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

In the Shun army's central tent, the dim candlelight flickered, illuminating solemn faces. Jing Changhao, dressed in a battle robe, with a burly figure and an unyielding heroic spirit, was reporting the battle situation in detail to Li Zicheng. His voice was low and powerful, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from the bottom of his heart, full of grief and helplessness on the battlefield. The generals stood on one side of the tent, some clenched their fists, some looked down, and everyone's face was full of solemnity, without a trace of relaxation, as if even breathing had become heavy.

"Your Majesty, in today's siege, our army suffered heavy casualties, more than 12,000 people, including 8,000 civilians and 4,000 soldiers." Jing Changhao's words were filled with grief that was difficult to conceal. "Although the cavalry also suffered a blow under the artillery attack of the Ming army, fortunately, the casualties were not large, only dozens of people." After saying that, Li Zicheng angrily slapped the table, and the heavy wooden table made a loud "bang" sound, shaking the air in the tent. He knew that Beijing was strong, but he didn't expect it to be so difficult to conquer. According to the description of the siege soldiers, the thickness of the city wall of Beijing reached four feet, almost twice that of the city walls in other places. Today, such a huge price of casualties was paid, but only a dozen holes were dug on the city wall. When night falls and the troops are withdrawn, the Ming army will definitely send people to repair it. Although the repaired place is not as strong as the original, our army still needs to work hard to dig the cave again when attacking the city the next day.

"What are the casualties of the Ming army?" Li Zicheng asked angrily, his voice full of reluctance and expectation.

"About 1,500 people." Hearing this number, Li Zicheng's anger subsided a little. The Ming army's casualties were gradually increasing. Given time, Beijing would surely be captured. However, his brows did not relax, but instead furrowed tighter - they were running out of time.

Jing Changhao continued, "Our army's food and fodder is only enough to support it for half a month. In order to stabilize the morale of the army, I request to form four food-raising teams to raise military rations." His voice was firm, and his eyes flashed with determination.

"The spies reported that Jiang Taiwei led 15,000 troops from Tianjin and was heading towards Beijing." A spy hurried into the tent and reported the latest military intelligence.

"Wu Sangui and the 20,000 Guanning troops have arrived in the Lulong area, only 400 miles away from Beijing. If they use fast horses and light cavalry, they can reach the outskirts of Beijing in just three days." Another general added.

Upon hearing this, Li Zicheng frowned, and a trace of worry flashed in his eyes. The total number of the two armies supporting the king exceeded 35,000, all of whom were real soldiers. And the so-called 500,000 Dashun Army, the real soldiers were only 60,000 to 70,000. However, among the two armies supporting the king, he was only afraid of Wu Sangui. Most of Jiang Taiwei's 15,000 men were Liu Zeqing's troops. Their cohesion and combat effectiveness were mediocre and not to be feared. Wu Sangui's Guanning Army was confronting the Eight Banners Army in Liaodong. Although their true combat power was unclear, it was definitely not weak.

"Your Majesty," Jing Changhao paused for a moment and looked at Li Zicheng with deep eyes, "We have already delivered the information to the city as planned when we attacked the city today. I wonder if Your Majesty plans to launch a night attack?"

"Night attack?" Zuo Fu Nangong Shangpu was stunned and looked at Jing Changhao blankly. As a senior official of Shun Army, he didn't know about this plan or when the information would be delivered to the city, let alone the night attack. He felt dissatisfied with being ignored, but due to Li Zicheng's majesty, he could only suppress it.

Jing Changhao glanced at Li Zicheng, and after getting his consent, he explained: "Before the Northern Expedition, Mr. Li had already presented this plan to the emperor." His voice was calm and powerful, as if every word contained endless wisdom and strategy.

It's Li Yan again! Nangong Shangpu looked at Li Yan, with a hint of jealousy and dissatisfaction in his eyes. Li Yan sat in the corner, thin and pale, coughing from time to time, as if he might fall down at any time. But even such a person can always come up with strategies that amaze everyone.

"The details of this plan are as follows: first, we will send hundreds of elite soldiers disguised as merchants or refugees to infiltrate Beijing. When the time comes, we will use arrows to shoot letters into the city." Jing Changhao explained the plan in detail, with every detail considered thoughtfully and exquisitely.

"Aren't you afraid of being exposed?" Nangong Shangpu asked puzzledly. He was still full of doubts about this plan.

"No!" Jing Changhao smiled calmly, his eyes gleaming with confidence. "This time the letter was written in the Jinyiwei's codeword, imitating Jiang Taiwei's handwriting and forging his official seal. On the surface, it seems that Jiang Taiwei is leading his troops to Beijing to defend the king, and will break into our encirclement at midnight tonight and enter the city from Chaoyang Gate."

"In fact, the content of the letter is to inform our army's spies to try to open the Fucheng Gate opposite the Chaoyang Gate at midnight tonight." Jing Changhao's words revealed an indescribable cunning and wisdom.

"If the gate is opened successfully, we will raise fire as a signal and our army will rush in. Once the city wall is lost, the Ming army in the city will be at our mercy." His voice was full of desire and expectation for victory.

"Whether the Ming army believes the contents of the letter or not, they will deploy heavy troops at Chaoyang Gate! As the number of defenders at Chaoyang Gate increases, the number of defenders in other places will decrease, and this will increase our chances of opening Fucheng Gate." Jing Changhao continued to explain the intricacies of the plan.

