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Chapter 52: The Entire Kingdom of Wu is Led Astray
Chapter 52: The Entire Kingdom of Wu is Led Astray
It was common knowledge that the current Emperor of Wu loved to tour his realm.
In the ten years since his ascension, aside from the first two years spent solidifying his rule and imperial power, he had made an annual tour every year since.
And without fail, each tour resulted in a new concubine joining the imperial harem upon his return.
Something unexpected happened during his tour three months ago.
Meng Chong's method of vengeance set a new precedent. Instead of diligently practicing martial arts, joining mountain bandits, gathering support from the jianghu, or seeking an official position in the court, he chose a different path.
After all, the Tianping Meng clan was a prominent family, and there were plenty of officials in the court of Wu who had connections to the Meng clan.
Meng Chong had conceived a most ruthless plan for revenge!
Taking advantage of the Emperor's tour, he attempted to assassinate him!
Just as the Emperor of Wu was in his carriage, preparing to engage in amorous activities with a newly selected beauty, a loud roar pierced the air.
"I, Tianping Meng Chong, have come to slay the wasteful, incompetent, and cruel dog emperor!"
The sudden roar startled the Emperor of Wu, causing him to lose his composure.
Meng Chong, on the other hand, was fearless. Brandishing a large broadsword, he charged through layer after layer of guards—and somehow, he even managed to escape afterward!
The Emperor of Wu was furious. Upon investigation, he discovered that the assassin was a direct descendant of the Tianping Meng clan!
"Seize their properties! Execute the entire clan!" the Emperor decreed. "Extinguish their nine familial relations! They must all be eradicated!"
And so, the imperial army marched, directly invading the Meng clan's residence and arresting everyone.
The Meng clan was bewildered.
Before they knew what was happening, they had been accused of treason. When they finally learned the truth, they cried out in protest, claiming their innocence.
It was a grave injustice!
They had just expelled Meng Chong from the clan, and now he had turned around to assassinate the Emperor?
Was this Meng Chong's idea of revenge?
The entire Meng clan was struck as if by lightning. What kind of revenge was this? Who in their right mind would seek vengeance in such a way?
"Are you not right in the head?! This is a capital offense that warrants the extermination of your entire clan!"
The entire court of Wu was in an uproar due to the assassination attempt. Officials trembled in fear, and anyone with connections to the Meng clan was imprisoned.
The implications were far-reaching, as the punishment of extinguishing nine familial relations could even implicate the imperial clan to some extent.
Finally, it was decided that the entire Meng clan would be executed. However, the investigation revealed that Meng Chong's assassination attempt seemed to be driven by a desire for revenge against his own clan.
Even so, the Emperor of Wu would not spare the Meng clan.
If this precedent were set, what would stop others with malicious intentions from attempting the same? They could simply expel the perpetrator from their family, and in the event of failure, the family would not be implicated.
Where would the imperial authority stand then? What of the Emperor's dignity?
"Execute the entire clan!"
"They must all be put to death!"
This precedent must not be set!
And so, the Meng clan was annihilated.
On the day of the execution, their cries of innocence and curses toward Meng Chong echoed through the land. They decried his inhumanity and questioned his bizarre method of revenge.
News of this incident spread throughout the kingdom of Wu, leaving everyone bewildered. Who would seek revenge in such a manner?
What kind of mind could conceive of such an extreme form of vengeance?
Even more astonishing was the fact that Meng Chong, the instigator of the assassination attempt on the Emperor of Wu, had escaped...
The Emperor issued a bounty, offering a reward of 10,000 taels of gold for his capture!
After hearing the full story, Li Xuan's gaze toward Meng Chong turned strange.
This bald teenager certainly had an unusual way of thinking.
"Didn't you say that there was a bounty of 10,000 taels of gold on your head? Why did you just mention that the kingdom of Wu has offered a bounty of 100,000 taels?" Li Xuan suddenly noticed something amiss.
Meng Chong had explained that due to his actions, he was wanted with a bounty of 10,000 taels, forcing him to hide and eventually flee to Qi as a refugee.
But moments ago, Shi Er had mentioned a bounty of 100,000 taels!
