Chapter 367 Killing the chicken to scare the monkey
This is exactly what Li Zhicai wanted to see. Since he came in person, he couldn't easily spend a little money and food.
The Xue family is just the most common family among the official and gentry families in Jiangnan. If they dare to confront them directly, the other families will not be any worse.
He does not have so much free time to visit every family in person, so it is particularly important to find a typical example, which can greatly reduce the resistance and courage of each family.
He just wanted to try his best to anger this old man who had been an official for many years and had a certain influence and appeal among the officials and gentry in Jiangnan, so that he would be dealt with according to law.
Just kill the chicken to scare the monkey, let the rest of the people take a good look at what happens to those who go against the court and His Majesty, and whether he, a so-called vulgar common man, dares to attack them.
As soon as Xue Yongheng's crutch fell on a soldier, Li Zhicai immediately ordered:
"How dare you resist with weapons in hand and blatantly disobey His Majesty's orders. I will take them down!"
Xue Yongheng was not willing to surrender, so he waved the crutch in his hand like crazy and asked his nursing staff to join in.
The soldiers immediately grasped the spears and knives in their hands and slashed and stabbed them directly, without any psychological burden at all, as if they were enemies.
In just a quarter of an hour, Li Zhicai's army bloodbathed the entire Xue family residence, and all the guards and slaves were beheaded.
Xue Yongheng and his family were all captured by the army and will be executed in public as quickly as possible under the Bell and Drum Towers in the most prosperous area of the capital.
Those who can live in the capital for a long time are either wealthy officials, gentry, wealthy families, or powerful businessmen. Compared with Beijing, the quality of the population is indeed several grades higher.
There are not so many ordinary people here, and those workers and farmers who are the most miserable and tired may not be able to set foot in the capital city unless necessary.
Therefore, during this public execution in Nanjing, the people were not as excited and excited as they imagined, and the cheers and applause were also chaotic.
More, there were only eyes of resentment and hatred, staring closely at everyone in the army. The sergeants felt panicked, and for a moment, they didn't know what to do.
Because most of the people who came to watch the execution were, like Xue Yongheng, members of the official and gentry clan. They were grasshoppers standing on a rope.
Although they are only linked by interests, they often secretly scheming and frame each other.
But when it comes to this kind of moment, most people still have some perspective on the overall situation and unite together to protect themselves.
Li Zhicai knew this very well, so he chose the execution place under the Bell and Drum Towers. This was not only the center of the capital, but also his temporary base camp.
He has absolute strength and can stabilize the whole city and suppress the desires of all parties that are ready to move.
For this reason, he specially asked the government officials to go to various places to publicize and build momentum. The purpose was to attract more people to watch this great show of killing chickens to scare monkeys.
But things are not completely one-sided. There are still voices of support and support, but they are not so huge and intense.
Looking at his subordinates, all of them had heavy expressions on their faces, and some were swallowing saliva unconsciously. Their nervousness and panic were visible to the naked eye.
So he personally went to the scene and chopped off Xue Yongheng's head with his own hands in front of all the soldiers and the onlookers.
Then he raised his head with one hand above his head and walked around the field under the gaze of the soldiers, using practical actions to enhance their courage and military morale.
The inferiority complex in the bones, the feeling and thinking of being inherently inferior to others, are really fatal. Only a general like him, who sets an example by his own example, can change this situation.
If Zhu Youxiao were here, he would definitely lament that in this era, it is really rare for someone to have such an idea.
After Li Zhicai personally beheaded Xue Yongcheng, the fear in the hearts of the other soldiers responsible for the execution was no longer so severe.
At the executive officer's order, Xue Yongheng's family of more than 30 people, including women, children, young and old, were all killed with one knife.
This may be a bit cruel and violent, but only in this way can it be possible for the officials and noble families to fear the court again, surrender to the emperor, and look up to the majesty of the emperor.
When these people who came to visit saw that the army did not even spare children and women, it can be said that they were blown away.
Such cruel torture and inhumane behavior are really rare in the world. Isn't this just killing the whole family?
Even among the ordinary people who just wanted to watch the fun, many people thought it was too tragic and completely devoid of humane feelings.
But Li Zhicai didn't care at all. He only cared about whether he could successfully complete the tasks and orders assigned by His Majesty, and whether he could write a memorial and submit it back to Beijing in time.
Looking at the impetuous crowd, Li Zhicai immediately threw Xue Yongheng's head to his own soldiers.
The soldiers understood the idea and immediately hung it on their spears. They rode their horses to show it back and forth in the huge square and among the crowds, and shouted loudly:
"Those who disobey His Majesty's edicts, those who harm the people of the imperial court, those who collude to steal national property and resources, and those who defy the power of God and refuse to obey the policies and discipline of the imperial court, will end like this!"
The words of the private soldier only added fuel to the fire of these already extremely angry and resentful people of the official and gentry clan.
Li Zhicai felt something strange in the crowd and immediately gave a look to several thousand households. As long as someone dared to jump out and cause trouble, he wouldn't mind if there was a little more fresh blood on top of this makeshift torture fetus.
As expected, just after he signaled the arrangement, some young scholars rushed out of the crowd and began to criticize.
"Li Zhicai, it is only natural and right for you to carry out errands under the emperor's orders. This is exactly what the dynasty should do!"
"But you have gone too far. You actually dared to distort His Majesty's holy edicts in front of the world, abused lynching, ignored the laws of our Ming Dynasty, deceived the emperor, and avenged private vendettas, resulting in unjust cases. It is really a crime that cannot be punished.
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Li Zhicai burst out laughing after hearing this, making these young and talented people who were full of enthusiasm and wanted to show their eloquence well, looked at each other and were completely confused.
That's not right. Why are things different from what they thought? Shouldn't Li Zhicai be afraid? Why did he laugh instead?
"General, I am abusing punishment? I think you have lost your mind by reading. Could it be that you didn't see my general's notice?"
"On the notice, I have written down every detail of the laws he has violated, the crimes he has committed, and the evidence. Anyone who has eyes to see should know it!"