Shen Changqing was sitting there. About a quarter of an hour later, Hong Cheng hurried in.
"Greetings, My Lord!"
As soon as he saw Shen Changqing, Hong Cheng bowed in respect. Clearly, he had already learned about Shen Changqing’s temporary role as County Magistrate.
If the people from the Demon-Subduing Division lacked the direct power of life and death over the Yamen personnel, a city’s County Magistrate certainly possessed such authority. Recalling Shen Changqing’s ruthless, unblinking decisiveness when killing, Hong Cheng dared not show any disrespect.
"This is the Imperial Court’s verdict against the Zhao Family. Take a look." Shen Changqing placed the verdict on the table.
Hong Cheng stepped forward, picked up the verdict, and began to read it carefully. Gradually, his expression became serious.
After reading it all, Hong Cheng respectfully placed the verdict back. "My Lord, the verdict has been issued. What should we do now?"
"What else can be done? Colluding with Demon Evil is a dead end. Such an outcome is only to be expected." Shen Changqing shook his head slightly, a cold smile on his face. "Zhao Fang became County Magistrate because the Zhao Family’s influence is considerable. Lin’an City is merely one of the Zhao Family’s clan estates; they have numerous branches elsewhere. But no matter how many branches they have, it’s useless. With the verdict issued, I believe the Imperial Court has already taken action. The Zhao Family’s branches in other regions cannot possibly escape.
Issue my order: take all members of the Zhao Family, including their servants, and lock them in prison!"
"Yes!" Hong Cheng nodded, then hesitated slightly. "The Zhao Family has many members, and they might not go to prison willingly. Although the Yamen’s Government Officials all possess some martial arts skills, they are still far inferior. If the Zhao Family resists, I’m afraid we won’t be able to suppress them!"
Hong Cheng looked rather embarrassed. The great Yamen couldn’t even suppress a single Zhao Family. But embarrassment aside, he spoke the truth. The Yamen had, at most, only ten to twenty Government Officials. The Zhao Family, including servants, numbered one to two hundred.
Currently, the Government Officials could keep watch over the Zhao Family because things hadn’t reached a do-or-die point. The Zhao Family still clung to a sliver of hope, not daring to openly confront the Imperial Court. Now that the verdict was passed, it was tantamount to a death sentence for the Zhao Family. At this point, the Zhao Family members would certainly not resign themselves to fate. If a conflict truly erupted, the Yamen’s limited manpower would very likely be overwhelmed.
Shen Changqing smiled faintly. "You mean?"
"This subordinate hopes Your Lordship can go to oversee the situation. If the Zhao Family doesn’t resist, all the better. If they do, with their strength, they are hardly qualified to cause any trouble in Your Lordship’s presence!" Hong Cheng added, with a touch of flattery, "After all, Your Lordship’s strength is undoubtedly number one in Lin’an City."
"Very well. I was planning to visit the Zhao Family anyway." Shen Changqing rose.
Seeing this, Hong Cheng immediately sighed in relief. He also feared the Zhao Family resisting. If even one or two escaped, he would surely be held responsible.
Ever since Zhao Fang’s suicide, the atmosphere in the Zhao Family had been extremely tense. Everyone understood that the crime of colluding with Demon Evil, if mishandled even slightly, could lead to the confiscation of property and extermination of the entire clan.
The problem was, Government Officials guarded the Zhao Family residence, leaving no way for anyone to evacuate unless they were prepared to shed all pretense and force their way out—in which case the Government Officials would naturally have no chance of stopping them. However, doing so would mean more than just colluding with Demon Evil; they would likely be charged with defying the laws of Great Qin and plotting rebellion. At that point, the Zhao Family would truly have no path to survival.
In the main hall, all the direct descendants of the Zhao Family were gathered. Expressions varied: some were grim, others panic-stricken.
"The Imperial Court has made no move so far, but you all know full well the consequences of colluding with Demon Evil. It’s as if a sword hangs over our heads, waiting to fall at any moment." At the head of the hall, a middle-aged man with a scholarly air spoke calmly. He was Zhao Li, a direct descendant of the Zhao Family and of the same generation as Zhao Fang. Now that Zhao Fang had committed suicide, Zhao Li held the highest seniority within the Zhao Family.
As he finished speaking, quiet sobs were heard in the hall; some of the women, terrified, had begun to weep.
A young man with an effeminate appearance sneered. "The Zhao Family has fallen to this state all because Uncle colluded with Demon Evil! In my opinion, if someone takes the blame, the Imperial Court might not insist on wiping us all out!"
"Zhao Mingye, what do you mean by that?!" a young man shouted angrily.
"Zhao Mingtang, my meaning is perfectly clear," Zhao Mingye sneered, standing and speaking loudly. "A son pays for his father’s debts. Your father erred, so naturally, someone must atone. You can’t expect the entire Zhao Family to bear the burden of one man’s mistake! There are currently one to two hundred people in the Zhao Family compound. Are they all to be sacrificed for Uncle? As for you, Zhao Mingtang, your father made a mistake, and you, his son, cannot escape responsibility. Why don’t your branch of the family go to the Yamen and confess? Perhaps the Imperial Court will be lenient. Even if you are sentenced to death, it would be what you deserve! We are the innocent ones! Everyone, am I not right?!"
Instantly, voices rose in agreement.
"Mingye is right! Zhao Mingtang, why should we suffer for your father’s mistakes?"
"Exactly! If your line must die, then die alone! Why drag over a hundred members of the Zhao Family down with you? Such an idea is utterly depraved!"
"In my opinion, we should just tie them up and hand them over to the Yamen to redeem ourselves—"
One by one, people spoke out, their gazes towards Zhao Mingtang and his kin filled with chilling malice. In their eyes, Zhao Fang was solely to blame for the Zhao Family’s predicament.
Zhao Mingtang was furious and exasperated. "When my father was County Magistrate, the Zhao Family benefited greatly from his position! Now that we’re in trouble, every one of you wants to sever ties—"
"Enough!" Just as the crowd was arguing, Zhao Li cut them off with a cold shout.
The hall instantly fell silent. However, resentment still lingered on many faces.
Zhao Li swept his gaze over them and said calmly, "What Mingye said is not without reason."
"Second Uncle—" Zhao Mingtang’s expression changed drastically.
Zhao Li waved his hand, cutting him off. "Reason is one thing, but the Imperial Court doesn’t always operate on reason. Historically, for colluding with Demon Evil, the lightest sentence is exile to military service; the heaviest is the extermination of nine generations of kin. The longer this situation drags on, the worse it will be for us. We can no longer stay in Lin’an City. Our only option is to find a way to leave."
"Second Uncle, do you mean we should fight our way out of Lin’an City?" Zhao Mingye asked, his voice laced with shock and uncertainty.
Fighting their way out of Lin’an City—this was no small matter. If they truly did so, there would be no turning back for the Zhao Family; they would undoubtedly be hunted by the Imperial Court.
Zhao Li looked at him, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "If the Imperial Court offers us no way out, then the Zhao Family must naturally find its own path to survival!"