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

In the ancient and solemn hall of Wenyuan Pavilion, the sunlight shines through the carved window lattices and sprinkles on the blue brick floor, forming a sharp contrast with the heavy atmosphere in the hall. Emperor Lin Xiaofeng and several ministers sit around a huge rosewood table, on which are spread various maps, documents, and dense calculation drafts. They have been discussing matters here for a whole day, and finally, in the afterglow of the evening, they finalized a series of major reform measures for the Land Department.

Lin Xiaofeng, the emperor who traveled through time, revealed wisdom and determination in his eyes that did not belong to this era. He knew very well that in this feudal dynasty, land was the foundation of the country and the lifeline of the people. To him, this land was like his own house before he traveled through time, a place to settle down. He witnessed the suffering of the people. Those people who worked hard all their lives were only running around for a few acres of thin land, and most of these lands were firmly controlled by princes, royal relatives and landlords. They used this as a basis to cruelly exploit the peasants, making it impossible for the peasants to turn over for generations.

Lin Xiaofeng's heart was filled with deep sympathy for these landless tenants. He imagined that those lower-class people, who worked hard all year round but could not even own a piece of land; and those middle-class people, although not starving, lived in fear, always worried that their land would be seized by others, and had to rack their brains to protect it, and eventually they could only become tenants and farm for others.

Therefore, Lin Xiaofeng was determined to implement a series of reforms to fight for the rights and interests of these landless tenants. He planned to set up price-limited fields and public rented fields, and the land bureau would uniformly set the field price and rent as the standard price in the market, so as to curb high-price transactions and protect the interests of the people.

However, the key to implementing this plan was the source of land. Lin Xiaofeng had a plan in mind: first, reclaim abandoned farmland and make use of the unused manors of the royal family; second, confiscate the property of corrupt officials, which would not only provide a stable source of land for the Land Bureau, but also be a severe blow to corruption; third, purchase directly from the market at a high price to ensure sufficient land supply.

With the support of land, funds, manpower and imperial power, the land problem seemed to be solved. But Lin Xiaofeng knew that the biggest challenge often came from people's hearts. So he decided to set up a supervisory agency. Although he could only temporarily rely on the power of Jinyiwei, he believed that with the deepening of reform, there would be a more suitable agency to take on this important task.

Minister Li Banghua, an old man with a stern face but a heart for the world, stood up at this time. He reminded Lin Xiaofeng in a heavy tone: "Your Majesty, you must be cautious when dealing with the affairs of the princes and the royal family, and you must not be impatient. Jiangnan is the granary of the Ming Dynasty and the cornerstone of stability. If you act too hastily, chaos may occur."

Hearing this, Lin Xiaofeng nodded slightly, with a barely perceptible resoluteness flashing in his eyes: "Don't worry, my dear, I know what to do. In the first year, I will first collect all taxes from the princes and royal families, and then return them in full. This is called 'tax refund'."

"Tax refund?" When these words came out, the cabinet ministers looked at each other, and the Prime Minister also looked confused. They all turned their eyes to Lin Xiaofeng at the same time, their eyes full of confusion.

"This is both collecting and retreating. Isn't it a redundant move and a waste of national strength?" Li Banghua spoke frankly, expressing the thoughts of everyone.

Lin Xiaofeng did not explain immediately, but just glanced at Li Banghua indifferently, and waited until the other party finished speaking before he slowly spoke. At this time, the Minister of Revenue Shao Shihan suddenly slapped his forehead and said with sudden enlightenment: "I understand!"

"What do you understand?" Li Banghua asked with a frown.

Shao Shihan smiled and said slowly: "Imagine, everyone, if your majesty issued an order requiring the princes and royal family to pay the land tax according to the law and promised to refund the tax afterwards, how would they react when they first heard the news?"

"They will definitely think this is a scam!" Miao Yikui, who had just joined the cabinet, blurted out. Although this statement seemed extreme, it was also human nature. After all, the court was in financial difficulties, so how could it easily return the taxes it collected?
Shao Shihan nodded and smiled, "What Minister Miao said is very true. Everyone will think so. But the emperor's order is hard to disobey. They will definitely try to conceal their land to reduce taxes."

When everyone heard this, they all nodded in agreement. This was indeed a common tactic used by princes and royal family members.

Shao Shihan changed the subject: "However, in the second year, Your Majesty can compare the land tax they paid in the first year with the figures registered in the fish scale book. If there is a discrepancy, it will be a crime of deceiving the emperor!"

“By then, all these vassal kings will be under the control of Your Majesty…” Shao Shihan didn’t finish his words, but his meaning was very clear.

Li Banghua looked at Lin Xiaofeng in surprise, and the latter smiled and nodded in agreement.

Banghua still couldn't believe it and asked, "What if they really paid the taxes truthfully?"

"Those who don't have much land can be ignored. But if they have too much land, I will let the land bureau take back some of it, so as to save their face." As soon as Lin Xiaofeng said this, everyone from Li Banghua to Tianyang praised his wisdom.

"Your Majesty, your imperial skills are truly perfect!"

"Your Majesty is highly talented and ambitious. We are far behind."

