Zhu Ci staggered and looked at Shang Kexi with an expressionless face, bowing in front of him.

The so-called person who knows the times is Junjie, although Shang Kexi is a typical wall grass, which side is strong, it will fall to which side, but in the end it made a contribution to the Northern Expeditionary Army to break through Hong Chengchou's second line of defense in Shandong, Tai'an Defense Line.

Originally, Zhu Ci thought that Shang Kexi was just trying to open the city gate and let the Northern Expedition army enter the city, but he didn't expect Shang Kexi to clean up all kinds of resistance forces in the city in advance, so that the Northern Expedition army really didn't encounter any resistance after entering the city, and Zhu Cixi was quite satisfied with this.

"Let's be flat," Zhu Ci said calmly.

"Your Majesty." Shang Kexi stood up respectfully.

At this moment, Shang Kexi's heart was very nervous, and he knew that the next step was likely to determine his future path.

Sure enough, Zhu Ci staggered and said: "Shang Kexi, you were originally the deputy general of Mao Wenlong, the general of the Dongjiang Army, betrayed the Ming Dynasty in the early years of Chongzhen, took refuge in the alien Tartars, and acted as a pawn of the Manchus for many years, and did a lot of things that endangered the Ming Dynasty for the Manchus. But I think that you obey the mandate of heaven this time, and you can repent on the occasion of the Northern Expedition of the Ming Dynasty, and make contributions to the Tai'an defense line for the Ming Dynasty. ”

Zhu Ci said this, and his tone instantly became stern.

Shang Kexi was originally just nervous, he had long known that he would not have a life, so he was not frightened, but now he suddenly heard the words that the death penalty is avoidable, and the living crime is inevitable, he was instantly startled, his eyes widened slightly, full of fear, could it be that although the emperor spared his life, he still wouldn't give him a good end?

Cold sweat came out, his face turned pale, and he faintly regretted, he knew that he would not end well if he returned to Daming, he would not have done this, and now it is too late to say anything, so he can only resign himself to fate.

Shang Kexi was a little desperate, but Zhu Ci's next words brought him back to life.

"I'll give you two options!" Zhu Ci said lightly: "First, I will take back your military power, but I will reward you with some gold and silver to ensure that you have no worries about food and clothing until you die for the rest of your life." Second, I left you an army of soldiers for you to command, and together with the Northern Expeditionary Army, the Northern Expedition to the Manchurians was defeated, but in order to atone for your past sins of helping the Manchus to kill the people, you need to bear fifty military sticks first, and it is your own business whether you can survive it or not. ”

The reason why Shang Kexi was given the option to continue leading the troops was a decision made by Zhu Ciji after some consideration.

Shang Kexi is a grass on the wall, and some greedy for life and afraid of death, but it is undeniable that he is a smart person, and he does have a certain ability to lead troops.

Zhu Ci valus talents, willing to give Shang Kexi a chance, as a wall grass, Shang Kexi was first a general of the Ming Dynasty, and later took refuge in the Manchurians, now the Ming Dynasty is strong Northern Expedition, Shang Kexi thinks that the Ming Dynasty will achieve the final victory, for the sake of his own life, he threw himself back to the Ming Dynasty, and killed more than a dozen Manchus in Tai'an City, there is such a precedent, no matter how much he is in the future, it is impossible to betray the Ming Dynasty, because again and again, again and again, no one will accept that kind of wall grass again, Shang Kexi is a smart person and won't do that, this is Zhu Ci's self-confidence.

Shang Kexi was shocked by Zhu Ci's two choices, and then fell into a difficult decision.

For a while, Shang Kexi's heart swayed from side to side, and he was undecided, and after a while, a lot of cold dew appeared on his forehead, so you can imagine Shang Kexi's inner struggle.

In fact, Shang Kexi's choice is more inclined to the latter, after all, he can still control a certain amount of military power, according to his understanding, the head of the Ming army has 20,000 soldiers and horses, and he is a third-grade general, this temptation is not fifty military sticks!

If he was still in the prime of life, he would not hesitate to choose the second option, but he was now over forty-five years old, and he had already passed the prime of life.

However, let him make the first choice, and be a rich man for the rest of his life, he is not reconciled.

In the end, he has brought more than 20 years of soldiers, and he still wants to continue to bring them, besides, the second choice can follow the Northern Expedition army to the Northern Expedition, if he makes some more contributions, the emperor will definitely value him more.

"Did I choose it, I don't have so much time to spend here." Zhu Ci hesitated and urged.

Shang Kexi's heart trembled, and then he gritted his teeth and made the final choice.

"Back to the emperor, the last general will make the second choice!" Shang Kexi's final choice of the second, willing to gamble with his life, bear the fifty military sticks, in the final analysis, he is still unwilling to be only an idle rich man for the rest of his life, the emperor is willing to give him the choice to continue to lead the army, it was originally his unexpected joy, if he does not catch it, there will be a legacy for life.

Zhu Ci staggered and nodded, Shang Kexi's choice was not unexpected, although he was afraid of death, but Shang Kexi also had ambitions and was unwilling to be bland.

In the end, Shang Kexi successfully survived the fifty military sticks, and Zhu Ci kept his promise and left Shang Kexi with 20,000 soldiers and horses.

This time, Shang Kexi surrendered, bringing back 80,000 troops, in addition to the 20,000 left to Shang Kexi, there were still 60,000, Zhu Ci formed a surrender army, and let Li Yan, the military department who followed the Northern Expedition of the army, be temporarily in command.

"Emperor Xie trusts, and Weichen Li Yan will never give up!" Li Yan commanded.

When Li Yan was under Li Zicheng, he had the experience of leading troops, and he was one of the generals under Li Zicheng.

After the Tai'an defense line was breached, the Manchurian Chen soldiers set up 500,000 defense lines in Shandong to break through two of them.

At the same time, three of the four routes of the Tai'an army have also swept through Lanling, Linyi, Mengyin and other 30 counties, and almost in just a few days to take half of Shandong, like a bamboo.

Under Zhu Cijiao's order, the other three armies began to converge with the Jinan defense line, the last line of defense in Shandong, and the fourth route army would meet under the city of Jinan.

After only resting in Tai'an City for one day, Zhu Ci waved his army to continue northward and went straight to Jinan City the next day.

On October 29, the fourth year of Zhongxing in the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Ci personally led the Northern Expeditionary Army to the city of Jinan.

"The last general, Ji Feng!"

"The last general Huang Degong!"

With the other armies of all walks of life have come to Jinan city and the main army to join the division, Jinan city, the battle flag fluttering, endless, full of iron-blooded murderous aura, Jinan city is like a flat boat in the sea, the Ming Dynasty more than 300,000 Northern Expedition army may be leveled in an instant.

...