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

Zhu Youjian had already anticipated that something was going to happen to Li Yan, but he had not yet received any definite information. Unexpectedly, Miao Gang brought Hong Niangzi along the way.

This woman is really unlucky. She's been captured for the third time in just a few days. She's probably mentally broken.

Miao Gang glanced at Zhu Youjian, then at Hong Niangzi who was crying her eyes out, and took two steps back again.

"I've lost, just kill me!"

Hong Niangzi wiped away her tears with her sleeve; her eyes were red, and the stubbornness on her face had long since disappeared.

Zhu Youjian chuckled and said, "When have I ever made a bet with you?"

Hong Niangzi said, "Stop pretending. You knew all along that I was faking my surrender. Now that I'm cornered, you can just laugh at me."

"Lady Li, can you tell me what exactly happened?"

Hong Niangzi looked at Zhu Youjian and saw that he was indeed not faking it. She then recounted in detail the mutiny that had occurred in the Southern Route Army that day.

The house was quiet. Miao Gang had retreated to the doorway and was now pondering whether he was being superfluous, or perhaps... should he go out?

Finally, Zhu Youjian spoke, saying, "I feel great sympathy for Lady Li's plight. I wonder what your plans are next?"

"Oh!"

Hong Niangzi gave a self-deprecating laugh and said, "I am a traitor, I don't deserve any sympathy, I only wish for death!"

"Have you considered what would happen to Li Yan if you died?"

"He...I don't know."

Hong Niangzi sighed softly; at this point, she was completely at a loss.

Actually, what really hurt her wasn't Liu Fangliang stabbing her in the back, but Tian Laosan, whom she met in the fields this afternoon.

Since the uprising, countless corrupt officials and local tyrants have been killed. The people have always praised the name "Red Maiden," which is why the army has been able to grow stronger. Later, they joined Li Zicheng. In addition, Li Yan composed a ballad that said, "Open the gates to welcome the King Chuang. When the King Chuang comes, we will not pay taxes." This won them even more popular support, and they were like fish in water.

However, the phrase "Get out of my field" shattered all of this.

As the rebel army grew stronger, it had long deviated from its original purpose. Even if Li Zicheng seized the Ming Dynasty's throne, wouldn't he just be another Ming Dynasty?

Once upon a time, Hong Niangzi thought that Liu Fangliang and others were just a minority, and that there were many people like herself in the rebel army who truly cared for the people. She believed that as long as Li Zicheng could control his subordinates, the Great Shun Dynasty would still be the people's home.

Until today, she finally realized that it was simply impossible!

Human nature is inherently greedy. When the poor people who were once oppressed rise to high positions, the things they do are often even worse than those of the officials and gentry who oppressed them.

Zhu Youjian then asked, "Do you know why Li Yan risked his life to help you escape?"

"He...of course he wants me to live, but what's the point of me living..."

You're wrong!

Zhu Youjian said solemnly, "If you live, Liu Fangliang won't dare to lay a hand on Li Yan. If you die, Li Yan won't survive either."

Hong Niangzi looked up and asked, "You mean... he won't die?"

"Madam Li, your army has grown strong because of the people's trust, not because of Li Zicheng's charity. If Liu Fangliang kills Li Yan, you can raise a second army at any time to fight him to the death. If he's not stupid, he will definitely spare Li Yan's life to blackmail you and wait for you to walk into his trap."

Hong Niangzi's expression shifted between light and dark. After a long while, she finally said, "The righteous army has lost the hearts of the people and can never go back."

"The people have a scale in their hearts; they will support whoever treats them well. You haven't done anything wrong, so why blame yourself?"

"But, but..."

The matchmaker was in a state of utter confusion, not knowing what to do.

"Logically, I shouldn't take advantage of your misfortune and persuade you to surrender at this time. However, I am about to launch a decisive battle against Li Zicheng's southern army. Today, I will ask you one last time: are you willing to serve me?"

"I...I have no soldiers, nothing at all, I am of no value anymore."

