Chapter 35 The Complete Annihilation of the Shen Family
"Execute immediately." Yuwen Che's voice came from inside the hall, devoid of any emotion.
Yuwen Che's order left no room for negotiation, like a cold, ironclad rule. Pei Xuan accepted the order, and with a wave of his hand, several Dragon Guards immediately dragged the already limp, incontinent, and unconscious Shen Shi to the open space outside the warm pavilion, where the snow had not yet been cleared, reflecting the light shining from inside the hall.
Pei Xuan's eyes narrowed, and he personally supervised the execution. The execution was carried out by a eunuch specializing in this area, his methods precise and ruthless. Although Shen Shi had already fainted from fright, the intense pain briefly brought her back to consciousness during the process, causing her to let out an inhuman, piercing wail. The sound was twisted and sharp, filled with endless pain and despair, shattering the silent night sky of the palace and violently impacting the eardrums and hearts of everyone in the warm pavilion.
Inside the hall, everyone trembled with fear, their faces pale. Some of the more timid women bit their lips hard to keep from screaming. They dared not utter a sound, much less cover their ears. They could only sit stiffly in place, forcing themselves to endure the terrifying sounds and feel the invisible stench of blood spreading, as if even the air itself had become thick and heavy.
Yuwen Hao, nestled in Consort De's arms, was terrified, his face deathly pale and his body trembling. Had Consort De not tightly covered his mouth, he would have already cried out. Consort De herself was also terrified out of her wits, yet she still forced herself to remain composed, raising her trembling hand in futile attempt to cover her son's eyes, preventing him from seeing the hellish scene outside the door. Although they couldn't actually see the actual execution, the sounds were enough to haunt her nightmares for the rest of her life.
Su Luoxue was also held tightly in Yuwen Che's arms, burying her face in his firm chest, trying to block out the terrifying sound. Her mind was still replaying what Shen Shi had just said, those things… Had A-Che really done them? Was he really that cruel? She could feel his steady heartbeat and warm body temperature; this was her only support at that moment. However, when she inadvertently opened her eyes and saw, through the gap in Yuwen Che's arms, the small figure in Consort De's arms, trembling like a startled bird, her heart softened.
She remembered how the child had just been playing happily with her, so innocent and carefree. Why should a child suffer such a horrific fate because of the sins of adults?
She gently tugged at Yuwen Che's robe, tilted her head back, and whispered with a hint of pleading, "A-Che... please let Consort De take Hao'er back to Chengqian Palace first? He's still so young, what if he gets frightened..."
"Hao'er is innocent..."
Yuwen Che looked down at the lingering fear and pity for the child in her eyes, and his heart softened. He had always been there for her, granting her every request, without her even having to ask.
He immediately looked up, his gaze sweeping across the nearly collapsing Consort De, and said in a deep voice, "Consort De, you should take the First Prince back to the palace first."
Consort De felt as if she had been granted a pardon. She glanced gratefully at Su Luoxue and quickly bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, thank you, Consort!" She dared not stay a moment longer. Almost staggering, she wrapped her son tightly in her cloak, covering his eyes and ears. Surrounded by her wet nurse and palace maids, she hurriedly left through the side door of the warm pavilion, fleeing this bloody place.
Su Luoxue watched them leave before letting out a slight sigh of relief. She closed her eyes again and nestled deeper into Yuwen Che's arms, as if trying to completely hide herself away. The wails outside the door gradually faded, eventually fading into deathly silence, but the invisible fear had been deeply imprinted in everyone's hearts.
Yuwen Che sensed her dependence and slight trembling. He gently patted her back to comfort her, his voice low and gentle, a stark contrast to the cruelty outside the door: "Don't be afraid... it's all over now, I'm here."
He held her tenderly, using his broad embrace to shield her from all the bloodshed and filth. He knew his methods were cruel, but he had no regrets. He wanted to use this most extreme method to establish a blood-red boundary, both inside and outside the palace, one that no one dared to cross.
