On a whim, King Li Zicheng led the army to the north, and finally sat on the throne, but before he could warm the dragon chair, he ushered in the end of his life.
After the defeat, Li Zicheng fled in a panic, and his bags were stuffed with gold, silver and jewelry. The final fate of these riches, like the fate of their lives, is full of unsolved mysteries.
In the late Ming Dynasty, the land of China was full of war and poverty, and the scene of people's livelihood was everywhere.
During this period, Li Zicheng, an ordinary peasant child, emerged in the torrent of history, changing his fate and the trajectory of the entire empire.
In the last years of the Ming Dynasty, natural and man-made disasters continued one after another, bureaucratic corruption, heavy tax oppression made the people's lives more and more difficult, and the exiles were everywhere.
Against such a social background, a peasant uprising was as inevitable as a volcanic eruption.
Li Zicheng initially joined the peasant rebel army as an ordinary rebel soldier, and his first battle demonstrated his extraordinary military talent and leadership.
At first, Li Zicheng fought with Gao Yingxiang, the leader of the rebel army, and his bravery and wisdom made him quickly stand out in the army.
In a number of battles, Li Zicheng has demonstrated his tactical flair and keen insight into the situation.
The strategy of "dividing troops and orienting them and attacking them from all directions" put forward by him was recognized by other leaders at the Xingyang Conference, which greatly improved the combat efficiency and morale of the rebel army.
Gao Yingxiang unfortunately fell in battle, and Li Zicheng's popularity was enough to make him a natural new leader.
After inheriting Gao Yingxiang's position, Li Zicheng was honored as "King Chuang", and this title also became his symbol in the future.
Eventually, Li Zicheng's army conquered Beijing after a series of fierce battles, marking the de facto end of the Ming dynasty.
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After Li Zicheng captured Beijing, the peak of his power lasted only forty-two days, during which time his fate and the treasure he took with him changed dramatically.
On the one hand, Li Zicheng tried to consolidate his power, and on the other hand, the gold and silver treasures of the city of Beijing became an important support for him.
After Li Zicheng entered Beijing, his first task was to restore and maintain social order, and he ordered a ban on looting and severely punished soldiers who violated people's property and committed violent acts.
At first, his orders were effectively carried out, and order in the capital was maintained. Many people in the city are worried, but their lives have not been seriously affected, the market is still open, and people continue with their daily lives.
But the stability of Lee's regime was built on extremely fragile foundations. His regime needed a lot of money to keep the army supplied and the bureaucracy functioning.
To this end, Li Zicheng began to use the palace gold and silver treasures plundered when he entered Beijing. According to historical records, these treasures included large quantities of gold bars, silver ingots, and precious jade and jewelry.
These treasures were originally national treasures accumulated by the Ming imperial family over hundreds of years, and Li Zicheng saw them as an important means of consolidating his power.
A large number of treasures were used, and some of them began to flow into the market, causing prices to soar in the capital. The capital's economy began to be chaotic, and discontent among the citizens grew.
While Li Zicheng struggled to consolidate power, external threats were rapidly increasing. The Qing army led by Wu Sangui had begun to approach Shanhaiguan, and Li Zicheng seemed ill-prepared for this.
Eventually, when Wu Sangui and the Qing army launched an attack on Beijing, Li Zicheng's army had lost much morale.
Faced with a formidable enemy force, Li Zicheng was forced to make a decision to evacuate Beijing and flee with treasures and loyal troops that had not yet had time to use.
In the rush to escape, many valuable gold and silver were abandoned on the way to escape, or hidden by members of the army.
Due to the haste and confusion of the escape, the whereabouts of these treasures have become mysterious.
Some are said to be buried in different secret locations, just in case Li Zicheng can regroup and fight again; Others were lost on the way due to fighting or rapids.
According to legend, Li Zicheng once passed through a hidden mountainous area in Hunan Province during his escape, where he buried a large amount of treasure.
The location is described as "Shiyan Chong, Three Bridges, South Hundred Steps, Three Kilns of Gold", and this enigmatic clue has aroused the interest of countless treasure hunters.
It is said that whoever can solve these clues will be able to discover a huge treasure.
In the seventies and in the decades that followed, these legends attracted a large number of treasure hunters. Following the clues of the legend, they set foot into the remote mountains, armed with detectors and digging tools, in an attempt to find the legendary treasure.
The mountainous terrain is steep, and explorers often face the challenges of harsh weather and complex terrain, and some even lose their lives or encounter accidents.
In addition to these folk explorers, some archaeologists and historians have also become interested in these legends.
They tried to conduct scientific research and exploration of Li Zicheng's escape route and possible treasure hiding sites through historical documents and on-site investigations.
However, the authenticity of Li Zicheng's treasure remains an unsolved mystery to this day. Some historians believe that most of the legends are more of an imagination and exaggeration by later generations, and that the real historical events may not be so dramatic.
In the 21st century, Li Zicheng's treasures are no longer just a hot topic for historians and treasure hunters, but have also become an important part of cultural exploration and historical research.
In recent years, a number of important discoveries have added new footnotes to this history.
In particular, during an archaeological excavation in Zhangjiajie, Hunan, archaeologists discovered a hidden cave in which a large number of gold and silver treasures and cultural relics were hidden.
The terrain of the cave was complex and inaccessible, and the team had to use professional climbing and caving equipment to enter the cave.
Secondly, the environment inside the cave is humid and unstable, and the excavation needs to be carried out with great care to avoid damage to the artifacts.
After careful excavation, the team found several boxes of ancient silver coins, gold ornaments, and some weapons from the last Ming Dynasty in the depths of the cave.
These artifacts have been preliminarily identified and are consistent with the historical background of Li Zicheng's period, confirming some of the legends about his hidden treasures.
After this discovery, the local government quickly protected the excavation site from illegal excavations and theft, and began working with national museums to prepare for more in-depth research and exhibition of these artifacts.
Resources:
Han Changgeng,Xiang Xianghai. Li Zicheng died, and the problem test was all year round. Journal of Xiangtan University (Philosophy and Social Science Edition), 1981