SWDnovel Chapter 218 Preparing to Crush the Cui Family
Chapter 218 Preparing to Crush the Cui Family
Yuan Tiangang was already waiting in the study.
"My lord." Yuan Tiangang bowed as Lin Chen entered.
Lin Chen waved his hand and walked straight behind the desk to sit down.
"Things at the Cui family's place have been busy these past few days, haven't they?"
Yuan Tiangang pulled a roll of paper from his sleeve and handed it to Lin Chen.
Three days ago, Cui Yuanming invited the heads of each branch of the Cui family back to the ancestral home and whispered to each other behind closed doors for two hours.
Lin Chen took the secret report, raising an eyebrow as he read it.
"Oh, so they're going all in?"
It was written in detail on the paper:
Cui Yuanming made it clear that his relationship with Lin Chen was irreconcilable and had already led to the extermination of his clan.
Furthermore, this old fellow immediately produced secret letters from several tribes in the Southern Yue and the Northern Shuo.
The document, written in black and white and stamped with an official seal, stated that Nan Yue promised to give 10,000 elite soldiers, while Bei Shuo would provide 30,000 cavalry.
"Just empty promises," Yuan Tiangang scoffed.
"They're too busy keeping their tails between their legs to help the Cui family against us."
"They're just desperate." Lin Chen tossed the report onto the table and leaned back in his chair.
"How many people can the Cui family mobilize right now?"
"Our clan has 10,000 guards, all of whom are skilled in martial arts."
In addition, the江湖人 (jianghu people) and 流寇 (bandits) whom he had nurtured with money over the years had managed to raise a little over 20,000.
"Plus, there are the local garrisons in several counties in Jiangnan that they have infiltrated... totaling about 50,000." Yuan Tiangang said, listing them off as if they were old friends.
Lin Chen tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest.
"Fifty thousand... a thousand-year-old family, indeed not to be underestimated."
"How does the Lord intend to respond?"
"We can't wait any longer." Lin Chen looked up at Yuan Tiangang.
"Old Yuan, take the thirty-six Heavenly Generals with you, and also take Jing Ke and a thousand Great Snow Dragon Riders with you. Go quickly and come back quickly."
"Alright!" Yuan Tiangang nodded. "Should we exterminate the entire family or execute their heads?"
Lin Chen's eyes were sharp as he said calmly:
"Cui Yuanming has been captured alive. Other branch leaders and forces, those who surrender will be dealt with according to the law, those who resist..."
Lin Chen paused, his voice turning cold.
"Exterminate the entire family. Remember, it's the entire family, not just the leader."
The study fell silent suddenly, even the smoke from the incense seemed to freeze.
Yuan Tiangang solemnly clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Your subordinate understands."
"Cui Yuanming must be captured alive," Lin Chen added.
"We must interrogate him to find out all the secret letters, tokens, and lists of intermediaries he exchanged with in Nan Yue, Bei Shuo, and even Zhong Zhou. Don't let him die too easily."
"Yes."
"Also," Lin Chen picked up the tea, which had already cooled down, and took a sip.
"Do your job properly, but don't harm the people. The Cui family's ancestral home is in Suzhou. If a fight breaks out, keep it under control."
The Prince's Mansion will compensate the injured civilians and damaged houses and shops double.
The same applies to the locations of all other branches!
Yuan Tiangang bowed and said, "Your Majesty is benevolent."
"That's not benevolence." Lin Chen put down his teacup.
"There's no need. Our target is the Cui family. We should just wipe them out completely. Why create unnecessary bloodshed?"
As Lin Chen spoke, he suddenly remembered something.
"By the way, the Cui family has a history of over a thousand years; they must be hiding some trump cards. The intelligence report said they only have ordinary guards?"
Yuan Tiangang shook his head, "That's only what's on the surface."
According to the undercover investigation by the spies, the Cui family supports at least seven Grandmasters and three Celestial Realm elders who are in seclusion year-round.
There are also eighteen guest advisors, all of whom are renowned masters in the martial arts world.
These people rarely show their faces; it's considered part of the Cui family's "foundation."
Lin Chen laughed, "That's more like it. If the wealth accumulated over thousands of years were only a few tens of thousands of ragtag troops, that would be a joke."
Lin Chen tapped his fingers on the table again and continued:
"So when you go, don't miss a single person."
"Your subordinate obeys."
"There's one more thing," Lin Chen said, frowning.
"Cui Yuanming isn't stupid; he must have left himself an escape route."
His three sons may be from prestigious families, but there are definitely other plans behind the scenes.
You instructed the Bad Guards to continue their investigation, while simultaneously sending messages to the Heavenly Mystery Institute, the Temple of War, the Four Gates, and the other four great families.
"Just as I said, the Cui family deserves to be destroyed. I don't ask them for help, but don't let me find out they have any ulterior motives, otherwise... they'll bear the consequences!"
Yuan Tiangang chuckled lightly: "They wouldn't dare, otherwise they wouldn't have ignored Cui Yuanming's plea for help."
"That would be best!" Lin Chen snorted softly.
"In addition, send a message to General Zilong, asking him to send out the Eight Vajra Warriors and the Tiger Legion to control the border, especially the waterway leading to Zhongzhou."
Anyone encountered who is a member of the Cui family or anyone suspicious is to be killed on sight!
"Yes!" Yuan Tiangang nodded.
Lin Chen frowned and thought for a moment, then continued:
"Old Yuan, I have a bottom line. I won't kill innocent people indiscriminately, but none of these vested interests of the Cui family's direct line are innocent."
Lin Chen's voice was calm, yet every word was chilling.
"An aristocratic family with a thousand-year history knows best how to rise from the ashes. I don't want my son and grandson to have to deal with the Cui family all over again."
Yuan Tiangang nodded calmly, "Your subordinate knows what to do."
He was a man who had seen a lot and knew the necessity of eliminating problems at their root.
Lin Chen is still too kind.
"Go and prepare. We'll leave this afternoon. Keep a low profile and don't alert them." Lin Chen waved his hand.
"I want the news of the Cui family's demise to come back in seven days when I get married—as a wedding gift."
After Yuan Tiangang left, Lin Chen closed his eyes and fell into deep thought.
The decision to massacre the Cui family was ultimately an internal affair of Dayan.
According to the rules, one must inform the Empress, even if it's just a formality.
Thinking of this, Lin Chen called out towards the door, "Lin Wu, prepare the car."
"Your Highness, where are we going?"
"To the palace." Lin Chen stood up and smiled faintly.
"Let's talk to His Majesty about... the weather in Jiangnan."
Lin Wu responded and left.
Lin Chen muttered to himself:
"Cui Yuanming, if you were smart, you would have knelt down and begged for mercy long ago, instead of doing this!"
The carriages and horses were quickly prepared.
Lin Chen boarded the carriage and drove out of the palace, cruising over the bluestone road towards the imperial city.
Inside the carriage, Lin Chen closed his eyes to rest, but his mind was filled with the defense map of Suzhou, the possible hiding places of the Cui family, and the information on those so-called "masters with profound knowledge."
A family with a thousand-year history...
A playful smile curved Lin Chen's lips.
"I'd like to see whether your resources are deeper or my system is more powerful."