The Frontier Prince: Starting From Scratch - Chapter 8 - Eliminating the Traitors

“Who leaked the information today?”

In front of the bedchamber.

More than twenty servants and six maids stood in two rows.

“…”

The servants and maids exchanged glances, none of them speaking a word.

“Hmph, I will give you a chance to confess. But if I have to find out myself, you’ll find no help from heaven or earth,” Zhao Xu threatened.

The servants and maids remained silent.

Yet some of their expressions began to change.

“Seems like you won’t cry until you see the coffin. Liu Fu, bring Zhang Han here!” Zhao Xu ordered angrily.

“Yes, Your Highness,” Liu Fu replied, turning to leave.

Before long, four guards clad in armor escorted Zhang Han and the household guard to the bedchamber.

Upon seeing Zhao Xu, their bodies trembled slightly.

In just one day, Zhao Xu had completely taken control of the Prince’s Mansion, and they had become prisoners.

Their lives now hung on Zhao Xu’s whim.

“Your Highness, spare us, please spare us…” Zhang Han pleaded, his usual arrogance nowhere to be seen.

His face was covered in tears and snot.

The household guard was similarly trembling, unable to utter a word.

They never imagined that the mad prince would suddenly return to his senses overnight.

When Zhao Xu was insane, they could control Prince Yan’s Mansion and even the entire Yan Prefecture by imprisoning him.

But now, standing before them was the ninth prince of the Dasong Dynasty, the Prince of Yan Prefecture.

In front of such a Zhao Xu, they had no power whatsoever.

“Spare you? Hmph, I might let you die with some dignity,” Zhao Xu sneered.

Imprisoning the Prince and abusing his maids was tantamount to treason.

“Your Highness, spare us, please spare us…” Zhang Han begged, his head hitting the ground repeatedly.

Zhao Xu glanced at the servants and maids.

Those with guilty consciences flinched as if struck by lightning when meeting Zhao Xu’s gaze.

Unable to bear it any longer, three servants and two maids knelt down.

“Your Highness, spare us. We were the ones who leaked the information. We were forced…” one of them confessed.

Zhao Xu looked at them coldly, “Tell me truthfully, who did you report to today?”

“It was the Zhang Family, Huang Family, and Du Family,” a servant replied.

“Chief Counselor Zhang said if we didn’t obey him, we wouldn’t live,” a maid cried sorrowfully.

Zhang Han hung his head.

Upon arriving in Yan Prefecture, Zhang Qian had sent someone to invite him to his mansion.

After checking the family records, they discovered they were distant relatives.

Upon learning from Zhang Han that Zhao Xu was insane, they secretly conspired to seize the mansion’s wealth.

Moreover, he used the mansion’s authority to issue several decrees for the Zhang Family’s benefit.

In return, the Zhang Family gave him eight thousand taels of silver.

Zhao Xu looked at Zhang Han, “You’ve done quite a few good deeds. Will you confess, or should I start with punishment?”

In the imperial city, Zhang Han had been a wastrel, bribing the eunuch Liang Cheng to get this position.

He was not a man of integrity.

Now, in Zhao Xu’s hands, his courage was nearly shattered.

Upon hearing the mention of torture, Zhang Han nearly lost control of his bodily functions. Like spilling beans, he confessed everything he had done over the past three months.

As Zhao Xu listened, his expression grew increasingly grim. Finally, in a fit of rage, he kicked Zhang Han.

“You not only sold my lands, but you also sold the salt permits of Yan Prefecture, the mines, and even dared to impose additional taxes to cover the Zhang, Huang, and Du Families’ tax arrears. You initiated large-scale labor projects to reclaim wasteland for these families,” Zhao Xu shouted, kicking him repeatedly.

These orders were issued in the name of Prince’s Mansion. Now, the people of Yan Prefecture likely despised Prince Yan’s Mansion. This undermined the very foundation of his rule over Yan Prefecture. How could he not be furious?

“Your Highness, please calm down. It’s not worth harming your health,” Feng’er advised from the side.

Liu Fu added, “Your Highness, the things Zhang Han sold are probably gone for good. The Zhang, Huang, and Du Families won’t return them.”

After a pause, he continued, “However, the tarnished reputation of the Prince’s Mansion can be restored. All it takes is…”

Liu Fu made a throat-slitting gesture.

Zhao Xu nodded, having already thought of this. To quell the anger of Yan Prefecture’s people, he would have to use Zhang Han’s head as a scapegoat.

Glancing at the half-dead Zhang Han, Zhao Xu signaled the guards to drag him away.

Then he turned to the confessing servants and maids, “Take them out and execute them as a warning to others.”

“Your Highness, spare us! Your Highness, spare us!” the servants and maids cried, pleading for mercy.