"Your Majesty's plan not only solves the problem of land annexation, but also eases the resentment of the princes and royal family. It is really a brilliant move!"

Although Tian Yang had limited knowledge, he saw everyone praising him and followed suit, saying, "Your Majesty is wise!"

Lin Xiaofeng waved his hand to signal everyone not to praise him anymore. He knew very well that as an emperor, he had to think carefully. "The chaos in the Ming Dynasty today is just a superficial phenomenon caused by the princes and royal families. The real root of the trouble is not here. For example, the incident in Liaodong was not caused by a lack of fighting power, but by the fact that some people did not want to fight."

When Liaodong was mentioned, everyone fell silent.

Li Banghua asked tentatively, "What does your Majesty mean by this?"

Lin Feng did not answer directly, but asked: "How do you think the Jiannu were able to occupy western Liaoning, attack eastern Liaoning, and even gradually erode the territory of the Ming Dynasty with just a few people?"

When the Qing army entered the pass, the population of Manchuria was less than 300,000, and there were no more than 100,000 available soldiers, which caused great headaches for the Ming Dynasty.

Li Banghua pondered for a moment and replied, "Your Majesty, do you think that someone deliberately indulged the enemy in order to strengthen their own power?"

"That's right! This kind of drama has been going on for many years, maybe ten years, twenty years, or even longer..." Lin Xiaofeng said in a heavy tone.

Upon hearing this, everyone fell into deep thought.

It took only 20 years for the Jianzhou Jurchens to go from being a tribe being pursued by Li Chengliang to counterattacking the Ming Dynasty. Although some people accused Li Chengliang of deliberately nurturing the enemy for his own benefit, Li Chengliang had long been out of office during the ten years when Nurhaci rose to power. When he was appointed as the general of Liaodong again, he was already over 70 years old. How could he have the energy to take care of these things? Li Chengliang guarded Liaodong for nearly 30 years, stabilizing the situation, suppressing the tribes, and protecting the border peace. This was an unprecedented achievement in the Ming Dynasty for more than 200 years.

"Let the past be the past and there is no need to mention it again. What the emperor and his ministers discussed today is all top secret of the court and must not be leaked!" After Lin Xiaofeng finished speaking, he waved his sleeves and left Wenyuan Pavilion, leaving everyone still there, feeling excited.

When I walked out of Wenyuan Pavilion, the night had already wrapped around me like a heavy curtain. The hustle and bustle outside the capital had quietly stopped without me noticing, as if the city had temporarily returned to its former tranquility. The moonlight was dim, the stars were hidden, and only a few palace lanterns were swaying in the wind, adding a few dim halos to the silent night.

Lin Xiaofeng, the young emperor in a dragon robe, had just had dinner in the Qianqing Palace. This meal was specially prepared for him by Queen Zhou. The dishes were exquisite and the atmosphere was warm, as if it could temporarily dispel the worries in his heart. After dinner, he lay leisurely on the warm couch, closed his eyes and enjoyed this rare quiet time. After a moment, he opened his eyes, with a resolute light flashing in his eyes, and then ordered: "Guo Tianyang, you go and convey my order, let the lieutenant general Pang Zijin of the Yongwei Camp bring 200 elite soldiers to the palace immediately for an audience. In addition, tell the Military Equipment Supervisor to quickly prepare 100 sets of dark armor and cotton armor, as I have an urgent need for them."

Although Guo Tianyang was puzzled, he did not dare to ask more questions. He immediately obeyed the emperor's order and left. In the night, his figure quickly disappeared at the end of the palace road.

Not long after, Pang Zijin arrived with a group of soldiers. They walked steadily, and their armor shone coldly under the dim light. At the same time, the armor was also delivered. When Pang Zijin saw the emperor, he immediately knelt on one knee and saluted respectfully: "Your Majesty, I, Pang Zijin, pay my respects to you!" His voice was loud and clear, revealing the fortitude of a soldier.

"Get up." Lin Xiaofeng said lightly, his gaze lingering on Pang Zijin for a moment. This lieutenant general was tall and strong with a resolute face, a rare military talent.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Pang Zijin stood up and saw the pile of armor on the ground. He couldn't help but wonder: What is the emperor going to do? Why does he suddenly need so much armor? He knew that the Yongwei Battalion had always been well-equipped, and these armors undoubtedly showed the emperor's great favor. But Pang Zijin couldn't help but ask: "Your Majesty, the Yongwei Battalion already has enough armor. I wonder what your majesty is going to do this time?"

Lin Xiaofeng did not answer directly, but changed the subject: "Last night, I and the Jinyiwei wiped out the bandits together. I decided to reward those who have made contributions with ten taels of silver." His voice was calm, but it revealed unquestionable majesty.

"Your Majesty, your grace is so great!" Pang Zijin was so excited that he knelt down again when he heard this. His soldiers were also envious, knowing that as long as they defended the city, were injured or died on the battlefield, they would receive generous rewards. Although they were all brave and fearless, seeing the military officials wearing flying fish uniforms, holding a tray covered with red cloth and filled with white silver, the sense of honor and satisfaction was really indescribable.

Then, Lin Xiaofeng began to assign tasks: "You stack the dark armor and cotton armor on two distant wooden stakes respectively, and then take two sets of dark armor and stack them on another wooden stake." His voice was calm and firm, as if every word contained a tremendous force.

