Wang Jinglong saw that this green-clothed, snow-skinned beauty was saying something 'against her will', but she was already on the verge of tears. He knew that he had touched on her sad feelings, but she did not dare to speak it out. He could not help but feel secretly happy. He immediately put on a sincere expression and said with a sincere tone, "Miss Su, today Wang took the liberty to come here just to save Miss from the fiery pit. Miss's words are insincere, but do you still not trust me? Miss, please do not doubt my sincerity. I dare not hide anything from Miss Su. Today, the three departments are holding a joint trial. The Sky Observing Officials, Ni Qian, have already confessed. His Majesty has decreed that tomorrow at noon, Yang Ling and the other three will be executed. Haha, Miss, you don't need to be afraid of him anymore. "
When Yutang Chun heard this news, it was like a bolt from the blue. She staggered back a few steps, her beautiful face turned pale, and said with a trembling voice, "You … what did you say? Mr. Yang, he … he is going to be beheaded? I don't believe it! It can't be! I don't believe it! "
Wang Jinglong saw that she was panic-stricken and looked even more charming. He could not help but threaten, "Wang is absolutely not lying! Not only is Yang Ling going to die, but I'm afraid that the whole Yang family will not be safe. Miss, you're so beautiful, aren't you afraid that you'll be sold to the Musical House and suffer as a slave? "
Su San's mind was blown. But tomorrow Yang Ling was going to be beheaded, so she could not answer. Wang Jinglong saw that Yutang Chun's face was ashen, and her lips were trembling without any color. He thought that his words were too harsh and scared her, so he quickly softened his tone and comforted her, "But Miss, you don't need to be too afraid.
Since Wang saw Miss, he has been longing for you, and it is difficult for him to forget you. How can he bear to see Miss suffer like this? Miss Su, Yang Ling has engaged you as a concubine, but disguised your identity as a maidservant. It can be seen that he only likes your appearance, when did he ever have any true feelings for you? Miss, have you still not come to your senses? "
He let out a long sigh and said in a carefree manner, "You are a beauty, how can you become a thief?"
Yutang Chun's heart skipped a beat. This Young Master Wang obviously knew a lot of inside information. Did he say that just to save me? If the Emperor really wanted to put all the members of the Yang Family into the Musical House, what could he do to save them? Did he have other plans?
What kind of person was Yutang Chun? She was used to smiling in front of others and crying behind their backs, so she was the best at hiding it. As soon as she had a doubt in her heart, she immediately rushed forward and cried while prostrating on the ground, "The red horsetail runs in the night, the green bead falls from the building. We poor women only want a loving husband in our whole life. Yang Ling is not a good man. I hope Young Master can take pity on me and save me!"
Wang Jinglong was overjoyed. He quickly helped her up and said, "Miss, you don't need to be so polite. Wang can have Miss's fragrance and a good night's sleep. That's what I want." As he said, he couldn't help but lightly pinch Yutang Chun's pink and soft wrist.
Yutang Chun blushed and suddenly retracted her hand. She pretended to say in a low voice, "Young Master, you don't have to do this. We are in the Yang Family."
When Wang Jinglong heard that she mentioned the Yang Family, it was obvious that she already had an ulterior motive for Yang Ling. He couldn't help but be happy and said, "The Weiwu Mansion is going to be ruined in an instant, and the Yang Family is going to be gone soon. Miss, why do you have to worry? As long as Miss agrees, he will be a beauty in the Shangshu Mansion. "
Yutang Chun said with a worried face, "But … Yang Ling is highly valued by the Emperor. How can he kill him? Besides, if the Emperor decrees that all the members of the Yang Family will be slaves, Young Master … how can you save me? "
Wang Jinglong saw that she was suspicious and was even more certain that she was anxious to leave the Yang Family and find another backer. He quickly smiled and said, "This is easy. You just need to follow my arrangements and I will guarantee your safety."