"The more ingenious part of this plan is that our army can be divided into two. One part can disguise as Jiang Taiwei's army and go to Chaoyang Gate to lure the enemy. If successful, we can take the opportunity to rush into the city; if not, we can also attract the enemy and cover the plan for Fucheng Gate." His voice was full of confidence and expectations for the plan.

So that's how it is... After hearing this plan, the other ministers and generals of the Shun army expressed their admiration. It really killed two birds with one stone, and there was a plan within the plan. They nodded in praise, their eyes flashing with desire and expectation for victory.

However, at this moment, Nangong Shangpu raised a sharp question: "If...if both plans are discovered, or if our spies are bribed by the Ming army, a rash night attack will result in heavy losses." There was a hint of worry and uneasiness in his voice, "I wonder if Mr. Li considered this issue when he first offered his advice?"

Everyone's eyes were on Li Yan. Li Yan sat in the corner as usual, coughing from time to time. Hearing Nangong Shangpu's words, he coughed twice and said, "Cough, cough, Niu Zuofu is worrying too much. Tonight's night attack, our army is divided into two armies, the front army is composed of civilians, and the rear army is composed of the elite of Shun army." Although his voice was weak, every word revealed an indescribable firmness and determination.

"If it succeeds, that would be the best. Even if it fails, the ones who die are just civilians, and it will have no impact on our army. And the more civilians die, the more food we save." There was a coldness and ruthlessness in his words, as if the lives of those civilians were just pawns in his hands and could be sacrificed at will.

After hearing this, everyone smiled with satisfaction. How could this be killing two birds with one stone? It was clearly killing three birds with one stone! Li Zicheng also smiled, and was very satisfied with this plan. His eyes were shining with desire and expectation for victory, as if he had already seen the moment when Beijing was breached.

However, at this moment, Luo Wenbin, who had been silent all the time, slowly raised his head and stared at everyone in a daze. A strange feeling arose spontaneously. When they started the uprising, they kept saying that they were doing it for the people and for the people of the world, but how come they regarded the people as a burden in the end? They can let the people charge into battle and be the vanguard, but they can't let them die in vain. After a moment, Luo Wenbin said with difficulty: "General Zongmin, Lord Governor! Even if the lives of the people are worthless, we can't take their lives as a joke! Once this news gets out, our army will lose the support of the people! Once the support of the people is lost, how can we conquer the world?" There was a trace of grief and helplessness in his voice, as if he had seen the tragedy of the future.

Without waiting for Jing Changhao to refute, Li Zicheng stood up with an angry look on his face. He paced and said, "Fang Liang, what's wrong with you recently? It's ok that you failed to carry out the military orders, but now you actually said something so demoralizing!" His voice was full of dissatisfaction and anger towards Luo Wenbin.

"Are the civilians in the army civilians? Not at all!" There was an indescribable coldness and ruthlessness in his words. "To put it nicely, they are disaster victims. To put it bluntly, they are bandits. These people have done everything to make a living. They have killed and burned, raped and looted, exchanged one's own children for cannibalism... some even attacked their own children." His voice was full of disgust and disdain for these civilians.

"Even a tiger won't eat its own cubs. These people are more vicious than a tiger and worse than animals!" His words were filled with anger and contempt that was hard to conceal. "So, if they die, they die!" His voice was cold and ruthless, as if the lives of those people were just insignificant dust to him.

"Besides, a general's success is the result of the sacrifice of hundreds of soldiers. It is their honor to die on the road of our Shun army's conquest of the world!" There was an indescribable arrogance and conceit in his words, as if he had already seen the moment when he would unify the world.

Luo Wenbin wanted to say something else, but gave up after thinking it over. It was not worth it, and it was useless to say it. He sighed helplessly, his heart full of worry and anxiety about the future. Li Zicheng sighed as he looked at Luo Wenbin's face, and after a moment he ordered: "Zongmin, arrange the night attack immediately, success or failure depends entirely on God's will." His voice was full of desire and expectation for victory.

"Notify Sang Dongxu and ask him to keep a close eye on the movements of Jiang Taiwei's army. If necessary, he can take the initiative to attack and repel them." There was an unquestionable majesty and decisiveness in his words.

"Niu Zuofu, you are responsible for persuading Wu Sangui to surrender. The specific conditions will be based on what we discussed during the day." He looked at Nangong Shangpu, his eyes flashing with expectation and trust.

"Fang Liang... You lead two thousand soldiers and three thousand civilians to prepare food and grass. I hope you will not disappoint me this time." He looked at Luo Wenbin, with a hint of helplessness and sigh in his voice. He knew Luo Wenbin's dissatisfaction and worries, but at this moment he could only choose to believe him.

Finally, Li Zicheng raised his voice and said, "Mr. Li said that the current situation is unpredictable and our army needs to make three plans." His voice was full of worry and uncertainty about the future.

"The first possibility is that Wu Sangui refuses to surrender and insists on serving the emperor. Then our army needs to fight quickly and decisively.

At midnight, the cold wind blew on the Chaoyang Gate Tower, like a knife cutting the face, and the moonlight poured down on the ancient bricks, covering this historic city gate with a layer of silver gauze. "There is an emergency in the southeast, tell Governor Liu!" The soldier on night watch shouted anxiously, his voice was particularly loud in the silent night sky, breaking the tranquility.

