Da Ming: I told you to die for your cause, why are you actually going to die?

Chapter 171 Massacre! Massacre! Rivers of blood! [Requesting monthly votes]

The Hall of Literary Glory was deathly silent, with only the heavy, bellows-like breathing of Old Zhu and the suppressed gasps of the eunuchs and palace maids kneeling on the floor.

His bloodshot eyes swept over the mess on the ground.

Finally, his gaze fixed on a point in the void, as if piercing through the palace and seeing his eldest son, on whom he had placed high hopes but who ultimately could not bear the burden and chose a path of no return.

Does it hurt? Are you angry?

Am I sad? Am I regretful?
All sorts of emotions surged and crashed in his chest like magma, almost tearing him apart and burning him to ashes!
But in the end, all these extreme personal emotions were forcibly suppressed by a larger, colder, and more ruthless force.

This is the absolute will of the Hongwu Emperor, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

His shoulders trembled slightly, but his spine gradually straightened again.

The crazed, distorted expression on his face gradually faded, replaced by a bottomless calm, like an ancient, frozen glacier.

But those eyes were still frighteningly red, no longer filled with tears, only congealed blood and a resolute determination to destroy everything.

"Ah……"

A very soft, cold laugh escaped his throat, carrying a chilling meaning.

【Biao'er, do you see this? Is this the Ming Dynasty you've been protecting for us? Is this the brother you trust, the official you rely on?】

You lived a tiring life and died unjustly... Today, your father will cleanse this filthy court for you!

[Father will wipe out these parasites, these bastards who have driven my son to desperation... completely!]

The emperor's ruthlessness and the father's grief merged together eerily and terrifyingly at this moment, transforming into an impending blood-red storm.

He turned abruptly, no longer looking at the mess that symbolized his defeat, and walked back to the throne step by step.

Each step felt as heavy as a mountain, echoing dully on the cold floor tiles, like the tolling of a death knell for countless people.

"Yunming".

Old Zhu's voice was eerily calm, without the slightest ripple.

"This servant...this servant is here!"

Yunming scrambled forward, not daring to lift his head.

"Investigate how Consort Guo Ning got to Fengxian Hall."

"She's always been so composed, why was she so reckless this time? We need to know everything that happened, who she met, what she said, we need to find out everything!"

"Yes!"

Yunming dared not hesitate and quickly agreed and left.

"Jiang Huan!"

Old Zhu spoke calmly again.

"Chen is here!"

Jiang Huan walked into the main hall without hesitation and knelt down.

Old Zhu didn't tell him to get up, nor did he even look at him. His gaze remained fixed on the pitch-black night outside the hall, and his voice seemed to come from the deepest, coldest abyss:
"Jiang Huan, let me ask you, are the swords of the Embroidered Uniform Guard still sharp?"

Jiang Huan trembled, immediately understanding the emperor's resolve, and gritted his teeth, saying:

"Your Majesty! The blades of the Embroidered Uniform Guard are ready to eliminate treacherous officials at any time; their sharpness is unparalleled!"

"it is good."

Old Zhu slowly turned his head, his blood-red eyes finally landing on Jiang Huan, and he issued a command, word by word, as sharp as an iceberg collapsing:
"First, the four people in the imperial prison, Fu Youwen, Ru Chang, Zheng Ci, and Zhai Shan, as well as all the officials involved in this case with conclusive evidence of their crimes, need not be tried again."

"First, parade them through the streets as a warning, then execute them by slow slicing, and exterminate their entire families. Give them a full 3,600 cuts; if one cut is missing, you make up the difference."

Jiang Huan gasped.

Sliced ​​to death and exterminated along with their entire family!

This is the cruelest form of punishment!
"I...obey the order!"

"second!"

Old Zhu's voice didn't pause at all, it was as cold as a knife:

"Based on the existing confessions and clues, any official involved in the Shaanxi corruption case or the case of abnormal spending at the Crown Prince's Palace, regardless of rank, shall be immediately arrested and imprisoned if 30% of the evidence is credible!"

"We don't care what methods you use, within three days, we want to see those on the list either waiting to be beheaded in prison or already dead!"