Pang Zijin did not dare to slack off at all. He personally selected four soldiers and put armor on the wooden man. Under the moonlight, the armor shone with a cold luster, as if foreshadowing the upcoming battle.

"Bring the bow!" Lin Xiaofeng gave the order, exuding the majesty of an emperor. Not only was he an outstanding writer and calligrapher, he was also proficient in martial arts and could easily pull a three-stone bow. The bow in his hand was not the type commonly used by the Ming army, but a powerful bow with amazing power. The bow was dark in color, and the string was like a full moon, exuding an extraordinary aura.

The Ming army had two main types of bows: one was the large bow (also called the Kaiyuan bow), which was mainly used by border troops and had great power and could penetrate the enemy's armor; the other was the small bow, which had a relatively thin bow arm. The Ming army usually chose different bow and arrow combinations based on the enemy's equipment. At this moment, the Kaiyuan bow in Lin Xiaofeng's hand was undoubtedly the most suitable weapon for testing armor.

"Switch to armor-piercing arrows!" Lin Xiaofeng continued. His voice was calm and firm, as if every word contained a great force.

Guo Tianyang immediately returned to the Qianqing Palace and took out the Kaiyuan bow and quiver that Lin Xiaofeng often used. The arrows were as black as ink, and the arrowheads were extremely sharp, as if they could penetrate all obstacles.

Lin Xiaofeng pulled the bowstring to its full length and shot an arrow, which accurately hit the wooden man on the left. He drew the arrow again and shot another arrow at the wooden man on the right. The sound of the arrow piercing the air was crisp and pleasant, as if foreshadowing the upcoming victory.

"Go check and see how many layers of armor have been penetrated." Lin Xiaofeng ordered. His eyes were as sharp as a hawk, as if he could see through every detail.

Guo Tianyang took the lead and Pang Zijin followed closely behind him. They came to the wooden man and took a closer look. Under the moonlight, the cracks in the armor were clearly visible.

"Your Majesty, the cotton armor of the wooden man on the left was penetrated, but the hidden armor was intact; the two layers of hidden armor of the wooden man on the right were intact." Guo Tianyang came back to report the results soon. There was a bit of awe and admiration in his voice.

"Zijin, what do you think?" Lin Xiaofeng turned around and asked Pang Zijin. His eyes were as deep as a pool of water, as if he could see into people's hearts.

"Your Majesty, it's not that the arrows are not sharp enough, it's that the armor is too thick." Pang Zijin replied, "I have fought in the northwest frontier. Our army's fighting style is similar to that of the Mongolian and Liaodong Jianzhou Jurchen cavalry. We are all good at using longbows and large arrows. But our strategy is to shoot at close range, not at the armor, but at the face! Because no matter how thick the armor is, it can't block the face."

"We privately call this tactic 'arrows close to the face'. But I heard that some Jiannu soldiers wore cotton armor to cover their faces, leaving only their eyes exposed. I wonder if this is true." Pang Zijin continued, with a hint of worry and curiosity in his voice.

Lin Xiaofeng nodded, expressing his appreciation for Pang Zijin's insight. But he did not continue the topic, instead he ordered: "Try the bird gun." His voice was calm and firm, as if every word contained unquestionable majesty.

Soon, two young eunuchs came over carrying bird guns. These bird guns were all fine products of the Military Equipment Bureau, specially made for the royal family, and were definitely not comparable to the crude products of the Ministry of Works. They were exquisitely shaped, with black gun bodies, exuding an extraordinary aura.

The young eunuchs quickly loaded the gunpowder and bullets and lit the matchlock. Pang Zijin pulled the trigger, and with a few bangs, the bird gun hit the wooden figures on both sides. The flickering fire seemed like the power of thunder was raging.

"Go check again." Lin Xiaofeng ordered. His eyes were as sharp as a hawk, as if he could see through every detail.

Guo Tianyang and others stepped forward again to take a closer look. Under the moonlight, the cracks in the armor were more clearly visible.

"Your Majesty, the cotton armor and the hidden armor of the wooden man on the left were penetrated, but the wooden man itself was not damaged; the wooden man on the right only had one layer of hidden armor penetrated." Guo Tianyang reported, with a bit of amazement and awe in his voice.

"I understand. Next, try the hand cannon." Lin Xiaofeng ordered again. His voice was calm and firm, as if every word contained unquestionable majesty.

Then, the eunuchs took out their hand guns and pointed them at the wooden man and pulled the trigger again. The power of the hand guns was indeed extraordinary. With a loud bang, bullets rained down on the wooden man. The fire and smoke intertwined, as if the power of thunder was raging.

After checking, Guo Tianyang reported loudly: "Your Majesty! The hand cannon can only penetrate the cotton armor, but the hidden armor is intact!" There was a bit of shock and awe in his voice.

"Okay! Let's try the musket again, using the hundred-bullet rapid-fire bullet!" Lin Xiaofeng's eyes flashed with anticipation. His eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, as if he could see through every detail.

