Chapter 26: Fury

  "So after I deal with the Ma family, everyone will leave, right?" Yang Chengfeng was furious.

  "Yes."

  "Alright, very well, good." Yang Chengfeng's eyes flashed with a fierce glint, "If there's anything else, let's get it all out at once!"

  "Wuwei's current shops have now closed more than 60%, and some of the Wuwei family gathered in front of the Taishoufu gate, asking for an explanation from Your Excellency." Lei Meng continued.

  "Explain? Haha, I am the imperial prince, do you want me to explain to these aristocratic families?" Yang Cheng's cold smile: "If that's the case, then these aristocratic families have no need to exist."

  "Your Highness, it's not possible." Lei Meng hastily said.

  "Why not?"

  "Your Highness, the aristocratic families are the foundation of the empire. Only with their support can the empire be stable. Moreover, eight out of ten officials in the imperial court come from these families. If you treat them like this, it's equivalent to making enemies of eight-tenths of the imperial officials... When the time comes, they will cause trouble in the court..." said Lei Meng.

  Yang Chengfeng's face changed, he wasn't unaware of the harm caused by these aristocratic families, but he didn't think it was this severe. However, if these aristocratic families aren't eliminated, they will pose a huge threat to the empire. For the sake of the empire, these aristocratic families must be eradicated.

  "Your Highness, apart from this, the governor of Liangzhou, Fang Shuiliang, has begun to gather troops. The local garrison forces in Hanyang, Wudu, Jincheng, Anding and Beidi have assembled in Longxi, with more than 5,000 or less than 3,000 soldiers. Currently, the number of garrison forces in Longxi has reached 40,000, with unclear intentions." Lei Meng continued to reveal an even more shocking piece of news.

  Liangzhou, as one of the thirteen states of the Great Qin Empire, is divided into eleven counties: Lanzhou, Longxi, Hanyang, Wudu, Jincheng, Anding, Beidi, Wuwei, Zhangye, Jiuquan, and Dunhuang. Among them, Lanzhou is the westernmost and also a prominent county in the western part of the Great Qin Empire. Originally, Lanzhou did not belong to Liangzhou, but it was too small and extremely important, so it was included in Liangzhou. The northern and western parts of Lanzhou are territories of the Mongol Empire, while its southern part is the Qilian Mountains. To the south of the Qilian Mountains lies the Caesar Empire. To the east of Lanzhou are Zhangye, Jiuquan, and Dunhuang counties, followed by Wuwei County. East of Wuwei are Anding and Beidi counties. South of Wuwei are Jincheng, Longxi, Hanyang, and Wudu counties.

  The entire Lanzhou does not count the garrison, with a total of about 1 million garrisons. After the Mongols invaded last time, Zhangye, Jiuquan and Dunhuang were occupied. As Lanzhou still has tens of thousands of Mongolians, Yang Chengfeng's Tianlang Army, although having an army of 100,000, did not dare to advance westward.

  "What are they going to do? Are they planning to attack Wuwei?" Yang Chengfeng asked in a low voice.

  Lei Meng hung his head in silence.

  "It's simply outrageous, what kind of person is Fang Shu Liang, daring to mobilize the guard troops without imperial orders." Yang Chengfeng angrily said: "I want to see what Fang Shu Liang is up to."

  Yang Chengfeng raised his head and said to Lei Meng: "Lord Lei, aren't half of the officials in Wuwei gone? Alright, from now on, Wuwei will be under military control. All officials will be selected from the army. I don't believe they can't govern Wuwei well."

  Lei Meng's body trembled all over, a cold light flashed in his eyes, and he lowered his head and said, "Yes."

  After Lei Meng left, Yang Chengfeng fell into deep thought. Although he had considered various possibilities when destroying the Ma family, he never expected that the Ma family's influence would be so great. Although Fang Shu-liang's 40,000-strong guard army was not strong in combat power, as a member of the aristocracy, he would have such reflections - did this represent the views of all the aristocratic families towards him?

  Judging from the power currently held by the imperial clan, I believe it won't be long before the court takes action against him. What should we do at that time?

  Rebel? Yang Chengfeng was confident that he didn't have the ability to do so. Not to mention the imperial court's one million field army, even the tens of thousands of Mongolian iron cavalry in Lanzhou were more than he could handle.

  But to make him compromise with the aristocratic families is absolutely impossible. The Eight Kings' Rebellion of the Jin Dynasty was a rebellion launched by the aristocratic families, which greatly hurt the Jin Empire and allowed foreign tribes to invade. Now that the Great Qin has been established for 300 years, the aristocratic families who suffered heavy losses in the past have gradually recovered their strength, and their power is growing stronger day by day. Their influence in various places has long surpassed that of the imperial court. If this continues, the Great Qin will repeat the mistakes of the Jin Empire.

  Yang Chengfeng was determined to revive the great spirit of Qin, unify the world under one rule, and as a member of the aristocracy, he absolutely would not permit its existence as the greatest threat to the Qin Empire.

  No way, can't just sit and wait for death. Yang Chengfeng's face flashed with a sharp light, "Someone, go call Si Tu Leiden and Sun Yingjie to see me."

  "Yes."

  ……

  Wu Wei, Taishou Fu, Secret Chamber

  "What's Lord Lei thinking about now?" a man in black asked Lei Meng.

  "There's still much to consider below." Lei Meng replied indifferently.

  "Huh, Lord Lei still thinks Yang Chengfeng trusts you now? Maybe when Yang Chengfeng first arrived in Wuwei he needed you, but now that he's in power and dominating the scene, do you think he'll still keep you in mind?" The man in black sneered, "Lord Lei, don't forget that you're a son of the Yangzhou Lei family. With Yang Chengfeng's attitude towards aristocratic families, can he really trust you?"

  Lei Meng's face changed color.

  "Lord Lei, don't hesitate any longer. If you don't make a decision, you'll suffer the consequences. If Yang Chengfeng finds out that you've been in contact with us, do you think he'll let you off?" said the man in black.

  "Alright, I promise you."

  ……

  "Your Highness, there is a scholar outside who requests to see you." Just as Seward and the others had left, Yang Chengfeng hadn't even sat down yet when a guard came in to report.

  "What's a bookworm? What kind of person is that?" Yang Chengfeng asked, turning his head.

  "He claims to be Xu Lin Kun, saying it is...is..." The guard hesitated.

  "What is it? Say."

  "It's to save your highness' life that I've come."

  "Who is it? Hmph, send him in. I want to see what kind of person he is." Yang Cheng let out a cold snort.

  "Yes."