No matter how these Bing Merchants cried out for their parents, Liu Cheng’en strode out of the barracks and came to Cui Xiawu.

“General Cui, fortunately, the mission was accomplished; these rebels’ letters have all been obtained.”

“Using these letters, we can deceive the rebels to open their gates, thus capturing their Dock Fortress and mansion bloodlessly.”

Liu Cheng’en excitedly handed this stack of letters to Cui Xiawu, who received them with both hands.

“Rest assured, Eunuch Liu, our men are already stationed outside the Eight Great Merchants’ mansions. I will send carrier pigeons immediately to initiate action!”

“Bingzhou is initially a frontier, and these Bing Merchants built their mansions with high walls for self-defense, some even constructing Dock Fortresses.”

“If we enter rashly, we will certainly face resistance; though we have firearms, we fear harming others.”

“If we can deceive them into opening the Dock Fortress gates, that would be best.”

Liu Cheng’en took a deep breath and said, “Let’s act. We must keep a watch on this group and ensure they don’t react.”

“As for the Wang Family, it’s up to you, General Cui.”

“Understood!”

Cui Xiawu mounted his horse and quickly led his personal soldiers out.

Simultaneously, over a dozen carrier pigeons soared into the sky, flying in different directions.

Half a day later, Cui Xiawu led his troops to the gate of the Prince’s Mansion.

He didn’t rush in but waited outside intentionally, having his men calculate the timing.

He wanted to synchronize with other counties’ new recruits and the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Once daylight broke, he promptly led the new recruits and Embroidered Uniform Guard to the Prince’s Mansion.

“Bang, bang, bang! Open the door! Hurry up!”

Cui Xiawu looked up at the enormous Prince’s Mansion, feeling somewhat surprised.

The Datong Wang Family, with a legacy of over three hundred years, had risen in Bingzhou and Youzhou, and the entire Prince’s Mansion was built like the Imperial Palace.

The external walls alone stood one zhang high, entirely constructed from thick bluestones, and the walls were three steps thick, sufficient for three people to walk side by side.

The buildings stretched over a thousand rooms, inhabited entirely by Wang Family members, servants, and attendants.

The Prince’s Mansion alone occupied a third of the Datong County City.

It can be said that the Wang Family was the heavens of the entire Datong County!

“Who are you? Why are you knocking like that? Don’t you know this is the Prince’s Mansion!”

“Creak,” the door was opened, and a servant stuck his head out, immediately spotting a fully armed military force.

Before he could react, the leading Embroidered Uniform Guard kicked him, sending both the door and him flying.

The remaining Embroidered Uniform Guards and New Army troops filed in.

Meanwhile, in Qii County, Taigu County, Quanyang County, and other places, commanders of the new recruits and Embroidered Uniform Guards received carrier pigeon messages, instantly instructing their soldiers to smash doors.

Attacking at dawn and within the city, they were officials; no one could have expected them to act so decisively.

Therefore, almost all the major courtyards of the Eight Great Bing Merchants were deceived and intruded upon.

“Ah!”

“Who are you!”

“Help!”

“Someone come quickly! The rebel soldiers are here! Rebel soldiers have broken in…!”

Accompanied by the servants’ cries, groups of servants and guards rushed out from the courtyard, confronting Cui Xiawu’s soldiers.

But they had already lost the initiative, as the new recruits had ascended the walls and were driving the servants and guards down.

“Who are you to dare break into my Wang Family!”

A middle-aged man dressed in brocade walked over, exuding power without anger, glaring at Cui Xiawu and his men.

Cui Xiawu retorted, “Who are you?”

“Wang Ben!”

“Wang Ben? The sixth son of Wang Zhonghe, right? Always idle and aimless, so you weren’t invited to Liu Cheng’en’s birthday banquet last night.”

“What did you say?!”

Wang Ben’s face changed immediately, but seeing the surrounding troops of Cui Xiawu, he swallowed his anger.

“Exactly who are you, and what do you want from my Wang Family!”

Last night’s banquet for Liu Cheng’en’s fiftieth birthday had invited almost all prominent figures from Bingzhou.

Heads, young masters, and heirs of the Eight Great Merchants who managed affairs were all there.

Now, however, they were trapped in the barracks.