In the Five Military Commandery, each commander has a capable assistant on his left and right. They are like the commander's left and right arms, jointly guarding the peace of this land. The commander of Chaoyang Gate is none other than Liu Jizu, the left commander of the Right Military Commandery, a middle-aged general with a burly figure and a resolute face. He and Jiang Taiwei have a deep uncle-nephew relationship, which is as strong as steel and has survived all storms.

Before Liu Jizu reached the city wall, the sound of fighting from the southeast was deafening, surging like a tide. He hurriedly climbed up the city wall, staring at the southwest with a torch-like gaze, where the sky seemed to be red from the flames of war. The Shun army's camp was like a fire dragon shuttling through the night, quickly passing through its own tents, and in the blink of an eye it was within the range of the Ming army's artillery. Their actions were swift and orderly, and were obviously carefully planned. Then, a dozen riders holding torches quickly approached the city gate, and the flames swayed in the night, as strange as ghosts.

"Who are you? If you take another step forward, don't blame us for being rude!" The defenders warned loudly, revealing unquestionable majesty in their voices. A rider from the city responded loudly: "Open the city gate quickly. We are the subordinates of Liu Zeqing, the former Shandong General, and now we are under the command of Jiang Taiwei, the Left General. Tonight, General Liu will lead 10,000 soldiers to Beijing to defend the king. Please open the city gate quickly to receive us." There was urgency and anxiety in his voice, as if he was really eager to enter the city.

Liu Jizu stood by and said after a moment's silence: "I am Liu Jizu, the Left Commander of the Right Army Commander's Office. If Jiang Taiwei really comes, let him come to the city to see me in person!" His voice was steady and powerful, revealing an unquestionable majesty. The cavalry at the city gate had anticipated this move and immediately turned their horses and galloped away. After a while, a group of cavalry returned with torches, and the flames swayed in the night, as strange as ghosts.

One of them waved a torch and shouted, "Uncle, I am your nephew Jiang Taiwei. Please open the city gate quickly. Otherwise, if the bandits react, it will be a disaster." His voice was anxious and earnest, as if he was really eager to enter the city. The city walls were high and the moat was wide. The two sides were dozens of meters apart. Although there were torches to illuminate, it was still difficult to recognize each other's faces. This was exactly why Li Zicheng dared to implement this plan. As for the voice, it was enough to find a Beijinger with a similar voice.

Liu Jizu stared at the cavalrymen under the city. Their figures flickered in the firelight, as elusive as phantoms. He looked around and saw lights on in the Shun army camps in the distance. He knew without thinking that they were ready for battle. The fire dragons behind "Jiang Taiwei" were slowly gathering outside the range of the Ming army's artillery, as if ready to launch an attack at any time.

"Enter the city quickly, I will have someone raise the gate immediately!" Liu Jizu finally gave the order, his voice full of determination and firmness. The people under the city were overjoyed to hear this and immediately sent someone to report the news. The city gates in the Ming Dynasty were all equipped with moats, suspension bridges and heavy gates. The heavy gate of Chaoyang Gate was built in the early Ming Dynasty. The gate is made of solid wood wrapped in iron sheets and covered with reinforced iron nails. It is six meters wide, about six and a half meters high, and nearly one meter thick. According to the measurement standards of the Ming Dynasty, the entire heavy gate weighs about 3,400 kilograms. When opening the gate, the gate will rise to the gate groove in the city platform above the gate hole; when closing the gate, the gate will fall smoothly from the gate groove, forming an insurmountable barrier.

As hundreds of people pulled, the gate of Chaoyang Gate began to rise slowly, making a heavy creaking sound. However, "Jiang Taiwei" was not in a hurry to enter the city, but waited and called Liu Jizu on the city wall: "Uncle, wait a moment, they are all Shandong soldiers, I will enter the city after they enter Beijing." There was a bit of cunning and trickery in his voice, as if he was really considering Liu Jizu.

When the vanguard arrived outside the city gate, the gate had already been raised by one third. They were ready to rush in with their swords drawn. However, at this critical moment, there was a loud bang, and the gate suddenly fell down, isolating them from the city like a natural moat. Their faces turned pale in an instant, and their eyes revealed fear and despair.

Then, someone on the tower shouted loudly: "Attack them, hit them hard!" At once, bows, crossbows, catapults, various cannons and guns were fired at the same time, sweeping in like a storm. The Shun army's cavalry panicked and fled everywhere, but it was too late. They were hit by dense rain of arrows and cannons, fell one after another, and the ground was stained red with blood.

At the same time, something unusual happened at Fucheng Gate. A torch on the top of the city wall swayed left and right in the air, and then disappeared without a trace. A moment later, the torch appeared again, and then disappeared without a trace. This was the signal from the Shun army, and they had begun to move.

The Shun army hiding outside the city immediately took action upon seeing this. They wrapped cloth on their horses' hooves to reduce the noise, held bullets in their mouths to prevent making any sound, and rushed to Fucheng Gate at the fastest speed. The number of the Shun army was not large, only about a thousand people in total, but they were all elite troops, well-trained, and extremely powerful.

