Chapter 686

Thus, three days later, Zhao Kuangyin arrived at Lin'an City and captured the entire Zhao Gou line.

"Zhao Gou!" Zhao Kuangyin sat upon the dragon throne, his gaze imperious. "Do you know your crimes?"

"I—I…" Zhao Gou trembled all over, kneeling on the ground.

Zhao Kuangyin gave a cold snort: "Weak and incompetent, letting good opportunities slip away. Someone come, grant him poisoned wine!"

"No, Ancestor, spare me!"

Zhao Gou was stunned.

He had not expected this Ancestor who had suddenly appeared to be so ruthless—demanding poisoned wine the moment he arrived.

"Hmph! For all that you have done, a cup of poisoned wine is already a tremendous grace. Don't make me resort to blades, or you won't even have an intact corpse."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Gou's entire face instantly turned ashen.

He numbly took the poisoned wine handed over by the Heavenly Dragon Guard and swallowed it with great difficulty.

"Bring Qin Hui forward!"

"Spare me, Your Majesty!" The moment Qin Hui was brought in, his face changed; he wept bitterly and pleaded loudly for mercy.

"You colluded with the Jin Kingdom, bringing calamity upon our Great Song—640 crimes for which there can be no pardon. Grant him the thousand cuts. His Lady Wang shall also be executed alongside him."

"Spare me, Your Majesty!"

Zhao Kuangyin's expression remained calm, unmoved.

As a General who had long endured the battlefield, an Emperor on horseback, punishing a few people was nothing at all; no matter how wretchedly they wept, it could not change his mind.

Following the history books, Zhao Kuangyin tried each of the civil officials and generals of this period one by one, and in an instant, killed until blood flowed into rivers.

Of course, besides punishment, naturally there were also benefits.

While dealing with the civil officials and generals, Zhao Kuangyin also directly reformed the current tax system, lightening the burden on the common people.

Once the edict went out, the common people instantly sang and danced, beginning to embrace and support the new regime.

As for whether Zhao Kuangyin was truly Zhao Kuangyin, that was of little consequence.

For the common people, so long as they could eat their fill, what did it matter who became Emperor?

Seven days later, Yue Fei returned to court with his army, news of victory arrived, the realm was unified, and this pushed the prestige of the new regime to an even higher point.

"Yue Fei, let us make an agreement: the martial generals of this realm shall be under your command, and the civil officials shall be appointed by me. How about it?"

"I beg Your Majesty to retract this command. This humble general only wishes to be a minor officer of Great Song; I would never dare harbor even half an improper thought."

Zhao Kuangyin nodded in satisfaction: "Very well, then from now on you shall command the Heavenly Dragon Guard. Other matters, I will naturally send people to handle."

"Many thanks to Your Majesty for your grace!"