Travel back in time and become Chongzhen, watch me turn the tide

"This..." When Feng Yuanyang heard that Chongzhen wanted to capture the general, he was speechless for a moment and didn't know how to respond.

At this point, the escort of the convoy consisted of only fifty or sixty retainers. Even including the remnants gathered by Chongzhen, there were only about seventy, roughly the same number as the rebels. And the cavalry before them was clearly an elite force. Although his retainers were also carefully selected from the military, if a fight broke out, the outcome would be unpredictable, let alone capture anyone... Avoiding capture would be a blessing.

"Uh, I made a slip of the tongue..." Chongzhen smiled awkwardly and said, "Don't blame me, Lord Feng!"

"Your Majesty, you are too kind. I will do my best." Feng Yuanyang had no time to say more at this time, and hurriedly ordered the guards to be on high alert.

The Dashun cavalry halted within an arrow's throw of the convoy. The leading knight raised his hand slightly, and the ranks behind him fell silent, broken only by the occasional snort of their horses. Their gazes, sharp as hawks, fixed their gaze on the convoy. Unlike the refugees, each knight exuded an awe-inspiring aura, the composure and fortitude of countless battles. They were truly the elite of the elite!

Just as Gou'er said, the leader of the team was Li Guo's adopted son Li Laiheng. The reason he came here was naturally for Emperor Chongzhen.

On the day the city fell, Li Zicheng searched the palace but could not find Chongzhen. He then ordered a massive search throughout the capital, demanding to find him alive or dead. At the same time, to prevent Chongzhen from escaping the capital, Li Zicheng ordered Li Guo to search along the route Chongzhen might have taken to Nanjing.

Although Li Laiheng was adopted by Li Guo, he was not well-known in the Dashun Army at that time, and he was unable to participate in the siege. When he heard that Chongzhen was going to be captured, he volunteered to join in.

Among the many pursuit routes, Li Laiheng believed that if Chongzhen wanted to escape, the safest and fastest way was by sea, so he proposed to Li Guo that he lead his men to Tianjin, but he happened to intercept Chongzhen and others there.

When everyone saw the Dashun Army scout team led by Li Laiheng getting closer and closer, the atmosphere instantly became extremely tense.

Feng Yuanyang frowned, thinking to himself: This is really a double whammy. I have just gotten rid of the trouble in Tianjin City, and now I have encountered the elite of the Dashun Army.

"Who are you? Where are you going?" Although Li Laiheng's men were slightly smaller in number than Chongzhen's, his men were all elite veterans, so they naturally did not take Chongzhen's convoy seriously.

"I am Feng Yuanyang, the governor of Tianjin. With the turmoil in the country right now, I wish to retire and return to my hometown, Cixi County." Feng Yuanyang spurred his horse forward and spoke, "Who are you?"

"I'm Li Laiheng of the Dashun Army, and I've been ordered to search for a fugitive," Li Laiheng said. "Tell your men to lay down their weapons. We're going to search your convoy!"

"Hmph! How dare you! This is the convoy of Tianjin Governor Feng Yuanyang. A group of rebels actually dared to search our convoy!" Feng Kaizhang on the side shouted angrily.

"Governor of Tianjin? Haha!" Li Laiheng laughed. "Now that the emperor of the Ming Dynasty has been killed by us and Beijing has been destroyed, what can a retired governor do to you? Cooperate with our search, and we won't make things difficult for you. Otherwise... hehe!"

"What else can you do?" Feng Kaizhang raised his chin slightly, snorted coldly, and said with a look of disdain.

"Then don't blame my weapon for being blind!" Li Laiheng shouted, his eyes wide open, veins bulging on his forehead. His voice was like a bell, echoing in the air, carrying a strong sense of oppression.

As Li Laiheng spoke, the cavalry behind him immediately took an attacking stance, ready to show their edge in this tense atmosphere and make the other side pay a heavy price for their provocation.

After hearing what Li Laiheng said, Chongzhen couldn't help but frown.

Although he claimed to have killed the Ming emperor, he was actually searching for a fugitive. Even after Beijing had already been captured, he dispatched such elite cavalry to search for a criminal. He even engaged Feng Yuanyang in battle to find a suspicious individual. This could only mean one thing: this criminal's identity was incredibly unusual. It seemed his sole purpose was to locate him...

I didn't expect them to arrive so quickly! It seems today's battle is inevitable.

"Since that's the case, let me see what you are capable of!" Feng Yuanyang also understood that this battle was inevitable. He looked at Chongzhen, and when he saw Chongzhen nodded, he spoke.

Feng Yuanyang's retainers were also the elite he had brought out from the army over the years, so naturally they would not be afraid of the Dashun Army before them. Seeing Feng Yuanyang's order, the retainers, under the command of the household commander, stepped forward to protect the convoy.

"Kaizhang, take two people and rush to the port. Ask General Huang to bring his men to protect the emperor." Feng Yuanyang whispered to Feng Kaizhang.

"Yes, sir!" Although Feng Kaizhang was also eager to try, he knew the importance of the matter. He hurriedly took a guard and turned to rush to the beach.

When Li Laiheng saw someone escaping from the convoy, he hurriedly sent troops to stop them, but Feng Yuanyang had a countermeasure and also sent a team of people to stop them.

Both sides were well-trained and well-equipped elite troops. From the outset, the battle erupted like a surging wave, instantly reaching a fever pitch. The battlefield was filled with the sound of shouting and killing, and the flashing of swords clashed. The soldiers on both sides bravely led the charge, refusing to retreat.

"Commander Li, while my retainers are holding these Dashun troops hostage, quickly take His Majesty away." Seeing the two sides entangled, Feng Yuanyang hurriedly whispered to Li Ruolian, "It's only a little over twenty miles to the seashore. Once we reach it, we'll be safe."

"I won't leave..." Chongzhen shook his head and said.

"His Majesty……"

"Sir Feng, the enemy is nearly as numerous as us. The outcome is uncertain. How can I leave now?" Chongzhen shook his head and said, "Besides, these people are probably coming for me. They're just suspicious. Although they're fighting us, they're also concerned about their own casualties. If I leave, they'll definitely become suspicious, and then they might even fight to the death..."

"Now, as long as we can hold on, they will naturally retreat after a long period of ineffective fighting..."

"This..." Feng Yuanyang said hesitantly.

"Chengfu, take our men and help us in the battle." Chongzhen turned and ordered, "I don't need your protection here!"

"I want to go too." Tiezhu, who was standing by, had been itching to go for a long time, and said hurriedly.

"Tiezhu, how do you think the guy leading the group compares to you?" Chongzhen said, pointing at Li Laiheng who was fighting.

"This guy is good at fighting!" Tie Zhu nodded and said, "But he can't beat me!"

"Then can you go and capture him alive for me?"

"Catching him is like catching a chicken, just wait and see!" Tiezhu said with a grin.

"If you can catch it alive, you will have enough meat to eat today!" Chongzhen said with a smile, patting Tiezhu's shoulder.

"We agreed not to go back on our word, so I'll go!" Tiezhu's eyes lit up and he spurred his horse and rushed towards Li Laiheng.