Zhao Zheng could not extract any useful information from the mouths of those stubborn fellows. He had no choice but to execute them to serve as a deterrent. Following the Emperor’s order, those remnants of the previous dynasty were all beheaded by the infantrymen led by Pei Xie. In an instant, blood stained the entire Vermilion Bird Street, the gushing gore flowing like a small river. Bodies, severed from their heads, lay scattered everywhere, terrifying the commoners on the street into trembling.
Was this the majestic bearing of an emperor that struck fear into the hearts of all?
As the carriage wheels began to turn, Pei Xie heard a eunuch shrilly conveying Zhao Zheng’s command: "The Emperor decrees! Hang the heads of these previous-dynasty remnants upon the city walls for ten days! The Emperor wants to show those ghosts and monsters hiding in the shadows exactly what happens to those who dare to attempt an assassination!"
Chapter 30