Done! Your Majesty is going to prostitute me for free!

Outside the ancient and solemn walls of the Qianqing Palace, the sun shines on the bluestone slabs. Lin Xiaofeng is dressed in a bright yellow brocade robe, looking heroic, with wisdom in his eyes. He orders Guo Tianyang, a burly and resolute guard, to fetch several heavy books. The covers of these books are yellowed, revealing traces of time, as if each one carries the weight of history. Guo Tianyang moves swiftly, nailing the books firmly to a thick wooden stake, and each blow seems so solid and powerful.

After nailing it, Lin Xiaofeng turned around and his eyes fell on Gongsun Yuchun. Gongsun Yuchun, a thin but sharp-eyed Jinyiwei commander, immediately understood Lin Xiaofeng's intention and quickly prepared the bird gun and fire gun, the cold metal luster sparkling in the sun.

Under the watchful eyes of Li Banghua and Cheng Qinghua, Lin Xiaofeng's every move seemed so calm. He raised his musket and aimed at the wooden stake fifty steps away, his eyes revealing an indescribable determination. With a loud "bang", smoke filled the air, and a pungent smell of gunpowder filled the air.

After the smoke cleared, Guo Tianyang sent someone to carry the wooden stake to Lin Xiaofeng. On the wooden stake, the remaining pages of the book swayed in the wind, as if telling an unknown story. Li Banghua, an old minister over sixty years old with white hair and beard, had a thoughtful look in his eyes. He had guessed Lin Xiaofeng's intention. The emperor wanted to use books to simulate the effect of paper armor! He knew that the Ming army did have records of using paper armor in history. The combination of wisdom and practicality made him look at Lin Xiaofeng with new eyes.

Back then, Qi Jiguang also used paper armor when fighting against Japanese pirates. His innovative spirit is still admired today. However, Li Banghua still didn't believe that books could have such an effect, so he opened the book and carefully checked the damage of the wooden stake. The surface of the wooden stake had been pierced by the lead bullet of the musket, leaving a deep hole, as if telling the power of the firearm.

"Your Majesty, these books cannot be used as paper armor. They have no protective capabilities!" Li Banghua said bluntly, with a hint of worry in his tone.

Lin Xiaofeng shook his head gently, his eyes revealing an indescribable depth, as if everything was under control. He signaled Gongsun Yuchun to shoot at another tree stump. This time, the arrangement on the tree stump was different. There were two layers of books tied to this tree stump. The outer layer of books was soaked in water, while the inner layer of books remained dry. This design obviously contained some wisdom.

Gongsun Yuchun fired again, and after the smoke cleared, Guo Tianyang carried the stake back again. This time, the effect was remarkable! Although the lead bullets from the bird gun penetrated the first layer of books, they could not penetrate the second layer. The dry books seemed to form a solid barrier, blocking the attack of firearms.

Li Banghua and Cheng Qinghua were both stunned. They looked at Lin Xiaofeng in surprise, their hearts filled with shock! The emperor was indeed knowledgeable and seemed to know everything! They both bowed in a hurry and praised in unison: "Your Majesty is extremely smart, far beyond ordinary people!"

Lin Xiaofeng smiled slightly, his eyes revealing an indescribable satisfaction. "Don't praise me too much, spread the news quickly, and let those soldiers who don't have armor make armor according to this method, string the books together with ropes, and hang them on their bodies." He ordered, with a bit of urgency in his tone.

"As ordered, we will take our leave." The two men took the order and left. Their figures looked so firm against the backdrop of the palace wall.

After Li Banghua and Cheng Qinghua left, Lin Xiaofeng ordered Gongsun Yuchun to continue. This time, he planned to thoroughly settle accounts with those civil officials who were fighting among themselves! His eyes revealed an indescribable determination, as if all obstacles would be destroyed by his will.

The next morning, when the sky was just turning pale, Lin Xiaofeng had not yet left the imperial city when he received the news that the bandits had set up camp outside the city. His eyes revealed an indescribable solemnity, as if a great battle was about to begin.

He asked Guo Tianyang: "Are all the civil and military officials present?" There was some urgency in his tone.

"Your Majesty, seven or eight ministers are bedridden due to catching a cold and have already asked for leave to go home and recuperate." Guo Tianyang replied, with a hint of worry in his voice.

"Feng Han?" Lin Xiaofeng smiled calmly, his eyes revealing an indescribable depth. "Is Gu Chaosheng here?" he asked.

"I'm here!" Gu Chaosheng responded. He was thin and had a sinister face, like a cheetah lurking in the dark.

"Go and order the men from the East Factory to investigate the homes of those ministers. Remember, they all say they are sick." Lin Xiaofeng ordered, with a hint of amusement in his tone.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Gu Chaosheng gladly accepted the order and left. His heart was full of anticipation, as if he had found another good opportunity to make money.

What does the emperor mean by this? It seems that this is another good opportunity to make money! He was secretly delighted in his heart.