This time, the eunuchs could not handle it, because the fire gun was so powerful that only the soldiers of the Yongwei Camp could control it. The soldiers of the Yongwei Camp quickly carried the fire gun to the front of the hall, pointed it in the direction of the Qianqing Gate, and then moved the wooden man within the range of the fire gun. Lin Xiaofeng specifically ordered the fire gun to be placed less than 30 meters away from the wooden man. Although this distance did not meet the actual combat requirements, he had his own plans.

After everything was ready, the soldiers of the Brave Guard Battalion carefully lowered the muzzles of their guns to prevent stray bullets from injuring anyone. They looked focused, as if every movement contained a tremendous amount of strength.

With a deafening roar, the Qianqing Palace seemed to tremble. Thick smoke billowed, blocking the view, as if the power of thunder was raging. The fire and smoke intertwined, forming a shocking picture.

When the smoke cleared, everyone was surprised to find that the Qianqing Gate had been completely changed. The original magnificent and solemn scene was no longer there, replaced by walls full of holes and bricks embedded with lead bullets. Under the moonlight, the scars were clearly visible, as if telling the thrilling experience just now.

Guo Tianyang stepped forward while suppressing his heartache and reported in a trembling voice: "Your Majesty... Your Majesty... The hidden armor and cotton armor of the wooden man on the left have been pierced; although the double-layer hidden armor of the wooden man on the right has also been pierced, the marks are shallower..." There was a bit of shock and awe in his voice, as if he sincerely admired the emperor's ingenuity.

Pang Zijin was confused, wondering what the emperor was thinking, so he just stood there and stared at him without blinking. It was dusk, and the afterglow of the setting sun shone on the magnificent palace, adding a touch of softness to this solemn place. But Pang Zijin's mood was completely different from the scenery. He was nervous, like a small boat about to face a storm.

After a while, Guo Tianyang came back with a wooden puppet in his hand, which was covered with several layers of armor. He said, "Your Majesty, look, this is a combination of cotton armor and dark armor, and these two sets are also dark armor." There was a bit of pride on his face, as if this was not just a puppet, but a work of art he made with his own hands.

Lin Xiaofeng nodded and looked at it carefully. He thought, even with this double layer of dark armor protecting the body, standing in front of the musket is still dangerous. But compared to the wooden man next to him that was riddled with holes by lead bullets, this one is much better, the damage is at least reduced by 90%. He couldn't help but sigh, when will the war in this world come to an end?
Lin Xiaofeng put down his armor, turned to ask Pang Zijin: "Have you ever been to Liaodong in person?" His voice was low and powerful, as if it could penetrate people's hearts.

Pang Zijin replied respectfully: "Your Majesty, I did go there, but the result was not good. I was defeated." A trace of pain flashed in his eyes, which was the endless regret for the failure.

"What year did it happen?" Lin Xiaofeng's voice became even lower.

"Fourteen years." Pang Zijin's voice seemed to be blown by the wind, with a slight tremor.

When Lin Xiaofeng heard this, his face changed, and he sighed in his heart. He seemed to see the bloody battlefield again and hear the deafening sound of fighting. Thinking of the battle of Songshan, almost all the elite troops of the Ming Dynasty were killed there. After fighting for ten days and ten nights, the Ming army lost miserably, with more than 50,000 people killed, nearly 8,000 horses lost, and more than 10,000 sets of armor lost. Not to mention those who committed suicide by jumping into the sea, there were so many corpses that the river was blocked, like ducks in the tide.

What's worse is that not only the troops in Liaodong were destroyed, but also the elite troops in Xuanfu, Datong, and Miyun were all killed, and none of them escaped. Hong Chengchou, the old man, commanded the troops in a mess (some people say he did it on purpose), and was finally captured and surrendered to the Qing Dynasty, becoming their running dog. This series of blows caused bandits to rise up inside the Ming Dynasty, and the Qing Dynasty was eyeing them covetously outside, and the foundation of the country was almost shaken.

Lin Xiaofeng patted Pang Zijin on the shoulder and changed the subject: "Among the Eight Banners Army, which type of troops left the deepest impression on you?" His eyes were full of anticipation, as if he hoped to find a glimmer of hope of victory from Pang Zijin's words.

Pang Zijin thought for a moment and said seriously, "Heavy infantry!" His voice was firm and powerful, as if that was the eternal pain in his heart.

"Wait." Lin Xiaofeng interrupted him, then called to the people around him: "Two hundred soldiers of the Brave Guard Battalion, come and sit down and listen to what Commander Pang has to say." His voice was full of majesty, making everyone present dare not neglect it.

When everyone heard this, they dared not neglect it, and sat on the ground, listening attentively. The afterglow of the setting sun sprinkled on their faces, coating them with a layer of golden light.

"Commander Pang, continue." Lin Xiaofeng's voice was gentle but powerful.

"As you wish." Pang Zijin pursed his lips and recalled those unbearable days. A trace of pain flashed in his eyes, as if he had returned to that bloody battlefield. "If the Eight Banners soldiers only rely on horseback archery, they may not be able to defeat our Ming border troops. And the Jianzhou Jurchens are not the traditional nomadic tribes." Pang Zijin's voice was low and powerful, as if every word carried endless weight.

