Inspired by Pei Ju, Yang Ji finally met with brothers Gao Yuan and Gao Jianwu in the official residence of the palace.
The two sides have been fighting a war for such a long time, and this is the first time Gao Yuan saw the great Sui King and God of War who was causing trouble in the Northeast.
What was different from his imagination was that Yang Ji was not only not as big as a bucket, as broad as a lion's nose, and as tall as a black bear, but instead had a tall figure and a handsome appearance, like a jade tree in Ruoyao Forest.
Wearing a beige plain robe and an ordinary belt, he looks simple and unpretentious. The only accessory that can represent the identity of the prince is the purple gold crown on his head; such a minimalist attire makes him look like a graceful and energetic man. The good young master of troubled times, how can he be a murderous god?
It's just that his bright eyes are extremely sharp, giving people a domineering aura that is not angry but powerful. Yang Ji looked at Gao Yuan, who seemed to be an old man in his sixties, but was actually only in his forties. Seeing that he looked uneasy, he smiled and comforted him: "Mr. Liaodong, there is no need to be anxious and restrained. You can position yourself as Liaodong." Duke, and then thought that he performed well in this battle; if your Duke Liaodong had not successfully sent hundreds of thousands of enemy troops to the battlefield, the Sui Dynasty would not have achieved such a good record, so you have to think that you You have the greatest credit, and you have to think that you are the most successful spy in history. If you think about it, you will not be nervous." Wei Jin, Yu Zhongwen, Xue Ju, Wei Yunqi and others couldn't help laughing. Even Pei Ju couldn't help laughing.
Although what Yang Ji said is a fallacy, it is also truth, because Gao Yuan was a Liaodong County Duke enshrined by the Sui Dynasty, and he was also a minister of the Sui Dynasty; if Yang Ji's theory was applied to him, Gao Yuan would Yuan Zhi indeed made great contributions to the Sui Dynasty, and the great hero of this battle should be Gao Yuan, not Yang Ji.
Gao Yuan was so angry that his nose was filled with smoke, and he said angrily: "Yang Ji, you, you, you are simply too much! Scholars can be killed without humiliation. If you want to kill or behead, please do as you please."
"Do you think that if you pretend to be fearless in front of me, I will respect you? That's really a daydream." Yang Ji was not angry, and said sarcastically: "Besides, if you have the courage to brave life and death and serve the country, If you have the courage to commit suicide just like Yuan Ziyou, how could you survive until now? But you don't have it, which is enough to show that you are a person who cherishes his life and is very afraid of death." Gao Yuan's thoughts were revealed mercilessly. I just feel ashamed and speechless.
Just as Yang Ji said, if he really wanted to die, he should have fought with his life and killed himself for the country when he destroyed the city. However, an ant can still live in vain, let alone a king who enjoys glory and wealth from the moment he is born?
Even though he knew that his chances of survival were very slim, he still had a bit of extravagant hope in his heart.
Yang Ji glanced at Gao Yuan and got down to business: "Up to now, your troops and horses have been lost almost completely, and generals such as Yuan Ziyou have either died in battle or become prisoners of our army, so you Goguryeo We no longer have the capital to make an enemy of the Sui Dynasty. As for the few soldiers and horses in the south, due to the loss of you, the king of Goguryeo, and many generals who are good at fighting, they have become a leaderless mob. Their defeat and surrender is only a matter of time. .”
"Now that things have happened, I, the Sui Dynasty, still have two choices for you: First, if you want to maintain the dignity of the king, then on behalf of the Sui Dynasty, I will leave you a whole body and reunite your family in the afterlife. Second, if you want to live the rest of your life in peace, then I, the Sui Dynasty, will not kill you. Not only will your family go to Luoyang to continue to enjoy the glory and wealth, but I will also retain the Goguryeo Kingdom Zuo and support your brother Gao Jianwu to inherit the throne. Except for respecting the Sui Dynasty as the suzerain, coming to Beijing every year to meet the saints, and paying annual tribute, everything is up to you." After hearing Yang Ji's two choices, Gao Yuan and Gao Jianwu immediately looked at each other. Although their brothers were not convinced, , unwilling, but also aware of Goguryeo
"Defeat and surrender are only a matter of time." However, Yang Ji actually said that Goguryeo could retain Zuo, which was really unexpected.
After a long while, Gao Yuan, with a gloomy expression, gritted his teeth and said, "Can you represent the Sui Emperor?"
"As for the ending between you and Goguryeo, we have already expected it. Regarding your ending, I, the Sui Dynasty, have already made sufficient arrangements. I have even built your mansion in Luoyang, waiting for you, the master, to move in. You don't have to worry about me, Da Sui, just tell me your choice at this time." Yang Ji said calmly: "Of course, even if you don't say it, I can see your choice, but we have conditions .”