"Gongsun Yuchun, a quarter of an hour after the people from the Eastern Depot leave, you send the Embroidered Uniform Guard to investigate the homes of those ministers. Remember, they all say they are sick." Lin Xiaofeng ordered again, his eyes revealing an indescribable determination.

Gongsun Yuchun blinked and immediately understood what Lin Xiaofeng meant. "I obey your command," he replied with a firmness in his voice.

"Guo Tianyang, a quarter of an hour after the Jinyiwei leave, you will arrange for the imperial doctors in the palace to go to the ministers' houses to treat them." Lin Xiaofeng continued, with a hint of amusement in his tone. "Remember, they all said they were sick. Half of the silver collected will be handed over to you, and the other half you can keep for yourself."

"Yes, sir." Guo Tianyang also took the order and left. His heart was full of anticipation, as if he had found another good opportunity to make a fortune.

At this time, the civil and military officials had been waiting outside the imperial city for a long time. Because they had been notified in advance, the civil officials all wore cotton armor, and some even wore two layers! Their figures looked particularly thin in the cold wind, as if they would be blown away at any time.

The cold wind blew, and white mist emanated from their necks, as if carrying an indescribable sadness. Seeing Lin Xiaofeng coming, the officials knelt down to salute, with a bit of panic and uneasiness in their movements.

"You are all wearing armor, so let's skip the formalities today. Do you know why I asked you to go up to the city wall?" Lin Xiaofeng asked, with a bit of majesty in his tone.

"We don't know. Your Majesty, please tell us clearly." The officials answered in unison, with a slight tremor in their voices.

"I don't mean anything else. I just want you to see what the bandits look like and feel the biting cold wind on the city wall!" Lin Xiaofeng explained, his eyes revealing an indescribable depth.

Although the civil officials were somewhat reluctant, since the emperor had already taken the lead, they could not say anything. So, escorted by a team of Yongwei Battalion and Jinyiwei, the group headed towards Fuchengmen. Their footsteps left a series of firm marks on the bluestone slabs, as if they were carrying an indescribable determination.

Although the capital was under martial law, there were still many people on the streets. The attention of the three major camps, the Five City Military Command, the Patrol Camp, the Imperial Guard, the East Factory and other institutions was focused on the city walls, and basically no one was in charge of the city. The lives of the people seemed to have returned to the peace of the past, but there was a sense of anxiety and fear in that peace.

Hearing that the bandits had set up camp in the southwest of the capital, the people all moved towards the west wall. As they walked, they shouted: "The bandits are coming! Go and see! See what these beasts who robbed and killed everything look like!" There was a bit of anger and anxiety in their voices.

"What's so good about it? Aren't there just two eyes, a nose and a mouth? We might as well make some armor now! I heard that this thing is more useful than the cotton armor of the three major camps!" someone shouted, with a hint of urgency in his voice.

"If they dare to attack the city today, I will be the first to rush up and kill people! Killing one will be enough, killing two will be a profit!" another person shouted, with some bloodiness and determination in his voice.

The people's emotions were high. Although they were still a little afraid, their blood was boiling. They didn't have any lofty ideals, nor did they want to serve the country. They just wanted to protect what they had already obtained! Money, food, relatives, houses! These most precious things, they swore to protect them even at death!
The group quickly crossed the street and climbed up to Fucheng Gate! The general guarding the city was Lieutenant General Li of the Fifth Army Camp. He personally handed a telescope to Lin Xiaofeng and pointed to the southwest and said, "Your Majesty, please look, the bandits are setting up camp in the southwest, about four miles away from here." There was a bit of solemnity in his voice.

"The Red Cannon can't reach them!" Lin Xiaofeng said with some regret, his eyes revealing an unspeakable anxiety. He took the telescope and looked southwest. Although the telescope has the function of a telescope, its clarity and zoom ability are still limited. Through the telescope, you can see that the Shun army in the distance has set up camp and is waiting for the follow-up troops to gather. The baggage troops in the rear are marching in a mighty manner, and the dark mass makes people feel suffocated.

Then a group of cavalrymen set out from the barracks and quickly marched towards Fuchengmen. Behind them followed a group of infantrymen, holding long "weapons" in their hands. As they got closer and closer, Lin Xiaofeng finally saw clearly that what they held in their hands were not weapons but hoes! He couldn't help but feel surprised and puzzled.

Lin Xiaofeng was stunned for a moment, then handed the Clairvoyance to Li Banghua and asked, "What are Lord Li and the others going to do?" There was some doubt in his tone.

Li Banghua took the Clairvoyance and understood their intention at a glance. He said loudly: "The bandits are going to dig trenches! With trenches they can avoid the attacks of cannons and muskets, and even bows and crossbows can't hurt them." There was a hint of anxiety in his voice.

