The imperial court is ceding territory from our northern border? Then we'll rebel!

Overnight, the atmosphere in Chengdu changed from one of peace and prosperity to one of solemnity and gloom.

Under the "persuasion" of Su Mou and the 10,000 Zhenbei Army, Wang Chonggu and other heads of Yunzhou aristocratic families finally chose to "cooperate".

With trembling hands, they handed over the keys to the treasury and presented their family's land registers and shop deeds. Overnight, these local bullies who had lorded over Yunzhou for over a hundred years seemed to have had their spines removed, and they all wilted.

However, there are always some people who, hoping for a lucky break, want to test the limits of their new owner.

Li Changqing, the head of the Li family, is one of them.

After handing over most of his assets, he secretly hid a large amount of gold and silver jewelry and secretly contacted hundreds of his servants and guards in an attempt to put up a last-ditch resistance.

He also sent people to the city to spread rumors that "the barbarians from the northern frontier are going to massacre Chengdu and plunder everyone's property," in an attempt to incite unrest and create trouble for Su Mou.

In his view, Xiao Jingchen, being new to the city, needed stability most of all. He would never dare to commit massacres and cause unrest in a large city like Chengdu. As long as he made a commotion, that strategist surnamed Su would inevitably be hesitant to act rashly and would come to negotiate with him.

At that time, I will be able to regain the initiative.

It must be said that Li Changqing's plan was very shrewd. Any other official sent by the imperial court in the past might have fallen for his tricks.

Unfortunately, he was facing Xiao Jingchen.

A ruthless and unconventional leader.

Late that night, while Li Changqing was still in his residence plotting with his confidants about how to incite the rioters to storm the temporary yamen of the Protectorate the next day.

"Boom!"

With a loud crash, the heavy, vermilion gate of the Li residence, which was covered in fine iron, was smashed open with a battering ram.

Immediately afterwards, countless soldiers of the Zhenbei Army, dressed in black armor, surged into the mansion like a tide.

"Protect the master of the household!"

The several hundred guards that Li Changqing had raised charged forward, brandishing swords and knives, in an attempt to resist.

However, these servants who usually bullied the villagers were utterly helpless against the battle-hardened Zhenbei Army.

There was no fierce fighting, only one-sided slaughter.

The soldiers of the Zhenbei Army formed battle formations, wielding their long swords, each strike sending sprays of blood through the air. Screams and wails echoed throughout the Li residence.

Surrounded by his personal guards, Li Changqing escaped from the backyard. Upon seeing the hellish scene before him, he was terrified.

He couldn't understand how Su Mou dared to do that. How could he dare to deploy troops in the city, and even use battering rams? Wasn't he afraid of causing panic throughout the city?

Before he could even process what was happening, a cold arrow pierced his thigh with pinpoint accuracy.

"what!"

Li Changqing screamed and fell to the ground.

Several soldiers from the Zhenbei Army walked forward expressionlessly and dragged him out of the Li residence like a dead dog.

The next day, just as dawn was breaking.

In the central square of Chengdu, more than a dozen tall wooden stakes have been erected.

Li Changqing and his dozen or so core clansmen and trusted stewards were all tied to wooden stakes, their faces ashen.

The square was surrounded by Zhenbei Army soldiers holding long swords, making the entire square completely impassable.

The people in the city were quite frightened by the scene and hid at a distance, craning their necks and whispering among themselves.

"Isn't that the head of the Li family? Why is he tied up?"

"I heard his house was raided last night, and many people died!"

"Serves him right! This Li Changqing, who has done countless evil deeds and bullied the villagers, has finally gotten his comeuppance!"

"Keep your voice down! Are you out of your mind?!"

Amid the murmurs of the people, Su Mou stepped onto the makeshift platform.

Behind him followed Wang Chonggu and other heads of prominent families who had been "invited" to witness the execution.

At this moment, the faces of these family heads were no better than those of the dead. Looking at Li Changqing groaning on the wooden stake, they felt their legs go weak and a chill rise from the bottom of their hearts.

They were glad they had made the right choice yesterday.

Su Mou's gaze swept across the entire room, then he picked up a notice and read it aloud.

"The Li family of Yunzhou has committed one crime: exploiting the local people!"

"To privately possess armor and weapons, to raise a private army, and to harbor treacherous intentions—this is the second crime!"

"Colluding with the enemy during wartime and funding the traitor Tian Kui is the third crime!"

"The royal army quelled the rebellion, yet instead of repenting, they spread rumors and incited unrest among the people—this is the fourth crime!"

"The crimes are too numerous to list! According to the laws of my Northern Protectorate, Li Changqing, the head of the Li family, and his core followers shall be executed immediately! The rest of the clan members shall be exiled to the harsh and cold northern frontier, with no possibility of pardon for three generations!"

"All their land, shops, and personal wealth will be confiscated! Half of it will be used to provide relief to the families of fallen soldiers! The other half will be distributed to the landless and propertyless poor people in the city!"

When Su Mou finished announcing the last point, a thunderous cheer erupted from the crowd.

"good!"

"Your Highness is wise!"

"Kill these vampires!"

Ordinary people don't understand matters of court politics or power shifts. They only know that the Li family, who had oppressed them their whole lives, has fallen, and the new "King of Wuwei" is actually going to distribute the Li family's land and wealth to them, the poor!

This is something they wouldn't even dare to dream of!

"Long live the Prince!"

"Long live the Protectorate of the Northern Frontier!"

Someone shouted first, and then a roar like a tsunami echoed throughout the entire city of Chengdu.

Hearing the deafening cheers, Wang Chonggu and the others turned even paler.

They finally understood Xiao Jingchen's methods.

Too bad!

This move of "killing the chicken to scare the monkey" combined with "distributing land to the people" is simply a plan to wipe out the family's future!

He not only used Li Changqing's blood to intimidate all the treacherous families with ill intentions.

Furthermore, they used the Li family's wealth to win over the hearts of the entire city's residents!

From then on, in the eyes of the people of Yunzhou, these aristocratic families were nothing but damned vampires. And Xiao Jingchen and his Northern Protectorate were the benevolent saviors who rescued them from their misery.

Anyone who dares to oppose the Protectorate General's Office will be torn to pieces by the angry populace, even before the Zhenbei Army can lift a finger!

The foundation was so easily uprooted by him!

"The time has come; carry out the execution!"

Su Mou tossed down the token expressionlessly.

"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!"

With a swift stroke of the knife, more than a dozen heads rolled to the ground.

Blood stained the ground of the square.

This also completely extinguished the last thought of resistance from all the aristocratic families in Yunzhou.

From that day on, the sky over Yunzhou changed.

Those once powerful and influential clans have become history. In their place stands a new, absolutely unchallenged power center—the Northern Protectorate.

Su Mou stood on the high platform, looking down at the cheering crowd and the ashen-faced heads of the powerful families, but his heart remained completely unmoved.

He knew this was just a small step in the prince's plan.

What the prince wants is not just an obedient Yunzhou.

What he wanted was to transform the entire northern border and Yunzhou into an impregnable war fortress—an independent kingdom capable of self-sufficiency, external exports, and obeying only his commands.

However, to achieve this goal, having popular support and land is not enough.

We also need one more crucial thing—money.

A massive amount of money.

Su Mou's gaze turned towards the direction of the capital.

The prince is waiting for the imperial court's funds and provisions.

But he knew that the money and provisions would not be delivered to the northern border so easily.