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

After a hearty meal, Zhu Fenghui knelt on the ground, clasped his hands respectfully, and with a firm light in his eyes, he reported: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your great grace." His voice was low, but it revealed great sincerity. Lin Xiaofeng smiled gently, and that smile contained both majesty and warmth, "Get up." Although there were more than 100,000 bandits besieging the city outside and the people in the city were panicking, Lin Xiaofeng's heart was unusually calm, like a bottomless lake. There was no other reason, just because the backbone of the city defense had arrived, and his heart was full of confidence and expectation.

"Yan Dianshi," Lin Xiaofeng said in a steady and powerful voice, "The bandit army is besieging the city. I entrust the capital to you. Can you defend it?" As soon as this sentence came out, Zhu Fenghui almost spit out the food in his mouth. He stared at Lin Xiaofeng in disbelief. Guo Tianyang, who was standing aside, was also full of surprise, frowning, wondering if the emperor's mind was still stable, and he actually entrusted such an important task to a ninth-rank official.

Zhu Fenghui was thin and had a resolute face. He had mixed feelings in his heart at the moment. Regardless of whether he had the ability to manage the Beijing Camp, given his status, how could the soldiers of the Beijing Camp accept him! He pondered for a moment, then clasped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, this is inappropriate. I have neither merit nor hard work, and I feel guilty for accepting such an important task. Moreover, the capital is the foundation of the Ming Dynasty, and I am just a ninth-rank official. It is really difficult for me to take on such an important task." His words revealed sincerity and helplessness.

Lin Xiaofeng looked at him with interest, feeling quite satisfied. Zhu Fenghui was a man of courage and integrity! He wanted to be promoted based on his own merits, not by appointment. There was a gleam of wisdom in his eyes, as if he could see through people's hearts.

"In that case," Lin Xiaofeng had a plan in an instant, his voice carrying a hint of unquestionable majesty, "The commander of the West Gate is Ning Xikong, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. You go there to defend the city." "Sun Tzu said: The art of war is all about deception! As a civil servant, I don't expect you to defend the city yourself. The capital has a million people, and they don't need you alone! As a general, you need wisdom, trustworthiness, benevolence, courage, and strictness. I hope you can defend the city from the perspective of a general, using strategy and wisdom." "You should have heard of the bandits' methods of attacking the city. Think carefully about how to deal with it. Try it when you've thought it through, and record it if it works! I'll let the commanders of other city gates follow suit." "In this way, the capital can be defended!"

Zhu Fenghui listened to Lin Xiaofeng's teachings, nodding from time to time and remembering silently. After Lin Xiaofeng finished speaking, he stood quietly and thought for a moment, then asked cautiously: "Your Majesty, I have something unclear, please give me your instructions." "Go ahead." Lin Xiaofeng's voice was full of encouragement.

Zhu Fenghui bowed deeply, his voice carrying a hint of hesitation and tentativeness: "The Art of War by Sun Tzu says: Attacking the heart is better than attacking the city; psychological warfare is better than military warfare. The bandit army is besieging the city. Do you have any strategy to attack the enemy's heart?"

Lin Xiaofeng was stunned, and the doubts in his heart were finally solved. Since he traveled through time, he has done a lot of things, but he always feels that something is missing. He has been thinking about it for a long time but still has no clue. Today, Zhu Fenghui pointed it out with one sentence - attack the heart! In the past, he only cared about uniting the army and the people, but ignored the psychological warfare against the enemy. A glimmer of appreciation flashed in his eyes.

"Have you read the Art of War?" There was a hint of surprise in Lin Xiaofeng's voice.

"I know a little bit." Zhu Fenghui answered modestly.

"Well, you reminded me." Lin Xiaofeng nodded, then looked at Guo Tianyang beside him, "Guo Tianyang?"

"I'm here!" Guo Tianyang responded hurriedly, his heart filled with anxiety and uneasiness.

"Prepare some white cloth, two meters wide, the longer the better! Hang it on the city wall tomorrow!" There was a hint of unquestionable majesty in Lin Xiaofeng's voice.

Guo Tianyang's legs softened when he heard this, and he almost fell to his knees. What does the emperor want to do? Hanging a white cloth means surrender! After killing so many people and doing so many things, is he really going to surrender? His heart was full of doubts and unwillingness.

Zhu Fenghui's mouth twitched. It would have been better if he hadn't come, but when he came, the emperor actually wanted to surrender... Then, he understood what Lin Xiaofeng meant. Seeing Lin Xiaofeng staring at him, Zhu Fenghui bowed and saluted: "Your Majesty, do you want to write on the white cloth?"

"Yes, what words do you think would be more appropriate?" There was a hint of anticipation in Lin Xiaofeng's voice.

