Huangming

Chapter 207 Adulterers and their families wiped out

At dawn, before the eastern sky had even begun to lighten, a somber atmosphere already pervaded the Five Armies' encampment.

Torches flickered outside the camp, casting intermittent light on the soldiers' armor.

Hong Chengchou and Zhu Chengzong each organized their troops, forming a strict and orderly formation, awaiting only one command.

Yesterday's land survey in Daxing County went smoothly, with most of the land already inspected.

The rest can be completed today.

Hong Chengchou wore a scarlet official robe of the fourth rank, the hem of which was stained with morning dew and dust.

He raised his hand and lightly dusted off his sleeve, turning his gaze to Zhu Chengzong beside him.

The young son of the duke looked excited, his eyes gleaming with eager anticipation.

"We will be traveling together on this land survey, so please be sure to proceed with caution."

Hong Chengchou lowered his voice, a hint of solemnity in his expression.

"The people will inevitably resist, but we should shed as little blood as possible."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Chengzong raised the corners of his mouth slightly and scoffed dismissively: "Combining forces will only slow things down. It would be better to split up and act quickly."

As the two were arguing, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the camp gate.

A guard stepped forward quickly, knelt on one knee, and reported: "Your Excellency, a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard is requesting an audience outside the camp!"

"Jinyiwei?"

Hong Chengchou frowned, thinking to himself: The Imperial Guards must have something important to discuss with us at this time.

He hesitated for a moment, then waved his hand and said, "Send it here immediately!"

Before long, a Jinyiwei centurion dressed in a flying fish robe strode into the camp, clasped his hands in a salute to Hong Chengchou and Zhu Chengzong, and then took out a sealed letter with sealing wax from his sleeve and presented it with both hands: "Reporting to my superiors, Daxing has made a secret report!"

Hong Chengchou took the secret letter, opened the sealing wax and examined it closely.

Upon opening the letter, his pupils suddenly contracted, and his expression changed drastically.

The letter trembled slightly in his hand, as if it bore a tremendous weight.

"This matter is of great importance, and it is not appropriate to discuss it here."

He slammed the secret letter shut, his gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping over the Imperial Guard commander and Zhu Chengzong.

"Come into my tent, and I'll explain everything in detail!"

The three quickly entered the tent, and Hong Chengchou ordered his guards in a deep voice: "Guard the tent entrance strictly, and no one is allowed to approach!"

The guards received the order, stepped out of the tent, stood with their hands on their swords, and scanned the surroundings with eyes like hawks to ensure that no one was eavesdropping.

Seeing Hong Chengchou's solemn expression, Zhu Chengzong's curiosity grew even stronger. He couldn't help but take a step closer and asked urgently, "Lord Hong, what is such an important matter that requires such caution?"

Hong Chengchou did not reply, but simply handed over the secret report.

Zhu Chengzong unfolded it and saw that it was written in black and white:

Lady Liu, the wife of the Marquis of Wuqing, had an affair with Zheng Yaowu, the commander of the Daxing Thousand Household Office. The two conspired to embezzle the Marquis's land, shops, and treasury silver.

Last night, the Daxing Thousand-Household Garrison secretly mobilized troops, joining forces with refugees from Shanxi and Shaanxi, and ambushed them inside the Wuqing Marquis's residence and on the barren mountains of Daxing. Their intentions are unclear.

After reading it, Zhu Chengzong was taken aback at first, then burst into laughter, a ruthless glint in his eyes: "What a pair of adulterers! Since they dare to collude with refugees to cause trouble, we might as well take this opportunity to wipe them out in one fell swoop, confiscate their property and exterminate their entire clan!"

Hong Chengchou frowned, turned his gaze to the Jinyiwei centurion, and asked in a low voice, "This matter is of great importance. Where did the intelligence come from? Has it been verified?"

The Jinyiwei commander, with a slight smirk and a hint of smugness, cupped his hands and said, "Reporting to my lord, we have people in the Wuqing Marquis's residence. Every move of Liu and Commander Zheng is under the control of the Jinyiwei, and secret reports are sent to them every day."

