The Great Grandson of the Tang Dynasty: The beginning of the slaughter of General Tiance's mans

Chapter 196: Cleaning up the family, Your Majesty is wise!
Inside the Tai Chi Hall.

Li Chengdao sat high on the dragon chair on the nine steps, looking down at the heads of various aristocratic families in the hall.

In the main hall, Changsun Wuji, Jia Xu, Yue Fei, Li Jing and other confidants of Li Chengdao were already here.

After arriving at the main hall, all the family heads wanted to kneel down and worship.

However, when the family heads such as the Zheng family and the Yang family also wanted to kneel down, they heard Li Chengdao say with a smile: "You all have contributed to putting down the rebellion this time, so this ceremony of kneeling down will be dispensed with."

The voice is warm and makes people feel like they are bathed in the spring breeze.

Zheng, Yang, Li and other family heads suddenly felt very good, and they all thanked Li Cheng one after another.

When Yuwenshi and other family heads heard this, their hearts suddenly sank, because there was too much information revealed in Li Chengdao's words.

The word "rebellion" has already concluded their joint fight against the imperial court. This time they are destined to be evil.

Sighing secretly in his heart, the head of the Yuwen family knelt down, kowtowed respectfully and said: "Sinners, I kowtow to Your Majesty."

The family heads behind him hesitated for a moment, then kowtowed to Li Chengdao one after another, and shouted in unison: "Sinners, kowtow to Your Majesty."

These family heads surprised everyone else. They actually admitted their crimes without making any rebuttal.

Still, it's a smart move.

If he persists in sophistry and does not admit guilt, it will only offend Li Chengdao, and he will eventually be severely punished.

Li Chengdao took a deep look at them, and then sneered: "Now do you know you are guilty? Jointly fight against the imperial court, control fishing boats, incite the people, raise private soldiers, refuse to pay taxes, form parties for personal gain, and conspire against rebellion... if we don't list them in detail , I didn’t know you were so bold!”

Li Chengdao's voice was cold and stern, containing a strong imperial power, which made the hearts of these family heads tremble, and even the family heads like Zheng Yang were shocked.

Because they have private soldiers... they also have them.

At this moment, these family heads secretly planned in their hearts that after returning, they must greatly reduce the number of private soldiers in the clan, and the number must not exceed two thousand, so as not to cause unprovoked disasters.

The head of the Yuwen family had cold sweat on his forehead. He bowed his head deeply and said, "Your Majesty, I was deceived for a moment and did this unwise thing. I, the Yuwen family, are willing to give [-]% of the family property and beg your majesty to spare my Yuwen family." The lives of the whole clan!"

The words of the head of the Yuwen family shocked everyone. Giving up [-]% of the family property?This is equivalent to killing a noble family member!

Without the occupied land and real estate, so many members of the aristocratic family cannot be supported, and the entire family will decline rapidly, and it will be extremely difficult to rise again.

Because the wealth of any family reaches its scale only after several generations or even dozens of generations of accumulation!
Yuwenshi really spent a lot of money to save her life!
But if no one can survive, what's the use of keeping the family property?Moreover, if Li Chengdao destroyed their family, wouldn't it be better if all their family's wealth belonged to the imperial court?
After understanding this, the other family heads followed Yuwen's example and actively donated their family property.

"I, the Yang family, are willing to donate [-]% of the family property, and I beg your majesty to show mercy!"

"I, the Du family, are willing to give up all my family property, and the guilty people are willing to die to apologize. I beg Your Majesty to spare my Du family!"

"I am Mrs. Liu..."

……

Each family head begged Li Chengdao for mercy one after another, and they burst into tears, which made people feel unbearable.

But it's hard to tell how much of this is true. Which of these family heads is not an old fox? They might not be thinking of using this to impress Li Chengdao and make him soften his heart.However, their plan was destined to fail. Li Chengdao watched with cold eyes from beginning to end, watching them perform without saying a word.

When they finally felt embarrassed and couldn't cry anymore, Li Chengdao said calmly: "Have you had enough acting?"

Everyone's faces were red, and the head of the Du family couldn't help but said: "Your Majesty, we are willing to give up our family property to ask for forgiveness, why do you have to force us to death? If this is the case, then why do you want us to come to see you this time?"

The Du family head's tone was full of grief and anger.

"You sacrificed all your family property to save your life. You really think I am a three-year-old child!"

Li Chengdao's tone suddenly became stern, with a hint of sarcasm in his eyes, "Which of your aristocratic families has been operating locally for hundreds of years? Even if your family property is taken away, don't you have any backup? You cannot leave your land and property to slaves and common people. In your name?"

"At this point, you still don't want to repent, and you want to use such clumsy means to deceive me. Do you really think that I don't dare to kill you!"

Li Chengdao was so furious that everyone in the hall knelt down in shock and shouted in unison: "Your Majesty, please calm down."

The head of the Du family and others looked pale. They did not expect that Li Chengdao would see out their plans.

Yes, even if they hand over all their family property, the backup they prepared can still support their comeback. It is just a temporary decline. As long as people don't die, it will be fine.

A cunning rabbit knows three caves, let alone a family like theirs?

"What exactly does Your Majesty want us to do? Even if all our noble families are killed, will this be of any benefit to Your Majesty and the Tang Dynasty?"

The head of the Yuwen family gritted his teeth and said, already giving up in his heart.

But what he said was right. If Li Chengdao really wiped out all these families, the entire Tang Dynasty would be in turmoil.

Because in any place, it is not the government that governs the local government, but the aristocratic families. The aristocratic families are the real class that replaces the herdsmen of the Tang Dynasty, just like the landlord class in later generations.

As long as the monarchy exists, this class will never disappear.

Li Chengdao, the head of the Yuwen family, naturally knew what he meant. There was a hint of helplessness in his eyes. He really couldn't destroy all these families, even if they committed the crime of rebellion. It would be okay to kill five or six aristocratic families in one go. More than 20 aristocratic families entered If all the fruits were destroyed, the Tang Dynasty would really be in turmoil.

To gradually take back the power from the aristocratic family, it will not be achieved overnight.

"You can escape the death penalty, but you cannot escape the living penalty."

Li Chengdao said indifferently, "From now on, the taxes you need to pay every year will be doubled, but you are not allowed to collect more money from the common people and fine farmers, and you are limited to repay all the taxes you have owed in the past within one month. superior!"

"In addition, I will send people to re-clear the land in your clan. Scholars in your clan will not be allowed to take part in the scientific examination for ten years, not even the provincial examination!"

After Li Chengdao finished speaking, the faces of all the family heads suddenly turned pale, and excitement appeared on the faces of the Yang family head and others.

The corners of Jia Xu's mouth raised slightly, and he couldn't help but look at Changsun Wuji, who was also smiling.

Li Chengdao's method is simply extremely wise!

(End of this chapter)