The Ming Dynasty: Starting with the border troops, it was overthrown and the Qing Dynasty was destro

Chapter 107 A Grand Ceremony of Compassion

Yang He stubbornly believes that Shen Yikui is currently the largest bandit group in Shaanxi Province.
If we can persuade him to surrender, then all the other villains who have rebelled will surely surrender at the first sign of trouble, and the situation in Shaanxi can be pacified in one fell swoop!
This is the prescription he gave to Shaanxi, the real solution to the root cause!
As for completely annihilating the peasant army? That's wishful thinking on the part of military men. Not only would it be against the will of Heaven, but it would also waste resources!

Therefore, disregarding the generals in Shaanxi who were fighting bloody battles on the front lines, and ignoring the earnest advice of Ningzhou officials and his own staff, he insisted on sending envoys to Shen Yikui's camp.

On Shen Yikui's side, he was overwhelmed by the sudden and fierce offensive of the government troops and suffered heavy losses.

He knew he couldn't take Qingyang Prefecture, and he was preparing to order his troops to break out towards Pingliang Prefecture.

But just then, a messenger rushed in, flustered, to report:
"General! A court official has arrived. He claims to be Zhou Riqiang, the prefect of Ningzhou. He has come with a message from Yang He, the governor of the three border regions, to persuade Your Majesty to surrender!"

Shen Yikui was also taken aback. Persuade him to surrender?

What is the imperial court planning?
Could this be a delaying tactic? Are they trying to use this opportunity to completely surround and trap him within Qingyang Prefecture?

But he decided to listen to what Zhou Riqiang had to say first. If it was really a trap, he could kill him first and then break through!

So Shen Yikui waved his hand and gave the order to the messenger:

"Bring him in!"

On Sunday, Qiang walked nervously into Shen Yikui's camp. He thought that his mission was doomed and he would be killed by the ruthless bandit leader as a sacrifice to the flag.

To everyone's surprise, they actually let him in!
He forced himself to remain calm, walked into the central command tent, and bowed respectfully to Shen Yikui, whose face was gloomy at the head of the tent.

Shen Yikui glanced at Zhou Riqiang and asked coldly:

"What brings Prefect Zhou here?"

Zhou Riqiang steadied himself and said loudly:
"I have come here on the orders of Governor-General Yang He of the Three Border Regions to persuade the general to surrender!"

"I hope the general can see the error of his ways and return to the court. In the future, he can be rewarded for his merits and his wife and children may also be granted titles and privileges!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Yikui glanced at Zhou Riqiang indifferently, but his tone was full of doubt:
"Surrender? How do I know this isn't just a delaying tactic?"

"You're probably planning to use this opportunity to completely encircle and annihilate our forces, aren't you?"

Zhou Riqiang remained unmoved and said solemnly:
"General, you are mistaken! Governor Yang has come with the utmost sincerity!"

"The Governor-General disregarded his personal safety and personally went to Ningzhou. He sent me to tell the General that as long as the General is willing to surrender, everything that happened before can be forgiven!"

Looking at the Ningzhou prefect below him, who was neither humble nor arrogant and spoke earnestly, Shen Yikui felt a surge of turmoil in his heart.

Yang He personally came to Ningzhou? To offer pacification on the battlefield? And to forgive past transgressions?!
Is this even possible?!
He knows better than anyone else who Shen Yikui is.

He was a notorious bandit who colluded with the Mongol Tartars, captured important border towns, and brutally murdered court officials!
Any one of these crimes, if picked out, would be a heinous offense punishable by the extermination of three generations of one's family.

On what grounds did Yang He pardon him? He didn't believe in any nonsense about loving the people and valuing talent.

Shen Yikui still remembered what Jiang Han had reminded him of back in Yan'an Prefecture: the government troops were best at killing surrendered soldiers!
Throughout history, countless heroes and valiant men have met their end by being beheaded simply because they naively believed in the imperial court's offer of amnesty!
But then he thought about it again and Shen Yikui hesitated.

Having led his troops in an uprising for so long, from a lowly soldier in the border army to a powerful bandit who now commands tens of thousands of troops and shakes Shaanxi, how could he not be tired?
His elder brother Shen Yiyuan and Gao Yingdeng are dead, and his most loyal deputy general is also dead. Now he is left alone to struggle on, worrying every day about the government army's encirclement and suppression, and worrying every day about food supplies and the morale of the people.
To be honest, he'd had enough of this kind of life.

What if Yang He is telling the truth this time? Surely the Grand Governor-General of the Three Borders of the Ming Dynasty wouldn't just make empty promises.

If the imperial court truly forgives his past transgressions and grants him an official position, allowing him to live out the rest of his life in peace, it seems not so unacceptable.

At least, I no longer have to live such a precarious life, where I could lose my head at any moment.

"Alright, it's always good to test the waters first."

Having made up his mind, Shen Yikui smiled and said to Zhou Riqiang:
"I appreciate Governor Yang's kindness."

"However, this matter is of great importance, concerning the lives and fortunes of tens of thousands of my brothers, so I dare not make a hasty decision."

He paused for a moment, then continued.

"How about this, I'll send a few trusted generals to Ningzhou to pay a visit to Governor Yang."

"If Governor Yang is truly sincere, it's not too late for us to discuss the next step!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Riqiang felt much more at ease. As long as Shen Yikui agreed, everything would be fine!

He readily agreed, took his leave in haste, and rushed back to Ningzhou to report to Yang He.

Soon after, news came from Ningzhou that Shen Yikui was welcome to send people to Ningzhou.

