Liu Cheng took Zhao Yongshen northward, and after only one day of crossing the river, he was discovered by the patrolling Yong army.
Then they were controlled, then disarmed, and continued to march to Rongcheng under the escort of Yong's army.
Two days later, Liu Cheng and his party arrived in Rongcheng.
What he saw and heard in the past two days allowed Liu Cheng to see the power of Yong's army and understand Yang Hongwen's painstaking efforts to change his ways.
After entering the city gate, Liu Cheng couldn't help but sigh: "Brothers, if we don't surrender, I'm afraid we won't survive the next month just as Master Du Shi said!"
Hearing this, all the soldiers nodded.
"Stop talking nonsense, others are waiting outside, you and the rebels enter the city!"
The person who said this was a commander-in-chief, who led thirty of his men and escorted more than a hundred of Liu Cheng's men to Rongcheng.
Faced with the general's scolding, Liu Cheng's expression did not change at all, and he immediately replied: "Okay!"
Then Liu Cheng asked the others to stay. He took Zhao Yongshen with him and followed the general banner into the city.
Entering the city and looking at the people walking on the street, Liu Cheng thought for a while that he had seen it wrong.
Is this what it should be like after a war?
Seeing Liu Cheng's surprise, the general bannerman next to him said: "Today we beheaded the thieves and allowed the people to watch, so there were more people on the street!"
"Behead the thief?" Liu Cheng looked confused.
"Li Jinzhong, the commander-in-chief of Shu County, plus senior civil and military officials from the other two counties, there are about thirty people. Do you want to go and see them?"
Li Jinzhong and other high-ranking officials were going to be beheaded. When Liu Cheng heard the news, he felt a chill on his back, and at the same time he felt a sense of sadness.
"There are still important things to do right now, so let's go see your general first!"
After hearing this, the commander-in-chief did not force anything, so he took Liu Cheng and the two of them on their way.
But when they arrived at the Yamen, they learned that several commanders were at the execution ground, so they could only wait peacefully.
To the east of Rongcheng, in a large open space, there is a temporary platform in the middle, and people are crowded around the platform.
Among these people, all the people on the outside are the common people in the city, and the inside are the dignitaries in the city who have not been implicated, as well as the middle and lower-level officials who have surrendered.
There were about forty people kneeling on the stage. These people were in ragged clothes. They had obviously been caught and tortured.
On the north side of the high platform, there are three chairs, which are prepared for the three commanders.
Everyone kept talking and talking until the sound of drums sounded and the scene became quiet.
Immediately, a large number of soldiers arrived. They escorted the three commanders and drove away the crowd blocking the way.
When they arrived at the execution ground, the three of them got off their horses and walked to the stage.
Wang Baozhen followed the three of them. At this moment, he was holding a document in his hand and his face looked particularly stern.
After Chen Yu and the three of them sat down, they signaled to Wang Baozhen to start.
So Wang Baozhen walked forward and opened the document in his hand under the gaze of everyone.
"Quiet, quiet..."
Under the scolding of the soldiers, the scene became completely quiet.
"The Regent's decree..."
"Li Jinzhong and other forty-three people gathered together to plot a rebellion. The crime should be punished and beheaded immediately. His family members..."
Wang Baozhen read loudly, and the people below were only surprised to hear it, or they felt relieved. After all, people like Li Jinzhong had harmed many people.
The dignitaries near the front row felt panic and fear, and they were also afraid of ending up like this.
Soon after the edict was read, Wang Baozhen put away the document, then turned and stepped aside.
After he turned around, he met Li Jinzhong's eyes, one with despair and the other with helplessness.
At this time, Chen Yuhe's voice came from the high platform: "Execution!"
The prisoners were extremely frightened at the moment, but they were tied tightly and their hands and feet were tied, so they couldn't do anything.
The soldiers began to execute, and heads were chopped off one after another. The onlookers at the scene screamed again and again.
"Sir, there is a report from the Yamen, saying that people from Lingbei Dusi are asking for a meeting, saying that they have captured Prince Ning alive and presented him to him!"
