Execution in the afternoon?
Tong Kuang's hands trembled with fear. Before he could ask further, Lu Ming told him directly.
"The Yu and Chu families have already been raided. They defied the court, wreaked havoc in the region, harmed the people, disregarded the law, raised private armies, and plotted rebellion. They deserve to be executed along with their entire families. Part of their property will be managed by you. Didao belongs to me, not them."
This is too domineering! They didn't even bother to greet him before starting to kill!
Shouldn't they at least wait until the other side showed their fangs and declared their defiance before taking action?
This is a massacre right off the bat! Who can withstand this?
"This..." Tong Kuang was unsure how to answer. He considered his options. If he didn't do something, he would definitely be criticized. Rather than that, he might as well try to do something.
A heartless and ruthless person is destined not to be valued.
"I wonder if Your Excellency could spare Chu Kuang's wife? She is my elder sister."
"I know your three families are closely connected." Lu Ming didn't agree, but instead stated a fact with a smile.
"We share the same fate, we share the same hardships. Is Registrar Tong willing to die with them, or would you rather stay and help the Tong family rise to even greater heights?"
Tong Kuang instinctively knelt down, somewhat at a loss for words.
He was a powerful figure in Didao City, but what he encountered today was beyond his comprehension. Firstly, Lu Ming's murderous aura made him unable to think clearly, and secondly, he feared Lu Ming's military power.
"Your Excellency, spare my life! Your Excellency, spare my life!"
"I can promise you, their female relatives will be imprisoned in the Jiaosifang to atone for their sins, their lives will not be in danger. As for the men of their two families, the salt ponds and mines are more suitable for them. Those who commit heinous crimes will be executed by slow slicing at the Meridian Gate!" Lu Ming liked to execute his enemies by slow slicing; only the club could intimidate them. And welfare will make them submit; combining the two is the way to control people.
"Thank you, sir! Thank you, sir! I thank you for sparing my life!" Tong Kuang was truly terrified. His premonition was right; the best way to deal with Lu Ming was not to be his enemy.
This man had extorted all the nobles and powerful families in Chang'an and still managed to survive unscathed—it was unbelievable!
Plus, he commanded tens of thousands of troops, enough to flatten Didao!
If it were just a large army pressing in, they could grit their teeth and hold out.
But Lu Ming's military prowess was renowned; they had no chance against him.
Moreover, Tong Kuang had strongly disagreed with inviting foreign tribes to deal with Lu Ming—that was suicide!
Sure enough, they hadn't even seen him before being captured. Lu Ming's move was sudden, abrupt, and unbelievable. After lunch, Lu Ming, accompanied by a nervous Tong Kuang, arrived at the market.
Meanwhile, Chu Kuang and Yu Ren, imprisoned in the jailer's cart, were covered in filth, their hair disheveled and smeared with excrement and saliva. Countless oppressed people wanted nothing more than to rush up and tear them apart.
Some had simply been bitten by the dogs while passing by, dying of rabies.
Others had been forcibly raped simply because their wives were beautiful, leading to deaths of shame and indignation. With the breadwinner of their families gone, the rest starved to death, or were sold into slavery.
And there were many more people who had suffered annihilation for no reason. Now, fueled by the clamor of the wandering knights, and seeing Chu Kuang and Yu Ren truly imprisoned, their anger erupted!
Tong Kuang looked at the miserable state of the heads of the other two families—brothers-in-law and brothers-in-law—the three families were all interconnected, bound by blood.
Seeing the other party in such a miserable state, he felt a pang of sadness, like a cunning rabbit being killed and a hunting dog being cooked.
Jia Xu, glancing at the scene, immediately sensed the other's emotions and coughed lightly.
"Chief Clerk Tong, now that Didao has been cleansed of its wickedness by Your Excellency, this is a meritorious deed. As long as you strive hard and remain loyal to Your Excellency, wealth and honor will naturally follow. Why dwell on the past?"
This meant, don't think about the past. Things will be better and richer in the future. Stop crying and whining; if you don't seize the opportunity, all your current efforts may be lost.
Tong Kuang immediately suppressed his grief and stood behind Lu Ming.
Watching his two brothers-in-law being carried to the high platform, the executioners began to cut flesh from their bodies with sharp knives.
The people below screamed wildly, venting their inner resentment!
"Prefect Lu is a just and upright official!"
Someone below scurried about, and the other people joined in the chant, "Prefect Lu is a just and upright official!"
"Prefect Lu, restore order to Didao!"
"Prefect Lu, restore order to Didao!"
Looking at the scene of the uproar, Tong Kuang was utterly horrified. The people were foolish and easily manipulated.
But was it really just a matter of instigation that they were able to do this?
Or had they gone too far?
"My lord, the armory, granary, and military camp have all been taken over. Only half of the military camp was burned down. It was a member of the Chu family who scurried about. I am guilty!" Zhou Tai came over and bowed to Lu Ming, his face still bearing charred marks, and his armor stained with the blood of the battle.
"Youping, you've worked hard, what crime have you committed? Strengthen patrols these next few days and wipe out the remaining members of the Chu and Yu families. Registrar Tong, please keep a close eye on this matter." Lu Ming said without turning his head. His presence was seen by his subordinates, who naturally also saw Tong Kuang.
If there were any Chu or Yu family members who had escaped, Tong Kuang certainly wouldn't hate them so much.
The reason is simple: both families had their property confiscated, while the Tong family remained unscathed, even receiving benefits and rewards.
Isn't this blatant betrayal?
The price of betrayal is heavy, and the hatred level is maxed out.
Tong Kuang smiled bitterly, "Yes, sir, I obey."
The beautiful women were imprisoned in the Chu family's mansion. The plaques had been removed; it would henceforth be the Jiaosifang.
Having just recaptured Didao, Lu Ming didn't rush to favor these women.
Instead, he spent two days handling government affairs and inspecting the local areas.
Planning the land reclamation and settlement, and tallying the land and laborers of both families, was a very time-consuming task.
The combined wealth of the two families was almost ten thousand taels of gold, enough for him to squander for eight to ten years!
I never imagined that these two families would be so wealthy!