I, Emperor Chongzhen, have extended the life of the Ming Dynasty by five hundred years.

The Warriors' Battalion entered the city, immediately unleashing a bloodbath!

Catching rebels is too easy; just go in and ransack any house that has the Great Shun Army's flag hanging at its door.

The government office was set up as a temporary command post, with Zhu Youjian personally overseeing the operation.

Zhao Yong had rushed back, covered in blood, but very excited.

"Your Majesty, all five outer camps have been cleared!"

Zhu Youjian asked, "Was it successful?"

Zhao Yong grinned widely and said, "Your Majesty, it went very smoothly. Anyone who disobeyed the imperial decree, or was suspected of making excuses, was executed on the spot without further ado!"

"Well done!"

Zhu Youjian nodded and looked at Li Ruolian: "You decide how to proceed from here!"

Li Ruolian quickly replied, "With Your Majesty present, I dare not overstep my bounds!"

Zhu Youjian waved his hand and said, "I will stay in the rear and not interfere in specific military affairs."

"this……"

Li Ruolian hesitated. In military campaigns, it is most taboo for an amateur to command an expert.

However, this time he was facing Liu Fangliang's army, and this battle could very well determine the fate of the Ming Dynasty, leaving him at a loss.

He had been preparing ever since he entered the imperial court as a military officer.

When the day actually arrived, he realized the pressure was so immense that he couldn't bear it.

"I would like Your Majesty to take command personally, and I will assist you."

"I trust you. Don't have any worries, just go for it!"

Upon hearing this, Li Ruolian shook her head and said, "In that case, I implore Your Majesty to return to the capital immediately!"

Zhu Youjian asked, "Why?"

"Only by ensuring His Majesty's safety can we risk everything!"

"Ha ha!"

Zhu Youjian suddenly burst into laughter and said, "Did you think I would be safe just because I returned to the capital?"

"Look at Chen Yan and his ilk! Even my chief minister has defected to the enemy. Is there any place left for me in this world?"

"These corrupt officials spout platitudes about benevolence and morality, but in reality, they are extremely greedy. When faced with a formidable enemy, they will betray their country and become their fathers, just like dogs that will wag their tails and fawn over their prey for a chance to survive and for a bite to eat!"

"Shameless beyond measure!"

Zhu Youjian grew angrier and angrier as he spoke. If he didn't still have to fight Liu Fangliang, he would have loved to chop Chen Yan into pieces and feed him to the dogs.

Seeing this, Li Ruolian had no choice but to advise, "With a major battle imminent, Baoding Prefecture could fall at any moment. Your Majesty should not be implicated."

He Fu then said, "I second that opinion. A wise man does not stand under a dangerous wall. I urge Your Majesty not to act rashly."

"Alright, everyone, there's no need to persuade me any further!"

Zhu Youjian flatly refused, then said, "So what if it's Liu Fangliang? In my eyes, he's nothing more than a bandit who has gathered a crowd. Let alone Liu Fangliang, even if Li Zicheng came, what would I have to fear?"

"I will be in Baoding to watch. I want to see my soldiers crush the rebels with my own eyes!"

"Li Ruolian, it's up to you now. Give the order!"

"I obey your decree!"

Having said all that, Li Ruolian sighed inwardly, knowing that she couldn't persuade her otherwise.

He already had a tactical plan, which he mentally reviewed and, feeling that there were no problems, then said:

"Liu Fangliang is unaware of His Majesty's arrival, nor does he know that Chen Yan and the others have been executed. We can use this opportunity to turn the tables on him and lure him into a trap!"

Zhu Youjian was pleased: "Very good! Continue!"

Li Ruolian said, "I ask Military Advisor Zhao to go to the camp outside the city and gather troops, but he must not act rashly and let the rebel army into the city."

Zhao Yong scratched his head and asked, "Are we just going to watch the rebel army enter the city and do nothing?"

"Naturally, we are on high alert, taking the sound of cannon fire as our signal. As soon as the cannons in Baoding fire, we will immediately charge into the enemy's rear!"

"no problem!"