They came to the moat quietly and crossed it quickly. Due to time constraints, the Ming army only arranged people to repair the dug-up city wall. The long wood and corpses in the moat had not been cleaned up in time and had been trampled into a flat ground. The soldiers of the Shun army stepped on the corpses of their former companions and came to the outside of Fuchengmen, their eyes revealing determination and resoluteness.

As expected, the gate of Fucheng Gate was slowly rising. The shouts of killing from the tower and the gate shook the sky, as if the whole world was shaking. Seeing this, a thousand Shun soldiers rushed into the gate without hesitation, their figures flickering in the firelight, as strange as ghosts. The last Shun soldier reached out and took out a firework and put it on the ground, lighting it with a fire stick. Whoosh! After the sound, a gorgeous firework exploded in the air, as beautiful and strange as a blooming flower. This was their signal, indicating that they had successfully entered the city gate.

"Kill!" Shouts of killing rang out in the darkness, rushing towards the sleeping city like a flood. The second wave of Shun troops had only about a thousand people. They saw that the gate was still rising, and the leader shouted happily: "Success! Success! Kill! Kill one person and get a reward of ten taels of silver, kill three and get a promotion of two ranks!" His voice was full of enthusiasm and excitement, as if he had seen the dawn of victory. After saying that, he also took out a firework and placed it on the ground, and lit it with the fire stick he carried with him. Whoosh! Another brilliant firework exploded in the air, illuminating the dark night sky.

In the warm and slightly dim inner room of the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the morning light shines through the delicate window lattices, sprinkling on the soft brocade floor, adding a touch of warmth to this ancient palace. The courtier Guo Tianyang, dressed in gorgeous court robes and smiling, has a calm and loyal look in his eyes, as if no matter how turbulent the outside world is, he is the unchanging cornerstone of this palace. He walked gently to the dragon couch and woke up Lin Xiaofeng who was lying on the couch with a respectful and kind tone: "Your Majesty, are you going to the city gate tower for inspection this morning? The bandits tried to launch a sneak attack last night, but failed and fled, losing three thousand soldiers. The thief Li Chuang must be resentful, and it is expected that today's siege will be two quarters of an hour earlier than yesterday."

Lin Xiaofeng slowly opened his eyes, a trace of fatigue flashed across his eyes, but he could not hide the emperor's determination. He sat up, and the light from the window just outlined his well-defined face, which looked particularly resolute. "I have done my best to defend the city, and the rest is left to the soldiers. I will go to Wenyuan Pavilion later, and there are some things I need to discuss with the cabinet." His voice was not loud, but it revealed unquestionable majesty.

Upon hearing this, Guo Tianyang immediately bowed and saluted, turned around and left, his steps were steady and swift, showing his efficiency and competence as a courtier. Soon, he returned with a red account book in his hand. The cover of the account book was embroidered with intricate patterns in gold thread, shining in the sun. Guo Tianyang walked straight to Lin Xiaofeng, knelt down and saluted, holding the account book high above his head, his movements full of respect: "Your Majesty, Jinyiwei Commander Gongsun Yuchun sent someone to deliver the news. Last night, Jinyiwei and Yongwei Battalion wiped out thousands of bandits and spies in the city and seized 2.16 million taels of silver. This is the account book."

Lin Xiaofeng took the account book and read it carefully. His brows gradually relaxed and a hint of appreciation flashed in his eyes. "What are the casualties of the Yongwei Battalion?" He asked with concern, revealing his sympathy for the soldiers.

"There were no casualties. Commander Li set up a red cannon directly at the door, and all the spies surrendered when they saw it!" Guo Tianyang answered proudly, his face filled with admiration for Gongsun Yuchun.

"Good! Good!" Lin Xiaofeng praised repeatedly, feeling very satisfied with Gongsun Yuchun's growth. He had never thought of a plan, but Gongsun Yuchun had thought of it, and executed it better than the experienced Gu Chaosheng, which made him feel relieved and expectant.

Mentioning Gu Chaosheng, Lin Xiaofeng's eyes couldn't help but darken a little. As the commander of the East Factory, Gu Chaosheng's performance last night was really disappointing. He and the Five City Army were besieging the den of bandits and spies, but ended up with more than a hundred casualties. If it weren't for the fact that Gu Chaosheng was still useful, Lin Xiaofeng would have wanted to destroy him last night. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but sigh, with mixed feelings in his heart.

After breakfast, Lin Xiaofeng's imperial carriage slowly drove out of the Qianqing Palace in the morning light and headed for Wenyuan Pavilion. Along the way, the palace walls were tall, the red walls and green tiles looked more solemn in the morning light. On both sides of the street, despite the urgency of the war, the lives of the people did not seem to be affected too much. The morning market was still very lively, with hawking and bargaining sounds, adding a bit of vitality to this ancient city.

In the Wenyuan Pavilion, the three ministers Shao Shihan, Cheng Qinghua and Miao Yikui had been waiting for a long time. When they saw the emperor arriving, they all knelt on the ground and saluted in unison, showing the strict order in the court.

Li Banghua, who was lying in the inner room, also got the news. He wanted to get up to greet him, but Lin Xiaofeng waved his hand to stop him, indicating that he didn't need to be polite. Li Banghua lay weakly on the bed, his face pale, but he still forced himself to ask, "Your Majesty is unhappy, is there something on your mind?"

