Chapter 745: This Is Our Sect's Strength

After years of pent-up frustration, everyone at the headquarters could finally hold their heads high again. At first, Xu Hongru had wanted to restrain his subordinates and keep them from flaunting their power too openly, but later he simply turned a blind eye. Better to let them be a little unrestrained—these shortsighted people below needed to know the might of those above them.

Xu Hongru's calm indifference only made the arriving factions more fearful. When they saw the "Yellow Turban Mighty Men" led by Xu Hongju, and the sect leader's personal guard led by Xie Mingxuan—nearly a thousand hardened fighters in all—it chilled them to the bone. With a force like this deployed in open battle, no fortified manor could stand against them. If they stirred up the common folk as well, they could likely breach even a county seat or a prefectural city. If anyone dared show disrespect, they had best beware of ending up like the Mu family.

"Keep your people on a tight leash. If anyone dares lay a finger on that Mu Shulan, I will exterminate his entire clan to the ninth degree!" Xu Hongru's expression remained indifferent, but his tone was exceedingly harsh.

Wealthy and powerful households like the Zeng family kept private dungeons within their estates for torture, used to deal with tenant farmers or to carry out deeds that could not see the light of day. At this moment, the dungeon was under heavy guard. Xu Hongru, leading Xu Hongju and Xie Mingxuan, walked inside. All along the way, the guards saluted them with the utmost respect.

At Xu Hongru's reprimand, Xu Hongju felt somewhat aggrieved and muttered, "Big Brother, you've said this several times already. Your little brother has kept them on a very tight leash. Inside, she's guarded by a dozen or so tough women who can fight—no one will touch her."

Xu Hongru nodded. Xu Hongju shot a glance at Xu Hongru and Xie Mingxuan and said with a hint of defiance, "A captured woman—what's the difference between her and a pig or sheep waiting for slaughter? Besides, she's about to be burned anyway. Why fuss over her so much? Don't tell me, Big Brother, you actually mean to marry her!"

He had just spoken these few careless words when Xu Hongru shot him a cold glare. Xu Hongju immediately lowered his head. Xu Hongru then shook his head helplessly, sighed, and said, "Mingxuan, you explain it to him."

"Burning a clean and unspoiled Mu Shulan will make the various factions who come to watch even more terrified and awed. If she were defiled beyond recognition, burning her would be granting her a merciful release. The onlookers would not only feel no reverence—they would harbor other thoughts entirely," Xie Mingxuan said gently.

Xu Hongju mulled it over for a moment, coughed, and muttered under his breath, "Such a web of twisted schemes."

His voice was so low that even Xu Hongru beside him did not hear it clearly. Before they had left for Dongchang Prefecture, Xu Hongju could shout at and berate Xie Mingxuan as he pleased. But when Xie Mingxuan chose not to remain in Linqing Subprefecture of Dongchang to oversee matters and returned directly instead, Xu Hongju received strict orders from his elder brother Xu Hongru: he must be respectful and courteous.

Of course, had Xie Mingxuan been tempted by the prosperity of Dongchang and stayed behind, he would not have had to wait long before Xu Hongju led men over to kill him in a bloody purge. They would not permit a second Mu family to emerge.

Outside the cell, security was tight, but inside it was not so bad. A dozen or so sturdy women armed with weapons stood guard, yet Mu Shulan, locked within the cell, was quite at ease. The cell, inside and out, had been swept spotlessly clean. There were even a few simple pieces of furniture. The ventilation was decent, and there was no foul stench.

When the three men walked over, Mu Shulan was sitting in a chair, staring blankly into space. She had been changed into a white dress. Were it not for the prison setting, she would have appeared elegantly pure, like a figure from a painting.

The sturdy women all saluted upon seeing Xu Hongru and his companions, and were about to bark at Mu Shulan, but Xu Hongru stopped them. By then, however, Mu Shulan had already taken notice.

To the surprise of the three, Mu Shulan smiled at them, her face showing not the slightest trace of fear. This reaction made Xie Mingxuan furrow his brows deeply. Xu Hongru's expression remained calm, and he only said gently, "Is Xiaolan comfortable staying here? If you need anything, just say so. They will see to it."

"Thank you, Uncle Xu. There is nothing I'm unaccustomed to. In Linqing, I was also confined—the space was just a little larger," Mu Shulan replied quietly.

"The last time I saw you, you were still so small. I never imagined you'd have blossomed into such a young woman now. How time flies."

"Uncle Xu, since you are going to kill Xiaolan anyway, there's no need for such mundane pleasantries," Mu Shulan said with a smile, cutting off Xu Hongru's small talk.

Xu Hongju's face immediately hardened, but Xu Hongru still wore a gentle smile, his tone still that of an elder addressing a junior: "Your second uncle, Mu Wuzhen, should still have children out there—we just don't know if they're in Dongchang Prefecture or Northern Zhili. Your mother's side also has a few relatives left. Though we don't have confirmed news of them yet, if we want to investigate, we can always find them. Xiaolan, do you understand what your uncle means?"

Mu Shulan's expression turned somewhat cold, but she still nodded and agreed, "Uncle Xu, rest assured. On the day of the public execution, I will not cause any trouble. I will do exactly as I should."

Xu Hongru smiled and nodded, adding, "If you need anything, just say so. Treat this as your own home. Do not stand on ceremony."

Mu Shulan was no longer so composed. She seemed lost in thought, pondering something. Just as Xu Hongru and the others turned to leave, Mu Shulan suddenly spoke up: "Uncle Xu, after Xiaolan dies, I do not ask for my body to be buried whole. But could my ashes be sent to Xuzhou, and someone quietly bury them near He Family Village..."

