After failing the imperial examination, he began to wield immense power after entering the palace!

Outside the Cao residence.

Chen Tie followed Li Fan out, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke:

"Admiral Gao, I have something to say, but I'm not sure if I should."

"explain."

Chen Tie lowered his voice, his tone tinged with caution:

"Admiral, confiscating property is the same in any government office."

"From the Minister's office to the county government, everyone involved will take a cut; it's the rule, and it's human nature."

"Admiral, you're not giving them any kickbacks. Those vassals are definitely resentful, and they'll be difficult to manage in the future."

He paused, then added:

"I'm not saying the Admiral did anything wrong, but could you please be a little more lenient and let them benefit a little too?"

"After all, water that is too clear has no fish."

Li Fan stopped, turned around, and looked at Chen Tie.

"You're right."

Chen Tie was taken aback.

He hadn't expected the admiral to admit it so directly.

Li Fan continued, "But not today."

Why?

"Because today is our family's first day in office."

Li Fan's voice was unhurried, as if he were chatting with an old friend:

"On the very first day of raiding their home, they had silver stolen. What will people say if word gets out?"

"They'll say, the new admiral can't control his subordinates, he can't even manage confiscating property, so how can he talk about controlling the Eastern Depot?"

"Today, we must make an example of them; we must let them know that every word we say is not empty talk."

"Of course, our family will not treat anyone who comes out to work unfairly. Whoever is obedient will get a share of the money our family gives them."

"Anyone who disobeys will not get a single penny."

Chen Tie suddenly realized, and a hint of admiration flashed in his eyes.

"The Admiral is truly wise; I have learned a great deal."

Li Fan patted him on the shoulder and didn't say anything more.

"Let's go to Wu Zheng's house."

……

Wu Mansion.

It's not far from Cao's residence, only two streets away.

When Li Fan arrived with his large entourage, the gates of the Wu residence were tightly shut.

"quarrel!"

Xu Biao immediately led his men inside.

But a little while later.

Li Fan stood in front of the gate, turned his head, and said something to Zhang Miaozhen.

"Miss Zhang, there seems to be a pastry shop up ahead. Could you please go and buy some mung bean cakes for our family to try?"

Zhang Miaozhen readily agreed and turned to leave.

After she left, Li Fan sent someone to summon Xu Biao.

"Commander Xu, I have a question for you."

Xu Biao paused for a moment, then said, "Please speak, Admiral."

Li Fan pointed inside and said lightly:

"If you're going to raid my house, why didn't you make a sound?"

Xu Biao was taken aback: "What does the Admiral mean?"

Li Fan narrowed his eyes, a meaningful smile curving his lips.

"A bunch of remnants, what's the point of keeping them around?"

Xu Biao's heart skipped a beat, and he vaguely realized something.

"Admiral..."

Li Fan looked at him, his eyes as calm as a stagnant pool.

"You don't know the phrase 'confiscate their property and exterminate their entire family'?"

Xu Biao's expression changed instantly.

"Admiral, kill...kill the whole family?"

His voice trembled slightly.

That was Wu Zheng's mansion, where his wives, concubines, children, servants, and maids lived—dozens of people in total, young and old.

Kill them all?

If word gets out that the Eastern Depot's director wiped out an entire family on his very first day in office, it would be a huge scandal!

"Admiral, Wu Zheng is merely a minor official of the seventh rank; his family's crimes do not warrant death..."

"Smack!"

A resounding slap landed on Xu Biao's face.

Clean and efficient, without any unnecessary delays.

Xu Biao was completely stunned by the blow, his head tilted to one side, and blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

"We're asking you, is Wu Zheng Cao Mo's lackey?"

Li Fan's voice was as cold as ice.

"Did he go to the Ministry of Justice prison to interrogate Zhang Xuan on Cao Mo's behalf?"

"Did he contact the assassins of the White Tiger Hall on Cao Mo's behalf to kill Zhang Xuan's wife and daughters to silence them?"

"Did his family grow up on the ill-gotten gains Cao Mo gave them?"

With each question, Xu Biao's face paled a little more.

"What's the point of keeping this kind of person and their whole family around? For the New Year?"

"This is the last time we're asking you, are you going in or not?"

Xu Biao opened his mouth, as if to say something.

But when he met Li Fan's cold eyes, he couldn't utter a single word.

Anyway, the order was given by Li Fan, so whatever happens has nothing to do with me.

"Yes, Admiral, I will take care of it immediately."

Then, he rushed back into the Wu residence, waved to the guards in front of him, and said in a hoarse voice:

"Go in, leave no one alive."

The guards looked at each other in bewilderment, but in the end they still drew their embroidered spring knives.

In an instant, the flash of blades and screams echoed throughout the street.

Li Fan stood outside the door, his hands behind his back, his expression calm, as if he were listening to an ordinary piece of music.

……

Fifteen minutes later.

Xu Biao came out from inside.

His hands, face, and clothes were covered in blood.

There was something indescribable in those sinister eyes.

"Admiral, everything is done."

"There were thirty-seven people inside, young and old, and not a single one was left."

Just then!

A figure strode quickly from the other end of the alley.

High ponytail, dark blue outfit, leather belt around the waist, and deerskin boots.

Zhang Miaozhen.

She was carrying a box of mung bean cakes.

"Admiral Gao, I've bought it back..."

Her words came to an abrupt halt when she saw the gate of the Wu residence.

The gate was wide open.

Inside the gate was a sea of ​​blood.

The blue bricks on the ground were soaked in blood and turned blackish-red.

One corpse after another lay sprawled on the ground—old people, women, children…

A little girl wearing a pink jacket lay on the threshold, clutching a rag doll in her hand.

Zhang Miaozhen's pupils suddenly contracted, and she felt as if someone was choking her.

Her face turned from wheat-colored to deathly pale, her lips trembled, and she couldn't utter a single word.

The anger in those phoenix eyes was like two burning flames, almost bursting out of their sockets.

"Who...who did this?!"

Her voice was trembling, like that of an enraged mother leopard.

The sword tip was trembling, his fingers were trembling, and his whole body was trembling.

Li Fan stood behind her, his expression shifting from calm to shock, and then from shock to anger.

He turned around abruptly, looked at Xu Biao, and his voice suddenly rose:

"Xu Biao! We only ordered you to search our house, what are you doing?"

Xu Biao was taken aback.

Before he could react, Li Fan strode up to him, grabbed his collar, and pulled him towards him.

"Who gave you permission to indiscriminately kill innocent people?!"

"What crime have those women, children, and the elderly committed? You won't even spare the children?!"

"Xu Biao! Are you trying to bring eternal infamy upon our family?!"

Xu Biao was completely stunned.

His eyes widened, his mouth opened and closed repeatedly, his face filled with disbelief.

"Admiral, this... this wasn't something you told me to do..."

Li Fan interrupted him coldly:

"When did our family ever allow you to kill your entire family?"