Zhu Fenghui pondered for a moment, his eyes flashing with wisdom. The only purpose of attacking the enemy's heart is to shake the morale of the enemy. Li Zicheng's troops consisted of three parts: the first part was the Northwest Frontier Army that surrendered to Li Zicheng, which was highly valued by Li Zicheng and was his elite and direct line. There were about 70,000 to 80,000 people in this Northern Expedition, of which 40% were infantry and 60% were cavalry; the second part was the Ming army that surrendered along the way. Their combat effectiveness was uneven, but they were also regular troops, and they could be considered elite after a little rest; the third part was the victims and the fleeing people. The victims often followed Li Zicheng with their families. Although the number was huge, a large part of them were women, children and the elderly, and their combat effectiveness could be imagined.

It was difficult for him to shake the morale of the first part of the army. They were originally the northwest frontier army. Because the court gave most of the military pay to Liaodong, they were seriously short of pay and had no intention of serving the country. After surrendering to Li Zicheng, Li Zicheng did not treat them badly, and they were loyal to Li Zicheng. There was no need to consider the third part. Those disaster victims were a mob that followed the wind. Without the main force, they would naturally disperse. The key was the second part. After surrendering, these people's treatment did not improve much, and Li Zicheng did not trust them very much.

After thinking for a long time, Zhu Fenghui said slowly: "Your Majesty, I think it is more appropriate to write these words on white cloth." "Those who surrender will be pardoned and reinstated! There will be sufficient food and wages, and no military pay will be owed!" "What do you think, Your Majesty?" There was a hint of firmness and expectation in his voice.

Lin Xiaofeng nodded without hesitation, "Just do as Yan Dianshi suggested. Remember, these white cloths must be hung on the city walls before the sun rises tomorrow. I will punish anyone who is slow!" "By the way, Yan Dianshi is from Tongzhou, Zhili, and has no place to live in the capital. Find him a place to live." There was a hint of unquestionable majesty in his voice.

Without waiting for Guo Tianyang to speak, Zhu Fenghui hurriedly said: "Your Majesty ordered me to guard the West Gate. The West Gate is my residence. Your Majesty does not need to worry about it." There was a hint of determination and persistence in his voice.

Lin Xiaofeng nodded with satisfaction and stared at Zhu Fenghui's face as if he was looking at a treasure, "Go away, I have other things to do." "I obey your order." Zhu Fenghui bowed, then turned and left.

As soon as Zhu Fenghui's figure disappeared outside the door, Lin Xiaofeng immediately ordered Guo Tianyang: "Forge an imperial edict, and disguise yourself and personally deliver it to Wu Weihua, the right assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue, to order him to leave the city through the west gate and negotiate peace with Li Zicheng after leaving the city." There was a hint of unquestionable majesty in his voice.

Guo Tianyang's scalp tingled, "Your Majesty, this..." "Just go, I will make arrangements." There was an unquestionable firmness in Lin Xiaofeng's voice.

Guo Tianyang did not dare to question it. As soon as he left, Gongsun Yuchun arrived. Lin Xiaofeng sneered and continued to order: "Send people to surround Wu Weihua's mansion. If he does not accept Guo Tianyang's order, you will use the lives of his entire family to force him. After Wu Weihua leaves, no one is allowed to enter but not leave." "Send a few more people to follow him. After he leaves the city from the West Gate, immediately arrest all his family members in his mansion and wait for their fate." There was a hint of coldness and determination in his voice.

Gongsun Yuchun was stunned and asked in confusion: "Your Majesty, why don't you kill him?" "I'm afraid of dirtying your hands. The evil will be killed by the evil. I will give this opportunity to Li Chuangze!" There was a hint of coldness and sarcasm in Lin Xiaofeng's voice.

Gongsun Yuchun was even more confused. If Wu Weihua was going to negotiate peace, then Li Zicheng would never kill him. Where did your majesty get his confidence from? However, he did not question Lin Xiaofeng. After receiving the order, he stood up and left.

Lin Xiaofeng wanted to spare Wu Weihua's life temporarily, but he was courting death by impeaching Tang Shengyu when the bandits were besieging the city and needed people. Want to alienate the emperor and the soldiers? No way! This guy is too bad, bad to the core. In history, Wu Weihua greeted Dorgon when he entered Beijing, and after surrendering, he volunteered to go to Shanxi and Shaanxi to recruit people. Because of his meritorious service in the expedition to Taiyuan, Datong and other places, he was named Gongshun Hou in the second year of Shunzhi. All the merits were earned with the blood of the people of the Ming Dynasty! There is no way to relieve the hatred in my heart without killing him!

After giving all the instructions, Lin Xiaofeng was about to write the mobilization order when he saw a eunuch running in in a hurry. He said with fear on his face: "Your Majesty, Du... Cheng Jinhe is back and is kneeling outside the imperial city to ask for an audience." Cheng Jinhe... the eunuch in charge of the imperial kitchen, quite trusted by Lin Xiaofeng! He was sent to supervise the army, but he surrendered instead. Lin Xiaofeng was furious when he heard the name, and a cold light flashed in his eyes: "How dare a surrendered person come back?" There was a trace of unquestionable majesty and anger in his voice.

