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

Yin Hongsheng's eyes slowly swept across everyone's faces, with a bit of solemnity and expectation, as if he wanted to catch a clue or determination from everyone's eyes. He asked in a deep voice: "What do you think of this?" His voice was not loud, but it revealed a majesty that could not be ignored.

Fang Dahong raised his eyebrows when he heard this, his eyes flashing with determination, and he quickly took over the conversation in a deep and powerful voice: "I think it's okay. As long as our strength is as widely distributed as branches and leaves, the traditions and paths of the Han people can be passed on and will never end. No matter how the wind and rain change, our roots will always be rooted in this land, and our spirit will be recorded in history forever."

Ma Chaoxing shook his head, his face full of disapproval, and retorted: "You can't say that! When we gather together, we are like a fire that can burn vigorously; but if we disperse, we are like a pile of loose sand and can accomplish nothing. Only when we unite, think in the same direction, and work together, can we accomplish great things. If we disperse, we can accomplish nothing! What we need is cohesion, a common goal and belief."

Cai Dezhong walked quickly to Ma Chaoxing, put one hand gently around his shoulder, and looked deep, as if he could see into people's hearts. He slowly asked: "What do you think, if the court decides to counterattack Liaodong, is it more important for us to serve directly in the army, or to be an insider?" There was some tentativeness and consideration in his words.

Ma Chaoxing couldn't help but be stunned when Cai Dezhong asked this question, and a trace of confusion flashed in his eyes: "This..." He was obviously stumped and couldn't make a decision for a moment. The two options had their own advantages and disadvantages, which made him hesitant.

In fact, the role of the insider is huge! Seeing this, Cai Dezhong raised a meaningful smile and continued, "So, we can't rush to fight back. We have to see the situation. Sometimes, hiding in the dark and delivering a fatal blow at a critical moment is more important than charging head-on."

Hearing this, Ma Chaoxing's eyes gradually brightened, as if he had thought of something. He suddenly seemed to have grasped a life-saving straw and said anxiously: "Wait, Brother Cai, don't be too confident. Liaodong is the territory of the Jiannu, which is different from the Central Plains. It is extremely difficult for us to sneak in. We must have a thorough plan."

At this time, the little guy Hu Dedi jumped to the front, grinning, innocent, yet smart. He said, "Don't worry, Brother Ma, I have a way! Didn't the Jiannu invade again? We can pretend to be ordinary people and sneak in when they come to rob us. Wouldn't that be easy?"

"Once we arrive in Liaodong, we must act carefully and find ways to become their bondservants. This way we can get close to their core secrets and live a more stable life. When the imperial army counterattacks, Brother Ma, you give an order and the Han people in the city will respond, and there will be hope of recovering Liaodong!" Hu Dedi's words were full of innocence and wisdom, which made everyone look at him with admiration.

Ma Chaoxing was surprised by the idea of ​​this little brat, and a blush of embarrassment flashed across his face: "This... this idea seems good." He was secretly amazed in his heart, he didn't expect that this little guy had such insight.

"Okay, okay, don't just think about it! The most important thing now is to defeat Li Zicheng!" A rough voice suddenly interrupted the discussion of several people, with a bit of urgency and impatience.

The group of people walked and discussed in the night, and before they knew it, they were almost at Damingfu. The night gradually faded, the sky began to turn white, and the first ray of sunlight shone through the mist, gently shining down, covering the earth with a layer of light golden light.

Five miles away from the city, we saw endless military tents, like a vast ocean, boundless and exuding a depressing and heavy atmosphere. Soldiers were busy shuttling between the tents, preparing to welcome a new day.

Soldiers and civilians in the barracks got up when they heard the horn, and began to change clothes and make breakfast. The smoke from the cooking stoves rose up, interweaving with the morning light, forming a peaceful and vivid picture. However, this tranquility was only temporary, and the shadow of war always loomed over this land.

After breakfast, the civil and military officials of the Dashun Army gathered in the central army tent for a meeting. The atmosphere was solemn and tense. Li Zicheng sat in the middle, watching his generals, all of whom looked very tired, with anxiety and fatigue in their eyes. He sighed inwardly, thinking that this siege not only consumed the enemy's patience, but also consumed his own strength.

This siege was not only a battle of wills, but also a competition of resources. If the siege failed for a long time, the surrendered Ming soldiers might flee or run back to the Ming Dynasty due to lack of food, and the situation would become more complicated.

