Ancestors, please don't crawl out again.

Chapter 168 We were ready to fight to the death, why did Your Majesty surrender first?

The spectacular scene of lightning striking the sky instantly shattered the gentry's courage...

There's no way to resist this!
They were already desperate when facing the heavenly soldiers, but now they were facing someone who could summon heavenly lightning. How could they possibly resist?
Kneel down!

We can just endure it!
Back then, they even tolerated the Qing Dynasty's land grabbing. Although Yang Feng's actions were worse than land grabbing, the Qing Dynasty still recognized their achievements. Even though the land of Sun Qifeng, the master of Northern Confucianism in the Qing Dynasty, was seized by the Eight Banners officials, causing him to arrogantly hide in the mountains, the Qing Dynasty still repeatedly summoned him to serve as an official.

But Yang Feng refuses to admit it, which is utterly inhumane.

But the problem is, I really can't beat him!

Be patient!

As long as the right to disseminate written language is controlled, such a demon or tyrant will only be able to wreak havoc for a time.

The gentry had endured much more.

But in the end, aren't they always the ones who emerge victorious?

Old Zhu was far more ruthless than this demon. In the end, the literati could fabricate whatever they wanted about him, and even his descendants believed it. Our Qing Dynasty massacred countless cities, yet now we still rely on civil officials and gentry to govern the court and the provinces. If this continues, even the princes and nobles will have to start taking pride in Confucianism. These unruly commoners under Yang Feng are currently powerless to resist because they have this demon backing them up, but once they become the new officials themselves, they will listen to the gentry just the same. It will only take a little time, fifty years at most.

After Weihui fell, the gentry from all around silently accepted the reality.

Scholars, tribute students, and students of the Imperial Academy should all return the benefits they received from the Qing demons.

It's basically just a rough estimate of the amount of money.

It was impossible to count to begin with.

All those who passed the imperial examinations, including those who passed the provincial examinations, those who passed the metropolitan examinations, and retired local officials, had their land confiscated.

Of course, the salary received from Qing Yao must also be returned.

There aren't many of these.

In the Qing Dynasty, who among the officials relied on their salaries? Eighty percent of the losses, at least half, went into their own pockets.

This veritable carnival of the common people sent shivers down the spines of the gentry on both banks of the Yellow River. They knew their turn was fast approaching, and in this situation, Ma Ge was truly their only hope. Gentry from all over eagerly awaited the Qing army's southward march. But alas, their world collapsed. Instead of the Qing army's arrival, they witnessed prison carts carrying Dezhao and others heading south. The gentry along the route watched in despair as hundreds of prison carts stretched before them, the Qing army soldiers hanging dejectedly, their voices hoarse from crying as they denounced the devil.

The events that occurred in the capital city quickly spread.

The gentry's world had collapsed.

Wise and enlightened rulers...

What's wrong with you, wise and benevolent ruler?
He's just a sorcerer! Where are your Eight Banners warriors? Where are your million-strong army? Where are your Mongol cavalry? Where are your Solon warriors? Why don't you send troops to cut this sorcerer to pieces? He's already at your doorstep, and he even killed your son. Why don't you fight him to the death?
Why are you kneeling?
Stand up!

The ministers are about to fight to the death, why does Your Majesty surrender first?
But the reality is that even wise and benevolent rulers kneel before this demon.

Although Ma Ge summoned his ministers three days after being taken south in the prison cart and angrily rebuked them for not reporting such a major event in the capital—wasn't he just in the palace worshipping Buddha and practicing Buddhism with a master, thus suspending court assemblies? While he did say that this period of practice was very important and that no one should disturb him, and that state affairs were to be handled by the Crown Prince—didn't these fools understand how important this matter was? Why didn't they force their way in and report it?

In short, His Majesty was completely unaware of this. Because he was practicing Buddhism in the palace with a master, he handed over the affairs of state to the Crown Prince and then closed the door to the outside world, so he knew nothing about what was happening outside.

The ministers did not report it.

Of course, the Crown Prince bears a great deal of responsibility, since he was in charge of the court when the Crown Prince was in his spiritual practice.

Therefore, in a fit of rage, Ma Ge held the Crown Prince fully responsible for his failure to report in a timely manner and his incompetent handling of the situation, which led to the murder of Prince Cheng and the kidnapping of Prince Xin. He then deposed the Crown Prince Yinreng, whom he had already deposed once before. As for the matter of Prince Kang, Baltu, and his loyal followers capturing Dezhao and others and handing them over to that sorcerer, Ma Ge made no comment. It wasn't just Baltu who did it; the entire city's loyal followers were involved.

What can he do?

He did issue an edict to reward those who died or were injured, especially those whose residences were destroyed, with silver.

This page is turned.

In the end, only Yinreng took the blame. Fortunately, he had already been deposed once and should be used to it. Besides, it was only his crown prince position that was removed, not that he was directly imprisoned like last time.

