Although it is spring, the wind in Liaodong is still quite cold.

The window of the study in Fuzhou Beiyu Mansion was open. Liu Aita stood in front of the window, staring at a tree in the courtyard that had just sprouted some green buds, without moving for a long time.

If you look carefully, you will find that Liu Aita is not looking at the tree. His eyes are empty and he is completely lost in thought.

A person's mental journey is very complicated. Sometimes there are traces to follow, and sometimes it is difficult to understand.

If we insist on studying the transformation of Liu Aita's thoughts, there are probably several key turning points.

First, he was flogged by Ming officers for wearing student uniform and sold into slavery in Jianzhou. The suffering he endured for more than twenty years made him deeply resent the Ming officials, while Nurhaci's appreciation made him feel grateful for his help.

Then he got the opportunity to repay his debt. He made many military achievements in several wars during the Later Jin's attack on the Ming Dynasty. He rose from guerrilla to lieutenant general, from deputy general to general, and it can be said that he rose rapidly.

But another incident made Liu Aita doubt his own actions: when he captured the escaped Liao people and handed them over to the old slave, they were all executed.

If Liu Aita could console himself by saying that he had done what he could to save the Liao people from being slaughtered during the war, it would be difficult for him to feel at ease with the fact that he had personally killed thousands of his compatriots this time.

In fact, when it comes down to it, using "conscience is still there" as the conclusion may be very appropriate and fitting.

Of course, the fact that the Later Jin suffered successive defeats and was increasingly blockaded and besieged by the Ming army's four-pronged strategy should also be a factor that cannot be ignored in Liu Aita's decision to abandon the Jin and join the Ming.

The situation in history was similar. Yuan Keli's strategy of advancing step by step and at sea forced the Later Jin to retreat one after another, and the Dongjiang Army was in its best situation.

Few people would jump into a fire pit with their eyes open; it's human nature to seek benefits and avoid harm. It's also normal to want to side with the powerful.

In short, Liu Aita's desire to rebel against Jin and join the Ming Dynasty must be complex, and it cannot be explained solely by national justice and conscience. A combination of factors was at work.

But even though she had the idea, Liu Aita still had many concerns and was in a fierce ideological struggle.

From a personal perspective, Nurhaci was very kind to Liu Aita, and he also had many close friends, old acquaintances, relatives and wives in the areas ruled by the Later Jin Dynasty.

But from the perspective of righteousness, the barbaric and brutal rule of the Jiannu and the increasingly brutal treatment of the Liao people by the old slave after suffering continuous setbacks made him suffer from the torment of conscience all the time.

With a heavy sigh, Liu Aita's eyes rolled back, as if he had finally woken up from the internal struggle. A figure walked into the courtyard, perhaps interrupting his thoughts.

As student Jin Shengkui walked to the door, he heard Liu Aita's voice, "Mr. Jin, please come in."

After taking a look at the open window, Jin Shengkui pushed the door open and walked in, bowing to Liu Aita.

"Please sit down, Mr. Jin." Liu Aita composed herself, forced a smile, and poured tea for Jin Shengkui personally.

After Jin Shengkui thanked him, he sat down and said, "Does your Excellency know the latest news?"

Liu Aita lowered her eyes and said calmly, "But the Liao people in the villages of Fengcheng, Xiuyan and other places are rioting?"

The impact of the Ningyuan defeat gradually became apparent, and the Dongjiang Army began to intensify its activities, either sending secret spies to contact or sending people to infiltrate and assassinate, inciting and encouraging the Liao people to rise up in resistance and escape from the Later Jin-controlled area.

In order to support the actions of the Liao people, the Dongjiang headquarters sent troops northward along the thawed Yalu River to make a feint to attack Jianzhou; at the same time, they used Ludao, Shicheng Island, and Changshan Island as bases to land and harass the coast.

The Ming army in Luda also set out at the right time, moving northward from the land route of Jinzhou, and using Guanglu Island as a base, they suddenly attacked and occupied Wanghai Fort, pushing the front line northward step by step.

The Jiannu were outnumbered and overwhelmed by the Dongjiang Army's raids. This was precisely the purpose of the Dongjiang Army's actions: to contain the Jiannu and provide support for the Liao people's armed resistance.

Although there were only a few villages and towns where riots and slave killings were taking place, Jin Shengkui believed that public sentiment had changed drastically, and that the movement against the brutal rule of the Later Jin Dynasty would continue to develop with great momentum.

"Your Excellency already knew about this." Jin Shengkui looked at Liu Aita, picked up the teacup and took a sip, then said with emotion, "Your Excellency still has tea at home, but I haven't been able to buy any in a long time."

The blockade and siege have shown their effectiveness, especially for southern commercial goods such as tea and silk, which have no channels to flow in at all.

Liu Aita gave a wry smile and said, "If you like, take it all, sir. I'm worried that you won't be able to fill your stomach, let alone tea, in the future."

Seeing Liu Aita so discouraged, Jin Shengkui couldn't help but sigh, "The Ming army is getting stronger and stronger, and the blockade is getting tighter and tighter. There's no way to get food, cloth, silk, and other things. If this continues..."

Seeing Jin Shengkui stop talking and shake his head repeatedly, Liu Aita's eyes flashed and she said, "What will happen if this continues? Will there be a famine?"

"I believe there will be food shortages or skyrocketing prices this year," Jin Shengkui said, looking at Liu Aita. "Tens of thousands of Liao people will suffer. What do you think, sir?"

"What can we do? You and I can only do our best." Liu Aita shook his head and picked up the teacup to drink water, but Jin Shengkui could see the other meaning in his helplessness.

As Liu Aita's advisor, Jin Shengkui had been with him for five years, and it was no exaggeration to call him his confidant. He had observed all the changes in Liu Aita over the past few months and had made bold guesses.

Now, only if he speaks up first and relieves Liu Aita's concerns can he accomplish this bold thing.

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