Chapter 310: Chapter 215
At this moment, dying might mean not implicating the family.
After all, in a small border town, a few deaths are commonplace and won’t reach the Capital City.
Even if, in the worst case, it does get reported there, it’s not a big deal.
Being able to vent Prince’s anger is their fortune.
Soon, the government office in Lu City was filled with screams, pleas for mercy, and loud cries.
The commotion was so big that many passers-by were left shocked and terrified.
... What major incident has occurred?
However, this was just the beginning.
Within a day, all the docks around Dayang Lake, spanning several cities, were sealed off, prohibiting any boat from passing through. Even boats, fishermen, and passers-by who traveled through this area in the past few days were captured for interrogation.
Some boats weren’t even headed to Lu City, yet not sparing any effort, a Deputy General personally led soldiers to chase them down.
On the same night, villagers near Dayang Lake faintly heard some disturbances.
Some brave ones secretly looked outside and saw a large tower ship parked on the lake nearby, with flames shooting skyward from the deck.
By the light of the fire, they could clearly see the sails fluttering noisily in the fierce wind, with the deck crowded with people kneeling.
They were bound hand and foot, mouths sealed, like dumplings, thrown one after another into the icy lake.
A total of over a hundred people were submerged in the lake.
This incident wasn’t particularly covered up, so the news began to spread wildly the next day.
Along with the order from higher-ups to seal all docks, even the ordinary people knew that something monumental had happened on Dayang Lake.
Various rumors were incessantly heard.
Some said that the family of a notable person had an accident here.
Others said that some treasure was discovered at the lake bottom, prompting the soldiers to tirelessly dredge day and night.
Some even went further, claiming that many spies from Jin Country were sent over, a batch was captured and drowned, but a few formidable ones escaped, causing the extensive operation to capture these spies.
In any case, the rumors grew increasingly exaggerated.
In no time, neighboring Hezhou was bustling with activity as well.
The Li Family was renowned in Hezhou as a great wealthy family, known for their fortune lasting beyond three generations, having prospered for over a century, flourishing with numerous relatives, totaling nearly a thousand people.
They navigated through political waters, paying homage to officials, bribing bandits below, and only the weaponless common folks could be arbitrarily bullied. With their wealth on hand, everything went smoothly, and their business was booming.
A certain young master from the Li Family had once jokingly said over drinks that only if Jin Army broke into the city would their family be ruined overnight.
Otherwise, even if encountering extravagant spendthrift descendants, they could squander through generations and still have the chance for a comeback.
Yet, without the Jin Army attacking, the Li Family suddenly faced destruction without any warning.
Ming Feng personally led troops to Hezhou, and within a day, this large clan of nearly a thousand people vanished completely.
Vanished completely.
Not just the people, but all plaques, stone inscriptions, records, and even county historical records mentioning the Li Family’s name were erased.
The Li Family of Hezhou ceased to exist.
Perhaps, years later, some elderly person might vaguely remember, in their childhood, a once-prominent Li Family in Hezhou City.
But that’s all there would be.
There would be no proof of their existence.
Xie Wanqing only heard about this news more than half a month after leaving Lu City.
By then, she was no longer in the Northern Land but had stepped into the Southern region.
She even spent New Year’s Eve and the Lantern Festival alone on the road.