Upon hearing this, Hong Chengchou felt a chill run down his spine and pressed on, "So, does that mean that other noble residences... also have spies planted?"

The centurion's smile deepened, but he only vaguely replied, "This matter involves confidential information, and I dare not speak recklessly."

To refrain from speaking rashly is tantamount to acquiescence.

Hong Chengchou gained a new understanding of the power of the Imperial Guard.

Upon hearing the meaningful reply from the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Zhu Chengzong felt a sudden chill in his heart, as if he had been doused with a bucket of ice water.

Are there spies in the mansion?
He suddenly remembered the day his father conspired with the Duke of Dingguo and other nobles to rebel.

Looking back now, it's astonishing that such a secret operation was thwarted by the imperial army before it even began.

The incredulous look in my father's eyes before he died was now vividly clear in my mind.

Zhu Chengzong had already realized the truth.

It's likely that my father's every move has been clearly seen by the Jinyiwei spies planted in the mansion.

What 'thunderous strike'? In His Majesty's eyes, it was nothing more than the dying struggle of a clown.

Zhu Chengzong felt a chill run down his spine and subconsciously looked around.

Who knows if the personal guards and attendants standing in the tent at this moment, or even the seemingly respectful commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, are spies planted by His Majesty?

In other words, His Majesty is watching my every move?
He clenched his fist tightly, a resolute glint in his eyes, and immediately stepped forward, proclaiming loudly, "Lord Hong, there's no point in asking these questions now! The most urgent task is to immediately mobilize troops to besiege and suppress the Marquis of Wuqing's residence!"

Hong Chengchou gave Zhu Chengzong a deep look and slowly nodded: "That's exactly right."

Of the hidden farmland in Daxing County, besides those under Zhu Chengzong's name, the most were hidden by the Marquis of Wuqing.

If we can capture Marquis Wuqing, the land survey in Daxing County will be successfully completed.

In the dim light of dawn, the three thousand elite troops of the Fifth Army Camp had already formed ranks, their iron armor gleaming and their swords and spears like a forest.

Hong Chengchou was dressed in a scarlet official robe, his brows furrowed with a murderous aura, while Zhu Chengzong was clad in bright armor, his eyes flashing with a sharp edge.

At their command, the army set off, their heavy footsteps shattering the morning silence.

Among the troops, the siege equipment was particularly eye-catching: the iron-clad battering rams lay in wait like giant beasts, the hooks on the ladder chariots gleamed coldly, and the gunpowder barrels were tightly wrapped in cotton cloth and guarded by personal guards who never left their side.

The people along the way shut their doors upon hearing the noise, only daring to peek through the cracks in their windows at the menacing army.

Before long, the vermilion gate of the Marquis of Wuqing's mansion came into view.

Hong Chengchou raised his hand to signal, and the soldiers instantly dispersed and surrounded the mansion. The archers occupied the high ground, and the musket team blocked the alleys, making the mansion completely surrounded.

Upon seeing this, the servants on the mansion wall rushed haphazardly to the inner courtyard to report.

now.

Inside the Wuqing Marquis's residence.

The candles in the inner hall were still lit. Lady Liu, the wife of the Marquis of Wuqing, had her hair neatly combed, but her cheeks still had the flush of spring, as if she had been nourished by Zheng Yaowu all night, like an alluring flower in full bloom.

Although Zheng Yaowu stood upright with his back straight and his hand on his sword, the muscles under his armor were already taut.

"Entang!"

The guard stumbled in, his voice hoarse.

"The Beijing garrison has arrived! They are led by Hong Chengchou and Zhu Chengzong!"

Zheng Yaowu's pupils contracted sharply, and the carvings on the hilt of the knife almost embedded themselves into his palm.

He suppressed his shock and anger, pulled Liu aside, and whispered, "Listen, they must be here to survey the land. You straighten your clothes and go out to greet them, pretending to cooperate. If you can lure them into the mansion, lead them to an ambush in the desolate mountains. The refugees there have prepared rolling stones and logs. When the time comes, lead them along the shortcut, and your assassins will intercept and kill them!"