Wang Jinglong knew that Yang Ling was going to die tomorrow. Who else in the Yang Family would be in his eyes? This time, he entered the Yang Family and considered everyone beneath him. He was extremely arrogant. In his mind, women who came from a brothel only knew how to gain and lose, how could they have feelings for each other? He only knew that with his qualifications, Yutang Chun would be eager to become his concubine.
In his complacency, he told his plan to this beauty who had already submitted to him. Hearing this, Yutang Chun secretly gritted her teeth. Her face was full of bashfulness as she said, "If that's the case, Su San thanks Young Master. Su San will follow Young Master's arrangements."
In the past, she was in the brothel business. Even if she was unhappy, she could still pretend to be happy on the surface. Now that she had the intention to tease him, this pretentious voice was incomparably charming. In Wang Jinglong's heart, he immediately thought of the other meaning of 'follow Young Master's arrangements'. For a moment, his soul flew up and he wished that he could immediately bring this little beauty home.
This kind of soft beauty … That's right, there's still one more. Wang Jinglong hurriedly said, "That's right. Miss Sheridan, who was ransomed together with you, I wonder if she has the heart to escape the fire pit. If the two of you were to appear, it would be more believable …"
Yutang Chun really wanted to give this shameless person a slap. Remembering that Sheridan's character was not good at hiding her emotions, if she were to appear, it would inevitably be seen through. Yutang Chun hurriedly said, "Sheridan is Mr Yang's doting on her. I'm afraid she may not be willing to follow Young Master. This servant is not confident. Young Master is so impatient. If I were to tell her in advance, if the news were to leak …"
Hearing this, Wang Jinglong hurriedly said, "Miss is right. It's better not to say it. If she doesn't understand the situation, she only has herself to blame." Wang Jinglong said this, but in his heart, he was secretly pleased. He only knew that Yutang Chun was thinking of fighting for Young Master's favor. That girl was also delicate and charming, and had a unique kind of beauty that was as cold as a winter plum. Since there was a chance to properly bring her back to the residence, he was a little reluctant. He only wanted to wait until the Yang family was destroyed tomorrow, then he would give half of the credit for Yutang Chun's exposing the treacherous officials and bring her back to the residence as well.
Wang Jinglong explained his plan in detail to Yutang Chun. Seeing the old housekeeper loitering outside the hall a few times, he was afraid that he would arouse his suspicions. He could only reluctantly bid farewell and return home to make up a bad name for Yang Ling.
Yutang Chun called the housekeeper to send Wang Jinglong out the door. She turned back and hurriedly went around the central hall. She saw Sheridan standing behind her with a pale face. As soon as she saw her, Sheridan didn't say a word. She leaned forward and slapped Yutang Chun's face, causing her to be stunned.
She only heard Sheridan laugh coldly and say, "I've been sisters with you for so many years, yet I'm not as vicious as you! Hong Fu ran in the night, Lu Zhu fell from the building? Bah! They are extraordinary women in the brothel. You, Su San, are worthy of being compared to them?
Scram! Scram! If Daren really can't be saved, I, Sheridan, will hang myself and accompany him on the road to the Yellow Springs. You can go enjoy your glory and wealth. If you want to stay and frame Daren, don't blame me for being merciless. "
Yutang Chun touched the five clear finger marks on her face and smiled bitterly, "When will you be willing to change this fiery temper of yours? Fortunately, the person who saw that hypocrite today was me. If it was you, once he spoke rudely to Laoye, you would have fallen out long ago. Would you still be able to get this information out of him? Quickly! Follow me back to the rear hall, we'll talk after we see Furen. "
Sheridan was pulled back to the rear hall by her. Only then did she regain her senses. Yutang Chun did not have time to explain to her. Hastily she told Young-niang the information she got from Wang Jinglong. As soon as Young-niang heard that her husband was going to be beheaded tomorrow, her body swayed and she almost fainted. Gao Wenxin saw that her face was bruised and was so frightened that she quickly supported her. She took out two golden needles from her sleeve and pricked the back of her neck several times. She anxiously called out, "Furen, you must not panic. Now that Daren is waiting for death, we must think of a way."