Lin Xiaofeng was silent for a moment, his eyes deep, as if he was weighing something, and finally he said slowly: "I'm considering whether to move the capital." As soon as these words came out, everyone present was stunned and the atmosphere instantly became solemn.

Move the capital? This proposal caused a great uproar in everyone's mind. Before the bandits besieged the city, the court was in chaos, the people were in panic, and the army was unstable. The emperor had never considered moving the capital. Now the capital is strong and powerful, the army and the people are united, and there are many troops coming to support the emperor. It is really puzzling to propose moving the capital at this time.

Seeing that Li Banghua was hesitant to speak, Cheng Qinghua, the governor of the Beijing Camp, hurriedly spoke for him: "Your Majesty, the bandits have been attacking the city for several days, but have gained nothing except countless corpses. I dare not boast, but with the current weapons and the soldiers and civilians in the city, we will have no problem holding out for ten days or half a month."

"Once the troops arrive to support the king, the bandits will naturally disperse!" His tone was firm, full of confidence in victory.

Shao Shihan blinked his eyes, his eyes flickered, as if he had seen through something, and he said: "I'm afraid that what your majesty is worried about is not the bandits?" As soon as these words came out, Miao Yikui and Cheng Qinghua looked at Shao Shihan at the same time, while Shao Shihan looked at Li Banghua mysteriously, quite proud of his guess.

After a moment, Cheng Qinghua was shocked and slapped his forehead and said, "Your Majesty, are you referring to the Jiannu?" There was some uncertainty in his tone, and it was obvious that this guess shocked him.

Lin Xiaofeng nodded, his eyes deep, "If the bandits cannot capture Beijing, where will they go?" His question was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples.

Cheng Qinghua took out the map and spread it on the table, examining it carefully. Every route and every mark seemed to tell the vicissitudes of history. After a moment, he said, "I thought they would go to Xuanfu!" Xuanfu was one of the nine important towns in the Ming Dynasty. Its geographical location was self-evidently important.

"To be more cautious, they might retreat back to Datong!" Cheng Qinghua added, with a hint of caution in his tone, and it was obvious that he did not dare to take his assessment of the situation lightly.

Hearing this, Lin Xiaofeng frowned, and a trace of worry flashed in his eyes. "This is exactly what I'm worried about! Once Li Zicheng withdraws his troops, the Jiannu in Liaodong will probably go through Mongolia to surround the capital like they did two years ago. Today's Jiannu are no longer the Eight Banners soldiers of more than ten years ago. They have obtained the artillery technology brought by Kong Youde, and a strong city alone can no longer stop them." His tone was heavy, revealing his deep concern for the future.

Cheng Qinghua pointed to Shanhaiguan on the map and said, "Your Majesty, Shanhaiguan is only 600 miles away from the capital. Even if the Jiannu surrounded the capital, Wu Sangui's Guanning Army would be able to rush to the rescue as soon as possible. The Guanning Army is the elite of our Ming Army and will definitely be able to resist the Jiannu." His tone was full of trust in the Guanning Army.

However, Lin Xiaofeng did not speak, but stared at him with a stern look, as if asking: The bandits have been besieging the city for a long time, where is Wu Sangui? Where is the shadow of the Guanning Army? His silence made Cheng Qinghua's words seem a little pale and powerless.

The Guanning Army is indeed good at fighting, but not as good as Cheng Qinghua said. Historically, after Li Zicheng entered Beijing, he led his troops to the Shanhaiguan area and fought fiercely with Wu Sangui's Guanning Army in Yipanshi. Without the help of the Eight Banners, Wu Sangui's Guanning Army could not defeat Li Zicheng at all. Lin Xiaofeng knew this very well. In the Battle of Yipanshi, Li Zicheng had a total of 80,000 people, of which Tang Shengyu and Bai Guangen led 20,000 people to make a detour and cut off Wu Sangui's retreat. There were only 40,000 cavalry and 20,000 infantry on the front battlefield, most of whom came from the northwest border army of the Ming army. And what about Wu Sangui? How many troops did he have? 50,000 Guanning troops, plus 10,000 people from Gao Di, the general of Shanhaiguan, and 30,000 temporarily recruited local militia. 60,000 vs. 90,000, the Guanning Army suffered heavy casualties. With such a record, how could Lin Xiaofeng have too much hope for the Guanning Army?

Cheng Qinghua knew that he had said something wrong, so he didn't dare to say anything more. He lowered his head, not daring to look directly into Lin Xiaofeng's eyes, his heart filled with self-blame and helplessness.

Li Banghua was silent for a long time before he slowly spoke: "I think your Majesty's concerns are justified, but moving the capital is a matter of great importance and requires long-term consideration." There was some hesitation in his tone, and it was obvious that he also found it difficult to make a decision about the proposal to move the capital.

"In fact, the Jiannu may not dare to bypass Mongolia to besiege the capital, because the current situation is too complicated." He tried to analyze the problem from another angle.

"Li Zicheng occupies the northwest region, Wu Sangui is guarding Shanhaiguan, and other armies are on the way to support the king. It is not wise to besiege the capital at this time." His analysis was well-reasoned and he tried to persuade Lin Xiaofeng to give up the idea of ​​moving the capital.