Before Lin Xiaofeng could finish, the scout rushed over like a flash, knelt on one knee, panting, his face covered with dust and sweat, his eyes flashing with tension and anxiety, as if every inch of the air was filled with urgency. He reported the military situation in a trembling voice: "Your Majesty, dust is flying in the northwest, and the traces of the enemy have appeared. The flag has the word 'Shun' written on it. It is suspected that Li Zicheng's main force is approaching!"

As soon as these words came out, the faces of the officials and soldiers guarding the city instantly became solemn, as if a dark cloud had covered the entire city wall. They all looked to the northwest, where the sky seemed to be darker than elsewhere, foreshadowing the coming of a storm. The capital had not experienced war for a long time. The last time there was a scene of smoke everywhere was in the second year of Lin Xiaofeng. The war at that time was extremely cruel. Brave generals such as Zhao Lujiao, Man Gui, Sun Zushou, Ma Dengyun, Hei Yunlong, and Zhu Guoyan all died heroically, and even Yuan Chonghuan was tortured to death. More than a decade has passed, and the deeds of those heroes seem to have been covered by the dust, and the cruelty of the war has gradually been forgotten, leaving only the mottled city walls and historical scars, silently telling the past glory and sadness.

Lin Xiaofeng took the clairvoyance, his fingers trembling slightly, his eyes revealing an indescribable complex emotion. He stared to the northwest, where the horizon seemed to be shrouded in a layer of light mist, and the outline of the enemy was vaguely visible. Sure enough, he saw the Shun army's cavalry rushing like a tide, galloping towards the capital, the sound of horse hooves like thunder, shaking the earth. In front of them, there were some scattered cavalry running wildly, undoubtedly the scouts of the Ming army, who tried their best to escape the impending disaster.

After a while, the cavalry had rushed out of the range of the Ming army's artillery. They did not form a battle array, but scattered into pieces. This was done to reduce the damage of artillery fire, showing that Li Zicheng's army was not without strategy.

The Ming army had many types of artillery, and there were two main types of shells: large solid shells with long range and great power; small 100-shot shells with wide killing range, once exploded, it was like a flower scattering from heaven, bringing devastating blow to the enemy. Although there were also shrapnel shells, they could only be fired by skilled gunners, and the error rate was very high, so they were rarely used in actual combat to avoid accidentally injuring one's own side.

The Red Cannon is the artillery with the longest range, theoretically reaching two kilometers, but its use is also full of risks. The longer the range, the more gunpowder is needed, and the greater the risk of explosion. The book "Wu Bei Zhi" was written in the first year of Tianqi. It has strict regulations on the loading of artillery ammunition, which can reduce the risk of explosion and extend the service life of artillery. However, in actual combat, these regulations are often ignored, and gunners are willing to take risks to increase the amount of gunpowder in pursuit of greater power.

The pursuers stopped when they reached the range of the artillery, and they seemed to be hesitating whether to continue moving forward. The defenders on the city were unwilling to give up, and some of them fired artillery shells to attack, but in the end they missed, and the shells drew an arc in the air and then fell weakly on the land in the distance.

Li Banghua picked up the telescope, frowning, and pointed at the Shun army digging the ground and asked, "Your Majesty, what makes you say they are not digging trenches?" His tone was full of doubt and confusion. His Majesty replied, "It is dark and windy now, and it is difficult to distinguish clearly from the city. If they are digging trenches, why don't they choose to do it at night? Digging the ground during the day is probably to test the number of guards and artillery at each city gate, so as to choose the city gate with the least artillery to attack during the siege, thereby reducing casualties. There must be bandits digging the ground outside other city gates."

As soon as the words fell, the sound of cannons came from the direction of other city gates. Looking with clairvoyance, one can see bandits digging outside the West Gate. They waved hoes and shovels, digging the ground frantically, as if they wanted to dig out the foundation of the city. The defenders of the West Gate fired artillery to attack, but some shells did not have enough range, some flew over their heads, and some hit the digging bandits, splashing blood and causing several casualties. However, these bandits did not seem to care, they continued to wave the tools in their hands, as if they wanted to integrate their lives into this land.

Li Banghua frowned and asked in confusion: "Your Majesty, the enemy troops are just digging in the distance, and the defenders are only using a few cannons to fight back. How can we judge the number of defenders and cannons in each gate? Isn't this just sending people to die in vain?" There was a hint of doubt and dissatisfaction in his tone, as if he questioned your majesty's judgment. Other ministers had the same doubts, and they looked at each other, not knowing how to answer.

Lin Xiaofeng shook his head and said, "No, they are not sending themselves to die in vain, but are going to attack the city!" His tone was firm and resolute. "Attacking the city?" Everyone was surprised. They couldn't imagine that these bandits had the courage to attack the city. "Yes, they are not ordinary bandits, but civilians who were forced to flee." Lin Xiaofeng pointed to the distance and said, "The strategy of fortifying the city and clearing the countryside has prevented the bandits from obtaining supplies. The food and grass in their camp are already running out. In order to save food and test our strength, they let the civilians die."