Zhao Yong nodded repeatedly, then turned to Zhu Youjian: "Your Majesty, I'm off!"

Zhu Youjian said, "Once the war begins, it will be a decisive battle. I grant you the authority to act expediently, to execute first and report later, and you do not need to consult me ​​on any matters."

"I obey your decree!"

Zhao Yong bowed respectfully, then rode a fast horse and galloped out of the city.

These tactics sound simple, but they require detailed coordination.

Military orders were relayed from the command post, and on the walls of Baoding, cannons were already set up, and musketeers and archers were all in position.

The task of capturing the suspects was entrusted to He Fu, and all soldiers were to prepare for battle.

"Report!"

The scouts galloped over and ran all the way to the government office.

"Ten miles ahead, we have spotted the rebel army, numbering over ten thousand!"

Li Ruolian asked, "Did you see the words on the flag?"

"One flag says 'Shun,' and the other says 'Liu!'"

"Report again and be careful to stay hidden. If you spot any enemy scouts, be sure to avoid them."

"yes!"

The scout turned and left, and Li Ruolian then said, "Your Majesty, Liu Fangliang has arrived in person!"

Zhu Youjian breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Then let's do it!"

Li Ruolian then said, "Your Majesty, I have another request!"

Zhu Youjian nodded and said, "Tell me!"

Li Ruolian pointed to the map and said, "Now that our forces are evenly matched, since it's a decisive battle, we should spare no effort to annihilate the enemy to the greatest extent possible!"

"I plan to send a small force to bypass the rebel army's main camp outside Zhengding Prefecture and burn their supplies while they are off guard!"

"If this plan succeeds, and the rebel army suffers a defeat at the front and loses its supplies, it will have no choice but to abandon Zhengding and retreat back to Shanxi from Zijing Pass."

"This will solve the problem of the Central Plains and shift the focus of the war to Juyong Pass!"

Zhu Youjian's eyes gleamed as he stared intently at the map.

Li Ruolian has an excellent overall perspective; even with the decisive battle imminent, she doesn't get bogged down in the immediate situation.

When military tactics are employed properly, the enemy can turn the tables, lure the enemy out of their hole, invite them into a trap, and finally trap them.

Now, let's add another move to strike at the root of the problem!

Taking down Liu Fangliang would change the course of the entire battle.

Whether they concentrate their forces to deal with Li Zicheng or move the capital to Nanjing, the initiative can be regained in their own hands.

A seemingly hopeless game has been turned around!

"This plan is feasible, but who will carry it out?"

After pondering for a long time, Li Ruolian said, "I recommend Miao Gang!"

"Miao Gang? Is he up to the task?"

Zhu Youjian muttered to himself, his brows furrowed.

Even the most perfect tactical concept is useless if the executor is incompetent.

Miao Gang was recently defeated by the rebel army, which inevitably makes people doubt his abilities.

Li Ruolian explained, "This man originally relied on Chen Yan, but fortunately he was able to pull back from the brink and return to the right path. Now he is a criminal and eager to make a name for himself. I think this is a feasible plan!"

"Very well, I trust your judgment!"

Zhu Youjian immediately made a decision: "Summon Miao Gang!"

Before long, Miao Gang arrived in haste, kowtowed and bowed, saying, "Your subject Miao Gang inquires of Your Majesty's well-being!"

"I am well! Rise and reply."

Zhu Youjian waved his hand and said, "I'm assigning you a task!"

Miao Gang had just stood up when he heard this, and his expression changed drastically. He quickly bowed again.

"Your Majesty, please give your command! I will go through fire and water, even at the cost of my life!"

Zhu Youjian looked at Li Ruolian, signaling him to give the order.

Li Ruolian then said, "In the battle that night, most of your troops fled back to Baoding. I've already had a headcount, and there are approximately two thousand men. Now there's an important mission. If you succeed, it will be enough to offset your defeat. If you fail, you may not return. Are you willing?"

Miao Gang was very excited and said, "As a criminal, I couldn't be happier than to accept this!"

Li Ruolian nodded, then took out a map...