This is a case of "better to kill three thousand innocent people than let one guilty person go free."

Jiang Huan felt a chill run down his spine: "Yes!"

"third!"

Old Zhu's gaze deepened: "Investigate thoroughly those so-called 'pure stream' and 'scholar leaders' who were making the most noise and jumping around outside the Meridian Gate!"

"Especially the Kong family! We don't believe they're completely clean! Find out their mistakes, whether it's corruption, visiting prostitutes, or improper behavior!"

"Once you find it, there's no need to report it; just take it down!"

"Those who deserve exile will be exiled, and those who deserve beheading will be beheaded! We must let the world know that the backbone of scholars is not as hard as they think!"

This is an attempt to completely destroy the backbone of 'public opinion'.

Jiang Huan's heart pounded like a drum: "Your Majesty, I understand!"

"fourth!"

Old Zhu's voice suddenly rose, carrying an undeniable madness:

"Keep a close eye on the residences of the Princes of Qin, Jin, and Zhou! Investigate every single person around them, leaving no stone unturned!"

"Especially that Wang family member from the Prince of Qin's mansion and that Deng family member from the Prince of Jin's mansion, we always feel that they are not as simple as they seem, and there may be more to the story!"

"Report to us immediately if there is even the slightest suspicion!"

"Let's see, besides the kings of Qin, Jin, and Zhou, which of our 'good sons' and 'good grandsons' are not clean!"

Are they not even going to spare the people around the feudal lords, or even other feudal lords and their heirs?

This is a true case of scraping the bone to remove poison, even at the cost of harming the royal family themselves.

Jiang Huan dared not think any further and could only kowtow heavily, saying, "Your subject would gladly die ten thousand times over!"

"Go."

Old Zhu waved his hand, as if he were merely giving a trivial instruction: "Remember, what we need is speed and ruthlessness! If the sky falls, we'll hold it up!"

"Yes!"

Jiang Huan kowtowed again, his steps unsteady as he rose.

But he dared not delay for a moment. He immediately turned around and rushed out of the Huagai Hall like a deadly messenger to carry out the bloody storm that was about to sweep through the entire Ming Dynasty officialdom.

Zhu sat alone on his throne, looking in the direction Jiang Huan had disappeared, his face expressionless.

He no longer needs solid evidence or due process.

He only needs to use the most terrifying and bloody methods to tell everyone:

This empire belonged to Zhu Yuanzhang!

The Crown Prince's death, regardless of the truth, demands a substantial and bloody explanation!

Anyone who may be involved in this matter, or who attempts to use it to cause trouble, must die!

This was an emperor's rage, a father's blood sacrifice, and a horrific purge of the bureaucratic system indiscriminately.

That night, Yingtian Prefecture was destined to be sleepless.

The four men, Fu Youwen, Ru Chang, Zheng Ci, and Zhai Shan, who could still feign composure in the past, were now completely unrecognizable.

When Jiang Huan personally carried Zhu De's edict of "better to kill three thousand innocent people than let one guilty person go free," and coldly announced that they would be paraded through the streets and then executed by slow slicing, the four men's last psychological defenses completely collapsed.

"No—! Your Majesty! I am innocent!"

"Your Majesty, I am utterly loyal to the Ming Dynasty! It was all Zhang Biao's scheme! It was the Prince of Qin and the Prince of Jin who forced us!"

Fu Youwen let out a shrill, inhuman howl, tears streaming down his face, as he frantically twisted his body, trying to break free of his restraints.

"Your Majesty! You can't kill us!"

Ru Chang's fat face was covered in snot and tears, and she screamed in a hoarse voice:
"Only we know the true extent of the mess in the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War! If we are killed, what will happen to the national treasury? What will the soldiers on the border eat?! The Ming Dynasty will descend into chaos! It will perish!"

"Zhu Yuanzhang! You incompetent ruler! You tyrant!"

Zheng Ci was even more incoherent, sometimes kowtowing and begging for mercy, sometimes cursing with a ferocious expression:

"Without us managing your empire, your Zhu family's rule will be finished sooner or later! We'll be waiting for you down there! Waiting for you—!"

"It's over...it's all over..."