In the large courtyards and Dock Fortresses of the Eight Great Merchants, there was no one to take charge, faced with the wolf-like Embroidered Uniform Guard and New Army; no one came forward to manage the situation.

“Very simple!”

Cui Xiawu presented a letter, saying, “This is a letter from your Wang Family Ancestor Wang Zhonghe, the Eight Great Bing Merchants’ secret collusion with Wu Country has already been exposed.”

“But Duke Cheng’en, considering your past contributions to the country, uses Punishment Field to replace your crimes. The Wang Family must be fined one million four hundred thousand mu of land!”

“What?!”

All those present were stunned.

What situation is this?

The Wang Family secretly colluding with an enemy country?

Eunuch Liu substituting punishment with land?

One million four hundred thousand mu!

That’s one million four hundred thousand mu!

It occupies more than half of the Wang Family’s current land.

If handed over, then the entire Prince’s Mansion is doomed!

“Act!”

Behind them, the Embroidered Uniform Guard and new recruits stepped forward. Wang Ben instinctively said, “Stop! How do I know what you’re saying is true or false, I want to see the County Magistrate…”

“See my foot!”

Cui Xiawu kicked Wang Ben down, signaling his men to tie him up.

Soon, numerous Embroidered Uniform Guards and new recruits moved into the mansion, gathering everyone in the main hall.

“All Prince’s Mansion people, listen! The Wang Family’s secret collusion with Wu Country has been exposed. This case only arrests Wang Family members; all servants and maids must not run around!”

“All Prince’s Mansion people, listen! The Wang Family’s secret collusion with Wu Country has been exposed. This case only arrests Wang Family members; all servants and maids must not run around!”

Groups of soldiers charged in, quickly taking control of the entire Prince’s Mansion.

One after another, legitimate children, young masters, and ladies of the Wang Family were all gathered in the center of the courtyard.

Meanwhile, other servants and maids were terrified, with many running around chaotically and being directly killed by the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Most servants and maids, in fear, squatted on the ground continuously pleading for mercy.

At this moment, a commotion erupted from the left side of the courtyard, accompanied by the sounds of fighting and weapons clashing.

Someone was resisting!

Wang Ben, who was crouching on the ground, stood up excitedly: “My Prince’s Mansion has employed retainers for 300 years, naturally, there are martial artists as protectors.”

“Guard Liang! Quickly kill these people… Bang!”

“Ah!”

Before Wang Ben could finish speaking, an elbow from a nearby Embroidered Uniform Guard hit him so hard that he saw stars.

Cui Xiawu also looked towards the direction of the commotion, and as expected, more than one hundred tall and strong guards charged in wielding long knives.

Seeing their master Wang Ben and others trapped, they roared furiously and rushed towards Cui Xiawu and his party.

Among these people, most were martial artist guards recruited by the Wang Family.

The rest were martial artists trained by the Wang Family themselves.

“Release Fourth Master!”

“Get the corrupt officials out of the Prince’s Mansion!”

Amidst the angry shouts, Cui Xiawu slightly raised his hand, and the Embroidered Uniform Guards who were initially blocking the guards swiftly retreated.

The leading middle-aged man’s eyes lit up, thinking that these official troops were afraid, and he roared angrily with even more speed.

At this moment, a series of crisp ‘bang bang bang’ sounds like popping beans rang out.

“Bang!”

“Bang bang!”

The leading man’s forehead, heart, and chest instantly had several bloody holes, and his massive body, driven by inertia, charged several meters further forward.

Only then did he fall heavily to the ground, lifeless.

The other retainers and martial artists met the same fate.

Just in the first round of gunfire, more than twenty martial artists lay in pools of blood.

“Hidden weapons!”

“Run quickly!”

“The wind is tight, pull up anchor!”

The remaining martial artists were so frightened that their spirits were greatly shaken. They hastily performed their lightweight techniques, attempting to flee.

But unfortunately, the second round of gunfire was already upon them.

Some were still in mid-air when they were shot down by the New Army’s bullets, crashing to the ground, wailing in pain.

In just ten breaths’ time, all the hundred-odd guardian martial artists lay on the ground.

Dead, wounded, a miserable sight.

This scene directly shocked the whole Wang Family senseless.