Inside the warm pavilion, the candlelight still burned, but the festive atmosphere was gone, replaced by a deathly silence and a chilling cold that seeped into the bones. This banquet, which began with a birthday celebration, ended with a brutal execution to establish authority.
The execution outside the door had ended, and the air was thick with the pungent, unyielding stench of blood, mingling with the chill of the post-snowfall chill to create a nauseating smell. Inside the warm chamber, all was deathly silent; even the crackling of the burning charcoal fire seemed exceptionally clear.
Yuwen Che acted as if he were dealing with a trivial matter, calmly instructing the waiting Longxiang Guards: "Throw her out at the palace gate. Be careful, don't let her die easily. I want her to stay there for three days, so that everyone entering and leaving the palace can see clearly what the consequences are for treason, regicide, and cursing the fate of the nation."
"Yes!" The Longxiang Guards accepted the order and quickly carried away the Shen family member, who had become a "human pig" and was barely breathing, in a specially made container and sent her to the palace gate.
Then, Yuwen Che turned his gaze to Pei Xuan, who had been standing silently awaiting orders. His tone was stern, carrying an unquestionable resolve: "The Shen family is a heinous criminal, their crimes are immeasurable, and their entire family has been implicated. The Shen family, nine generations of them, shall be exterminated! Pei Xuan, you immediately take your men and, according to the previous list, eliminate all those who have slipped through the net. There must be no mistakes!"
"Your Majesty obeys!" Pei Xuan knelt on one knee, his voice resounding. He knew this was His Majesty's final purge of the remaining forces of the Shen family, and also a testament to His Majesty's absolute trust in his ability to carry out the decree.
All the women present were terrified, clinging tightly to their families, not daring to even breathe. The ministers, who might normally exchange a few words on political matters, were now completely silent, not daring to utter a sound, nor even having the courage to look the Emperor in the eye.
Plead for mercy? Who would dare?
This is not one of those weak monarchs in history who could be swayed by powerful ministers, relatives of the empress, or the harem! This is Yuwen Che! This is the Yuwen Che who, unstoppable and ruthless, ascended the throne with an iron fist and consolidated his power with thunderous force! The Shen family has touched his Achilles' heel, crossed his bottom line—it is their own destruction, with no room for maneuver. Anyone who dares to speak a word in defense of the Shen family now is courting death, and will likely be immediately regarded as an accomplice by His Majesty, becoming the next target to be eliminated.
Many ministers, well aware of the situation, felt a chill run down their spines. They knew perfectly well that this young emperor's methods extended far beyond the overt Dragon Guard and the laws of the court. In the countryside, and in the shadows, His Majesty also controlled several unknown assassin organizations. These individuals were incredibly skilled, swift as the wind, numerous in number, and their strength was even rumored to surpass that of the most powerful, overt Dragon Guard! They eliminated all hidden threats for His Majesty, gathered intelligence from all directions, and their networks spanned the entire world.
For those whom His Majesty could openly eliminate through the law, like the Shen family, he executed their entire clan for treason, causing rivers of blood to flow. But for those whom he couldn't act openly or needed to handle covertly, perhaps one night an official's residence would be raided by bandits, the entire family wiped out, leaving only an unsolved case. Everyone knew who was behind it, but no one dared to investigate, much less speak out.
After all, how did His Majesty ascend the throne? Those hidden rumors about his fratricide and coercion of the late emperor, though no one dared to discuss them openly, were no secret among these veteran ministers. Even the late emperor's sudden death, shrouded in mystery, was left unexplored. In the face of absolute power and ruthless methods, the truth often becomes irrelevant.
With the bloodshed of the Shen family and the tragic state of the Shen clan, Yuwen Che once again declared his absolute authority and inviolable bottom line to everyone. This was not merely a punishment, but a ruthless deterrent. After this incident, no one, inside or outside the court, dared to easily challenge his majesty. The world of the Great Zhou belonged to Yuwen Che, and the person most cherished in his heart was someone no one could touch.
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