Chapter 13 The Captured Vassal Kings

Jiang Chen looked at the minister who spoke, and sneered, "These people are not surrendered soldiers!"

The minister was choked, and other ministers who wanted to follow up with their remonstrations couldn't step forward to plead for mercy.

Strictly speaking, these ten thousand rebel soldiers could not be considered surrendered soldiers, but rather prisoners.

But after all, this was more than ten thousand people.

A minister braced himself and stepped forward, saying, "Your Majesty, after all, the number is large, please think twice!"

His words were already very euphemistic, but Jiang Chen didn't appreciate it at all.

He recognized the minister who spoke as Lu Xiao, who worked in the Ministry of Rites as a secretary.

"Lu Xiao, I ask you, do you know what the consequences would be if these people were allowed to enter the capital?" Jiang Chen asked, staring at Lu Xiao.

Lu Xiao was stunned, and then his forehead was covered in cold sweat.

Although he had not seen the rebel army on the battlefield with his own eyes, he had learned something about them in the past two days.

Many of the rebels were hooligans and bandits.

If these people were allowed to enter the capital, it would surely be a disaster!

It was very likely that he, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, would also die at the hands of these people!

Thinking that his life was almost lost at the hands of these people, Lu Xiao couldn't continue speaking.

Many ministers also understood this point, and immediately retracted the feet they had just extended.

Although from these perspectives, these people really didn't need to be pleaded for, there were also ministers who considered it from another perspective, and felt that it would be best to keep these people.

The Secretary of the Ministry of Personnel, Changsun Li, stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, it is true that these people have committed a capital crime, but now is the time when our Great Wei needs manpower. Could we consider assigning these people to the army, or let them go to the north or west to reclaim wasteland?"

Because of the overall rebellion of the Western and Southern military camps, although some people had been recruited during this period, the total military strength of the Great Wei was only 70% of its peak.

Conscripting these ten thousand people into the army could not only supplement the military strength, but also not require additional payment of military salaries other than providing them with food, which was definitely a good thing.

As for the wastelands in the north and west, they also needed to be reclaimed.

Now that the people of Great Wei had been allocated land, they were not very interested in reclaiming wasteland, but these criminals could be forced to reclaim it, which was making the best use of their talents.

This proposal was immediately approved by most of the ministers.

Even Xu Changqing, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, felt that this proposal was very good.

However, Jiang Chen flatly rejected this proposal.

Jiang Chen's decisive rejection surprised the ministers.

This proposal was extremely appropriate from any point of view.

Why would His Majesty deny it?

Xu Changqing couldn't figure it out either. He memorialized from the perspective of thrift, "Your Majesty, if these ten thousand people can be assigned to the army or to reclaim wasteland, then the treasury of our Great Wei can spend at least one hundred thousand taels less each year! Your Majesty, this is not a small number!"

"I know."

Jiang Chen's expression was cold, "But these people must not be kept!"

"The crime of rebellion is unforgivable! Otherwise, wouldn't my Great Wei be in chaos?"

Jiang Chen's perspective was very simple.

The crime committed by these people was treason.

If the capital crime of treason could be exempted from death, then the cost of trial and error would be too low!

If this continued, I'm afraid it wouldn't be long before many people with rebellious hearts would try frantically.

After all, failure would only mean going to the army or reclaiming wasteland, while success would mean changing the dynasty!

For those ambitious people, this was definitely a method worth trying!

It was necessary to give those ambitious people a severe deterrent!

Jiang Chen waved his hand decisively and shouted, "Wu Zuo, execute them!"

Wu Zuo naturally obeyed Jiang Chen's orders, and immediately responded loudly, "Yes, Your Majesty!"

Seeing Jiang Chen's decisiveness, the ministers couldn't say anything.

At this time, Jiang Chen asked again, "Wu Zuo, you just said, how many vassal kings were involved in the rebellion?"

Wu Zuo quickly replied, "Thirteen, of which eleven were captured on the spot, and the remaining two have been sent to arrest."

"Yes."

Jiang Chen nodded, then glanced at the ministers, "My lords, what do you think I should do with them?"

When dealing with the tens of thousands of rebel prisoners, Jiang Chen didn't ask, but the ministers spoke actively.

But now that Jiang Chen asked, none of the ministers dared to stand up and speak.

Everyone was not stupid. The vassal kings were different from those rebel soldiers. These people were His Majesty's relatives!

What's more, these vassal kings had complex relationships with other imperial relatives and nobles. If their opinions were spread out, they might offend some people they didn't even know.

Naturally, no one was willing to do such a stupid thing.

Jiang Chen was very clear about the ministers' mentality, and he didn't bother to ask.

"Wu Zuo, you are the Minister of Justice, what do you say should be done?" Jiang Chen asked.

Wu Zuo didn't want to answer either, but as the Minister of Justice, and since Jiang Chen had named him, he had to answer.

He thought about Jiang Chen's thoughts in his heart, and then cautiously said, "Your Majesty, according to the laws of Great Wei, those who rebel should have their nine clans exterminated. If the vassal kings rebel, those who participated should be killed, and the rest should be exiled."

Wu Zuo's words were very conservative, and the treatment methods he mentioned were all stipulated by the laws of Great Wei, without any deviations.

Jiang Chen smiled faintly, "In my opinion, there is no need for exile."

The ministers couldn't help but look at Jiang Chen.

Could it be that His Majesty was showing mercy and wanted to release the vassal kings' relatives?

Thinking of this, the ministers sighed in their hearts.

As expected, His Majesty still treated them differently.

Just as the ministers were complaining in their hearts, they heard Jiang Chen continue, "Just kill them directly."

"Ah?"

Several ministers exclaimed in surprise.

Jiang Chen looked at the ministers who exclaimed and said, "What? Do you have any objections to my decision?"

The ministers were so frightened that their faces turned pale, and they quickly shook their heads, "No, no!"

"Since there are none, then carry it out!" Jiang Chen said.

Just as he had said to Concubine Yu before, he was already notorious, so what was there to fear this time?

Those who committed treason must be killed!

The decision at the court quickly spread to the ears of the vassal kings.

The vassal kings couldn't believe what they heard.

They had no doubt that they themselves would be killed.

But they couldn't accept that their relatives would also die.

Among them, Jiang Sheng was especially angry, and roared, "I want to see Jiang Chen! I want to see Jiang Chen!"

Although Jiang Sheng was already dead, he was still a prince, and his request was quickly reported to Wu Zuo.

Wu Zuo didn't dare to make a decision on his own, so he reported it to Jiang Chen.

After hearing this, Jiang Chen wanted to ignore it.

But after thinking about it, Jiang Chen decided to go and see Jiang Sheng.

"Your Majesty, be careful."

Wu Zuo led the way in front, very respectful to Jiang Chen, and soon came to the prison where Jiang Sheng was being held.

Jiang Sheng looked at this scene and sneered, "Wu Zuo, you really are a good dog of Jiang Chen!"