Lin Xiaofeng nodded in agreement. He remembered that when he was a teacher, he often told his students: Those ignorant people always imagine the Jianzhou Jurchens as a group of barbarians wearing animal skins, exposing their chests, and beating their chests and stamping their feet. But in fact, the Jurchen tribes had long been equipped with the armor and heavy firearms of the Ming army. All the people were soldiers, and there were generous pensions for those who died in battle. The relationship between the military and the people was very close.

Pang Zijin went on to say, "Your Majesty, I am originally a cavalryman. Although I am good at archery while riding, it is not as magical as the civil officials boast. Archery while riding is unstable, and the hit rate is low. Moreover, the cotton armor and dark armor of our Ming Dynasty have strong protection against arrows, and ordinary arrows cannot penetrate them at all. Therefore, when cavalry fight, they often use close-range arrows. But the strength of the Eight Banners soldiers lies in their momentum and spirit of fighting to the death!" His voice was full of admiration and helplessness, as if that was a height he could never reach.

"If the Eight Banners soldiers only had cavalry, then they would be as easy to deal with as the Mongols. We just need to use cannons and muskets to attack their horses. Once the horses are frightened or die, the cavalry will naturally become chaotic." There was a hint of sarcasm in Pang Zijin's voice, as if he was mocking those who looked down on the Eight Banners soldiers.

"But in fact, the Eight Banners Army is a mixed force, with many more types than ours." Pang Zijin's voice became heavy.

At this point, Pang Zijin looked at his soldiers. The emperor specially prepared armor and summoned everyone here, just to let everyone know in advance how powerful the Eight Banners Army was. Their faces were full of anticipation and tension, as if they were about to face a life-and-death test.

He cleared his throat and continued, "When I was in Liaodong, the Eight Banners Army mainly had four types of troops: heavy infantry, light cavalry (mostly Mongolians), heavy cavalry (mostly Manchus and Solon soldiers), and firearms (mostly surrendered Han people and Liaodong Army)." His voice was low and powerful, as if every word carried endless weight.

"The most difficult ones here are the heavy infantry!" There was a slight tremor in Pang Zijin's voice, as if that was an eternal pain in his heart.

"Why?" Guo Tianyang couldn't help but interrupt. Although he had been in the palace for a long time and knew about the war in Liaodong, he had never been there in person and didn't know how powerful the heavy infantry was.

Pang Zijin didn't want to say anything more, but seeing Lin Xiaofeng's encouraging eyes, he continued: "Before the two armies fight, a lot of preparation work needs to be done." His voice became slow and powerful, as if every word carried endless memories.

"First, we need to send out scouts to survey the terrain; then the generals will set up camp based on the information or personally inspect the terrain; next, the two armies will line up and confront each other when they meet; finally, the generals will look for the enemy's weaknesses or deficiencies based on the formation." Pang Zijin's voice was low and powerful, as if every word carried endless wisdom.

"At this time, the generals of both sides will begin to consider the strategies of attack and defense." His voice became deeper, as if it was the prelude to a life-and-death battle.

"If we want to attack, we have to consider the offensive and direction of the infantry, artillery, and cavalry!" There was a hint of determination in Pang Zijin's voice, as if that was the eternal belief in his heart.

"The Jiannu's tactic was to send out heavy infantry first. They wore double or even triple layers of armor on horseback to the battlefield, then dismounted and lined up to attack with weapons in hand. Because the armor was thick, arrows could hardly hurt them and bird guns couldn't penetrate them, only cannons could deal with them." There was a hint of helplessness and admiration in Pang Zijin's voice, as if that was a height he could never reach.

"But." Pang Zijin changed the subject, "Once our artillery moves or exposes the target, the Eight Banners cavalry will attack immediately. And cavalry generally do not line up and wait on the battlefield." There was a hint of nervousness in his voice, as if it was the critical moment of a life-and-death battle.

Lin Xiaofeng nodded repeatedly, and had already made up his mind. He seemed to see the bloody battlefield again and hear the deafening sound of fighting. He remembered that when the bandits attacked the city, the cavalry always wandered far away, looking for opportunities to kill the enemy, and would not easily approach the city wall.

"The Jiannu cavalry will spy on our artillery positions and then attack from the flank!" Pang Zijin continued. There was a hint of determination and helplessness in his voice, as if that was the eternal pain in his heart.

"Fight back! Bomb them with artillery!" Guo Tianyang gritted his teeth in anger. His face was filled with anger and unwillingness, as if it was an eternal shame in his heart.

Pang Zijin spread his hands and said, "The artillerymen cannot survive without their artillery. When they saw the cavalry rushing towards them, it was too late to turn the muzzles of their guns. Moreover, most of our artillerymen are not protected by armor. Without the cover of artillery, they are completely vulnerable." There was a hint of helplessness and sorrow in his voice, as if that was a pain he would never forget.

"Aren't the heavy infantry and their war horses afraid of death?" Guo Tianyang still didn't believe it and thought that the Ming Dynasty's firearms were invincible.

"Eunuch Guo, have you forgotten what I just said? The heavy infantry wear double or even triple layers of armor. Unless shot at close range, muskets cannot hurt them at all. And their war horses are also covered with cotton armor made by the Jiannu!" There was a hint of sarcasm and helplessness in Pang Zijin's voice, as if it was a satire on the ignorant.

