After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 987 - 972: Killing the Body, Destroying the Soul
Wang Dao’s heart felt as if it were on fire, and the balance that was already on edge completely tipped over. Upon leaving the Langya Royal Mansion, he went home, dismissed everyone around him, leaving only a trusted aide, and whispered, "Please bring Yuan Li here."
Yuan Li had been grinding his time at Wang Dao’s for several months. If it weren’t for the lady saying that Wang Dao had great talent and reputation and could only be drawn in, he would have killed him long ago.
For King Langya to lose Wang Dao as an advisor was like losing his right arm.
The first time Wang Dao asked to see him, Yuan Li’s heart soared, and he couldn’t help but smile as it seemed being a persuader wasn’t very difficult. Perhaps he could also be a strategist?
The thought flashed by quickly, as Yuan Li was well aware of his limitations. He knew Wang Dao did not like him, and even detested him, so being able to meet him now meant that something had likely happened.
In truth, up until now, Yuan Li never understood why the lady sent him to Jiangnan. He could understand setting up an intelligence network there, but why reach out to Wang Dao?
As Wang Dao was making his choice, the Yingchuan Xun Family was also making theirs.
The Yingchuan Xun Family was a major clan, influential though not as much as the Xiping Zhao Family, they were among the top families. Just within Yingchuan County alone, they had a thousand clan members.
Among the Yingchuan Xun Family scions, Xun Xiu was currently the most formidable. After all, he held command over a large army, with over twenty clan members at his service, some serving as assistant generals, soldiers, and others dealing with clerical and logistical matters.
Besides him, there were 26 Xun Family members serving under the Zhao Group, 12 of whom were in Yingchuan County, with the highest-ranked being a County Magistrate while the least held clerical roles. The remaining were appointed to various places after being selected through recruitment exams.
The Xun Clan Leader was fifty-six years old and received two significant pieces of news in one day. First was the report that Xun Xiu had rebelled in Meng County. The messenger urged the Xun Family to quickly muster troops and eliminate other forces in Yingchuan County to fully control it.
He felt no joy but rather fear and anxiety, inwardly cursing Xun Xiu’s brainlessness. Yingchuan County was insignificant in all of Yu State and was sandwiched in the middle, not to mention its place in the entire Central Plains.
With Zhao Hanzhang’s power being so vast now, on what ground did he have the confidence to think he could rebel?
The Xun Clan Leader felt the crushing pressure and hadn’t thought of a countermeasure when worse news arrived that Zhao Hanzhang’s army had returned to court and quelled Xun Xiu’s rebellion on the same day. Xun Xiu was thrown into prison, and Zhao Hanzhang’s words to Xun Xiu were also relayed.
Besides this, there was a saying, "Whoever sells out the people for power will have their clan exterminated."
The County Magistrate conveying Zhao Hanzhang’s intent cautiously told the Xun Clan Leader: "Aside from this, the commissioner also sent a set of figures. In this rebellion, the Zhao Family Army lost 1,369 soldiers, 23 court officials above the seventh rank, 12 generals, and 69 civilians. There were 3,145 seriously injured and over 4,000 lightly injured..."
He glanced at the Xun Clan Leader and said, "The Xun Family Army lost 1,792 soldiers with 3,298 seriously injured..."
The Xun Clan Leader remained unmoved, but it was as if he had aged ten years, asking, "What does the commissioner plan to do with the Xun Family? He said he would give the Xun Family a chance..."
After a moment of consideration, the County Magistrate said: "The commissioner did not speak directly but she seems exceedingly resentful of Xun Xiu. Wang Han, who incited him to rebel, was beheaded and sent by a messenger to King Langya of Jiangnan."
He said in a low voice: "The Xun Family has many clan members. If truly exterminating a clan, the number of implicated could exceed ten thousand. Innocent ones like the Clan Leader, who knew nothing, are spared because the commissioner is benevolent."
The Xun Clan Leader gave a bitter smile. How was this giving the Xun Family a chance? This was to use the Xun Family as an example to deter others. Big families had many members, so even if they rebel, at most the whole family would be implicated, not the entire clan.
Otherwise, during the Eight Kings’ Rebellion and Gou Xi’s rule, the great families would have been wiped out. In Tiao County, when someone rebelled, Zhao Hanzhang did not exterminate the entire clan, just the Clan Leader and their head of household...
The thought flashed by, and the Xun Clan Leader shivered, finally understanding Zhao Hanzhang’s intent.
The Xun Clan Leader’s posture slumped, as though his spirit was entirely drained.
The County Magistrate saw that he finally grasped a bit of understanding and stood to leave.
The Xun Clan Leader sat alone for a long time, finally standing up with support on his knees.
His little grandson came stumbling in from outside, fell into his arms with a burst of giggles, and mumbled unclearly, "Grandpa, Grandpa..."
As he spoke, drool dripped down.
The Xun Clan Leader wept silently.
He requested the County Magistrate’s help and soon made his decision. The entire clan line of Xun Xiu and over twenty followers were banished, and their families were escorted to Chen County.
Moreover, he prepared himself for death.
Zhao Hanzhang and her forces had already returned to Chen County. Seeing the more than a hundred people escorted over, she slightly smiled and had them all thrown into prison, right next to Xun Xiu.
Upon learning of his clan’s banishment, Xun Xiu was utterly shocked and furious, but even more enraged were his relatives implicated by him. When they saw Xun Xiu, they couldn’t help but hurl curses at him.
Xun Xiu’s rebellion was known to only a few beside him, who in his family knew of this suicidal decision?
Lingchi?
This particular punishment, beyond deterring people, was more about instilling fear and breeding hatred and violence. She preferred killing the heart over the body.
Banishment, in this era, was also a cruel punishment, like slicing into one’s heart.
Xun Xiu’s father was still alive, and upon seeing him in prison, he could not help but shout, cursing him constantly from the cell to the execution ground.
According to the law, Zhao Hanzhang implicated his father, exempting women and children under twelve, while the other male familiars faced harsher penalties than those from Tiao County. She directly reduced them to military slaves.
Unless they achieve great merit, it would be difficult to rid themselves of the convict-tagged status.
These families were all banished, and the news spread throughout the land, surprising nobility first feeling the Xun Clan Leader feared death to the point of yielding and banishing his clan members;
Then their hearts went cold with fear, Zhao Hanzhang was indeed ruthless, killing not just the body but the heart, ensuring Xun Xiu couldn’t rest in peace after death.
Indeed, in contemporary thought, individuals banished posthumously were condemned to be wandering souls, forever without peace.
Xun Xiu understood this, especially after being scolded by his father, and knowing his father had been implicated, he struggled fiercely, shouting, "I want to see the commissioner, I want to see Zhao Hanzhang!"
"Commissioner, madam, I have battle achievements, if no merits then at least efforts, I erred this time and am willing to die, but you cannot force Xun Clan to banish me, you cannot..."
Before he finished, stones and clods of earth were hurled from all directions, with the bystanders cursing loudly, "My brother was harmed to death by you, you shall descend into the eighteenth level of hell after death, banishment is fitting, without ancestral protection in the underworld..."
Everyone joined in with the curses.
