In the third month of the seventeenth year of the Chongzhen reign (1644), a severe drought struck. Sandstorms blotted out everything within a few feet, and the sun gave no light. Li Zicheng led his troops to capture Beijing, throwing the capital into chaos. The casualties were beyond counting, and no one knew how many people had been taken prisoner. Prince Ding, Zhu Cijiong, was among them. In the fourth month, Li Zicheng marched east. It is said that he handed Zhu Cijiong and his elder brother, Zhu Cilang, over to Wu Sangui. When Wu Sangui reached Yongping, he left Zhu Cijiong behind and escorted only Zhu Cilang. After that, Zhu Cijiong vanished without a trace…