In the past, when Cheng Jinhe was the military supervisor in Xuanfu, it was a chilly spring day with a gray sky, as if foreshadowing something ominous. He actually went out of the city for thirty miles and knelt down to greet Li Zicheng. The scene was like an absurd painting. If civil officials and military generals had done this, Lin Xiaofeng might have understood it. After all, in their hearts, the emperor was like the owner of the company, while civil and military officials were like workers who were controlled by others and had to bow their heads. If these people were wronged in the company and wanted to change their masters, it was reasonable. However, eunuchs were different. As the emperor's internal officials, they had a special status, just like the relatives of their masters. Their betrayal was tantamount to embezzlement, which was despicable. Which company would dare to use such a person? Cheng Jinhe's move was really self-humiliating, and people couldn't help but feel sad for his stupidity and betrayal.

"Come here!" Lin Xiaofeng ordered, his voice full of unquestionable majesty. Two Jinyiwei pushed the door open, their eyes fierce, like hungry cheetahs, staring at the eunuch who delivered the message. The eunuch was so scared that his soul flew out of his body, his face was as pale as paper, thinking that he had done something wrong, and he knelt down and begged for mercy: "Your Majesty, I know I was wrong, and I will never dare to do it again." His voice was trembling and full of fear. However, Lin Xiaofeng was unmoved, his eyes were as cold as ice, as if he could see through everything. He ordered the Jinyiwei: "Cheng Jinhe, the eunuch who holds the seal of the Shangshenjian, surrendered in the face of the enemy without being loyal to the emperor and patriotic, and failed my expectations. Take him to the Fuchengmen Tower quickly, behead him in public, and exterminate his three clans!" His voice was cold and ruthless, as if he was sentencing an insignificant stranger to his fate.

"Yes, sir!" The two Jinyiwei were stunned for a moment, then they ran out immediately. They were secretly glad that Cheng Jinhe had worked in the East Factory, and the Jinyiwei and the East Factory had always been at odds. Now that Cheng Jinhe was in their hands, he would definitely be retaliated against, which was also the result they were happy to see.

After the Jinyiwei left, the eunuch who delivered the message realized that Lin Xiaofeng was not scolding him, so he kowtowed and left, secretly glad that he had escaped. Lin Xiaofeng picked up the brush and continued to write the mobilization order. His writing revealed his firm determination and immense anger. He wanted to let everyone know that the betrayer would be severely punished.

In Li Zicheng's tent at Diaoyutai, the night was deep, and the moonlight was like water falling on the tent. Li Zicheng tossed and turned, not because of insomnia, but because of the continuous sound of cannons from Fuchengmen, which disturbed him like thunder and made him unable to sleep. Every half an hour, the sound of cannons would sound once, and even if he tried to fall asleep, he would be awakened by the sound of cannons. The sound of cannons was too disturbing, making it impossible for him to think quietly.

"Your Majesty, are you asleep?" Someone outside the tent asked softly, with a hint of hesitation and uneasiness in his voice.

Li Zicheng sighed, a nameless fire rising in his heart. He asked, "What's the matter?" There was a hint of impatience and fatigue in his voice.

The personal soldier guarding the tent replied in a low voice: "Your Majesty, General Jing Changhao Liu wants to see you urgently." There was a hint of nervousness in his voice, as if he knew it was inappropriate to disturb the emperor at this time.

"Let him in!" Li Zicheng sat up and ordered people to light the lights. His eyes revealed a hint of doubt and expectation, wondering what news Jing Changhao would bring.

Jing Changhao entered the tent in military uniform, with steady steps and a solemn look. He knelt on one knee and saluted: "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I shouldn't have disturbed your rest. But Lin Xiaofeng sent people to negotiate peace, and I couldn't make a decision, so I had to disturb you." There was a hint of apology and helplessness in his voice.

Negotiate peace? Li Zicheng was confused. He had previously sent Cheng Jinhe to negotiate peace, but there had been no response. If Lin Xiaofeng really wanted to negotiate, he only needed to ask Cheng Jinhe to respond. Why did he send someone again? There must be something fishy going on!
After thinking for a moment, Li Zicheng said to Jing Changhao: "Zongmin, take Wu Weihua to the central army tent, I will be there soon." There was a hint of calmness and composure in his voice, as if he had guessed Lin Xiaofeng's intention. Then, he ordered the nearby personal soldiers: "Notify military advisor Cheng Minghe and left assistant Nangong Shangpu to go to the central army tent to negotiate peace." There was a hint of determination and firmness in his tone, as if he was ready to deal with everything. Finally, he added: "Call Weng Guofan as well, I have something to ask him." There was a hint of doubt and vigilance in his eyes, as if he did not completely trust Weng Guofan.