Shi Er's face twitched as he glanced at Meng Chong with a mix of admiration and disbelief. This naturally bald teenager had pioneered a method of revenge unprecedented in history.
"Senior, it's like this," Shi Er began, his gaze at Meng Chong filled with curiosity. "After Meng Chong's assassination attempt, some people started to emulate his style of revenge..."
Shi Er proceeded to explain the events that followed Meng Chong's assassination attempt, his eyes never leaving the bald teenager.
The former Minister of Appointments of Wu had a servant who fell in love with a young woman. Unfortunately, the son of the Minister also desired her, and he forcibly took her for himself.
The servant sought justice, but instead, his parents were killed, and he was brutally beaten and tortured daily.
The son of the Minister of Appointments had a twisted mind. He would beat the servant from time to time and forcibly take the woman he loved in front of him.
He never intended to kill him, only to inflict endless torment.
News of Meng Chong's actions reached the servant's ears, and an idea began to form in his mind. He saw a way to exact his revenge.
Seizing an opportunity, he escaped, hid, and crafted a bow and stole a knife.
After Meng Chong's assassination attempt, the Wu Emperor resumed his tour, determined to complete the one interrupted by the incident.
And then, it happened again—another assassination attempt! This time, it was a servant from the Manor of the Minister of Appointments!
"Incompetent ruler, forfeit your life!" The servant roared, enraging the Wu Emperor.
The servant was killed, and upon investigation, it was indeed found that he was a servant from the Manor of the Minister of Appointments.
The Emperor ordered their execution—the entire household!
The Minister of Appointments and his entire family pleaded their innocence, but to no avail. The Emperor's authority would not be challenged, and no excuses would be tolerated.
The entire household of the Minister of Appointments was executed.
As news of this spread, a peculiar shift began to take place in the kingdom of Wu.
The Wu Emperor attempted to resume his tour once more, determined to complete the one interrupted twice before. However, he faced yet another assassination attempt! This time, it was the nephew of the Vice Minister of War!
The reason? The Vice Minister of War had humiliated his mother, driving her to suicide.
And so, inspired by Meng Chong, he sought revenge!
The repeated attempts on his life had shaken the Wu Emperor's resolve.
Again, he ordered the execution of the entire household.
The family of the Vice Minister of War met the same fate.
The court officials were in a state of panic and confusion. What was happening?
They all blamed Meng Chong for these unfortunate events.
Many advised the Wu Emperor to refrain from future tours and remain in the palace for his safety. They feared that the next tour might result in another minister's entire family being executed.
The Wu Emperor was forced to abandon his plans for future tours.
Just when they thought things had calmed down, another incident occurred—an attempt on the life of a current minister.
A servant from a wealthy merchant's manor, driven by resentment, attempted to assassinate a high-ranking minister.
The merchant's family was imprisoned and their properties confiscated.
Unable to target the Emperor, the people began to direct their anger and resentment toward the ministers.
The entire atmosphere of the Kingdom of Wu had been corrupted.
Masters began to regard their servants with suspicion, wary of any potential retaliation. Treating their servants well would undermine their authority and status, yet mistreating them could provoke them to take drastic actions.
Servants, on the other hand, lived in fear of their masters' wrath, knowing that any sign of discontent could lead to brutal punishment or even death.
Ministers and officials also faced a dilemma. Traveling outside posed the risk of assassination, while staying within their manors brought the constant fear of a servant plotting against them.
Lowering their status and treating servants with kindness would undermine their prestige, yet maintaining their authority increased the risk of retaliation.
Even the servants in wealthy and influential households in Wu suffered, as they were constantly under suspicion and lived in fear of being punished or even killed if their masters detected any hint of resentment.
All of this could be traced back to one person—Meng Chong.
A saying began to spread throughout the Kingdom of Wu: "If you want revenge, follow Meng Chong's example!"
What a calamity he had brought upon the kingdom!
Enraged, the Wu Emperor increased the bounty on Meng Chong, vowing to capture and execute him in the most painful way possible. The court officials unanimously agreed, and many even offered to contribute their own wealth to increase the reward.
The bounty soared to an astonishing 100,000 taels of gold!
(End of Chapter)
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