Chapter 458: The System of Mutual Responsibility and Household Guard

When Jiang Jinshi's conditions were sent back to Luoyang Cheng, a few people in the Cui Residence gathered again, but their expressions were even more grim than before.

"The city defense map? Si Wushuang's elite guard changing shift times?"

Lu Wenchang's voice trembled with disbelief, "Jiang Jinshi... this is making us dig our own graves! If Wei Wenlie finds out, not only us, the whole nine clans will be buried!"

The head of the Wang family slammed the table, making the tea cups clink, "This is outrageous! This is not a fee for life; it's clearly a death summons!"

He, Jiang Jinshi, wants us dead! New policies, new policies! Does his mind have room for us Scholar-Gentry?

Surveying and clearing fields, abolishing shade protection—this is to cut off our roots! Even if we flee to Beijiang, he'll still boil us like a frog in warm water, slowly killing us!

Cui Yan said nothing, his gaze fixed rigidly on the lines of text on the paper.

Jiang Jinshi's conditions were suffocatingly harsh, and the unmistakable authority seeping from the words sent a chill to his heart.

They are now essentially under Wei Wenlie's control, especially since Wei Wenlie has just gone through the Xuanji incident and finds such matters utterly unacceptable.

Yet Jiang Jinshi's condition is that they pull the hair from a tiger's mouth—how could such a problem be easily solved?

"Refuse to submit... and die instantly."

Cui Yan's voice rasped, "Tongguan fell, Lantian lost, Han Xiao's great army lurks outside Tongguan, eyeing us like a tiger."

Luoyang... can it hold? Si Wushuang can still calculate, but a clever wife cannot cook without rice!

Wei Wenlie... what has he become now, does anyone know in their hearts?

Those words struck everyone's sore spot; lately Wei Wenlie has grown increasingly violent and paranoid, rebuking senior officials at a moment's notice, and any slight stir in the palace brings blood and carnage.

After Tongguan fell, he seemed to have lost his mind.

"But... how to do it?"

A powerful clan representative's voice trembled, "Si Wushuang that fox, his nose is keener than a dog's! The Secret Pillar might be hidden in our residence! First step get the city defense map, second step hang his head on the city gate tower!"

"Fu Mingyuan..."

Lu Wenchang's eyes flashed with a hint of hope, "His connections are wide; perhaps..."

"Him?"

Cui Yan sneered, cutting him off, "The old fox is slippery! Delivering a single message is already the limit; would he involve himself in such a clan‑wiping deed?"

His Fu family is now tighter than anyone's, clearly only looking out for themselves! Rely on him? Better to hope Wei Wenlie suddenly sees sense and opens the city to surrender!

A breath of despair filled the secret chamber; seeking refuge is a dead end, and not seeking refuge seems likewise a dead end.

Yet Jiang Jinshi does not leave them without a sliver of hope; rather, he forces them to choose between dying from poison or having their heads chopped off immediately.

Just as they wore worried faces, in the imperial study of the Xiliang royal palace, Wei Wenlie paced back and forth before the Purple Sandalwood Imperial Desk, his furrowed brows showing his inner vexation.

"Investigate! Give me a thorough investigation!"

Wei Wenlie halted abruptly, his scarlet eyes fixed on Si Wushuang, "Cui Yan! Lu Wenchang! And that old Fu Mingyuan!"

Their residence has kept its doors shut these days, scheming in secret—do they truly think I'm blind and deaf?!

He snatched several secret reports from the desk and slammed them at Si Wushuang's feet, "Look! Look! The Letter of Surrender from Beijiang has been delivered to their bedside!"

What does Jiang Jinshi want? The lifeline of my Luoyang city defenses! My own head on a pike!

And them? They hesitate! They weigh! They wonder how to use my blood to buy their whole family's wealth!

Spittle almost splattered Si Wushuang's face; Si Wushuang stood motionless, expression flat, Wei Wenlie's fury exactly as expected, even... what he needed.

"Prince, calm your anger."

Si Wushuang clasped his hands and replied, "Jiang Jinshi's scheme is extremely vile. It's a divide‑and‑conquer plot, attacking the heart above all."

He predicts our army's fresh defeat, the populace's unrest, thus lures with profit and threatens with force, hoping Luoyang's interior will self‑disarray and collapse without attack.

"I care not for his schemes!"

Wei Wenlie roared, "All I know is, these untrained white‑eyed wolves, if they dare move, I will maim them! Exterminate their nine clans! Not a single one left!"

"Prince! Killing is indeed gratifying. Yet excessive slaughter may chill the hearts of those still watching, driving more toward Beijiang. Moreover... beating the grass scares the snake; how can we catch the true culprit?"

Wei Wenlie's chest heaved violently, panting, "Then tell me! What to do? Shall we let them collude with Beijiang and sell my head?!"

"Of course not."

Si Wushuang stepped forward, pointing his finger at the location of Luoyang's inner city on the city defense map, "The urgent matter is not investigation, but... control."

"Control?" Wei Wenlie frowned.

"Yes."

Si Wushuang nodded forcefully, "Issue the royal decree! From now on, Luoyang is under martial law, implementing the Mutual Responsibility Household Guard system!"

Using neighborhoods as units, ten households form a Jia, ten Jia form a Bao! Within a Jia, members monitor each other!

If one person colludes with the enemy, the whole Jia is held accountable! Within a Bao, if any Jia colludes, the entire Bao is held accountable!

Those who know and conceal are guilty as traitors! Whistleblowers receive a thousand gold and land grants!

He paused, his voice colder, "Order the Imperial Guard commander to immediately select elite troops and station them outside the great families' mansions!"

Named 'Gong Wei', it is truly surveillance! All comings and goings within the residence are strictly inspected!

Without the Prince's order or Si's personal seal, no one may leave the residence on their own! Violators... face immediate execution!

Wei Wenlie gradually calmed. He understood Si Wushuang's meaning.

"Investigation" merely lifts the boiling water; "control" removes the fire at its source!

Bind everyone together, forge a chain of fear, so that the weeds at the wall's edge dare neither move nor act!

"Good!"

Wei Wenlie slammed the table, "Follow the Military Advisor! Relay my decree, execute at once!"

Also... inform those family heads that I recall their past merits, granting their young offspring temporary residence in the palace's 'Separate Garden'!

Let them... guard the city for me with peace of mind!

The final sentence, murderous and cold. Named 'Grace', it is in fact a hostage.

"Prince, wise indeed," Si Wushuang bowed, indifferent to the fate of the great families; he only knew Luoyang could not descend into chaos now.

When the news spread throughout Luoyang Cheng, everyone could feel Wei Wenlie's resolve!

"Collective militia registration? Surveillance of the residence? Family members entering the palace for 'favor'?"

Cui Yan listened to the butler's tearful report; the white jade tea cup in his hand shattered with a "crack", the scalding tea splashing onto his hem, yet he remained oblivious.

Wei Wenlie… no, it's Si Wushuang! What a poisonous method!

This is to bind all the noble families to Xiliang's rickety ship; if it sinks, it must sink—if it doesn't, they'll be tossed overboard to feed the fish!

"Master… the inner court attendants of the Royal Palace… are already outside…"

The butler's voice trembled, "They say… to escort the young master and several missresses into the palace…"