In the big tent, Li Zicheng looked solemnly at Song Xiance, who was talking eloquently, and glanced at the generals present from time to time.
Especially when he saw the doubtful looks in the eyes of many generals, the worry on their faces became even more intense.
"Military advisor, you said that the real dragon was the luck that Chongzhen was forced out of. Do you have any evidence?"
At this time, a burly, dark-faced, and bearded middle-aged man stood up and asked loudly.
Song Xiance saw that the person asking the question was Liu Zongmin, Li Zicheng's top general. He knew that he had a fateful relationship with Li Zicheng and had no good impressions of himself and Niu Jinxing, so he often took the opportunity to attack.
Therefore, Song Xiance glanced at Li Zicheng first, and when he saw that the other party had no intention of speaking, he forced a smile and said: "Captain Zuo, this is the fate of heaven and earth. You can know it just by looking at today's situation, so there is no need to prove it!"
Liu Zongmin was obviously dissatisfied with his answer and shouted loudly: "We march and fight with real swords and guns. If we are really lucky, then we might as well sit here and wait for Chongzhen himself to perish."
As soon as he finished speaking, the generals present laughed.
There was only one middle-aged man with a handsome face in Confucian attire who remained silent and looked at everyone present with a solemn expression.
"Captain Zuo, this is a meeting room, don't talk nonsense!"
When Li Zicheng saw Song Xiance's angry face, he shouted loudly at Liu Zongmin.
Liu Zongmin heard this and said somewhat reluctantly: "King Chuang, I..."
"I want to call your Majesty, Commander Zuo!"
Niu Jinxing, who was sitting on the left side of Li Zicheng, interrupted Liu Zongmin before he could finish his words.
Liu Zongmin glared at Niu Jinxing with some dissatisfaction. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Li Zicheng's warning gaze.
He snorted in dissatisfaction and said: "Your Majesty, what I said is true. Those soldiers under our command are all rough and tough."
"There are usually rare big storms, and people say that the Dragon King is angry and wants to worship. What's more, a five-clawed golden dragon appeared in the city today. At that time, many people were so scared that they almost wet their pants."
"What the military advisor says about luck now is invisible and intangible. How can they believe it? Even if I force them to attack the city, I'm afraid they will be cowards and won't be able to do anything."
Li Zicheng sighed secretly and said to Song Xiance: "Although the words of the Governor are a bit vulgar, they are also true. Can the military counselor explain this matter in a simpler way so that everyone can understand it?"
Song Xiance was undecided at the moment and couldn't think of a good way to explain it. He said with some embarrassment: "Luck is a mysterious thing, how can everyone understand it."
"If your Majesty is really worried that the soldiers don't understand, then don't talk about luck, just say it's Chongzhen's trick and a lie!"
After Song Xiance finished speaking, Liu Zongmin said loudly: "Magic, have you ever seen any magic that can produce colorful rays of light, or a five-clawed golden dragon that can appear dozens of meters high in the sky? Do you really think that I are all fools?"
"That's right, not to mention our child soldiers, I'm afraid even those child soldiers can't fool you!"
At this time, a burly man with a rough face stood up to support Liu Zongmin.
"Hao Yaoqi, we are discussing countermeasures now, don't act nonsense!"
Li Zicheng could not reprimand Liu Zongmin because of his special status. Seeing Hao Yaoqi agreeing with him, Li Zicheng immediately scolded him loudly.
When Hao Yaoqi saw Li Zicheng speaking, he glared at Song Xiance and sat down again with a dissatisfied look on his face.
"Your Majesty, the general feels that this matter is indeed too strange. All the soldiers in each battalion are panic-stricken. If we don't have a good solution now, we might as well be surrounded instead of attacking. After the matter subsides, we can make long-term plans."
"After all, it is impossible for this kind of thing to happen again. As time goes by, and everyone discovers that there is nothing special in the city, this matter will slowly be forgotten!"
At this time, a man in armor with a heroic face stood up and said slowly.
"Well... um... Marquis of Bo County, although your idea is good, we have come a long way. If we can't win the capital in one go, our strength will be dampened."
"Moreover, King Qin's troops from all over the country are ready to move. Only by quickly capturing the capital and cutting off their thoughts can we be safe. Otherwise, the longer we delay, the more disadvantageous it will be to us."
Li Zicheng almost called out Li Guo's nickname because he had not long been emperor. Fortunately, he kept alert and adjusted in time.
Li Guo shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, I heard a piece of news before that the handsome Red Lady burned most of the food and grass in the city."
"I think there is not much food in the city. After this incident, they will not be able to survive for long. By then, the city will be full of hungry people, and their so-called real dragon protection scam will naturally collapse."
Hearing this, Li Zicheng nodded. He was about to ask Song Xiance when he suddenly looked at the silent man and said with some dissatisfaction: "Commander Li, when did the Red Lady enter the city? Was it your arrangement?"
The man was stunned for a moment, and then he was about to speak, but Liu Zongmin said before him: "Your Majesty, you are wrongly blaming brother Li Yan. I know about the red lady."
"After she knew that Li Mou had entered the city, she was worried about Li Mou's safety. She deliberately had a quarrel with Li Yan's brother and went to the city under the pretext of returning to her parents' home."
