In April 1644, a fast horse broke through the morning fog of the Yangtze River, with three feathers on its back indicating the highest degree of urgency. The messenger rushed into the yamen of the Ministry of War in Nanjing, fell from his horse with all his strength, and screamed: "Beijing... Has fallen! The emperor... Has died for the country!" The news was like a thunderous explosion, and there was a sudden silence inside and outside the yamen. Then there was a chaos of crying, exclamations, and running sounds... Shi Kefa, Ma Shiying and other civil and military ministers were quarreling over who to support on the throne. After all, a country cannot be without a king for a day... The moment when King Fu Zhu Yousong sat on the dragon throne, it heralded the beginning of corruption, conspiracy, and internal strife in the Nanjing small court...
