It was so quiet in the tent that you could hear a pin drop.
Everyone looked shocked, as if they couldn't believe that these words came from Wu Xian's mouth, but the person involved was even more shocked than them.
Veins popped out on the man's forehead, his chest rose and fell with his rapid breathing, and even his eye sockets were filled with bloodshot. He was like a wounded beast that was cornered, and in despair he uttered a shrill whine: "My Lord—"
Wu Xian's body trembled.
Everyone seemed to have just woken up from their dream and began to plead for mercy.
His colleagues who were on good terms with him knelt down with injuries, clasped their fists in tears and said, "My lord, you must not do this!"
His action seemed to turn on a switch.
People came out one after another.
"De Mao is devoted to his master, and he made a mistake for the sake of the lord. If the lord really wants to investigate, please also accuse me of failing to supervise him properly." This time, the person who spoke was a heavyweight. Wu Xian had six brave and courageous warriors under his command, and they were called the "Six Brave Generals". After Zhao Feng left, two others died in this battle, and now there are only three left.
The person who spoke was one of the three.
At the same time, he also has the biggest conflict with Zhao Feng.
The person who killed Zhao Feng's subordinates was his wife's brother.
His brother-in-law was a playboy when he was young, but he only stopped being naughty after he came of age. As his brother-in-law, he was naturally pleased. In addition, the two families had other interests involved, so he also loved his brother-in-law. When they usually got together to drink, they would inevitably speak the truth, and the content was nothing more than some complaints. Among these contents, Zhao Feng, a peasant, occupied a large part.
As time went by, the brother-in-law, who was jealous of Qin Li, also became unhappy with Zhao Feng, the lackey around Qin Li. At first, it was just a little trouble, and Qin Li and his group didn't want to cause trouble, so they ignored it. But when it came to the brother-in-law, he became something Qin Li and his group feared.
Small conflicts gradually accumulated into big conflicts.
The generals all know these things.
But he didn't think anything serious would happen.
Even if someone died, he didn't think it couldn't be settled - he was just a subordinate official from the lower class, a ruffian who couldn't even read. How could Zhao Feng make trouble for such an insignificant little character? At most, after the war was over, he would host a banquet, take his brother-in-law and bring generous gifts to apologize to Zhao Dayi, and the matter would be over.
If that doesn’t work, I’ll just give some of the military pay to them.
Isn't this enough to pay for a life
Unexpectedly, his wife's brother died a violent death.
The general was completely stunned and exploded with anger, cursing Zhao Feng for being a rude man who didn't know what was good for him and was shameless.
In his view, this is no longer a simple contradiction.
This is his open struggle with Zhao Fengming.
The person who died was his brother-in-law! If this matter is lightly exposed, his reputation in Tianhai will be ruined, and his wife's family will not be able to explain it! It happened that the Xu family's granary caught fire, and the supply of food and grass on the front line was difficult, so they could only rely on the Tianhai family to raise funds, including his family.
So he teamed up with his good colleagues to make a big fuss about the matter and forced Wu Xian to punish Zhao Feng. He was very careful. He didn't want Zhao Feng's life, but he wanted Zhao Feng's face to be completely thrown to the ground and trampled! So, Zhao Feng was beaten with a hundred sticks.
While he was happy, he was also a little nervous. Things change over time. What if he loses power one day? Would Zhao Feng repay him double? Would forcing the lord to express his position completely anger him? He and Wu Xian were childhood friends, and he knew Wu Xian's temper very well.
After waiting for a while, everything was calm.
The lord not only failed to appease Zhao Feng, but also alienated them. He rarely saw Qin Li, whom he trusted the most, and was visibly close to Tianhai. He discussed with his colleagues and understood the lord's decision, and he was completely relieved.
Qin Li's faction could never recover.
He took the overall situation into consideration and was prepared to put aside his personal grudges temporarily.
There will be plenty of opportunities to settle accounts with Zhao Feng in the future.
He never expected that someone would cause such a big disaster right under his nose, and now he can only save face and clean up the mess.
The "De Mao" he mentioned is the cousin of his wife's brother.
In terms of blood relationship, I also have some connections with him.
After that, the others followed.
Sixty percent of the people in the account were begging for mercy.
Wu Xian sneered and asked, "You all pleaded for him? Do you know how big a mistake he made? If he were alive, Tianhai's reputation would be completely ruined. Ask yourself, you risked your lives to kill the enemy on the front line, and Jiajuan was killed in the rear because of personal grudges, and in the end there was no explanation at all, are you disheartened?"
They're just a few cheap lives!
The general suppressed the response that was about to come out of his mouth and changed his words.