"Brother Li Yan also just learned that Red Lady was arrested. I also wanted to send a few brothers to rescue Red Lady, but he stopped me."
When Li Zicheng heard this, he still looked at Li Yan suspiciously and said, "Commander Li, is this really not your arrangement?"
Li Yan smiled bitterly and shook his head: "Your Majesty, I really don't know about this matter. If I knew, I wouldn't let her act like this."
"Isn't that right? I heard that most of the people who participated in this operation are high-ranking officials, and most of them are Mr. Hui's juniors. If they didn't get Mr. Hui's letter, how could they do things for the Red Lady?"
Seeing that Li Zicheng was dissatisfied, Niu Jinxing hurriedly added insult to injury.
Li Yan originally harbored a grudge because of Lady Red's capture and the chaos of the war. Now when he saw that Niu Jinxing not only wanted to frame him, but also falsely accused him of colluding with Hui Shiyang, Wuming suddenly became angry.
He sneered and said: "The whole world knows that Chongzhen has lost his virtue. Now your Majesty has raised a righteous man to relieve the people. Most of the soldiers and civilians in the capital are looking forward to it. Why is it strange that some officials are against Chongzhen?"
"If we go by what Prime Minister Niu said, people in the city must be close to us before they take action, then Du Xun and other eunuchs must have a close relationship with the Prime Minister. Otherwise, how could they risk going into the city to persuade us and prepare to open the city gate secretly?"
Niu Jinxing's advocacy of uniting the eunuchs in the city aroused the dissatisfaction of Liu Zongmin and others, and was often ridiculed by them.
He was holding his breath, preparing to hit Liu Zongmin and others in the face after he succeeded.
Unexpectedly, the fleeting time was unfavorable, and Du Xun was skinned alive as soon as he entered the city. As a result, all his previous efforts were wasted, and he was severely ridiculed by Liu Zongmin and others.
Seeing Li Yan bringing up the old story again, he couldn't help but shouted angrily: "Commander Li, eunuchs are just a way to hide from others, we..."
"That's enough. Now we are discussing the auspicious things that have happened in the city. I asked you to come here to find a way to solve the problem, not to quarrel!"
Li Zicheng was learning the art of imperial checks and balances, and wanted to sit back and watch the success or failure. Unexpectedly, Niu Jinxing was so excited that he almost revealed his plan, and hurriedly stopped the two of them.
Then he pretended to be generous and comforted Li Yan and said: "Commander Li, you don't have to worry too much. The Red Lady is a hero among women, and she is the number one female general in our army. She will definitely turn danger into good luck."
After that, he looked at Song Xiance and said, "Military advisor, what do you think of Bo County Marquis's idea?"
Song Xiance nodded helplessly and said: "If it really can't inspire military morale, this is also a way."
"I just missed today. I'm afraid I really have to wait until the 25th to attack the city. There are many variables in the meantime."
As soon as he finished speaking, Liu Zongmin said again: "How can there be so many auspicious days for marching and fighting? When we captured Luoyang, we didn't expect any auspicious days, so we won the battle anyway, and..."
Before Liu Zongmin finished speaking, he saw the warning look from Li Zicheng and stopped angrily.
In fact, it's not that he doesn't like literati, nor does he believe in auspicious days, but he is very dissatisfied with the villainous behavior of Song Xiance and Niu Jinxing.
Because Niu Jinxing was originally introduced to Li Zicheng by Li Yan, it stands to reason that Niu Jinxing should be grateful to Li Yan for his recommendation.
Unexpectedly, after Niu Jinxing arrived, not only did he not thank Li Yan, but in order to seize power, he openly and secretly slandered Li Yan.
Later, seeing that he could not defeat Li Yan, he invited the charlatan Song Xiance.
In fact, when Song Xiance first came, Liu Zongmin was impressed by his unpredictable divination skills.
Especially after Song Xiance put forward the slogan "Eighteen Sons Master Divine Weapons" and summoned many rebels, Liu Zongmin admired him even more.
It was only later that he overheard Song Xiance secretly telling Li Zicheng that Li Yan had a high prestige among the people, and his surname was Li, and that he might threaten Li Zicheng's empire, and asked Li Zicheng to find an opportunity to get rid of Li Yan. He recognized Song Xiance’s true face.
Liu Zongmin also found an opportunity to inform Li Yan of the matter and suggested that they work together to eliminate Niu and Song.
Unexpectedly, Li Yan advised him to focus on the overall situation and not to weaken the rebels' strength through internal fighting, so he admired Li Yan even more.
From then on, whenever he had the opportunity, he would make trouble for Niu and Song.
Niu and Song also thought that he was a big boss and didn't like the literati's behavior, so when talking to him, they deliberately imitated his tone, which made him sneer in his heart.
When Li Zicheng saw that Liu Zongmin had stopped talking, and saw that the other generals had unhappy looks on their faces, he knew that there would be no result if the discussion continued.
So he said loudly: "Okay, the meeting is over for the time being. The generals will go back to the camp to appease the soldiers. I will inform you of the rest of the matter after I have discussed it with the military advisor."
Upon hearing this, all the generals stood up one after another, saluted according to the previous drill, and then hurriedly retreated.
Li Zicheng looked at the nondescript etiquette of the generals, and a strong uneasiness surged into his heart.
