Chapter 966 Sun Yi is to be executed by slow slicing

Chapter 966: 966 Sun Yi is to be executed by slow slicing

Looking down at the sleeping Xu Yan in his arms again, Lu Ming couldn’t help but swallow hard. He had to admit, this skill was truly monstrous.

Just like Empress He, that kind of monstrous woman. Don’t be fooled by her dignified, beautiful, and sexy mature woman appearance; she was a cunning and ruthless woman who knew how to poison.

So her skill was poisoning—poisoning people from a thousand miles away, invisible and traceless, a poisoning expert who followed them like a shadow!

But Xu Yan’s skill was clearly not limited to poisoning; it could encompass much more.

Used well, it could be truly devastating.

If an earthquake was detected in enemy territory, the obvious choice would be to maximize losses, crippling the enemy’s logistical capabilities—that would be incredibly satisfying!

And if they encountered a naval fleet, a simple shipwreck could subdue the enemy without a fight. A single tsunami could wipe out the enemy fleet; the image was too beautiful to believe.

While it might not necessarily trigger a shipwreck—it could be something else entirely—what good could come of it at sea?

Lu Ming stroked his chin; the image was too gruesome to believe.

He then turned his attention to the Kushan Empire. After scouting the farmland, he decisively poisoned it.

This area consisted of continuous fields; poisoning them would not only kill the crops but also ensure that any crops planted later would have no chance of survival.

This effect would last for about three years. Destroying thousands of acres of fertile land in three years was more than enough.

In feudal times, productivity was low.

The destruction of so much fertile land would have catastrophic consequences.

Even if there were some surplus grain initially, insufficient subsequent production would lead to famine.

No food would create refugees and breed resentment.

When resentment accumulated to a certain level, it could lead to an uprising.

By then, Lu Ming wouldn’t even need to intervene; the Kushan Empire would decline due to internal turmoil.

This is the essence of subduing the enemy without fighting. To solve their problems, they either need external plunder or internal efforts to improve productivity.

Neither path is easy.

A few days later, Bao Zheng had uncovered the truth.

He listed all of Sun Yi’s actions in Jianye over the years and personally reported to Lu Ming.

"According to the law, what crime should Sun Yi be charged with?

How should he be dealt with?"

Lu Ming asked two questions in one breath. His aura as the emperor put pressure on Bao Zheng.

This was a subtle shift. Before, they were ruler and subject; now they still were, only the ruler had become the emperor, the most honored person in the world.

"Bullying women, abusing power to oppress the people, committing fifty-seven murders, illegally selling five hundred and seventy-seven mu of government-owned farmland, neglecting his duties, and causing the county’s development to stagnate. For all these crimes, he deserves to be executed!"

Bao Zheng’s voice trembled slightly. After all, this was a relative of the emperor, and Consort Sun Shangxiang was skilled in martial arts; she might bring people to attack.

He was truly difficult to deal with.

He couldn’t hit her, he couldn’t scold her, and he couldn’t touch her.

"Then let him be executed by slow slicing. You supervise the execution.

State his crimes in front of the people of Jianye, and have someone tell the people watching from afar.

The people of Jianye must know that the Qin Dynasty is my Qin Dynasty, and I brought peace and prosperity, not the tyranny of these powerful and influential families!" Lu Ming was very unhappy. He had conquered the world, only to have others enjoy the spoils?

Sun Yi, if he had any sense, wouldn’t have done such a thing. What sacrifices has he made? What right does he have to enjoy this?

Does he really think that just because his mother and sister entered the palace as imperial concubines, they can act with impunity?

It’s only because they’ve encountered Lu Ming that the harem won’t be thrown into chaos.

Otherwise, the concubine would have died suddenly, and all the high-ranking officials would have been imprisoned and executed!

Not a single member of the family bloodline will be spared. This is real struggle, not child’s play.

There will definitely be more instances of powerful relatives acting arrogantly. Lu Ming wants to make an example of them, to warn others, to tell them not to go too far!

The environment will definitely improve afterward. As for whether anyone will still act recklessly, that depends on the enforcement of the law.

"Your subject obeys."

Bao Zheng was also somewhat apprehensive; it seemed His Majesty was about to take significant action.

"The Ministry of Justice must treat this as a special case and submit it to the Cabinet for discussion. They must come up with a solution to curb this.

Even the meritorious officials who helped me establish this empire restrained their sons and dared not act recklessly. What is this Sun Yi?

Hmph, utterly absurd!"

Lu Ming slammed his fist on the table, clearly furious.

Bao Zheng was startled by Lu Ming’s outburst and wiped the sweat from his brow.

Once Lu Ming calmed down, he said, "Your Majesty, I will certainly come up with a solution to prevent this from happening again. I request that Your Majesty instruct the Embroidered Uniform Guard to also inform the Ministry of Justice. This way, the Ministry of Justice can make amends for any oversight."

This was to secure a way out for himself; there were things he genuinely didn’t know, things he was truly unaware of.

Therefore, he was sometimes innocent, and he needed a safety net.

Bao Zheng wasn’t afraid of taking action, nor was he afraid of powerful figures; what he feared most was being completely in the dark—that was fatal.

"I grant your request. I’ll have Shi Qian contact you later.

Alright, you may leave now. Take care of things properly.

The people’s will is yours; do not let them down. An official who doesn’t serve the people might as well go home and sell sweet potatoes!"

Lu Ming waved his hand, dismissing Bao Zheng. Some things are just like that; they leave one speechless.

Bao Zheng silently took his leave.

He was one of the few officials without any female relatives connected to the emperor.

He rose to power through his own abilities; this unique quality alone was enough to earn him praise.

After finishing his business, Lu Ming returned to the Imperial Study in the Zhucheng Palace through the imperial harem.

He needed to review the memorials. Government affairs still needed to be addressed; neglecting them would bring the court to a standstill. The consequences of such inaction had already been demonstrated by the Wanli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

It had directly accelerated the Ming Dynasty’s lifespan to its lowest point!

In the Imperial Study, Empress Wang Yi was reviewing memorials.

Accompanying her were Cai Wenji, Xue Baochai, and Jia Tanchun.

These women were quite shrewd.

If Wang Xifeng hadn’t been illiterate, she might have been able to come as well.

"Husband!"

Wang Yi immediately noticed Lu Ming and rose to greet him.

"Greetings, husband!" Several delicate young women also rose and curtsied, their beautiful eyes fixed on Lu Ming, all showing signs of affection.