As night fell, with Li Ru's order, all the yamen runners of Heyang County and the soldiers stationed there went in batches to the remaining homes of the powerful landlords.
The Feng family of Heyang County was the most powerful family in the area. Before Li Ru took office, they had always been wicked and committed all sorts of evil deeds. However, after Li Ru took office, he received a warning letter from Luoyang.
He changed his usual behavior and became more low-key, giving the county government whatever it wanted, which is why Li Ru let him off the hook for the time being.
Because Li Ru had not allocated him a share in the previous trade, he held a grudge and secretly colluded with court officials to impeach Li Ru.
Just as the head of the Feng family was fast asleep, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the house.
He couldn't help but get up and go outside, only to hear a rapid knocking at the door.
At this moment, the steward and the captain of the guard team from the mansion also arrived at the door of the Feng family head's house.
"Master, it seems the visitors have ill intentions!"
Upon hearing this, the head of the Feng family frowned and looked at the captain of the guards, "Go, summon all the guards in the manor!"
"promise!"
Soon, dozens of guards and servants from the Feng family arrived, armed with sticks, and several others stood guard beside him with bows and arrows. Only then did the head of the Feng family feel somewhat relieved.
Hearing the continued knocking at the door, the head of the Feng family frowned and called the butler over. "Hmph~ Go see what's going on outside. I want to see who's being so rude!"
"promise!"
The steward responded respectfully, then strode towards the gate, followed by two servants.
"Knock knock knock!..."
As the butler walked, he shouted, "Coming! Coming! Stop knocking! It's so late at night, do you even know where you are?"
"Hmph~ Open the door now! If you don't open the door, I'm going to smash it up!"
Just as the butler reached the gate, a rapid knocking, accompanied by a gruff voice, reached his ears.
"Heh~ I'd like to see who's so arrogant as to dare smash up the Feng family's gate!"
The butler chuckled and went to the gate. "Go and take down the bolt!"
"promise!"
Immediately, two servants stepped forward and removed the door bolt. Just as they opened the door a crack, more than a dozen yamen runners and dozens of soldiers from the prefecture and state, who had been waiting outside, rushed in. They then drew their swords and surrounded the head of the Feng family and his guards.
What do you want to do?
Upon seeing the yamen runners and soldiers suddenly rushing in, the head of the Feng family immediately changed his expression, realizing something was wrong, and shouted loudly with a fierce but weak voice.
"Hmph~ What are you doing? I didn't come here to eat anyway!"
The lead constable snorted coldly, then looked at the head of the Feng family and the archers beside him, and shouted sternly: "Tell your men to put down their clubs and come with us! What do you want to do with bows and arrows and clubs in the middle of the night? Are you planning a rebellion?"
"Put down your weapons!!"
As soon as the leading constable finished speaking, the constables and soldiers behind him shouted in unison.
The guards and servants of the Feng family couldn't help but look at their patriarch. Although they were members of the Feng family, the charge of rebellion was too serious, and they were afraid!
Sensing that things were getting increasingly wrong, the head of the Feng family's expression changed several times. The people in front of him were clearly trying to get rid of him. If they really accused him of rebellion, then he would be completely finished.
The head of the Feng family said helplessly, "Listen to him, put down what you're holding!"
Upon hearing the patriarch's words, everyone breathed a sigh of relief and threw their weapons and clubs to the ground.
Upon seeing the scene before him, the constable's lips curled up, and he inadvertently glanced at an archer beside the head of the Feng family.
The archer, when the bowstring was halfway released, suddenly loosened his fingers for some reason, and the arrow shot out towards the constables.
Fortunately, the force was not great, and the leading constable reacted quickly, sweeping the arrow away with his sword.
Everyone was stunned by what they saw; no one had expected such an unexpected event to occur.
"How dare they! They openly attack government troops! They're definitely plotting a rebellion! Kill them all!"
The lead constable immediately roared and charged forward, his long sword aimed directly at the head of the Feng family. The other constables and soldiers from the prefecture and state also rushed forward, closely following behind him, towards the Feng family's guards and servants.
"Misunderstand...."
Seeing this unexpected turn of events and the approaching constables, the head of the Feng family was utterly shocked. He had just opened his mouth to explain when he felt a sharp pain in his throat, his gaze became unfocused, and he fell backward.
"Master..."
When the old steward saw the master of the house fall, he was about to go forward when he felt a pain in his back. A long knife suddenly pierced his chest. He looked down at the blood-dripping tip of the knife and died on the spot.
"Bah! You wicked servant, how many people have you killed in your daily life? It's too good for you to die like this!"
The constable who killed the steward looked at the steward's corpse, cursed angrily, and then rushed to the other side.
With the deaths of the patriarch and steward, the Feng family was thrown into chaos. Apart from a few loyalists who were killed while resisting, the rest were quickly arrested. After investigation, it was found that all those who had previously harmed the people were executed on the spot without exception.
"The Feng family is plotting a rebellion, and they must have many accomplices. Leave some people behind to search the Feng family's property; the rest of you, come with me to the next house!"
Seeing that the situation here was mostly resolved, the head constable gave an order and then led the remaining men toward the homes of other powerful families.
At the same time, other teams of yamen runners and soldiers from various prefectures and kingdoms also stormed into the homes of powerful families in Heyang, either arresting or killing people on the spot.
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