Zhai Shan was relatively 'calm,' but his eyes were already unfocused, and he murmured, 'If only I had known this would happen... I shouldn't have done it in the first place...'

Their cries, curses, and threats echoed in the gloomy and terrifying torture chamber, but only earned them Jiang Huan's even colder gaze.

The cries and commotion outside naturally reached Zhang Biao's cell.

Zhang Biao leaned against the wall, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

Of course he knew what was happening outside.

Soon, Fu Youwen and the other three were dragged out of the torture chamber like dead dogs.

As Fu Youwen passed through the passageway outside Zhang Biao's cell, perhaps driven by extreme fear, he struggled to lift his head and saw the leisurely figure inside through the bars.

"Zhang Biao! It's all your fault! You monster! You madman! You'll die a horrible death—!"

Fu Youwen roared with his last breath, "You think you've won?! You'll die too! Without us, let's see how long you can be so arrogant!"

"This world is bound to descend into chaos sooner or later! Just you wait and see—!"

"Yes! The Ming Dynasty is definitely doomed!"

Ru Chang, her eyes red, roared, "Without us handling state affairs, how long do you think the Ming Dynasty can last?!"

"Zhu Yuanzhang! You will regret this! You have killed all those who could serve you, and now you are all alone! A ruler who will bring about the downfall of his country—!"

Their clamor was filled with resentment and a twisted sense of 'pride,' as if they were truly indispensable pillars supporting the Ming Dynasty court.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Biao was not angry at all. Instead, he slowly stood up, walked to the cell door, and looked at the dying 'big shots' outside as if they were watching a monkey show.

With that signature, infuriatingly mocking smile on his face, he clapped his hands lightly:

"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! Even on the verge of death, he can't resist trying to glorify himself?"

His voice echoed clearly in the corridor, drowning out the howls of Fu Youwen and the others:
“Fu Youwen, Ru Chang, Zheng Ci, Zhai Shan, you guys are just stewards hired by the Zhu family to guard the house and clean the storeroom.”

"After serving as steward for a few days and touching a few taels of silver, do you really think you've become the master of this mansion?"

"You say 'the Ming Dynasty will perish without you'? Tsk tsk, what a ridiculous joke!"

Zhang Biao scoffed, his tone utterly contemptuous: "Believe it or not, even if I skin all of you parasites alive, the sun will still rise tomorrow."

"Without you, Fu Youwen, the Ministry of Revenue can be filled by that Yu Xin, a senior official in the Ministry of Revenue, who will surely be able to keep the accounts even clearer than you!"

"Without you, Ru Chang, the Ministry of War will immediately be able to organize military affairs ten times better than you, even though Tie Xuan was meritorious in suppressing the rebellion in Guangxi but was suppressed by you because he didn't know how to give gifts!"

"The Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Personnel have plenty of truly capable officials who have been sidelined by you, waiting to rise to their positions!"

"The Ming Dynasty can function without anyone! It will only function better without you good-for-nothings who only think about making money, forming cliques, and shifting blame!"

With each name Zhang Biao called out, Fu Youwen and the others' faces turned paler.

The people he was referring to were either capable officials they deliberately suppressed or bookworms they looked down upon, yet Zhang Biao pointed them out as if they were his own treasures, as proof that they were "dispensable".

This precise strike made them feel more desperate and humiliated than any insult.

Jiang Huan silently memorized the names Zhang Biao mentioned, waiting to report them to Zhu Yuanzhang.

"You...you're talking nonsense!"

Fu Youwen wanted to argue, but his voice was already very weak.

"Whether it's nonsense or not, you'll see when you get down there."

Zhang Biao waved his hand lazily, as if shooing away flies:

"Hurry up and get on your way, lest you miss your time to be reincarnated."

"Remember this in your next life: if you're going to be a dog, you have to be prepared to be one. Don't always worry about whether your master's kingdom will fall."

After saying that, he stopped looking at the faces outside that were contorted with extreme anger, fear, and disbelief, turned around and went back to the bedside, lying down again, even comfortably crossing his legs.

Fu Youwen, Ru Chang, and others were completely shattered by Zhang Biao's hurtful words, losing their last pillar of support.

