Chapter 886: Chapter 523: Harsh Measures in Troubled Times
Sun Xiaozhun glanced at him and suddenly felt a bit embarrassed.
How could Commander Zhao say something so blatantly insincere with such confidence?
Wasn’t the martial artist supposed to be simple-minded and straightforward?
Although the gathered gentry also felt that the last statement was too fake, they were at least relieved and began calculating how much to donate.
What? Follow the Lu Family’s standard?
Ha, do they think everyone is foolish? It’s obvious that the Lu Family was colluding with Zhao Douan, performing a duet. The so-called half of the family fortune is just talk; even giving one-fifth would be considered good.
So, no one would really follow this proportion.
However, just as everyone was calculating how much it would take to satisfy Yama Zhao, Zhao Douan suddenly changed his tone:
"However... although it’s voluntary, everyone’s family fortunes here are different. Some have more, some less. Asking you to follow the Lu Family in donating a hundred thousand taels would be inhumane of me."
"Well... let’s do this. I will set an amount. This time, the donation will not look at the total amount but the proportion. Everyone here should donate half of your family fortune, like the Lu Family, to fund the suppression of the rebellion, and that will be sufficient."
"Oh, by the way, just to mention, there are also many martial artists and magicians among the rebels. Therefore, for the sake of the war effort, I will need to collect all strange treasures, suppressing objects, and magic artifacts related to cultivation in the city... I’m sure each family here has their collection, so bring them along as well. It’s decided."
After these words, the entire banquet fell silent, a pin could drop.
Everyone’s expressions froze on their faces.
Sun Xiaozhun looked at him in astonishment, gently sucking in a breath of cold air.
Zhao Shande felt a jolt in his heart, looking at the young man "on stage" and doubting his own ears.
Elder Lu of the Lu Family was stunned and couldn’t hide his shock.
This Commander’s appetite... turned out to be much bigger than he expected?
He wasn’t just targeting the Lu Family, he was targeting everyone... How dare he? Wasn’t he afraid of inciting public resentment?!
Ah, he was only asking for donations from the gentry this time, without plundering the commoners at all, so there would be no public resentment...
"Wow——"
As expected, the entire hall erupted at once, and all the gentry changed their expressions. Some even stood up abruptly, their faces showing astonishment and anger!
Forcibly confiscating half of the family fortune, plus all their treasured strange objects!
How is this different from ransacking homes? Even the rebels weren’t this ruthless!
This completely broke the limit of what they could accept.
The big boss of Kangzhuang Rice Shop suddenly stood up and loudly said, "Is Commander Zhao joking? Half of our wealth? Such a donation has never been heard of in the world!"
Landlord Qian of Da Tong Bank also looked distressed: "Commander, please don’t joke. It’s not that we do not wish to support the suppression of the rebellion, but with our numerous industries, if half of the capital is taken away, it would be difficult to operate. As for the strange objects, those are family accumulations over generations..."
With someone leading, one gentry after another expressed dissatisfaction, fully prepared to resist together.
In their subconscious, they still believed that the court needed them for stability, so as long as they united, they could resist.
More people believed this was a "bargaining," thinking Zhao Douan had named a high price that had to be negotiated down.
Amid the noisy chorus, Zhao Douan’s smile gradually disappeared, and at some point, he quietly picked up the Chasing Saber on the table, resting it lightly. When the uproar subsided slightly, he spoke coldly: "Do you think I, the Commander, am joking?"
His sharp gaze swept across everyone, finally no longer bothering to conceal anything, sneering: "I told you, I am not a civil servant to be pulled and pushed by you. My patience is very limited. Calling you here already gave you face, and what I just said was not a negotiation, but a notification."
Mr. Li of Kangzhuang Rice Shop had a fiery temper and, with family members holding official positions, felt more confident. He coldly said, "Commander Zhao, isn’t your action too tyrannical! To forcibly confiscate our property, surely the current Holy Emperor isn’t aware of this?"
Zhao Douan stared at the troublemaker with a peculiar look, seemingly amused: "Are you teaching me how to do things?"
Mr. Li’s heart inexplicably fluttered, feeling like a beast was eyeing him, but he could only brace himself: "I wouldn’t dare, just feel there’s no precedent."
Zhao Douan’s gaze turned dangerously towards him and suddenly said: "I know you, there are a few people in your family who hold office in the capital, but their positions aren’t high. The only one barely able to speak to His Majesty is just an Imperial Censor, so you intend to impeach me?"
He laughed, a laugh full of arrogance and contempt, as if looking at a clown: "Even Yuann Li shows respect before me, when does a small Imperial Censor get to point fingers at me? Let me remind you again, it is wartime now! I am the Chaos Suppression Grand Commander, supervising the entire Linfeng Road! I have the power to act at my discretion! If you keep nagging..."
Mr. Li was both furious and angry, pointing at him, "Doing such a thing..."
Before finishing a single sentence, suddenly, in the pitch-black night, a silver glimmer flashed by.
The crowd only vaguely saw a silver thread flicker, accompanied by the "clang" of a blade unsheathing that drowned out all other sounds.
Mr. Li stood in place, maintaining the posture of pointing forward, but a bloodline slowly appeared on his neck.
Then, this wealthy and influential gentry, whose family status was among the top ten in Linfeng Road, fell back with a "plop," eyes wide with terror, and died instantly!
One slash, a fatal strike!
Zhao Douan, holding the Chasing Saber, looked around the crowd with a smile, while saying, "Governor Sun, please read aloud."
Sun Xiaozhun stared blankly for a moment, then numbly stepped forward and said, "Kangzhuang Rice Shop was hoarding goods for profiteering, blatantly violating the Great Yu Law, inflating grain prices for profit during wartime, with conclusive evidence, according to the Great Yu Law, they are to be executed by... decapitation."
Zhao Douan smiled, "Anyone else?"