Lao Han pointed at one of the older soldiers and asked, "Lao Lee, have you gone mad, forgetting how your own child died?"
The soldier suddenly seed as if struck by a thunderbolt, standing dumbfounded, incredulously looking at his own hands. They were large, rough hands covered in thick calluses, now stained with fresh blood.
The blood seed to remind him of his child, who had died at the hands of the Noble Families' minions in a similar way. His child, not yet three years old, a child who would smile and tug at his beard while calling him 'Dad,' had just vanished like this, the blood similar to what was now on his hands.
Lao Han ran up to him and fiercely grabbed his collar. His frail body seed surprisingly strong as he yelled, "Look at you, what different are you from those people back then? Look at the child under your blade."
Lao Lee turned his head and saw a terrified child. Although they were children of the Chen Family, they were still at an innocent age. Their parents' hands were stained with blood, but these children were oblivious, their eyes showing no hatred, only fear.
At that mont, a flash of the blade, the child's head soared into the air, and blood sprayed onto the ground, shaking Lao Lee to his core.
"Lao Lee, don't listen to Lao Han, he's always like this, a scholar with a woman's kindness," a brawny man with a scarred face said as he approached, his face harsh.
"Wang Xiong, the child is innocent. We've already annihilated his family. Without his family's support, even if we spare him, what could he possibly do?" Lao Han asked angrily.
"If you don't cut down the roots, the spring breeze will bring them back to life," Wang Xiong softly blew the blood off his blade and said coldly.
"Look, if the Chen Family had dealt with you readily back then, perhaps today's disaster would not have happened." After saying this, Wang Xiong continued his slaughter.
He also didn't forget to turn his head to remind Lao Lee, "Don't ever practice a woman's kindness, Lao Lee. In these chaotic tis, cruelty is what we need."
Lao Lee stood dumbfounded, staring at the body of a child lying in a pool of blood not far away, his mind in turmoil, unsure about what should be done. He always felt that the world shouldn't be like this.
Lao Han also sighed softly, shook his head, and walked heavily towards the inner courtyard of the Chen Family.
By now, Young Master Chen of the Chen Family had already been stupefied by the catastrophe unfolding before him. The shouts of killing from the outer courtyard were getting closer, and the core mbers of the Chen Family were all hiding in the ancestral hall.
Young Master Chen, who had been coddled from a young age, lay helplessly in his grandmother's arms, trembling with fear.
Chen Tao, seeing his son's pitiful state, angrily pulled him from his grandmother's arms with such force that Young Master Chen staggered and fell to the ground.
"How could I, Chen Tao, have such a useless son!" His voice was shrill, his eyes wide open. Young Master Chen had never seen his father like this; usually, he would only timidly approach his grandmother seeking her protection.
"Tao'er, what exactly is the situation outside?" the Old Lady urgently asked her son, her eyes still holding hope for less dire news.
"Mother, your son is unfilial. I'm afraid the centuries-old foundation of our Chen Family will be destroyed today," Chen Tao said, kneeling on the ground.
The Old Lady still couldn't believe it and asked, "My son, have you lost your wits? Our Chen Family has been here for centuries, and we have elite troops in the city who are utterly loyal. How could we possibly be annihilated?"
"I wouldn't dare deceive you, Mother. The rebels have already broken into the main courtyard, and I believe it won't be long before they arrive here," he said just as the cry of killing reached the doors of the ancestral hall. The Old Lady couldn't bear it anymore and passed out, her breath failing her. Seeing this, the people around her couldn't help but cry out, the won of the family making most of the noise, their cries echoing as if heralding the family's doom.
A servant covered in blood ran inside, spoke anxiously in a low voice to Chen Tao for a few monts. After that, Chen Tao took a deep look at his unworthy son and shook his head silently.
"Today, as the rebel troops invade our ho, you, the won and children, are inevitably going to be violated by these rogues. But my Chen Family's century-long reputation cannot be soiled," he said, then closed his eyes and waved his hand lightly. Instantly, nurous bolts flew in from outside, and screams broke out; within a short ti, all the won and children in the ancestral hall were massacred, leaving only Young Master Chen lying on the ground, staring in disbelief at his father, with a noticeable wet patch between his legs.
"Sheng'er, co here!" Chen Tao gently wiped the tears from the corner of his eye and said to his son, who was already confused and scared.
"Father, don't kill , I'm your only son, don't kill ," Young Master Chen, now frantic, crawled over to Chen Tao, clutching his legs and begging loudly, tears and snot continually flowing down, quickly wetting Chen Tao's trousers.
Chen Tao looked lovingly at his son, sighed softly, bent down to embrace him, and said softly, "Born in troubled tis, won have no dignity. If they are left alive, they will only be humiliated. Isn't it better that I do it, so at least their dignity can be preserved? Do you understand?"
Young Master Chen nodded slightly, his face still showing fear. The rciless act of his father just monts ago had left a deep imprint on his heart.
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