As the clansmen were neck deep in despair and fear, Zhong Yu gave the kill order.
It was too much for some viewers, pucking their guts on the spot, gone was their dashing and haughty looks.
The gruesome bloodshed of the dead and the nerve wrecking looks of the witnesses painted a strange image. Zhong Yu followed with the second item on today's execution.
"I have two important pieces of news to tell you."
And paused, to give those soulless people time to recover.
THe mysery on the people only grew.
Does he plan on cutting us down as well? Finish us all off at once? The terror mounted.'
The misunderstanding was clear to Zhong Yu, though did nothing to clarify it.
"I have come to understand my previous policy was too cruel so I called you all here to join hands. You only have to stand with me and nothing of this sort will ever befall you. I will even share my wealth and glory with you!"
The audience gaped at Zhong Yu's declaration. Some were outright refusing to believe a tyrant just changed his mind.
But one thing was sure, all rejoiced they would no longer live in fear that he might be out to get them.
Some clansmen wished to speak, but the fear of this lord had made even talking a toil.
"Lastly, I shall award the loyal subjects that pacified the lands I conquered as well as bestowing titles."
He turned to Huang Chengyan and Cai Mao, the ones to reprezent the clans of Jingzhou.
"To appease the people of Jingzhou because of the turmoil and unrest I am ashamed to have caused, I shall bestow you two with a reward. "
The two looked at each other lost.
"We are lost as to what the king may wish to give us."
Seeing their boring reactions, Zhong Yu felt eager to tease them.
"It's fine if you don't want to say it. I'll do it for you."
A clap announced the coming of dozens of men in armor or in official clothes.
The came a dozen steps before Zhong Yu and bowed.
"Greetings, Your Highness, may you live a long and prosperous life!"
Zhong Yu beamed, his voice soft to these loyal men's ears.
"In recognition of your devotion to your king, I hereby present you with a reward, honoring all those who serve me. "
He gestured for the herald to announce the rewards.
He opened the decrees with shaky hands and excitement having already known what they held.
"General Wang Fang toiled hard in the south and appeased my lands. For your blood and sweat in the south, I bestow you the title of governor of Jianning Region and its four counties, henceforth known as Yu Empire's Viscount of Dian."
All the men gapped, be it the men awaiting their award, or the clansmen witnessing it.
Am I hearing things? He just split his land? This never happened since a thousand years ago the Zhou Dynasty split into eight hundred vassals.'
Yet this tyrant is willing to share power with his men?'
The herald continued.
"General Zhao Ping is bestowed Shu Region as your domain, becoming Sichuan's Viscount. General Li Zhen General Han Kai"
"General Zhu Hua is bestowed Hanjia Region's Yandao County, becoming the Baron of Yan."
Almost 60 people found themselves having either regions or counties under them. All of them welcomed their new titles with joy.
The herald soon came to the last two decrees. Reading them, he glanced at Huang Chengyan and Cai Mao, making them nervous.
"Jingzhou's Cai Clan Head, Cai Mao, is bestowed Baxi Region's main county, becoming Baron of Chong."
"Jingzhou's Huang Clan Head, Huang Chengyan, is bestowed Jianyou Region's Fu County, becoming Yu Empire's Baron of Fu. "
He bestowed a total of 80 counties into 63 domains, while also making Jingzhou's clans and his men look to him as their true master.
These lavish rewards touched the hearts of every ambitious hero and scholar out there, wishing the day would come for them to hold a title and a domain.
Zhong Yu's earlier blatant slaughter of clansmen was ignored, now that he split his lands among Jingzhou's clans. All they had to do was not cross him.
THose wanting fame and power under Zhong Yu chose to have selective memory of his butchering acts. They would do what Zhong Yu ordered, all so they would get in his good graces.
His tactic in Jiao State and Yang State had the expected effect, with many county and regional officials opening their cities for him, in hope of getting a title themselves.
All at the low low price of twenty counties needed to honor them and the clans, to show his treatment of loyal subjects.
With Zhong Yu having 200 counties, 20 were nothing. What was more, while they had new leadership, it was he who held the true power.
What mattered the most was that in a few years, when he had this world under his heel, be it the lords he instituted or the men under him wishing to become one, they'd all perish with this realm.
He wasn't losing out in giving something meant to be destroyed. This also gave him the loyalty of many clans while saving heaps of fortune points.