Late Ming Dynasty: Oops, I am surrounded by the Donglin Party

"It would be such a shame to just kill him. Brother, you don't know, this guy is so bad. He deserves to be tortured to death!"

"Lingchi? Isn't that a bit too cruel?"

"Brother, you can't think like that. Being kind to your enemy is being cruel to yourself."

"You always have so many twisted ideas. I just feel that if you treat surrendered officials like this, who would dare to surrender to the Ming Dynasty in the future?"

"Oh! Brother, you are really, just because of this?

Brother, you are just a poor person with low aspirations. Only when the country is poor and weak will people have such thoughts.

When you are strong enough, why would you care about the thoughts of those surrendered generals?"

"I can't convince you, so you make the decision."

"Hehe, I'm curious too. I've only heard of lingchi in my life, but I've never seen it!"

"I haven't seen it either."

"Then when the time comes, shall we go and watch the execution together?"

"This... I am the Son of Heaven, this is not good, right?"

"Tsk! You can go if you want."

……

Kong Youde felt numb listening to the back and forth conversation between the two.

He looked at Zhang Shikang, then at Emperor Chongzhen. It was a very cold day, and beads of sweat were dripping down his forehead like beans.

"Your Majesty, what does this mean?"

He was really confused. Could it be that what the emperor said just now was a lie?

The emperor’s words are as good as gold, how could he…how could he lie to others?

"Oh, I don't have any other intentions. This... is all the idea of Boss Guanjun. Just ask him."

Emperor Chongzhen was very thin-skinned and he pushed the blame onto Zhang Shikang.

Zhang Shikang didn't care and took the pot proudly.

“Oh, Uncle Ben has no other intentions, he just wants to trick you.

I just didn't expect you to be fooled so easily, but it's no wonder, your Majesty is such a good actor, he is more than qualified to be an actor."

"You...you...you..." Kong Youde was shocked and angry. He pointed at Zhang Shikang with his eyes wide open and could not speak clearly.

"What do you mean? What? Are you dissatisfied? Then tell your subordinates to come and kill me.

Let's see if they can get up."

Zhang Shikang pointed at Kong Youde's subordinates who were tied up like lobsters, his words full of sarcasm.

"Hahahaha!"

All the soldiers in the Beijing camp burst into laughter when they heard this.

"Your Majesty, I surrender to you sincerely. How can you betray me? Who else would dare to surrender to you in the future?

I beg Your Majesty to revoke your order and give me a chance to redeem myself for my crime!"

Kong Youde knew that Zhang Shikang had bad intentions, so in desperation he had to plead with Emperor Chongzhen.

But Emperor Chongzhen looked up at the sky, as if he heard nothing.

“Come on, you are sincere in your loyalty, but you still have the nerve to say it out loud.

Why didn't you tell me when you betrayed the Ming Dynasty and joined your new master?

I have never seen such a shameless person like you!"

He knew about Kong Youde's subsequent deeds. As a guide, Kong Youde led his subordinates to capture cities for the Qing Dynasty and even massacred people at will.

According to historical records alone, no less than one million ordinary people died at the hands of Kong Youde.

They all said to expel the Tartars. You were receiving a salary from the Ming Dynasty, so it would have been fine if you didn't help, but you even helped the barbarians to harm your own compatriots.

Now that he is in trouble, he acts pitifully and begs for forgiveness.

So all the good things are taken by you?

Kong Youde did not argue with Zhang Shikang, but just cried for Liang in the hope of gaining sympathy from the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

"Your Majesty, I do have my reasons.

I am sincere. I know the deployment of the pseudo-Qing border town. As long as Your Majesty gives me a chance to redeem myself, I will tell you everything to help Your Majesty recover the old territory of Liaodong!"

Emperor Chongzhen originally did not intend to pay any attention to Kong Youde, but when he heard about recovering the lost territory, he immediately frowned.

Nothing mattered to him more than regaining lost territory.