Although Han Youniang loved Yang Ling deeply and would rather give up her life than let him be harmed, but the Emperor had ordered him to kill. In her heart, she simply could not think of anyone in the world who could save him.
She had the heart to use her martial arts to break into the prison to save him. Although she knew that the chances of this method were slim, at worst she would die with her husband. But what about her father and three brothers in the mausoleum? If she did that, wouldn't she implicate them to die together?
Han Youniang's intestines were in turmoil, she had no strength to use; two streams of clear tears streamed down her cheeks incessantly.
In fear, Yutang Chun said, "Wang Jinglong wanted to harm Gongzi's reputation, so that his father could be bold and confident in harming others. This matter is easy for us to punish him, but His Majesty will not pardon Daren just because of this. We are only women, what can we do? "
"Why can't we save him?" Sheridan angrily said, "The two of us are people that Marquis Of Shouning's mansion wants. Marquis Of Shouning is even somewhat afraid of the Imperial Bodyguard, didn't Daren still punish him to get us out? Wen Xin Jiejie is a criminal to the throne, nobody can save her, but didn't Daren still think of a way to save her? Now that Daren is in trouble, we, women, can only sit here weeping and waiting for death? If we don't think, how can we think? If I want to learn, I'll learn from Liang Hongyu who beats the drum to help her husband, I definitely won't learn from Lu Zhu who only knows how to jump off a building to show her determination. "
In the Yang Family, Sheridan had always been neither a servant nor a concubine, but when she said those words, it was clear that she considered herself to be Yang Ling's concubine. After she finished speaking, she saw that the three of them were looking at her strangely. She couldn't help but blush and embarrassedly said, "Young-niang Jiejie, Daren's life is at stake, I, I …"
Han Youniang sadly sighed and said, "How can I not know what you're thinking? But Xianggong can't be saved, I am his wife, I should live and die with him, never leaving or abandoning him! You all are nameless in the Yang Family, why should you be implicated in this? It's good that we got the news early, I'll go and get the money, the few of you take it and quickly leave. And Wen Xin Jiejie, you should also escape. When Xianggong is beheaded, it will be the time Young-niang Jiejie dies, I am not afraid of offending the Son of Heaven if I let you go. "
Yutang Chun blushed and said, "Young-niang Jiejie, if you are determined to die, Su San is willing to … to live and die with Daren, it's just that … is there no hope at all? What if that Centurion who made the accusation is willing to retract his confession? "
Gao Wenxin shook her head and sighed, "Don't indulge in fantasy, he is not a lunatic, how could he … go mad … go mad?" Speaking to this point, Gao Wenxin's heart was suddenly moved, her eyes had a strange look and she began to mutter.
Sheridan hurriedly said, "Then ask the Emperor to go to the mausoleum to investigate. Two days ago, Qian Daren came to the mansion to report the news. Didn't he tell us to wait patiently, saying that the matter in the mausoleum is flawless and there is no evidence? How can the imperial court be afraid of offending the fengshui and not go to the mausoleum to check? Let's go to the imperial court and ask the Emperor to send someone to the Tailing Mausoleum to check! "
Yutang Chun said, "This is the only way to seek life in death, but … how can we enter the Forbidden City? We can't see the Emperor at all!"
At this time, Gao Wenxin suddenly said, "If I see the witness, I have a way to make him … make him crazy so that his words can no longer be used as evidence, but how can I see him? What's more, Mr. Yang will … will … tomorrow at noon, we don't have enough time. "
Han Youniang was excited by their words. She suddenly remembered what Yang Ling asked Qian Ning to tell her. She couldn't help but feel refreshed. She said to Yutang Chun and the other two, "These can be planned slowly, but the urgent task is to stop the execution. Young-niang has an idea in her heart. Maybe we can force the Emperor to retrial, but this method is very dangerous. It may also make the Emperor angry and immediately cut off our heads. You … you are really willing to stay?"
