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

Chen Yan's vision went black, and he almost fainted.

"Quickly, let him in! Tell Miao Gang to get over here and give us an answer!"

"Lord Chen, General Miao is not outside."

"Then let's find a leader!"

Before long, a captain was brought before Chen Yan.

"This humble servant, He Jian, greets Grand Secretary Chen!"

Chen Yan stared intently at He Jian, whose armor was badly damaged and stained with blood, indicating that a fierce battle had indeed taken place.

"Explain yourself to me, what exactly happened?"

He Jian bowed and said, "Reporting to Grand Secretary Chen, yesterday when the fleet reached Nanwang Town, the river was blocked. General Miao ordered them to rest on the spot and dispatched his soldiers to clear the river. Who would have thought, who would have thought..."

"Say it!"

Chen Yan was impatient and urged loudly.

He Jian lowered his head and said, "At midnight, the rebel army launched a surprise attack. The soldiers had been digging the river all night and were exhausted. They were caught off guard..."

"oops!"

Chen Yan suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest, and a surge of blood rushed through his body.

The ship was carrying the fruits of his life's work!

"Where's Miao Gang? Where did he go?"

"After the defeat, we got separated, and General Miao disappeared."

"Where is the fleet?"

"this……"

He Jian kept his head down, not daring to continue.

Chen Yan took two steps back and slumped into a chair.

He finally understood why Liu Fangliang hadn't rushed to attack.

So he was keeping an eye on the fleet, but who leaked the information?

And then there was that scholar surnamed Ma, who spoke eloquently and eruditely for an hour, yet he never mentioned the fleet.

Insidious, truly insidious!

He Jian was prepared to be scolded, but after waiting for a long time without any response, he mustered his courage and asked, "Lord Chen, these soldiers of mine..."

After a moment's thought, Chen Yan said, "There's an open space in the southeast corner of the camp. You can settle down there first."

"Your subordinate obeys!"

He Jian was overjoyed; despite suffering a defeat, he was not punished.

Perhaps worried that the other party might change their mind, he bowed once and hurriedly left.

"return!"

"yes!"

He Jian turned around and asked, "Does Master Chen have any further instructions?"

Chen Yan said with a gloomy face, "Keep last night's events a secret for now. If anyone asks, just say you returned after receiving transfer orders."

"this……"

He Jian was puzzled. Why was the news being blocked?

Last night's battle resulted in thousands of deaths and injuries. Can it be contained?

"Pass the word down: whoever leaks even a single word of this, I will have their entire family executed!"

"Understood, sir!"

He Jian dared not hesitate any longer, bowed again, and then left.

After pondering for a long time, Chen Yan ordered, "Someone, summon all the generals for a meeting."

Within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the generals arrived one after another.

Once everyone had arrived, Chen Yan slowly began to speak: "The current situation is complex and volatile. Li Zicheng's army is pressing in, the battle situation at Juyong Pass is still unclear, and Liu Fangliang's troops are strong and well-equipped. I would like to hear your opinions on what to do next."

A brief silence fell over the tent as everyone pondered their next move.

Some astute individuals have already discerned some clues.

Chen just spoke about how to do it, not how to fight!

A difference of just one word reveals what they are thinking.

If you ask how to fight, then we'll discuss the tactics and strategies to follow.

But, if we do it differently...

Is there another option besides a direct confrontation?

At this moment, a burly general stood up.

This man was named Zhao Yong. True to his name, he was incredibly brave and a master of charging into battle.

"In my humble opinion, our army should take the initiative to attack; otherwise, if Li Zicheng breaks through Juyong Pass and attacks us from both sides, our army will be in grave danger!"

Before the words were even finished, someone immediately stood up.

Chen Yan looked at the man and saw that it was his trusted confidant, Zhang Wenyuan, so he nodded in acknowledgment.

Having received instructions, Zhang Wenyuan said, "General Zhao is unparalleled in bravery, but war is not child's play. The current situation is complex and volatile. I suggest we first consolidate our defenses and then look for an opportunity to counterattack."

"If we only defend, wouldn't we be like cowards hiding in the sand? Are we just going to stand by and watch Li Zicheng advance step by step towards the capital without doing anything?"

"General Zhao's words are too extreme. Defense is not a retreat, but a preparation for a better attack. Only when we have a complete grasp of the enemy's movements and strength can we formulate the most effective battle plan. Otherwise, a blind attack will only result in needless sacrifices."

"Hmph, that's easy for you to say! I think you've been scared out of your wits by the enemy and are too afraid to fight, haven't you?"

Zhang Wenyuan, however, was not angry. He simply retorted, "A true man must possess both courage and strategy. If fighting is simply about forming ranks and charging forward, what use are we, the commanders,?"

Zhao Yongqi's face flushed red as he shouted, "Zhang Wenyuan, what exactly are you plotting by repeatedly backing down?"

"alright!"

Seeing the discussion turn into an argument, Chen Yan immediately raised his hand to stop it.

"I know you are all loyal, but the current situation does require us to be more cautious."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Although Li Zicheng's army is powerful, it may not be able to break through Juyong Pass quickly. Our advantage lies in our abundant troops and supplies. As long as we can hold our ground and not give the enemy any opportunity, we can slow down their advance."

"What Master Chen said is absolutely right!"

Zhang Wenyuan immediately agreed, and then continued, "The most important thing right now is to stabilize morale and maintain the troops' fighting spirit; we must not launch a rash attack."

"But……"

Zhao Yong wanted to argue, but Chen Yan stopped him again.

"General Zhao is exceptionally brave, as I have witnessed firsthand. However, warfare is not merely a contest of courage and strength, but also a battle of wisdom and patience. I hope you can understand this."

Although Zhao Yong was unwilling, he had no choice but to sit back down.

Everyone saw through Chen Yan's intentions and then advised him to be cautious.

Having achieved his goal, Chen Yan said, "Let's call it a day and call it a day!"

"This humble servant takes his leave!"

The generals rose, bowed, and then dispersed.

Zhao Yong remained silent, pushed through the crowd, and was the first to leave the camp.

Standing beside Chen Yan, Zhang Wenyuan said with dissatisfaction, "Lord Chen, that scoundrel Zhao Yong is brave but reckless..."

Chen Yan waved his hand to stop him, then said, "Don't worry about him, you stay here!"

Zhang Wenyuan quickly replied, "Your subordinate obeys!"

After everyone had left, Chen Yan instructed his men, "All of you go out and guard outside the tent. No one is allowed to approach!"

"yes!"

Soon, only Chen Yan and Zhang Wenyuan remained in the central command tent.

Zhang Wenyuan sensed something was wrong and asked, "Lord Chen, what exactly happened?"

Chen Yan sighed and said, "The fleet has been hijacked by the rebel army!"

"what?"

Zhang Wenyuan was shocked and hurriedly asked, "Where's Miao Gang? Wasn't he escorting...?"

"Last night, the rebel army launched a surprise attack, and Miao Gang's five thousand soldiers suffered more than half casualties. Some escaped to the camp, and I have already settled them in an open area in the southeast. This matter must be kept secret for now, and absolutely no news of it must be leaked!"

"What...what should we do?!"

Zhang Wenyuan's back was soaked with cold sweat, because his family and property were also on the fleet.