My aunt is Queen Ma

Chapter 129 Cruel enough
Chen Zhaoyun returned home in a daze, only coming to his senses when he saw his mother.

Facing his mother's earnest gaze, he recounted Chen Jixian's analysis.

She was furious when she heard that Chen Rongxun had murdered Chen Jicheng in order to seize her family's land.

"I'm going to the ancestral hall to sue him."

Chen Zhaoyun said helplessly, "If going to the ancestral hall were effective, would my father still have been paraded through the streets as a public spectacle?"

"They've been in cahoots for a long time, it's no use talking to anyone."

“If you go to the ancestral hall to complain now and anger them, my father will really be in danger.”

His mother was immediately at a loss: "What should we do? If we give him the land, how will our family survive?"

"If your father and I die, we're dead. But what will you do if we lose the land?"

Chen Zhaoyun said firmly, "That's my father. I'd save him even if it meant risking my life, let alone a few acres of land."

"At worst, I can become a tenant farmer and at least make a living."

His mother was very pleased to see this, but she still had different opinions about giving away the land:
"That's six acres of paddy fields, it's such a waste to give them away like this."

"What if things don't turn out the way Uncle Seven guessed? Why don't you go and try selling some first?"

Chen Zhaoyun was still young, and her mother's words made her waver.

Moreover, he also felt that things might not be as extreme as Uncle Qi described.

The final decision was to sell the land to Chen Rongxun's family:

“I’ll try it first. If I can save my father by selling the land, that would be best. If not, I’ll give the land to him.”

His mother didn't say anything more after seeing this, and instead found the land deed and gave it to him.

After obtaining the land deed, Chen Zhaoyun immediately went to Chen Rongxun's house.

Chen Rongxun was quite surprised to hear that he had come to his door: "This kid is quite clever, saving me the trouble of finding someone to act as a go-between."

However, when he heard that Chen Zhaoyun was planning to sell the land, he couldn't help but sneer:
"It seems he's not smart enough. Let's leave him hanging for three to five days."

"Just tell him I'm busy and to get lost."

When Chen Zhaoyun heard that he was told to get lost, his heart sank and he quickly changed his words.

My uncle is a respectable member of the clan. I asked him to help save my father. This land was given to him to ask for favors.

However, the reply was still "No time, get lost."

Chen Zhaoyun finally realized the enormity of his mistake, and pleaded for a long time outside Chen Rongxun's house to no avail.

They had no choice but to return home as it was getting dark.

When his mother learned what had happened, she burst into tears again.

However, her words were full of self-blame, and she dared not resent Chen Rongxun in the slightest.

Chen Zhaoyun suppressed his agitation and spent some time calming his mother down.

Afterwards, he lay on his bed and began to think of a solution.

There is no doubt that Chen Rongxun wants his own land.

The reason he turned me away was most likely because my initial attempt to sell him the land had angered him.

That's why I wanted to make things difficult for myself.

But as long as he still wants his own land, he will definitely see him.

Go to his house tomorrow and keep begging him. If he has a way out, he will release his father.

He himself didn't realize that he had matured a lot in just one day.

We can now rationally analyze various situations based on the available information and then arrive at a conclusion.

With a plan in mind, he felt much more at ease and closed his eyes to rest.

But with so many things happening today, his mind was filled with a jumble of thoughts. Despite constantly yawning, his mind became increasingly clear when he closed his eyes.

I managed to doze off for a while, almost until dawn.

The next day, he went to stand guard at Chen Rongxun's door as planned.

Upon learning of his arrival, Chen Rongxun snorted coldly and said:

"That bastard is smart enough. Let's leave him hanging for two more days and then take the land."

However, plans can't keep up with changes, and that afternoon a Ming army garrison suddenly surrounded the fortified village.

The people in the city were filled with fear and anxiety.

The clan chief kept the gates of the fortress tightly shut while sending people to negotiate.

