Chapter 339

He had gone to Yi Hong Lou back then as well.

And he was sitting in the private box next to Su Qiao.

Only, when Liu Rushi came out then, she wore a veil that covered most of her face.

Now, at Su Fu, Liu Rushi was not wearing a veil.

Seeing Liu Rushi's breathtaking beauty, Zhu Youjian smiled and said to Su Qiao, "In youth, one admires the green; Su Qing, you now hide a beauty in your house."

Upon hearing this, Liu Rushi's face instantly turned a deep, deep pink.

Su Qiao quickly explained, "Your Majesty, the great lady Liu is merely helping me; I harbor no thoughts of sacrilege."

"Hehe, Su Qing, no need to explain; I understand it all. I too passed through that time. By the way, has her redemption been paid?"

Su Qiao's jaw twitched; this old Zhu family all loved to meddle in others' affairs.

Moreover, they were gossips; his own reputation was fine.

But Liu Rushi's reputation might be ruined.

Thinking of the theories like "extinguish human desires" propagated by Zhu Xi, he wondered how many Great Ming commoners they had poisoned.

Su Qiao also worried that Liu Rushi, in shame and anger, might hang herself.

However!

He turned his head and saw that Liu Rushi's appearance was very strange.

Her brows were lowered, her face like peach blossoms and plums, her Bai Xi neck all the way to her jade-like earlobes, a sea of pink...

This...

Something was wrong!

"Enough; the great lady Liu's slave status still exists at Yi Hong Lou. I will have Great Companion handle this matter for you; consider it a reward for your loyal subject sharing the state's burdens!"

Zhu Youjian thought he understood, having rarely discovered Su Qiao had feelings for someone.

It was just convenient for winning over Su Qiao.

Su Qiao was not from this side; in the future, he was destined to return to Great-Grandfather Zhu Yuanzhang.

At that time, if he passed along some good words, then he would not have to live in constant fear within the group chat.

Winning over those around him; he was familiar with this method!

"Your Majesty, rest assured!"

Wang Chengen accepted the order.

"This slave thanks Your Majesty for your great grace!"

Tears of gratitude filled Liu Rushi's eyes as she knelt and bowed to the ground.

She had finally escaped the sea of bitterness!

"Hmm, Chengen, take the items; I am returning to the palace."

Zhu Youjian could not stay out of the imperial palace for too long; otherwise, if the Grand Councilors had matters and could not find him, it would be bad.

The Datong-Xuanfu front.

Dorgon's hair was disheveled, half of it streaked with white, and he held a brocade box in his arms.

Inside lay the very head of Huang Taiji.

Ever since Huang Taiji's head was severed, he had not parted with it for a single inch.

Even when eating or sleeping, he held it in his embrace.

The Jurchen Tatars, high and low, with half of the Eight Banners taking the elderly, weak, women, and children either northward or hiding deep within the old forests of Mount Zhangbai.

The remaining portion, along with the Han commoners they had previously enslaved, all formed a single long dragon, marching south from Liaodong.

The Han commoners received the best treatment; aside from a small number of true Han traitors, the rest had been forcibly taken away.

Therefore, whether the military and civilians of Liaodong or the Han commoners encountered along the way, all were very kind to them.

Conversely, the true Jurchen Tatars and the Han traitor bannermen were different.

The Eight Banner youths, once high-spirited and arrogant, now each had faces like death ash.

They even worried about their future fate!

They knew clearly in their hearts how many they had slaughtered and how much they had plundered.

Presumably, all the military and civilians of the Great Ming, high and low, wished nothing more than to slaughter them.

At this moment, their only hope was the head of Huang Taiji in Dorgon's arms.

They hoped this weighty head would move the Great Ming Emperor to mercy and spare them, these small figures.

Originally, Hong Hong Chengchou had intended to treat Dorgon with special favor.

After all, he was a Prince of relatively high status.

Huang Taiji's younger brother.

And an envoy who had come voluntarily to beg for surrender.

But under Su Qiao's persuasion, Zhu Youjian issued a single verbal decree, immediately making Dorgon and those Jianzhou Jurchens the same.

The only difference was that he stayed in a separate tent; as for eating and drinking, he was the same as the Jianzhou Jurchens.

All of it was thin porridge; forget about any wine or meat!

Fortunately, they were soon reaching the capital; currently, the capital was much warmer than Liaodong.

So there was no worry that this group would freeze to death.

"Brother Emperor, I, your younger brother, estimate I will soon accompany you; may the Eternal Heaven protect us, and may our descendants continue!"

The closer they got to Jingcheng, the more Dorgon felt the intensity of death.

He was not stupid!

Though his prestige and strategic vision might be slightly inferior to Huang Taiji's.

Yet his strategic depth within his chest was in no way inferior.

Had the Great Ming truly still clung to the posture of a Celestial Empire as before, this group of those who voluntarily begged for surrender would not be receiving such treatment now.

Not only would it not be like this, but they would foolishly be served with fine wine and good meat.

What is it like now?

How long has it been? In such a short time, the Great Ming has suddenly changed!

Dorgon currently holds no hope for survival at all.

His only thought now is to fulfill Huang Taiji's dying wish.

To delay a little longer, so that the remaining people can flee even farther.

However, what Dorgon did not know was.

Whether it was Zhu Youjian or Su Qiao, what they both wanted was to cut the Jurchen Tatars down by the roots.

On the second day after they left Liaodong, the "Order to Kill the Hu" issued by the court appeared.

Originally, the folk customs of Liaodong were fierce, and on top of that, the Jianzhou Jurchens had bullied them for decades.

Before, the Jianzhou Jurchens were powerful, and their own strength was weak, so they could not fight back.

Now that the Jianzhou Jurchens have surrendered, those remaining are old, sick, and disabled; with the rewards of the "Order to Kill the Hu" attracting them and hatred sustaining them.

Whether in Datong, Xuanfu, or various places in Liaodong, all the wandering knights gathered in Liaodong, pursuing the remnants of the Jurchen Tatars into the deep mountains and dense forests.

...... 0 0

The Jurchen Tatars, facing the army, might hide in the deep mountains and dense forests, relying on some skills to escape.

But being tracked by so many wandering knights, it would not be easy to hide.

Many of these wandering knights possessed a unique skill; some had outstanding Archery skill, others were skilled in tracking.

Who doesn't have two friends?

Three or three in a group, hunting together and sharing the silver rewards, all entered the deep mountains and dense forests.

Even some greedy merchants could not help but begin to hire the martial artists under them to go search as well.

One hundred taels of silver for the head of a pure Eight Banners Tatar, five hundred for a small leader, one thousand for a big leader...

The higher the status and rank, the higher the silver reward given.

As for the old, weak, sick, and disabled, one head could also be exchanged for ten taels of silver.

This silver reward comes from the Inner Treasury; whoever dares to embezzle it will have their head chopped off.

Haven't you seen what the court has been purged into?

Now, who still dares to reach out recklessly?

The government's silver rewards were full in amount and quantity; after some tried it and found it was real, everyone immediately swarmed in.