The three women nodded heavily together without any hesitation. Han Youniang got up with tears and bowed to the three. This made Gao Wenxin and the other two hurriedly kneel down to return the salute. Gao Wenxin said, "Madam, please don't do this. We can't afford it."
Han Youniang smiled with tears in her eyes and said, "Cher is right. For the sake of my husband, even if there is a glimmer of hope, I should strive for it. My husband resisted the imperial edict for me, but as a woman, I can't complain to the Emperor? The three of you did not abandon my Yang Family during this disaster. Young-niang thanks you on behalf of my husband. If you don't abandon me, Young-niang is willing to become sisters with you. From now on, we will be in the same boat and share weal and woe together! "
The three girls looked at each other and kowtowed deeply with Young-niang. The sky that had been rainy all this time suddenly flashed with lightning, and then a huge thunder rumbled, shaking the windows.
※ ※ ※
The Heavenly Prison of the Ministry of Punishments was divided into two parts, the South Prison and the North Prison. There were two corner doors on the East and West Prison respectively. The prisoners were released from the East Corner Door, also known as the Green Dragon Door. The prisoners were executed from the West Corner Door, also known as the White Tiger Door. Yang Ling did not know this rule, but the assistant minister of the Ministry of Works, Li Duo, Ni Qian, and Dai Yi knew. So when they were escorted out of the West Corner Door, they immediately turned pale and their legs turned to jelly.
When they arrived at the main hall of the Punishment Hall, they knelt down to listen to the imperial edict. The officers asked for their names, ages, birthplaces, and verified their identities. Only then did Yang Ling know that his time was up. Dai Yi and Li Duo were both ruthless characters. Yang Ling also knew that if he did not confess, he would still have a chance to live. But if he did confess, he would definitely die. So he gritted his teeth and endured the torture, hoping that the Imperial Bodyguards would find evidence as soon as possible to coerce the ministers. At the same time, they would spread rumors to alert the Emperor, so that he would have some scruples.
But this was all slow work, and could not cure an emergency. The Observing Sky Officials, Ni Qian, could not bear the pain. When they used sticks and sticks, he was in so much pain that he was hovering between life and death. He could not endure the torture, so he had to confess. But as soon as he stopped the torture, he immediately went back on his word. This happened two or three times, which angered the three ministers. They ordered him to sign his confession during the torture, and then directly reported it to the Emperor instead of bringing him to trial.
When Emperor Zhengde heard that someone had already confessed, and that these people were indeed deceiving the Emperor, he was furious and immediately ordered the four to be beheaded. Seeing that Zhengde was extremely angry, Liu Jin and the others did not dare to plead for mercy for Yang Ling.
Hong Zhong had originally wanted to expand his victory by implicating a few more people in order to demonstrate the power of the Ministry of Justice. But the imperial edict had already been issued, so he had no choice but to reluctantly drag the four people out of the prison. This also messed up the Brocade Guards' plan, and they didn't even have time to use their original method.
Hundreds of government runners from the Ministry of Punishments surrounded the mule cart in which the four people were imprisoned, and drove to Caishikou. The four people looked pale, and their hands, fingers, and ankles were all bloody.
Caishikou was the downtown area. People going from south to north crossed Lugou Bridge, entered Guang An Men, and entered the inner city of Beijing. Most of them had to pass through here. Originally, this place was called Caishikou. The first famous person to be killed here was the Prime Minister of the Song Dynasty, Wen Tianxiang, who had been imprisoned in Dayuan Prison for four years. He was not moved by wealth, beauty, or power.
