Call of the Heroes of Chaos in Another World

Chapter 2550 Zhao Pu's Heavy Responsibility, Rebirth from the Cocoon

Tianjing, the Imperial Palace, the Imperial Study.

The gilded animal-head incense burner emitted wisps of blue smoke from the ambergris.

Wang Yu stood with his hands behind his back in front of the huge map, his gaze deep and unfathomable. The bloody purge of the past few days had shaken the court and the public, but its deterrent effect was also obvious.

But Wang Yu knew that killing could only intimidate people temporarily, not subdue them forever.

Especially in the Guanxi region, the Zhao family had been operating for hundreds of years, and even now, despite their defeat, their influence still extends to all aspects of society.

Wang Yu was very clear about the extent of the prestige accumulated over hundreds of years, after all, his Wang family was in the same situation in Yanbei Road.

Unrestrained pressure may sow the seeds of deeper trouble; someone is needed to play the role of both swift and decisive action and moderate the intensity of the blows.

"Your Majesty, Zhao Pu is waiting for your decree outside the palace." The uniquely feminine voice of the Imperial Seal Supervisor, Zhuo Qing, rang out at the door.

Zhao Gao was, after all, the commander of the Luo Wang organization, and it was impossible for him to be by Wang Yu's side and serve him at all times.

When Zhao Gao was not present, he would be attended to by Zhuo Qing or Kui Hua, or by several other of the Five Great Supervisors.

"Xuan."

A moment later, Zhao Pu, dressed in a plain Confucian robe without any of the rank-specific attire of the previous dynasty, entered with a steady yet slightly unsteady gait.

His complexion was much thinner than when he was in Kaifeng, and his eyes were restrained. He no longer had the composure and ease he had shown in the Song court; all that remained was a cautious and submissive demeanor.

"Your subject Zhao Pu pays his respects to Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor!" Zhao Pu walked to the imperial desk and performed a grand salute with utmost care, his forehead touching the cool gold brick.

"Flat body."

Wang Yu turned around, his gaze falling on Zhao Pu. He did not immediately offer him a seat or exchange pleasantries, but went straight to the point, "Are you aware of the rebellion in the former territory of the Zhao Song dynasty, which is an attempt to assassinate the emperor and commit treason?"

Zhao Pu's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly replied, "Your Majesty, I already know. Such arrogant and rebellious people dare to do such a treasonous thing. They are only asking for their own destruction. Your Majesty's wisdom shines brightly, and the might of Heaven extends. The villains have been brought to justice. This is truly a blessing for the country."

Wang Yu nodded slightly, walked behind the imperial desk and sat down. He casually picked up a report and said calmly, "The ringleader has been executed, and those who were coerced into committing crimes are punished. This is the law of the land."

"However, most of those involved in the case are former officials of the Song Dynasty, members of aristocratic families, and people from the Jianghu (江湖, the martial arts world), who are deeply entrenched in the local area. The subsequent execution, screening, and even the pacification of the local people... I believe that entrusting this to others may lead to either overly strict scrutiny, which could exacerbate public resentment, or leniency, which could cause future problems."

Yin paused, looked at Zhao Pu who was standing with his head bowed, and continued, "You are from the Song Dynasty and once served as a prime minister. You are familiar with the local customs and power struggles there."

"This time, you will be in charge of the relevant authorities, working with the Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, and the local government to properly handle the aftermath of this case."

"Those who deserve to be executed shall be punished according to the law to serve as a warning to others; those who deserve to be pardoned shall be pardoned according to the law and the circumstances to demonstrate the Emperor's grace. It is imperative that the newly surrendered people know the severity of the court's laws and also feel the greatness of Your Majesty's benevolence."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Pu's body trembled almost imperceptibly.

The emperor was about to hand him this knife stained with the blood of his deceased friends.

Let him, a former official of the Song Dynasty and a member of the Song imperial family, personally deal with those "rebellious elements" who may have had past ties with him or even indirectly harbored resentment because of the fall of the Song Dynasty.