Some timid female members of the family also burst into tears, heartbroken.

They couldn’t understand why the guards, who were usually so formidable before them, were so easily shot by this group of officials.

They also couldn’t understand why their Wang Family faced such a calamity?

To their knowledge, the nobility of the Wang Family’s descendants was such that even when His Majesty took concubines, he would seek the Wang Family’s opinion rather than forcefully take them.

For even first and second-rank officials, marrying a Wang Family daughter was a matter of pride.

How today, were they so easily trampled by official troops?

“Report…!”

An Embroidered Uniform Guard quickly ran over and said, “General! A large cache of weapons and armor was found in the Wang Family’s cellar, at least three thousand sets of armor!”

“Three thousand sets of armor?”

Cui Xiawu looked coldly at the already terrified Wang Ben, and said coldly, “According to the Great Yu Law, possessing three sets of armor secretly is punishable by death!”

“Your Wang Family actually hid over three thousand sets; no number of executions can compensate for this!”

“Continue the search!”

“Yes!”

Numerous officials, fierce as wolves and tigers, stormed into the Prince’s Mansion, while Cui Xiawu paced, walking up to where the numerous Wang Family descendants were gathered, and from his waist, he took out the long-prepared Holy Decree.

Almost simultaneously, within the New Army camp, Liu Cheng’en, ignoring the astonished gazes of the many Patriarchs and Ancestors of the Eight Great Families, slowly brought out a scroll of the Holy Decree.

Quanyang County, Prince Pingyuan, Qii County, Jinyang County…

Quanyang County, Prince Pingyuan, Qii County, Jinyang County… Almost in every major county and county government, where Eight Great Bing Merchants and other noble families’ mansions and dock fortresses stood, there were either Embroidered Uniform Guard Thousand Households or New Recruit Camp Commanders pulling out nearly identical Holy Decrees.

In the camp, Liu Cheng’en, in a sharp voice, called out loudly:

“By the mandate of heaven, the Emperor decrees!”

“By the mandate of heaven, the Emperor decrees!”

“By the mandate of heaven, the Emperor decrees…”

In the entire Bingzhou, over ten soldiers also recited the Holy Decree with coldness and frenzy.

“Here in Datong County, there is the Eight Great Bing Merchants led by the descendants of the Wang Clan, colluding secretly with traitors of Wu Country, seeking glory by betraying the country, privately selling salt, iron, weapons, armor, and even intelligence on the border army’s stationing…”

Liu Cheng’en’s tone was slow and deliberate, ensuring everyone present could hear clearly.

And with Liu Cheng’en’s voice, the expressions of those present changed.

How is this possible…

Your Majesty said we could use Fine Silver for punishment, so why is there a Holy Decree?

Wang Zhonghe’s face was especially unsightly; he stared intently at Liu Cheng’en as if recalling something.

That’s right!

Previously, Liu Cheng’en only mentioned secretly selling salt, iron, and weapons, but in the Holy Decree, there’s additional information about the border army’s stationing!

Damn it…!

This confidential matter, how did His Majesty find out!

About the Wu Country…

Liu Cheng’en’s voice continued: “Causing the borders of Bin, You, and Bing regions to be frequently invaded by Wu Country, plundering livestock, countless people, causing suffering for millions of common people, this is a man-made calamity, a crime tantamount to treason, which pains Me deeply!”

“Specially in Bingzhou, Datong Wang Clan, Qii County Qiao Clan, Yuxia Chang Clan, Taigu Meng Clan, Xiu County Hou Clan, Pingyuan Qu Clan, Pingkang Kang Clan, Jinyang Fang Clan, and the Eight Great Bing Merchants…”

Saying this, Liu Cheng’en glanced sinisterly at these dozen merchants who had slumped to the ground, and continued:

“The nine clans are to be exterminated, and all family properties are to be confiscated into the national treasury, thus decreed!!!”

“The nine clans are to be exterminated, and all family properties are to be confiscated into the national treasury, thus decreed!!!”

“The nine clans are to be exterminated, and all family properties are to be confiscated into the national treasury, thus decreed…”

Quanyang County, Prince Pingyuan, Qii County, Jinyang County…

Over ten voices resonated, declaring the extinction of the families at their locations.

The nine clans are to be exterminated!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep