Mythical Three Kingdoms

"What I am purging are the parasites within the aristocracy. Only by doing so can I ensure its purity!" Yuan Shu said thus, as Zhuge Jin gazed at the blood-soaked cracks of the Heavenly Altar, a chill engulfing his entire body.

Yuan Shu's eyes held no anger, no regret, only pure tranquility. Yet, juxtaposed against the ground smeared with blood, it invoked unparalleled reverence and fear.

Zhuge Jin finally understood why Yuan Shu insisted on executing those people upon the Heavenly Altar during the sacrificial rites. It wasn't because Yuan Shu was rampant or irreverent towards ghostly deities—just the opposite. It was because of Yuan Shu's profound reverence for them. By killing these people on the altar, he sought divine witness.

Subsequently, Yuan Shu gestured to Jii Ling, ordering another group of aristocratic parasites to be brought forth. Completely indifferent to their cries and pleas, Yuan Shu, without hesitation, had them slaughtered. "That will do for today. Tomorrow, we'll continue purging the parasites and slashing them down," he declared. After all, Yuan Shu had no descendants and feared no reprisal!

"I, Yuan Shu, do things not for others, but for peace of mind. Even if my actions are wrong, as long as I can persist without guilt, I will not care about anyone's opinion. Likewise, if my actions happen to be right, no one can stop me!" Yuan Shu stated, sweeping his sleeve as he descended the altar—revealing, in that fleeting moment, the rare aura of a Feudal Lord.

After Yuan Shu's departure, Zhuge Jin noticed his own back had already soaked through with sweat. For the first time, he felt the intimidating presence of a Feudal Lord capable of commanding domain-wide authority—just a mere glimpse of which sent waves of terror through Zhuge Jin.

[Ah, every Feudal Lord capable of reigning supreme must possess a distinct spirit. Even Yuan Gonglu, once ridiculed by many, would have undoubtedly inspired loyalty in numerous wise ministers through his recent exploits. Unfortunately, like a fleeting flower in bloom, such moments are rare and short-lived!] Watching Yuan Shu leave, Zhuge Jin silently reflected.

"Li Jian, gather the corpses and bury them outside the city. Sprinkle quicklime here to avoid attracting mosquitoes and flies," Zhuge Jin instructed the nearby escort.

"Secretary-General Zhuge, Yuan Gong previously ordered that these bodies remain exposed for ten days. If we bury them so quickly, how do I provide an explanation to him?" Li Jian replied, bowing respectfully. After all, he was once Yuan Shu's trusted aide, only recently reassigned to Zhuge Jin's side.

"We are nearing summer now, with humid and sweltering weather. Leaving the bodies exposed for ten days under the bites of mosquitoes—what if an epidemic breaks out? Would you seek assistance from Divine Doctor Hua?" Zhuge Jin rolled his eyes and remarked. "Hua Tuo has publicized measures for epidemic prevention; exposing corpses for ten days in the height of summer is akin to courting disaster!"

"I'll get them buried immediately!" Li Jian, upon hearing the mention of an epidemic, quickly realized the potential calamity. A single outbreak could turn an entire bustling city into a death trap, a fate no one wanted to approach.

"Once the bodies are buried, make sure the places stained with blood are thoroughly covered with quicklime," Zhuge Jin directed him to expedite the cleanup.

Meanwhile, Yuzhou continued its work on medical prevention. Following Hua Tuo's public disclosure of epidemic response measures and the treatment for cold-induced ailments, the status of physicians had risen significantly. Fear of death was a universal human trait. However, regrettably, most physicians had migrated to Mount Tai, leaving Yuzhou bereft of renowned medical practitioners.

After issuing instructions, Zhuge Jin turned his attention toward soothing the Yuzhou Aristocratic Families—now terrified and on edge from Yuan Shu's bloodthirsty purge. Even if they wanted to rebel, they now lacked any combat power. The ten thousand Yuzhou Soldiers deployed earlier—certainly not without drawing from Aristocratic Family Private Soldiers—were clearly no match. Zhou Yu, for one, was certainly not to be underestimated!

Thus, while Yuan Shu wielded the blade of carnage at the forefront, Zhuge Jin followed closely behind, diligently pacifying one aristocratic family after another. In their current crippled state, they posed no threat, and it was evident they wouldn't regain their strength in the future either.

Zhuge Jin felt confident enough to wager that in the end, Wen Pin, Li Yan, Kan Ze, and Huo Jun would return with individuals loyal to Sun Ce's command rather than armies of private soldiers allied to random factions.

When Zhou Yu adopts ruthless methods, it's far less overtly barbaric than Yuan Shu's, yet the results are undeniably root-level destruction. The cruelest part? One can't even discern that Zhou Yu stands in opposition.

In essence, Zhuge Jin skillfully leveraged Yuan Shu's rampant slaughter to consolidate alliances with previously defiant Yuzhou Aristocratic Families. Many had now expressed willingness to negotiate on all matters moving forward—a situation tantamount to boarding a pirate ship.

Thus, taking advantage of Yuan Shu's fury, Zhuge Jin swiftly laid a solid foundation for Sun Ce while simultaneously advancing reforms targeting the Yuzhou Aristocratic Families.

Zhuge Jin didn't aspire for much; to him, at the very least, aristocratic families should not exhibit flagrant abuse of power such as bullying men and oppressing women, nor should they engage in group-based exploitation of commoners. Though Zhuge Jin didn't fully endorse Yuan Shu's frenzied actions, even he couldn't deny the existence of numerous parasites within the aristocracy.

"Ziyu, my Family Head requests your presence for a discussion at our estate," a young man appeared before Zhuge Jin as he crossed the main street. Though his attire was simple, his demeanor was measured and composed.

"The Deng Clan of Nanyang?" Zhuge Jin scrutinized the young man, his expression growing notably serious. [Finally, after all this time, an aristocratic family from the top tier can no longer remain idle. Is it because Yuan Gong recently slaughtered half the Xu Clan of Pingyu? Truly, Yuan Gong's strikes are unrelentingly harsh!]

"Indeed," the young man replied, nodding with an air of pride.

"When would this meeting take place? My schedule is dense. I just finished dealing with burials for the Xu Clan, and soon I'll need to locate Yuan Gong again. By chance, have you seen him?" Zhuge Jin asked with a stern expression.

The young man, filled with pride moments earlier, suddenly felt his confidence shrink considerably. Barely managing a forced laugh, he uttered nervously, "Secretary-General Zhuge, please do advise Yuan Gong well. I'll avoid disturbing you further for now. When you're able, we hope you'll visit the Deng family. The Family Head awaits your arrival eagerly."

"Understood. Once I have calmed Yuan Gong, I shall visit your family estate. I trust that the Deng Family Head will understand the delay," Zhuge Jin replied courteously. Though aristocratic families deserved a bit of cold-shouldering at times, Zhuge Jin ensured it wasn't too obvious; leaving them an honorable exit path benefitted all parties.

"Of course, no offense taken. I only hope Secretary-General Zhuge won't make us wait too long, for fear of causing undue anxiety. We instinctively fear Yuan Gong's sharp blade, and I ask for your understanding of our concerns," replied the Deng family's young representative, graciously stepping down while even subtly praising Zhuge Jin.

"Very well, very well," Zhuge Jin responded with a slight bow. "In that case, I'll move to intercept Yuan Gong first. Regarding the estate visit, we'll discuss it another time." With that, Zhuge Jin headed toward the direction he had been observing earlier while internally beginning preparations to investigate the Deng Family's background. After all, with aristocratic families, sometimes, you need a good demonstration to keep them in check!

(To be continued. If you enjoy this story, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com.)