Wang Dao’s heart felt as if it were being burned by fire. The scales that had already been stirred now tipped completely. After leaving the Prince of Langya’s residence, he returned home, dismissed everyone around him, leaving only one trusted subordinate, and said in a low voice, “Please invite Yuanli to come.”

Yuanli had been grinding away at Wang Dao’s place for several months. If not for the fact that the young lady had said Wang Dao had great talent and reputation and should only be won over, he would have killed him long ago.

For the Prince of Langya to lose Wang Dao, his advisor, would be like losing his right arm.

The first time he heard that Wang Dao wanted to see him, Yuanli’s heart soared instantly, and the corners of his mouth couldn’t help but turn up. It seemed that being a persuader wasn’t particularly difficult—perhaps he could also be a strategist?

The thought only flashed through his mind. Yuanli had self-awareness about himself. He knew that Wang Dao did not like him, even detested him. For him to be willing to see him at this time, something must have happened.

Truthfully, even until now, Yuanli did not understand why the young lady would have him come to the south. He could understand her having him establish an intelligence organization here, but to actually have him make contact with Wang Dao…

Wang Dao was making his decision at the same time that the Xun family of Yingchuan was also making theirs.

The Yingchuan Xun clan was a great family. Though their power could not compare to the Xiping Zhao clan, they were still one of the top-tier great families. Just within Yingchuan Commandery alone, there were over a thousand clan members.

Among the Yingchuan Xun clan’s descendants, currently Xun Xiu was the most formidable, as he controlled a large army. Over twenty clan members followed him, some serving as lieutenant generals, some as soldiers, and others handling clerical and logistics work.

Besides him, the Xun family currently had twenty-six clan members serving in the Zhao faction. Of these, twelve were in Yingchuan Commandery—the highest-ranking was a county magistrate, the lowest was a county clerk or similar position. The rest had passed the recruitment examinations and been appointed to various places.

The Xun clan’s patriarch was fifty-six this year. In one day he received two major pieces of news in succession. First came a report that Xun Xiu had rebelled in Meng County. The returning person urged the Xun clan to quickly recruit troops and buy horses, clear out other powers within Yingchuan Commandery, and completely control it.

Rather than being pleased, he was only terrified and shocked. In his heart he cursed Xun Xiu for being brain-damaged. Yingchuan Commandery was insignificant within all of Yuzhou and was sandwiched in the middle. Not to mention within the entire Central Plains region.

Now that Zhao Hanzhang’s power was so vast, where did he get the confidence to think he could rebel?

The Xun clan patriarch felt only impending disaster. Then, before he could think of a countermeasure, even worse news arrived. Zhao Hanzhang’s great army had returned to the capital and suppressed Xun Xiu’s rebellion that very day. Xun Xiu had already been imprisoned, and the words Zhao Hanzhang said to Xun Xiu were also transmitted.

Besides these words, there was one more sentence: “Those who scheme for power at the expense of the common people shall have their clans exterminated.”

The county magistrate who came to convey Zhao Hanzhang’s meaning carefully said to the Xun patriarch, “Besides this statement, the Commander also had someone send over a set of figures. In this rebellion, the Zhao family army lost one thousand three hundred sixty-nine men, twenty-three court officials of seventh rank or above, twelve generals, sixty-nine common people died, three thousand one hundred forty-five were seriously wounded, over four thousand lightly wounded…”

He glanced at the Xun patriarch and said, “The Xun family army lost one thousand seven hundred ninety-two men, three thousand two hundred ninety-eight seriously wounded…”

The Xun patriarch did not move, but his whole person seemed to age ten years. He asked, “How does the Commander plan to deal with the Xun clan? She said she would give the Xun clan a chance…”

The county magistrate considered for a moment before saying, “The Commander has not stated explicitly, but she seems to hate Xun Xiu extremely. Wang Han, who incited him to rebel, has had his head cut off and has already been sent by messenger to the Prince of Langya in the south.”

He said in a low voice, “The Xun clan has numerous members. If truly exterminating the clan, the implicated would likely exceed ten thousand. People like the patriarch who were unaware of the internal situation are after all innocent. The Commander is benevolent, which is why she is willing to give the Xun clan a chance.”

The Xun patriarch gave a bitter smile. This was hardly giving the Xun clan a chance—this was using the Xun clan to make an example of them. Great families had numerous clan members. Even in cases of rebellion, at most the entire household would be implicated. There was no precedent for implicating the entire clan.

Otherwise, great families would have been completely killed off during the Rebellion of the Eight Princes and when Gou Xi was in power. In She County, there were people who rebelled, but Zhao Hanzhang did not exterminate entire clans—she only killed the clan patriarch and household heads…

The thought flashed through his mind, and the Xun patriarch suddenly realized with a shock, finally understanding Zhao Hanzhang’s meaning.

The Xun patriarch’s back collapsed at once, his entire spirit seemingly drained away.

The county magistrate saw that he had finally grasped the edge of understanding and rose to take his leave.

The Xun patriarch sat alone for a long while before finally supporting himself on his knees to stand up.

His young grandson stumbled and ran in from outside, throwing himself into his embrace and laughing gleefully, calling out unclearly, “Great-grandfather, great-grandfather…” while drooling as he spoke.

The Xun patriarch’s tears flowed down.

He requested the county magistrate’s help and quickly made his decision. Xun Xiu’s branch, along with the twenty-plus people who had followed him, would all be expelled from the clan. Then their family members would be escorted to Chen County.

Besides this, he also prepared himself for death.

Zhao Hanzhang and the others had already returned to Chen County. Seeing the hundred-plus people who were escorted over, the corners of her mouth curved up slightly as she had them all locked in the prison, right next to Xun Xiu.

After learning he had been expelled from the clan, Xun Xiu was completely stunned, and at the same time furious. But even more furious than him were the relatives he had implicated. Upon seeing Xun Xiu, they immediately couldn’t help but curse at him.

When Xun Xiu rebelled, besides those at his side, how many people in his family knew of this suicidal decision?

Slow slicing?

This special form of punishment, besides deterring people, created more fear and bred hatred and violence. When killing people, she preferred to break their hearts.

Expulsion from the clan was also a form of cruel punishment in this era, like slowly slicing through a person’s heart.

Xun Xiu’s father was still alive. Seeing him in the prison, he couldn’t help but curse loudly. His cursing continued all the way to the execution ground without stopping.

According to law, Zhao Hanzhang implicated his father. Women and children under twelve were exempt from implication, but the other implicated male members received even more severe punishment than those implicated in She County. She directly sentenced them to become military slaves.

Unless they achieved great merit, it would be very difficult to shed their status as criminal slaves.

All these families had been expelled from the clan. This news spread throughout the realm. The scholarly families first thought the Xun patriarch was cowardly, actually bowing to power and expelling clan members.

Then their hearts turned cold, their backs shuddering. Zhao Hanzhang was truly ruthless—killing people while breaking their hearts. Not only did she want to kill Xun Xiu, she wanted him to find no peace even after death.

Indeed, in contemporary people’s view, those expelled from the clan would be lonely ghosts even after death, never finding peace.

Xun Xiu also knew this, especially after being cursed at by his father and learning that even his old father had been implicated by him. He struggled even more violently, shouting at the surroundings, “I want to see the Commander! I want to see Zhao Hanzhang!”

“Commander! Young lady! I have achieved merit in battle. Even without merit, I have worked hard. I made a mistake this time and am willing to die, but you cannot force the Xun clan to expel me from the clan. You cannot…”

Before he finished speaking, stones and mud clumps came flying at him from all directions. The watching common people cursed loudly, “My elder brother was killed by you. After you die, you will surely descend to the eighteenth level of hell. Being expelled from the clan is good—even in the underworld you will have no ancestral protection…”

Everyone joined in cursing loudly.