Zhao Xu averted his gaze. He had given them a chance, and they chose silence. Moreover, he didn’t trust their pleas. When Zhang Han was in power, they were quite content. Besides, the situation in Yan Prefecture was dire. If he didn’t punish them severely, others in the mansion might think betrayal came with little cost and might collude with the regional magnates for benefits.

So, he had to be decisive and resolute.

Looking at the remaining people, he said, “Remember, if you stay loyal to me, I will not treat you unfairly. But if you have any treacherous thoughts, I will not show mercy.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” they replied, bowing quickly, their hearts tense.

Luan’er and Feng’er looked at Zhao Xu with admiration in their eyes.

Luan’er said, “Your Highness is so imposing, truly like a Prince Yan.”

Feng’er smiled, her eyes sparkling. They had resigned themselves to their fate, never expecting such a turn of events-a blessing, not a joke.

After dealing with the traitors, Zhao Xu dismissed Liu Fu as well. Only Feng’er and Luan’er remained in the bedchamber.

The moon had risen at some point. Feng’er said, “Your Highness, it’s time to rest. I’ll have someone prepare water for your bath.”

Having been busy from morning till night, Zhao Xu was indeed tired, so he nodded.

After washing up, Feng’er and Luan’er prepared his bedding and personally helped him lie down, allowing him to experience for the first time the decadent pleasures of ancient nobility.

“Care to join me?” he teased, patting the bed beside him.

Having suddenly transitioned from the modern world to the ancient one, without a phone or computer, he found the long nights incredibly dull.

The two blushed deeply at his words. Feng’er was shy, but her gaze was fiery, while Luan’er lowered her head to her chest. They both understood they belonged to Zhao Xu, to be used at his discretion.

“Your Highness, please wait a moment,” Feng’er said, pulling Luan’er out of the bedchamber.

But when they returned, fresh and fragrant, Zhao Xu was already sound asleep.

The next day, as the sun reached the willow tops, Zhao Xu slowly awoke.

Feng’er and Luan’er noticed Zhao Xu getting up, their expressions a mix of amusement and anticipation, and promptly brought him water for washing.

After a simple meal, Zhao Xu left the bedchamber.

Liu Fu was already waiting in the central courtyard.

He dared not venture into the inner courtyard, as no man was allowed there without explicit orders.

“Your Highness, the various regional magnates of Yan Prefecture have sent the business guild documents. Our Prince’s Mansion will exclusively hold forty percent of the profits. Additionally, the shares for other families are detailed here.” Liu Fu handed the documents to Zhao Xu.

Zhao Xu nodded, glancing over the papers.

They listed personnel from each family, including those responsible for purchasing raw materials, ice-making, and sales.

“Today, these people will head south to Jinling. What should our Prince’s Mansion do?”

After a moment of thought, Zhao Xu replied, “Send three of our mansion’s servants to accompany them.”

Involving the Zhang Family in the business guild was a calculated move, both to extract silver from them and to intentionally create friction.

He had roughly figured out that the current regional magnates in Yan Prefecture were led by the Zhang Family and the Dong Family, forming two factions.

To prevent either side from gaining an advantage, they would closely monitor the accounts.

If there were only one family involved, they might attempt to deceive him.

But now, any attempt to manipulate the accounts would be difficult.

Thus, the Prince’s Mansion only needed to send servants to oversee the proceedings.

“Yes, I’ll take care of it right away,” Liu Fu said and left.

Zhao Xu stepped outside.

Chang Wei stood like a pillar at the gate, watching passersby as if any of them could be potential robbers.

“Your Highness, last night was uneventful,” Chang Wei reported, his eyes shadowed with fatigue.

Zhao Xu patted his shoulder, “Thank you for your hard work.”

“Duty calls, Your Highness,” Chang Wei replied with a clear voice.

Zhao Xu was quite satisfied with Chang Wei, the guard commander.

He was grateful to his father for sending such a straightforward man to his side.

However, this also highlighted the current chaos within the Dasong Dynasty.

Truly capable individuals were not being utilized effectively.

The court was filled with sycophants and flatterers.

“Commander Chang, according to the regulations, how many men should my personal guard have?”

As the saying goes, the pen is mightier than the sword.

One reason the regional magnates in Yan Province were so rampant was due to the annual raids by Beidi cavalry, coupled with the court’s multiple external threats and stretched military resources.

Thus, the regional magnates were permitted to train private soldiers and build fortresses to fend off the Beidi, making them wealthy and militarily strong.

The consequence was an even more rampant separatist force in Yan Province.

“Your Highness, according to the regulations, you can maintain a force of twenty thousand.”

“Would you like to be the general of my personal guard?” Zhao Xu asked casually.