Weng Guofan was the general of Xuanfu. He surrendered with Cheng Jinhe when Li Zicheng attacked Xuanfu. However, his loyalty was always questioned by Li Zicheng. Not long after, Weng Guofan hurried to the outside of Li Zicheng's tent. He came out in such a hurry that he didn't put his clothes in order. He pulled his clothes while running, looking a little embarrassed.

"Your Majesty, your servant Weng Guofan pays homage." Weng Guofan knelt on the ground and saluted, his voice trembling and uneasy.

"Get up, I have something to ask you." Li Zicheng said loudly while sitting in the tent, his voice carrying a hint of majesty and unquestionableness.

Weng Guofan knelt outside the tent like a dog and answered in a low voice: "I will tell you everything I know." There was a hint of humility and flattery in his voice, as if he wanted to win Li Zicheng's trust in this way.

"Do you know Wu Weihua?" Li Zicheng asked, his eyes revealing a hint of sharpness and scrutiny.

"I know him. He is Wu Weihua, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. He is from Shuntian and a descendant of Wu Yuncheng, the Earl of Gongshun. His ancestors were from the Batut tribe of the Tatars. They surrendered to the Ming court during the Yongle period, and Zhu Di gave them the surname 'Wu'." Weng Guofan replied, with a hint of nervousness and uneasiness in his voice, as if he was afraid he might say something wrong.

"I heard." Weng Guofan hesitated, and a hint of hesitation and doubt flashed in his eyes.

"Just say whatever you want to say, don't act like a nagging person!" Li Zicheng said impatiently, with a hint of anger and dissatisfaction in his voice.

Weng Guofan was so scared that he knelt on the ground and kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. What I said before was all true. I am hesitant now because of the rumors." There was a hint of fear and pleading in his voice, as if he was afraid that Li Zicheng would blame him for this.

"Go ahead." Li Zicheng snorted coldly, his eyes revealing a hint of indifference and ruthlessness.

"As you wish." Weng Guofan swallowed his saliva and calmed down his nervousness. He began to tell the rumors about Wu Weihua: "It is rumored that Wu Weihua colluded with merchants from Shanxi and Shaanxi to do business, using his position as the right assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue as a cover. He not only sold iron ore, firearms, and gunpowder that were strictly prohibited by the Ming court to the Jiannu (Later Jin), but also leaked the secrets of the Ming court to the Jiannu." There was a hint of anger and dissatisfaction in his voice, as if he was extremely indignant at Wu Weihua's betrayal.

"The Ming court suffered repeated defeats in Liaodong, and Wu Weihua is not unrelated!" he added, with a hint of resolution and firmness in his voice, as if he was ready to confront Wu Weihua.

"Back off," Li Zicheng said, his voice carrying a hint of fatigue and helplessness. Although Weng Guofan's words made him more suspicious of Wu Weihua, he also knew that now was not the time to turn against Wu Weihua.

"I'll take my leave." After Weng Guofan left, Li Zicheng was silent for a long time. Although he had been persuading the Ming army to surrender all the way, he despised those who betrayed him in his heart. Therefore, he did not have a good impression of Wu Weihua. Considering that Wu Weihua was Lin Xiaofeng's messenger, he had not made a decision yet. He needed more time to think about how to deal with this sudden request for peace talks.

As the night deepened, the moonlight fell on the tent like water. After Li Zicheng had dressed, he went to the central army tent under the escort of his personal guards. There were already four people waiting for him in the tent: Jing Changhao, Cheng Minghe, and Nangong Shangpu were all sitting there, with solemn and expectant looks on their faces. A middle-aged man in a brocade robe stood in the tent with a look of fear on his face. That man was Wu Weihua.

"Your Majesty, we are here to see you." Everyone saluted when they saw Li Zicheng coming in, with a hint of awe and respect in their voices. After seeing others saluting, Wu Weihua realized that this person was Li Zicheng, the Emperor of Dashun. However, Li Zicheng's appearance was not as dignified as the rumors said, but rather a little weird. His forehead was particularly strange. Ordinary people's foreheads bulged outward, but Li Zicheng's forehead was sunken. This made Wu Weihua feel a little surprised and uneasy.

Wu Weihua didn't dare to look at him any more, and hurriedly knelt on the ground to perform the great ceremony of the emperor and his subject: "Your subject Wu Weihua pays respect to the Emperor of Dashun, long live the emperor." There was a trace of trembling and uneasiness in his voice, as if he was afraid that his fate would change because of this decision. After seeing Wu Weihua's appearance, everyone in the central army tent showed a look of contempt. This man is so spineless! Li Zicheng also felt disgusted with him, waved his hand and said, "Get up." There was a trace of indifference and ruthlessness in his voice.

Military advisor Cheng Minghe, who was sitting nearby, asked, "Wu Weihua, I heard that Zhu Youjian sent you to negotiate. Why are you so spineless? Does Zhu Youjian know about it?" There was a hint of sarcasm and dissatisfaction in his voice, as if he was extremely indignant at Wu Weihua's betrayal.

