1627 Rise of the South China Sea

Chapter 3911

Zhao Mingyu was certainly not willing to surrender, but with Ding Baoguo dead, the city's garrison lost its greatest leader. Although Zhao Mingyu held a high official position, he was ultimately a civil official and could not replace Ding Baoguo in commanding the remaining Ming troops in the city.

Although he had long been determined to fight to the death for his country, he also understood that the two armies were vastly different in strength. If the fighting continued, the only result would be that all the Ming soldiers in the city would be buried with him, and he still could not stop the Haihan army from capturing Nanchang.

So when the time came, Zhao Mingyu backed down. But when he met Shi Chengwu and Ha Jianyi, he tried his best to appear calm and composed, not wanting them to look down on him.

"Lord Zhao, when we were negotiating in Zhao Family Village, I advised you to give up resistance as soon as possible, which would have been better for everyone, but you just wouldn't listen. All the dead and wounded in Nanchang, all the damaged buildings, and all the civilians who were dragged into the war for no reason—all of this could have been avoided. I wonder if you regret your decision now that you see the situation before you?"

Upon hearing Shi Chengwu's question, Zhao Mingyu replied with a wry smile, "As a Ming official, it is my duty to serve the court and organize the Ming army to protect the country. How could I surrender without a fight?"

Shi Chengwu said, "As the saying goes, those who understand the times are heroes. Lord Zhao is not unaware of the disparity in military strength between the two countries. Our army deliberately fought all over Jiangxi before coming to take over Nanchang City, hoping that you could foresee the outcome and thus avoid unnecessary fighting. Unfortunately, you officials are still stubborn and do not know the pain until you hit a brick wall!"

"You could have left Nanchang in glory and lived out the rest of your lives in comfort, but after this battle, you'll only be treated as prisoners of war. What's the point of all this!"

Zhao Mingyu said, "Now that we have been defeated, I will submit to any punishment I may receive, and I will have no regrets even if I die!"

Ha Jianyi sneered, "Lord Zhao, a die-hard like you with such a resolute attitude will still face a severe sentence even if you surrender. But you must have been a decent person before, and many people have vouched for you and pleaded for leniency, hoping we could spare your punishment. Take a look for yourself!"

After saying that, Ha Jianyi threw a stack of letters in front of Zhao Mingyu.

Suspicious, Zhao Mingyu picked up the letters and examined them one by one. He discovered they were written by Yue Shizong, the former Ming Dynasty ambassador to Hangzhou, and Lu Congshan, the prefect of Jiujiang, among others. Most of the letters pleaded for Zhao Mingyu's life, praising him as a compassionate and honest official who could get things done, and saying he had a very good reputation in Jiangxi. They hoped that after the Haihan Army captured Nanchang, they would treat him well and not sentence him to excessive punishment.

Although Zhao Mingyu looked down on these traitorous disciples and subordinates, the fact that they spoke up for him still moved him somewhat. It at least showed that he wasn't a complete failure as a person; even at the brink of life and death, so many younger officials still remembered his kindness.

If one can live a good life, who would willingly give up their own life?
Zhao Mingyu's thoughts unconsciously surfaced on his face, and the previous resoluteness was slowly diluted by the mist rising in his eyes.

Shi Chengwu said, "Lord Zhao, even if many people plead for you, I warned you long before the war started in Nanchang that once the war began, all the officials in the city would be war criminals and would be purged after the war."

Zhao Mingyu nodded and said, "I am aware of my guilt and do not wish to live, but I hope that the two generals can leave a way out for the garrison in the city and not to exterminate the surrendered soldiers."

Shi Chengwu said, "Those who give up resistance still have a chance to live, but those who stubbornly resist at this point are doomed! Lord Zhao, since you are determined to find a way out for the remaining Ming soldiers in the city, I can offer you an opportunity to persuade them to surrender. If you can accomplish this task well, not only will they live, but you will also receive a lighter sentence." Seeing that Zhao Mingyu was still hesitating, Shi Chengwu continued to persuade him, "If Lord Zhao can use this opportunity to save hundreds or thousands of lives, that would be a great merit, wouldn't it be more valuable than choosing to die for your country?"

Ha Jianyi also advised, "Right now, the chances of survival for these people in Nanchang City do not lie in the hands of the Ming Dynasty, but in the hands of Lord Zhao!"

Whether for his own sake or to find a way to survive for the soldiers and civilians in the city, Zhao Mingyu finally agreed to Shi Chengwu's arrangement and went to persuade the remaining Ming troops in the city to surrender.

Having a high-ranking official like Zhao Mingyu willing to cooperate in persuading the Ming army to surrender would naturally save the Haihan army a lot of trouble. However, the situation in Nanchang was chaotic, and it was hard to guarantee that there wouldn't be any unscrupulous individuals who might not be happy to see Zhao Mingyu arrange such a way out for the remaining Ming troops.

Shi Chengwu did not want Zhao Mingyu to have any safety issues, so he specially dispatched a team of his personal guards, plus an infantry company, to provide close protection for Zhao Mingyu's journey in the city.

There are three facts that Zhao Mingyu needs to publicize to the remaining Ming troops in the city. First, Commander Ding Baoguo has been killed in battle, and the Ming army in the city has lost its main command center. Second, the main government institutions in the city, such as the Three Offices, have all fallen, and a group of officials, represented by Zhao Mingyu himself, have become prisoners of the Haihan army. Third, the Haihan army has occupied all the city gates, and the Ming troops in the city have basically no chance of breaking out or escaping. Only by surrendering can they save their lives.

Based on these three facts, the demands made by the Haihan Army were that all people in the city give up resistance, surrender unconditionally, and that Ming soldiers and government officials would receive due protection and would not be sentenced to death.

Those who continue to resist will be subjected to a brutal crackdown, with no regard for life or death, and may even lose the opportunity to surrender.

If the Haihan Army were to conduct such persuasion, the effect might not be ideal. The Ming troops still holding out in the city might think it was just false propaganda to demoralize the army.

However, having Zhao Mingyu promote the message has a completely different effect. As the highest-ranking official in Nanchang City with the greatest authority, his words carry more weight.

When the remaining Ming troops in the city realized that resistance was futile and that they could not escape Nanchang safely, their will to continue fighting and resisting was inevitably weakened, and surrender became the rational choice.

Wherever Zhao Mingyu went, he achieved remarkable results in a very short time. Hundreds and thousands of Ming soldiers emerged from their hiding places and surrendered to the Haihan Army.

Shi Chengwu was finally relieved and sent a telegram back to Hangzhou, reporting on the current progress.

From then on, apart from Yuanzhou Prefecture, which bordered Huguang Province to the west, and a few other areas outside the jurisdiction of Haihan, all other prefectures and important towns, including Nanchang City, had been captured by Haihan's army.