They seemed to have their souls ripped out, their eyes vacant, without even the strength to cry or curse. Like real dead dogs, they were mercilessly dragged by the Imperial Guards to the prison carts for a public parade, where they would face the extreme punishment of being torn to pieces.

……

And this is just the beginning.

Not only were Emperor Zhu's decrees being carried out in the imperial prison, but they were being carried out in other places as well.

Countless officials connected to Shaanxi, regardless of rank, would be immediately imprisoned by the ruthless Imperial Guards if there were any doubts about their accounts or promotions, or if their rivals took the opportunity to report them.

House raids, interrogations, executions... these events happen almost every day.

Xi'an was the hardest hit area, with Jiang Huan's capable henchmen stationed there to carry out large-scale arrests based on the list and clues provided by Song Zhong.

For a time, everyone in Shaanxi Province, from the provincial governor down to the county magistrate, lived in fear. Prisons were overcrowded, and the bloodstains on the execution grounds never seemed to dry.

Old Zhu wanted to use this thorough purge to quell the anger in his heart and to regain control over the important border region.

"No...it's impossible! Grandfather...how could Grandfather..."

Zhu Zhaohui, the eldest son of Prince Zhu Tan of Luhuang, was pulled out of bed by his wet nurse while wearing a nightgown. Upon hearing the steward's incoherent report, his face turned pale, and the jade ruyi in his hand fell to the ground with a 'clatter' and shattered into pieces.

He couldn't understand why the sky had collapsed overnight.

Consort Tang, Zhu Tan's concubine, was dressing in front of the mirror when she heard the news. The precious rhinoceros horn comb in her hand snapped in two, cutting her fingertip and dripping blood onto her magnificent skirt. She seemed oblivious, staring blankly at her instantly pale face in the mirror, murmuring:

"Your Highness... Your Highness has only been gone a short time... Your Majesty... Why has it come to this!"

The palace maids behind her were already in chaos, with cries and screams filling the air.

The chief clerks and subordinates who usually acted arrogantly and domineeringly were now ashen-faced and running around the courtyard like headless flies.

Some tried to pack their belongings and prepare to escape, while others collapsed to the ground, weeping and muttering, "It's all over, it's all over."

They couldn't believe that, relying on the powerful figures of King Lu Huang and Consort Guo Ning, they could have enjoyed wealth and honor, but instead, disaster struck in an instant.

Deep within the Prince's mansion, in a secluded guardhouse next to a pill-making room, a middle-aged man dressed in a silk steward's uniform, his eyes gleaming, was frantically directing two trusted servants, his forehead covered in cold sweat.

"Quick! Quickly, bring those boxes! And the ledgers from the alchemy room! Take them all to the boiler room in the backyard and burn them! Hurry!"

He was none other than the trusted steward of King Luhuang who had leaked the elixir formula. He knew all too well how secretive and deadly his work was; if discovered, he would surely be subjected to a slow and agonizing death.

He frantically pulled out a small booklet wrapped in oilcloth from a hidden compartment under the bed. It contained records of the sources of various medicinal materials and experimental records of prescriptions. This was his most fatal incriminating evidence.

He was so eager to rush out, as if he were holding a hot potato, that he wanted to destroy it himself.

However, just as he opened the door—

"boom!"

The door was kicked open from the outside.

Under the blinding torchlight, there were several Imperial Guards dressed in flying fish robes, their eyes cold and sharp.

The leading junior officer sneered, his gaze landing precisely on the oilcloth bundle in the man's arms, which he hadn't yet managed to hide:
"Manager Wang? Where are you in such a hurry? And what good thing are you carrying?"

Manager Wang froze on the spot, his face turning from white to green, then from green to gray, and the booklet in his arms fell to the ground with a 'thud'.

His legs gave way and he collapsed to the ground, his crotch instantly soaked, leaving only desperate sobs.

Caught red-handed, he had no chance to even try to deny it.

When the large contingent of soldiers began to smash the Prince's Mansion, Zhu Zhaohui and Tang Shi, along with other core members of the mansion, had already been ordered to gather in the square in front of the main hall to 'watch' this destruction, which was tantamount to being slowly sliced ​​to death for them.

