Tang Dynasty: Father, if you don't rebel, I will!

Wang Tongling was the youngest son of Wang Heng, from the third branch of the Wang family in Taiyuan.

At this moment, he was just a boy who was not even ten years old.

Upon seeing Wang Ming's appearance, Wang Tongling immediately knelt down in front of him with a look of sorrow and fear on his face.

"Uncle, please save me! Please save me! Waaah! My father and mother are gone, my home is gone, I... I don't want to die! Uncle, please save me!"

Looking at Wang Tongling, who was kowtowing to the ground with a series of loud thuds, just like he had done in the Shougong Hall.

Wang Ming's eyes twitched, and after a flash of regret, his gaze instantly turned as fierce as a demon.

"This governor cannot save you, nor will he!"

As he spoke, he turned to his son, Wang Qingyun, who was still in a daze, and gave him a stern rebuke.

He gritted his teeth in frustration, as if he were disappointed in someone who was not living up to his potential.

"What are you all standing there for! Tie him up and hand him over to the authorities!? Do you also want my Wang family's eldest branch to be escorted to the Yangcheng Palace?!"

"The blood of Wang Heng and his family is still there, and it hasn't been washed away yet!"

Wang Qingyun's expression changed.

"Father, Tong Ling is just a child. How could he know what Uncle San and the others were doing? He..."

"shut up!!!"

A shout broke the silence of the small courtyard in the Wang family mansion.

Wang Ming was so angry at his son's foolishness that his hands were trembling, but his eyes were tense as he carefully looked around.

Li Chengqian easily produced the evidence of Wang Heng's crimes.

Clearly, all of this was already known to the other party, or rather, to the emperor behind them.

It's possible that there are now Hundred Cavalry Guards or Embroidered Uniform Guards in his mansion.

"It seems I've been too busy with other matters lately and haven't been able to discipline you properly!"

Wang Ming took a deep breath, his expression more stern than Wang Qingyun had ever seen before.

"From now on, even at home, you must keep your mouth shut for me, for trouble often comes from the mouth!"

"Neither the Emperor in Chang'an nor the Crown Prince who is so powerful in Bingzhou are easy to deal with. A single slip of the tongue from you could very well lead to the complete annihilation of my Wang family!"

"The lintel has been destroyed!"

Wang Tongling was still kowtowing repeatedly at Wang Ming's feet.

however.

Upon seeing this, Wang Ming simply took a deep breath and sighed softly.

“Tong Ling, the reason your third branch is in this state is entirely your father’s and the elders of the third branch’s own fault. I didn’t even plead for them back then. Look at my head. If it weren’t for His Highness the Crown Prince’s consideration that I was still somewhat obedient, I would have smashed the floor tiles of Shou Gong Hall with my head right now.”

"What has returned today is nothing more than another old man's corpse..."

Wang Tongling stiffly and slowly stood up, his expression one of grief and despair, which combined with his still-youthful appearance.

This immediately made Wang Qingyun, who was standing to the side, feel a pang of pity again.

"Father, if we let him disguise himself as a servant, sneak into the carriage, and send him away through the back door at dawn, allowing him to leave Bingzhou, that prince might not..."

"So you're willing to risk your father and mother, and the heads of all the elders of the Wang family's eldest branch, for him?!"

"His life is his life! Haven't you considered what will happen to me if things are exposed?!"

"What will happen to you! And what will happen to your sister?!"

Wang Ming was truly angered by his stupid son.

At this moment, he didn't care about his image. He was already exhausted after a long day, and he was also worried that he would inevitably become estranged from the other branches of the Wang family in Taiyuan. Tears welled up in his bloodshot eyes.

His hand trembled as he pointed at his son, Wang Qingyun, in front of him.

"Wang Qingyun! Today, out of consideration for you being my eldest son and the eldest grandson of the Wang family, I will let it go. But listen to me carefully!"

Wang Ming's face trembled as he watched his son in disbelief.

However, he adopted a servile and obsequious manner, bowing and kowtowing repeatedly towards the direction of Yangcheng Palace.

"Don't think that Bingzhou is still under the control of my Wang family, and don't think that the current emperor and crown prince are benevolent people!"

"Yes! You must look down on me, right?"

"You think I've disgraced my Wang family ancestors and ruined the prestige of my noble clan?!"

"I'll tell you!"

"If I hadn't been so servile, so obsequious, so shameless, kneeling before that prince, do you think you'd still be standing here unscathed, spouting nonsense about mercy to me?!"

"You think I've become the Crown Prince's lackey, a traitor to the aristocratic families, is that it?!"

"I'll tell you!"

Wang Ming angrily pointed in the direction of his family's ancestral hall, the eldest branch of the Wang clan, his face turning ashen with rage, and veins throbbing on his forehead.