However, Lin Xiaofeng just looked at Li Banghua and smiled faintly: "Lord Li, why do you think Wu Sangui has not come yet? Is it because his horse is not fast enough, or did he encounter obstacles on the road?" His question went straight to the core of the problem, and Li Banghua could not avoid it.

Li Banghua was speechless. He knew what Lin Xiaofeng meant. If Wu Sangui really wanted to come, he would have come long ago. It is impossible that he has not appeared yet. This reality made it impossible for him to defend the Guanning Army.

"On the surface, this Guanning Army is the army of the Ming Dynasty, but in fact it has long become Wu Sangui's private army. The reason they have not come yet is simply because they are afraid that there will be a war if they come too early, and that people will die in the war, so they want to preserve their strength!" Lin Xiaofeng revealed the nature of the Guanning Army in one sentence, causing everyone present to fall into deep thought.

"Wu Sangui behaved like this when encountering bandits. Will he perform better when encountering the Jiannu? I don't think so!" There was a bit of determination in his tone, and it was obvious that he no longer had any illusions about Wu Sangui and the Guanning Army.

"So I don't count on them, but I won't give up on them either." His tone revealed a sense of helplessness and determination, "So I've been thinking recently. If Li Chuang retreats, where should I and the capital go?" His question was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples and plunging everyone present into deep thought.

Li Banghua, Cheng Qinghua, Miao Yikui, and Shao Shihan were all stunned by Lin Xiaofeng's analysis. The four of them stood there in a daze, unable to calm down their inner shock for a long time. Yes! Your Majesty's analysis is well-founded, and every sentence has its own reason. Especially the analysis of the current situation, it is too thorough. Especially the Jiannu, if they really march straight into the capital and besiege it, what should they do then? This question is like a mountain pressing on their hearts, making them feel extremely heavy and worried.

In the vast land of Liaodong, the Jianzhou Jurchen tribe was like a heavy dark cloud in winter, hanging low in the sky, blocking the light that should have belonged to the Ming Dynasty. In that land, the wind was a bit biting, and snowflakes occasionally fell, covering the scars of the once glorious battles, but also unable to hide the lingering worries and uneasiness. Under this haze, people talked about the past, especially the glory and regrets of the Chenghua period, as if every mention was a deep reflection on the current predicament.

Li Banghua, a cabinet minister with a resolute face and deep eyes, is standing in a corner of the Forbidden City at this moment, frowning, as if he can penetrate the barriers of time and space and look directly at the distant Liaodong. Next to him is Lin Xiaofeng, who is also worried. Although this young emperor is young, he has already shown extraordinary decisiveness and foresight.

"Your Majesty, I think that although the Jianzhou Jurchens are as fierce as wolves and tigers, the Ming Dynasty is not a lamb to be slaughtered." Li Banghua's voice was steady and powerful, and his eyes flashed with wisdom. "We must act with great force, first pacify the country and then fight against foreign aggression, in order to resolve this dilemma."

Lin Xiaofeng's eyes moved slightly when he heard this. He knew very well that Li Banghua's proposal was not groundless, so he slowly said, "I would like to hear your opinion, sir."

At this time, outside the walls of the Forbidden City, spring has quietly arrived, but the atmosphere inside the palace is still solemn. Li Banghua continued: "In the Central Plains, bandits are everywhere, and the people are unstable. This is an internal worry. Although the Jianzhou Jurchens are eyeing them covetously, they also need time. The retreat of Wu Sangui and the Guanning Army is actually an expedient measure. The Jianzhou Jurchens need time to stabilize the rear, this is one of them."

He paused, looking into the distance, as if he could see through the palace walls and see the distant Ningyuan City. "Second, the Mongolian grassland is vast and boundless. If the Jianzhou Jurchens attack via a detour, they will be blocked and their retreat will be difficult. This is a natural advantage, and we should make good use of it."

At this point, Lin Xiaofeng thought to himself. He knew that what Li Banghua said was true, but he also knew that the real challenge was far more than this. He turned and asked, "Then, the Jianzhou Jurchens and the bandits are not easy to deal with. How should we deal with them?"

Li Banghua smiled slightly, that smile contained both confidence and helplessness: "Your Majesty, as the old saying goes, a blacksmith must be strong himself before he can forge iron. Only by strengthening ourselves can we resist foreign aggression. We must take into account military preparations, people's livelihood, and people's hearts."

At this time, the imperial garden of the Forbidden City was full of spring flowers, and the fragrance of flowers was overwhelming, but no one was interested in appreciating them. Lin Xiaofeng looked at Li Banghua, and a warm current surged in his heart. He knew that with such a loyal minister and general by his side, the future of the Ming Dynasty might still have a chance.

"Miao Yikui." Lin Xiaofeng suddenly turned to the Minister of Personnel who was about to speak, "How is the progress of the official assessment you mentioned?"

Upon hearing this, Miao Yikui hurried forward and presented a memorial with both hands, his expression unable to hide his nervousness: "Your Majesty, this is the memorial I drafted, and I have not yet reported it to Lord Li. Please take a look at it."

Lin Xiaofeng took the question book, but did not rush to read it. Instead, he handed it to Li Banghua first: "Lord Li, take a look first."