Yang Ling and the other three people were taken out of the prisoner cart and pushed to the beheading platform set up at the T-junction. Yang Ling raised his head and squinted his eyes to look into the distance. After the heavy rain last night, the leaves of the two rows of locust trees were as green as new. Looking to the north, he could see the majestic and solemn Xuanwu Gate in the distance. Yang Ling sighed softly, and a bitter smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. It seemed that his journey of Ming Destiny had ended early. He originally only had a little more than a year to live, so he did not care too much about his life or death. But he was worried about Young-niang's safety.
He did not regret the stupid things he had done. He did not care whether Ming Destiny died or not, and he did not care whether the Emperor was a fatuous ruler. He did not have such a strong sense of historical mission. If he could change it, he would change it. If he could not change it, then he would let nature take its course. After all, prosperity was history, and so was decline. In the era when he transmigrated, the people of China had already escaped from that period of suffering.
But he could not do it. He could watch so many people who lived around him starve to death because of him. To him, these people were not ancient people, not a miserable history on the pile of old books. Those people were living right under his eyes. They were a group of poor people who lived at the bottom of society.
This group of people lived with their backs to the yellow soil and their backs to the sky. They provided people like him with luxurious clothes and delicacies. They only wanted to have food to eat. If they had a little conscience, how could he do something like forcing them to death? To enjoy wealth and splendor with a clear conscience? If that was the case, he believed that even Young-niang would look down on him as her husband.
Today, the executioners were all high-ranking officials of the imperial court, and the case was so sensational that the executioner was personally appointed by the Minister of Justice, a high-ranking official, Hong Zhong. Seeing that it was almost noon, Hong Zhong picked up a red brush from the tin brush holder, hooked it on the 'beheading' tablet, and threw it down, saying: "The time has come, behead!"
Yang Ling was a famous figure in the capital. The people said that he died because he pleaded for the people. Countless people came to see him off. Hearing the word "execute", the crowd could not help but stir. Suddenly, a sobbing voice called out, "Husband!"
Yang Ling's body trembled. He looked towards the crowd and saw Han Youniang dressed in white. She was blocked by the soldiers holding spears outside the crowd. She was struggling to squeeze in. Beside her, Gao Wenxin and Sheridan were helping her to block the spears. Yang Ling's lips trembled. He said in a trembling voice, "Young-niang …"
At this moment, his tears fell. He stared blankly for a long time before he closed his eyes and shouted, "Young-niang, go back. Don't watch me behead you. Sister Cher, Miss Wen Xin, take good care of Young-niang for me. Young-niang, I'm sorry. I can't be with you forever. I'm sorry … "
He looked up to the sky and shouted, "But I have no choice. I can't be a martyr and a birthday boy at the same time. I can't be a high official and a hermit at the same time. You and I came from Fengming. I know how hard it is for the people. I can't let my conscience down. It's just that … it's been hard on you, Young-niang."
Yang Ling had put in a lot of effort. No one could forgive him for his heavy crimes. However, the treasure in his house was enough to protect Young-niang from being implicated. Now that he was putting on this show, his reputation as a good official who loved the people like his own children would be preserved. If someone wanted to frame Young-niang, he had to be careful.
Han Youniang cried, "Husband, you didn't let me down. You're an upright man. You're the good husband in Young-niang's heart!"
When the people saw that Young-niang was blocked outside, they immediately shouted, "Let the husband and wife see each other. Your Excellency, let the husband and wife see each other!"
Hong Zhong saw that the crowd was angry and hurriedly shouted, "Execute them! Execute them immediately! Execute them all! "
The executioner, dressed in red, bared his chest and abdomen, walked up to the stage with a ghost head broadsword on his shoulder. He walked up to them, knelt on one knee, and said politely, "I pay my respects to you. Your Excellency, please return to heaven!"
