In May 1644, after Chuang King Li Zicheng withdrew from Beijing, although the uprising army won several battles, because they did not have a very stable base to settle down, they often fought hastily. After defeat, they retreated and were often in a passive military position, retreating from Hebei to Shanxi, and then from Shanxi to Guanzhong. During the battle in Shanxi, Li Yan led 20,000-strong uprising troops to Henan to put down the rebellion, preparing to regroup and create a new situation. However, Niu Jinxing, the prime minister of the Dashun Dynasty, falsely accused Li Yan of returning to Henan to become an independent king.

Li Zicheng listened to calumny, became suspicious, and killed Li Yan, causing the morale of the rebels to be scattered and the soldiers had no intention of fighting. This gave the Qing army an opportunity to take advantage of it. They divided their troops into two groups to pursue. Li Zicheng was attacked from front and back despite the loss of his general, and had no choice but to retreat from northern Shaanxi to Hubei.

In May of the following year, Laoying was invaded by the Qing army 40 miles away from Jiujiang, Jiangxi Province. The Dashun Army had been in battle for a long time, and the outstanding general Liu Zongmin was captured. The military counselor Song Xianxian, the Ming army surrendered general Zuo Guangxian, and Li Zicheng's two uncles, Marquis Zhao and Marquis Xiangnan, as well as a large number of families of generals accompanying the army, were also captured by the Qing army. Liu Zongmin, Song Xianxian and Li Zicheng's two uncles were killed at that time. At this time, Niu Jinxing, the prime minister of the Dashun Dynasty, believed that the situation was over, so he ignored the country and country, left without saying goodbye, deserted, and surrendered to the Qing army. This cannot but be said to be a fatal blow to the Dashun regime and the army.

After the Dashun Army suffered major setbacks in Yangxin, Hubei, and Jiujiang, Jiangxi, their way east had been cut off by the Qing army. Tens of thousands of ships in their hands were also plundered by the Qing army. The troops of Prince Duoduo of the Qing Dynasty have headed straight to Nanjing from Guido (Shangqiu) in Henan Province and Sizhou in Anhui Province. Li Zicheng's intention to move eastward along the Yangtze River and develop towards Anhui could no longer be realized. He had to turn around and march southwest, preparing to pass through northwest Jiangxi and transfer to Hunan. On July 26, 1645, when Li Zicheng walked to the foot of Jiugong Mountain in Tongshan County, Hubei Province, he was suddenly attacked by local landlords. At that time, only 28 personal soldiers followed Li Zicheng. Seeing this, the landlord's armed forces rushed forward, and 28 soldiers were killed one after another. Li Zicheng also died heroically in the fierce struggle. He was only 39 years old at the time.

After Li Zicheng died, his subordinates unanimously elected his nephew Li Guo as the leader and changed his name to Li Jin to continue the struggle against the Qing army. However, due to the limitations of the times and the limitations of the class itself, the peasant uprising army led by Li Zicheng relaxed its vigilance against the enemy after winning the victory, underestimated the reactionary remnants of the Ming Dynasty and the strength of the Qing army, and created conflicts within itself. These all weakened their strength to varying degrees, and they finally failed in 1664 under the enemy's joint attack.