Liu trembled all over, but Zheng Yaowu grabbed her chin and forced her to look up: "After it's done, we can frame the corpse for a peasant uprising, and you and I will still be innocent. If we are exposed, we will both die without a burial place."

Liu's fingertips trembled slightly as she gripped the dagger hidden in her sleeve. Her throat tightened. "Zheng Lang, is this truly safe? The situation outside is tense. If we're not careful, we could all be dead. Put it down now."

Before she could finish speaking, Zheng Yaowu grabbed her cold hand, his rough fingertips rubbing against the throbbing veins on her wrist.

"What are you afraid of!"

He lowered his voice, his eyes burning with a desperate, all-or-nothing intensity.

"The arrow has already left the bow; can it turn back?"

Seeing that Liu was still biting her lip and hesitating, he suddenly leaned down and approached her, his hot breath brushing against her ear.

"Once things are settled, I'll take you to Jiangnan. Don't you love the misty rain of West Lake the most? Let's buy a house by the water, you can wear gold and silver like a grandmother, and I'll accompany you to listen to music and go boating every day..."

Liu's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she seemed to see the splendid scene before her eyes: babies playing under the carved windows, and she no longer needed to pretend to be virtuous in the Marquis's mansion.

Greed mingled with passion surged within her, and she suddenly gripped Zheng Yaowu's hand tightly: "My life is now in yours!"

"You can rest assured."

A moment later, the vermilion gate of the Marquis's mansion burst open with a roar.

Liu stepped proudly across the threshold, the golden peacock on her first-rank robe dazzling in the morning light.

But the moment she looked up, her blood seemed to freeze:
The cold gleam of iron armor swept across the long bluestone street like a tide, and the creaking sound of crossbows being cocked sent chills down one's spine.

The boots of the executioners in the front row were still stained with blood and mud, clear evidence of yesterday's land survey and ransacking.

Liu's legs went weak, and the land deed beneath her flowing robes rustled, yet she forced herself to bow gracefully to Hong Chengchou: "Your subject welcomes you..."

"The Liu family!"

Before Liu could finish speaking, Hong Chengchou roared like thunder, and in the midst of his flowing crimson robes, he threw down the token.

"You have colluded with military officers and embezzled state funds; the evidence is irrefutable!"

A thunderous roar erupted in Liu's mind.

She staggered backward, completely unaware that her face was scratched by the jade pendant.

"Injustice! I've been wronged!"

The piercing scream had barely left her lips when soldiers from both sides pounced on her like hungry tigers.

Her magnificent pheasant-embroidered robes became a death knell. As she struggled, her crown fell to the ground, her golden hairpins crumbled into dust, and she was finally forced to kneel before the steps by a large, iron-like hand.

"Innocent? You really didn't commit adultery?"

Zhu Chengzong's gaze was like a knife, coldly sweeping over Liu, who was forced to kneel on the ground. Although her hair was disheveled, it could not hide her charming appearance. Her shawl revealed a section of her snow-white neck, adding to her pitiful appearance.

His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and his knuckles unconsciously rubbed the hilt of his sword—such a beauty, under normal circumstances, would have been dragged into his tent and played with at will.

But right now...

He squinted at the gold bracelet dangling from Liu's wrist, an imperial gift that only ladies of noble birth could wear.

Even though she was already a prisoner, she still bore the title of Lady Hou. If she were to be humiliated in public, it would inevitably give others grounds for criticism.

"Tsk."

He turned his face away in frustration and whispered to Hong Chengchou, "Judging by the time, the refugees on the desolate mountain should have been wiped out. What are we waiting for? Let's break into the mansion and arrest them!"

Hong Chengchou raised his hand and pressed down on his arm guard, his voice as steady as a rock: "Wait another moment. If we launch a strong attack now, any survivors will surely report us."

His gaze swept over the high walls of the Marquis's mansion, but he had another consideration in mind.

"If Zheng Yaowu resists stubbornly, it will only increase casualties."

Zhu Chengzong snorted through his nose.

He was somewhat displeased: This civil official always liked to put on a face of loving the people like his own children, did he really think he was some kind of savior?

