"Actually, to be honest, I still admire the King of Rebellion. He rose up in the last moments and led his soldiers to fight all directions, killing countless officers and soldiers of the Ming Dynasty, making Chongzhen unable to sleep or eat. However, in this process, he did kill too many people. In addition to those landlords and wealthy businessmen, many of them were ordinary people, and some people with loose military disciplines did a lot of rape and plunder."

Hao Yaoqi shook his head and smiled bitterly: "No matter what, our military discipline is still somewhat different from the elite troops of the Ming Dynasty. Of course, the Ming army that has been corrupt and degenerate is not listed here. Moreover, since Mr. Li Yan surrendered, King Chuang began to change his strategy. Not only did he put forward the slogan of equalizing the fields and exempting grain, but he also opened warehouses and released grain many times, winning the hearts of the people, so our team can grow and grow. However, the recent two attacks on Kaifeng have been setbacks, which will indeed affect the morale of the army."

"But these are not the reasons for me to surrender. The reason why I promised to surrender was mainly because I wanted to save my life to kill the Golden Dog, but I don't want to be the official of Chongzhen. Among these officials in the Ming Dynasty, I admire you more, so I am only willing to surrender to you. If you agree, I will surrender. If you refuse, you will kill and cut you into pieces."

Ma Mingfeng couldn't help but smile bitterly after hearing this. Although Hao Yaoqi's decision was extremely powerful for his Nanming Daye, now with so many people, as long as he agrees, he will definitely cause endless troubles. However, if he doesn't agree, he can only cut off Hao Yaoqi's head, so that his Nanming Daye will lose an important helper.

Ma Mingfeng thought about it and decided to agree to Hao Yaoqi's request. After all, great cause is the most important thing, what are temporary gains, losses, honor and disgrace?

So Ma Mingfeng said to Hao Yaoqi: "I can spare your life, but you can only surrender to me as a private person and be my guard, and you cannot get any official position. This is the price of not surrendering to the emperor. You must consider this clearly. If you agree, we will do this, otherwise I can only cut off your head and repay the emperor."

Hao Yaoqi nodded and said, "I have taken this into consideration after I made my request. I don't care whether Guan'er or not. As long as I can kill the Golden Dog, it doesn't matter even if I am a soldier."

"Since that's the case, I'll spare your life." At this time, Hao Yaoqi's tie-up rope had been untied, and Ma Mingfeng ordered people to find his armor and weapons and get him some food.

After Hao Yaoqi finished eating, Ma Mingfeng said, "I think you still have the same desire to unite against the enemy. I will give you a way out and I can send you home now."

Hao Yaoqi shook his head and said, "The person surnamed Hao doesn't want to go back. I am grateful to you for your life-saving kindness. I am willing to be your personal bodyguard. I just hope that sir will not dislike you."

Ma Mingfeng looked at Hao Yaoqi with a serious face and said, "I think you have the strength to be a bodyguard. You can be competent as a bodyguard, but you have to figure it out that being my personal bodyguard is not an official, there is no salary and military pay, and there is no chance of promotion."

Hao Yaoqi nodded firmly and said, "Hao naturally understood this point. I don't ask for promotion and wealth, but I just want to be able to kill the golden dog in the future to repay the kindness of the unkilling."

"Since that's the case, then I'll make it so. You will follow me in the future and be responsible for protecting my safety. I will give you private remuneration. Although I can't promote you to an official position, the remuneration I will definitely not be less than one hundred households. If you make contributions in the future, your remuneration will definitely rise."

Ma Mingfeng was very happy. No matter what, it was worth celebrating to be able to accept a hero like Hao Yaoqi.

After that, Ma Mingfeng personally wrote a good news to Chongzhen, giving a detailed explanation of the situation of this battle, annihilated more than 20,000 enemies, seized countless food, grass and equipment, captured thousands of enemy soldiers, and at the same time, there were also casualties on his own.

After writing the memorial, Ma Mingfeng ordered people to deliver the victory news to the capital.

Emperor Chongzhen was unable to sleep or eat in order to break into the thief attack, and his mood became extremely irritable. Because a little eunuch accidentally kicked the threshold when he ran in, he was furious and ordered someone to drag the eunuch out and kill him.

At this moment, Zhou Yanru, the chief minister of the cabinet, came to the imperial study room, holding a note in his hand, bowed and said, "Your Majesty, good news, Kaifeng's victory!"

"What?" Chongzhen's eyes suddenly appeared in his eyes as if he had changed, and his whole person immediately seemed to have changed. He said in a trembling voice: "Hurry, let me see."

Then Chongzhen almost snatched the note from Zhou Yanru and couldn't wait to read it.

"I annihilated more than 20,000 enemies, captured thousands of people, and seized a large number of food, grass and weapons. OK, okay, this Ma Luan is indeed capable, it is really good for me to recommend it." Emperor Chongzhen is now radiant and full of joy on his face. The previous sorrow has long been gone.

Zhou Yanru bowed and smiled and said, "This is all your Majesty knows people and responsibilities. What is the merit of me? It's just doing things according to the will of the priest."

Chongzhen was even happier when he heard this. He thought for a while and said, "Sir, go and draw an order. The governor of Henan Ma Luan was in command and made contributions to defeating the enemy. He was appointed as the Minister of War. He was renamed the Governor of Henan, Shaanxi, Huguang, Sichuan and the army in the north and south of the Yangtze River. He ordered him to defeat the thieves..."

At this moment, the eunuch Wang Chengen suddenly hurried in and said, "Your Majesty Tongzheng Department has a memorial from the prefect of Kaifeng Huang Shu, secretly informing the then governor of Henan, Ma Luan, who secretly surrendered the subordinate of the treacherous thief, who had made a bold statement, and only surrendered to him and not surrender to the emperor..."

"What?" Chongzhen's expression changed after hearing this. He took the memorial and read it carefully. He immediately slapped the table and said furiously: "This Ma Luan is really bold and dares to deceive me like this. Zhou Aiqing, I think the decree of the additional title will not be written. Let's change the content. Ma Luan deceives the emperor and hides the traitor in private, and dismisses all positions, and orders the Jinyiwei to imprison him and wait for punishment."

But Zhou Yanru bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I have something to say, I don't know whether to say it or not."

"Tell me." Chongzhen's face was gloomy and remembered that Ma Mingfeng was recommended by Zhou Yanru, so he felt a little unhappy.

Zhou Yanru said, "Your Majesty, although this Ma Luan is abominable, he has accumulated a small amount of achievements after all. The reason why the thieves led the people to retreat was that they had the divine power of His Majesty and the achievements of the soldiers and the people. Ma Luan had just defeated the thieves, and the accumulated power was probably still there. Letting him stay in Kaifeng can also play a role in deterring the thieves. If he was directly imprisoned, he was afraid that the thieves would make a comeback. Although our army was not afraid, the King of Zhou and Prince Fu would also be disturbed by the thieves' army, which was not good-looking after all."

Chongzhen thought for a moment after hearing this, and then said, "Then, according to my dear wishes, what should we do?"

Zhou Yanru said, "It is better to let Ma Luan stay in Kaifeng as his original position and make him atone for his sins. In addition, he can be fined one year for his salary and be charged to the national treasury to show punishment."
Chapter completed!