"Your Majesty, please speak!" Gao Yuan's mask of disguise was cruelly exposed by Yang Ji, and the last bit of pride and dignity in his heart was completely shattered. In addition, the conditions of the Sui Dynasty were not too generous, so at this time he was just trying to survive. Just people.
"There are only three conditions!" Yang Ji said: "First, you must bear all the losses and sins caused by the war, and explain in public that this war was not initiated by me, the Sui Dynasty, but by you, Gao Yuan, who was ambitious and attempted to seize the opportunity in Saint Bei. Attack the Sui Dynasty when you patrol to Liaodong, can you agree to this condition?" Although this condition seems to be trying to cover up the truth, in fact, it was precisely because Gao Yuan continued to gather troops at the border that the war was finally triggered, so It cannot be said that he was unjustly accused. It was only fitting that he should bear the blame.
It's just that the people of Liaodong regarded the Sui Dynasty as an invader and an enemy. If Gao Yuan admits that he is the one who started the war, then the fact that Gao Yuan took the lead in dispatching troops and generals will slowly come to the mind of the people, and Gao Yuan will also become the culprit in the eyes of the people.
Although this move would not make all the hatred in the hearts of the people disappear, it would make them less hostile to the Sui Dynasty now.
Gao Yuan's face became extremely pale. Yang Ji wanted to throw all the blame on him. If he agreed, he would be the biggest enemy of the people of Liaodong. But thinking that he would never have the chance to come back in this life, he He said in a trembling voice: "Your Majesty, I agree to your condition; but I don't know what the other two conditions are?" Gao Yuan's reaction was as expected by Yang Ji, and he went on to say: "The second is that you will lead the civil and military hundred The official knelt down at the south gate of the palace with the national ceremony and begged the Sui Dynasty for forgiveness in public. The third is to admit that the north of the Zhu River has been the land of the Central Plains since ancient times, and the people north of the Zhu River are all Central Plains people. The reason why this land is The reason why it fell into the hands of you Goguryeo and the people were forcibly enslaved by you Goguryeo was because your successive kings of Goguryeo betrayed your trust and seized this land; now the land has returned to its original owner, and the people have recognized their ancestors and returned to their clan." Gao Yuan only felt his eyes darken. Yang Ji's two conditions meant that he could not even surrender the whole country; once he agreed, it would be more humiliating and undignified than surrendering the whole country; but for the Sui Dynasty, it was It takes all the righteousness.
He really wanted not to agree, but in order to survive, Gao Yuan didn't care about dignity and dignity, so he gritted his teeth and agreed.
. . . After intense and orderly arrangements, as well as Gao Yuan's cooperation and persuasion, all the Goguryeo soldiers in Liaodong City surrendered to the Sui Dynasty, and the military camp in front of the palace was turned into a prisoner camp, and more than 100,000 prisoners of war were temporarily detained. The general manager Yu Zhongwen led an army of 20,000 to guard it.
In the early morning of the next day, the Jingyang Bell on the palace gate rang, and the low tone of the bell spread throughout the city. This rhythm of bells would only be rung when a new owner ascends the throne or the old owner dies, and it would ring again at this time. It means something big happened in Goguryeo.
Hundreds of thousands of people and surrendered soldiers in the city were notified and gathered in the Palace Square and on both sides of the main street. The whole city was suddenly filled with people and extremely noisy.
When the morning glow dyed Liaodong City golden yellow, 10,000 Sui army cavalry escorted Yang Ji into the city from the south gate. The waving flags, majestic military posture, and intimidating momentum gradually quieted down both sides of the main street.
Before Yang Ji slowly arrived at the palace, the main gate of the palace opened wide, and hundreds of Goguryeo civil and military officials, led by Gao Yuan, lined up and walked out of the palace.
Gao Yuan, who was in front, was wearing plain clothes, with a box containing a jade seal hanging around his neck, and holding a gold basin filled with earth high in his hands. He came to the middle of the square and knelt in front of Yang Ji. , and the civil and military officials behind him were also wearing plain clothes and knelt down with Gao Yuan.
This very typical surrender ceremony was undoubtedly a great shame and humiliation for Gao Yuan and officials and even Goguryeo. However, in order to survive, they could only beg for mercy in accordance with the requirements of the Sui Dynasty.
Yang Ji, Pei Ju and others were dressed in costumes and slowly urged their horses forward, looking down at Gao Yuan and others.
Gao Yuan prostrated on the ground, knelt for dozens of steps, raised the golden basin with both hands high, and said in a trembling voice: "The sinful minister Gao Yuan did not know the power of God and had evil intentions. He tried to attack the Holy Master when he was patrolling northern Liaodong. , which triggered this war. The guilty minister caused the tragic death of countless innocent soldiers and civilians. The guilty minister now knows his mistake! I specially apologize to King Wei, hoping that the Sui Dynasty will accept the guilty minister and forgive the sins committed by the guilty minister."