Watching the familiar pavilions and towers crumble under the axes and knives, the cherished treasures being trampled or confiscated, hearing the ear-piercing sounds of shattering glass and broken beams, and smelling the dust carried by the wind, Madam Tang tightly embraced the young Zhu Zhaohui, her body trembling uncontrollably, her beautiful eyes filled with tears and endless despair.

She may have recalled the former splendor of the royal palace, her husband Zhu Tan's absurd behavior and untimely death, and even more so, the bleak future she and her son faced.

Young Zhu Zhaohui was completely terrified by the sight before him.

He clung tightly to his mother's clothes, looking at the fierce-looking soldiers and his home reduced to ruins. His little face was filled with fear and confusion. Finally, he burst into tears, his cries sounding particularly mournful amidst the broken walls and rubble.

Some loyal old servants of the Prince's Mansion knelt on the ground, kowtowing towards Yingtian and crying out, "Your Majesty, have mercy!" But their voices were quickly drowned out by the deafening roar of the destruction.

Outside the Prince's Palace, more and more people, who had been kept out by the soldiers, gathered. They stood on tiptoe, craning their necks, watching as the palace, which they had once looked up to and even feared, was razed to the ground.

"Tsk tsk, the wrath of Heaven is truly unpredictable... It just happened like that!"

An old man shook his head and sighed, his tone filled with disbelief.

"Serves them right! They used to be so arrogant and domineering! When that young prince seized my family's land, did he ever think he'd end up like this?"

A ragged man gritted his teeth, his face showing long-suppressed pleasure.

"Look!"

Some people pointed to the items cleared from the ruins and commented:

"Was the alchemy furnace from the Prince's mansion brought out? I heard that it was these things that killed the Prince!"

"Alas, it's just that the women and children in the manor are suffering..."

Some soft-hearted women couldn't bear to see the women being escorted out and the crying children.

"Suffering! Suffering my ass! Do you know how many people this young prince has killed? I heard he even killed ninety-nine boys and girls while refining pills!"

"You beast! You deserve this fate! The Emperor is wise! He has upheld justice even at the cost of his own family!"

The people's reaction was complex, including a sense of satisfaction at the downfall of the powerful, awe of Zhu Yuanzhang, a painful memory of past oppression, and a touch of sympathy for the innocent victims.

But Zhu's purge was far from over.

……

The Eastern Palace was shrouded in darkness.

Lady Lü was sitting in front of her dressing table, having her hairpins and jewelry removed by her personal maid.

In the bronze mirror, she still maintained her gentle demeanor, but the weariness and worry deep in her eyes could not escape her own notice.

Suddenly, a series of hurried, chaotic, and extremely oppressive footsteps approached from afar, breaking the tranquility of the Eastern Palace at night.

Accompanying this were the eunuchs' terrified cries of protest and reprimands.

"You can't go in! This is the Eastern Palace!"

"Get out of the way! The Imperial Guards are here on imperial orders to arrest someone!"

Lady Lü's hand trembled violently, and a jade hairpin fell to the ground, breaking into two pieces.

Her face turned deathly pale instantly, and her heart began to pound wildly.

Almost simultaneously, the door to her bedchamber was suddenly pushed open from the outside.

Several Imperial Guards, dressed in flying fish robes, with embroidered spring knives at their waists and cold expressions, barged in, led by an expressionless officer.

They didn't even bow; their cold gazes swept over every panicked palace maid and eunuch in the hall like knives.

"What...what do you want to do?!"

Madam Lü tried to remain calm, but her voice trembled slightly. She stood up and shielded Zhu Yunwen, who instinctively hid behind her.

The head of the Imperial Guard then slightly clasped his hands in a fist salute, his voice devoid of emotion:
"By order of the Emperor, we are investigating former members of the Eastern Palace. We request Your Highness the Crown Princess to do us this favor and not obstruct our work."

As soon as he finished speaking, the imperial guards behind him pounced on the terrified palace maids and eunuchs like wolves, and began arresting people according to a list.

"Liu Xiao, former eunuch of the Imperial Pharmacy, take him away!"