What's worse is that the problem of military pay is getting worse and worse, and the officials' salaries are almost gone. This is not a good thing! Li Zicheng was secretly anxious in his heart, frowning, thinking about how to solve it.

"Your Majesty, we bow to the emperor. Long live the emperor!" Seeing that everyone was present, Jing Changhao led everyone in the salute, his voice loud and full of respect.

After the ceremony, everyone stood up and looked at Li Zicheng, waiting for his instructions.

Jing Changhao began to report the situation: "Now is the summer harvest time, and food preparation is going smoothly. According to our current military strength and consumption rate, we should be able to hold out for three months without any problem." There was some relief and confidence in his voice.

Li Zicheng nodded, his brows relaxed slightly: "How is the contact with the merchants in Huguang going?" There was a bit of eagerness and expectation in his words.

"In reply to Your Majesty, the communication is very smooth. The first batch of japonica rice has been shipped to Zhengzhou. It can be transported upstream along the Yellow River to the Guanzhong area; it can also be transported here from the north." Jing Changhao's words were full of joy and expectation.

"Don't transport it here! Transport it to Guanzhong! There is a food shortage there!" Li Zicheng ordered hurriedly. He was always concerned about the situation in Guanzhong. The people and the army there also needed food support.

"I've made a note of it," Jing Changhao responded, and then continued, "Some refugees said that the Jiannu entered the pass from Qiangziling and fought southward all the way to Cangzhou. The people of Shandong were so scared that they fled to the southwest." There was a hint of worry and helplessness in his voice.

"Aren't the Jiannu coming for us?" Sang Dongxu asked, his face full of confusion and doubt.

Jing Changhao chuckled and said, "Lin Xiaofeng can't think that far." There was a bit of contempt and sarcasm in his tone, and it was obvious that he did not take the Jiannu generals seriously.

"Hahaha..." Everyone laughed, and the atmosphere suddenly became much more relaxed. However, hidden in this laughter was an indescribable heaviness and helplessness.

After laughing, Li Zicheng said seriously: "It is okay to take in refugees, but we must carefully screen them to prevent the Ming army from sneaking in." His voice was not loud, but it revealed a majesty and caution that could not be ignored.

"Your Majesty, don't worry. Fang Liang will take care of this matter. He will let the refugees stay in his camp for half a month, and then assign them to various military camps if there is no problem." Jing Changhao explained, his face full of confidence and composure.

Hearing that Luo Wenbin was in charge of this matter, Li Zicheng felt a little uneasy. Thinking back to the time when the siege of the capital was launched, it was him who caused the chaos. First, the food and grass were destroyed, and then the siege was unsuccessful. If the food and grass had not been lost at that time, the capital might have been theirs. But there is no if in life! He sighed in his heart, and a trace of helplessness and regret flashed in his eyes.

"Fang Liang, how many new soldiers have you recruited now?" Li Zicheng asked personally, with some concern and expectation in his voice.

Luo Wenbin replied: "From the beginning of the siege to now, I have recruited 7,944 new soldiers and sent more than 5,300 to various military camps. There are still more than 2,000 left under inspection." His voice was clear and powerful, revealing an unquestionable firmness.

"The number of people is a bit small." Li Zicheng sighed, shook his head and said, "In the past, one call would get a hundred responses, but now it's different." There was some emotion and helplessness in his tone, and it was obvious that he felt a little overwhelmed by the current situation.

"Your Majesty, this is not my fault," Luo Wenbin argued. "The Ming army is also recruiting soldiers, and they pay a monthly salary of one and a half taels of silver. Except for the soldiers in the old camp, the other soldiers, including those Ming army soldiers who surrendered, only receive a monthly salary of seven cents and nine cents. With such a small amount of money, it's good enough that they don't run away." There was a hint of helplessness and complaint in his voice, and he was obviously very dissatisfied with the current predicament.

Nangong Shangpu blinked and interrupted, "A few cents of silver is too low? The price hasn't increased in many years! Stop talking nonsense. Our Dashun Army is a benevolent and righteous army. How can we measure it with silver?" There was a hint of sarcasm and dissatisfaction in his voice, and it was obvious that he did not agree with Luo Wenbin's complaint.

"It is a fact that it is difficult to recruit soldiers. We have to reflect on ourselves!" Luo Wenbin ignored Nangong Shangpu's sarcasm and bowed deeply to Li Zicheng and said, "Your Majesty, there must be a lot of refugees when the Jiannu enter the pass. I will find a way to accommodate them to replenish the army." There was some firmness and determination in his voice, and it was obvious that he was prepared to deal with difficulties.