Wu Weihua gritted his teeth and said bitterly: "I was forced to do this! If I didn't come, those bastards of the Jinyiwei would have arrested my family and taken them to the Imperial Prison (a prison set up by the Ming Dynasty's secret service)." There was a hint of helplessness and anger in his voice, as if he felt extremely sad about his situation.

Cheng Minghe blinked, looked at Nangong Shangpu first, and then looked at Li Zicheng. A look of joy appeared on his face. From Wu Weihua's words, it can be inferred that the Ming court was in chaos. At least Lin Xiaofeng had lost control of the civil officials. Good! It's really good!

"How does Zhu Youjian want to negotiate?" Zuo Fu Nangong Shangpu asked coldly, with a hint of indifference and ruthlessness in his voice. He did not believe that Lin Xiaofeng would sincerely negotiate, there must be some conspiracy behind this.

Li Zicheng was shocked when he heard the peace negotiation strategy proposed by Lin Xiaofeng. He imagined the scene: if he gave Lin Xiaofeng wealth and fiefdom, he could retreat to Henan and fight against the bandits together with him. How great it would be. This thought flashed through his mind, like a ray of warm sunshine in spring, which made him excited. However, this thought did not stay for too long, and was obscured by the dark clouds of reality.

Upon seeing this, military advisor Cheng Minghe hurriedly advised: "Your Majesty, you must be cautious! This may very well be Zhu Youjian's delaying tactic!" There was a hint of anxiety in his tone, as if he had foreseen the future crisis.

Nangong Shangpu also echoed: "Your Majesty, you see, our army has now surrounded Beijing. What else can Zhu Youjian do except abdicate and hand over the country to Dashun?" There was a hint of pride in his eyes, as if he had seen the dawn of victory.

Jing Changhao was even more radical. He drew his sword and put it on Wu Weihua's neck, threatening: "If you dare to seduce the emperor again, I will kill you! We have gone through untold hardships to trap Lin Xiaofeng and the Ming officials in Beijing. Once the city is broken and the country changes hands, our status will also be promoted. Don't ruin things at this time!" The tip of his sword trembled slightly, revealing his inner excitement and anxiety.

Li Zicheng smiled calmly and waved his hand to signal Jing Changhao to put down his sword: "Don't worry, how could I be fooled by Lin Xiaofeng?" His words were full of confidence and calmness, as if everything was under his control. He turned to ask Wu Weihua: "Which city gate did you come out from? How many defenders are there in Beijing now? How many defenders and artillery are there at the West Gate?" His eyes revealed a bit of sharpness, as if to penetrate Wu Weihua's heart.

Wu Weihua thought for a moment and replied, "There are about 110,000 or 120,000 defenders in the city, and less than 10,000 defenders at the West Gate, but there are more than 100 cannons, muskets, and falconets, and hundreds of other small firearms." His voice trembled a little, as if he had been intimidated by Li Zicheng's momentum. Although Li Zicheng had no expression on his face, he was secretly shocked in his heart. He didn't expect that the number of firearms in the Ming Dynasty was so large. The West Gate was narrow and difficult to attack, and there were more than 100 cannons. It seemed that Beijing was not so easy to break through! He felt uneasy in his heart, as if he saw the difficulties in the future.

"You are not lying to me, are you?" Li Zicheng's eyes revealed murderous intent, as if he wanted to devour Wu Weihua.

Wu Weihua felt Li Zicheng's murderous intent, and the fear in his heart was slightly relieved. He knew that only by being honest at this time could he save his life. He knelt on the ground and kowtowed, saying: "Every word I said is true. I hope Your Majesty will break the city as soon as possible so that I and my family can escape the threat of Lin Xiaofeng." There was a bit of pleading and helplessness in his voice.

Li Zicheng looked at Wu Weihua for a moment, then smiled and said, "I promise you." His smile was a bit cunning and profound, as if he had seen through Wu Weihua's heart. He ordered Wu Weihua to go back and tell Lin Xiaofeng that he agreed to the peace talks on the surface, but needed to rest for two or three days before withdrawing his troops.

After receiving the order, Wu Weihua did not dare to leave immediately. He waited for Li Zicheng's further instructions, and only after receiving permission did he stagger out with a sense of relief. His back looked particularly lonely and helpless in the afterglow of the setting sun.

"Wait a minute." Li Zicheng suddenly called him again. His voice was full of meaning and unpredictability.

Wu Weihua fell to the ground in shock and asked in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, do you have any other instructions?" There was a hint of fear and uneasiness in his voice.

"Among the guards of the city gates in Beijing, are there any you are familiar with?" Li Zicheng asked meaningfully, with a cunning and wise look in his eyes.

Wu Weihua observed Li Zicheng's words and immediately understood what he meant. After thinking for a moment, he replied, "The gate guards of the capital are all newly appointed by Lin Xiaofeng and the cabinet. I have an average relationship with them." There was a bit of helplessness and embarrassment in his voice. Seeing Li Zicheng's displeasure, he added, "I plan to bribe them with a large sum of money after I go back, and maybe I can get through to one or two of the guards." His eyes revealed a bit of determination and firmness.

