Chapter 21: Forget the Nine Clans, Let’s Just Wipe Out Three!

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, I have completed the task of confiscating the assets of the nobility as ordered. The results are now available for your review."

Luo Yangxing spoke, respectfully presenting a list. Ma Bao hurried over to take the document and handed it to Zhu Cilang. Zhu Cilang took it casually and began to scan the contents.

It detailed the spoils from the confiscations:
Over thirty million taels of silver.
Five million taels of gold.
More than two hundred chests of rare treasures and curiosities.
One hundred thousand shi of grain.
One thousand three hundred sets of armor...
And so on.

Armor?

Zhu Cilang looked up at Luo Yangxing with a look of astonishment. "How is it that there is even armor?"

One must understand that in ancient times, armor was a strategic resource of immense threat, and private ownership was absolutely forbidden. There was even a hyperbolic saying: "Prohibit armor, but allow weapons." Emperors might permit the nobility to maintain a certain scale of retainers and private soldiers, and they might even possess some weaponry, but they were strictly forbidden from privately hoarding armor. Once discovered, it was invariably treated as treason—an offense punishable by the extermination of one's entire clan.

For instance, General Zhou Yafu of the Western Han Dynasty was accused of treason for privately hoarding armor and was eventually executed by Emperor Jing of Han. Similarly, Li Xian, the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty, was stripped of his position for hoarding over a hundred sets of armor.

Why were the ancients so sensitive about armor? The reason was simple: its impact on the battlefield was profound. The presence or absence of armor created a world of difference in a soldier's combat effectiveness. On the battlefield, several hundred armored soldiers could chase down and slaughter thousands of unarmored ones. For example, in the Battle of Hulao during the Tang Dynasty, Li Shimin used three thousand heavy armored cavalry to charge through Dou Jiande's army of hundreds of thousands and achieved a total victory. Even more recently, when Sun Chuanting was suppressing bandits in Shaanxi, he used a few thousand armored Qin soldiers to defeat Li Zicheng’s army of tens of thousands.

This clearly illustrated the importance of armor. Yet now, one thousand three hundred sets had been found in the homes of the nobility. What did this mean? It implied that these nobles were truly plotting rebellion, or perhaps they already possessed the strength to do so. Truthfully, this had crossed Zhu Cilang’s bottom line.

***

Meanwhile, a thin layer of sweat appeared on Luo Yangxing's brow. To be honest, he had not expected to find such items in the nobles' residences. However, since things had reached this point, he could only answer honestly.

"Replying to Your Highness, these one thousand three hundred sets of armor were confiscated from the residences of the Duke of Cheng, the Marquis of Dingxi, and the Marquis of Funing."

"After my interrogation, I have finally discovered the source of these thirteen hundred suits of armor. Whenever the Beijing Garrison required an inspection, these nobles would send their household servants to fill the ranks and collect pay. I don't know who started it, but eventually, the servants began bringing the garrison's armor back home. Over time, it accumulated into these one thousand three hundred sets!"

Good heavens!

Zhu Cilang was almost amused by such a ridiculous excuse. Bringing military supplies from the Beijing Garrison home—and not just any supplies, but armor, and a full thirteen hundred sets at that! These people truly held no regard for the Emperor. Without exaggeration, if left unchecked, thirteen hundred armored servants could genuinely charge into the imperial palace and eliminate the Emperor!

At this thought, Zhu Cilang’s gaze turned fierce. It seemed he had been too merciful.

The next second, he looked at Luo Yangxing and said coldly, "I have changed my mind. The Duke of Cheng, the Marquis of Dingxi, the Marquis of Funing, and all other nobles found in possession of armor are to be executed for treason."

"Forget the nine-clan extermination; just execute the three clans!"

"Take one thousand of my personal guards with you. Not a single one of them is to be spared!"

"Tomorrow at noon, let justice be served publicly!"

Zhu Cilang had originally considered the nine-clan extermination, but realizing that these nobles were all intermarried, that would mean killing two or three thousand people. It was better to stick to the three-clan rule; wiping out their immediate lineages would suffice. Moreover, this could not be done quietly; given the scale, it had to be a public execution to set an example.

Luo Yangxing trembled upon hearing this. Executing the three clans meant the death toll would surely exceed one thousand. While their crimes were indeed capital offenses, this Crown Prince was far too ruthless. Yet, he dared not speak. He responded immediately, "I understand!" and hurried away.

Zhu Cilang closed his eyes, his mood still deeply unsettled. He had not intended to embark on a massive slaughter, hoping only to execute a few ringleaders and confiscate some wealth. He had not expected these people to be so audacious as to touch armor. If that was the case, he could not be blamed for being ruthless.

***

Not long after, Ma Bao returned. "Your Highness, the number of nobles kneeling at the palace gate is growing; there is hardly any space left."

"I have tallied the assets they have surrendered; it has reached twelve million taels."

"Shall you go and see them? It is almost dark."

Zhu Cilang was still in a fit of rage, and these twelve million taels were not enough to soothe him. "Let us go out and see them!"

With that, Zhu Cilang walked out, followed closely by Ma Bao. A squad of personal guards and Embroidered Uniform Guards followed behind.

When Zhu Cilang arrived at the palace gates, he saw a sea of people kneeling. Some among them had been complaining, saying they had been kneeling all day without seeing the Emperor or the Crown Prince, and that they might as well go home. But the moment they saw Zhu Cilang emerge with such a menacing aura, they were terrified and buried their heads back down, not daring to utter another word.

Zhu Cilang stood before them and sneered, "I have just received a secret report from the Embroidered Uniform Guards. Led by the Duke of Cheng, several nobles have stolen one thousand three hundred sets of armor from the Beijing Garrison!"

"Do you know what this means?"

"It means that if the Duke of Cheng so desired, he could breach the palace at any moment and replace the Zhu family's empire!"

"The Emperor has already ordered that all nobles involved in this matter be raided and their three clans executed!"

"Tell me, what is it that you truly want? Do you covet the empire of my Zhu family?"

"I am standing right here. You are welcome to rush forward and kill me, then go kill the Emperor. Then the world will be yours! How about that?"

Upon hearing this, everyone present was gripped by terror. They never imagined that the Duke of Cheng and the others would be so daring as to steal armor from the garrison, nor did they imagine that the Chongzhen Emperor would order the execution of the Duke of Cheng's three clans. They knew that such an order meant the complete annihilation of those lineages.

Furthermore, Zhu Cilang’s words were a death sentence for them all. They had, at most, been guilty of some petty corruption—they had never harbored thoughts of rebellion! This was a disaster!