"My lord, I am willing to take the blame for Demao. In the final analysis, all these things were caused by me..." The general still refused to hand over the man. He looked at Wu Xian with burning eyes and said word by word, "My lord, Demao is young and ignorant, please forgive me."
Wu Xian looked at him calmly, sneering.
"Apologize? Now?"
Haha, it’s too late!
The general said: "Yes, now!"
Seeing that Wu Xian had no intention of giving in, he could only stand firm and speak a little more forcefully. As soon as he finished speaking, cold sweat broke out on his back - he realized that his attitude was wrong, but it was too late to change it.
Once you say something, you can’t take it back.
It’s just that I’ve been too complacent and proud over the years.
Wu Xian didn't get angry but laughed instead, and quickly drew the sword from his waist.
The general was about to burst into tears: "My lord!"
Wu Xian had already stepped forward, but when his half-extended hand met Wu Xian's fierce eyes, he stopped abruptly.
Phew!
As the knife flashed, a head fell to the ground.
Steaming blood splattered half of his body.
Wu Xian sheathed his sword and ordered calmly, "Come here, pack up the things and send them over."
The head on the ground died with its eyes open, never closing.
Everyone fell into a long silence again.
Until Wu Xian's voice, smooth as lard, rolled into his ears: "Gentlemen, I also want to know - why such a big thing happened in Tianhai, but I, as the lord, didn't even get a whiff of it? Where are the provincial government offices? Where are the soldiers stationed in the prefectures and counties? Even - where are the personal guards in my mansion? None! Not a single piece of news has been passed on!"
He chopped the table top and the mat in half with one stroke.
He shouted, "You answer!"
The room was still completely silent!
Wu Xian taunted: "Who took away the vast Tianhai together with the dozens of counties around it? Are you the lord or am I the lord? You are really amazing!"
Everyone was sweating profusely.
Wu Xian said: "I have known most of you since Girls' Generation, and a few of you since we were naked... It has not been easy for everyone along the way. I am willing to tolerate you, but that does not mean I am willing to be fooled by you."
On Relationships—
Many of the people present were either his brother-in-law or his brother-in-law, and their sisters or the same-sex women of the same age were all Wu Xian's concubines. It's not that Wu Xian was really that lustful, but he just used this relationship to make the interests of the two families closer.
For Wu Xian, having a concubine was just another mouth to feed in the backyard, and he could feel more at ease with the servants. For them, accepting a woman was a guarantee from Wu Xian.
From then on, the two families were one family.
This model has benefits, but also drawbacks.
In the past, the advantages outweighed the disadvantages, but now it is different.
The drawbacks made Wu Xian feel a sense of crisis.
He felt his life was threatened!
"That's enough about Gongsu and Dayi. You should also reflect on yourself!" After saying that, Wu Xian left everyone behind. The guards came forward and lifted the body, which was not yet completely cold, onto the wooden board, straightened the head, and covered it with a white cloth.
Soon, silence returned to the tent.
Everyone looked at each other with different expressions, and many people began to wonder in their hearts - would their families be involved as well
"My lord is really angry this time..."
"That being said, the lord kills without mercy... it's a bit too much..." The man swallowed the second half of his complaint, looked around, and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that no one was looking at him, "Isn't this too much?"
Of course, it's not about reflecting on what you have done too much.
They felt that Wu Xian had gone too far.
"… Even if Qin Gongsu and others joined a new master, they had no achievements and no military merits. Even if Lord Shen valued them, he would not turn against the lord for them at this critical moment. The lord was in a hurry to kill people to explain themselves to them, and he was no longer as brave as before…"
Back then, Wu Xian was not afraid of anyone.
Some old people sighed secretly.
Although they also thought that exterminating the whole family was indeed excessive, it was not appropriate to ask the children of the noble family to pay with their lives. It was just a few common people who died. How many common people were affected in ordinary wars? As for the blockade of news from the rear of Tianhai, they really didn't know! They dared to pat their chests and guarantee, and even swear to the sky - they are loyal and have no second thoughts! The lord is worrying too much.
Some people patted their chests and expressed their feelings.
But he didn't notice that someone else had quietly turned away.
Although they had no intention of rebelling, they did not dare to swear an oath. After all, no one can predict the future.
The body was sent away overnight.
However, Qin Li moved overnight, and Wu Xian's guards came up empty-handed, so they could only send the body to Chen Tang. Qin Li and others happened to be there. Qin Li recognized the identity of the leading guard and looked down at what they brought - it looked like a body, but he didn't know who the owner of the body was...
Chen Tang, who was eager to improve Qin Li's favorability, was stunned. He pointed at the white cloth and asked, "... Who is under this?"
The guard personally lifted the white cloth.
A head with eyes not closed was revealed.