Upon hearing the report, Chen Yu and the other three people were attracted to their attention.
"Prince Ning? Is this serious?"
Just as Chen Yuhe finished talking about the flowers, Ding Hong interjected: "It doesn't matter if it's true or not, just go over and have a look first!"
Zheng Fan then said: "That's very good!"
Although Chen Yuhe also thought so, he said: "There is no rush for a while, it is better to finish cutting before leaving!"
The other two looked at each other and said nothing more.
The execution was soon completed, and Chen Yu and the other three people left immediately, followed by someone to clean up the mess.
Soon, the three of them returned to the Yamen and met Liu Cheng in the lobby.
In the lobby, Chen Yu and the three of them were at the top, watching Liu Cheng cautiously enter the door.
"I've met several generals!" Liu Cheng was very polite.
Now that he wants to ask for help from others, he naturally knows how to lower his posture. Face and other things are never important.
"Who are you?" Chen Yuhe asked.
"Liu Cheng, the commander of the capital in the north of Xialing, was ordered by Yang Hongwen, the commander of the capital, to capture King Ning, who had caused rebellion, and sent him to His Highness King Yong for punishment!"
After hearing this, Chen Yuhe asked again: "I remember that your Lingbei Dusi rebelled with King Ning. How did you capture King Ning again?"
"It means you have made another mistake against Prince Ning?"
It can be said that Chen Yuhe's words did not save any face for Lingbei Dusi.
Although what the other party said was the truth, how could Liu Cheng admit it at this moment.
"The general is joking. I, the Commander-in-Chief of Lingbei, am loyal to the imperial court. How can I join forces with Prince Ning?"
"Now that His Highness King Yong is in charge of the imperial court, I, the Commander-in-Chief of Lingbei, regard myself as His Highness King Yong's loyal dog. If King Ning disrespects His Highness... of course we will take him!"
After hearing these words, Chen Yu and the three of them all laughed.
Slipping away his smile, Chen Yuhe said with a stern look: "Whether you are loyal or a traitor doesn't matter, it doesn't matter what we say, and it doesn't matter if you say it!"
"Everything...the prince makes his own decision!"
These words made Liu Cheng panic. He thought that by offering him to Prince Ning, he would be safe, but he didn't know that the Yong army didn't look down on him at all.
But thinking about it carefully, Liu Cheng also understood why this was the case.
Yong's army is powerful, but the five southern counties are considered weak and scum by others, and it is normal to look down upon them.
"I also asked several generals to report to the prince. Not only our Lingbei capital, but also the two capitals in Jiangxi and Nanhai are also under the orders of the prince. They are willing to wipe out the disobedient people for the prince!"
Seeing that Liu Cheng wanted to say more, Chen Yuhe said: "I understand, go down!"
So Liu Cheng could only stop, turned around and left the hall.
"Bring Prince Ning up!"
After giving this order, Chen Yuhe said to the two people on the left and right: "I estimate that if this news is spread back, Xu Hong and the others may be angry to death!"
Xu Hong and several other guard posts have been working hard since they were upgraded, hoping to fight to the south to earn military merit.
But if the South is automatically pacified, they will have no use for it, so it is normal to be unhappy.
Ding Hong spread his hands and said helplessly: "What can we do? We can't kill them even if they surrender!"
While the three of them were chatting, the strapped-up Prince Ning was brought in.
After two days of thinking, Zhao Yongshen had figured out a way to survive. He would put the blame on the gentry.
He was forced to rebel, he was innocent, and he was willing to surrender to Zhao Yanxun...
Zhao Yongshen thought of the perfect words, but Chen Yu and the others didn't ask him at all. His mouth was gagged from beginning to end, and he didn't even have a chance to speak.
The three people commented on him, confirmed that he was Queen Ning, and had him taken away.
This move made Zhao Yongshen extremely angry. Nothing went smoothly for him in the past few days.
Of course, while feeling angry, Zhao Yongshen's hope disappeared, and he fell into fear and despair again.