Before he finished speaking, the bandits who were digging the soil suddenly stopped. They picked up tools such as adzes, chisels, axes and saws and began to attack the city wall. Their movements were swift and powerful, as if they wanted to occupy every inch of the city. The sudden change shocked everyone, especially the guards of each gate. They were worried that the city gates would be breached, so they hurriedly organized their soldiers to meet the enemy. Cannons, muskets, Portuguese guns, Portuguese cannons, bird guns and other weapons had been loaded and were waiting for the enemy to enter the range before firing.

The commander of Fuchengmen was Lieutenant General of the Fifth Army Camp. He was tall and strong, with a resolute face and a fighting spirit in his eyes. He was about to order his soldiers to meet the enemy, but he saw Lin Xiaofeng waved his hand and said, "Don't worry, I expect they will give up halfway. When they rush to the middle, it won't be too late for us to fire artillery." Lieutenant General Li's fighting spirit disappeared immediately. He looked at Lin Xiaofeng with doubts and confusion in his eyes. The other ministers also looked at each other, and they all had an ominous premonition. They were too familiar with this feeling, because everyone knew that Lin Xiaofeng was good at using troops, but if he didn't use them well, it would often lead to a great defeat of the Ming army. Compared with his ancestor, Zhu Qizhen, the god of war of the Ming Dynasty, Lin Xiaofeng was simply a contrast between a sleeping dragon and a phoenix.

Recalling the thirteenth year of Lin Xiaofeng, the Eight Banners Army besieged Jinzhou. Hong Chengchou knew that his combat power was inferior to that of the enemy, so he did not dare to fight easily. However, Lin Xiaofeng in the capital did not know this situation. He urged Hong Chengchou to fight and sent Zhang Ruoqi to supervise the army. Hong Chengchou was forced to march, but was eventually defeated and captured. Zu Dashou defended Jinzhou, but surrendered to the Qing army because of the lack of food and aid. In that battle, the defeat of the Ming army made everyone feel heartbroken, and Lin Xiaofeng's decision became the target of public criticism.

In the fifteenth year of Lin Xiaofeng's reign, Li Zicheng besieged Kaifeng. Sun Chuanting wanted to train his troops for several months before going to rescue, but Lin Xiaofeng did not allow it. Sun Chuanting had no choice but to go out of Tongguan to fight, but he suffered a defeat. In the sixteenth year, Lin Xiaofeng ordered Sun Chuanting to go out of Tongguan again to fight. A fierce battle took place in Ruzhou, but he was defeated and Sun Chuanting was killed in Tongguan. In that battle, the morale of the Ming army fell to the bottom, and Lin Xiaofeng's decision-making made people question his ability.

Now that the bandits are attacking the city again, the emperor wants to command the army to fight again, and everyone sighs. They look at Lin Xiaofeng, with complex emotions flashing in their eyes, both expectation and worry. Lieutenant General Li sighed and lowered his head. He looked at the bandits in the distance, but in his heart he hoped that they could break into the house and humiliate the emperor. However, the reality was the opposite. When the bandits were halfway through the charge, they suddenly turned around and rushed back. Their speed was twice as fast as when they came. They came as fast as the wind and left as fast as lightning. If it weren't for the corpses and blood splattered on the ground, people would almost think that nothing had happened.

Lieutenant General Li stared blankly into the distance, his mouth twitching as he said, "Your Majesty is truly a master of strategy, a modern-day Sleeping Dragon!" His tone was bitter and helpless, as if he was full of disappointment with the world. However, he also understood that no matter what the outcome, they had to persevere, for the sake of this city, for this land, and for their homeland.

Hearing the name "Wolong", Lin Xiaofeng felt a sense of blame in his heart, as if this name carried some kind of undue frivolity and exaggeration. However, he thought about it again, in this dynasty, "Wolong" is still a symbol of reputation, representing the pinnacle of wisdom and strategy, so the blame in his heart gradually dissipated, replaced by a sense of understanding and relief. He did not come here to reprimand the deputy general Li who was named "Wolong", nor to witness the hideous face of the bandits with his own eyes, nor to appreciate the spectacular scene of the bandits attacking the city. That kind of cruelty and chaos is not something to watch. In fact, he wanted to observe the reaction of the defenders during the siege to see if they could burst out with amazing resilience and courage in desperate situations. As expected, everything was in line with his expectations. Although the defenders were nervous, they did not lose order. Their eyes revealed firmness and indomitable spirit.

Lin Xiaofeng, a soul from the future, was in this turbulent era. When he first saw thousands of bandits charging like a tide, he couldn't help but feel a little flustered. After all, he was alone at this time, and the other side was a well-trained and aggressive whole. When an individual faces the whole, the feeling of powerlessness and fear naturally surges into his heart, as if it is the last struggle before being swallowed by the huge waves. However, the solution is actually very simple, that is, to integrate the individual into the whole, let everyone's strength gather into the sea, boost morale, shout slogans, and mobilize! Now, everything is ready, only a loud slogan is missing, a slogan that can ignite the fire in everyone's heart.

