The front yard of the Cao Mansion.
Cao Guangsheng was silent for a long while, then closed his eyes.
"The Cao Family submits!"
At this, Jiang Ning waved a hand. "Take them all away!"
"Yes, My Lord!!" Ruan Hongmei said with a cupped-fist salute.
Just then—
"Jiang Ning, you'll regret this! Older cousin Cao Rong will avenge us..." An eleven- or twelve-year-old boy spoke up, but before he could finish, a middle-aged woman beside him hurriedly clamped a hand tightly over his mouth.
When she saw Jiang Ning's gaze turn toward them, a pleading look instantly flashed through the middle-aged woman's eyes.
"Take them away!" Jiang Ning waved his hand.
Xie Xiaojiu and Ruan Hongmei immediately set into motion.
A moment later.
Because Cao Guangsheng had lost the will to resist, the entire Cao Mansion swiftly returned to calm.
Those still alive no longer resisted and surrendered one after another.
"Commander Jiang, I have not failed my mission!" Deputy Commander Liu brought his men over, escorting a group of people, and arrived before Jiang Ning.
"Thank you for your trouble, My Lord Liu!" Jiang Ning cupped his fists.
"No trouble! No trouble!!" Deputy Commander Liu chuckled. "As for 'My Lord,' I wouldn't dare accept it!!"
He then said, "Just now, among those from the Cao Family who climbed over the walls to escape, some resisted. Pressed by the urgency of the situation, we killed a few of the ones who fought back. Commander Jiang won't blame me, will you?"
Jiang Ning pointed at the corpses on the ground in the front yard. "Prefect Hong gave the order: those who resist are to be killed without mercy! My Lord Liu committed no fault in killing them. On the contrary, it was a merit!"
"No fault is good enough!" Deputy Commander