"All of you generals have done quite well..." Fang Yuan's gaze swept over the people present, his voice as cold as the underworld:
"Indulging your subordinates in deliberately distorting my imperial will, spreading rumors everywhere among the common people, and fiercely obstructing the implementation of the new policies."
"Do you all really think I'm still the same Yan Wen Emperor as before, unaware of your petty tricks, turning a blind eye to them?"
Although Fang Yuan's true body had been focused on cultivation during this period, his shadowy divine spirits had already roamed the entire Xia Dynasty.
Not only that, but he had also dispatched four master-level figures—Chong Wu Hou, Gao Shang, Mo Tianxing, and Lin Lie—to various places to assess the people's sentiments. Not to mention the surveillance of the True Vision guards operating in secret.
Despite sitting in the imperial court, Fang Yuan was as if he had seen everything with his own eyes, fully aware of the domestic situation.
"Turning over land to Taoist temples, coercing the lower-class people to change their surnames and register, maliciously inflating prices, and spreading rumors... I must admit, these actions truly opened my eyes!"
"As generals, don't tell me you didn't know anything about these matters?"
With Fang Yuan's aggressive words, the hearts of most of the generals in the room sank into an abyss. They had never anticipated that the emperor was so sharp-eyed.
He even knew all the minute details!
As their crimes were exposed one by one, their bodies began to tremble, wishing they could escape as far away from Fang Yuan as possible.
However, faced with the emperor's overwhelming might, their minds went blank, and their legs felt as though they were filled with lead, leaving them with no courage to flee.
"Sigh, you generals, all of you are merely living off the fat of the land, greedy people," Fang Yuan's voice grew even colder. "People like you, staying in this world, would only drive up the price of rice."
"I have nothing more to say to you. All of you should die."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Fang Yuan flicked his finger. Numerous parasitic spores, as fine as needles, shot out like a storm.
The overwhelming disparity in power meant that the generals didn't even have time to react before being accurately hit.
Immediately, their bodies began to tremble violently. Their pupils became vacant, and their skin bulged with raised patterns, as if countless fine snakes were wriggling beneath the surface.
[Slaying corrupt officials, good deeds +50000]
[Slaying corrupt officials, good deeds +45000]
...
As lines of text from the "Book of the Good" appeared, the strange changes in the generals' bodies disappeared. Their movements became stiff and slow, and they all spoke in unison, "We pay our respects to Your Majesty..."
"This... this... this..."
This scene left Xiao Jun, who was standing nearby, completely stunned. Even though he hadn't seen any of Fang Yuan's attacks, he could tell that his colleagues had undergone a drastic transformation.
"No need to guess, they've all turned into my puppets." Fang Yuan looked at Xiao Jun and smiled. "Do you know why you're fine?"
"Your... Your Majesty, I don't know..." Xiao Jun trembled continuously.
"Because I'm killing the chicken to warn the monkey. Xiao Aiqing, you are the 'chicken' used to warn everyone."
Although the other generals had been slain by Fang Yuan, they were still technically alive in name. Xiao Jun, however, would be sent to the death prison, and on a chosen auspicious day, his entire family would be executed in the market square to shock all the officials.
After all, the decree "Unequal land distribution and chaotic laws will bring divine retribution" had come from Xiao Jun's mouth. After investigation, Fang Yuan found that he was the biggest force secretly obstructing the implementation of the new policies, so his treatment naturally had to be more severe.
"Kill the chicken to warn the monkey..." Upon hearing these words, Xiao Jun knew what his fate would be.
At this moment, the fear in his heart strangely decreased, and he even felt somewhat relieved. No, not just relieved—he even felt a bit aggrieved.
"Your Majesty, it's not that we didn't want to implement the new policies, but the policies are too harsh, making it hard for us officials to survive!" Xiao Jun shouted tearfully, hysterically.
"If the water is too clear, no fish can live... Unless there are no officials with personal desires under heaven, the new policies will never be successfully implemented!"
For Xiao Jun's heartfelt words, Fang Yuan did not respond, only looking down at him and softly saying:
"Go back and wait for death. I grant you the opportunity to reunite with your family before your death."
Xiao Jun was struck as if by lightning. He stood up in a daze, his steps unsteady as he turned and left.
Fang Yuan didn't bother debating with Xiao Jun. He was too lazy to talk; Xiao Jun wasn't worthy of hearing it.
Maybe Xiao Jun was right in some ways. If the policies were to be implemented in the long term, they would indeed require a large group of completely loyal and utterly selfless people to carry them out.
Coincidentally, Fang Yuan had such a divine power.
If living people couldn't execute the policies perfectly, he could let the "vegetative" ones he had carefully cultivated take over. These fungal beings had no personal desires or thoughts.
"General Jiang..." Fang Yuan's gaze shifted to Jiang Tao.
"Your Majesty..." Jiang Tao hurriedly responded, cold sweat soaking his back. Like Xiao Jun, he had not been infested with the corrupt fungal spores released by Fang Yuan.
"You're here to join the fun, but for what purpose?"
Jiang Tao dared not hide anything, and reported truthfully:
"Since Your Majesty's new policies were implemented, the people have not only failed to live better lives, but they have suffered more because the officials, in trying to comply with the new policies, have harshly exploited the people, causing great distress."
"So..." Jiang Tao continued, "I believe this policy may be too hasty, and we should not implement such drastic reforms, but rather proceed gradually."
Jiang Tao had come with Xiao Jun and the others, and though their goal was the same, his motivations were entirely different.
Xiao Jun sought to protect his own interests, but Jiang Tao... was more concerned about the people.
"Tsk, do you have so little faith in me?" Fang Yuan shook his head.
"It's because I, your humble servant, am shallow in vision..." Jiang Tao replied with a bitter smile, unable to have faith... After all, the emperor was only fifteen years old...
Perhaps the emperor had terrifying talent in cultivation, but the ways of the court were unrelated to cultivation. How could such a young emperor outmaneuver those old foxes...
But now, he realized just how wrong he had been. His young emperor's mind and experience seemed not to belong to someone who had lived only fifteen years, but to someone who had lived two lives.
"Alright, you can leave now." Fang Yuan waved his hand. "From now on, you will no longer serve as a general."
Jiang Tao's face changed drastically, and he urgently said, "Your Majesty..."
"I plan to reorganize the North Town Pacification Department. You will be reassigned there," Fang Yuan said with a wave of his sleeve, his tone unquestionable.
Now, it was necessary to form a completely loyal special guard to monitor the officials...
"Yes!" Jiang Tao finally understood Fang Yuan's intentions and immediately responded excitedly.