Similarly, Ma Ge pretended not to know about De Zhao and the others who were being transported south.

He was the emperor, and since he was in the palace, he wouldn't know unless someone reported to him.

But he couldn't possibly pretend he didn't know about the heavenly soldiers who were heading north.

After all, Yang Feng had already said that the day the Heavenly Army arrived in the capital would be the day he was publicly executed. The humiliation on his face was already a fact, and the self-deception was over. In essence, he hadn't lost anything. Although he had indeed lost a son, he was just thinking he had too many sons! But what followed concerned his life and his rule, so he had to stop the Heavenly Army no matter what.

Anyang.

"So, Ma Zi wants to sue for peace?"

Yang Feng looked at Baltu kneeling at his feet.

The city of Zhangde has also been captured. Just like Weihui, there was no need for the heavenly army to attack the city. On the way north, the young men and women from various villages had already gathered with the heavenly army, carrying weapons and even dry rations, and then served as the vanguard for the heavenly army.

Meanwhile, the able-bodied men in Anyang rushed out as the others made their way to the city gates, opening them amidst the righteous indignation and curses of the gentry.

Then, the forces inside and outside the city joined together to sweep away those officials and gentry who dared to resist.

As for the Green Standard Army, since the main force had already collapsed outside Kaifeng, there were not many left to defend the city. Faced with this situation, they did not hesitate to defect. However, due to the Celestial Venerable's attitude towards certain people, their resistance was fierce, but it was useless. After all, their numbers were too small, and they were directly overwhelmed by the able-bodied men. As for Yang Feng, he naturally did not care about these matters. As a Celestial Venerable, he did not interfere in worldly affairs. However, he could go wherever he wanted to reside, so he always followed the Heavenly Soldiers, suppressing the enemy at the forefront of their occupation like a giant statue. The rest was left to the Heavenly Soldiers to lead the able-bodied men to carry out their looting.

Then they were militiaized.

Then the camps were divided, and the people elected the camp commanders, who then appointed the captains, but the local officials were appointed by the immortals.

In reality, the selection was based on the performance of the battalion commanders.

This made the heavenly army's advance very slow.

After all, this was not just about marching straight to the capital, but also about establishing regimes along the way.

Nearly twenty days have passed since the Immortal Venerable's journey to the capital. Even the procession escorting the prison carts has already passed Zhengding, though their pace is slow, as loyal Qing officials frequently obstruct them along the way. The devastated gentry often kneel by the roadside or throw themselves onto the prison carts, clinging to them as if they were not prison carts, but their lost dreams.

It's broken down!

They had originally hoped that a wise and benevolent ruler could sweep away the evil forces and continue their golden age, but the wise and benevolent ruler knelt down first.

No matter how much Ma Ge acts, he can't change the facts.

Everyone understands.

He could hand over the descendants of Dorgon to secure a temporary peace even when facing a demon, so he would certainly not hesitate to abandon these gentry when it came to it. Knowing that their future fate was already sealed, the gentry could only try to maintain the illusory prosperity by blocking the prison cart from moving forward.

It was as if they could incite Ma Ge to rise up by stopping the prison van. As for Baltu, he had to disguise himself along the way to make it smoothly south.

You must understand that the gentry already regarded him as a treacherous minister who brought disaster to the country and the people, comparing him to Qin Hui of the Qing Dynasty, and comparing his actions of arresting Dezhao and others with Qin Hui's murder of Yue Fei. Under these circumstances, Baltuzhen dared not reveal his identity. If the gentry discovered it, they would surely beat him to death. At this time, no one was afraid of him, a prince.

"Your Majesty, no, Ma Zi says that since Your Majesty is a deity, why bother with these mundane matters? If Your Majesty can withdraw the troops, he is willing to make the land currently occupied by the Heavenly Army the place of Your Majesty's worship, making it a country on par with the Great Qing, and appointing Your Majesty as the National Preceptor of the Great Qing, so that all under heaven will revere Your Majesty, and temples dedicated to Your Majesty will be built in every place, and the whole world will worship Your Majesty. Even the vassal states such as the grasslands, the Western Regions, Liaodong, and even Korea will be ordered to worship Your Majesty, so that temples dedicated to Your Majesty will be spread throughout the world, and Ma Zi and his descendants will all revere Your Majesty and worship Your Majesty for generations."

Baltu lay on the ground and said.

"Even the Western Regions?"

Yang Feng said.

“Even in the Western Regions, the Immortal Venerable is a true god, which is known throughout the Qing Dynasty. Everyone respects the Immortal Venerable. Therefore, the vassal states of the Qing Dynasty should also respect the Immortal Venerable. If anyone disobeys, the Qing Dynasty will punish them on behalf of the Immortal Venerable.”

Baltu quickly said.

"Now I want you to lead your entire clan on a western expedition to bring all the kingdoms of the Western Regions under your rule. Will you go?"

Yang Feng said.

"Uh, the whole clan?"

