"Your Majesty, the walls of the capital city are tall and strong. It is reported that the little emperor has been collecting grain and grass for the past half month, sheltering refugees, preparing for war, and worshiping Zhou Yuji as the general who defends the city. He seems to be ready to fight to the end. If
A forced attack on the city would probably cause inestimable casualties.
I suggest that we send envoys to the city to negotiate first and ask the young emperor to agree to the king's separatist rule in the northwest. If we give him some money and food, it would be okay for our army to retreat temporarily."
After a long while, military advisor Li Yan came out and bowed his hands.
There was an explosion in the tent and there was a lot of discussion.
"Haha, Military Advisor Li, our army has been unstoppable all the way. Now a million troops are approaching the capital. The Ming Dynasty has long been at the end of its war effort. It is only one step away from attacking Huanglong. However, you asked the king to negotiate a peace and withdraw the troops, disturbing the morale of our army. What is your intention?"
"Yes, the king is an unparalleled hero, the true dragon emperor, and he saw that great achievements are expected, but Military Advisor Li let the king give up at the end to give the Ming Dynasty a chance to breathe. Could it be that Brother Li still has some illusions about Zhu Ming in his heart?"
Niu Jinxing smiled and stood up, and then Song Xiance also spoke, and after speaking, he stared straight at Li Yan.
"Yeah! How the hell can you negotiate peace at this time?"
"Bah, let's talk about a bullshit peace. You literati are just long-winded and have a lot of bullshit."
"Do as I said and go straight into the city. What do you want?"
All the military generals also talked in different directions, expressing their dissatisfaction with Li Yan's proposal for peace.
Everyone is working hard, aren't they just waiting for this day?
Isn't it a good idea to wait until we march into the city, the king ascends the throne, and all civil and military officials are conferred, and everyone is granted the title of marquis for eternity, and the title of wife and son?
How can we give up halfway?
Li Zicheng, who was in the main seat, also frowned slightly and his face was gloomy.
Li Yan also knew that he had offended the public, but the rebel army seemed to be powerful now, but in fact its foundation was unstable and there were many hidden dangers.
Once you are frustrated or injured, unpredictable consequences will occur.
So I had to explain again: "Your Majesty, the north has long been in ruins, and the Ming Dynasty is just hanging on.
Let’s not talk about the casualties suffered by our army in forcibly attacking the city. Even if we attack the capital in the end, we will only get an empty city, which is of little significance to our army.
Once the capital is defeated, the army, people, civil servants and gentry in the south of the Yangtze River will definitely establish a new king and fight with our army to the death.
However, the slave builders in the north are ambitious and have long wanted to spy on China. They will definitely take advantage of our army's unstable foothold and launch a large-scale invasion southward. At that time, our army will be attacked from both sides!"
"Hmph! It's alarmist. Our army has millions of troops. How can we be afraid of that group of barbarian slaves outside the pass? How can our king be as good as that kid from Chongzhen?"
Niu Jinxing's face was filled with disdain, and she snorted again and retorted.
"Chongzhen was ambitious, talented, and arrogant, so he could not compare with the king. However, the slaves outside the pass were not barbarian slaves.
Nanu Chief Taiji has great ambitions. Looking at his various abilities, he is even better than his father. He is an unparalleled hero.
If our army suffers too many casualties under the capital city, or is unable to attack for a long time and falls into a stalemate, then we will be short of food and grass, and we will surely be taken advantage of.
Your Majesty, instead of taking the risk of attacking the city, it is better to conserve your strength, obtain the money and food, return to the northwest to recuperate, recuperate and prepare for war. After waiting for a few years and having enough troops and food, Your Majesty will send his troops to sweep the world. Who can stop him then?"
When Li Yan finished speaking, he bowed his head towards Li Zicheng to the end.
Niu Jinxing wanted to say more, but Li Zicheng waved his hands, stood up and said: "What the military advisor said is indeed true. Let's send an envoy to the city to negotiate tomorrow!
If Chongzhen is willing to compromise, I, Old Li, will accept him as emperor for two years, but if he is stubborn, then I, Old Li, will be blamed."
"Great King Shengming!"
Li Yan quickly bowed and heaved a sigh of relief.
He disagreed with the Northern Expedition from the beginning. They had only captured Guanzhong less than a year ago, so it was really not appropriate to use troops to expand the territory.
Rather, it is time to tidy up the house, recuperate, and consolidate the territory.
