"Wait a few days, and we can still open our doors to guests!!"
These aristocratic families believed that Ying Zheng's policies would cease in a few days, and Lin Tian's army would return to Qin.
They thought it wouldn't affect them at all.
Therefore, they were not worried in the slightest.
However, before an hour had passed, the sounds of clashing armor and weapons suddenly appeared outside their estates.
Immediately after, the guards at their gates rushed in in a panic.
"My lord, disaster has struck! Those Qin troops are attacking!"
"They demand we open our gates wide to welcome their army, or they will flatten our families!"
"What? The Qin army is attacking? How is this possible? Our great scholars couldn't possibly stop them!"
The Qin army, which was supposed to be held back, had inexplicably appeared before them. How could these old nobles not be shocked?
If they hadn't already heard the sounds of metal and horses, they might have suspected their guards were lying.
But their guards were not lying.
"My lord, according to them, all our great scholars have died at their hands!"
"And their swords and armor are all stained with blood!"
"What? They dare to commit such a rebellious act, aren't they afraid of being condemned by the world?"
The Qin army appearing with bloodied swords and armor was something these old nobles had never anticipated.
They had originally thought their esteemed scholars could hold back Lin Tian's army.
Who would have thought that Lin Tian's army would disregard their scholars entirely and slaughter them all?
Such audacious behavior was truly beyond their imagination.
But now, they had no time to ponder this matter.
Their great scholars were dead; no one could stand in the way of the Qin army for them anymore.
This meant they had to face the Qin army directly.
This filled them with a sense of dread, as they lacked the power to resist the Qin army's onslaught.
Therefore, they had to find other ways to deal with the Qin army.
"Quick, take me out. I will go out and talk to them!"
In terms of sheer force, they were certainly no match for Lin Tian's army, but they relied not on force, but on their silver tongues.
Thus, they hoped they could persuade Lin Tian's army.
If they succeeded, they could preserve their families.
However, as soon as they stepped out of the courtyard gate and saw Lin Tian's army, they were utterly stunned.
Although Lin Tian himself was not present, the morale of his army was no weaker than any elite force.
The blood-stained swords and armor they carried showcased their iron will in its entirety.
Upon seeing this, the old nobles were immediately filled with fear, and their voices dropped considerably.
"This... General, might we speak privately?"
"Speak privately? Say what you have to say right here. Our soldiers are all listening!"
Wang Wu knew that the so-called "speaking privately" was likely an attempt to persuade him, to bribe him.
If he agreed, he might receive a large sum of money, perhaps enough to live without financial worries for the rest of his life.
But if he actually did so, he would completely betray Lin Tian's trust.
He also knew that this action was proposed by Lin Tian to the King, as they had encountered similar situations in the Yan royal capital.
And now, it was his turn, Wang Wu, to carry it out.
If he failed, he would be too ashamed to face Lin Tian and would have to take his own life to atone.
Therefore, he gave them no opportunity to bribe him.
Instead, he stared intently at the old nobles, his eyes filled with killing intent.
His words made the old nobles feel awkward.
They wanted to say more, but they didn't know how to proceed, where to begin.
They couldn't possibly beg for mercy at this moment!
As they remained silent, Wang Wu spoke.
"Will you hand over your lands and wealth, or will you refuse?"
No preamble, straight to the point.
As he asked this question, the killing intent in Wang Wu's eyes intensified.
If these people dared to utter a single word of refusal, they would immediately kill them.
At this moment, these old nobles could naturally feel the murderous aura emanating from Wang Wu and his men. They also knew that if they dared to refuse, their families might be destroyed.
However, they were unwilling to easily surrender the wealth their families had accumulated over hundreds, even thousands, of years.
Thus, someone tentatively spoke.
"General, could you grant us a few days to consider? This is such a significant matter; we need time to discuss it thoroughly!"
"Do you think we are here to discuss with you?"
"By order of the King, we are confiscating the lands and wealth of you old nobles and distributing them to the common people!"
"This matter is non-negotiable and irreversible!"
"Therefore, you have only ten counts. If you still refuse to comply after ten counts, your families will be annihilated!"
With that, Wang Wu began to count.
He counted very quickly, not giving the old nobles much time to react.
When ten counts were finished, the old nobles were still hesitant, still clinging to a glimmer of hope. But Wang Wu showed no mercy.
With a wave of his hand, he gave the order:
"Kill! Annihilate their families!!"
This old noble's household was their first target, and it was meant to be a warning to others.
Therefore, after Wang Wu's order was given, the soldiers behind him moved without hesitation, launching their attack.
In an instant, they breached the gates of the mansion.
Once the army entered the residence, they killed anyone they saw.
Ying Zheng had declared that those who refused would face annihilation; such words were not mere threats.
Only the most ruthless methods could subdue these old nobles.
Otherwise, countless people would still harbor foolish hopes.
Thus, cries of anguish soon erupted from the old noble's mansion, and blood stained the entire courtyard.
Then, all became silent.
When a family was to be annihilated, not even a dog would be spared.
Therefore, not a single soul was left alive.
After wiping out the old noble family, Wang Wu and his men began to confiscate their lands and wealth.
Under the watchful eyes of many, vast sums of money were carted away.
Subsequently, Wang Wu and his men loudly proclaimed their slogans:
"Those who surrender their lands and wealth will be spared and may even have a chance to be allocated land, allowing them to support their families!"
"Those who resist will face annihilation!!"
They wanted to convey a clear message to the old nobles, warning them not to harbor any vain hopes.
They wanted them to willingly surrender their lands and wealth.
...