"Quick, let the Cabinet Department enter the account and talk." Huang Degong hesitated slightly, and immediately shouted orders to his subordinates.

"Yes."

No matter what Shi Kefa will say when he comes this time, listen to him first, there will be nothing wrong.

At this time, seeing that Shi Kefa was coming, Weng Zhiqi and Ma Degong planned to leave first, but were stopped by Huang Degong.

"Two, now that it has reached such a point, what are the upper and lower levels, you two should also come and listen together, and see what the Cabinet Department has to say to us." Huang Degong said with a wry smile.

Weng Zhiqi and Ma Degong looked at each other for a moment, and then sat back again. At this time, the guards took Shi Kefa and opened the curtain from outside the tent door.

Huang Degong noticed that when Shi Kefa came in, he was listless and looked sluggish, as if he had been hit hard.

Huang Degong couldn't help but sigh in his heart, it seems that Li Xiao's ridicule and ridicule of him in the city just now can be described as a sentence of punishment for Shi Kefa, who claims to be a clear stream and a loyal minister, and his entire life values are about to be destroyed. The severity of the blow is hard to describe.

And when Shi Kefa entered the room, he silently looked around at the three people in the room, a wry smile bloomed on his face, and then he said a sentence that made everyone in the room dare not believe their ears.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let's just say a word. I also ask the generals to go to the Tang Army to take refuge in the Tang Army, and Shi himself should also surrender to the Tang Dynasty. ”

After Shi Kefa said this, Huang Degong, Weng Zhiqi, and Ma Degong were all dumbfounded, and for a while, they couldn't react.

No way?!

How could this scholar of the military department and a scholar of the East Pavilion University, who scolded Li Xiao on the city wall, showed his loyalty, and swore to serve the Hongguang Dynasty loyally, wake up now, completely change his attitude, and instead persuade himself to surrender to Li Xiao?

This, this......

The three of them couldn't turn around for a while, and there was silence in the room.

Seeing that the three of them were speechless, Shi Kefa smiled bitterly and said to himself slowly: "Everyone, Shi Mou has woken up now, pondered the words of King Tang, and I have to say that although his words are harsh and ruthless, Shi Mou has no face. But when you think about it, it makes perfect sense. ”

"Oh......"

"General Huang, Shi wants to come, then King Tang is very right. Now the Tang army is extremely powerful, the number of soldiers and horses is several times that of the soldiers and horses in the city, and there are unprecedented siege heavy artillery available, and its combat power is the first in the world, and it is not an exaggeration. This lonely city of Yangzhou, no matter how strong it is, it is really difficult to have a chance of winning, and no matter how strong it is, it is only afraid that it will be buried with this city, which is not very beneficial. It's better to surrender and save your life. In this way, you can save your life and wealth, and you can protect the people in the city, and you are also the good people. ”

Shi Kefa muttered the above words, and then said with a wry smile: "As for Shi, the reason why he is also willing to surrender to the Tang Dynasty is actually a last resort. Shi was originally in the imperial court, he was a dispensable person, and the so-called secretary of the military department and a scholar of the East Pavilion University was just a fictitious title of **. Since I became the governor of Jiangbei, I have basically played no role in the war situation, and it is difficult to recover such a defeat. Even if King Tang doesn't take my life, I am afraid that if it is really as King Tang said, I will be beheaded by the Hongguang Prison State. ”

"The ...... of the Cabinet Department"

Shi Kefa waved his hand, signaling that Huang Degong didn't need to say any more, and then he sighed and replied: "Besides, if this pavilion goes back this time, even if it is not killed by the prison state, it will no longer have a foothold in the imperial court." Therefore, now that this pavilion is thinking about it, anyway, now that its reputation has been tarnished and its reputation has been lost, even if it surrenders, how bad can it be. No matter what, the Tang Dynasty's support for the crown prince to ascend the throne is the orthodox inheritance of the Ming Dynasty, and serving it is not a disgrace to the court. Moreover, from now on, Shi Mou can only take refuge in the Tang Dynasty in order to regain a foothold in the revival of the court, and only then can he strive to make a difference in the future, and he will no longer waste his time doing nothing. ”

When Shi Kefa said this, his face was already depressed, his eyes were blank, and his muttering and soulless appearance looked very pitiful and pathetic.

However, Shi Kefa's statement and conversation made Weng Zhiqi and Ma Degong immediately increase their confidence with their spirit.

Ma Degong immediately stood up and said loudly to Huang Degong: "General Huang, the Shi Pavilion Department has expressed such a statement, what are you hesitating about!" You must know that after this village, there is no such shop. Such a good opportunity, Encore missed. If you wait for the Tang army to come to attack, the general will regret it when he comes back, what good will Xi be! I also ask the general to make a quick decision, and do not hesitate any longer. ”

Weng Zhiqi also said loudly: "General Huang, please order the whole army to go out of the city and surrender." If it continues, it will be disturbed. What a brave and resolute man a general is, how can he be so hesitant at this critical juncture? Please also ask the general not to hesitate, and immediately give the order, and I will go out of the city with the general to surrender. ”

Hearing the hard persuasion of the two generals under him, Huang Degong glanced at Shi Kefa, who was sitting on the side with blank eyes, and his heart was really mixed and difficult to describe.

