Tang Dynasty, I can lead troops through ancient and modern times

As he spoke, Chongzhen turned his gaze towards Li Shimin, his eyes full of expectation and doubt, "If you are really Li Shimin, I want to ask, if His Majesty the Khan of Heaven sat in my position, would you handle it this way?"

After hearing Chongzhen's words, Li Chengqian was slightly stunned. He obviously did not expect Chongzhen to ask Li Shimin at this time.

At this time, Li Shimin had a calm expression on his face, and his deep gaze fell quietly on Chongzhen, as if he could see through everything.

Li Shimin said slowly, "Emperor Chongzhen, if I were in your position, my first priority would be to rectify the government.

As you said, the ministers in the court are pursuing their own selfish interests and completely disregarding the safety of the country. This is the root cause of the great trouble.

I will use thunderous means to severely punish those corrupt, disloyal and unjust officials, and nationalize all their wealth to pay the military."

When Chongzhen heard this, a complicated look flashed in his eyes.

He also wanted to act like Li Shimin, but his heart was full of worries.

He said helplessly: "Your Majesty the Khan is right, but if I do this, it may cause a strong backlash from the ministers and even lead to civil unrest.

It’s not that I haven’t punished some ministers over the years, but the result is often that one problem gets solved but another one pops up, and the situation becomes increasingly difficult to control.”

Li Shimin shook his head slightly and said in a deep voice: "If you don't make a decision when you should, you will suffer the consequences.

Now the Ming Dynasty has reached a critical moment of life and death. If decisive action is not taken, the situation will only deteriorate further and fall into an irretrievable situation.

Furthermore, as the emperor, you should have absolute authority.

If the officials dare to resist, they must be suppressed with strong measures, without any mercy."

Li Chengqian then said: "Chongzhen, Li Shimin is right.

Now you must make up your mind to kill the ministers, take the military pay, and recruit new troops. Only in this way can you defend the capital.

Have you ever thought that once Li Zicheng occupied the capital, he would be able to plunder huge wealth from his ministers.

If these riches can be used to fight the enemy, it will greatly enhance the strength of our army."

Chongzhen remained silent, his heart was struggling fiercely.

He knew very well that what Li Shimin and Li Chengqian said made sense, but he was also afraid that if he took such drastic action, it would lead to unmanageable consequences.

However, he also understood that the current situation did not allow him to hesitate any longer.

After a long time, Chongzhen finally raised his head slowly, with a hint of determination in his eyes.

"I understand. I will seriously consider your suggestions. But there is one thing I don't understand. Why do you want to help me?"

Li Chengqian smiled and said calmly: "We are not here for personal gain. The rise and fall of the Ming Dynasty is related to the fate of the people of the world. We cannot bear to see the people suffer from war.

Furthermore, if the Ming Dynasty perished and Li Zicheng or the Qing army gained power, it would cause even greater disaster to the world.

Therefore, we hope to lend you a helping hand and save the Ming Dynasty from danger."

After hearing what Li Chengqian said, Chongzhen was moved.

He sighed deeply and said, "Thank you very much for your kindness.

But I still have a question. You said that the situation is not hopeless, so where is the turning point?"

Li Chengqian looked solemn and said seriously: "Your Majesty, the turning point is right now.

The top priority is to stabilize the situation first.

You can first plunder the wealth of civil officials, immediately recruit soldiers, and pay them military salaries to boost the morale of the troops defending the capital.

At the same time, we must subdue Wu Sangui and make good use of the Guanning Cavalry.

The Guanning Iron Cavalry is the only force in the Ming Dynasty with field combat capabilities. If it can be transferred back to fight against Li Zicheng, it will surely turn the tide of the war.

In addition, the Tang Dynasty soldiers had already captured Shengjing and Dorgon had been attracted away, so there was no pressure in the north for the time being.

You should make good use of this opportunity to stabilize the situation.

At the same time, we must make good use of the resources of Jiangnan.

Jiangnan is a prosperous region with many talented people. If it can be fully utilized, it will surely become a solid backing for the Ming Dynasty's revival.

For those civil servants who are corrupt and have harmed the country and the people, they should be killed. We should cut the Gordian knot quickly, take back the military forces in the south of the Yangtze River, and consolidate the basic foundation.

Other places can be left alone for now, but the capital and Jiangnan’s financial and taxation centers must be under our control. Only in this way can we lay a solid foundation for further development after stabilizing the situation.”

After listening to Li Chengqian's analysis, Chongzhen gradually felt a glimmer of hope.

He knew it would be a difficult and long battle, but he decided to give it a try.

He stood up, bowed deeply to Li Shimin, Li Chengqian and Li Jing, and said, "I thank you all for your guidance.

If the Ming Dynasty can survive this crisis, I will remember your kindness. "

Li Shimin nodded slightly and said in a firm tone: "Emperor Chongzhen, I hope you can be firm in your beliefs and act decisively.

I believe that as long as you take the right measures, Ming Dynasty will be able to turn danger into safety."

In this late night full of crisis and hope, a glimmer of fighting spirit seemed to be ignited in the heart of Emperor Chongzhen.

He knew that the days ahead would be an arduous battle, but he also decided to do his best for the Ming Dynasty and the people of the world.

He secretly vowed that no matter what the cost, he would defend the capital and protect the dignity of the Ming Dynasty.

After a moment of silence, Chongzhen looked up at Li Chengqian, his eyes full of eagerness and desire, and asked again: "If you really came from the Tang Dynasty, have you also been to other eras? I mean, do you know the subsequent development of history?"

Li Chengqian was slightly stunned and couldn't help but admire Chongzhen's cleverness.

He looked at Chongzhen's expectant eyes and said slowly, "As you guessed, we know something about the subsequent history."

Chongzhen leaned forward slightly, as if trying to grasp a glimmer of hope from Li Chengqian's words.

He said anxiously: "Then tell me quickly, what is the future of the Ming Dynasty? Do I still have a chance to save this country?"

Li Chengqian was silent for a moment, then he carefully considered his words and said, "Your Majesty, the situation in the Ming Dynasty is indeed critical, but it is not without hope.

You are not incompetent, but you failed to distinguish the situation clearly in these chaotic times and did some things that put the cart before the horse.

If Your Majesty can act decisively and take the right measures, there may still be a glimmer of hope."

A complex look flashed across Chongzhen's eyes, showing regret, unwillingness, and a hint of determination.

He said, "I know I was wrong. If I could do it again, I would definitely learn from my mistakes. Tell me, what happened in the rest of history?"

Li Chengqian frowned slightly, his expression becoming more solemn. He looked directly at Emperor Chongzhen and began to describe in a heavy tone the tragic scenes after the Qing army occupied the Central Plains and Jiangnan...