kingnovel Chapter 1237
Chapter 1237
"It's over, it's all over!"
Grandpa Cui stood there stunned for several breaths, his mouth opening and closing, repeating the same sentence over and over.
The last glimmer of hope in my heart was completely extinguished at this moment.
It was thought that the eldest son of the Cui family would escape this calamity. Perhaps, after a few years of dormancy, they could even make a comeback by utilizing the covert networks they had cultivated among the Tartars.
But who would have thought...
The young-looking man in front of him had completely blocked all his escape routes.
He did not despair when Yuan Qingshan died.
Even when Xu Shan wanted to slaughter them, he still held onto hope.
But now, his proud spine slowly bent.
'Plop.'
Immediately afterwards, he knelt down in front of Xu Shan.
Tears streaming down his face, he said, "Duke Xu..."
"All the mistakes are my fault alone."
"Whether it was establishing trade relations with the Tartars or besieging Wucheng, it was all my decision alone."
"I don't expect you to let the Cui family of Qinghe go."
"Could you please allow the Cui family to continue its lineage?"
"In exchange, I am willing to hand over all the account books of the Cui family of Qinghe, both overt and covert, to help Duke Xu's men smoothly take over the Cui family's businesses in the north."
Upon hearing this, Xu Shan sneered, "This is not what I, the Duke, want."
"Those powerful families, noble clans, and local officials outside the gate, in order to save their own lives, will sort these things out for our Duke."
"Isn't it?"
After Xu Shan finished speaking, Old Master Cui suddenly looked up and asked, "Then, what does Duke Xu want?"
"Our lord desires to unify the land and conquer the northern border!"
"The Cui family is willing to hand over the list of all their strongholds on the Tartar side, as well as the spies they have planted there."
Upon hearing this, Xu Shan's eyes lit up and he asked, "Does Beiguan have any spies from the Cui family?"
"Yes. The most favored concubine of the quartermaster of Beiguan is from the Cui family."
"Her clansmen are all under the control of our Cui family."
"It's not just her..."
"As long as Duke Xu allows the Cui family to continue their lineage, the sinners are willing to hand over this list and all their information."
"A maximum of three people, you decide."
"well!"
This transaction, which was incredibly humiliating for the Cui family, was completed within minutes.
As Xu Shan turned around, the Imperial Guards, who had been waiting in ambush, immediately pulled the trigger of the crossbow.
'Swish!'
'Pfft. '
The Cui family of Qinghe, who had dominated the two prefectures of Ji and Lu for generations, suffered a devastating calamity on this day!
The number of family members implicated was as high as a thousand.
It's a bit cruel!
But for Xu Shan, if this act of making an example of someone is not carried out in a grand manner, it will not have any effect on deterring the north.
Inside the ancestral home, amidst the still-echoing screams and pleas for mercy, Master Xu strode out of the main gate, which had long since lost its threshold.
Upon seeing his appearance, the representatives of the northern aristocratic families, led by Ma Ruteng, knelt on the ground in complete awe and admiration.
They collectively shouted, "We are willing to serve Duke Xu with utmost loyalty!"
"Everyone, get up."
"As long as you all are wholeheartedly devoted to the court, then the North belongs to the Ming Dynasty, and it also belongs to you."
"Furthermore, I would like to emphasize one point. In the future, when you see people wearing flying fish robes in the north, I hope you will show them sufficient respect."
"Yes, we will remember it."
"Alright, you'll have to make do in Qinghe for a few days. People from the imperial court will come to meet with you and give you instructions."
"Yes."
After saying that, Xu Shan hurriedly walked out of the city.
The massacre of the Cui clan of Qinghe could not be kept secret for more than a few days, even with the Northern Liang army and the Central Plains elite troops trying to cover it up.
The replacement of the Jiaozhou Navy with Wang Qinian's and the Jiangnan Navy, which traded with the Tartars at sea, needs to be promoted as soon as possible.
At the very least, we must get here before the Tartars find out about this in Qinghe!
"My lord, if you don't cut the weeds at the root, they'll grow back in the spring!"
"Even if the few people left behind by the Cui family of Qinghe are exiled to the southwest, there is still a certain risk."
"Should I use my subordinates...?"
Before Tian Xue could finish speaking, Xu Shan, who was riding out of the city, raised his hand to stop him, saying, "With so many people witnessing this, I, Xu Shan, have promised to preserve the Cui family's lineage. If they suddenly die at this time..."
"Who will dare to do business with us in the future?"
"So, what does Your Excellency mean...?"
"Not only do we have to get them there, but we also have to protect them along the way."
"By the way, I heard that the Cui family patriarch left a treasure for his descendants to mitigate risks?"
"Huh? Your subordinate, I haven't heard of that."
"Have you heard about it now?"
Faced with Xu Shan's direct questioning, Tian Xue instantly realized and said, "I've heard about it. Moreover, it's incredibly wealthy. It also contains all sorts of exquisite martial arts manuals, for the Cui family's descendants to make a comeback."
After Xue finished saying all that, Xu Shan smiled.
"This news should have spread unintentionally before they entered the southwest."
"We are not executioners, we are just the executioners' porters."
"Send these fat sheep to the southwest smoothly."
"Understood! I will send someone to make arrangements shortly."
It's not that Xu Shan is ruthless, but rather that this world has no room for him to show any mercy!
"Abandon the horse!"
"Those skilled in light-footed martial arts, come with me to Long Island first."
"Yes."
With Xu Shan's command, he led only a dozen or so men and used his lightness skill to quickly head towards Changdao Island.
After a day and night of traveling.
On the afternoon of the second day, Xu Shan and his group boarded a ferry from Penglai to Changdao.
The person who received them was none other than Zhang Liansong, who was fulfilling his duty as a host.
"My lord, I'm not exaggerating..."
"Once we get here, there's nothing Dog Egg can't handle."
"With so many people in the Jiangnan navy, I asked my master to come out of seclusion and create a thick fog."
"The patrol boats of the Jiaozhou Navy failed to detect the advance of the Jiangnan Navy at all."
"With the help of the Tianyi sect followers, they led people to infiltrate Jiaozhou Bay ahead of time."
"Brother Qinian, after entering the bay with our equipment, we directly took control of most of the generals and, with the help of both inside and outside forces, captured the Jiaozhou Navy in one fell swoop."
"So, tell me, how did this go?"
Hearing Gou Dan's eloquent self-praise, Xu Shan smiled and nodded, saying, "This is the power of a sect!"
"Once we enter the northern border, I will personally find two Tartar princesses for you to serve as your concubines!"
After Xu Shan finished speaking, Zhang Liansong looked around and then whispered in Xu Shan's ear, "Sir, I like my sister."
"Hmm? The flavor is quite unique."
"When my brother Qinian shared his experience with me, he said that my sister has three treasures: she is obedient, caring, and technically skilled!"
Looking at Zhang Liansong, who was winking at him, Xu Shan, who was sweating profusely, widened his eyes and said, "Dog Egg, you're a direct descendant of the Heavenly Dao Sect!"
"It's not from the Demonic Sect."