He Zeng had actually turned this congratulatory banquet into a scene of surrendering himself to justice.
That day, he had beaten three officials to death in succession.
The ministers were all terrified.
It was not that the ministers had never seen anyone killed, nor were they afraid of being beaten to death.
What terrified them was He Zeng's conduct. Without any institution holding a trial, he had taken it upon himself to strip three ministers and have them beaten to death with rods before the assembled ministers.
This was simply appalling beyond belief, something that could only have happened in Dong Zhuo's day.
Of course, Sima Shi had used such methods too, which was why the ministers disliked him.
The atmosphere at the Imperial Court had grown very lax over the years. The collapse of ritual propriety had robbed the ministers of a certain sense of reverence, and they too pursued that feeling of transcendence beyond worldly concerns. Yet this blow from He Zeng's rod seemed to have knocked them back underground.
The ministers watched the scene before them in silence. Not one dared speak.
Back in Dong Zhuo's time, at least Yuan Shao had dared draw his sword against him, but at this moment, there was no one of such valor at the banquet.
Perhaps the Imperial Court still had such men, but men like that certainly would not attend He Zeng's banquet.
He Zeng ordered the soldiers to escort the remaining accomplices away, then put on a smile again and motioned for the ministers to sit.
"There is no need to be frightened. These men dared plot rebellion and were going to be executed anyway. I merely had them beaten to death to spare them some suffering."
"Gentlemen, His Majesty is wise and benevolent. Since he assumed personal