Chapter 49: The Tragedy of the Yin Family

"No matter. The imperial court's determination to reform salt administration this time exceeds any period in the past.

The greatest obstacle has already been removed.

No matter how deep the salt merchants' roots go, they will be uprooted in the coming days.

If the scholars in the Lianghuai region cannot distinguish to whom they should pledge their loyalty, then there is no need for them to exist.

If one calculates the time, the liquidation should have already begun!"

Li Mu's words gave Lan Lan Linjie a fright.

Even though he had only just come into contact with the darkness of officialdom, he knew these secret messages were not things he should know.

"Many thanks for the reminder, my lord!"

Lan Lan Linjie replied with a look of gratitude.

There were many scholars in the Lianghuai region with ties to the salt merchants, including some of his own classmates and friends.

As the imperial court moved to purge the influence of the salt merchants, those scholars who spoke for them and risked their lives for them would naturally have no good days ahead.

If they could not switch sides in time and became implicated in the treason case, death and the annihilation of their clans would be imminent.

……

"Are you blind? This is the Yin..."

Before the gatekeeper could finish his bluster, he fell into a pool of blood.

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard is handling a case; those who obstruct us will be killed without mercy!"

Hearing this, the gatekeeper in the pool of blood moved his fingers in unwillingness.

It was truly too unjust. If these Embroidered Uniform Guards had worn their official uniforms or announced their identities in advance, he would absolutely not have been so brave.

Immediately following, countless soldiers stepped over the gatekeeper's corpse and charged into the Yin residence.

The retainers and servants who appeared along the way all paid with their lives, as if the intruders had come specifically to kill.

"Master, something terrible has happened!

The Embroidered Uniform Guard has broken in; they are a pack of demons, killing everyone they see."

The senior members of the Yin family, who were discussing matters in the inner courtyard, were left stunned by this news.

Everyone knew of the Embroidered Uniform Guard's notoriety, but since everyone was within the system, the Guard was supposed to follow the rules when handling cases.

"Killing everyone they see" was not handling a case; it was an extermination.

"Steward, arrange for the retainers to cover our retreat; everyone else, scatter and run!"

The elderly Yin family patriarch gave the order decisively.

Although he did not know what had happened to make the Embroidered Uniform Guard strike at them with such lethal force, fleeing first was certainly the right move.

In the blink of an eye, the inner courtyard was deserted.

"Father, let us leave quickly too!

The enemy is coming on fiercely; the retainers in the residence won't be able to hold them off for long."

The middle-aged man urged anxiously.

The senior members of the residence had all fled, and now only the four of them from the eldest branch remained.

"You two, move that boulder pressing on the dry well. After we enter the secret passage, return the boulder to its original position.

Once that is done, find a place to commit suicide; do not leave any traces!"

Hearing the old man's words, the two men in black walked to the dry well without expression and began to move the boulder.

Soon, the dry well appeared in everyone's sight. Without the slightest hesitation, the old man was the first to step into the bamboo basket, letting the death soldiers slowly loosen the rope to lower him down.

In an instant, all four had entered the secret passage, and the sound of the boulder moving echoed once more.

"Father, since there is a secret passage in the inner courtyard, why go to such lengths to let the clansmen risk retreating through the east and west courtyards?"

The middle-aged man asked with a frown.

Great noble families never lacked means of escape; the Yin residence alone had multiple secret passages.

"Third son, you are still too naive!

The Embroidered Uniform Guard monitors the world; their ability to gather intelligence is the best under heaven. Who can guarantee that there are no moles of theirs in our residence?

Since they chose to strike at us, they must have had this area under surveillance.

If no one went to attract their attention, how could we possibly have escaped?

The enemy was able to grasp the timing of the attack so accurately; it's quite possible that among our own family members and clansmen, there are moles from the Guard."

The old man's cold words made the three of them shudder.

To choose to sacrifice so many family members and clansmen for a mere possibility was completely contrary to the education they had received since childhood.

"Grandfather, this..."

Before the eldest grandson could finish, the old man interrupted:

"I know you have grievances in your hearts, but some sacrifices must be made.

Unlike in the past, this time the enemy is the imperial court.

The resources the court can mobilize are absolutely not something a single family can compare to.

If nothing unexpected happens, the officials in the clan serving in the court have all met with misfortune by now.

Since we are pitted against the imperial court, those old friends, acquaintances, students, and former subordinates are all unreliable now.

Do you believe that as soon as we show our faces, we will be sold out in exchange for the court's reward?"

No matter how powerful the Yin family was, it was a family dependent on the Great Great Dayu system.

When pitted against the system, the connections they had once been so proud of became death warrants.

The intelligence failure in the capital was the greatest omen, but they had not been alert at the time.

It was mainly because they had relied on political game rules and acted as local tyrants in the Lianghuai region for too long, forgetting that there were people in the world who could transcend those rules.

"Grandfather, why would the imperial court strike at us?"

The youngest grandson asked in confusion.

In his memory, the Lianghuai Yin family were model gentry.

Their friends were spread throughout the court and the public, and among the local neighbors, they were highly praised.

"For money!"

The old man said bitterly.

In this moment of crisis, he suddenly realized how ridiculous the wealth and interests he had struggled for all his life were.

The salt industry was inherently highly profitable; even if they paid taxes honestly, they could still obtain generous profits.

Unfortunately, in the face of gleaming silver, people are always easily lost to desire.

To maximize profits, the seven great families secretly manipulated salt merchants to sell illicit salt, constantly eroding the court's salt tax.

They had thought that as long as their connections were well-oiled, there would be no problems.

They never expected that disaster would come so suddenly.

In the past, whenever the court wanted to reform salt administration, they would leak the news in advance.

Relying on the network of connections they had cultivated, they were enough to fill the court with voices of opposition and veto all reform proposals.

The officials sent by the Emperor to investigate salt taxes could not withstand their silver-bullet offensives and would fall into the trap one after another.

If they occasionally encountered a hard nut to crack, they could simply be physically eliminated.

One political victory after another had caused them to gradually relax their vigilance, forgetting that the game rules could be played only because others were willing to abide by them.

The slaughter by the Embroidered Uniform Guard shattered his illusions.

When the Emperor decided to flip the table, those networks of connections they were so proud of were of absolutely no use.

"Father, now is not the time for sorrow and grief.

Since the Embroidered Uniform Guard has struck, it means our operations in the open are all destroyed.

Without support from the official side, the forces in the shadows could lose control at any time.

Those vicious and merciless scoundrels are all starving wolves that can never be fed full.

Now that we have fallen into trouble, it is quite possible they will kick us while we are down!"

The middle-aged man, having regained his reason, immediately pointed out the key to the problem.

When wealth loses its ability to protect, one becomes a piece of fat on the chopping block that everyone wants to take a bite of.

"Since the court has struck, it will not just target our family; the other families will likely not escape this disaster either.

The secret passage ahead is stocked with enough food, and I have also arranged for death soldiers to stand guard.

Stay in the secret chamber for a few days first, and after the Embroidered Uniform Guard's attention shifts away from us, then leave this place.

By then, you all will take a boat out to sea and never return.

I will stay behind to seek justice for the deceased clansmen and let the Emperor of Heaven know that the Yin family is not to be trifled with!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 50 =====