At this point, Mu Shulan gave a self-mocking smile, hugged her knees, and lowered her head, staring blankly into space by herself, paying them no further attention.

Xu Hongru and his two companions did not linger either. They simply turned and left. Once outside the dungeon, Xu Hongju cursed crudely, "Crazy bitch. She looks just like a ghost."

Xie Mingxuan remained silent. Xu Hongru, however, said in a deep voice, "It's a good thing we wiped out the Mu family now. If, given time, this girl had been the one in charge, we would likely have faced great trouble. Her insight and way of thinking far surpass those of her uncles."

"Your Eminence, shall we send the girl's ashes to He Family Village?" Xie Mingxuan asked.

"Why bother with her?" Xu Hongru said with a laugh. Xie Mingxuan also smiled and nodded, saying nothing more.

After leaving the dungeon, they looked out over the flat, expansive Zeng family estate. To the west lay the walls of Yuncheng County. In the open ground to the east stood a wooden platform and frame—the place where the ritual burning would take place.

"Burning this Mu Shulan is a minor matter. This time, we must make every faction sincerely submit. Tomorrow, we will march our troops out for drills. Have Xia Zhongjin and Hou Wu's men come as well," Xu Hongru said in a deep voice.

Xie Mingxuan hesitated for a moment, then spoke: "Your Eminence, this place is not far from the county seat and the main road. Not everyone in the Zeng household is necessarily one of our faithful. Isn't this being a bit too conspicuous?"

"Conspicuous? What's wrong with being conspicuous? After the first year's Liaodong surtax was collected, the common folk still thought the coming year's harvest might be better. Now, after this second year's Liaodong surtax has been collected, who still thinks there's a way to survive next year? Not to mention the commoners—even the propertied households can't hold on any longer. The land right now is like it's covered in dry firewood; a single spark will set it all ablaze. By being conspicuous, we are simply telling them whose fire can burn the brightest, and who is capable of striking that spark!" Xu Hongru said calmly.

Xie Mingxuan's frown deepened, and he said gravely, "Your Eminence, winter is nearly upon us, and grain stores are running low everywhere. If we truly intend to undertake a great endeavor, it should be at autumn harvest time, when the Grand Canal is not yet frozen and grain supplies are plentiful..."

Before Xu Hongju could argue, Xu Hongru laughed and clapped Xie Mingxuan on the shoulder, saying warmly, "I'm not saying we launch this year. But the banner that needs to be raised must still be raised. We reveal a bit of our intent, let these people feel there's something to strive for. We are merely drilling troops and practicing martial arts—we haven't said anything about rebellion. Who can claim there's anything wrong with that?"

Only then did Xie Mingxuan relax. He bowed with clasped hands and said, "The Teaching Venerable possesses great vision and bold strategy. This subordinate was thinking too small."

Xu Hongru let out a loud laugh and clapped Xie Mingxuan heavily on the shoulder, saying with delight, "The fact that you can speak to me like this is a true blessing to our sect. If you were like those around Wang Haoxian, prattling all day about the Mandate of Heaven and the throne, that would truly spell disaster!"

A strong late-autumn wind swept by, making the robes of the three men flap noisily. Looking at Xu Hongru, brimming with heroic confidence, an expression of deep admiration appeared on Xie Mingxuan's face.

On the morning of the ninth day of the eleventh month, Xu Hongru, the leader of the Smelling Incense Sect, accompanied by his trusted aides and the assembled guests from various factions, arrived together at the open field outside the Zeng family estate. The autumn harvest was over, and the ground was flat and spacious—perfectly suited for a martial drill.

The Smelling Incense Sect headquarters and the Zeng family had already erected a large canopy on slightly elevated ground, with tables and chairs arranged beneath it. Meanwhile, Xu Hongju and a group of leaders had long since assembled the sect's various forces in orderly ranks on the open field.

Xu Hongru led the various guests beneath the canopy. Though a procession of several dozen people, it displayed a clear hierarchy. The sect leader, Xu Hongru, was naturally escorted at the very center, while the others arranged themselves from inner to outer circles according to status and seniority, without the slightest confusion.

Those with discerning eyes understood that this meant the internal rules of the Smelling Incense Sect had been firmly established. Everyone had to arrange themselves according to the hierarchy of superior and inferior set by Xu Hongru; they could no longer compete based on strength or temperament. Over the past few days, Xu Hongru had already stripped more than ten men of their positions as assembly masters, and even more had been reprimanded. Everyone walked on eggshells and dared not talk back—the example of the Mu family was right there before their eyes.

The reason everyone still submitted was that Xu Hongru had a very good grasp of proportion. Authority and position were one thing, but he did not touch their benefits. The past arrears of incense offerings, the profits that had already fallen into everyone's pockets—these he did not pursue. He only issued strict orders that no arrears would be permitted in the future. Moreover, he promised various dividends: shares in the canal transport business across Shandong, in the salt routes, and in the surcharges collected on the Liaodong surtax. All of this was promised; when they seized power in the future, everyone would get a share.

With such a combination of soft and hard tactics, backed by overwhelming strength, the various powers in Shandong and elsewhere were naturally molded like putty in his hands, offering not a shred of resistance, nor harboring a single thought of defiance.

"Gentlemen, behold—this is our sect's strength!"

Ascending the earthen platform and arriving beneath the canopy, Xu Hongru gestured with a sweep of his hand and spoke calmly.

The assembled crowd followed his gesture and looked out. A stir of murmurs rippled through them before they all fell silent. Over a thousand able-bodied men were divided into several units, standing in neat formation. The hundred or so men in the front ranks were all clad in iron armor, wielding blades, spears, and weapons of nearly uniform make. Some even carried bows on their backs.

Thank you, everyone.