However, the message they received was that they should open the gates and surrender, with no other information provided.

They were given a night to consider their options, and if they did not surrender by the next morning, the siege would begin.

The clan chiefs and elders realized the situation was dire and naturally refused to surrender.

They mobilized the people in the fort overnight to participate in the defensive battle.

Because Chen Zhaoyun was not yet sixteen years old, he was assigned to the logistics group to help transport city defense equipment.

At that moment, he didn't think much about it, only wondering why the court was attacking them, and he still harbored some hatred in his heart.

After all, the fortified village was where he had lived since childhood, and he had an innate emotional connection to it.

However, the next morning, the clan chief convened a mobilization meeting and beheaded all four people kneeling outside the ancestral hall as a sacrifice to the flag.

"The clan has raised you for so many years, now it's your turn to contribute to the clan."

"Anyone who dares to slack off or disobey clan orders will suffer this fate..."

This tactic was indeed very effective; the people who had been terrified and wanted to flee suddenly became docile and obedient.

Only the families of the four murdered people felt as if the sky had fallen.

Chen Zhaoyun's mother fainted on the spot.

Chen Zhaoyun witnessed his father being beheaded, and all he could see was a sea of ​​blood.

If it weren't for the neighbors holding him tightly, he would have rushed over immediately.

However, his actions were still seen by the clan chief, who, although not killed him, had him locked up.

Before long, the Ming army launched a fierce attack, and all able-bodied people in the city were put into defensive operations.

Chen Zhaoyun, who was imprisoned, was quickly forgotten by everyone.

But Chen Zhaoyun did not forget himself; the events of the past two days echoed in his mind again and again.

The understanding formed over the past ten years or so was completely shattered, leaving only one thought in the end.

The clan should be exterminated.

In the past, he was alone and powerless and could do nothing, but now the Ming army is attacking the city.

His chance has come.

Because of the threat from the Ming army, those people simply tied him up hastily without using shackles.

It didn't take him long to break free of the rope.

Then he secretly ran home, and no matter what he wanted to do, he had to find his mother first.

However, when he returned home, he witnessed a scene that broke his heart.

His mother hung motionless from the roof beam.

This poor woman witnessed her husband's death and woke up to find her son missing, assuming he had also met with misfortune.

In despair, he chose to commit suicide.

Although Chen Zhaoyun didn't know exactly what had happened, he could guess some of it.

Looking at his mother's body, he wanted to cry out loud, but when he opened his mouth, no sound came out.

He didn't know how much time had passed before he was awakened by the shouts of battle coming from outside.

Silently, he laid his mother's body down and knelt down to kowtow three times.

Then he resolutely got up, took out a flint and set the house on fire.

Without a second thought, he turned and ran next door, setting the houses there ablaze one by one.

Once the fire started, he found a place to hide.

At that time, most buildings were made of wood, making them extremely difficult to control once a fire started.

When everyone discovered their homes were on fire, the already unstable morale of the troops became even more chaotic, and many people began to flee to fight the fire.

The clan chief and elders hurriedly sent people to stop them, but the result was that the clan was thrown into complete chaos.

The Ming army seized the opportunity and stormed the city wall in one fell swoop, and Chenjiabao was captured.

Everyone was driven to one place by the Ming army and their identities were registered one by one.

Chief Chen Rongsong wanted to show off his pride, but the Ming army didn't buy it at all and kicked him in the leg, breaking it.

Everyone immediately quieted down.

The Ming army was naturally very curious about how the fire started inside, but after investigating for a long time, they still couldn't find a solution.

The outcome was only achieved when Chen Zhaoyun, who had been hiding, realized the battle was over and came out on his own initiative.

Commander Zhang Lin, upon hearing of his plight, felt great sympathy and admired his actions. He instructed his men to give him a knife, saying, "Now that you have a knife, go and do what you most want to do."

"But you must understand that once you take action, you will be rejected by the world."