"Li Fushun, formerly the attendant to the Crown Prince's study, take him away!"

"Granny Zhao, who was once in charge of the items in the Crown Prince's bedchamber, take her away!"

Those whose names were mentioned were all Lü's confidants, or old men who had served Crown Prince Zhu Biao closely and might have known about his private medications and other secrets.

Especially Liu Xiao, who was the last confidante of Lady Lü after Zhang Yi, Wang De, and Sun Ren, and also the most trusted confidante she brought from her maternal family.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, save me!"

Liu Xiao was so frightened that he collapsed to the ground and desperately reached out his hand to Lady Lü.

Lu was ice-cold all over, her fingers gripping the hem of her clothes tightly.

She knew that the situation in the Eastern Palace was about to change.

But she dared not do anything and could only let the Imperial Guards run rampant in the Eastern Palace.

"Lady Zhang! Eunuch Li! Steward Wang!"

One by one, familiar names were called out, and one by one, the old men who had served the Crown Prince for more than ten years, or even decades, were roughly dragged out.

"Your Majesty, save me!"

"This old slave is innocent!"

"This servant knows nothing!"

Cries and pleas for mercy instantly echoed throughout the palace.

A nanny who had once served tea to Crown Prince Zhu Biao clung tightly to the door frame, refusing to let go, until a member of the imperial guards kicked her away without mercy and dragged her out like a dead dog.

An old eunuch who had once managed the small storeroom of the Eastern Palace collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down his face, repeatedly muttering, "Your Highness... this old servant is so sorry..."

Looking at the scene that resembled a ransacked house, Madam Lü felt a chill run through her body, her lips trembled, but she couldn't utter a single word.

She could only hold onto her son Zhu Yunwen's hand tightly, her nails almost digging into his flesh.

Zhu Yunwen was so frightened that his face turned pale, and his body trembled like a leaf in the wind. He shrank behind his mother and didn't even dare to lift his head.

The side hall was the residence of Zhu Mingyue and Zhu Mingyu.

The two sisters were also awakened by the commotion outside.

Zhu Mingyue was so frightened that she curled up in the corner of the bed, covered her head with the blanket, and sobbed softly, her gentle face full of fear.

Zhu Mingyu was both shocked and furious. She jumped out of bed, rushed to the door, and looked out through the crack in the door.

When she saw those usually kind and gentle nannies and eunuchs being dragged away by the Imperial Guards like livestock, a surge of anger rushed to her head.

"Let them go! You bastards!"

She flung open the door, ready to rush out and argue.

"Mingyu! Come back!"

Zhu Mingyue screamed in fright and immediately jumped out of bed to hug her younger sister tightly: "Don't go! It's dangerous!"

"Sister! Let me go! What right do they have to arrest people like this! Father is gone, do they dare to bully us like this?!"

Zhu Mingyu struggled, her eyes red-rimmed with both anger and sorrow.

Just then, two imperial guards noticed the commotion and swept their cold gazes over.

Zhu Mingyue was so frightened that she quickly pulled her younger sister back into the house, slammed the door shut, and pressed her back against it, tears streaming down her face silently.

Zhu Mingyu slid down to the ground against the door, biting her lip, her fists clenched tightly, her body trembling slightly with anger and helplessness.

Many of those being dragged away outside were people who had cared for them since they were little!

The entire Eastern Palace was plunged into chaos and despair, filled with wailing and howling.

Nobody knows who will be next.

Fear spread like a plague.

The once majestic and prestigious Eastern Palace, which symbolized the future of the empire, has now become a prison shrouded in the shadow of death.

The Lü family watched helplessly as their power, built up over many years, was uprooted, and those old associates who knew too many secrets or could be used against them were all purged.

She felt both fear and an indescribable sense of sorrow and resentment.

[Your Majesty...are you trying to completely erase all traces of the Crown Prince's existence? Or are you clearing the way for Wen'er...?]

This thought both frightened and delighted her.

This purge targeting the Crown Prince's Palace was merely a microcosm of the broader purge that swept through Yingtian Prefecture.