Zhu Youjian shook his head and said, "Your value lies not in how many soldiers or how much food you have, but in the fact that you have the people in your heart. What I need is a righteous army. Otherwise, no matter how many soldiers you have, I will not have tried to persuade you to surrender time and time again!"

After pondering for a long time, Hong Niangzi asked, "Can you save my husband?"

Zhu Youjian said, "I will do my best."

What does "do your best" mean?

"The Southern Route Army has 30,000 troops, all under Lady Li's command. If Liu Fangliang holds his ground and does not come out, when I take Zhengding, there will surely be rivers of blood and countless people will die on the battlefield! If Lady Li serves me and persuades those generals to surrender, firstly, there will be less bloodshed, and secondly, we can work together from the inside and outside to deal with Liu Fangliang. In order to save his life, he will be even less likely to make a move against Li Yan."

Hong Niangzi fell into deep thought again, and after a long time, she finally knelt down slowly.

"From this day forward, I, Hong Niangzi, am willing to serve Your Majesty!"

Zhu Youjian was overjoyed and, after much effort, finally tamed the wild horse!

"Madam, please rise!"

He personally helped Hong Niangzi up, but as she stood up, she intentionally or unintentionally pulled her arm back a little.

Zhu Youjian realized he might have been somewhat offensive, but overjoyed, he didn't care and immediately said, "Issue my decree: effective immediately, [he/she]... By the way, Lady Li, what was your original name?"

"I've never had parents since I was little, and I don't even know my own surname. The villagers call me 'Red Maiden,' so let's call me 'Red Maiden'!"

Zhu Youjian nodded and continued, "Promote Hong Niangzi to the position of Commander-in-Chief of Zhen Ding!"

Lady Hong bowed again: "Yes, Your Majesty!"

Miao Gang, standing at the door, felt extremely uncomfortable. Had he really become a general?

I worked myself to the bone and even won battles, but I'm still just a guerrilla general. Why is there such a huge difference in status...?

Besides, I'm the one who captured this person. What if he makes things difficult for me later?

Thinking of this, he hurriedly stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said with a smile, "Congratulations, General Hong! Congratulations to His Majesty on gaining such a fine general!"

Hong Niangzi nodded to him in return, then asked, "Your Majesty, what should we do next?"

"Bring me the map!"

At Zhu Youjian's command, Miao Gang hurriedly found the map and spread it out on the table.

Zhu Youjian had already drawn four thick lines on it and marked it with arrows.

"I am prepared to launch a four-pronged attack to take Zhending in one fell swoop."

After observing for a while, Hong Niangzi was still puzzled and asked, "The troops to the north are from Baoding Prefecture, so where did these troops to the east, south, and west come from?"

"I issued three edicts a few days ago, ordering Gao Jie of Zezhou, Liu Zeqing of Jinan, and Liu Liangzuo of Zhengyang to lead their troops to join forces in Zhengding."

"If that's the case, then the Northern Route Army will be the main force in the attack, while the other three routes will be supporting attacks?"

Zhu Youjian shook his head and said disdainfully, "With superior military strength, why distinguish between main and supporting attacks? All four routes are main attacks!"

After thinking it over carefully, Hong Niangzi realized that since they had already surrendered, it wouldn't be appropriate to ask for troops empty-handed without doing something. So she pointed to the border between Baoding and Zhengding on the map and said, "This is the outpost my husband sent out in advance. It has three thousand soldiers, and the commander is named Cheng Youde. He is one of my men. I will go and persuade him to surrender."

Zhu Youjian's expression was somewhat strange. He thought to himself, "Should I tell her that Cheng Youde is no longer your man?"

Seeing this, Hong Niangzi frowned slightly and asked, "Is Your Majesty worried that I'll run away?"

"Of course not!"

"Then it's settled. I'll go and persuade these three thousand soldiers to surrender, and then they'll serve as the vanguard!"

Before Zhu Youjian could agree, Hong Niangzi turned and left.