A thousand-year-old family begins with one fighting against ten thousand.

"Prime Minister, how much longer can my body hold on?"

Cao Chong turned his gaze to Wei Xue. Wei Xue could hear the sorrow in Cao Chong's tone; after all, he was just a young man in his twenties.

"Given His Majesty's current physical condition, with the help of various medications, he can barely hold on for another year."

"..."

"One year, it's only one year."

Cao Chong's eyes went limp, then turned ferocious.

"Master, there's no need to investigate further. Just confiscate the property of these two aristocratic families and exterminate them."

"Arrest them all and throw them in jail for investigation, subject them to direct interrogation, and make sure no one escapes!"

When an emperor is enraged, millions of corpses lie in wait, and blood flows for miles.

"As you command!"

Cheng Yu's face was full of murderous intent. After so many years of self-cultivation, others had probably forgotten his reputation.

He was known as the ruthless strategist of Cao Cao's camp, and was as famous as Jia Xu under Dong Zhuo.

They jointly claimed: "It may harm the harmony of Heaven, but not the harmony of literature; it may damage morality, but not Zhongde."

Did you really think he'd turn into a kind old man just because his beard turned white?!

Upon receiving the order, Cheng Yu immediately led his men to raid the homes of the two families, arresting them one by one according to their family genealogies, and wiping out the entire family in one fell swoop.

Cheng Yu's actions terrified the major clans and made them feel a sense of shared fate.

However, after being trained by Dong Zhuo, Cao Cao, and Yuan Shao, they chose to protect themselves wisely, since one of them was a descendant of the Southern Xiongnu and the other was a descendant of the Goryeo barbarians.

Only those forces that were on good terms with the Wei family in the north and the Jin family in Liaodong were trying to find out what they had done wrong.

All of these people were arrested by Cheng Yu and taken to the prison to be treated as accomplices.

Cheng Yu gathered everyone together and began to torture them one by one.

"Will you tell me or not! Will you tell me or not! Will you tell me or not!"

"Still being stubborn. Looks like I'll have to treat my little darling to something nice."

Cheng Yu kept sprinkling sugar on a person covered in whip marks and wounds, and then ordered someone to sprinkle blanched ants on top of him, all the while revealing a sinister smile, as if a demon from hell responsible for punishment had appeared on earth.

The people from the two major families around watched this scene with immense fear, and many of them were so frightened that they lost control of their bladder and bowels.

"My lord, just ask!"

Beside him, the old patriarch of the Wei family in the north looked at his tormented son, suppressed his grief, and asked Cheng Yu.

"?"

"Didn't I ask?"

Cheng Yu looked at the jailer beside him, and the jailer nodded.

"If I didn't ask, wouldn't you just confess yourself?!"

Cheng Yu picked up a red-hot branding iron and pressed it directly onto the other person's body. After the person passed out, he ordered someone to splash cold water on him to wake him up. Only then did Cheng Yu's anger subside slightly.

"Tell me, who exactly orchestrated this? And who were involved?"

Cheng Yu looked at the large group of people with the same gaze one would give a dead man; no matter the outcome, none of them would survive.

"My lord, what is it? Even if I'm going to die, I should at least know the truth!"

The old patriarch said painfully.

"Of course it was because you harbored resentment and plotted to poison His Majesty!"

Cheng Yu said coldly.

"We didn't plot to assassinate His Majesty!"

"We dare not!"

"Your Excellency is wise and discerning!"

The old patriarch was so frightened that he forgot all about pitying his son; his family couldn't afford to take on such a huge burden.

"You dare not?"

"As expected of barbarian blood, they're tough as nails. Men, drag a few more out and torture them together. Once they're dead, we'll replace them!"

Cheng Yu waved his hand, and several burly jailers grabbed a few people and pinned them to other instruments of torture. One of the jailers specifically targeted the lower body, and as he did so, a look of vengeful pleasure appeared on his face.

Five years ago, his sister was kidnapped and abused by this group of people.

There were many people like his sister back then, until the current emperor purged them, cutting off the claws of this family.

Moreover, these people are so audacious as to seek revenge against His Majesty; their entire clan should be subjected to torture and die.

Seeing Cheng Yu's unwavering resolve, the two patriarchs began to suspect that someone within their families might be doing this behind their backs.

They were well aware of their family's traditions, and they had no doubt that someone was secretly plotting these things out of a desire for revenge.

No wonder Cheng Yu captured their entire clan without saying a word.

Unless they already have direct evidence, they wouldn't be so direct; they should be investigating covertly.

Even they themselves now believe they were the ones who did it. When Cao Pi finds out about this in the future, he will almost burst out laughing.

"Who? Which beast did this?! Step forward now!"

The two roared at their respective families at the same time, their old eyes sweeping over everyone like lightning.

The others also roughly "understood" what was going on, knowing that they had been implicated and suffered an undeserved disaster.

Those who were arrested for gathering information felt particularly wronged; they felt that even Dou E, the legendary heroine, was more innocent than the snow in June.

Some cried out, some begged Cheng Yu for mercy, saying they were innocent, and some cursed at the murderer...

Cheng Yu picked at his ears, finding the group of people a bit noisy.

If something can be obtained without torture, is it true?

Impossible, absolutely impossible!

"Continue the torture!"

Hearing the wails around him, Cheng Yu felt a sense of enjoyment and even a surge of pleasure upon entering.

The torture lasted for several days, killing hundreds of people, yet no one confessed.

Cheng Yu didn't care; he refused to believe that they wouldn't confess by the very end.

The two old patriarchs had no choice but to select several direct descendants of their families; it was time for them to sacrifice themselves.

Unable to withstand the blow, the two patriarchs "voluntarily" confessed their crimes, and, based on the information revealed by Cheng Yu, recounted their criminal activities one by one.

Years ago, Cao Chong had killed many of the children of the common people because he had abducted and raped them. He held a grudge and organized this revenge.

He bribed a eunuch in the palace who was in charge of inspecting Cao Chong's meals, got his family under his control, and had him poison Cao Chong.

"What's the little eunuch's name?"

Cheng Yu said casually.

"Xiao Guizi."

This is their informant planted in the central government, and now they've also made him the real culprit.

"Hmph, still not honest."

"Continue the torture!"

"Go and arrest that little eunuch they're talking about!"

The two old patriarchs wore bitter expressions. They knew that poisoning the emperor was no easy task, and certainly not something a lowly eunuch who inspected the food could accomplish.

But they couldn't do anything about it; no one took the initiative to admit it, which made them all wonder if they hadn't done it at all, or if Cheng Yu had made a mistake.

That day, a young eunuch who served Cao Chong came to the prison and whispered a few words in Cheng Yu's ear.

"Grand Tutor, the Prime Minister has found out where the poison was administered!"