Thinking of this, Lin Xiaofeng's eyes became unusually firm, and he ordered: "Lord Li, the day before yesterday I ordered Cheng Qinghua to bring the prey from Nanyuan back to the capital. Now the bandits are about to attack the city. Distribute these prey to the soldiers and civilians defending the city, so that they can feel the care of the court and boost their morale." "Also, starting today, set up porridge shops in the city. I hope that the soldiers defending the city can have hot meals, and I hope that the people in the city can have enough food and warmth, so that we can jointly resist foreign enemies." "I obey your order." Lord Li replied, with a hint of admiration in his eyes.

Taking the opportunity to go down the city wall, Lin Xiaofeng whispered to Li Banghua: "How are the death squads I asked you to recruit the day before yesterday?" A few days ago, Lin Xiaofeng secretly ordered Li Banghua to secretly recruit death squads in the city. No matter whether they were ruffians, gangsters, or murderers, they would not be punished as long as they were willing to sacrifice their lives for the country. Each person was given 200 taels of silver, trained every day, and had meat for every meal. Now they should have taken shape.

Li Banghua replied in a low voice: "I have recruited more than 400 people, and their weapons and armor are ready. They train hard every day, just waiting for an order." "Let them get ready and act tonight. Order the defenders of Fuchengmen to fire a cannon every half an hour after nightfall. After the cannon is fired at the end of the hour of Hai, let the death squad attack from Fuchengmen and return from Deshengmen. Deshengmen has a barbican, and even if there is a mistake, it can still encircle and annihilate the enemy." "Yes, your Majesty." Although Li Banghua's voice was low, it revealed a firm determination. After returning to the Qianqing Palace, Lin Xiaofeng summoned Shan Huafeng of the Yongwei Camp and made detailed arrangements. He told his plan one by one, not missing any details. After Shan Huafeng heard it, a trace of excitement flashed in his eyes, as if he saw the dawn of victory. After the arrangements were made, Lin Xiaofeng breathed a sigh of relief. Since Li Zicheng is here, he can't sleep well tonight! Afterwards, Lin Xiaofeng bent over his desk and wrote. He wanted to write the slogan on paper and have the defenders read it to everyone before the enemy attacked the city. This slogan should not only be loud, but also make people feel passionate and excited after hearing it, as if it could awaken the heroic dream deep in everyone's heart.

……

Four miles west of the capital, there is a Diaoyutai, which was originally a place where the emperors of the Jin and Yuan dynasties went fishing and had fun. It has beautiful scenery and shaded trees. In the Ming Dynasty, it became a manor house for eunuchs, which was extremely luxurious and formed a sharp contrast with the poor people around it. But now, this Diaoyutai has become the temporary central military tent of the Shun army, where Li Zicheng and his generals discuss military intelligence and plan how to break through this impregnable capital.

Li Zicheng, military advisor Cheng Minghe, left assistant Nangong Shangpu, left governor Jing Changhao, left camp general Luo Wenbin, right camp general Sang Dongxu, front camp general Yan Tianlu, rear camp general Ning Weize and others sat down. There was wine and meat on the table, and there was a charcoal fire next to it. The firelight reflected on their resolute faces, revealing an unyielding fighting spirit. Everyone was tasting the food while discussing military intelligence. The atmosphere was tense and heated.

Jing Changhao reported: "Your Majesty (Li Zicheng has proclaimed himself emperor), today I sent the people to test the Ming army's garrison and artillery deployment. All other gates encountered resistance, but the Fucheng Gate in the west was silent. Not only did no artillery fire, but no one even fired bird guns." "According to the report from the scouts, they used their clairvoyance to observe and found that there were many people at Fucheng Gate. Judging from their clothes, Zhu Youjian seemed to be supervising the army at the time."

Li Zicheng stroked his beard and frowned slightly, his mind full of doubts: Why didn't the Fuchengmen resist? Did Zhu Youjian see through his plan, or were the defenders terrified? Or... Zhu Youjian was afraid of the sound of the artillery, so he didn't order the artillery to be fired? They just let the people run within the range of the artillery and outside the range of the bird guns to test the deployment of the artillery, but did not actually launch an attack.

He thought for a long time but could not come up with an answer, so he looked up at the crowd. These were the backbone of the Shun army, with rich combat experience, and their opinions were very important to him. "What do you think is going on?" His voice was low and powerful, revealing an unquestionable majesty.

Luo Wenbin bowed his head and said nothing. He had recently lost more than 2,000 cavalrymen. Although his army had not been seriously injured, the loss was still very heavy. Since the Shun army's northern expedition, his troops had suffered the most losses, except for Ningwu Pass. He was filled with guilt and anger, and vowed to avenge his dead brothers.

