kill people through Zhu Cijiong.

In a house next to the Nanjing Imperial City.

Ni Yuanlu's behavior was completely different from that of the people outside.

He is sipping his tea leisurely.

At this time, he cared neither about the safety of Nanjing City nor the future situation.

He only cared whether the tea was hot enough to burn his mouth.

He had just finished a cup of tea when the guard outside the door came in to report: "Sir, there is someone outside who wants to see you."

Due to the turbulent situation, in order to ensure Ni Yuanlu's safety.

Zhu Cilang arranged several guards to guard him day and night.

Ni Yuanlu waved her hand: "No!"

The guard touched the heavy Ming Dynasty round treasure in his hand and said again, "Sir, the person outside the door claims to be your close friend. If you don't meet him, I'm afraid you will never see him again in this life."

Ni Yuanlu raised his eyelids: "Best friend? What's your name?"

"The other party didn't say his name, but said that we would know after we met."

"Oh?" Ni Yuanlu couldn't help but stood up: "Don't let him in, I will go to the door and take a look myself."

When he arrived at the door, Ni Yuanlu saw the man.

I thought it was an acquaintance, but I didn't expect that the other party was quite unfamiliar.

Ni Yuanlu frowned and asked, "Who are you?"

The man answered loudly: "Master Ni is indeed a forgetful person. He even forgot about me."

Ni Yuanlu was stunned.

He was very familiar with this voice.

If I'm not mistaken, it should be Zhang Rong's voice.

But this face has nothing to do with Zhang Rong.

Ni Yuanlu quickly realized that Zhang Rong was in disguise.

In order to prevent any fraud, Ni Yuanlu told something that only he and Zhang Rong knew.

The man answered fluently.

Only then did Ni Yuanlu let the guards let him go.

After the guards left, Ni Yuanlu asked Zhang Rong without waiting for him to speak: "You risked your life to sneak into Nanjing for the prince, right?"

Zhang Rong smiled and asked back: "What do you think?"

"Haha." Ni Yuanlu laughed even louder than Zhang Rong: "Your Majesty is really good at this."

Zhang Rong hesitated for a moment and asked in a low voice: "What do you know?"

Apart from him, no third person could know Chongzhen's plan.

If Ni Yuanlu really knew something, in order to ensure that the plan would not be leaked.

He could only take action against Ni Yuanlu.

Ni Yuanlu shook his head: "I don't know anything."

Zhang Rong pressed on: "You must know something, tell me now."

Ni Yuanlu shook his head again and kept silent.

He knew but couldn't say it.

If you tell it out loud, you will surely die.

Zhang Rong stared at Ni Yuanlu's face for a while.

He wanted to get to the bottom of the matter, but time was tight and he couldn't ask any more questions.

Zhang Rong bowed to Ni Yuanlu and said, "I have a favor to ask, and I hope Mr. Ni can help me."

Ni Yuanlu nodded: "I can help you, but the time is not right yet."

Zhang Rong was a little surprised: "I haven't told you yet, how do you know the time is not right?"

Ni Yuanlu replied calmly: "I guessed it."

At this time, bursts of artillery fire were heard outside the city.

Zhang Rong no longer had time to chat with Ni Yuanlu, so he said directly: "I want to go to the palace to meet the prince. Please find a way to bring me in, Mr. Ni."

Ni Yuanlu asked: "The Nanjing Imperial City is full of minions of the East Factory and the Embroidered Uniform Guard. As the commander of the East Factory, you can easily enter the Imperial City. Why do you need my help?"

"Alas," Zhang Rong sighed, "After Zhu Guobi lost Yangzhou and returned to the south bank of the Yangtze River, he replaced the imperial guards under the pretext of protecting the prince's safety. All the people from the East Factory and the Embroidered Uniform Guard were transferred away, and Zhu Guobi and Liu Kongzhao's people took over the defense."

"I tried several times but failed, so I asked Mr. Ni for help."

Ni Yuanlu suddenly realized: "So that's it."

Zhang Rong asked, "When will Mr. Ni take me into the palace?"

"No hurry, wait a little longer."

How could Zhang Rong not be anxious?

He stood up and urged: "We can't wait any longer. If we wait any longer, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's life will be in danger."

Ni Yuanlu also stood up: "It is precisely because of the concern for one's life that one must wait."

Zhang Rong pointed at Ni Yuanlu's nose and asked, "Do you want to kill the prince?"

Ni Yuanlu was immediately furious: "I am the teacher of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, how could I harm him?"

"So what are you waiting for?"

"Wait for the prince to send someone to invite me to the palace."

"When will the prince send someone to invite you?"

"soon."

"Why are you so sure?"

"Because there has been a quarrel in the palace."

......

Nanjing Imperial City, Spring Harmony Hall.

All the civil and military officials in the court gathered in the hall to discuss countermeasures with Zhu Cilang who was lying on the sickbed.

Zhu Cilang was indeed pretending to be sick at first.

However, as Zhu Guobi suffered successive defeats, Zhu Cilang's pretending to be sick turned into real illness.

And the disease is getting worse.

He didn't know what his fate would be.

Wasted?

Caught?

Or... killed?

He is afraid of death, but sometimes he wants to die.

If he survived, he didn't know how to face Zhu Cijiong who was suppressing the rebellion.

He didn't even know how to face his father Chongzhen.

Zhu Cilang, who was lying on the sickbed, glanced down and said in a low voice: "Have you come to a conclusion?"

Ren Jun, the left assistant minister of the Nanjing Ministry of War, and Cao Rong, the right assistant minister, said at the same time: "Your Highness, please move south to Fujian immediately. You can attack Zhejiang if you advance, or defend Guangdong if you retreat!"

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