"Okay, I understand." Li Zicheng nodded, then turned to look at Li Yan, his eyes flashing with deep thought, "Mr. Li, judging from the Jiannu's marching speed, if they don't change the road, they can reach Dezhou in a few days, which is less than 400 miles away from Damingfu."

"Although I have no intention of actively engaging in battle with them, the two armies are close to each other, so I have to be on guard!" Li Zicheng's words were filled with worry and helplessness, and he obviously felt that the current situation was very tricky.

"Then how should we deploy our troops?" Li Zicheng asked, his voice filled with a bit of urgency and anticipation, and he obviously hoped to get some valuable advice from Li Yan.

Li Yan pondered for a long time, his eyes were deep, as if he could see through the essence of everything in the world. He said slowly: "I think Your Majesty should not focus on guarding against the Jiannu now, but should be wary of Huang Degong's movements." His voice was light, but it was firm and unquestionable.

"What do you mean?" Li Zicheng perked up immediately after hearing this, his eyes flashing with curiosity and expectation, like an explorer who is about to solve a mystery.

Li Yan's thoughts drifted back to the days before the attack on Beijing. At that time, they were full of contempt for the Jiannu, just like looking at slaves digging ginseng, thinking that they were no match for them. They thought that the Ming Dynasty's repeated defeats in Liaodong were because the soldiers were not brave, but in fact it was because of the emperor's stupidity and the corruption of officials. But after seeing the elite of the Guanning Army with his own eyes, he realized that the Jiannu were not as vulnerable as they imagined, and they could not easily fight them head-on.

He explained, "Dorgon was defeated at the Wenyu River a while ago and fled. Given his cautious nature, he would definitely discuss the next steps with Duoduo before taking any action. Duoduo entered the pass this time mainly to target Dorgon, not us." His tone was full of understanding and judgment of Dorgon and Duoduo.

"So, please relax, Your Majesty." His words carried a soothing force, as if they could calm Li Zicheng's anxiety. "Then what does Mr. Li mean by being on guard against Huang Degong?" Li Zicheng asked in confusion, his brows furrowed, obviously full of confusion about this question.

A gleam of wisdom flashed in Li Yan's eyes, and he explained, "Duoduo's entry into the pass disrupted the deployment of the Ming army, and put Huang Degong in a dilemma. If he continues to tangle with us, he will have to watch Duoduo run rampant in the Central Plains; if he turns around to fight the Jiannu, the siege of Damingfu will not be broken. Huang Degong is now in a dilemma!" His tone was full of insight and understanding of Huang Degong's situation.

"Moreover, if Huang Degong does not want to be impeached by the civil officials, the only way out is to seek a war. So, Your Majesty, please be careful to guard against him." There was a deep worry in Li Yan's words, as if he had already seen the future war and gunpowder.

Li Zicheng nodded in agreement, with a gleam of determination in his eyes, as if he was ready to face any challenge. He said, "Mr. Li is right! Fangliang, you must comfort the newly recruited soldiers and don't cause any more trouble." His voice was full of trust and expectation for Liu Fangliang.

Although Luo Wenbin felt helpless, he could only respond, "I obey your order." Although there was a hint of reluctance in his voice, it was more of loyalty and obedience to Li Zicheng.

Then, Li Zicheng mentioned Gao Jie again: "A few days ago, Gao Jie besieged Zhengzhou. General Ning Weize said that he had led reinforcements to the scene. As a result, Gao Jie suddenly retreated and now his whereabouts are unknown." His tone was full of doubts and dissatisfaction about Gao Jie's whereabouts.

Speaking of Gao Jie, Li Zicheng remained calm on the surface, but he was furious in his heart. He felt angry and helpless when he thought of Gao Jie's betrayal and cunning. But for the sake of the overall situation, he could only endure it.

In order to hide his embarrassment, he turned to ask about Liu Liangzuo's news: "Is there any movement from Liu Liangzuo?" His voice was full of concern and expectation for Liu Liangzuo.

"There is no definite news yet." Jing Changhao answered respectfully, his voice full of awe and loyalty to Li Zicheng.

Li Zicheng thought for a while and ordered: "Zongmin, from today on, all units must be on alert and send scouts to closely monitor the enemy movements in Wei County to prevent sneak attacks by the Ming army." His voice was full of vigilance and preparation for the upcoming battle.