Military advisor Cheng Minghe smiled calmly and said, "Your Majesty, I think Zhu Youjian has been frightened. I heard from Cheng Jinhe that Zhu Youjian appears to be brave on the surface, but is actually very cowardly in his heart. Why don't we send an envoy into the city tonight to force Zhu Youjian to negotiate peace." There was a hint of sarcasm and disdain in his voice, as if he had seen through Zhu Youjian's heart.

Negotiate peace? Li Zicheng was surprised when he heard this word. The 100,000 Shun troops had gone through hardships to reach the city of Beijing, and lost 70,000 troops at Ningwu Pass! Now that they had finally surrounded Zhu Youjian, they wanted to force him to negotiate peace? Even if Zhu Youjian agreed to the terms of peace, Li Zicheng and his brothers would not agree! What they longed for was a victory, a victory that would go down in history!

Cheng Minghe laughed and said, "Your Majesty, you have misunderstood what I meant. The army has just arrived at the outskirts of Beijing and is in urgent need of rest. Sending Cheng Jinhe to negotiate peace now can not only give our army a chance to rest, but also destroy the Ming army's determination to defend the city." There was a cunning and sinister tone in his voice, as if he had seen the dawn of victory.

Nangong Shangpu echoed, "Your Majesty, Military Advisor Song is right! Sending Cheng Jinhe to negotiate peace is just to confuse Zhu Youjian. He is an indecisive person. As long as we relax the conditions, he should agree to peace." "Once he agrees to peace, the Ming army will lose all the confidence to defend the city, and then it will be easy for us to attack the city!" His voice was full of excitement and expectation, as if he had already seen the flag of victory flying over the capital.

Li Zicheng nodded and looked at his generals. Cheng Minghe and Nangong Shangpu were both civil officials, and their plans needed the consent of the military officials before they could be implemented. He knew that only by giving equal importance to civil and military affairs could he achieve hegemony.

Jing Changhao took a bite of meat and said, "Your Majesty, what I care about is not this problem, but how to attack the city. Even if Lin Xiaofeng agrees to the conditions for peace talks, what should we do if we do not withdraw our troops and continue to fight?" "The walls of Beijing are tall and thick. How should we attack? Where should we attack? I think we should consider these issues first." "As for Cheng Jinhe's false peace talks, I don't care." There was a hint of dissatisfaction and worry in his voice, and he was obviously not impressed by Cheng Minghe's plan.

Cheng Minghe and Nangong Shangpu raised their glasses to each other, pretending to be indifferent. As the third most important figure in the Dashun Army (the second most important figure, Tian Jianxiu, stayed in Shaanxi to guard the city), Jing Changhao was really short-sighted to say such a thing. They knew very well that only by conquering the capital could they truly achieve hegemony.

Sang Dongxu swallowed the mutton in his mouth and smiled, "Left Commander, you are really worrying too much! Although the city wall of Beijing is high, can it be as high as the city wall of Kaifeng? Although the city wall is thick, can it be as thick as the city wall of Kaifeng?" "The city wall of Beijing is bricks on the outside and soil on the inside! We can still use the old method, first send the people to die, and then hold shields and axes to chisel the bricks under the city wall. After chiseling the bricks down, use a rope to pull it down! If you can't pull it down, use gunpowder to blow it up! I don't believe that we can't blow up this city wall!" His voice was full of confidence and pride, as if he had seen the dawn of victory.

Jing Changhao rolled his eyes at him and asked, "There are so many gates in Beijing. Which gate should we attack? Who will be the vanguard and who will be the backup? Also, we have seized a lot of artillery from Zhou Yuji. Why not use them to attack the city?" "What should we do if we can't capture the city in a short period of time?" "The various Ming army's loyal troops are rushing to reinforce. We must take these factors into consideration, otherwise we will be in danger of being wiped out!" His voice revealed a sense of anxiety and worry, and he was obviously full of uncertainty about the upcoming siege.

Seeing that the two were arguing more and more fiercely, Li Zicheng waved his hand to stop them: "Alright, stop arguing!" "Send Cheng Jinhe into the city tonight to persuade Lin Xiaofeng to negotiate peace. If he agrees, then the army can take the opportunity to rest for a day tomorrow. If he disagrees, then tomorrow Fang Liang's troops will be the vanguard, and Zong Min will lead the army as the backup force to attack Fuchengmen, Guang'anmen and Xibianmen." "The rest of the troops must protect the two wings and cooperate with the siege.
"Your Majesty, today we launched a feint attack on Fuchengmen, but there was no movement. I'm afraid there must be a trick. I request to send spies into the city to find out the number of defenders and the artillery situation before formulating a strategy!" Luo Wenbin suddenly spoke with a hint of worry in his tone, his brows furrowed, and his eyes revealed his deep concern for the battle situation. He knew very well that as a vanguard, although he could get the first credit after breaking the city, he actually exchanged the lives of soldiers for victory. How could he not feel heavy in his heart!