He turned his head and glanced at Zhang Shikang, his eyes seemed to want to give Kong Youde a chance.

But he only got a roll of the eyes from Zhang Shikang. Although this brother was eight or nine years older than him and was considered mature in handling state affairs, he was much worse in other aspects.

It is obvious that Kong Youde is using this as a threat. As long as this old man agrees, he will be controlled by this old soldier.

In the future, you will inevitably be asked for bribes. Don’t you want to know the defense situation of the Qing Dynasty? Alas, I am short of soldiers and money!

This kind of shit has happened more than once in my brother's time, and the Guanningjin defense line is in this state right now.

"Tell me everything first and let me hear it, then we can talk about other things." Zhang Shikang said with a smile.

You are far from being as shameless as me!

"You... Zhang Shikang, you are not His Majesty, how dare you speak so nonsense?" Kong Youde said angrily.

He was really a little anxious. After saying so many words, the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty seemed to be deaf. Only this sloppy Zhang Shikang kept jumping up and down.

His conditions were very clear: if he was spared a chance to live, he would tell everything. How could someone be so shameless? He was very sure that if he really told the truth, this shameless person would kill him immediately.

Originally, he didn't want to offend Zhang Shikang too much, but now it was a matter of life and death, so he didn't care about it at all.

His words were extremely vicious. The implication was that if you, Zhang Shikang, dared to make decisions for the emperor, where should the emperor be placed?

You are committing a capital crime!

After he finished speaking, he looked at Emperor Chongzhen. Based on his previous understanding of the Ming Emperor, he knew that the Ming Emperor was suspicious and was particularly concerned about this.

But his mistake was that he did not understand the current situation of the Ming Dynasty at all, or he did not understand the position of Zhang Shikang in the mind of the Ming Emperor.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Chongzhen just looked at Kong Youde coldly, as if he was looking at a dead person.

"Zhang Shikang's words are my words.

Just based on what you said just now, you have the audacity to destroy the trust between me and Marquis Guanjun, and you are already seeking death. "

Kong Youde was completely dumbfounded.

"Kong Youde, you are dead, but I am really worried about your subordinates.

Otherwise, if you really care about their life or death, I will give you the right to deal with them." Zhang Shikang said with a smile.

Kong Youde didn't know what was going on, and looked at Zhang Shikang coldly. Zhang Shikang didn't care at all and continued:

"These subordinates have been with you through thick and thin for many years, and they must have killed many Han people.

Even if His Majesty wants to forgive them, there is no reason. How about this, as long as you die to apologize, His Majesty will show mercy and let your subordinates live, what do you think?"

Zhang Shikang raised his voice, as if deliberately wanting Kong Youde's subordinates to hear it.

Sure enough, as soon as these words were spoken, Kong Youde's subordinates all stared at Kong Youde, and the desire for life in their eyes could not be deceived.

Some soldiers even shouted out, hoping that Kong Youde would help them.

After all, one person dies while all live, so this deal is a good deal.

Everyone thinks so.

At this time, a soldier, at the instruction of Zhang Shikang, threw an exquisite dagger with a sheath in front of Kong Youde.

Kong Youde picked it up in despair. He was struggling internally at this moment. He glanced at the group of subordinates and then at the dagger in his hand.

Zhang Shikang wanted him dead, and even his subordinates wanted him dead.

He regarded the Emperor of Ming Dynasty as a clown, but now it seems that he himself is the clown.

He had been fooled by the king and his minister for a long time, and now he was humiliated and betrayed by his subordinates.

The more Kong Youde thought about it, the angrier he became. Knowing that things were irreversible, his eyes gradually turned crazy.

In a rage, he immediately drew out his dagger.

"I'll kill you, you dog official!"

He glanced at Zhang Shikang, then at the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, as if he was considering who to kill, and also seemed to be threatening and intimidating.

He held the funny wooden handle and stared at others with a fierce look.

But the only thing he didn't look at was his hand holding the knife.

It was a fake knife with only a handle but no blade.

He became more of a clown.

……