"My dear ministers, if we hold on for a few more days, the Ming army in Daming Prefecture will be trapped and killed there! Now is the critical moment, we must not relax!" His voice was full of desire and determination for victory.

"We will obey your command." All the civil and military officials responded in unison and left the tents one after another. Their figures gradually disappeared in the night, leaving only silence and expectation.

Luo Wenbin did not talk to the crowd and hurried back to his camp. He had a bad feeling in his heart, but he could not explain why. He had never felt such a strong sense of crisis since the burning of food and grass in the Battle of Beijing. He felt heavy in his heart, as if he was pressed by an invisible boulder, making him breathless.

After returning to the camp, he immediately called a meeting of the generals. There was a sense of urgency and seriousness in his voice: "Liu Rukui, Zhang Hong, Luo Dane, each of you report on today's situation." His eyes flashed with concern and anxiety about the dynamics of the battlefield.

Liu Rukui was in charge of recruiting new soldiers. He first reported: "General, we recruited eight hundred new soldiers today, as well as hundreds of their families. The newly purchased ten thousand shi of grain has arrived, but it has not been stored in a centralized manner. Instead, it is scattered throughout the camps. This way, even if the Ming army's spies sneak in, it will be difficult to destroy them all." His voice was full of concern and pride for the new soldiers and food.

"Well done!" Luo Wenbin praised, with a glimmer of appreciation in his eyes. To run an army, the commander needs to focus on the overall strategic situation. However, there are many trivial matters in the army, which often consume a lot of energy. Fortunately, with a capable assistant like Liu Rukui, Luo Wenbin can relax a little.

Liu Rukui said modestly: "General, you are too kind. This is what I should do." His voice was full of awe and loyalty to Luo Wenbin.

After briefly asking about Zhang Hong and Luo Dain, Luo Wenbin was still worried, so he followed Liu Rukui to inspect the new recruits camp. He was full of expectations and worries for the new recruits, hoping that they could become warriors on the battlefield.

It was noon, and the sun was shining brightly on the ground, as if it was going to burn everything. Some of the recruits were cooking, some were standing guard, and some were taking shelter from the heat. Seeing Luo Wenbin coming, they all stood up to greet him, their eyes flashing with awe and curiosity for the general.

"Have all the weapons been distributed?" Luo Wenbin asked Liu Rukui, looking at the hundreds of unarmed recruits, with a glimmer of worry in his eyes. He knew that soldiers without weapons could not survive on the battlefield.

"These are the new recruits who just arrived this morning. Their weapons are still being made." Liu Rukui explained, his voice full of understanding and helplessness about the new recruits' situation. The weapons he was talking about were not the standard equipment of the Ming army, but sharpened wooden sticks. They might be useful against unarmored enemies, but they were useless against armored soldiers.

Luo Wenbin nodded to show his understanding. He knew that the current situation did not allow them to make too many demands. He led a team of fully armed soldiers to inspect the camp, his eyes flashing with concern and vigilance for every corner of the camp.

Not far away, they saw a dozen tents with wet soil piled outside and the sound of digging coming from inside. Luo Wenbin frowned, feeling a little strange, and pointed over there and asked Liu Rukui: "What are they doing?" There was a sense of confusion and dissatisfaction in his voice.

Liu Rukui was also surprised, so he sent someone to bring the people in the tent out for questioning. He was full of curiosity and vigilance about the matter, hoping to find out the truth as soon as possible.

Yin Hongsheng heard someone coming and pretended not to know and continued digging. His heart was filled with fear and anxiety about the unknown, but he knew that he could not reveal any flaws now. It was not until the personal guards came in and ordered him to stop and told him that it was General Liu who asked questions that he stopped his work, wiped the sweat off his face and asked, "Who is it?" His voice was filled with a tone of pretending to be calm.

"General Liu!" the soldier answered impatiently, his voice filled with dissatisfaction and disdain towards Yin Hongsheng.

"Which General Liu?" Yin Hongsheng pretended to be stupid. His heart was full of doubts and vigilance about this matter.

"Are you looking for death? Come out quickly!" the soldier shouted angrily, his voice carrying a threat and intimidation to Yin Hongsheng.

Yin Hongsheng and the others did not dare to disobey the order, so they had to follow him out. His heart was filled with fear and anxiety about the unknown, but he knew that he had to stay calm now.

After entering the empty tent, Luo Wenbin carefully checked and found that there were only daily necessities and a large earth pit inside. His brows were furrowed, and his heart was full of doubts and dissatisfaction about this matter. After he walked out of the tent, he pointed at Yin Hongsheng and asked, "Why are you digging the earth?" There was a stern question in his voice.

