Chapter 94: Punish in the Name of the Heavenly Son!

(ps: The data has been consistently poor; I want to sacrifice a reader to heaven—any reader volunteer?)

Wang Zong's order, transmitted through the official channel of the "Pacification Commissioner," spread like urgent summons across the entire Jiangnan East Circuit.

Suzhou, the Gu family.

Jinling, the Xie family.

Kuaiji, the He family.

……

These great clans, deeply entrenched in Jiangnan for hundreds of years, all exploded in an uproar the moment they received the Wang family's document.

"What? Have us follow the Wang family, open granaries and distribute grain? And spend money and effort?"

The head of the Suzhou Gu family, a pampered fat man, flew into a rage and smashed his precious porcelain cup hard onto the ground.

"What is the Wang family even?! A fallen clan, relying on a hollow imperial edict from the court, dares to point fingers at us?"

"Exactly!" an elder of the Gu family beside him chimed in, "The Wang family loves to play the fool; don't drag us in! Our grain is for our own consumption—why should we give it to those mud-legged peasants?"

"And 'punish in the name of the Heavenly Son'? Who does he think he is? The emperor? Ridiculous!"

In the council hall of the Xie family in Jinling, the atmosphere was likewise filled with anger and contempt.

"The Wang family's conduct is also too ugly—taking a chicken feather as a command arrow, really acting as if they were the masters of Jiangnan?"

"I think they just want to extort us under the guise of disaster relief! We must absolutely not let them succeed!"

"Exactly! The great families of Jiangnan are united as one. If the Wang family dares to act recklessly, we will join forces and let them know who really calls the shots in Jiangnan!"

Almost all of the Jiangnan great families sneered at the Wang family's document.

They didn't even put the so-called Pacification Commissioner in their eyes.

In their view, the Wang family was merely pretending to be strong while actually weak; they didn't believe the Wang family would really dare to act against them.

Thus, they unanimously chose the same response—ignoring it.

They neither replied, nor spent money, nor released grain.

It seemed as if the document from the Pacification Commissioner's office was just a piece of waste paper.

They were all waiting to see the Wang family's joke.

They wanted to see how this toothless tiger of the Wang family could possibly punish in the name of the Heavenly Son, and as for the Wang family's troops, they didn't regard them either—these days, which great family doesn't have a bunch of retainers and estate guards? The Wang family built a fort and acted as if they were the Imperial Guards.

That's nothing but nonsense; as for the fort's ugly appearance, who knows what the Wang family's person in charge was thinking—maybe they had a screw loose.

However, they all underestimated Wang Zong's (Wang Xiu's) determination and means.

Three days after the document was issued, seeing no response from any of the Jiangnan families, Wang Zong (Wang Xiu) had no hesitation or delay.

He immediately issued a second order.

"Pass the order! All personnel of the Estate Guard's First, Second, and Third Battalions, assemble!"

"Target: Suzhou, the Gu family!"

With the order issued, the entire Wang family fort sprang into action.

Three thousand Estate Guard soldiers, already fully prepared, set out from the fort under the chief instructor's lead, brimming with killing intent.

They were no longer in the former attire of estate guards.

Each wore fine iron armor crafted by the Wang family workshop, wielded a sharp saber and spear, and had a repeating crossbow slung at the waist.

The one thousand cavalry rode tall warhorses purchased from the frontier garrisons, with horn bows and quivers hung on their saddles.

Their neat formation, excellent equipment, and valiant spirit surpassed even the court's Imperial Guards!

Such an army appearing in the usually tranquil heartland of Jiangnan caused a shock beyond compare.

Along the route, locals seeing this mighty army were frightened and fled aside, thinking it was northern bandits come attacking.

But when they saw the large "Wang" character on the army's banner, they also showed curiosity and awe.

Where is the Wang family's army headed?

What are they going to do?

……

Suzhou, the Gu family manor.

The head of the Gu family was drinking with several clansmen, mocking the Wang family's overreach while sipping liquor.

"Three days have passed and the Wang family has made no move. I said it—they're just bluffing!"

"Haha, they're probably hiding in that turtle shell now, regretting their big talk."

Just as they were laughing hysterically.

A servant came tumbling in, his face filled with panic.

"Master… master! Something's wrong! Something's wrong!"

"What's there to panic about! How improper!" the Gu family head scolded displeased.

"The Wang… Wang family's troops… have come attacking! They've already… surrounded our manor!"

"What?!"

The cup in the Gu family head's hand slipped instantly and shattered.

He and the other clansmen's smiles froze instantly.

They stumbled to the high wall at the manor gate and looked outward.

Just one glance, and everyone's legs went weak.

Outside the manor, a black mass of soldiers in iron armor wielding sharp blades stretched as far as the eye could see.

A dense forest of spears, like a steel woodland.

One banner embroidered with a large "Wang" character, and another bearing the official insignia "Jiangnan East Circuit Pacification Commissioner," fluttered in the cold wind.

The icy, bone‑piercing killing intent emanating from the troops made these pampered scions of the great families tremble, nearly ready to flee.

"This... this how could it be... they... how dare they..." the Head of Family muttered, his face ashen as paper.

The household's retainers and guards, though numbering several hundred, were like a bunch of children wielding sticks compared to the true army outside.

At that moment, from the Wang Family army's ranks, a commander riding a tall warhorse slowly stepped forward.

He shouted toward the Gu family manor: "The Pacification Commissioner's Office is conducting an investigation here! You, the Gu clan of Suzhou, disregard the Court's laws, scorn the Pacification Commissioner's documents, and sit idly by while refugees starve to death—your hearts deserve death!"

"By order of the Pacification Commissioner, I have come to suppress rebellion! You must open the gates and surrender within the time it takes to burn an incense stick, handing over the Head of Family and all those in charge, to await judgment! Moreover, you must contribute half of your family's grain and wealth to fund the troops and relieve the disaster victims!"

"If you dare to resist, after the incense stick burns out the army will breach the gates! Then, everything will be destroyed together, and not a chicken or dog will be left!"

His voice, loud as thunder, rang throughout the entire Gu family manor.

Inside the Gu family manor, there was utter silence.

Every face was etched with despair and fear.

They finally understood that the Wang Family was not joking.

They truly dared to kill!

"What should we do... what should we do..."

"Quick! Quickly go seek help from the other families! Have them send people to rescue us!"

"Useless! Distant water cannot put out a nearby fire! By the time their reinforcements arrive, we will already have been trampled flat!"

Inside the Gu family manor, chaos reigned.

The Head of Family gazed at the murderous army outside, then glanced at the clansmen beside him who had already been scared witless.

He knew they had no room for resistance.

The time it took to burn an incense stick passed quickly.

The Wang Family's commander slowly raised the command flag in his hand.

"Ready..."

Just as he was about to give the order to breach the gate.

The heavy gate of the Gu family manor creaked open slowly.

The Head of the Gu family, accompanied by all the core members, emerged from inside with an ashen face and knelt on the ground.

"I... I, the Gu family, wish to surrender."