"The evidence of Zheng Yaowu's treason is conclusive. Why waste words with him? Just blast the gate open with firearms, and today's matter will be resolved."

"Sir!"

Hong Chengchou suddenly raised his voice, drawing the attention of his personal guards.

He immediately lowered his voice, tapped his knuckles heavily on the sealing wax seal of the secret letter, and said, "His Majesty wants the guilty convict caught red-handed, not a bloody mess!"

Zhu Chengzong's pupils contracted.

The word "Your Majesty" was like ice water poured over his head, pulling him back from the brink of madness and instantly extinguishing most of his rage.

"This humble general will obey your orders." He gritted his teeth, clasped his hands, and the armor plates rustled.

Hong Chengchou gave him a deep look, then turned and waved to the messenger: "Speak out."

dong dong dong~
After a drumbeat.

A sergeant with a booming voice stepped forward, holding a brass megaphone to his lips:

"Zheng Yaowu colluded with refugees to plot a rebellion, a crime deserving of no pardon! The rest of you must immediately lay down your arms and surrender. The court, considering you have been deceived, will not pursue the matter further!"

The shouts were like thunder, echoing in all directions.

A commotion immediately broke out inside the Marquis of Wuqing's residence.

"Main Hall, what should we do?"

Inside the hall, the captain of the personal guard's voice trembled, and the thin shirt under his armor was already soaked with cold sweat.

"Master Suo, resisting to the bitter end will only lead to your death!"

Another veteran knelt down with a thud, his forehead hitting the blue bricks hard.

"Outside the gate are the elite troops of the Fifth Army Camp, with muskets already set up at the street corner. Resistance will only lead to death."

"Master!"

A young bodyguard suddenly lunged forward and grabbed Zheng Yaowu's arm guard, his eyes bloodshot and menacing.

“You said you would lead the brothers to achieve success and prosperity! Now, we must at least give the brothers a way to survive.”

Zheng Yaowu's Adam's apple bobbed, and the saliva he swallowed tasted of rust—the taste of blood flowing from the tip of his tongue that he had just bitten.

He looked around and saw that his guards, who usually swore to serve him to the death, now had shifty eyes like frightened mice.

Some people secretly shrank behind the pillars, some kept rubbing their fingers on the scabbard springs①, and some even glanced furtively at the corner gate leading to the backyard.

"What's the panic!"

He roared, the sound so loud that dust fell from the beams.

"That stupid woman Liu must have given herself away!"

Zheng Yaowu kicked over the table, and amidst the flying shards of porcelain, a map of the desolate mountains' defenses was revealed underneath.

Although he was panicking inside, he maintained a degree of composure on his face.

“Listen! There’s a secret passage in the mansion that leads directly to the stables in the west wing, and there are twelve brothers waiting to meet you along the way! If you escape from here, you might have a chance to survive.”

Everyone gasped, and many people's eyes flickered.

They clearly do not believe what Zheng Yaowu said.

Seeing this, Zheng Yaowu grabbed the captain of his personal guard by the collar, his face contorted like a demon, and roared at the crowd: "You and I embezzled military funds and illegally transferred troops, which of these crimes isn't a capital offense punishable by the extermination of nine generations of your family? Now kneel down and get out, waiting to be slowly sliced ​​to death and fed to the dogs!"

Upon hearing this, everyone fell into a deathly silence.

Xilulu~
In the dead silence, the neighing of warhorses suddenly came from the backyard.

Everyone shuddered. Those were the thirty fine horses from Liaodong that they had prepared in advance, with gags in their mouths and cloth wrapped around their hooves!
Taking advantage of the moment, Zheng Yaowu drew his sword, its cold gleam flashing across the terrified faces of the crowd: "Those who want to live, follow me and fight our way through the archers on the east side! There are still three hundred refugee warriors waiting to meet us on the desolate mountain!"

A fierce glint flashed in his eyes as he shouted, "As for those who undermine morale, kill them without mercy!"

The shout still carried some lingering power, and the guards exchanged glances, ultimately daring not to disobey.

The group had no choice but to grit their teeth and reply "Yes, sir," before filing into the secret passage one after another.

In the damp, dark passage, torches flickered, illuminating pale faces.