There was still a look of fear on the dead man's face.
Chen Tang took a quick look and had no impression: "Who is he?"
The guard saluted Chen Tang, then cupped his fists towards Qin Li and explained, "This man is the leader of the thieves who planned to murder Deputy General Zhao."
Zhao Feng stood up on the spot after hearing this.
He looked at the corpse, then at Qin Li, and gnashed his teeth: "Good fellow, it was actually this bastard who did it!"
"Please tell Mr. Wu that we have accepted it." Compared with Zhao Feng's excitement, Qin Li was much calmer, with no surprise on his face, "Let's put this matter to rest."
The guards clasped their fists and retreated.
Chen Tang squatted beside the corpse and looked at it for a long time.
He clapped his hands and stood up: "Brother Zhaode, you are really courting death."
Zhao Feng and Qin Li both looked at her.
Chen Tang pointed casually: "Do you only trust this person?"
Zhao Feng sighed and said, "It's not easy to give an explanation. If we really investigate further, we can pull out a lot of people..."
All of them have been dealt with, and Wu Xian still doesn't have to worry about anything
Chen Tang put one hand on his waist and pinched his chin with the other hand and asked back: "So, those people who survived the disaster, will they be grateful and thank Brother Zhaode for saving them? I don't think so. They will just blame Brother Zhaode for being too mean and ungrateful..."
In order to quell the trouble, he sacrificed the heads of his subordinates.
Zhao Fengyu choked: "Are you really so ungrateful?"
Chen Tang curled his lips: "I don't know about this, but if I were Brother Zhaode, I would definitely use a comb to sift them from head to toe. Whether they are blocking and concealing or intercepting battle reports, this behavior can be called "betrayal", right? People who have betrayed are like dogs that have bitten people. There are only zero times and countless times of betrayal. Once unfaithful, a hundred times unfaithful!"
Wu Xian is still too soft-hearted.
Or maybe he knew that the Great Purge would cause great damage, and after weighing the pros and cons, he chose the one that would cause less damage.
Chen Tang could understand, but did not agree.
Qin Li did not comment, but just looked at his new master.
"Be unfaithful once, and never use him again?"
"... Uh, who doesn't have a past?" Chen Tang couldn't help but turn his head away, looking around, "The betrayal in the past is called 'meeting the wrong person'. Now that you have turned over a new leaf, changed from evil to good, and abandoned the old to pursue the new... you also need to give people a chance!"
For example, someone who betrayed seven lords seven times.
But it wasn't like she was betrayed.
As a lord, you should have a broad mind to give people a chance to become good people! I believe that Gong Su, who is so wise, will understand.
Qin Li: “…That’s not what I meant.”
Shen Tang said “Oh”.
Zhao Feng: “…”
I have no idea what these two are talking about.
He only cared about what to do with the body.
Chen Tang: "Burn it and scatter the ashes on your brother's grave."
This is a good idea to relieve your anger.
However, Zhao Feng was a simple-minded man. He had buried his brother hastily because he did not know the future of the war and was afraid that he would die and arrange his funeral. Now that the war was won, he should dig his brother out and take his body back to his roots. It would be a waste to scatter the enemy's ashes on the grave of his brother's family.
Zhao Feng told Chen Tang about his plan, and Chen Tang readily agreed.
Although time was tight, Qin Li and others had cleared out their temporary residence. When the busy work was over, the sky began to turn pale.
Qin Li suddenly said, "I'm afraid Mr. Wu won't live long."
Zhao Feng was startled: "Huh?"
Qin Li put away the books: "My lord has also noticed it."
Zhao Feng thought back to what Chen Tang said, and said hesitantly, "Not really, right? Although those people in Tianhai have no sense of propriety and act arrogantly... but they would not kill their master..."
"It was true before, but not necessarily now. Mr. Wu's momentary weakness will only sow greater hidden dangers... Maybe he is also gambling."
If a purge really takes place, Wu Xian will lose half his life. The Wu family has its roots in Tianhai, and its relationship with other families is complicated. To attack these people is like stabbing himself with a knife... Even if he has the courage, he will kill one thousand enemies and lose eight hundred of his own. He has no choice.
Zhao Feng was silent for a while: "Even if it's true... Well, it has nothing to do with us, don't think about it."
Wu Zhaode is no longer the lord.
I feel a little melancholy in my heart, but no heart-wrenching pain.
Zhao Feng was about to retreat when Chen Tang's personal guard came over. It was an acquaintance - Xu Quan, who was holding a wooden box.
Qin Li asked: "Does the lord have any instructions?"
Xu Quan smiled and said, "It's a reward from the lord."
I don't know what's inside. The box is not big but it's quite heavy.