Chapter 40: Annihilating The Hou Family
The sound of hooves rumbled like thunder, shaking the land with a roar, as the cavalry charged toward the village like an unstoppable flood of steel.
In the village like this, only a group of old, weak, women, and children remained, utterly powerless to stop the youth cavalry’s attack.
More than a hundred cavalry quickly charged into the village.
They shouted loudly, swinging their long sabers with fierce momentum, slashing indiscriminately at everything around them.
Wherever they went, chickens flew and dogs scattered, and the once peaceful village instantly descended into chaos.
The villagers panicked and fled in all directions, their eyes filled with fear and helplessness.
“Who are you people?”
“When the village master returns, he definitely won’t let you off.”
“I’ll fight you all~”
Several young and strong men from the Hou Family tried to resist, grabbing weapons and charging at the cavalry, but it was undoubtedly like an ant trying to stop a chariot.
The youths mercilessly cut them down one by one, blood splattering onto the ground.
Most of the villagers were so frightened they collapsed to the ground, at a loss as they watched everything unfolding before them.
Their eyes were full of despair, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.
Everyone couldn’t help but think: “Have horse bandits entered the village? Are we going to die?”
After all, based on past experience, what followed would surely be a massacre.
But at that moment, they suddenly heard a voice as delightful as heavenly music.
“I am Fort Master Li of Hexi Fort, here today only to exterminate the Hou Family.”
“Irrelevant people, surrender and you won’t be killed.”
Li Xiao was naturally not a bloodthirsty maniac.
The previous massacre of the Aslan Tribe, leaving only women, was mainly because the Geluolu People were inherently filled with betrayal and brutality, unworthy of trust.
Moreover, the battle in Jin Prefecture was not yet over; if these Aslan Tribe captives revolted while the Four Fort Allied Army fought the other two Geluolu Tribes, the allied army’s situation would be dire.
Better to finish the job decisively, leaving only the Aslan women’s, and shoot all the captives.
But the village was different.
The Hou Family was the mastermind; the other people in the village were merely coerced.
Facing these Han People, Li Xiao would not easily slaughter the village.
Li Xiao shared the same roots and bloodline with the Han People of the village, so they could fully be brought under his command.
Sure enough, upon hearing Li Xiao’s words, the Han People of the village immediately relaxed, knelt on the ground, and ceased all resistance.
In contrast, the Hou Family members all had ashen faces, terrified.
A quarter of an hour later, Li Xiao ordered his men to search inside and outside the village thoroughly, driving all the people together.
It was still that same slope, but the person standing atop it was no longer Old Man Hou.
Li Xiao gripped his bloodstained horse spear, clad in black armor, riding a sturdy war horse; under the sunset’s glow, his entire figure was shrouded in a layer of golden, mystical light, like a war god from mythology.
His gaze swept below, where four or five hundred villagers from the village were gathered together, surrounded by dozens of youth cavalry holding bows and arrows and spears.
On the other side, dozens more youths guarded the bound prisoners of war.
All the youths had proud expressions, brimming with aura.
In contrast, the people of the village were all panicked and fearful, showing worry for their impending fate.
“I am Li Xiao, Fort Master of Hexi Fort sixty miles away.”
“Today, I come only to exterminate the Hou Family.”
“The Hou Family disregarded the heroic spirits of the Han soldiers who died in the Battle of North Mountain, seeking to surrender to the Geluolu People, and even captured many soldiers who survived the Battle of North Mountain to hand them over to the Geluolu People.”
“Their deeds are heinous, their crimes punishable by death!”
“Utterly unforgivable!”
As Li Xiao’s words fell, all the people in the village began murmuring softly.
The villagers of the village knew full well about the Hou Family’s actions.
Many didn’t want to follow the Hou Family in surrendering to the Geluolu People, but they had no choice—the Hou Family’s power in the village was too great.
They couldn’t oppose it; no one wanted to end up like Lin Dazhuang.
Meanwhile, the Hou Family members, hearing Li Xiao’s words, turned pale with terror.
Especially Old Man Hou, who no longer had any of his previous swagger and arrogance; he was dragged over like a dead dog by two youths using a lasso.
Covered in abrasions, he was barely clinging to life.
Upon hearing Li Xiao’s words, he lay on the ground, trembling as he pointed at Li Xiao.
“Our Hou Family did this to preserve the Han People’s bloodline, for the greater good.”
“The Geluolu People are too powerful; continuing to oppose them like this will only lead more Han People to death.”
“Those who understand the times are heroes; our Hou Family isn’t defecting to the Geluolu People, but ensuring the continuation of the Han bloodline.”
“Get Li Da Scar to come here; I’m not talking to a little brat like you.”
“I want to see Li Da Scar.”
Old Man Hou wailed loudly, as if his mind had suffered a massive blow.
He had originally planned to make his mark with this Geluolu rebellion, but never expected his lair to be raided.
And by Hexi Fort, his lifelong rival, no less.
“Hmph, my grandfather is very busy, no time to see you, and even less willing to waste words on a traitor.”