Guo Tianyang's scalp went numb when he heard this. He imagined the heavy infantry coming in overwhelming numbers, fearless of the pressure of arrows and firearms. The despair almost made him collapse. He could have used cannons to deal with them, but as soon as the artillery fired, the Jiannu cavalry would sneak attack. This was simply an unsolvable dead end!
"The heavy cavalry of the Eight Banners is similar to our Ming cavalry." Pang Zijin hadn't finished speaking when a loud noise suddenly came from the west, interrupting his thoughts. The sound was deafening, as if the sky was falling and the earth was splitting. Everyone's face changed. They knew that it was the beginning of a life-and-death contest.

"Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! The rebels attacked our city in the middle of the night!" Before he could finish his words, there was a rumble of cannon fire in the distance, shaking the earth and sky. A young eunuch, his face pale, staggered over to report.

"Why are the rebels in such a hurry to attack the city at this late hour?" Lin Xiaofeng was secretly suspicious. Logically speaking, if it weren't for the heavy rain at night which was suitable for a sneak attack, it would be more advantageous for the defenders to attack the city at night. Isn't this the rebels' way of bringing shame upon themselves?

He thought, our army guarding the city, commanding the enemy, can throw a torch to illuminate the shadows of the rebels; but the rebels can't see anything in the dark, how can they know the number of our troops on the city wall and the number of weapons? Moreover, although the rebels' arrows are sharp, they are futile if they shoot randomly without a target.

Although he didn't understand what Li Zicheng was up to, Lin Xiaofeng didn't dare to delay and immediately decided to go up to the tower to find out the truth. He shouted to Pang Zijin: "Quick! Gather two hundred warriors, all wearing double armor, there may be a fierce battle tonight!"

"Yes, sir!" Pang Zijin responded, then waved his hand, and two hundred warriors quickly dressed up, held their weapons, and prepared for battle.

Lin Xiaofeng did not dare to delay and immediately led more than a thousand elite soldiers from the Yongwei Camp to march towards Fucheng Gate. Before leaving the imperial city, the shouts of killing outside were deafening, mixed with the threat of "surrender and you will be spared, otherwise the city will be massacred". The people were panicked and fled everywhere, and the night sky was shrouded in fear.

The faster Lin Xiaofeng walked, the stronger the ominous premonition in his heart became. This night was destined to be extraordinary.

It stands to reason that Li Zicheng should rest and make plans after days of attacking the city without success. However, this man acted without regard for common sense, and it is hard to change a thief's nature! Soon, Lin Xiaofeng climbed the city tower under the protection of the soldiers. Looking out of the city, the lights were bright, as bright as day; looking down at the city wall, Lin Xiaofeng couldn't help but be shocked.

Li Zicheng was really crazy! The vanguard of this siege was actually civilians, followed by the elite troops of the Shun army. They were dressed in Ming army armor, holding weapons, and rushed towards the Fuchengmen city wall in waves.

"How could this be?" Lin Xiaofeng looked around and finally his eyes fell on General Li, the deputy commander of Fuchengmen. General Li did not dare to hide anything and replied tremblingly: "Your Majesty, the rebels started attacking the city this afternoon. They dug a hole in the city wall and wanted to expand the hole under the cover of night to make the city wall collapse!"

"I already know it." Upon hearing this, Lin Xiaofeng ordered Guo Tianyang: "You should quickly send people back to the imperial city to get all the artillery here. Place half of them on the top of the city and aim the other half at those holes and arrange them inside the city!" After that, he personally pointed to those holes and showed them to Guo Tianyang.

"I obey your command!" Guo Tianyang took the order and left.

However, when Lin Xiaofeng gave the order, the rebels' offensive did not slow down at all. They rushed to the city one after another under the artillery fire, using hoes, shovels, weapons and even helmets to dig the soil desperately, trying to destroy the city walls that had not been repaired yet.

The defenders on the city wall were not to be outdone, and arrows rained down on the rebels like injections; hand grenades, 10,000-man-army, small 10,000-man-army and other firearms were used one after another; kerosene, molten iron, molten copper and even boiling water were poured down. In the flames, the Shun army soldiers fell one after another. However, the rebels' offensive became more and more fierce, as if they knew no fear.

Especially Li Zicheng's elite troops, they were very different from the civilians. They would not let go of the bricks and soil even if they died. As long as they found a crack, they would desperately drill in, constantly digging out bricks and soil. The bigger the hole, the more corpses piled up beside the moat.

At this moment, both the Ming army and the Shun army no longer cared about the smell of blood and gunpowder, and their eyes were only on the weapons in each other's hands. The two sides were like two tireless machines, killing each other.

Li Zicheng was watching this tragic scene from a distance and was also filled with emotion. At this time, a spy came to report: "General Hou Chongfu and his 2,000 soldiers have all been killed!" Although Hou Chongfu was brave, he often violated military laws, but because of his bravery, he was still forgiven by Li Zicheng.

Soon after, another spy came to report: "General Guoyi Tian Hu was seriously injured and has been carried back by his personal soldiers. I'm afraid..." At this point, the spy was a little scared and dared not say anything.

