As night deepened, the wicked man and Zhang Erhe rode their horses at full speed, the thunderous sound of their hooves echoing around them, yet without disturbing the surroundings.
They rode in silence until the city gates came into view, at which point the wicked man slowed his horse and whispered, "With such a brutal fighting style, Feng Jie might not be able to withstand it..."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Erhe countered with, "Then what should we do?"
After a moment of contemplation, the wicked man said, "Send an order to Zhang Han to lead the Fierce Tiger Army to meet with Feng Jie and assist him in eliminating the poison."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Erhe hesitated, "Grand Commandant, such a large-scale massacre might invite impeachments from both inside and outside the court..."
The wicked man sneered, his eyes sharp: "When I'm determined, no one can stop me." With that, he tightened his grip on the reins and spurred his horse across the dimly lit street, as if the invisible resistance was trampled under his hooves.
......
Two weeks later.
Zhang Han led his troops to Linzi and joined forces with Feng Jie.
Upon meeting, Feng Jie immediately began to complain, "The Grand Commandant really... thinks I'm his own person? To expect me to lead such a bloody campaign, after I die... I'm afraid even my grave will be dug up."
"Don't be afraid!" Zhang Han smirked and said sarcastically, "Lord Feng, the Grand Commandant is still young. When the time comes, he can issue an order to send troops to guard your tomb. Who would dare to object?"
Upon hearing this, Feng Jie was so angry that he glared and swept the teacup off the table. "General Zhang, you are so heartless! I only took on this blood debt because I had worked with the Grand Commandant for many years. And you, you make it sound so easy."
Zhang Han didn't take it to heart, just smiled slightly, clasped his hands and said, "Lord Feng, rest assured, although this operation involves a wide range of people, it is to rid the court of a scourge and to redress the grievances of the people. If anyone makes unwarranted accusations in the future, the Grand Commandant will take responsibility. Besides, with the soldiers of the Fierce Tiger Army here, no petty person can cause any trouble."
Feng Jie took a deep breath, composed himself, and his eyes still showed undisguised worry. "Those old fogies who are hiding in the shadows these days are not easy to deal with. They have been causing trouble in the area for a long time under the guise of prestigious families, and there may be many other forces behind them."
"What's there to be afraid of?" Zhang Han said with a relaxed expression. "The more complicated the situation, the sharper the sword must be to break it. Since the Grand Commandant has already ordered me to assist you, then show no mercy. If you are soft-hearted, you will only give others a handle to use against you."
Hearing this, Feng Jie felt a headache coming on, but he had to admit that Zhang Han's ruthlessness was exactly what was needed at this moment. "Alright, in that case, let's discuss a detailed list first. The Fierce Tiger Army will be stationed outside the city as a deterrent, and I will coordinate with the local government to jointly wipe them out."
He lowered his voice, his tone tinged with coldness: "In truth, I am also disgusted by these parasites entrenched in aristocratic families. As a loyal minister, I cannot hesitate at this juncture. Moreover, this matter was ordered by the Grand Commandant."
Zhang Han nodded secretly, then ordered his subordinates to bring the dossier. Feng Jie also laid out the clues he had gathered over the past few days, and the two began to compare them carefully.
The flickering candlelight illuminated the solemn expressions of the two men. Outside, the wind howled, as if whispering a wailing for the coming bloodshed.
Before long, some names on the dossier gradually emerged. They were all "old hands" who had been entrenched here for many years. Some were married into the royal family, some were connected with famous scholars, and some even supported their own retainers and raised assassins. Their power was complex and intertwined.
"Linzi is a prosperous place in Qi, where merchants and gentry gather, making it a breeding ground for corruption." Zhang Han coldly glanced at the list. "Anyone who is even remotely associated with this list, regardless of their official rank, cannot be let off the hook."
Feng Jie nodded silently, knowing that once he raised his knife, there was no turning back. In a daze, he seemed to see the wicked man's sharp eyes—young, decisive, yet revealing an unshakable and unyielding will.
"The matter is settled!" Feng Jie put away the roster, straightened his back, and said, "General Zhang, although this battle is difficult, please be sure to strike them deadly."
After he finished speaking, he got up and pushed open the door. A gust of cold autumn wind suddenly rushed into the room, causing the candlelight to flicker.
The two exchanged a resolute glance before stepping forward. In the darkness, the echoes of clashing swords seemed to resonate.
......
"Tyrannical Qin...tyrannical Qin!"
"Let me go! Please let me go!"
"......"
No amount of shouting could sway the soldiers of the Fierce Tiger Army. Their swords fell, heads rolled, and blood flowed freely.
"Let's go to the next one!"
The blade flashed, and a scream abruptly ceased.
"Where is the next target?" Zhang Han rode his horse to the front of the courtyard, looking at the soldiers of the Fierce Tiger Army covered in blood, his eyes showing no emotion.
"Not far from here is a family of renowned scholars with extremely high prestige in Qi." The deputy general flipped through the roster, looked up, and said in a deep voice, "It is said that this person has a large number of retainers and has also been involved in a marriage alliance with the royal family."
Zhang Han sneered, "A renowned scholar? He's probably just using that name to cover up his flaws." With that, he raised his sword high, "Let's go!"
Swords clashed, and cries echoed through the streets, yet nothing could quell the overwhelming killing intent. The stench of blood, which had originated in the east of the city, was spreading throughout Linzi.
Standing on high ground, Feng Jie saw everything and felt a mix of emotions.
Although he knew this was to eliminate the source of the chaos, seeing so many innocent lives lost in pools of blood was still unsettling. But considering the despicable actions of the Grand Commandant and his ilk, he could only grit his teeth and suppress his reluctance.
"How dare you! I am a member of the Qi King's clan!" The next moment, another shrill scream was drowned out by the flash of the blade, and blood splattered onto the cold, hard bluestone ground.
In the distance, Zhang Han rode by on horseback, as if he had heard something.
"A member of the Qi royal family?" He scoffed, still showing no mercy.
The Fierce Tiger Army followed closely behind, like a sharp sword hanging in the air, repeatedly slaying those powerful and influential people who occupied the local area and preyed on the common people.
Where the wind blows, bloodshed and desolation intertwine.
This is the resolve that the wicked man desires!
Before long, news of the chaos in the west of the city finally reached them, and sounds of people scattering and fleeing arose. Zhang Han, however, paid no heed to it, and simply waved his hand, signaling his army to split into several groups and blockade the streets.
Despite his reservations, Feng Jie followed closely behind. He knew that only a swift and decisive victory in this purge could prevent greater casualties. Even if it meant infamy later, he was determined to ensure the continuation of the court's new policies and that the people would no longer be bound by them.
I spent a sleepless night as the fire raged into the sky.
As dawn broke, the once prosperous city of Linzi had already burned down many powerful and wealthy families. Countless people had spent the night in terror, and countless blood debts had finally been settled.
Zhang Han stood amidst the scorched and devastated ground, sword in hand, his eyes gleaming with icy light: "Send the order, brothers, go and rest immediately. The second team will take over the clearing!"
There were simply too many people to kill, so many that Zhang Han had to divide the Fierce Tiger Army into three teams to take turns carrying out the mopping-up missions in order to ensure that the soldiers' stamina could be restored.
"This...this is too much!"
As a civil official, Feng Jie had never witnessed such a bloody battle, and he didn't care much about the number of people involved; after all, only a little over a thousand had been killed...
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