The Grand Commandant's residence, study.
The flickering candlelight cast intermittent light and shadow on the wicked husband's handsome face, which, combined with the chilling murderous intent emanating from him, made him appear exceptionally sinister.
After a long silence, the wicked husband spoke in a low voice: "Are these lists... complete?"
A few meters away from the table stood a man dressed in a black robe. Hearing the wicked man's question, he clasped his hands and replied, "Grand Commandant, what is recorded here is but a drop in the ocean. Only renowned scholars, powerful figures, and the like can be included. If we count them all... it will be nearly eight thousand people."
The wicked man didn't speak. He got up, went to the window, pushed it open, and looked at the bright stars in the sky, seemingly lost in thought.
The study fell silent, with only the occasional crackling of candlelight.
"kill--!"
"Leave no one alive, exterminate them all, demolish their ancestral halls, cut off their incense offerings, and burn those books of fallacies and heresies!"
Without the slightest hesitation, the man in black robes bowed and turned to leave the study.
Not long after the man in black left, Zhang Erhe brought a late-night snack to the study. Seeing the wicked husband lost in thought, he couldn't help but call out softly, "Grand Commandant, it's late...why don't you want some late-night snack?"
The wicked man then came to his senses, turned around and laughed, "Erhe, do you know how many lawless scholars, talented men, and wealthy and powerful people Feng Jie has investigated while he was in charge of Qi?"
"I'm sure we can't leave anything out!" Zhang Erhe replied with a smile as he placed the items from the tray on the desk.
"Eight thousand!" the scoundrel spat out through gritted teeth. "A full eight thousand! These damned dogs, not only do they suck the blood of the people all day long, but they also go around slandering my Qin state..."
For more than a month, he was busy dealing with the affairs of the Privy Council, and finally he got them completely settled. Before he could even catch his breath, Feng Jie sent someone to deliver a message.
Nowadays, rumors are rampant among the people, and there is endless slander against the court, Ying Zheng, and the wicked husband. He is busy with political affairs and has no time to care, nor is he bothered to investigate the source of the rumors.
Unexpectedly, Feng Jie also discovered this.
That's suitable. It's good to kill these fame-seeking parasites before the imperial examinations begin, so they can't infiltrate the court and cause trouble.
hiss....
Zhang Erhe gasped, his face filled with emotion, and said, "Grand Commandant, more than eight thousand men... If we kill them all, we will leave behind an endless reputation for infamy!"
Zhang Erhe's words revealed his deepest anxieties. Eight thousand men were not a large number, but these were not soldiers. If they were to be completely eradicated and slaughtered, he would inevitably be branded as a "slaughterer of the scholar class" for all time.
However, upon hearing this advice, the wicked man merely smiled, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "Infamy? Erhe, do you think my Great Qin, sweeping across the world and conquering all sides, has ever lacked infamy?"
His tone was somewhat mocking as he picked up a cup of warm tea from the table and took a slow sip. "If anyone wants to curse, let them curse. As long as they don't make a sound."
Upon seeing this, Zhang Erhe's heart trembled. Although he had witnessed bloodshed and turmoil around his wicked husband many times, the mention of the scale of "eight thousand scholars" still made him somewhat frightened: "Grand Commandant, not all of these people are enemies of the court. Many of them are just grumbling in their spare time... They just can't control their mouths. All those scholars are like that!"
"You dare to spread rumors everywhere just because you have nothing better to do, always claiming that the Qin Dynasty is tyrannical and immoral?" The wicked man put his teacup back on the table, slowly raised his head to look at Zhang Erhe, his eyes revealing a cold glint. "Don't forget, these people don't just stir up trouble in Qi. Many of them are powerful and influential figures, gentry, and have frequent dealings with foreign countries, even inciting the people to rebel."
"The messages sent by Feng Jie contain detailed records of their correspondence and money transfers, each and every one of which is evidence of their crimes."
Zhang Erhe remained silent. He knew that the wicked husband never easily harbored murderous intent, but once he decided to kill, he must have had his reasons.
After a long pause, he asked softly, "Grand Commandant, when do you plan to make your move?"
"Immediately." The wicked man answered decisively, but his gaze remained fixed on the night sky outside the window. "Feng Jie will first take action in Qi, sending troops to encircle and suppress them. After the people are killed, those books must also be carefully collected and destroyed along with the family genealogy and ancestral hall, so that no one will use them to cause trouble in the future."
Zhang Erhe thought for a moment, then felt a chill run down his spine: "But killing eight thousand people at once will inevitably lead to some escaping and will also cause panic. If everyone in Qi is in danger, it might cause riots..."
"So we have to be quick and ruthless." The wicked man sneered, his tone chilling. "We must uproot them all in the shortest time possible, before they have a chance to react. Just like cutting grass, we have to dig out all the roots before spring comes back, so that they have no chance to revive."
Zhang Erhe lowered his head and remained silent. Throughout history, the rise and fall of dynasties and nations have always been forged in blood and fire. However, the scale of this massacre was enormous, and it happened just before the implementation of the new policies of the Qin Dynasty. It was bound to cause a great uproar among the scholars of the world.
A moment later, Zhang Erhe picked up the midnight snack and gently placed it on the table next to the wicked husband: "Yes. Grand Commandant... I... I'm just a little sad, after all... never mind, I understand your predicament."
"Well said." The wicked man picked up a piece of meat with his chopsticks, put it in his mouth and chewed. After a while, he said indifferently, "No one likes indiscriminate killing, but—that's just how the world is. Who told them to ask for death?"
"Moreover, many of them were once advisors to the King of Qi and the King of Yan. Now they are just changing their names and continuing to be the rats that stir up trouble in the shadows."
A sudden gust of wind blew outside the window, causing the lamplight to sway.
At this moment, the Qin Dynasty's influence extends across the land, and any offender will face ruthless suppression. Reforms to the imperial examination system and nationwide reorganization are brewing, and all potential destabilizing factors must be eradicated completely.
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