In the end, Yuan Chengzhi heard Chongzhen's analysis and listed his father's mistakes one by one, and his belief completely collapsed.

Could it be that my father really did so much wrong?

Could it be that Chongzhen is really a good emperor?

Could it be that what I have done in the past ten years is really moving in the wrong direction?

Yuan Chengzhi's mind was confused, and he was taken down in a daze.

Instead of going to the cell, he went to a comfortable room, and his shackles were taken away.

He didn't know why Chongzhen did this, but he seemed to hear Chongzhen say to him, "I know that you don't have the Nine Clans, but the camp fellow who lurked with you in Yangzhou will be caught sooner or later. You'd better get them to surrender voluntarily, or they're going to die."

In addition to this sentence, Chongzhen seems to have said something to others, "Forgive him for the crime of assassination, and after healing from his injuries, let it go!"

……

Nanjing, Ma Shiying was furious.

He found that the Northern Army had been in the south for half a month, and there were dozens of orders issued by the imperial court.

Gao Jie's department, which was supposed to attack Yangzhou to assist Shi Kefa, did not move at first, and after seeing that Yangzhou City was broken, he immediately fled to the southwest, and even gave up the duty of guarding Nanjing.

The soldiers and horses of Liu Liangzuo and Liu Zeqing's two divisions were stationed in Anqing steadily, as if they didn't know anything about Yangzhou.

The dispatch documents sent by the imperial court were like a stone sinking into the sea, and there was no more news.

When Hongguang learned about it, he was worried and at a loss all day long.

Ma Shiying was also speechless, how could he assist such a monarch.

"Your Majesty, Yangzhou is new, the northern army must stabilize the place, and the minister is willing to lead troops to the east to take him by surprise."

"What are the odds?"

"Odds out!"

"Eighty percent? What if I lose?"

Ma Shiying was speechless, and once again strengthened his thoughts: "If you are defeated, the minister will immediately lead the army back and defend Nanjing!"

"Don't defend to the death, if you are defeated, you can retreat to Nanchang or Changsha with me, and go to He Tengjiao!"

Ma Shiying said solemnly, "Obey the holy will, minister, this is the expedition!"

Nanjing did not have many troops, but it could also have 50,000 people, plus Ma Shiying's troops when he supervised Fengyang, there were 70,000 troops, and the army brought 5 days' dry food and hurried east.

At this time, the people of Yangzhou were panicked.

The people who had divided the land heard that the imperial court would take the land at any time, the gentry heard that the land of all the wealthy families in the north had been confiscated, the cao transport workers heard that they were about to lose their jobs, and they were going to starve from now on......

A storm is brewing.

Chongzhen saw the secret music sent by Wen Xuan, and compared it with the secret music of Jinyiwei and Dongchang, and smiled happily on his face, "You send more people to keep an eye on it, and add a handful of firewood if necessary, this fire is still not strong enough!"

On the other hand, Gao Di has become the biggest villain in Yangzhou Mansion and Huai'an Mansion.

From the day Shi Kefa dedicated the city, Gao Di went all out, arresting people everywhere, just three days, there were forty or fifty thousand people were escorted to Liaodong, even so, Yangzhou Prison was also overcrowded, and even, Gao Di will copy the official mansion that did not come, renovate the city cell, and constantly throw people inside.

By the fourth day, there were no more officials or generals to arrest in the second government, and Gao Di extended his poisonous hand to the merchants.

Especially those who are extremely rich, all of them were visited by Gao Di, either to arrest the rich businessman himself, or to arrest other people's heirs.

In order to ensure safety, the Wang brothers of the Hui merchant took out 300,000 silver to bribe Gao Di, but Gao Di was too little, did not agree to all their requests, and kidnapped the two sons-in-law.

When the other wealthy businessmen saw this, they immediately understood.

Boxes of silver were transported to Gaudí's temporary residence.

Because the Li family sent 500,000 taels of silver, Gao Di released the heirs of the Li family, but still detained the elderly parents of the Li family boss, and the Li family had no choice but to send another 300,000 taels

。

The Xie family found out the ins and outs of this matter, and even that; hurriedly sent 800,000 taels of silver, Gao Di didn't like it, "Do you think the Li family is a standard? No, the Li family's 800,000 taels is the bottom line!"

There is no shortage of wealthy businessmen in Yangzhou, Gao Di knows it, so after he saw 300,000 taels of silver, he raised the psychological price to 500,000 taels.

But when the Li family sent 500,000 taels of silver at one time, he felt that it was too little, and extorted another 300,000 taels.

Now, the Xie family directly brought in 800,000 taels of silver, and Gao Di was lost.

It is said that Jiangnan businessmen are rich and rival the country, and this time I really saw it.

A year ago, Emperor Chongzhen didn't have so much silver, and the treasury of the imperial court didn't have so much cash!

In just a few days, Gaodi's temporary mansion could no longer fit the silver box, and the carriages of the carts left Yangzhou and went to his hometown in Luanzhou.

Gao Di looked at the account book and threw it into the fire, "Okay, the previous accounts are gone, you just need to remember that the silver that set off from Yangzhou is 12 million taels, you must keep an eye on it, don't lose one tael!"

Just three days after Gao Di's carriage set off, Ma Shiying's army reached 50 miles west of Yangzhou City.

The scout cavalry quickly reported the news to Yangzhou, and Shi Kefa immediately asked for an order to persuade him to surrender.

"No need, just stay in the city safely, this Ma Shiying doesn't need your persuasion. He is here to join him!" Chongzhen smiled and made him retreat.

Sure enough, Ma Shiying's army marched ten miles away from Yangzhou, and after being stationed, there was no movement.

Early in the morning, Ma Shiying put on court clothes, took two entourages, and walked to Yangzhou.

Two hours later, Ma Shiying, the first assistant of the Nanjing Hongguang regime, knelt outside Yangzhou City to plead guilty!

Everyone knows that Hongguang no longer has the capital to compete for power, and this Daming will always be Chongzhen's.

"Let him kneel!"

"Zhu Cijiong, Chen Yongfu, you two go to Ma Shiying's camp and receive the army!"

……

Ma Shiying knelt for a day and a night, and after the city gate was opened the next day, countless people went out of the city to watch.

"The criminal minister Ma Shiying, come to ask for sin, and I am willing to give all my family wealth, all my people, and all my domestic servants, and go to the border of the Hetao!" Ma Shiying has already found out what Chongzhen has done recently.

After analysis, he knew Chongzhen's intentions, so he shouted to all the onlookers here.

After Chongzhen learned about it, he was very relieved, this Ma Shiying was much more shrewd than Shi Kefa.

"Decree to deprive Ma Shiying of all official positions and titles, and confiscate the family's private property."

The eunuch flew away, arrived outside the city gate, and loudly announced Chongzhen's will.

Ma Shiying shouted, "Thank you, Lord Long."

The eunuch rushed back and reported to Chongzhen.

"The decree was issued that all the people of the Ma clan should be moved to settle in Korea, and the treatment should be similar to that of ordinary immigrants."

The eunuch flew away again, and when he reached the city gate, he loudly announced Chongzhen's will.

Ma Shiying shouted, "Thank you, Lord Long."

Ma Shiying's heart turned the five-flavor bottle upside down, but he didn't think about it, he led the troops to surrender, and he didn't get forgiveness, hey, Emperor Chongzhen can't be offended, it's too grudgeful!