Li Xiao rode his horse slowly up to Old Man Hou, looking down at him from above.
The horse spear’s sharpness pointed straight at Old Man Hou’s head.
But Li Xiao didn’t strike; killing him with one slash was far too lenient.
Ignoring Old Man Hou, Li Xiao’s gaze turned to the other people of the village.
He said loudly: “Though you were coerced by the Hou Family, that doesn’t mean you’re guiltless.”
“If the Hou Family is to be exterminated root and branch, then you all would inevitably face exile, conscription, or demotion to slavery.”
“But I’m a kind-hearted person, willing to give you a chance.”
Li Xiao rode his tall war horse, clad in armor, patrolling continuously before these village people.
Whenever his gaze fell on someone, that person instinctively lowered their head, not daring to meet Li Xiao’s eyes.
These people of the village gave Li Xiao a feeling different from other Han People in Jin Prefecture.
More like products of servile education.
From body to soul, they harbored deep fear of the Hou Family.
So, Li Xiao would break their shackles, bringing them new life.
“Bring out all the Hou Family people.”
At Li Xiao’s command, the Hou Family members in the crowd were selected out.
Not a single Hou Family member could escape, because Li Xiao had his own guide.
It was Lin Dazhuang, who had just been punished by the Hou Family.
At this moment, dragging his injured foot, he moved through the crowd; everyone he pointed to was dragged out by the Four Fort youths.
“Help~ Help~”
“No, I won’t go out~”
“Let go of my son, you executioners~”
“Please, I may bear the Hou surname, but my bloodline with Hou Tiancai’s family is distant; what they did has nothing to do with our family~”
“Mother, Mother~”
The crowd immediately erupted in miserable cries; the Hou Family people felt the sky falling.
The outcome of family destruction was no less.
No matter how they explained or begged, Lin Dazhuang remained cold-faced, with a resolute expression of not sparing any Hou Family member.
“Lin Dazhuang, you’ll die a horrible death.” Old Man Hou watched his entire family singled out by Lin Dazhuang, so furious he nearly spat blood, roaring curses in rage.
“I would have indeed died horribly, but since your Hou Family failed to kill me, now I am your retribution.” Lin Dazhuang said through gritted teeth.
He wouldn’t forget how just moments ago Old Man Hou wanted him cut to pieces, even sparing not his just fourteen-year-old daughter.
Utterly beastly.
So now with the chance, Lin Dazhuang would definitely exact fierce revenge.
Not sparing a single Hou Family member.
“Fort Master Li, all the Hou Family people in the village are here, a total of 138.”
“Additionally, the village master Hou Wen is not here; he took two young and strong Hou Family men to the Geluolu People’s camp.” Lin Dazhuang reported to Li Xiao.
Also, in the earlier battle, more than twenty Hou Family men had died under Li Xiao’s heavy cavalry massacre.
And all of them were young and strong.
Thus, the remaining Hou Family people in the village were mostly old, weak, women, and children.
Li Xiao nodded lightly and ordered again: “Pick out those Hou Family women without sons.”
“Yes.”
Lin Dazhuang turned to the Hou Family crowd and quickly selected several young women.
Either newly married without time to bear children, or those who had only daughters.
This included Huang Xiuer; though married to Hou Tiancai for several years, she had never borne children.
This had originally been her heartache, but now it saved her life.
After selecting all these Hou Family people, Li Xiao’s gaze turned to the others in the village.
He said loudly: “Now, I give you a chance to live.”
“Go kill these Hou Family people; stain your hands with their blood, and you live.”
“Otherwise, all treated as Hou Family partisans.”
Hearing Li Xiao’s words, everyone in the village was in an uproar.
Especially the Hou Family people, the most agitated; pale-faced, either furiously cursing or endlessly begging for mercy.
“My son is still young; he’s just a child~”
“Spare us; those things were done by Hou Wen’s family, not us.”
“We didn’t know anything.”
“You can’t do this~”
The Hou Family crowd shouted loudly, especially the women, crying miserably.
But Li Xiao remained utterly disdainful, his expression unchanged.
Still that principle: cut the grass at the root.
Since it was done, finish it thoroughly.
Though Hou Wen’s family were the leaders, the other Hou Family members had acted as accomplices and lackeys in the process.
As for the women and children, there was no injustice; they may not have done the deeds, but they enjoyed the benefits from the Hou Family’s evil.
Now, it was time to pay it all back.
At this moment, Li Xiao was like an iron-blooded tyrant, his cold gaze sweeping over the crowd.
In an indifferent voice, he said: “A quarter of an hour from now, anyone who hasn’t acted will be treated as Hou Family partisans and killed.”
As his words fell, Li Xiao quietly awaited their choices.
He only cared about the result; if they chose to follow the Hou Family to the grave, he wouldn’t stop them.
And as Li Xiao’s words fell, Lin Dazhuang moved.
He picked up a dagger, dragging his blood-drenched foot, step by step toward Old Man Hou.
“Old bastard, today I’ll cut your flesh off piece by piece.”
