Li Yan bowed his head in thought for a moment. "I believe the Emperor should not be guarding against the Jiannu, but rather against Huang Degong."
"Why?" Li Zicheng’s interest was piqued. Before laying siege to Beijing, he had never truly worried about the Jiannu. He viewed them merely as slave-gathers who dug for ginseng, convinced they would be no match for his forces in a real battle. Furthermore, he believed the Ming Army’s repeated failures in Liaodong were not due to a lack of martial prowess, but rather the incompetence of the Emperor, the corruption of the court, and the ineptitude of the officials. However, after witnessing the strength of the Guanning Army, he no longer dared to take the Jiannu, who held their own against that same force, so lightly.
Li Yan explained, "A few days ago, Dodo’s whereabouts became unknown after his defeat at Wenyu River. Given Dodo’s caution, he certainly would have agreed on a meeting point with Dodo before engaging the Ming Army. This incursion by Dodo into the pass is aimed at Dodo, not us."
Chapter 293