But there is no food in Guanzhong.
Then they wanted to capture the prosperous southern part of Shanxi to raise food and grass. Who knew that the Ming army was defeated so quickly that it was beyond everyone's expectation.
As a result, the attack was out of control and they reached the capital in just three months. This was something he never expected at the beginning.
In fact, Li Zicheng also understood that his foundation was unstable. He had collected too many surrendered troops and generals along the way, and the city defender Zhou Yuji had cast a shadow on him, so he adopted Li Yan's suggestion.
Although everyone was unwilling to do so, the king had decided to give up.
But Li Yan's eyes looked like there was a hint of disgust.
…
"My lord, actually you shouldn't have proposed peace to the king just now, alas!"
On the way back to camp.
A pretty and heroic young woman looked at Li Yan beside her with a worried look on her face.
The generals in the army were already resentful because their husband proposed to the king to improve military discipline, and now he proposed peace, blocking everyone's path to wealth and wealth, which made it worse.
In fact, from the bottom of her heart, she was in favor of overthrowing the Ming Dynasty immediately and killing Chongzhen and all the corrupt officials.
"Alas! How could I not know that this would arouse the resentment of the soldiers? However, our rebel army seems to be strong now, but in fact it is weak on the outside but weak on the inside.
It's okay if you keep winning, but once you lose, even one battle may lead to a disaster."
Li Yan let out a long sigh, and the worry on his face was even greater than that of his wife, Hong Niangzi.
The red lady opened her mouth, but in the end she said no more. She greatly admired her husband's ability and knowledge.
The next day, Li Zicheng selected a demoted official and went to the door to negotiate.
Zhu Cixiang was not surprised when the incident was reported to the palace along the way. He ordered someone to hoist him into the city and decided to send Cao Huachun to get in touch first to find out the details.
An hour later, Cao Huachun came to Qianqing Palace to report.
"You go back and tell the envoy to tell Li Zicheng that our Ming Dynasty will not surrender, pay tribute, make peace, or negotiate. The emperor will guard the country's gates, and the king will die in the country. If you have the guts, we will attack!"
After Zhu Cihong heard this, he said with a solemn expression.
"Your Majesty..."
"No need to say more, go quickly!" Zhu Cixiang interrupted with a wave of his hand.
"My slave obeys the order!"
Cao Huachun could only sigh, hunched over and retreated.
Of course it's not that Zhu Cixiang doesn't want to negotiate, but he just doesn't want to negotiate now.
On the one hand, he had already prepared his troops and was waiting for the enemy to attack the city, so as to drain the intruders' strength and morale.
Secondly, letting the intruders return to the northwest with money and food now is tantamount to raising thieves and capital thieves, and the threat will only be greater in the future.
What's more, he can get ten million taels of silver, but he can't get two million stones of grain and grass even if he sells him.
Therefore, it is better to provoke the other party and have a big fight. If no reinforcements arrive by then, it will not be too late to negotiate again, and the cost will be much smaller.
If Wu Sangui and the general soldiers from all over the country really come to help, it will not be a negotiation, but an intruder trying to escape.
Sure enough, after the envoy returned, Li Zicheng was furious.
Everyone also sneered at Li Yan.
Li Yan, on the other hand, was speechless. He didn't expect that the young emperor was more stubborn than his father Chongzhen and wouldn't even talk to him.
"Since Zhu Cihong doesn't know how to appreciate others, I want to see if the walls of Beijing are really indestructible!
After Gu Gong enters the city, not to mention the money, food and throne, even Queen Zhou and Queen Yi'an will belong to me, Old Li!"
Li Zicheng might have been really angry, and his inner thoughts were exposed, and he shouted loudly.
"Zongmin!"
"exist!"
"I order you to lead your troops to the south of the capital and be responsible for attacking the outer city."
"yes, Sir!"
Liu Zongmin cupped his fists and replied.
"Red Commander!"
"The general is here!" The red lady also hurriedly came out.
"I order you to lead our troops and attack the north city of the capital."
"The last general takes command!"
"Li Guo!"
"The child is here."
"I order you to command the rest of the camps and focus on the west!"
"Children have to order!"
Li Zicheng had been fighting for more than ten years and had accumulated a lot of battle experience. He directly issued combat orders without consulting the military adviser or prime minister.
The most common strategy of siege warfare was chosen: the siege of three and one missing, with the main attack in the west and feint attacks in the north and south.