That night, countless mansions were knocked on by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, countless officials were dragged from their warm beds into the cold prison, and countless families faced annihilation in their sleep.

Cries, pleas for mercy, and the clanging of armor echoed throughout the capital, weaving a bloody symphony of the night.

When dawn broke and the sun shone on Yingtianfu once more, the imperial capital had already changed its appearance.

The streets were deserted, and the pedestrians looked anxious.

The execution ground at Caishikou was heavily guarded, and the strong stench of blood could be smelled even from a distance.

When the officials went to court, the procession was noticeably thinner, and everyone's face showed a mixture of fear and numbness, as if they had survived a catastrophe.

Old Zhu used the most cruel and direct method to declare his absolute authority and to offer a grand and silent blood sacrifice for his dead son.

All of this was observed and feared by the princes, who were imprisoned in their own mansions, through the limited windows of their residences.

The storm is not over; it is only just beginning.

The real trial is yet to come.

At this moment, the most tormented are those who survived the purge but do not know when the executioner's blade will fall on their heads.

In the main hall of the Eastern Palace, Lady Lü tightly embraced her still-shaken son, Zhu Yunwen, gazing at the gloomy sky outside the window, her eyes filled with unknown fear.

Meanwhile, Zhu Mingyu, still stubbornly staring out the window in the side hall, and Zhu Mingyue silently wept, missing their parents terribly.

As for their younger brother Zhu Yunwen, he was standing in the empty courtyard of the North Fifth Institute, listening to the faint cries coming from afar. His young face was expressionless, only cold and resolute that did not match his age.

This purge tore away all pretense and allowed some people to see the road ahead clearly.

At this moment, the east was beginning to lighten, but the sunlight could not dispel the bloodshed in front of the Meridian Gate.

The execution ground at Caishikou was packed with people, yet utterly silent.

The only sounds were the sharpening of the executioner's knife and the occasional desperate sobs of the convicted officials bound to the execution post.

Fu Youwen, Ru Chang, Zheng Ci, and Zhai Shan were escorted to the high platform.

Old Zhu did not show himself, but everyone could feel the cold gaze of those eyes hidden deep within the palace.

Jiang Huan personally supervised the execution.

When the cold blade touched their skin, Fu Youwen and the other three finally let out inhuman screams, lost control of their bladder and bowels, and made a complete spectacle of themselves.

"Your Majesty, spare my life—!"

"I confess! I confess everything! It was the Prince of Yan! It was the Prince of Yan who ordered it!"

"And Chang Sheng! Fu Youde! Lan Yu! They can't escape responsibility either!"

"I don't want to die—!"

They frantically clung to every name they could think of, trying to buy a glimmer of hope, but all they got in return was a cold wave from Jiang Huan.

"Execution——!"

The execution by slow slicing begins.

The executioners were shirtless, revealing their strong muscles, and the small knives in their hands gleamed coldly in the morning light.

Screams echoed through the sky, and the stench of blood filled the entire execution ground.

The once high-ranking officials of the six ministries are now fish on the chopping block.

Immediately afterwards, orders were issued one after another.

This time, the victims were Fu Youwen's family members.

The sword flashed!
It wasn't just heads falling one by one, but dozens of demon-headed blades slashing down at the same time!

"Pfft——!"

The dull thuds of sharp blades cutting into bone and flesh echoed throughout!
Blood gushed out like a bursting water sac, staining the nearby ground, the execution stake, and even the executioner's body crimson!

The head rolled off, and the headless corpse collapsed to the ground, blood gushing from the severed neck, quickly pooling into thick spurts.

The onlookers screamed in terror; some vomited on the spot, and others fainted.

But this is only the first batch.

Following that, the second and third batches of implicated officials and their families were continuously escorted to the execution ground.

Beheading! Cut in half at the waist! Lingchi (death by a thousand cuts)!

Various forms of torture were performed in turn, turning the execution ground into a true hell on earth.

Blood soaked the soil, pooling into a small river that flowed slowly along the ditches in the square, its color changing from bright red to dark red, and finally to a horrifying brownish-black.

This massacre-like purge lasted for a full month.

Asking for a monthly ticket~
One more chapter, please wait a moment.

(End of this chapter)