The walls of the capital are tall and heavy, like a silent giant, quietly guarding this land, and it is difficult to conquer in a short time. Once the war is delayed, the losses of the siege will be immeasurable! Therefore, we must know ourselves and the enemy in order to minimize the losses. This is the unchanging belief in Luo Wenbin's heart.

Li Zicheng smiled calmly, and that smile seemed to contain his control and confidence in the overall situation. "Fang Liang, you worry too much. The capital cannot be conquered overnight. Even if we launch a sudden attack, the Ming army will have time to deploy troops." His words revealed a calm demeanor, as if everything was under control.

"I..." Li Zicheng had not been emperor for long, and he was still a little unfamiliar with the word "I", but his words revealed an unquestionable majesty, "I am not afraid of Lin Xiaofeng deploying heavy troops at Fuchengmen, but I hope he will do so. Only by annihilating the elite of the Ming army can they realize the situation and surrender as soon as possible!" At this point, Li Zicheng suddenly shook his head, with a cold light flashing in his eyes, "No, we don't need them to surrender, and they won't surrender! But as long as the defenders are disbanded due to fear, then the capital can fall without a fight, just like the Battle of Luoyang!"

Thinking back to the time when Li Zicheng attacked Luoyang, there was a dispute among the defenders, and the city gates were wide open, so he was able to enter the city easily. The glory of that moment seemed to still echo in front of his eyes, making him full of expectations for the future.

"Your Majesty, I accept your order." Luo Wenbin was speechless and could only nod to accept the order. War will bring casualties. The only way to reduce casualties is to fight quickly and decisively. He prayed in his heart, hoping that this battle would go smoothly and reduce unnecessary sacrifices.

"However..." Li Zicheng changed his tone and his eyes became deep, "Tonight I order Cheng Jinhe to sneak into Fuchengmen and find out the number of artillery on the city wall." His voice was low and powerful, and every word revealed an unquestionable determination.

"As for the conditions for peace talks, we want them to pay 2 million taels of silver, and also ask them to help us encircle and suppress the Eight Banners Army outside Shanhaiguan. How could they not accept such conditions?" Li Zicheng's words revealed a kind of confidence and domineering, as if he had already seen the dawn of victory.

At this moment, a loud noise like thunder was heard outside the tent, shaking everyone. Everyone was startled and stood up to look outside, with nervous expressions on their faces.

"Your Majesty, the Ming army is attacking!" Jing Changhao rushed out of the tent with a helmet in his left hand and a sword in his right hand, his figure as nimble as a dragon. Others also got ready to go and prepare to meet the enemy, and the atmosphere became tense and solemn.

After a while, Jing Changhao came back with a smile on his face, "Your Majesty was frightened. The sound of the cannon came from Fucheng Gate. It was a blank cannon without shells. The scouts reported that the Ming army did not take the opportunity to launch a surprise attack. This was just a tactic to tire out the troops."

"A trapped beast will still fight, so why be afraid?" Military advisor Cheng Minghe said with a smile, twirling his beard. His eyes revealed wisdom and calmness, as if everything was within his expectations.

Zuo Fu Nangong Shangpu blinked his eyes, with a vigilant light flashing in his eyes: "Each camp should pay close attention to the movements of the city gates to prevent night attacks by the Ming army." Although his voice was not loud, it revealed an unquestionable majesty.

……

In the Qianqing Palace in the capital, the atmosphere was equally tense and solemn.

With a loud bang! The sound of cannons from the west rang out, breaking the quiet night sky like thunder. Lin Xiaofeng knew that the You hour had arrived. The defenders would fire a cannon every half hour as a signal, the first time at You hour (5pm to 7pm), and the second time at the beginning of Wu hour (7pm).

"Your Majesty!" Guo Tianyang's voice sounded, with a hint of urgency and nervousness.

Lin Xiaofeng was about to write a mobilization order when he was interrupted by Guo Tianyang. He raised his head slightly displeased, frowned and asked, "Well, what's the matter?"

"Zhu Fenghui is here!" There was a hint of surprise and expectation in Guo Tianyang's voice.

"Who?" Lin Xiaofeng asked doubtfully, with a hint of curiosity and anticipation in his heart.

"Jiangyin Dianshi Zhu Fenghui has arrived!" Guo Tianyang's words revealed an excitement and admiration that was difficult to conceal.

When Lin Xiaofeng heard this, the brush in his hand fell to the ground. He stood up excitedly: "Please invite him in!" An indescribable joy and anticipation surged in his heart, as if he saw the dawn of victory.

Guo Tianyang was surprised. What kind of position is a Dianshi? There is no rank or category. Strictly speaking, it is not an official but just an official. It is rare that such a small official can be treated by the emperor with a simple "please"! He felt a trace of admiration and curiosity for Zhu Fenghui.