"To answer your question, sir, because the weather is hot, we dug a hole in the tent and laid wooden boards on it so that we can have ventilation and avoid the heat." Yin Hongsheng replied, his voice filled with a sense of awe and explanation for Luo Wenbin.

"I see." Luo Wenbin nodded to show his understanding. He knew that when the army was stationed outside, food and accommodation were top priorities. Only by being close to water sources and having firewood could the problem of hunger and thirst be solved; and in the midsummer, there were many mosquitoes, so the soldiers dared not sleep outdoors and could only hide in tents to avoid the heat. Therefore, Yin Hongsheng's explanation did not arouse Luo Wenbin's suspicion.

After inspecting for a while, Luo Wenbin left with his personal soldiers. His heart was full of concern and vigilance for the camp, hoping that everything would go well.

Yin Hongsheng and others continued to dig in the tent. Their hearts were filled with fear and anxiety about the unknown, but they knew that they had to stay calm and wait for the night to fall.

After dinner, Yin Hongsheng arranged for Fang Dahong to follow the new recruits to the river to take a bath. He knew that this was a rare opportunity and they must seize it. While no one was paying attention, Fang Dahong quietly hid in the dark, waiting for nightfall...

In the dead of night, Fang Dahong sneaked towards Daming Mansion quietly, but was discovered by the enemy soldiers. He suddenly had an idea and lied that he was a new recruit who got lost. Although he temporarily deceived the enemy, he was worried because he failed to complete the task assigned by Huang Degong. The enemy leader was skeptical and finally let him go, and leaked the password "Shun Jun Weiwu". Fang Dahong agreed on the surface, but in fact he was secretly planning a way to escape.

On the other hand, Shun general Zhang Yuanheng talks with Zhou Tiezhu, revealing his suspicion of the other party's identity, but he is confident that he will not be exposed. In Daming Mansion, Zhao Wang Zhu Chang wants to surrender because of the lack of food, but is firmly rejected by Li Xingzhong. Zhou Wang Zhu Shaoying's ignorant playfulness is in sharp contrast to Zhao Wang's pessimism.

Just when everyone was in low spirits, Fang Dahong was pulled up to the city wall by a hanging basket, claiming to be sent a letter by Huang Degong. Li Xingzhong was eager to meet him, but he was suspicious that Fang Dahong only had a verbal message but no written letter. Fang Dahong explained seriously that it was too dangerous to carry a letter because the enemy sentries were densely spread. Although Li Xingzhong had concerns, he still decided to understand the plan first. Fang Dahong concisely and clearly explained the strategy of dividing troops for night attacks and attacking from both inside and outside, and described Yin Hongsheng's strategy in detail, painting a clear picture of the war for Li Xingzhong. The fate of Daming Prefecture seemed to depend on this move.

The King of Zhou was young and ignorant, and was sleeping without knowing the impending crisis. The King of Zhao, Deng Xingwang, Li Xingzhong and the generals gathered to discuss and hesitated. Finally, inspired by the King of Zhao's firm attitude, Li Xingzhong decided to let the soldiers have a full meal and prepare for the battle. The Daming Mansion suddenly became busy, and the soldiers made final preparations for the battle.

At the same time, the Shun army camp was silent. When Li Zicheng was about to rest, he suddenly received an urgent military report from Datong and Guanxian. Datong was surrounded by the Ming-Mongol coalition forces, and Gao Jie's troops were stationed in Guanxian. Li Zicheng was eager to fight and was optimistic about the situation in Datong, believing that He Jin could hold the city. However, he also realized that time was running out and he had to resolve the siege of Damingfu as soon as possible.

Li Zicheng decided to send out his troops at Chou hour, with two groups, one to defend against Huang Degong's surprise attack and the other to follow him to attack the city. He ordered that Damingfu must be conquered within half a day, and the first task after entering the city was to find silver, and then reorganize the army and retreat southward to prevent Gao Jie from joining Huang Degong.

The Ming army and the Shun army were secretly preparing for a decisive battle. Yin Hongsheng and others had prepared torches, flammable items and new weapons, waiting for the battle order. However, at this moment, the shouts and orders of the Shun army broke the silence of the night and announced the beginning of the decisive battle. The soldiers of Damingfu knew that they would defend their honor and dignity with their blood and lives. (End of this chapter)