The evil forces roaming the heavens

Chapter 1306 Bloodstained Patches!

Jiangnan, Jinling
A large ship was slowly approaching the shore in front of the port.

Looking up at the banners bearing the authority of the three provinces, one could see the prefect and members of the Jia family waiting below, who had been waiting for quite some time.

"Wow!"

The steps descended from above, and the first to emerge was Krieg, clad in armor.
Looking at this group of fierce men, the officials below couldn't help but marvel, because the Jia family of Jinling had regained military power from the capital's branch; otherwise, how could they have such valiant soldiers!
Just after Krieg went down, Zhang Cheng also slowly walked down from behind. However, this time, he wasn't wearing the dragon robe, but rather the sleeves of his armor.
"Greetings, Admiral!"

Upon seeing Zhang Cheng appear, the officials below immediately became respectful.
Nodding calmly, Zhang Cheng smiled and said, "Jue is also from Jinling, elders, there's no need for such formalities!"

Stepping forward and addressing the crowd, Zhang Cheng couldn't help but smile.
"Please, my lord, we have prepared wine and food!"

Standing in front, the Prefect of Jinling laughed.
"Let's go together, everyone!"

When speaking to the prefect beside him, Zhang Cheng was also very humble.

Inside the bustling welcoming restaurant, officials were gathered, clinking glasses and exchanging toasts. Zhang Cheng was also behaving very amiably.
However, after several rounds of dishes and drinks, Zhang Cheng smiled and said, "My visit this time has nothing to do with you all; I am simply here on imperial orders to quell the rebellion!"

Hearing Zhang Cheng's words, many officials present breathed a sigh of relief.

They were furious because they feared Zhang Cheng was using the pretext of suppressing the rebellion to secretly investigate them.
After all, with his status as the governor of three provinces and the admiral of the navy, not to mention them, there aren't many people in the capital who can rival Zhang Cheng!

After calming the officials down, Zhang Cheng, taking advantage of his "low alcohol tolerance," left immediately.
He generally disliked insincere pleasantries, but this was Nanjing, and he had no choice.

The ancestral hall of the Jia family in Jinling.
After many members of the Jia family arrived, Zhang Cheng, under the arrangement of the clan elders, knelt and prayed with incense in hand.

After the formalities were completed, Zhang Cheng turned to the people behind him and said, "Alright, please sit down. I'm only back to say hello, no need for formalities!"

"Alright, everyone, sit down. Since Jue-ge'er has said he has something to do, let's not waste any more time!"

Looking at the people below, the ancestor, leaning on his cane, spoke.
After many people had sat down, Zhang Cheng sat in the main seat to the side, playing with a jade pendant in his hand, and said: "My Jia family has been a prominent family in Jinling since the Ming Dynasty. During the establishment of the Great Qian Dynasty, our ancestors, Yan Gong and Yuan Gong, made contributions to the country and won the honor of founding dukes. Since then, my Jia family has been divided into two major branches: one in Jinling and the other in the capital."

At this point, Zhang Cheng paused, then said with a mocking expression, "You may not know why I brought this up tonight, but I want to tell you that the red on my insignia is dyed with the blood of my clansmen."

"Of the more than one hundred clansmen who went to Liaodong, only a few survived. The wealth and honor you enjoy in Jinling were earned by us brothers and uncles with our lives! And what have you done? The lawsuits from the Embroidered Uniform Guard are piling up, yet you still dare to seize land, abduct women, and exterminate entire families. How dare you! You are even more arrogant than I, a third-rank official! Moreover, some of your people even went to the capital to file a complaint, only to be intercepted and killed by your men on the way, accusing me of protecting my clansmen."

Zhang Cheng slammed the jade pendant to the ground, shattering it into pieces, and roared, "Are you trying to force me to personally commit murder?"

Hearing Zhang Cheng's furious roar, the clansmen present were all covered in cold sweat.

