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

Li Zicheng remained silent, his expression gradually darkening.

If someone else had said those words, he would have definitely drawn his sword!

However, Li Yan was completely different; he was skilled in strategy and considered things more comprehensively.

Everyone knows that honest advice is hard to swallow, and everyone likes to hear flattery.

Since he became emperor, many people's attitudes toward themselves have changed.

Many things I used to dare to say, I don't dare to say now.

Only Li Yan still dares to speak the truth, and this persistence is truly commendable.

Li Guo quickly retorted, "Our Great Shun soldiers have fought valiantly to this day; how can we possibly give up halfway? Besides, Great Shun and Great Ming are sworn enemies; how can we talk about coexisting?"

Li Zicheng patted Li Guo on the shoulder, gesturing for him to step back a little.

He stared intently at Li Yan and asked, "What exactly are your concerns, sir?"

Li Yan took a deep breath and slowly said, "I believe that although the Ming Dynasty is corrupt and decadent, the real threat to the world lies with the Jurchens beyond the Great Wall. No matter how much my Great Shun and the Great Ming fight, we are all Han people and share the same ancestor. The Jurchens beyond the Great Wall are different; they are not of our race, and their hearts are bound to be different."

"Your Majesty might consider this: we fought Chongzhen to the death, and in the end, we were both severely weakened. For the Jurchens beyond the Great Wall, wouldn't this be a case of the snipe and the clam fighting while a third party benefits? If the Jurchens were to take advantage of the situation and invade, it would be a catastrophic disaster for the people of the Central Plains."

"Furthermore, if we really cannot conquer the capital, we might as well settle for second best and establish a separate territory to preserve our strength and wait for the right opportunity. This is also a viable strategy. At that time, our Great Shun will nominally recognize the Great Ming as the legitimate dynasty, but in reality, we will be an independent country, secretly accumulating strength, and we will still have a chance to unify the world in the future."

"I, Li Guo, cannot agree with what you have said!"

Li Guo could no longer contain himself. He stood up abruptly and said, "Our Great Shun Dynasty is the will of the people and the mandate of heaven. Now that we have proclaimed ourselves emperor and established our dynasty, how can we so easily resign?"

Li Yan remained calm and slowly said, "Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish; the heat must be just right to achieve great things. Since ancient times, those who win the hearts of the people win the world, but winning the hearts of the people is neither something that can be achieved overnight, nor is it something that will remain unchanged forever."

"The reason why King Wu of Zhou was able to overthrow King Zhou of Shang was not only because of popular support, but also because they knew how to assess the situation, accumulate strength, and wait for the best opportunity. When King Wen of Zhou was in power, he had already implemented benevolent policies, recruited talented people, and secretly accumulated strength. In the end, King Wu of Zhou overthrew King Zhou of Shang in one fell swoop and established the Zhou dynasty, which lasted for eight hundred years."

"In contrast, although my Great Shun has declared itself emperor and established a dynasty, its foundation is still shallow. The Battle of Juyong Pass already showed the signs of this. Although Emperor Chongzhen's personal expedition may seem rash, it may actually be a desperate struggle."

"Lord of Bozhou, have you ever hunted? The prey's most dangerous moment is when it's struggling desperately in its death throes. As a hunter, you only need to observe from afar and wait for the prey to exhaust its last bit of strength. The Ming Dynasty is the prey, and my Great Shun is the hunter!"

Li Guo seemed thoughtful and said, "That does make some sense, but given the current situation, how can we just retreat? If we really retreat, what will the world think?"

"I am not advising Your Majesty to retreat, but rather suggesting that you consider the long-term implications and plan ahead so that if the front lines are lost, you will at least have a way to retreat."

"Furthermore, the Jurchens beyond the Great Wall have always been a major threat. They have long coveted the Central Plains, and once the Central Plains are in turmoil, they will surely take advantage of the situation to invade. At that time, our Great Shun will not only have to face the Ming Dynasty, but also deal with the Jurchens at the same time, and the situation will be even more complicated. Therefore, we must take a long-term view and not just focus on the immediate wins and losses."

"I propose that if the capital cannot be captured in the short term, we can temporarily retreat to a corner, stabilize our rear, and recuperate. In this way, we can avoid the risk of fighting on two fronts with both the Ming and the Jurchens, and lay a solid foundation for the final victory."

Upon hearing this, Li Guo said, "What you say, sir, is quite different from what I thought, but I admit that your analysis is very reasonable. I will not argue with you. Whether or not to fight, and how to fight, is up to Your Majesty to decide!"

Li Zicheng listened silently to the argument between the two, his expression complex.

After a long pause, he finally spoke slowly, saying, "There can be no two suns in the sky, nor two rulers on earth. Now that I have proclaimed myself emperor, there is no turning back. This world is mine!"

"I am well aware of the threat posed by the Manchus in the Northeast, but if I cannot replace the Ming Dynasty, how can I defend against foreign enemies?"

"As agreed just now, Liu Zongmin will continue to probe Juyong Pass. Once Liu Fangliang takes Baoding, Chongzhen will inevitably lose his composure. Also..."

He looked at Li Guo and said, "Intelligence gathering in the capital must be intensified. I need to know every move the Ming court makes!"

Li Guo hurriedly replied, "Please rest assured, Your Majesty, I will immediately devise a plan. No matter what, I will dig out the intelligence from the capital!"

Li Yan then bowed in greeting and rose to take his leave.

Although he still had reservations, as a subject, he had to obey his superior's will.

Especially during wartime, the entire army can only have one voice.

"Real Ding, urgent music! Real Ding, urgent music!"

As soon as Li Yan stepped out of the tent, he saw a fast horse galloping towards him.

Hearing the riders on horseback shouting "Zhen Ding urgent report," could it be that Liu Fangliang has already captured Baoding?

While he was still in a daze, the warhorse had already galloped past him.

Li Guo, who had been walking ahead of him, hurriedly returned.

"Was there a truly urgent melody just now?"

Li Yan nodded: "That's right!"

"It must be news of Liu Fangliang's victory! Go and see!"

Li Guo was overjoyed and rushed towards the central command tent.

Li Yan followed, lifted the tent flap, and saw Li Guo approaching.

"Congratulations, Second Uncle! Liu Fangliang must have already captured Baoding..."

Snapped!

Li Zicheng slapped Li Guo across the face, roaring hoarsely, "How many times have I told you? I am the Emperor of the Great Shun Dynasty, the Emperor! You are my subject, stop calling me 'Second Uncle'!"

The slap came so suddenly that Li Guo, whose face was right in front of it, was immediately stunned.

Li Yan was also startled. He saw that Li Zicheng's face was terribly dark, almost as if ink could seep out.

Then look at his left hand, holding a letter, which is trembling incessantly.

Li Yan's heart skipped a beat. Could it be that the rapid playing of the piano just now...?

"I...I remember..."

Li Guo covered his face, at a loss, looking utterly aggrieved.

I've never seen Li Zicheng so angry in my entire life.

Li Yan slowly stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, I just heard that a memorial has been sent from Zhen Ding. I wonder..."

Before he could finish speaking, Li Zicheng had already handed him the letter.

Li Yan took it with both hands, and after just one glance, his expression changed drastically.

"How...how is this possible?"

Li Guo tiptoed to Li Yan's side and asked, "What does it say?"

"Liu Fangliang's troops... suffered a crushing defeat!"

"what?"

Li Guo snatched the memorial and began to read it carefully.

He was not very literate, but he could barely recognize words such as "major defeat," "feigned surrender," and "heavy losses."

"What...what happened?"