This was the privilege of an official. Ordinary people didn't have this kind of treatment. As soon as Han Youniang heard that she was about to be executed, she was so anxious that she didn't care about the soldiers blocking her. She held the red tasseled spear with both hands and lifted her leg to kick left and right. Two soldiers were kicked at the weak part of their knees. They couldn't stand anymore and staggered back. Han Youniang immediately flew forward and leaped onto the stage. She knelt down in front of Yang Ling and hugged his body while crying.
Yang Ling laughed and said, "Young-niang, don't cry, don't cry. Husband … husband …" His voice trembled and he couldn't say anything. Hong Zhong was anxious and angry. He suddenly stood up and pointed to the soldiers and said, "Pull them down and behead them immediately!"
"Wait!" Han Youniang shouted. She knelt down and turned around. She shouted loudly, "My husband is wrongly accused. Your Excellency, please reopen the court! My husband is wrongly accused! "
Hearing this, Ni Qian immediately stretched his neck and screamed, "Wrongly accused! Wrongly accused! I was tortured and beaten into confessing. I am wrongly accused!" Dai Yi and Li Duo saw the opportunity and hastily screamed that they were wrongly accused. The common people around them burst into an uproar. Someone loudly shouted, "Someone is crying injustice! According to the law, the sentence should be suspended and reopened!"
Yang Ling could only smile bitterly and helplessly. In a low voice he advised, "Young-niang, be good, my dearest wife. Don't provoke Daren. Only if you live well will your husband … be able to die in peace!"
He didn't care that Li Duo and the others were crying injustice on the execution ground. Ni Qian had even told him the method to seal the hole. The Emperor only needed to send people to dig the hole and find out whether it was real or fake. What was the use of crying injustice now? What he didn't know was that these people were facing death. Even if they had to find a reason to live a little longer, they would fight for it desperately.
Hong Zhong sneered, "The ink hasn't even dried on the confession and you're already going back on your word? Prison officer, take some people with you and pull the troublemakers away. If they dare to cause trouble again, I'll arrest them and execute them immediately! "
"Who dares to kill my husband?" Han Youniang knelt close to Yang Ling. If the executioner with the demon-headed saber swung down from the air, Young-niang would be cut down together with Yang Ling.
Hong Zhong flew into a rage and said to the prison officer, the Left Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Punishments, Cheng Wenyi, "I'm supervising the execution by imperial edict. Anyone who obstructs me will be punished as well. Arrest Yang Han Clan immediately!"
Cheng Wenyi waved his hand and led the four executioners onto the platform. He had just seen Han Youniang break into the execution ground and leap onto the platform in one step. He knew that this woman's martial arts was not low, so he led the four masters of Six Fan School.
Cheng Wenyi came to Young-niang with his saber and sneered, "Madame Yang, please leave the execution ground immediately. I won't punish you for the crime of disturbing the execution. Otherwise … you know the consequences!"
Yang Ling was so anxious that his eyes were wide open. The executioner pressed down on his shoulder and he couldn't move. He was so anxious that he kept bumping his shoulder against Young-niang and said, "Go, go. What's the point of dying with me? Young-niang, don't be stubborn. Young-niang! "
Han Youniang knelt on the ground and took out a scroll from the bag on her back. She raised her hands high above her head and slowly unfolded it in the air, covering Yang Ling and her head in the shadow. She stared with a pair of stubborn eyes and said in a loud voice, "My husband has been wrongly accused. He confessed under torture. Today, this common girl will make a complaint to the Emperor at the execution ground. I only hope that Your Majesty will remand him for a retrial. If this common girl is falsely accusing, I'm willing to share the same punishment as my husband! "
Cheng Wenyi saw that she took out a landscape calligraphy and painting and couldn't help but feel a little strange. When the scroll was completely unfolded and he looked at the bright red seal at the bottom, Cheng Wenyi couldn't help but be shocked. He was at a loss and panicked for a long time. Suddenly, he knelt down with a 'puff' and bowed his head and said in a loud voice, "Your humble servant, Cheng Wenyi, kowtows to Your Majesty for a long time!"
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