In the third month of the seventh year of Chongzhen, a great drought struck Shanxi and Shaanxi, the red earth stretched for a thousand li, and the people were greatly starving. In the fourth month, Li Zicheng entered Henan and joined forces with Zhang Xianzhong to attack and take Chengcheng. In the seventh month, the Later Jin army advanced to besiege Xuanfu, their soldiers plundered Datong, and many border fortresses fell.

The Great Ming faced internal troubles and external threats,...