"If kowtowing can make me a dog for the Crown Prince and protect my entire Wang family, I would even drag my ancestors from the underworld to kowtow with me!"

Wang Qingyun: "......"

He staggered back two steps, his steps somewhat weak.

Looking at her father, who was now acting like a madman, in disbelief, she couldn't believe that the Wang family of Taiyuan was in such a precarious situation.

He couldn't help but turn his head slightly towards his cousin Wang Tongling, who was already in a daze.

Wang Ming was breathing slightly heavily.

After a long silence, his face gradually hardened, and he gave a reprimand.

"Tie him up! Come with me to Yangcheng Palace to beg for forgiveness!"

Wang Qingyun's face twitched: "Father, there's a curfew outside now, and Yangcheng Palace is locked..."

"Then kneel down until the door opens!"

Wang Tongling, despite being just a teenager, was bound with hemp rope by Wang Qingyun and carried like a chick towards the main gate of the Wang family mansion.

Hearing the commotion, the eldest branch of the Wang family came out to investigate.

But they were all frightened by Wang Ming's gaze and shrank back.

"Squeak..."

After Wang Ming returned, the gates of the Wang family mansion, which had just been closed, were reopened.

Wang Ming had just lowered his head and taken one step.

But his body stiffened instantly in shock.

A dozen or so figures stood before the gates of the Wang family mansion. Their black armor made them appear like demons coming to claim lives in the darkness.

Lu Shiheng, the seventh-rank senior secretary of the Left Guard of the Eastern Palace, was the one who gained merit in supporting the emperor during the Xuanwu Gate Incident.

They looked at Wang Ming and his son, who seemed to be completely stunned by their appearance, with a half-smile.

He chuckled lightly at the dozen or so men behind him.

"What did I say? His Highness values ​​Governor Wang so highly, how could our Governor Wang possibly betray His Highness and collude with a wanted criminal?"

Wang Ming's face turned deathly pale instantly, while Wang Qingyun stood behind him, holding the Wang Tongling in his hand.

At this moment, Lu Shiheng and his group, who were clearly waiting here, were so frightened that their expressions changed.

I couldn't help but tense up.

now.

In front of the gate of the Wang family mansion, Lü Shiheng was followed by more than a dozen burly, fierce soldiers.

There was also a well-organized and solemn squad of at least five hundred elite troops from the Eastern Palace.

He stared at them with an icy expression.

Lu Shiheng smiled and patted Wang Ming, whose body was visibly trembling at that moment.

He leaned slightly closer to the other person, a clearly malicious smile on his face, and chuckled in a voice only they could hear.

“Prefect Wang, it’s fortunate that you came out through the main gate. If you had come out through the back gate, wouldn’t it have been troublesome for the brothers to go in?”

Wang Ming's forehead was instantly covered in cold sweat.

I wanted to laugh, but the smile I forced at that moment looked worse than crying.

really!

The Emperor's Hundred Cavalry Guards had long been stationed around, and possibly even inside, their residence!

"Heh, heh heh... General Lü is joking. As an important official of the court, I have always acted uprightly and honestly. Moreover, capturing a fugitive criminal is a merit in itself. Why would I need to go through back channels? I really don't understand."

Lu Shiheng laughed again, this time with malicious intent.

He patted the other person on the shoulder and winked at his subordinates behind him.

"Why aren't you taking him away? What if this brat hurts our Governor Wang?! Can you afford the consequences?!"

Wang Tongling struggled in fear.

However, now that he has finally begun to understand what kind of situation his father faces every day, Wang Qingyun, who was already terrified by the Crown Prince's move, dared not put up any resistance.

They could only watch helplessly as their cousin was roughly taken away by several men and thrown into a prison van behind them.

Lu Shiheng smiled and cupped his hands in greeting, just as Wang Ming was about to breathe a sigh of relief.

Just when I thought I was finally going to get rid of these plagues.

Lu Shiheng suddenly spoke again.

"Prefect Wang, this is an imperial edict from His Highness the Crown Prince!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Ming trembled and immediately knelt on the ground. He also pulled his son, Wang Qingyun, who was still somewhat dazed, to kneel down as well.

Lu Shiheng tilted his head slightly, looking at Wang Qingyun kneeling behind Wang Ming with a half-smile.

"His Highness the Crown Prince has decreed that Wang Qingyun, the son of Governor Wang, is exceptionally intelligent and quick-witted, possessing the true essence of the Wang clan's family tradition. Moreover, he served alongside his father in the battle against the Turks a month ago, rendering meritorious service to the country. He is skilled in both literature and martial arts..."

Wang Ming looked up in disbelief, as if realizing something, and his pupils suddenly contracted.