Li Banghua took the petition and read it carefully, his brows sometimes furrowed and sometimes relaxed. After he finished reading, he looked at Lin Xiaofeng, a trace of solemnity flashed in his eyes: "Your Majesty, the officials listed in this petition are all suspected of being irresponsible, but whether to dismiss them all or not, you need to think twice."

Lin Xiaofeng smiled slightly, with both determination and helplessness in his smile: "Lord Li, I have made up my mind. If the court is full of mediocre people, how can our Ming Dynasty maintain peace and stability? What I want are capable ministers, not those who are just sitting there doing nothing."

After saying this, he looked around with a sharp gaze: "Although the punishment of stripping one's official title is severe, it can serve as a warning to all officials. I want everyone to know that the Ming Dynasty is not guarded by them, but by me and every official who truly cares about the Ming Dynasty!"

At this time, the atmosphere in the Forbidden City seemed to be more solemn. But Lin Xiaofeng's words were like a thunder, awakening everyone present. They knew that this young emperor was drawing a brand new blueprint for the future of the Ming Dynasty in his own way.

"As for the salaries of officials, I have also considered it." Lin Xiaofeng continued, "The Ministry of Revenue should set reasonable standards, and I will allocate subsidies from the treasury. I want officials to have no worries and serve the Ming Dynasty wholeheartedly."

At this point, Lin Xiaofeng suddenly changed the subject: "In addition, I want to set up a land department to specialize in land affairs, so as to relieve the suffering of the people, reassure the people, and consolidate the foundation of the country."

When these words came out, everyone was shocked. They knew that this would be an unprecedented change and an important step taken by Lin Xiaofeng to solve the predicament of Daming.

The spring in the Forbidden City seemed to become brighter at this moment. In this brightness, the future of the Ming Dynasty was quietly blooming with new hope.

"How do we deal with this land management issue?" Li Banghua frowned, his tone revealing endless worry.

"Yes, why would the people rebel? On the surface, it's because they don't have enough food, but in fact, it's because of the land issue." Lin Xiaofeng sighed and looked out the window with deep eyes, as if he could penetrate time and space and see the land suffering from so much suffering.

At the end of the Ming Dynasty, the trend of land annexation was prevalent, like a silent storm, sweeping across the country. The princes' misdeeds were naturally the most criticized, but we will not discuss them for now.

The wealthy and powerful landlords, like greedy beasts, seized land everywhere and hid their land to avoid paying taxes. As a result, the state's grain tax revenue could not be collected and the treasury became increasingly empty. The tax was set, and if they paid less, the suffering would naturally fall on the peasant brothers. One by one, their families were broken up and they had nowhere to go.

Where are the government officials at this time? Shouldn't they step forward to help the people?
However, the reality is cruel. The government only cares about collecting taxes, as if they only care about the cold silver coins and ignore the lives of the people. The land tax plus various chores are already very heavy, which makes the people breathless. In addition, the war in Liaodong is urgent and the military expenses are soaring. The people simply can't survive.

Going bankrupt was not enough, those who owed taxes were arrested and sent to jail. In jail, they were whipped, beaten, and all kinds of cruel methods were used. Before long, the county jail was filled with people who owed taxes. Their lives were so miserable that they could only struggle in despair. In the end, the people had no choice but to rise up and use force to fight against this unfair fate.

Although the imperial court later exempted the land tax for one year, it was only a temporary delaying tactic. If the problem was to be solved fundamentally, a department specifically responsible for land management had to be established.

"What exactly does this land management department do?" Li Banghua asked in confusion.

Lin Xiaofeng did not answer his question directly, but asked in return: "In our Ming Dynasty, who doesn't have to pay taxes?" He swept his eyes over the crowd, as if looking for an answer.

The Minister of Revenue Shao Shihan blurted out: "The royal estates, the lands of the princes, and the properties awarded by emperors of all dynasties." He said it in a decisive manner, as if this was an indisputable fact.

Lin Xiaofeng nodded in agreement. He said that those who said that the gentry did not have to pay taxes were all talking nonsense. They only reduced some taxes, not exempted them completely. Those privileged families only had to pay a little material silver per man and per mu of land, and did not have to pay labor fees. However, this did not mean that they could completely evade taxes.

He gave an example: "For example, the landlord Zhang San owns land and has people living on the land. According to the rules, he has to pay so much money: 'Land rent plus head tax, plus various additional taxes, it comes to more than twenty-five taels.'" He calculated with relish, as if every penny was related to his own interests.

“But if Zhang San is a third-rank official with special privileges, he would have to pay much less: ‘Subtract a portion and it will be just over 18 taels.’” He continued, his tone revealing a hint of helplessness and irony.

"You see, no matter how high or low an official Zhang Sanguan is, he cannot escape the land rent, but the labor fee can be reduced a little. But by the end of the Wanli period, the labor fee could be converted into land rent, but the reduction was still very limited." He explained, as if he wanted to uncover a hidden secret.

"Since only these people are exempt from tax, why is the land tax still decreasing every year?" Li Banghua couldn't help asking. His heart was full of doubts and confusion.

Everyone looked at each other, and they all knew the reason. Is there any need to ask? Everyone wanted to register the land under the name of the princes and royal family members, and pay some protection fees to evade taxes. The princes and royal family members sat back and enjoyed the fruits of their labor, and were overjoyed. They even annexed land and rented it out to make money. In this way, although the landlords and wealthy families also paid money, it was much less than the land tax. Both sides benefited, but the court and the people suffered. When the government levied it again, the land tax of the people rose sharply, and they suffered terribly.