After a while, Guo Tianyang led Zhu Fenghui in. Zhu Fenghui looked to be in his twenties, with a thin and exhausted face. He was wearing the cotton armor of the Ming army, with a piece of white cloth tied on his right arm, which looked a bit abrupt and uncoordinated. When he knelt down, he saw the white cloth and felt a chill on his back, and hurriedly wanted to tear it off.

"Your Majesty, those Ming soldiers who surrendered to the bandits would tie a piece of white cloth on their right arms. In order to confuse the enemy, I dressed like this too. Please forgive me, Your Majesty." There was a hint of embarrassment and uneasiness in Zhu Fenghui's voice.

Lin Xiaofeng waved his hand to show that he didn't care, "It's okay, Yan Dianshi, please stand up. I've been looking forward to your coming for a long time!" There was an unconcealable joy and expectation in his voice, as if he had seen the victory in the future.

Zhu Fenghui stood up in confusion. Jiangyin was 1,800 miles away from the capital. He set out immediately after receiving the imperial court's urgent order to travel 600 miles. However, he was still a step too late. When he arrived outside the capital, the bandits had already surrounded the city. He felt a little anxious and uneasy, wondering if he could contribute to the defense of the city.

Fortunately, he knew the details of the bandits, and tied a white cloth on his right arm to disguise himself as a scout, so he deceived the enemy and was dragged into the city with a rope in the name of surrender. However, at this moment, he stood in the Qianqing Palace facing the emperor and felt an unprecedented pressure and responsibility.

According to the system of the Ming Dynasty, only officials of the rank of Jieshizhong, Yushi, and officials above the fourth rank were qualified to meet the emperor. Why was he, a mere official, summoned by the emperor to the Qianqing Palace? He was filled with doubts and uneasiness.

Seeing Lin Xiaofeng's happy expression, Zhu Fenghui knelt down again: "I am very worried and ask Your Majesty for instructions." There was a hint of trembling and uneasiness in his voice.

Lin Xiaofeng smiled faintly, "Please stand up, Dianshi Yan. I summoned you here just to defend the city." There was a calmness and confidence in his voice, as if everything was under his control.

"Thank you... Thank you, Your Majesty." After hearing that it was for the defense of the city, Zhu Fenghui breathed a sigh of relief and stood up. A sense of determination and determination surged in his heart, and he must make a contribution to the defense of the city.

"Have you had dinner?" Lin Xiaofeng's words revealed a rare care and warmth.

Zhu Fenghui looked embarrassed. He had been sleeping in the open air all this way. When he was hungry, he ate dry food. When he was thirsty, he drank water in the wild. If there was no water, he could only bear it. At this moment, he was hungry and thirsty, but he was too embarrassed to say it in front of the emperor, so he could only answer vaguely.

Lin Xiaofeng ordered, "Guo Tianyang, go and order the Shangshenjian to prepare two dishes and a bowl of porridge, and send them to Yan Dianshi when they are ready." There was an unquestionable majesty and concern in his voice.

"Your Majesty, I am so grateful!" Zhu Fenghui was so excited that he almost cried. This treatment was really too high! Not only him, but even the Prime Minister, who was at the top of the official ranks, had never enjoyed such treatment. It can be seen that the emperor valued and expected him.

Lin Xiaofeng was not in a hurry to let Zhu Fenghui go to defend the city, but gave him a seat to rest first. His eyes revealed a kind of wisdom and calmness, as if everything was under his control.

After a while, the food was brought in by the Shangshenjian. Zhu Fenghui didn't dare to eat in front of Lin Xiaofeng at first, but after Guo Tianyang's repeated signals, he turned around and wolfed down the food. A sense of warmth and gratitude surged in his heart, as if he saw hope for the future.

Lin Xiaofeng sat on the chair and observed Zhu Fenghui carefully. In history, Zhu Fenghui was one of the three ministers who resisted the Qing Dynasty! His heart was full of admiration and expectation. He did not summon the other two people because he did not know whether the capital could be defended. Instead of taking risks, it is better to leave more talents for the prince. His eyes revealed a kind of depth and wisdom, as if he had seen the future situation.

When Zhu Fenghui was the governor of Jiangyin, he led 100,000 people to fight against 240,000 Qing troops and more than 200 heavy artillery to defend the isolated city for 81 days. The Qing army lost three princes and 18 generals in this battle, and 75,000 people were killed or injured. It was known as the "81 Days in Jiangyin". His skills in defending the city must be extraordinary! Lin Xiaofeng's heart was full of expectations and confidence.

Lin Xiaofeng summoned Zhu Fenghui to the capital from afar just to defend the city! If the capital can be defended, then the Ming Dynasty still has a glimmer of hope! His eyes revealed a kind of firmness and determination, as if he had already seen the future victory.

With this ray of hope, he might be able to turn the tide and support the collapsing building! He felt a surge of ambition and ambition in his heart, as if he had seen the glory of the future. (End of this chapter)