Li Zicheng smiled with satisfaction and said, "You can go back." There was a bit of approval and expectation in his smile.

Wu Weihua was about to leave after thanking the emperor when he suddenly heard the sound of cannon fire from outside. It turned out that the Fucheng Gate had fired cannons again. After the cannon fire, shouts of killing rang out everywhere. It seemed as if the whole world had fallen into chaos and slaughter.

Li Zicheng frowned and looked at Jing Changhao, who also looked bewildered. He rushed out of the tent with his sword in hand to check the situation. After returning, he angrily reported: "Your Majesty, the Ming army attacked at night! It was dim at night and the number of people was difficult to identify. In order to ensure the safety of Your Majesty, please follow me and join the main force." There was a bit of anxiety and uneasiness in his voice.

Night attack? Li Zicheng was stunned for a moment, then glared at Wu Weihua: "You are really lying to me! You are using the name of peace talks to launch a sneak attack!" There was a hint of anger and disappointment in his voice.

Wu Weihua defended himself in shock and bewilderment, "I only came here to negotiate peace. I didn't expect Lin Xiaofeng to take this opportunity to launch a sneak attack. Please spare my life, Your Majesty! This is Lin Xiaofeng's evil plot. He wants to use Your Majesty to kill me." There was a hint of panic and pleading in his voice.

Jing Changhao sneered: "Why would Lin Xiaofeng want to use His Majesty's hand to kill you?" There was a hint of sarcasm and disdain in his voice.

"I don't know either!" Wu Weihua looked bewildered. His heart was filled with fear and helplessness, as if he had been forced into a desperate situation.

Jing Changhao pointed his sword at Wu Weihua's chest and said, "Your Majesty, kill him. This man has already lost Lin Xiaofeng's trust. There's no point in keeping him. It will only be a waste of food." The tip of his sword trembled slightly, revealing his inner excitement and murderous intent.

"Wait a minute, General Liu. There may be something fishy going on here!" Military Advisor Cheng Minghe hurriedly stopped him. His voice was calm and wise, as if he had seen through the essence of the matter.

Li Zicheng nodded. He also felt that something was wrong. If Lin Xiaofeng really wanted to negotiate peace, he would not have launched a night attack. Since he launched a night attack, the peace talks were fake. But if it was a fake peace talk, why did he send a third-rank official like the Right Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Revenue?
Killing someone with a borrowed knife? That's unnecessary! There must be something hidden! Li Zicheng's heart was filled with doubts and uneasiness, as if he was shrouded in a fog.

Just as he was puzzled, a soldier ran in in a panic and whispered to Li Zicheng's guards. The guards' faces changed drastically, and he entered the tent, knelt on one knee and said, "Your Majesty, General Luo Wenbin has urgent news!" His voice was filled with anxiety and uneasiness.

"Hurry up!" Hearing the word "urgent report", Li Zicheng didn't care about Wu Weihua anymore. He ordered his soldiers to report quickly. He had an ominous premonition in his heart, as if he had seen the future disaster.

"Someone just took advantage of the Ming army's night attack to set fire to General Luo Wenbin's food and supplies. Now the weather is dry, and the night wind is strong, so the fire is very fierce." The voice of the personal soldier was trembling and fearful.

"General Luo Wenbin, please ask the emperor to send troops to help put out the fire!" the guard continued, with a hint of pleading and helplessness in his voice.

"What?" Li Zicheng stood up suddenly. The army's food and grass were not sufficient, and the Ming court moved the people near the capital into the city, which affected the supply. Now that Luo Wenbin's food and grass were burned, the army's morale might be shaken! A surge of anger and anxiety surged in his heart, as if he was about to be swallowed by this power.

Negotiating peace, night attack, burning food and grass! This series of events made Li Zicheng furious. He drew his sword and slashed at Wu Weihua, shouting, "Zhu Youjian, I swear to kill you!" His sword flashed with a cold light, as if he wanted to kill all enemies. Wu Weihua fell to the ground in fear. Facing Li Zicheng's anger and murderous intent, his heart was filled with despair and helplessness. He knew that his fate was already determined.

Late at night, the moonlight was shining brightly on Diaoyutai, covering the ancient battlefield with a layer of silver. In the tent of the Shun army, the lights were bright, just like daylight, reflecting everyone's face and the waves in their hearts.

Li Zicheng, the hero who rose from the grass, was sitting in the center at this moment, wearing a battle robe, majestic and calm. His eyes were deep, as if he could see into people's hearts. Military Advisor Cheng Minghe stood on one side, with a stern face and a sense of wisdom between his eyebrows. Zuo Fu Nangong Shangpu was also present. He was tall and strong, with a resolute face, but there was a hint of jealousy in his eyes.