Now, the general trend has gone, and there is no way to stop it.

After all, the two generals, including Shi Kefa, the governor of Jiangbei in the city, both advocated surrender, and their so-called thoughts of the old favor and refusal to surrender really had no market.

There is a saying that the tree is falling and scattering, and if you are determined to rebel against the will of your subordinates, then I am afraid that the Tang army has not yet attacked the city, and I am afraid that I will have the worry of a mutiny and rebellion.

People live in the world, sometimes the situation is really stronger than people, that Hongguang Prison Country, please forgive Huang for not being able to live with you, and you want to be here to do this disloyal and unrighteous act.

So, he sighed, stood up from the tiger head chair, and said with a serious face: "Okay, since the Shi Pavilion Department and the two generals all think so, how can this prince be willing to ignore everyone's intentions." Then ask the two generals to clean up the soldiers and horses in the city, count and return to the treasury in the Tibetan city, and then open the city gate to welcome the Tang army into the city. My father-in-law led the whole army to surrender to the Tang army in this Yangzhou city. ”

"Order!"

Huang Degong's words came out, Ma Degong and Weng Zhiqi were happy and enthusiastic about doing things, and soon, the eight gates of Yangzhou City were opened at the same time, and the white flag was flying high at the head of the city.

Seeing the white flag fluttering at the head of the city, and the 40,000 soldiers and horses in the city all came out of the city with bare hands, Tang King Li Xiao's face unconsciously showed a very relieved smile.

This Huang Degong, under his own strong pressure, finally went out of the city to surrender. This move, he is smart, otherwise after the Tang army begins to attack the city, it will be impossible for him to get any special treatment.

At this time, Huang Degong, who had taken off his armor and was dressed in straight clothes with arrow sleeves, took Weng Zhiqi and Ma Degong, who were also not wearing armor, and the three of them took the lead from the city gate together, and came silently all the way to Li Xiao about ten steps away.

"King Tang, our army is late anyway, and I ask King Tang to forgive me. Now all the 43,250 men and horses in the city have been driven out of the city. In addition, the treasury in the city, ordnance, grain, grass, horses, etc., have all been sealed and counted, and your ministry is also requested to receive them in a unified manner. In addition, the people in the city, with a registered population of about 850,000, are all stable and there is no abnormality, please also ask your army to check ......"

Hearing Huang Degong's report, Li Xiao was very pleased, he suppressed the excitement and joy in his heart, stepped forward quickly, raised his wrist, and helped the three of them up.

"Jingguo Gong, two generals, you really know the current affairs, understand the righteousness, and can lead your troops to surrender in time at the critical season, so that this Yangzhou city can avoid a disaster of swords, this king is very pleased. Waiting for this righteous act is really worthy of the painstaking words of this king. Don't worry, this king will do what he says, and he will definitely make proper arrangements for you and your troops. ”

"Thank you King Tang, from now on, I am willing to drive forward for King Tang and be willing to die." Huang Degong and Weng Ma responded together.

Li Xiao nodded, and soothed them with kind words, and then ordered them to retreat first. Subsequently, he immediately ordered that the civil officials of the Tang Army's Supervision Department were responsible for counting the number of soldiers and horses of Huang Degong's troops, and then immediately entered the city to register all kinds of treasury collections, and at the same time posted a large number of notices in the city, so that the soldiers and civilians of Yangzhou City could feel at ease.

Not long after Huang Degong and the others retreated, Li Xiao saw a familiar and haggard figure slowly walking out of the city gate and walking all the way to his own style.

This person is Shi Kefa.

Seeing Shi Kefa coming slowly, Li Xiao was still thinking about whether to send someone to send him across the river and leave now. Unexpectedly, Shi Kefa came a few steps away from him, and like Huang Degong and others, he fell to his knees and fell to the ground.

"In Xia Shi Kefa, I am willing to surrender to the Tang King, from now on, I am willing to serve Your Majesty for the rejuvenation, loyally, and never have two hearts. He also asked King Tang to accept the old ministers regardless of his previous suspicions. ”

Hearing these words, Li Xiao subconsciously sighed and was stunned.

Unexpectedly, this Fang Cai was still in the city to reprimand himself, and the secretary of the military department and the scholar of the East Pavilion University, who was loyal to the Hongguang puppet dynasty, was now in front of himself, so humble and helpless to ask for surrender.

For a while, Li Xiao's heart was full of mixed tastes.