The word "criminal minister" was said by Gao Yuan to be particularly difficult and heavy; this is because Yang Ji believed that since he accepted the canonization of the Sui Dynasty, Goguryeo was definitely not an independent country; as for the nature of this war, it also became a matter of pacification by the imperial court. A war of rebellion rather than a national war, so Gao Yuan must call himself
"guilty minister" instead of
"Little King" and the like. This strong sense of shame gave Gao Yuan the pain of a thousand arrows piercing his heart, and his tears fell on the smooth bluestone as he kept kowtowing.
At this moment, Gao Yuan even felt regretful that he would rather die than surrender. Unfortunately, after he agreed to those three conditions, he could not make the decision even if he died.
"The guilty minister did not realize the power of God and had evil intentions. He tried to attack the Holy Master when he was patrolling northern Liaodong, which triggered this war. The guilty minister caused the tragic death of countless innocent soldiers and civilians. The guilty minister now knows his mistake! I specially apologize to King Wei, I hope that the Sui Dynasty will accept the guilty ministers and forgive the sins committed by the guilty ministers."
"The guilty minister did not realize the power of God and had evil intentions. He tried to attack the Holy Master when he was patrolling northern Liaodong, which triggered this war. The guilty minister caused the tragic death of countless innocent soldiers and civilians. The guilty minister now knows his mistake! I specially apologize to King Wei, I hope that the Sui Dynasty will accept the guilty ministers and forgive the sins committed by the guilty ministers."
"..." Behind him, hundreds of Goguryeo civil and military officials and more than a thousand surrendered soldiers followed the script and recited it loudly in Chinese and Fuyu over and over again.
The loud voice resounded over the whole city, and the more than ten thousand stooges mixed in the crowd also showed their value at this time, explaining to the people that the cause of this battle was Gao Yuan's ambition. He was ambitious and had evil intentions. The best evidence was the gathering of hundreds of thousands of troops. As for the consequences, hundreds of thousands of people were killed by Gao Yuan's ambition.
Bewitched by the sitters, the scene suddenly became noisy again. The voices of abusing Gao Yuan and shouting to kill him could not be heard, and they overshadowed the declaration of surrender.
Seeing that the people around him were angry and the effect was great, Yang Ji asked them to continue scolding Gao Yuan. At the same time, he asked several scholars to come forward and take the gold basin and seal ribbon from Gao Yuan's hand one by one.
When Ru Lei's voice gradually became quieter, he said to Gao Yuan: "Gao Yuan, you went against God's will and provoked a war, causing hundreds of thousands of people in Liaodong to die because of your ambition, and causing the people in Liaodong to suffer hardships." The home you built was reduced to ashes, and you deserve to be punished for your crimes. I also want to cut you into pieces. However, your crimes are extremely heinous and heinous, and you are burdened with hundreds of thousands of lives, so I cannot do it without authorization. Kill him; your crime should be determined by the saints."
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness!" After Gao Yuan said this, he seemed to have lost his last bit of strength, and his whole body collapsed to the ground.
Several soldiers who were ready immediately stepped forward and brought Gao Yuan into the palace tied up according to the script to prevent him from being bitten to death by the angry Liaodong soldiers and civilians.
At the same time, a large group of soldiers rushed into the civil and military officials and killed more than 30 people including Gao Huidun, Yuan Taizuo, Yuan Tailang, Li Yong, Yang Wanchun, etc.
War criminals with "heinous crimes" were found, and officials immediately came forward to list their crimes one by one. Yang Ji solemnly said: "Gao Yuan is the chief culprit in this war, but he needs to go to court to face trial, and I can only temporarily spare his life. But it is precisely because he was bewitched and instigated by you traitorous ministers that he did this You launched a rebellion and killed so many innocent people. You are helping the tyrants to persecute the people and harming the people. Your hands are stained with blood and debts. If you don't kill, it will be unjust."
"Immediately take them to the top of the city to behead them, show their heads to the people of Liaodong, and at the same time explain to the people of Liaodong the crimes they have committed." The atmosphere has been heightened to this point. If not, some people would be killed.
When "war criminals" come to quell people's grievances, the people must be feeling suffocated. They must think that the court is shielding criminals, and they will become more hostile and disappointed with the court.
if
If "war criminals" are not punished, then the laws and military laws of the Sui Dynasty will become a protective umbrella for bad people; ultimately, the powerful will step into the path of crime because of the low cost of crime, causing honest people and common people to become disappointed with the court. ; And the moral values and legal system that Yang Jian worked so hard to build will also collapse as a result.
Yang Ji had a clear understanding of this: so he always believed that since criminals committed crimes, they should be severely punished. Otherwise, the Sui Dynasty would become a paradise for bad people and a hell for good people.
"Here!" the soldiers responded with a roar, dragging Gao Huidun, Yuan Taizuo, Yuan Tailang, Li Yong, Yang Wanchun and others away like wolves and tigers. No matter how they cursed and how they begged for mercy, it was all to no avail.