In this era that emphasizes patriarchal clan system, nothing is more fitting than using a proverb from an earlier era:
Your clan may have tormented you for centuries, yet you must treat it with the same love you had for your first love.

Anyone who dares to retaliate against their clan will be despised by the world.

That's why Zhang Lin said that if he were to commit murder, he would probably be ostracized by the world.

Chen Zhaoyun gripped the knife hilt tightly with both hands and said decisively:

"The hatred of killing one's father is irreconcilable; to not avenge this is to be unworthy of being human."

Zhang Lin said approvingly, "Good, you have guts. Go ahead."

Under the watchful eyes of thousands of people, Chen Zhaoyun first walked up to Chen Rongxun.

Before he could even speak, Chen Rongxun said with a forced smile:
"Zhao...Zhaoyun, it's a misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding..."

Chen Zhaoyun sneered, "Is it a misunderstanding?"

He then stabbed one of Chen Rongxun's sons to death, causing many people around to gasp in shock.

However, Chen Rongxun was only slightly startled and still smiled ingratiatingly:
"It's really a misunderstanding, you have to believe me."

His attitude was as if it wasn't his son who had died.

Chen Zhaoyun then proceeded to kill all of his descendants, but his face showed only terror, not a trace of hatred.

Even the rest of the Chen family couldn't stand it anymore; Chen Rongxun was truly worse than a beast.

Zhang Lin took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "This kind of person is extremely selfish and has no one else in mind."

"You think you can make him feel your pain through his family? It's almost impossible. Don't waste your time on him."

This was the first time Chen Zhaoyun had ever met such a person, or even heard of such a person before, and he felt nauseous.

Too lazy to say anything more to him, he killed him with a single stroke under Chen Rongxun's horrified gaze.

Then Chen Zhaoyun, carrying a knife, approached the clan chief, Chen Rongsong:
"why?"

Chen Rongsong naturally knew what he was asking, and forced a smile:
"I was also deceived by Chen Rongxun. I really didn't know he was coveting your land."

“As the head of the family, if I knew the truth, how could I allow my own family members to bully each other?”

In the past, Chen Zhaoyun would have been very moved, but now he only felt irony:
"Family? When you killed my father as a sacrifice, did you never think that they were all family?"

"How can you call yourself a tribal chief after bullying, enslaving, and persecuting your people?"

Chen Rongsong's expression turned angry; he had never suffered such humiliation in his life.

Normally, this bastard wouldn't even have a chance to speak to him, but now he dares to rebuke him.

If I can escape today, I will definitely cut him into a thousand pieces.

However, just as he was thinking this, Chen Zhaoyun slashed him hard on the shoulder with a knife.

"Ah..." The excruciating pain made him let out a wail.

However, Chen Zhaoyun did not kill him. Instead, he turned around and scanned the crowd, his gaze settling on Chen Rongzhen and Chen Jisheng's family.

"Don't you want to avenge your families?"

The two families looked at Chen Rongsong with hatred, but the established concept of hierarchy prevented them from having any desire to resist.

Even now, they still dare not make a move.

Chen Zhaoyun encouraged them, "The hatred of killing one's father is irreconcilable. You don't want to be ridiculed and unable to hold your heads high for the rest of your lives, do you?"

"They are prisoners now. Are you willing to miss this opportunity?"

After being encouraged by him, the two families finally couldn't resist coming out of the crowd.

They each took the knife and slashed Chen Rongsong once, but instinctively avoided vital organs.

Chen Zhaoyun didn't blame them, took the knife, and continued speaking to the crowd:

“It’s not just our three families that have been bullied; many families have been bullied.”

"Now the imperial court has come to rescue them, and Chen Rongsong and the others have been arrested."

"What are you all hesitating for? Let's settle our scores and avenge our wrongs."

With the three as role models, people's concerns lessened considerably, and many wanted revenge.

However, they all glanced warily at the Ming soldiers around them.