He suddenly thought that in the official history, although this Shi Kefa Shi Du Town, although he was squeezed out in the Hongguang Dynasty and was rarely reused, he was finally killed by the artillery bombardment of the Qing army besieging the city on the city wall of Yangzhou, but he could be regarded as sacrificing his life for the country and died a well-deserved death. With the shameless ministers in Nanjing City who lined up to surrender to the Qing army and flattered Duoduo to ask for officials, he is also a rare loyal and upright minister.

In this way, the person who left a clear name in the official history, and now he is forced to take refuge in himself because of the situation, although he has a previous suspicion, but the flaws are not concealed.

Li Xiao had a smile on his face, took a few steps forward, and helped Shi Kefa, who was kneeling underground, to his feet.

"Cabinet Department, it doesn't have to be like this. The previous words of tongue fighting, this king has long forgotten, why should the Shi Pavilion Department bother to worry about it again? The king is also very pleased that a minister of insight like the Shi Gebu can be turned to serve the emperor loyally. When this king comes, he will personally play the emperor's throne and reuse the Shi Cabinet Department. Li Xiao smiled and said clearly to Shi Kefa.

Shi Kefa looked ashamed, and his face felt even more inexplicably irritable, he bowed to Li Xiaochang and sighed lightly: "King Tang is broad-minded, regardless of his past suspicions, he is very ashamed in his heart. King Tang raised it like this, and the old minister thanked him first. ”

Li Xiao smiled faintly, comforted him a few more words, and asked him to retreat first.

After reorganizing and counting the troops of Huang Degong's troops, Li Xiao ordered a grand ceremony to enter the city, and he personally led thousands of elite cavalry from the west gate into Yangzhou.

Firecrackers rang out, colorful flags fluttered, gongs and drums were noisy, and Huang Degong and other generals were led to the front, and Li Xiao, the majestic and heroic Tang King, entered from the Tongji Gate in the west under the protection of a group of guards.

At this time, notices of peace in the city had already been posted everywhere, and the residents of the city were all at ease. Seeing the Tang army entering the city, the people in the city flocked to come and stood densely along both sides of the street. Everyone stretched their necks and came to see what kind of demeanor and figure Li Xiao, the king of Tang, was.

The people were enthusiastic, everyone was smiling, looking straight ahead, and the scene was very warm. Due to the large number of people who came to watch, the Tang army had to send a large number of auxiliary troops to stand on both sides of the street to maintain order to ensure that the procession entering the city could pass smoothly.

Not long after, Li Xiao led the horse straight in from the West Gate, and as soon as he arrived at the main street, everyone saw the true appearance of Tang Wang, who was so young and heroic, and his spirit was extraordinary, and they couldn't help but admire him greatly. Seeing the elite cavalry army under it again, it is so well-equipped, dazzling swords and guns, it can be called the journey of the mighty army Xiong Zhen, the people of Yangzhou, suddenly cheered like thunder, applause like a tide. The people's cheers, like thunder, quickly swept through the entire Yangzhou City.

Seeing his own army, so popular with the people, Tang King Li Xiao and those soldiers who entered the city, everyone suddenly felt proud and happy. As a result, Li Xiao's soldiers began to shout slogans spontaneously, merging with the cheers of the people. For a time, there was a sense of unity between the military and the people, and a sense of deep affection.

At this time, Li Xiao, seeing the prosperous, beautiful, and full of the charm of a classical Chinese city, Yangzhou City, as well as the people in the city who could not see the end and were warmly welcoming themselves, couldn't help but feel like a god flew through the ages, and remembered the tragic past encountered by the city in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties in real history.

That is, the ten days of Yangzhou, which is very famous in history.

From May 20 to May 29, 1645, the city of Yangzhou fell after fierce resistance, and the Qing soldiers swarmed into the city, slaughtering and plundering, and did not seal the knife for ten days.

Yangzhou, a famous city in the south of the Yangtze River in these few lifetimes, suddenly became a very terrible hell on earth.

At that time, "the corpses were piled up, the hands and feet pillowed each other, the blood entered the water and the blue ochre, turned into five colors, and the pond was flat", "the front and back, left and right, burned everywhere", and "the corpses accumulated in the city were like a mess".

In the end, almost all the residents of Yangzhou were slaughtered, except for a few who escaped before the city was breached, and a few who survived after the Qing army entered the city. According to statistics, more than 800,000 corpses were collected by monks alone.

Such a tragic history is deeply engraved in Li Xiao's heart. At this moment, seeing the soldiers and civilians cheering warmly to him all over the city, Li Xiao felt as if he was in a different world, and he didn't feel tears flashing in the corners of his eyes.

Perhaps, since I have traveled from modern times to this chaotic era at the end of the Ming Dynasty, the greatest responsibility assigned by God to me is to guard and protect the innocent people in these troubled times.

That being the case, then I must not be afraid of any difficulties, but also for the people of the world, to fight for a peaceful and prosperous world, a bright future!

Li Xiao took a long breath, stole the reins hard, slammed the horse's belly with both feet, and the treasure horse under the crotch neighed, carrying his own master, the horse's hooves got to the ground, and quickly ran to the depths of Yangzhou City......