Therefore, on the ninth day of the third month of the fourth year of Chongzhen, Shen Yikui sent his subordinates Sun Jiye, Ru Chengming and other generals to Ningzhou to investigate the situation.

Because he didn't trust outsiders, he even sent his son-in-law along. At the same time, to show his sincerity, Shen Yikui returned to Yang He the captured Heshui County Magistrate Jiang Yingchang and the seized Bao'an County seal.

Yang He was overjoyed when he received the news in Ningzhou!

In his view, the plan to win over the enemy was already half successful!
In order to completely dispel Shen Yikui's doubts and show his utmost "sincerity," Yang He went all out this time!
He not only treated Sun Jiye, Ru Chengming and others with great hospitality, but also gave Shen Yikui's son-in-law an exceptionally high level of courtesy!

Following the ancient method of winning people's hearts, Yang He personally led Shen Yikui's son-in-law into his tent, where they ate and slept together, their feet touching.

Shen Yikui's son-in-law had never seen such a scene before.

This is a high-ranking official of the imperial court, yet he treats him with such respect and humility, and speaks so frankly with him.

Shen Yikui's son-in-law was so moved by Yang He that he burst into tears on the spot.

Upon returning, he immediately gave Shen Yikui a report, embellishing the details of how Yang He had treated him with courtesy, expressed his sincerity, and made promises and guarantees.

He also earnestly advised his father-in-law that the opportunity was too good to pass up and that he should surrender and submit!
After much deliberation and careful consideration, Shen Yikui finally gritted his teeth and made the most important decision of his life:
降！
He personally went to Ningzhou, led his key subordinates, knelt down under Yang He's command, and expressed his willingness to submit to the imperial court!
Yang He immediately agreed and ordered the news to be spread throughout Shaanxi!

This really stirred up a hornet's nest!
When the leaders of the various bandits who had surrendered and then rebelled heard that even a powerful bandit like Shen Yikui had surrendered, they immediately felt that the situation was hopeless and there was no point in continuing to resist.

As a result, bandits of all ranks, led by Tuo Xianling, Jin Chipeng, Guo Tianxing, Hao Lin'an, Du Touhu, Shang Tianlong, and others, rushed to Ningzhou to surrender to Yang He and express their willingness to accept the imperial court's offer of amnesty!
In an instant, outside Ningzhou City, surrender banners covered the sun, and the bandits were won over!
Looking at this scene, Yang He felt that his move to persuade Shen Yikui to surrender on the battlefield against all odds was absolutely the right one!

It's a stroke of genius!

Since Yang He took office as the Governor-General of the Three Border Regions, he has never achieved such brilliant political achievements!
Overjoyed, Yang He, in order to further promote his political achievements and demonstrate the court's benevolence, even went so far as to use his own money.
A magnificent "Dragon Pavilion" was temporarily erected on the city wall of Ningzhou, and a throne symbolizing the emperor was placed in the center of the pavilion!
Yang He selected an auspicious day and ordered Shen Yikui and the other bandit leaders who had just surrendered to come to the Dragon Pavilion.

They were made to perform the three kneelings and nine kowtows in obedient manner before the empty throne, shouting "Long live the Emperor!"

The group of thieves scoffed at Yang He's charade of formalism, finding it rather ridiculous.

But people under the eaves have to bow their heads.

Since we've already decided to surrender, there's no harm in putting on a show.

Thus, in a solemn and respectful atmosphere, the "bandit worship" scene was successfully completed.

After the pilgrimage was completed, Yang He adopted a posture that combined both kindness and severity.

He first sternly rebuked Shen Yikui and listed all the major crimes he had committed, including colluding with the Mongols, plundering prefectures and counties, and coercing innocent people, among other things, totaling ten crimes.

Just as Shen Yikui and the others were terrified, thinking that Yang He was going to go back on his word, Yang He suddenly changed the subject and read out the order of pardon.

They then led everyone to the Guandi Temple, where they swore an oath to Guan Yu that they would never betray him again.

The bandit leaders quickly agreed, knelt before Guan Yu, and swore that they would never betray him again.

After all this was done, Yang He personally appointed Shen Yikui as the garrison commander of Ningsai and handed over the imperial edict to him in front of everyone.

(Approval document: appointment letter)

He then ordered the distribution of "starving people's stamps" to the surrendered soldiers, and commanded them to immediately disband their ranks, return to their hometowns, and settle down to farm.

(Famine relief stamps: equivalent to deportation certificates and temporary identity documents)

After this performance and process of first attacking and then appeasing, combining kindness and coercion, the matter of Shen Yikui's surrender was finally settled.

The peasant army dispersed and returned to their hometowns.

When the news spread, bandits in other parts of Shaanxi also surrendered, dispersed their followers, and returned to their hometowns to farm.

Some troops who were unwilling to surrender again, seeing that the situation was hopeless, also fled eastward to Shanxi.

For example, the Hun Tianhou troops of Ganquan did not choose to surrender, but instead broke through Yanshui Pass and headed towards Shanxi.

Suddenly, the situation in Shaanxi seemed to have miraculously improved!
With the flames of war temporarily extinguished and order gradually restored in various regions, Yang He's prestige reached its peak.

However, beneath the surface calm, undercurrents still surged.

Yang He had a good time with his pacification campaign, but the generals in Shaanxi who had been tricked by him were not so happy.

Hong Chengchou, in particular, was said to be so angry that he was restless and cursing loudly, saying that he was determined to teach Yang He a lesson.

And those peasant soldiers might not necessarily be able to obediently go back to farming.

(End of this chapter)