Since Zhang Cheng was granted the title of Earl, the Jia family of Jinling has become increasingly arrogant, completely disregarding the laws of the Great Qian Dynasty.
Moreover, he was even granted a title of nobility, which made the Jia family members even more lawless!
If the Jia family of Jinling was merely a protective shield for officials before, then after Zhang Cheng rose to power, they became the very heavens of Jinling!
Looking at the countless crimes committed by the Jia family of Jinling, Zhang Cheng also felt a sense of fear towards them.
If they really continue down this path, not only will the Rongguo Mansion be in trouble, but Zhang Cheng will probably die before Grandmother Jia!

Looking into Zhang Cheng's cold eyes, many of the clansmen lowered their heads.
“Brother Wei, arrest the person according to the list of lawsuits filed by the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Whoever it is tonight, they must give an explanation to my Jia family ancestors in the ancestral hall!”

Just as Zhang Cheng finished speaking, the old patriarch sitting behind him exclaimed in surprise, "Brother Jue, these are all your brothers!"

"It's precisely because they are brothers that I'm doing this. If, because of them, more members of my Jia family die in the future, then I'm in the wrong!" Looking coldly at Jia Wei, Zhang Cheng couldn't help but shout, "What are you waiting for? Arrest them!"

"Yes, Uncle!"

Upon hearing Zhang Cheng's words, Jia Wei immediately led his relatives out.

Half an hour later, the ancestral hall was filled with various wails, some calling for uncles, others for grandfathers.
Seeing the reluctance in many people's eyes, Zhang Cheng scolded, "What? Do you think anyone will plead for them after what they did?"

"Brother Jue, Brother Jue, I'm your cousin!"

"Jue-ge'er, I am your uncle, how can you bear to do this? You are committing patricide!"

As the voices rose and fell, Zhang Cheng said coldly, "We're all family. I won't hand you over to the authorities, but we have to act according to our clan rules."

"beat!"

Looking coldly down below, Zhang Cheng couldn't help but reprimand.

"Fight! Fight them to the death, no matter what!"

Waving his hand, Jia Wei glanced at Zhang Cheng and immediately roared.

"bang"

A stick as thick as a bowl came crashing down, and many people immediately cried out in pain.
Faced with this scene, many clansmen turned their heads away, their hearts filled with fear.

Although Zhang Cheng said he wouldn't hand the matter over to the government, a blow from a stick as thick as a bowl could still kill someone!
Moreover, according to the Jia family's clan rules, any lawsuit involving human life must be paid with one's life. How could one possibly survive!
"Jia Jue, you murdered your own brother and your own family; you are unworthy to be a member of the Jia family."

Staring menacingly at Zhang Cheng, the leader of the group roared...
Upon hearing this, the ancestor suddenly stood up and said, "Gag him! Quick, beat him to death!"

As soon as the ancestor finished speaking, the clan elder who had snatched the stick struck him hard on the spine, killing him instantly.

With icy eyes fixed on everyone present, the patriarch said grimly, "Tonight's events were conducted according to clan rules. If anyone utters a single word of it, I will kill him!"

"Yes, ancestor!"

Upon hearing their ancestor's words, the clansmen present broke out in a cold sweat.
Fortunately, they haven't abused the Jia family's power, otherwise, the number of people who would have died tonight would have been much more than just these thirty-odd!
As night fell, the ancestral hall, once filled with the smoke of incense, fell into complete silence.
Holding his teacup, the old ancestor sat down and looked at the young man beside him, saying, "You shouldn't have gotten involved yourself!"

"If I don't step in, are you willing to let these people go?"

Looking at his ancestor beside him, Zhang Cheng felt a pang of bitterness.
Because what he did was, in a sense, a heinous crime. After all, there is a saying before the principle of "putting righteousness before family": "family members should conceal each other's faults."
In ancient times, loyalty and filial piety were highly valued, especially within families. But if Zhang Cheng didn't kill these people, he wouldn't be able to sleep!
"Enough, enough. Cut the branches and keep the trunk. This is something every family needs to do!"

When the ancestor spoke to Zhang Cheng, he expressed his regret.

(End of this chapter)