Seeing that everyone was silent, Lin Xiaofeng smiled: "I set up the land management department for this!" His smile was full of firmness and determination.

He went on to say, "First, except for the land granted by the emperor to princes, royal family members, and nobles, all other land must pay taxes." His tone was firm, as if this was an unshakable principle.

However, everyone remained silent. Lin Xiaofeng was anxious: "Does this method work? Please tell me something!" His tone revealed a hint of anxiety and helplessness.

Li Banghua looked around and sighed, "Your Majesty, this matter involves the royal family, so it is not easy for us to interfere. Moreover, there are so many princes and nobles, it is difficult to execute." He spoke earnestly, as if this was an insurmountable gap.

"That's not a problem! The land management department will take care of them!" Lin Xiaofeng said confidently. His eyes revealed a firm belief, as if he had seen the victory in the future.

There are now 28 princes in the Ming Dynasty, and Li Zicheng, Zhang Xianzhong and others have killed 14 of them. It is easier to deal with 14 than 28. But in addition to the princes, there are also many royal family members. Lin Xiaofeng came up with a cruel trick: "Now the bandits are rampant, either they pay taxes obediently, or I withdraw the garrison and let them be destroyed by the bandits. Then all the land will belong to me, and they will have nothing!" He said it coldly, as if he was treating a group of insignificant strangers.

Everyone was scared and broke out in a cold sweat when they heard this. The emperor's trick was too cruel, even his own family members were not spared. But this was the most effective way at the moment. Li Banghua nodded and asked, "Your Majesty, do you have any other tricks?" There was a hint of expectation and curiosity in his tone.

"Second, anyone who deliberately leaves farmland to be abandoned will be fined one or two taels of silver each year to help local people. If the land is abandoned for two consecutive years, the land will be returned to the land management department." Lin Xiaofeng continued, his tone revealing an unquestionable majesty.

There was also the crime of desolation in the past, but the punishment was light. Now the emperor has increased it to one tael, which is quite harsh. Everyone has different opinions on this method, and there is no result after arguing over it. But Lin Xiaofeng firmly believes that this is the right way to do it.

He went on to say, “There is one last trick, and it has to do with the sale and leasing of land.” There was a sense of mystery in his tone, as if this was a secret weapon that was never revealed.

"I have abolished three heavy taxes and promised never to increase them. As long as the people work hard, self-sufficiency will not be a problem. So I want to encourage everyone to buy land, rent land, and grow crops," he explained, as if he was expounding a simple and clear truth.

However, Shao Shihan looked worried: "Your Majesty, the people are displaced, how can they have the money to buy land? They don't want to rent land because there is no land to farm." He spoke worriedly, as if he saw an unsolvable problem.

"Why don't you want to rent it?" Lin Xiaofeng asked back, with a probing look in his eyes.

Shao Shihan thought for a moment and said, "For example, five mu of land can yield twenty dan of grain a year. The landlord collects 60% to 70% of the rent or even higher. The better the harvest, the heavier the rent." He explained, as if revealing a cruel reality.

"The landlords are planning on keeping their tenants neither starving nor well fed, and without money to buy property. Otherwise, one day when they have money to buy land, they will stop renting from the landlords," he continued, his tone revealing a sense of helplessness and sadness.

Lin Xiaofeng smiled and nodded. This is one of the three mountains that weigh on the common people! He thought to himself, but a firm look appeared on his face.

Thinking of this, he explained: "I set up the land management department to solve this problem!" His tone revealed an unquestionable determination.

"The unowned land left behind by those who fled or died is all under the jurisdiction of the government. There are two types of government land, one that can only be rented and not sold, and the other that can only be sold and not rented." He explained in detail, as if he was painting a beautiful blueprint.

"Those who want to rent or buy are all landless farmers. The upper fields cost six taels per mu, the middle fields cost five taels, and the lower fields cost three taels. The rent is ten percent of the harvest. With government land for rent, it will be difficult for wealthy landlords to sell their land at high prices." He continued, his tone revealing a sense of expectation and longing.

“To avoid being fined, wealthy households either grow their own land, rent it out at low prices, or simply sell the land,” he added, as if he had already seen future victory.

However, Shao Shihan became worried again: "Your Majesty, what if someone rents or buys a large amount of government land and then subleases or resells it at high prices?" His tone revealed a sense of worry and uneasiness.

"The purchase/rent limit for official land is five acres, and it can only be sold to the land management department. It must be bought at the original price and sold at the original price, and resale is not allowed. You can refine the specific details." Lin Xiaofeng replied, his tone revealing an unquestionable majesty.

"For those who don't have money to buy, the land management department can provide them with loans at super low interest rates, even cheaper than renting the land!" he continued, as if he was explaining a self-evident truth.

"This land management department is responsible for the princes and royal family, which is not something that ordinary people can do. So I plan to send people from the Jinyiwei or the Dongchang to assist. This task is arduous." He concluded, revealing a deep worry and expectation in his tone. He knew that this would be a difficult battle, but he also firmly believed that as long as they worked together, they would be able to overcome all difficulties and achieve their goals. (End of this chapter)