Some people walked unsteadily, some kept looking back, but in the end no one dared to stop.

At the end of the secret passage, thirty fine horses from Liaodong were already prepared in the stables of the west courtyard.

Zheng Yaowu leaped onto his horse and slammed the back of his sword against the horse's rump: "Charge out!"

The moment the courtyard gate burst open, a sinister smile had just appeared on Zheng Yaowu's face as he thought to himself:

If you don’t want to stay here, you will have a place to stay!

He sold items worth tens of thousands of taels of silver from the Wuqing Marquis's treasury. At this moment, that tens of thousands of taels of silver is buried outside the city. As long as he can get out alive, he will still be a wealthy man.

It's just a pity that we couldn't get more.

However, as soon as Fang Yi stepped out of the courtyard, the smile on his face suddenly froze.

Outside the courtyard gate, three rows of musketeers stood in neat rows, their musket holes dark and deep, like eyes staring back at him.

"put!"

At a command, the musket array thirty paces away simultaneously unleashed a barrage of fire.

bang bang bang~
Lead pellets rained down like a storm, and Zheng Yaowu didn't even have time to raise his knife to block them before several bursts of blood erupted from his chest.

His warhorse reared up with a mournful neigh, hurling the corpse of the commander heavily onto the bluestone slab.

The head that had just been dreaming of becoming a wealthy man rolled right to the feet of a guard, its wide-eyed stare still frozen in disbelief.

With Zheng Yaowu dead, the garrison soldiers of Daxing Thousand Household Garrison immediately lost their will to resist.

"Spare my life!"

The surviving guards tumbled off their horses, their foreheads slamming against the bricks with a loud thud.

"This humble servant was coerced by the traitor Zheng!"

Someone pointed at Zheng Yaowu's corpse and wailed, cursing, "It was all this traitor's doing! I am innocent."

Some people, in order to survive, will say anything and everything.

"I'm willing to reveal the location of Zheng's hidden silver! I only beg for my life."

However, what they were met with was Zhu Chengzong's twisted smile.

"Want to live? Have you asked your Grandpa Zhu yet?"

puff puff~
Blood blossoms bloomed.

Before these people could even beg for mercy, their heads were already raised high.

Do not look down.

the other side.

On the desolate mountain of Daxing, where the morning mist had not yet dissipated, a meticulously planned ambush turned into a farce in which the victim walked right into a trap.

woohoo~
The bugle call of the Beijing garrison pierced through the mountain mists. The leader of the refugees, who was lying in ambush behind the rocks, had just raised his command flag when three crossbow bolts pierced his palms at the same time.

Suddenly, countless flags were erected in the bushes on both sides of the mountain road. It turned out that the scouts of the Embroidered Uniform Guard had already found out every hidden sentry post. At this moment, the scouts dressed as refugees were holding knives to the backs of the leaders.

Those who lay down their weapons and kneel will not be killed!

With a shout from the commander of the Fifth Army Camp, hundreds of refugees tumbled out of their hiding places like startled birds.

They were disheveled, with unlit kerosene cans stuffed into their coarse cloth clothes, and could only tremble as they threw their rusty knives into the prepared caltrop basket.

The dozen or so strongest men from northern Shaanxi tried to break through, but they were ambushed by a volley of fire from the musket squad that was lying in wait along their retreat route. Blood splattered everywhere, and they were clearly going to die.

"String them all together like grasshoppers!" ordered the commander of the Fifth Army Battalion.

The soldiers immediately pulled out hemp ropes soaked in tung oil and tied the refugees into long strings of ten.

Then they were escorted down.

Hong Chengchou coldly watched the prisoner train winding its way down the mountain, feeling a sense of satisfaction.

The rebellion was suppressed before it even began, and the land survey in Daxing County was no longer an obstacle.

With the experience and notoriety of the land survey in Daxing County, would the local bullies, landlords, and gentry in other places still dare to obstruct the land survey?
Note ①: Scabbard retaining spring: A metal mechanism at the mouth of the scabbard of a Ming Dynasty military sword; rubbing this object indicates preparation to draw the sword.
(End of this chapter)