The State of Qi was beyond saving, and Tian Jian's greatest worry at this moment was his own life. He asked weakly, "Do you still stand by your word?"

Upon hearing this, the wicked husband's gaze fell on his ashen face, and he said with a smile, "Of course, everyone knows that I, the wicked husband, am the most trustworthy."

Tian Jian breathed a sigh of relief, the paleness on his face receding slightly. He weighed the situation in his mind, "Han and Wei have fallen, and their two kings have been buried with them. My Qi Kingdom is not at the bottom. Compared to those two, I am much better off!"

"At least I can face my ancestors after I die, and that will be something to show for it!"

In a word, Tian Jian is quite similar to Ah Q in Mr. Li's writings, both being masters of the art of spiritual victory.

The wicked man had no idea what he was thinking. He raised his hand and gestured for the soldier to take him away so that he wouldn't be an eyesore in front of him.

"Grand Commandant, Grand Commandant!"

As soon as Tian Jiangang was taken away, the former officials of Qi swarmed around him, each uttering their own words about their contributions.

"It was only because we repeatedly advised Tian Jian that he refused to surrender earlier!!"

The official who killed Tian Dan shouted, "Grand Commandant, I have abandoned the darkness and embraced the light! Just now, Tian Dan tried to resist, but I killed him with one sword. I have rendered meritorious service!!"

The wicked man coldly observed the despicable appearance of these people, then waved his hand and shouted sternly, "You traitorous rats, drag them all away and execute them! Your clansmen and relatives... will be implicated and their property confiscated!"

Upon hearing this, the former officials of Qi were terrified and their faces changed drastically. They had never expected that what they thought was a lifeline would become their death warrant.

In fear and despair, they were dragged away, leaving behind chaos and wails.

The wicked husband's decision was like a sharp blade in the cold wind, ruthlessly severing the last bit of fortune for the State of Qi, and the land of Qi was about to face the most brutal purge.

As the birthplace of Confucianism, the State of Qi was steeped in Confucian values, producing countless renowned scholars. However, as the saying goes, "The most heartless are the scholars."

Confucianism has been passed down to this day, but it has changed its essence. This is because people have seven emotions and six desires, which even the teachings of sages cannot save them from.

Nowadays, reading Confucian books and learning the words of sages has gone from educating the people to becoming a tool for those who excel in their studies to become officials, and then to becoming prime ministers of states and earning fame, fortune and glory.

To eradicate this unhealthy trend and, incidentally, enrich the national treasury, the wicked man decided to launch a surgical-like purge throughout the Qi state.

"General, quickly send scouts back to Xianyang and request the King to have Feng Jie personally come here to oversee the operation and clean up the property of the royal officials and nobles within the territory of Qi."

"Punish those who break the law, sever the transmission of heretical doctrines that deviate from the classics, and restore order to the path of literature!"

The wicked man's words were as sharp as knives, shaking Wang Jian and his men to their core. They understood the weight of his words; a bloodbath was about to erupt in the land of Qi.

"Grand Commandant, think it over carefully. You mustn't rush things with the Confucian scholars!" Wang Jian's expression was solemn and serious. This was the first time he had addressed his wicked husband by his official rank since the expedition began, which showed how seriously he took the matter.

The wicked man laughed nonchalantly, "Nothing in this world is easy, but someone must eventually accomplish it. If one generation doesn't do it, the next generation won't either. Eventually, when things have taken hold, later generations will want to do it but will be powerless. What's the point?"

"Killing one is a crime, slaughtering ten thousand is heroism, but slaughtering ten thousand of ten thousand makes one the hero of heroes!"

"This Grand Commandant has countless lives on his hands, so why should I be afraid of such a little bit of infamy? As far as I am concerned, it's like mosquitoes and flies biting an elephant; it doesn't itch my skin or hurt my flesh."

In the past, the First Emperor burned books and buried scholars alive, killing only about 460 people who violated the law, yet he left behind an infamy that has lasted for eternity. As for later scholars, it seems as if they would be doing a disservice to Confucius if they didn't curse the tyrannical Qin Dynasty.

Of course, there are many factors at play, and it cannot be entirely blamed on Confucianism. Without Liu Bang's instigation, downplaying of the seriousness of the matter, and deliberate smear campaign, he would not have been able to leave behind such a terrible reputation throughout the ages.

From this perspective, since he's going to be infamous anyway, why not just go all the way and kill all those petty thieves? He already has countless accusations against him, so one more won't make a difference.

Seeing that he was determined, Wang Jian sighed and stopped trying to persuade him. He then turned around and summoned a scout, giving him detailed instructions and telling him to hurry back to Xianyang.

"General, send men to escort the Qi royal family and relatives back to Xianyang and inform the King that we will discuss the matter after my return!" The wicked man glanced at Wang Jian and muttered to himself, "Tian Fang has just married into the Wang family; we can't let her be without a family, can we?"

Wang Jian looked at his wicked husband with gratitude and bowed deeply. He could tell that his husband was going to personally save the lives of his granddaughter-in-law's branch of the family, and he was extremely grateful for that.

The royal family is large and numerous. Putting aside matters of state, they are actually quite miserable. Although they have no worries about food and clothing, they have no freedom at all, and they don't get any benefits. They can't escape any bad things.

In today's political infighting, these royal relatives are the first to suffer, their fates extremely tragic. Men are either beheaded on the spot or reduced to slavery, and women far suffer even worse, destined only to become playthings.

The saying goes, "A woman follows her husband wherever he goes." Tian Fang married into the Wang family and naturally became a member of the Wang family. If her family were to perish and the country were to fall, and it was her own father who orchestrated this, how would they get along in the future?

There are only two possible outcomes!

First, Tian Fang was not well-liked and spent the rest of her life in misery.

Secondly, he endured hardship and humiliation, harboring deep hatred, and later seized the opportunity to harm the royal family, or even bring disaster to the Qin state.

Neither of these outcomes was what Wang Jian wanted to see. Just as he was struggling with this dilemma, he received a promise from his wicked husband. How could he not be grateful?

The wicked man helped Wang Jian up and laughed, "General, you work so hard for the country, how can you ruin the harmony at home because of this? You are looking at the big picture from a small perspective. The unification of the world is also for that harmony and long-term peace."

Wang Jian stopped being coy, took a deep breath, turned around and left to arrange these miscellaneous tasks.

"Grand Commandant, you are truly righteous!" Wang Tian grinned, offering a flattering remark.

The wicked man glared at him irritably, then praised him, "This Grand Commandant was right about you. Of the three armies, you are the fastest. You will be a pillar of the Qin state in the future!"

"Grand Commandant, you flatter me!" Wang Tian quickly waved his hand and said modestly, "I am originally from Qi, and I have the advantage of favorable timing, location, and popular support, which is why I am able to stand ahead of you, Grand Commandant and General."

"If we're really talking about ability... when the Grand Commandant and the General are face to face, this humble general is like an ant seeing the blue sky!"

Wang Tian's humble words made the wicked man nod slightly. He understood that although Wang Tian was from Qi, loyalty was more important than talent.

The wicked man pondered for a moment, then said sternly, "Wang Tian, ​​now that you have submitted to Qin, you should consider Qin your home and the King of Qin your ruler. Remember where your future lies."

His gaze was sharp as he stared directly at Wang Tian.

Upon hearing this, Wang Tian was startled. He understood the meaning behind the wicked man's words, took a deep breath, and solemnly replied, "Grand Commandant, I, Wang Tian, ​​am willing to serve the Qin state with utmost loyalty, and this will never change in my life."