"Go ahead and say it. It's okay." Li Zicheng said calmly.

"I'm afraid there's no hope!" The spy said, and swallowed his saliva, fearing that he might say something wrong and bring about a fatal disaster.

"I already know it." Li Zicheng looked at the Beijing city wall in the distance, his eyes firm and deep.

The battle under the city was still fierce. The defenders used all kinds of weapons to kill the rebels; but the rebels continued to charge forward tirelessly. Around midnight, the defenders were a little numb from killing, and suddenly they felt the city wall shaking slightly. Although it was only a slight tremor, everyone understood what it meant - the rebels had dug through the city wall!

Sure enough, not long after, a rebel leader appeared. As soon as he showed his head, the defenders chopped off his neck with a knife. Blood splattered everywhere and he died on the spot.

"It's working! It's working!" The rebels in the cave cheered. But at that moment, a grenade flew into the cave and exploded.

The defenders were busy blocking the entrance of the cave with earth and rocks, and stabbing the rebels who tried to rush in with their spears. "Your Majesty! The rebels have passed through the city!" someone shouted.

"Quickly use the gunpowder to blow them up!" Lin Xiaofeng gave the order immediately.

"Yes, sir!" The messenger responded and left. Soon, the prepared civilians rushed to the battlefield holding earthenware jars filled with gunpowder. Some of them covered the jars with lids, while others sealed the mouths with oil paper, and then rushed into the night with the jars in their arms.

Although the defenders didn't know what was in the jars, they could guess from the postures of the civilians. "The rebels want to blow up the city! Brothers, hold on!" someone shouted. But although the defenders wanted to hold on, they were busy killing the enemy and had no time to care about anything else.

The civilians under the city were determined to die, and threw earthenware jars into the hole one after another. As the cry of "throwing the mines to destroy the sky and release the small ten thousand enemies" rang out, the mines roared, and the flames and smoke of the small ten thousand enemies also poured down. A dozen or even dozens of rebels accidentally touched the flames and were immediately blown to pieces. The rumbling sound of explosions came one after another, resounding through the sky.

However, the number of the rebels was too large, and they rushed up again with new pots. The defenders blocked the cave entrance with wet blankets to prevent the spread of flames and smoke, but it didn't take long for the wet blankets to burn through. At this time, several rebels suddenly shouted: "Run, it's going to explode!"

"Get down, get down quickly, it's going to explode!" Before they finished shouting, the ground began to shake violently, and the sky seemed to be collapsing.

"Your Majesty, why did you choose to attack the city in the dark? Look at the night, it's as dark as the bottom of a pot, not even a star can be seen, as if the sky and the earth are merged into one, and there is no clear boundary. The soldiers defending the city are all standing on high ground, and with the weak light from the sky, their figures are looming, like ghosts. Our area is low-lying, humid, and bitingly cold. These conditions are simply too unfavorable for attacking the city!" Li Yan, the counselor, is usually taciturn and rarely shows up, but at this moment, he frowned and stood beside Li Zicheng, the King of Rebellion, and asked with a puzzled look on his face.

Li Zicheng held a telescope in his hand and observed carefully. The telescope was a trophy captured from the Ming army. The tube was cold and chilly. He slowly put down the telescope, sighed, and replied: "Jiang Taiwei's vanguard has already fought with us. Although we won the battle in Xiyao, the Ming army in Shandong is very brave, which makes me nervous!"

"Also, Ming general Ji Zishen suddenly appeared in Yutian with five thousand Guanning cavalry. Their vanguard of one thousand cavalry has already reached the Sanhe area. These people hid when they saw us. I was afraid that something unexpected would happen if the night was too long, so I asked Zongmin to lead his men to attack the city quickly!" There was some helplessness and anxiety in Li Zicheng's words.

Li Yan listened, lowered his head and thought for a while, then asked: "Your Majesty, who is leading the vanguard of Ji Zhisheng's men?"

"It's Li Xingzhong!" Li Zicheng's words were a little heavy.

As soon as he heard the name, Li Yan knew that the way of persuading the enemy to surrender was probably not feasible. Li Xingzhong's father was Li Rusong, and Li Rusong's father was Li Chengliang, a famous general of the Ming Dynasty. No matter what Li Chengliang was like in the past, Li Rusong's lineage was really clean and innocent, and there was nothing to complain about. They had been generals for generations, loyal to the emperor and patriotic, and had long been a legend among the people.

"Although the Guanning Iron Cavalry is nominally under the command of Wu Sangui, many of the generals in the army are still pro-Ming Dynasty. I heard that Li Xingzhong is now the deputy general of the central army of the Governor-General of Ji and Liao. He has more than a thousand people under his command, and his combat effectiveness is not to be underestimated!" There was some worry in Li Yan's words.

After listening to this, Li Zicheng put down his telescope, frowned, and looked even more worried. He looked up at the sky, only to see dark clouds and no moon, as if even the heavens were against them.

Jiang Taiwei, Ji Zisheng, and Wu Sangui were watching closely from behind. The messenger sent to persuade Wu Sangui to surrender had not yet appeared, but Ji Zisheng's move had already made their attitude clear. What was worse was that the army's food was almost gone and they would not be able to hold out for much longer. Moreover, there was a plague in the army, which was really a headache.

Therefore, Li Zicheng made up his mind to take the city today no matter what! He clenched his fists, his eyes flashing with determination. With an order, the gunpowder was ignited, and the sky seemed to be dyed black. Then, there was a loud bang that shook the earth, and smoke and dust rose up, covering the sky and the sun.

Inside and outside Fucheng Gate, the area for several miles began to tremble. The soldiers defending the city felt flames shooting up into the sky, the ground shaking, and the city walls seemed to be trembling. Those who were close were directly shaken and fell down, their lives uncertain; those who were farther away were also shaken and dizzy, and fell to the ground unable to get up; some people's ears were shaken to bleed, and they stood there with their weapons in their hands, at a loss.

The Shun army under the city was not much better off. When the shock wave came, those who were close to the city died on the spot, and those who were far away were blown into the air. There were people crying for their parents everywhere, but no one could come to save them. The soldiers of the Shun army lay on the ground, groaning in pain, their eyes filled with fear and despair.

Everyone looked at this once impregnable city that had been blocking our way for five or six days. Now, a gap more than 20 feet wide had been blown out about 30 steps to the west, with bricks, stones and soil piled up like a hill. The soldiers of the Shun army looked at the gap with excitement in their eyes, knowing that victory was just around the corner.

The troops lying in ambush in the distance rushed forward as soon as they saw the opportunity. Like a pack of hungry wolves, they rushed madly towards the gap. Their slogans rose and fell, resounding through the sky.

"Kill! Enter Beijing and capture Zhu Youjian alive!"

"Those who surrender will not be killed, but those who resist will be killed without mercy!"

"Open the city gates to welcome the rebel king! If the rebel king comes, we won't pay taxes!"

The Shun army was like a group of ghosts in the dark night, rushing madly towards the gap. In their eyes, there was only victory and the city that symbolized power and glory.

The troops defending the city were also in chaos. Some were shaken and fell down, while others were buried in the ruins. The morale was extremely low. Some wanted to escape, but were stopped by the deputy general Li Gong's roar. He grabbed the fuse and lit the gunpowder barrel. There was another loud bang, which shocked the enemy again.

"Anyone who flees will be put to death! It's time to take up arms and kill the enemy to serve the country!" Li Gong's voice echoed on the city wall like thunder. He swung his spear and sent an enemy soldier flying. The soldiers were inspired by his bravery and fought back. Their morale was rekindled, burning like a raging fire.

However, the Shun army was large in number and strength, and before the artillery fire on the city had time to fire again, dozens of enemies had already climbed over the city wall. They rushed into the city like a group of ferocious beasts and began to kill and plunder crazily.

"Cannon No. 1, get ready to fire!" the soldiers on the city wall shouted anxiously. There was another loud noise, and the artillery fire was continuous, knocking down a large number of enemies. But not long after, the second wave of enemies rushed up and broke through the defense line again. Although the artillery fire was fierce, it was ultimately unable to resist the enemy's surging momentum.

The city was immediately plunged into chaos, with civilians and soldiers running, hiding, and crying. Their eyes were filled with fear and despair, as if the end of the world had come. Guo Tianyang shouted angrily, "What is there to be afraid of? Get up and fight!" He waved the long sword in his hand, trying to inspire the morale of the soldiers.

Lin Xiaofeng stood behind the artillery and gave orders: "Cannon No. 1 has finished firing, cannon No. 2 is ready!" The nine cannons in front of him were lined up in a row, pointing directly at the gap, vowing to stop the enemy's attack. However, the enemy came like a tide, one after another, and although the artillery fire was fierce, it could not stop them. Hundreds of Shun troops swarmed in, swords flashed, and blood stained the streets.

Guo Tianyang urged anxiously: "Your Majesty, please leave quickly! It's too dangerous here!" His voice was filled with anxiety and worry. However, Li Zicheng shook his head firmly. He knew he couldn't leave. He had to stay here and fight with the soldiers.

Lin Xiaofeng knew that the gap outside the city was difficult to block, and the number of enemies would only increase. He anxiously asked, "Where are the reinforcements at the other city gates?" However, the answer he got was, "They are on their way!" This made him even more anxious.

Looking at the increasingly fierce enemy, Lin Xiaofeng turned to look at Pang Zijin: "General Pang, it's your turn!" His voice was full of determination and expectation. Pang Zijin clasped his fists and shouted: "Where is the Yongwei Battalion?" "Yes!" Two hundred armored warriors answered in unison, their voices as loud as thunder. They were dressed in iron armor, holding spears and shields, standing firm like a group of steel warriors.

Pang Zijin swore an oath to his troops, brandishing his sword: "A man should have great ambitions, sacrifice his life for the country, and die for a good cause! Follow me to kill the enemy!" His voice was passionate and firm, as if it could inspire the courage and faith in the soldiers' hearts. After that, he led the warriors to rush out, vowing to defend the capital to the death. Their figures shone in the night, like a group of brave warriors moving forward fearlessly. Blood stained their battle robes red, but they didn't care, just charged forward firmly. (End of this chapter)