The generals stood on the left and right, some of them were tall and mighty, some were strong and agile, and each of them exuded a strong fighting spirit and a strong breath of iron and blood. However, in this solemn atmosphere, there was a corner that was particularly eye-catching. The counselor Li Yan sat there, coughing one after another. His face was pale, but his eyes were unusually bright, as if they could penetrate all the fog.

Jing Changhao, a burly general with a resolute face, stepped forward and said to Luo Wenbin, "General Luo, in this Northern Expedition against the Ming court, all the generals have made outstanding military achievements. Only you, because of greed and recklessness, first sent 3,000 light cavalry to attack the Ming crown prince, but failed and lost more than 2,000 soldiers. Then the march was slow and failed to stop Tang Shengyu's troops outside Beijing, allowing them to enter the city. Moreover, after the army surrounded Beijing, you did not discipline the army strictly, resulting in the burning of food and grass by the Ming army. The morale of our army was already high, but now it has been burned to almost nothing by this fire! We will attack the city tomorrow, and now the morale has been lost, how can we fight?"

Jing Changhao's words were like a string of cannonballs, and every word hit Luo Wenbin's heart. He stared at Luo Wenbin, his anger still not gone, as if he wanted to pour out all his dissatisfaction. Luo Wenbin was indeed wrong, and if he was not punished, military discipline would be difficult to maintain.

All the generals watched this scene silently, no one spoke. Some of them bowed their heads in thought, some had flickering eyes, but no one was willing to stand up and speak at this time. After all, it was none of their business, so they just kept out of it!

Luo Wenbin knew he was wrong and could not refute, so he knelt on one knee and said: "I admit my crime. Please punish me, Your Majesty and General Zongmin." His voice was low and firm, as if he was ready to accept any punishment.

Li Zicheng squinted his eyes and looked around, and finally his eyes fell on Li Yan. He trusted Li Yan very much. If Li Yan had not been sick yesterday, then under his arrangement, this kind of thing would definitely not have happened. His eyes revealed a bit of worry and expectation, as if he hoped that Li Yan could give some advice.

Li Zicheng waved his hand and said, "Let's not talk about whether he is guilty or not. Do you think we should attack the city tomorrow?" His voice was steady and powerful, as if it could penetrate everyone's heart.

Military advisor Cheng Minghe first said: "Your Majesty, I think it would be better to postpone the siege for a few days. There are three reasons: first, our army is exhausted after a long battle, and now the men and horses need to rest for a few days; second, the food and grass have been destroyed, and morale is low, so we can take this opportunity to boost morale; third, we can take the opportunity to prepare food and grass, and sufficient food and grass will stabilize the morale of the army." His voice was clear and powerful, and every word revealed his wisdom and careful consideration.

Zuo Fu Nangong Shangpu echoed, "I second the motion." Although his voice was a little low, it revealed a firmness and determination.

"What do the other generals think?" Li Zicheng asked. His eyes swept across everyone's face, as if he wanted to see through their hearts.

Jing Changhao and Luo Wenbin were silent. They looked at Sang Dongxu, Yan Tianlu, Ning Weize and others. These generals were good at fighting, but they were not good at tactics such as military strategy. They knew they had no talent in this area, so they looked at Li Yan who was sitting in a corner of the tent. He was coughing violently, as if every cough was telling of his pain and fatigue.

Li Zicheng frowned slightly. Although he didn't say anything, he was obviously unhappy. Li Yan had a high prestige in the army. If anyone could make decisions for him, it would be Li Yan. However, Li Yan contributed greatly to Li Zicheng's achievements today, so he still asked respectfully, "Mr. Li, what do you think?"

(Since Li Zicheng met Li Yan, he has always addressed him as "Mr.".)
"Cough cough cough," Li Yan coughed several times in succession. Although his voice was weak, it revealed a firmness and determination. "I think, cough cough, we should fight a quick battle and resolve it quickly!" There was a wise light flashing in his eyes, as if he had seen through the future situation.

"According to the scouts' report, Wu Sangui's Guanning Army has arrived in the Shanhaiguan area. Even if they move slowly, they can reach the outskirts of Beijing within seven days!" Although his voice was weak, it revealed a sense of urgency and crisis.

"In addition, Shandong General Liu Zeqing was eliminated by Prince Ming and Jiang Taiwei. His 13,000 troops have arrived in Tianjin and are waiting for an opportunity to move!" His words were like a sharp knife, piercing everyone's heart.

"If we don't attack the city now, what will we do when the Ming army arrives?" Li Yan's words made everyone frown. His words were like a flash of lightning, cutting through the night sky and everyone's heart.

His words made sense. Now they surrounded the Ming army. If they waited for the Ming army's reinforcements to arrive, they would be surrounded. Everyone's heart was filled with tension and a sense of crisis, as if they had already seen the future defeat.