Zhang Linxin watched Chen Zhaoyun's actions the whole time, her eyes filled with admiration.

This young man may be young, but he is really smart.

If the elders drag everyone down with them, they've driven everyone to rebellion.

Not only will he not have to bear the guilt, but he can also gain a reputation for getting revenge.

The key point is his statement that the imperial court has come to save everyone.

This not only explained the reason why the Ming army attacked Chenjiabao, but also helped to vindicate the Ming army.

Today, most of the people in Chenjiabao believe that the Ming army's actions are just and that they are rescuing them.

Regardless of their initial intentions, this action will become full of justice.

Although it doesn't matter whether there is a legitimate claim to justice, everyone wants to be rightfully recognized, doesn't they?

It's truly unexpected that such a gifted individual could be cultivated from the very bottom of society.

At that moment, Zhang Lin couldn't help but feel a sense of appreciation for talent.

He then ordered the entire army to retreat, leaving the stage to the people of Chen to choose for themselves.

Then all the clan leaders and elders of Chenjiabao were executed by the common people.
-
Similar incidents were common in the Lingnan region.

Under Liao Yongzhong's all-out attack, the fortified village system completely collapsed, and a large number of clan forces were uprooted.

In other parts of Jiangnan, the crackdown on powerful clans revolved around the case of reselling building materials for the imperial city.

In just over two months, the homes of more than two hundred wealthy families were raided.

The shockwaves caused by this incident were enormous.

However, because the imperial court held the moral high ground, most people felt that the methods were too harsh, and there was not much opposition.

Soon, all the case files and information were compiled and sent to Yingtian.

As the actual person in charge of the case within the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Zhu Shuang naturally had access to all the materials.

If he can see it, it means that Ma Yu can see it too.

Just looking at the money and grain confiscated gave him a deeper understanding of the "wealth" in "powerful clans."

So many people starved to death during the chaos at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, yet each of these powerful families possessed tens of thousands of kilograms of grain.

He possessed countless other treasures of gold and silver, and owned hundreds, even thousands, of acres of land.

"Look, the reason people starved to death at the end of the Yuan Dynasty was not because there was not enough food in total, but because there was a problem with the distribution."

"In fact, apart from extreme weather like that at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, people starved to death in every dynasty not because the total amount of food was insufficient, but because of problems with its distribution."

"The Ming Dynasty should take this as a warning."

Zhu Shuang waved his hand dismissively and said, "Don't tell me about this. I'm too lazy to bother with it."

"Ugh, I can only look at the case files, I can't go and raid the house myself, it's so frustrating."

Ma Yu was quite helpless; this kid was getting lazier and lazier.

As he continued reading the case file, he couldn't help but sigh when he came across Chen's information.

People at this time probably don't know what the Chen family means.

To put it simply, at the beginning of the 21st century, there were approximately 55 million people with the surname Chen in China.

More than ten million of them came from that Chen family.

In other words, one out of every five people with the surname Chen comes from that family.

The Zhang family of the South and the Kong family of the North are nothing compared to this family.

It's no exaggeration to say that he is the most outstanding family in China.

In fact, starting from the Northern Song Dynasty, the imperial court had been intentionally trying to break up this family, but the more they were broken up, the more powerful they became.

It evolved from one to several hundred.

Ma Yu felt that it was also necessary to split up the Ming Dynasty.

Furthermore, we need to find a better way to break them down, to truly separate them, rather than just breaking them down in form.

He doesn't have a clue how to do it yet; we'll talk about it later.

As he continued reading, he discovered another interesting place.

After carefully reviewing the documents, he said to Zhu Shuang, "This man named Chen Zhaoyun is a talented individual. Why don't you bring him over so we can examine him ourselves?"

Zhu Shuang took the paper, glanced at it, and said with some surprise:
"This kid is ruthless and smart, not bad at all."

"I'll write to Zhang Lin later and ask him to come over."

(End of this chapter)