Zhao Family Town.
The Exalted Bright Way's spies and external-affairs disciples continued their disguise as middle-aged merchants, driving an ox cart.
The cart window cracked open slightly, revealing a wary eye—the young Daoist from before.
Not far away.
A battalion of King Liang's Army had surrounded the Zhao family estate and begun the slaughter.
"By King Liang's order! The Zhao family resisted the land survey and defied the law. They are to be exterminated with thunderous severity, as a warning to others!"
Black Two roared, "Kill!"
A group of soldiers charged into the Zhao family estate, hacking and slaughtering.
"No... our family accepts the punishment! We are willing to admit fault—even if all our land is taken away..."
Within the estate, the white-haired head of the Zhao family stepped forward, shouting with bitter regret written across his face.
No matter what, he had never expected the "severe punishment" announced in the notice to be this severe!
He had originally thought that concealing acreage would, at most, result in the land being confiscated.
But these soldiers of King Liang's Army clearly meant to wipe them out to the last!
How dared King Liang?
How dared the Chancellor?
Were they not afraid of condemnation from the scholars throughout the realm?
"Hmph! Kill!"
With a wave of Black Two's hand, a row of archers stepped forward, and arrows rained down.
Pfft! Pfft!
In an instant, the Zhao family head and the guards and servants around him became hedgehogs!
Though the Zhao family was the local tyrant of Zhao Family Town, and eight or nine out of every ten local farmers were their tenant farmers—even those who were not had countless ties to them.
If bandits came attacking, the Zhao family only needed to raise an arm and could gather a thousand men; that