Nangong Shangpu was jealous of Li Yan, and immediately retorted: "Wu Sangui is now in the Shanhaiguan area, with only 50,000 soldiers under his command, and he has the Eight Banners Army behind him. Even if he can come to support Beijing, he can only bring 30,000 people at most." His voice was high and powerful, as if to overwhelm all opposing voices.

"Liu Zeqing has only more than 10,000 people, and his combat effectiveness is far inferior to that of our elite Shun army!" His words revealed a kind of confidence and arrogance, as if he had already seen the future victory.

"We have an army of more than 100,000 besieging the city. It's certainly right to fight a quick battle, but the premise is that we can win! If the first battle is not favorable, our morale will be even lower." His voice revealed a sense of worry and caution, as if he had foreseen the difficulties of the future.

"I suggest that we rest for a day or two before attacking the city!" Nangong Shangpu said. His voice was firm and powerful, as if he had already made the final decision.

Li Zicheng looked at Li Yan and then at Nangong Shangpu, feeling torn. Both of them made sense. Especially Nangong Shangpu's words, the importance of morale is self-evident. The difference in combat effectiveness between soldiers in the same army when their morale is high and when their morale is low is like the difference between heaven and earth.

"Cough, cough, cough," Li Yan coughed a few more times. Although his voice was weak, it revealed a firmness and determination. "I am not talented, but I have a question to ask Lord Zuo Fu. The Ming army has fortified the city and cleared the fields for fifty miles. Where should we prepare food and fodder?" There was a wise light in his eyes, as if he had seen through Nangong Shangpu's plan.

"If we want to prepare food and grass, we can only go to a place fifty miles away. Not counting the time for preparing food and grass, it will take two days for the food transport team to go there and come back. Can we make it in time?" Li Yan continued. Although his voice was weak, it revealed a sense of urgency and crisis.

Nangong Shangpu's face became more and more ugly. Li Yan continued: "Even if we can come back in time, how many people do we need to send to escort the food and grass? Tianjin is less than 250 miles away from here, and the 5,000 cavalry under Jiang Taiwei are not ordinary people!" His voice revealed a kind of worry and caution, as if he had foreseen the danger in the future.

"Instead of risking the preparation of food and grass, it is better to attack the city immediately!" Li Yan's words made Nangong Shangpu's mouth twitch. He thought for a long time but couldn't find the right words to refute, so he could only step back and stop talking. Obviously, he had already lost this debate miserably.

Li Zicheng was very happy to see this scene. He was about to speak when Li Yan spoke again: "General Luo Wenbin has both faults and merits. Now is the time to use people, so why not let him make up for his crime and make meritorious contributions?" His voice revealed a kind of tolerance and generosity, as if he had seen Luo Wenbin's future.

"As for the lost food and grass, you can ask other departments to lend some to General Luo Wenbin first. He will return it to you after he raises more food and grass." His voice revealed wisdom and strategy, as if he had already thought of a solution.

"What does the emperor think?" Li Yan asked. His eyes flashed with expectation and determination, as if he was ready to accept any decision.

Li Zicheng looked at Li Yan sharply, nodded slightly and said, "Well, let's do as Mr. Li said!" His voice revealed a kind of trust and respect, as if he had seen Li Yan's wisdom and talent.

"Other troops, give Fang Liang some food and grass for the attack tomorrow morning!" Li Zicheng gave the order. His voice revealed a kind of firmness and determination, as if he had already seen the future victory.

"Yes, sir!" The generals took the order and left one by one. Nangong Shangpu walked at the end. After everyone else left, he turned around and returned to the central army tent.

"Your Majesty, I think Li Yan's actions today are presumptuous. Whether General Luo Wenbin is guilty and how to punish him should be decided by you, Your Majesty. When will it be his turn to speak? His actions in front of so many generals have damaged Your Majesty's reputation." Nangong Shangpu said. His voice revealed a kind of dissatisfaction and jealousy, as if he had seen Li Yan's ambition.

Li Zicheng smiled faintly and said, "Niu Zuofu, you are too polite. Mr. Li deserves half of the credit for my current position. Moreover, Mr. Li is well respected by many generals in the army, and I am one of them." His voice revealed a kind of tolerance and magnanimity, as if he had seen Li Yan's loyalty and talent.

"Your Majesty, you have merits and faults! Now you are the emperor of Dashun and your reign is Yongchang! We, the ministers, should always remember our identities." Nangong Shangpu reminded him. His voice revealed a kind of loyalty and caution, as if he had seen the crisis in the future.

Li Zicheng looked at Nangong Shangpu with a serious expression for a moment, then nodded and said, "I understand. Let's talk about it after we capture Beijing." His voice revealed a firmness and determination, as if he had already seen the future victory.

"I'll take my leave!" Nangong Shangpu turned around with a satisfied smile on his face. He seemed to have seen his own future and Li Yan's failure. However, he didn't know that the torrent of history could no longer be stopped, and Li Yan's wisdom and talent would also be (End of this chapter)