"The rebel Wang Heng has been executed, but the position of Sima of Bingzhou cannot remain vacant, and the grand plan for the new policies in Bingzhou cannot be abandoned. Although Wang Qingyun is a commoner, I am willing to make an exception and promote him to temporarily assume the position of Sima of Bingzhou."

"Tomorrow you will be at Yangcheng Palace to await orders!"

Watching Lü Shiheng and his men slowly drive away in the prison cart.

Wang Ming, whose back was already soaked with cold sweat, went limp and collapsed at the entrance of his own mansion.

Staring blankly, in the direction of Yangcheng Palace, where the lights of Shougong Hall could still be seen.

Lips trembled...

"This gives the Wang family absolutely no chance to breathe, no chance to remain among the established aristocratic families..."

The next day.

It was just getting dark.

In the past, these individuals would either have been late for their shifts or simply been government officials.

They all emerged from their homes with dark circles under their eyes and tense expressions.

They headed to their respective government offices early in the morning.

Some officials passing by Yangcheng Palace, upon seeing the crimson bloodstains on the ground, immediately changed their expressions and urged their grooms to hurry away.

Yangcheng Palace.

Wang Qingyun, who had been silently following his father, looked up and saw that His Highness the Crown Prince had already begun practicing martial arts in front of the Shou Gong Hall, and was even instructing the two princes in martial arts.

"Your subject Wang Ming greets Your Highness the Crown Prince... The confiscation of the rebel Wang Heng's assets has been completed. This is the account book; please take a look!"

Li Chengqian took the handkerchief handed to him by Qian Yingying and wiped his face.

He took the ledger but didn't look at it. Instead, he slowly focused his gaze on Wang Qingyun, whose muscular physique clearly indicated he was skilled in martial arts.

"Wang Qingyun?"

"The subordinate is here!"

Li Chengqian nodded slightly.

"He does seem to have some bravery and has been on the battlefield. Since you have been appointed as Sima, do a good job. Your father was a smart man, and I hope that you can be a smart man too."

Wang Qingyun bowed his head: "This humble official will remember this! I would never dare to do anything that violates the law!"

Beside Li Chengqian, Qian Yingying, as if she had been prepared in advance, handed him a rather thick stack of account books bound with paper.

Li Chengqian said calmly, "These are officials in Bingzhou who have been secretly investigated by the Embroidered Uniform Guard and have been found to be seriously corrupt and oppressive to the people. You can handle them."

Upon hearing this, and looking at the list in front of his son, Wang Ming's hand beneath his official robes trembled violently.

However, at this moment, he didn't even dare to give his son a meaningful glance.

He stood meekly to the side, listening to Wang Qingyun's voice as he received orders.

Li Chengqian gave a soft "hmm".

"The evidence is conclusive. You just need to deal with them according to the charges listed here and the laws of our Great Tang Dynasty. Those who should be beheaded will be beheaded, and those whose property should be confiscated will have their property confiscated. As for those who need to be imprisoned or exiled, they can be locked up for the time being. Once the mine officially starts construction, they will have a purpose."

Wang Qingyun's expression changed slightly, and he bowed his head to accept the order.

however.

Just as the two were about to leave, Li Chengqian's sudden remark made Wang Qingyun, who had just reached halfway up the steps, abruptly stop in his tracks.

"Oh, right, I forgot something. Last night, Wang Heng's son, along with this group of officials who committed crimes and were beheaded, should be executed together. Wang Sima, please supervise the execution."

Wang Ming and his son suddenly turned their heads, incredulous, and noticed Li Chengqian's cold gaze.

In the end, he could only grit his teeth, bow, and say, "Your subject obeys!"

Beside them, the brothers Li Tai and Li Ke, who had just finished a round of martial arts training, watched the backs of the Wang father and son.

I couldn't help but frown slightly.

"Brother, aren't you pushing them too far by making them kill so many people in succession?"

Li Chengqian let out a cold laugh.

"Pass? Pass? Of course they can refuse. They can simply travel with these people. This is a way out I'm giving the Wang family of Taiyuan!"

"They have no choice but to surrender!"

"If they honestly implement the new policies for me, many years later, when the five surnames and seven powerful clans have vanished like smoke, their descendants will still be grateful for my benevolence..."

Hou Junji controls the military forces of the entire Bingzhou, and although Wang Qingyun is now a Sima.

But at most, they could only mobilize some ordinary city yamen runners.

Letting them search our house is fine.

rebel?

Li Chengqian didn't even need to order Hou Junji to mobilize a large army to suppress them; the Jinyiwei and the troops of the Six Guards of the Eastern Palace alone could easily deal with these guys.

Li Chengqian watched the departing Wang father and son, a slight smile curving his lips.

Mouthing in his mouth.

"Land reform cannot proceed? Minister Wang, with you and your son as such loyal ministers, who in the entire Bingzhou can stop the new policies?"

"hehe......"