This is a test, a exploitation, and a rope that will completely bind him to the war machine of the new dynasty. If he is dealt with too harshly, he will bear eternal infamy and have no place to stand in his homeland.

If you handle it too gently, you will immediately be accused of being incompetent, having lingering feelings for your homeland, or even sympathizing with the rebels!
Regardless of the circumstances, if he, a member of the Zhao family, were to wield this butcher's knife, it would directly impact the Zhao family's reputation in these regions.

Cold sweat instantly soaked Zhao Pu's inner shirt, but he had no choice and could not hesitate in the slightest.

Zhao Pu took a deep breath, bowed deeply again, and tried his best to keep his voice steady as he said, "Your subject... obeys the decree. Your Majesty trusts me, how could I not do my utmost?"

"Your Majesty, I will uphold your will, thoroughly investigate the case, distinguish right from wrong, and apply both leniency and severity to uphold the majesty of the law and demonstrate Your Majesty's benevolence, so that the new land will be won over and there will be no more grudges."

"Ah."

Wang Yu seemed satisfied with his answer and softened his tone, "Get up. Zhuo Qing will hand over the specific case files to you."

"I grant you the power to make decisions on an ad hoc basis. However, if you have any doubts, you may report them directly to me. Remember, what I want is stability and the support of the people."

"Your Majesty, I understand. Thank you for your great kindness." Zhao Pu slowly rose to his feet.

He knew that from this moment on, his name, Zhao Zeping, would be completely associated with the "cleansing" of his homeland. This was both a pledge of allegiance and a shackle.

"Go." Wang Yu waved his hand, no longer looking at him, and turned his gaze back to the map of the land.

Zhao Pu bowed and retreated step by step from the imperial study. As the study door slowly closed behind him, shutting out the suffocating pressure, he realized that his palms were already cold and sticky.

The path has been chosen, and there is no turning back. He can only, and must, use the knife that the emperor has given him perfectly.

"Better to die than to die myself," Zhao Pu thought. He wanted to preserve the remaining Zhao family within the Han Dynasty, and even wanted the Zhao family to take root and flourish within the Han Dynasty. Zhao Pu had no choice but to ruthlessly exterminate them.

This move will severely damage the reputation that the Zhao family has built up over hundreds of years.

During the time Zhao Pu spent outside the Imperial Study, he had already figured it out: if he couldn't completely sever this popular support, how could the Emperor truly trust them?

Thinking of this, he actually felt a little envious of the Ma family of Zhennan.

Jiang Chaoyu set fire to Zhennan City, burning down half of the foundation of the Ma family in Zhennan. But in a sense, wasn't this also a kind of rebirth?
On the other hand, if the Zhao family wants to break free from its cocoon and be reborn, they need to cut off their old shell first.

As Zhao Pu bowed and left the imperial study, the heavy palace doors closed silently behind him, and inside the imperial study, the incense smoke from the burner remained.

Wang Yu did not immediately deal with other government affairs. He leaned back on the dragon throne, closed his eyes for a moment, seemingly digesting the subtle information revealed in his conversation with Zhao Pu, and also weighing the possible chain reaction that this order might bring.

Zhao Pu is a smart man, but the smarter a man is, the more cautious you should be when using him.

This knife, you need to be able to use it smoothly, but you also need to be careful not to cut yourself.

A moment later, the soft, feather-like footsteps of the Chief Inspector Zhuo Qing rang out again. He held a sandalwood tray in his hands, on which were neatly stacked scrolls of exquisitely framed paintings.

"Your Majesty, the portraits of noble ladies from various Eastern Yi tribes have arrived, totaling thirty-six, each accompanied by a brief description of their family background. Please review them." Zhuo Qing's voice was not loud, just loud enough for everyone to hear without sounding abrupt.

As a seasoned eunuch, Zhuoqing was very meticulous in every aspect, even in details such as voice.