Baltu felt a little embarrassed.

It would be a bit difficult for the whole clan to go, since they are reluctant to give up the wealth and prosperity they enjoy here, and they find it hard to accept the idea of ​​a westward expedition, especially since many of their loyal followers have been to the Western Regions.

"You still say you're not lying to me!"

Yang Feng kicked him three meters away, but managed to control himself, so Baltu immediately got up and knelt down again with blood from the corner of his mouth.

"Immortal Lord, these are all things that Ma Zi said. This servant is just reporting to the Immortal Lord on his behalf!"

He cried out.

"Then tell Ma Zi that I am not unwilling to let you go, but since you say you respect me, then let me see your sincerity. I will ask you to lead your entire clan on a westward expedition, and you will lead your entire clan on a westward expedition. Only then can you prove that you truly respect me. Now you are not even willing to do this, yet you still say you respect me."
Do you think I'm stupid?

roll!
Tell Ma Zi, I've already marked out the road for you. If you refuse to leave, you'll be wiped out!

Yang Feng shouted.

As he spoke, he kicked Baltu out again.

The latter lay on the ground for a moment to catch his breath before quickly getting up and kowtowing. He kowtowed and backed away, leaving like a good servant.

Yang Feng then stood up and soared into the sky, flying directly towards Kaifeng amidst the worship of the soldiers and civilians below.

Outside Kaifeng city.

"Charge in and leave no one alive!"

Yin Tai, the Governor-General of Sichuan and Shaanxi of the Great Qing Dynasty, brandished his sword and urged his soldiers on.

He should be one of the most veteran generals in the Qing army at present.

This guy wasn't born into royalty; he rose through the ranks as an ordinary soldier in the Eight Banners garrison in Xi'an. He fought his way up from the suppression of the Three Feudatories, even losing a tooth to a stray bullet. He was promoted by Ma Ge solely based on his military achievements, eventually becoming a governor-general, even surpassing Nian Gengyao by one rank. Leading 50,000 troops from the Shaanxi Eight Banners and Green Standard Army, he suddenly stormed into Henan just as the imperial army's northern expedition was gaining momentum. He then beheaded the Green Standard Army general who was hiding in Luoyang watching the spectacle, and drove the Green Standard Army from Luoyang to launch a surprise attack on Kaifeng.

But in reality, the raid failed. Before he even left Luoyang, several groups of troublemakers in Luoyang sent word to Kaifeng as quickly as possible.

However, Yang Er, who stayed behind in Kaifeng, didn't care.

After reporting to the Immortal Venerable using the radio left to him by Yang Feng, he calmly waited for Yin Tai to come to his door.

Therefore, Yintai can only launch a strong attack now.

Fortunately, his men were all capable fighters. Especially after learning about Yang Feng's targeted tactics, he specifically mobilized a volunteer force from Xi'an, who harbored extreme hatred for this demon because of what had happened to their brothers in Kaifeng. At this moment, under the cover of cannons arrayed outside the city, these volunteers, as the vanguard, bravely charged towards the Kaifeng city walls, shouting slogans to exterminate the demon. Yin Tai was quite satisfied with what he saw, as if he could already see them charging up the city walls.

But the next moment, countless flames erupted from the city walls.

On the walls of Kaifeng, which were armed with equipment from hundreds of thousands of Qing soldiers, hundreds of cannons and tens of thousands of muskets spewed flames at the Qing warriors.

The latter was instantly littered with corpses.

Even the Warriors were terrified; they instinctively turned and tried to run.

"Charge! Anyone who deserts will be executed without exception!"

Yintai did not hesitate to order the Manchu officers of the Eight Banners beside him.

"General, it seems they really can't break through. Perhaps we should have them retreat first."

The officer said with a forced smile.

“Fools! These bastards are so fierce. Now that the Qing Dynasty is in danger, what if they go back and cause trouble? Not a single one of them is allowed to go back alive. Whether they can charge forward or not, they will all die in Kaifeng.”

Yin Tai said angrily.

The officer instantly regained his senses.

"kill!"

he shouted without hesitation.

Immediately afterwards, he led the Manchu cavalry of the Eight Banners to charge at the militia who had already fled back, and then raised his matchlock gun on horseback and opened fire on the militia without hesitation.

The latter fell down one by one in astonishment.

"Go back! Anyone who deserts in the face of battle will be executed without exception!"

The officer roared.

He then switched to a spear and, while running wildly, pierced straight through one of the fleeing volunteers.

Other Manchu elites from the Eight Banners followed suit, charging straight at the militia with their spears, piercing through the fleeing militia one by one. Those behind cursed and had no choice but to turn back and charge into the firepower from the city wall. They fell in the dense barrage of cannon fire and bullets. The survivors howled like madmen, rushed across the still frozen moat, and crashed into the towering city wall.

But at that moment, a white light streaked across the sky above them, and then the brave men were reduced to exploding blood mist...

(End of this chapter)