Chapter 109: The Will of the People
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“Your Highness, this commoner will comply.”
Qin Chuanyun felt a deep sense of sorrow but had no choice. Private armies were the primary reason powerful families could dominate the countryside.
Now that these private armies were to be disbanded, they would lose their status as powerful families and could no longer act with impunity.
Pang Yukun then said, “Qin Chuanyun, overall, you have done much for His Highness, and he still trusts you. We hope the Qin family can set an example in this matter. Soon, Qingzhou will issue a decree prohibiting any form of private militia among the people.”
These words brought Qin Chuanyun some comfort. Survival or destruction—this was the choice he now had to make.
With the Wang family’s fate fresh in his mind, he said, “Thank you for Your Highness’s great kindness. This commoner guarantees that the Qin family will henceforth serve Your Highness dutifully.”
Xiao Ming waved his hand, signaling that Qin Chuanyun and his son could leave.
After they left the main hall, Xiao Ming said, “I will have Li San’s men keep an eye on them to see if the Qin family is being duplicitous. If Qin Chuanyun is sensible, the Qin family could be a valuable local merchant to support. After all, outside merchants will never be fully loyal to me. We need local merchants to keep them in check.”
“Qin Chuanyun is not as resourceful or decisive as Wang Chengchou, and he is also more timid. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been suppressed by the Wang family for so many years,” Pang Yukun said. “Let’s hope Qin Chuanyun follows through. If he does, the Sun and Wei families will naturally follow suit.”
“Exactly. By the way, a significant portion of the Wang family’s land was seized illegally, and many of their slaves were forced into servitude. You need to identify these people, grant them their freedom, and return their land to them.”
Pang Yukun smiled. “Your Highness, rest assured. While other matters can wait, this one will be handled swiftly.”