Chapter 81 We want to kill people 【Seeking Monthly Pass】
"We want to kill someone!"
"Kill many, many people!"
"To tell you the truth, there are only four of you in the family. It's too small for us to kill you." Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the four family patriarchs sitting across from him and said in a deep voice.
"Master, please spare your life!"
"We really didn't do anything." After hearing this, the four people knelt down and cried bitterly, begging for mercy.
"We know you didn't do anything. If you had done it, I wouldn't even say this nonsense to you!"
Zhu Yuanzhang stood up with his hands behind his back and continued: "But doing nothing is not enough. We know that you have a big family behind you, with thousands of acres of fertile land and millions of silver hidden away."
"The family still has many industries and businesses!"
"If we use the excuse that someone in your court wants to inform the Manchu and Qing court to kill you, then no one will say anything. You have all seen the choices of those people just now!"
"They don't care whether you live or die."
Seeing the despair in their eyes, Zhu Yuanzhang continued: "By doing this, we have two benefits. First, we will kill the chickens to scare the monkeys. By killing you, we can scare all the big families and landlords in Guangzhou, so that they will not dare to make mistakes. Second, we will
I promised all the leaders in the gang to give them one hundred acres of fertile land each, but this matter has not yet been settled, so it is just right for you."
"Tell me, with so many benefits, can we not kill you?"
Hearing Zhu Yuanzhang's insightful analysis, the four of them were frightened and paralyzed on the ground. They suddenly realized that if they were in Zhu Yuanzhang's position, they would also kill themselves.
Seeing that several people were completely frightened, Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly spoke again: "Of course you can also find your own reasons to convince us. As long as you can convince me, I won't kill you."
"We are willing to help the leader train troops." Someone had an idea and spoke loudly.
"Too petty!"
Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head: "We are not short of your few taels of silver."
"We have land, and we are willing to donate 50%...not 80% to the boss!" someone else said.
"Haha, if I kill you, we can get ten percent!" Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head again.
"Reason, reason...!"
The four of them were thinking hard, and suddenly someone had an idea: "Pirates, I know that the Ma family in Guangzhou City secretly cultivates pirates and robs merchant ships along the way. If anyone goes against them, they will secretly instruct the pirates to come ashore, rob and kill people. Three months ago, because of
After taking a fancy to the land in Shanghuang Village, they ordered the pirates to massacre Shanghuang Village, and more than 6,000 men, women, old and children were killed in one night."
"Oh, it's true that there is nothing new under the sun. These officials and gentry in the late Ming and Qing Dynasties are all the same."
Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes flashed with murderous intent, and he raised a smile at the corner of his mouth and said: "This is interesting, please continue."
"And the Cheng family, they are the ones who colluded with foreigners to sell opium!"
Some people, fearing that they would fall behind, began to point their fingers.
As the saying goes, if people don't serve themselves, they will be punished by heaven and earth. Those guys just now knew that Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to kill them, and one or two of them chose to protect themselves wisely and ran faster than a rabbit. Now that they are exposing it, it is true that there is no psychological burden at all.
All they want now is to survive.
"Not bad!"
Zhu Yuanzhang stood up and pointed to the table next to him: "Here is a pen and paper on it. Write down everything you know. You are all in Guangzhou City. You don't see each other with your head down. You must be the ones who know them best!"
Half an hour later, the four people were finally released.
The four of them breathed a long sigh of relief, looked at each other, and left in a hurry.
They had a premonition that Guangzhou City might cause huge waves this time.
"Mao Xiang, lead people to slaughter these families!" Zhu Yuanzhang in the hall was silent for a moment and suddenly said.
Mao Xiang nodded and left with a murderous look on his face.
He had long known that these four families would definitely die.
Zhu Yuanzhang had finally stabilized the gentry in Guangzhou City. How could he be willing to let the conversation with the four people spread out today and affect the stability of Guangzhou City?
So killing is the best option.
The destruction of the four families did not cause anyone any uneasiness. After all, this was something that everyone had already acquiesced to.
Isn’t this politics?
Everyone knows it.
Half a month later, news suddenly spread from the city lord's palace that the military pay was not enough and that donations were needed.
Many gentry inside and outside the city suddenly looked as if this was indeed the case.
"Haha, this person said it nicely before. He is not the same as the Manchus. They are both money-hungry." Someone sneered disdainfully.
"I am very familiar with Shi Dutong from Jingshan. Do you want me to send someone to deliver a message to tell him about the current situation in Guangzhou City and ask him to lead troops to quell the rebellion?" someone else said.
"forget it!"
"This person is a pirate from the Red Flag Gang. If the officers and soldiers really come, they will probably burn, loot, and then run away. In the end, we will still suffer."
"Besides, Shi Dutong's appetite is not small. If he leads troops into Guangzhou City, I'm afraid he will want more."
"Let's spend money and eliminate disasters!"
“It’s just a little money anyway!”
"Just feed the dogs!"
Soon everyone reached a consensus, and three hundred thousand taels of silver were delivered to Zhu Yuanzhang within three days.
"Tsk tsk!"
"Sure enough, the third master still knows how to play!"
"I just released a piece of news, but these people actually obediently brought the silver!" Ma Liu, the leader of the Hongqi Gang, looked at the three hundred thousand taels of silver in front of him, and his eyes couldn't help but shine.
He had already obtained the one hundred acres of land promised by Zhu Yuanzhang, which was all high-quality land. Now he was naturally more convinced of Zhu Yuanzhang.
"Take it and share it with your brothers!"
"Everyone will get a share!"
"Tell them that we will have a big move soon and let them polish their knives."
"Also, be honest and obedient to us. Anyone who dares to violate military orders will be killed without mercy!" Zhu Yuanzhang said solemnly.
When he heard that the money could be divided again, Ma Liu immediately smiled happily, but when he heard the last sentence, he couldn't help but feel frightened again.
He knew that Zhu Yuanzhang was definitely not joking.
In the past half month, no fewer than fifty members of the Hongqi Gang were beheaded by Zhu Yuanzhang in public.
Just when the gentry paid the money and thought they could live in peace for a while, no one noticed that the entire Guangzhou Prefecture was quietly changing.
Countless rumors began to spread among the lower class people, and scandals about several big families colluding with pirates, selling opium, robbing refugees and selling them to the British were even made up into songs and spread wantonly.
In particular, the Cheng family, whose power spread throughout Guangzhou, secretly helped the British sell opium. This disgusting thing was deeply despised by the people.
It can be said that in just half a month, the Cheng family, which originally had a good reputation, suddenly became extremely smelly in the entire Guangzhou Prefecture.
The head of the Cheng family was furious and sent people everywhere to arrest the murderer who spread the rumors, but unfortunately not even a hair was caught.
Finally, Zhu Yuanzhang felt that the situation was almost over. Under the fierce public opinion, he had to invite the head of the Cheng family to the City Lord's Mansion to inquire whether the matter was true or not.