The officials of the Six Departments and Thirteen Paths who specialized in writing had a place to use their skills again. Even though half of these yamens had already been destroyed by Yang Ling, the remaining people still had a frightening destructive power. Li Dongyang and Yang Tinghe gave a few hints and the yamens of the Six Departments collectively submitted petitions to impeach Liu Jin. The crimes were innumerable. Emperor Zhengde's Dragon Memorial Desk was instantly drowned by the overwhelming number of memorials.
Zhengde still did not look at these memorials. Since he had already decided to kill, these memorials were only to give the world an explanation. What was the point of looking at them? When Liu Jin was transferred from the Inner Prison to the Imperial Prison, he sensed that something was wrong. However, he still could not understand why the Emperor had suddenly decided to act against him when his heart had clearly softened.
The only task that Yang Ling had given to Miao Kui was to watch over Liu Jin and not let him speak a word to the Emperor. This was because it would not be easy for the Emperor to kill him, even if he had done all sorts of evil things. The only feasible way was to rebel and kill the Emperor. Therefore, he could not be allowed to explain himself to the Emperor.
Miao Kui also knew that he could not fail at the last moment. When Liu Jin was transferred to the Imperial Prison, the Imperial Horse Supervisor made an exception and sent people to chase after him. Dongchang's Zhang Yong and the Imperial Bodyguard Mou Bin also sent out their trusted aides. In addition to Wu Jie's men who had regained control of the Inner Factories, the Three Workshops and One Guard each sent out their elites to surround the Imperial Prison. Unless the Emperor wanted to come, there was no other way. Otherwise, no one could even think about entering or leaving.
The Three Workshops and One Guard's men also had the responsibility of monitoring each other. This was the last moment and there could be no mistakes.
Zhang Cai, Liu Yu, Cao Yuan, Yang Yu, Shi Wenyi, Zhang Wenmian, and the others, as well as Liu Jin's relatives in the capital, were also arrested and imprisoned. Ma Yongcheng and Luo Xiang, the two best friends, had nowhere to run. The other three ran to Zhang Yong and hugged his thigh, crying 'Big Brother' and 'Uncle'. This made Zhang Yong's heart soften. Fortunately, Liu Jin was too autocratic and they only followed along and did not commit any major crimes. Zhang Yong spoke up and protected the three.
Lu Shijie was originally fine. Dai Yi had arranged everything well. He said that he had submitted to Liu Jin and wanted to be his aide and do something for the court. Later, he found out that Liu Jin had embezzled public funds for his own personal gain and reported him. This way, not only was he not guilty, but he would also be meritorious. Unexpectedly, Lu Shijie's wild nature, which he had been suppressing for a long time, suddenly erupted. This impetuous scholar loved his reputation more than his benefits. He would rather go to jail together with Yang Ling than bear the name of betraying his former master. Even though he had been asked by Yang Ling to infiltrate the Liu family, he could not say it out loud.
How could Dai Yi be willing to arrest him? Lu Shijie carried a wine gourd and ran to the main hall of Dongchang. He sat cross-legged on the official table and drank while cursing. He would not leave until he was arrested. Dongchang, which had always been feared like a purgatory, had unexpectedly become a bustling market. Dai Yi did not know whether to laugh or cry. He could not persuade Lu Shijie to leave with kind words. With no other choice, he could only do as Lu Shijie wished. He sent Lu Shijie to the prison to settle down and then went to consult Yang Ling.
Yang Ling did not know whether to laugh or cry when he heard this. He took the time to go to the prison to persuade Lu Shijie. Lu Shijie was calm and composed. He said to Yang Ling with a smile, "There is no need for Duke to persuade me. If I can kill that traitor Liu, why should I cherish my life? If I were to leave prison like this, I would be criticized by others. What harm is there in paying with my life? "
Yang Ling had no way of dealing with such a stubborn donkey. Dai Yi rolled his eyes and whispered something into his ear. Only then did Yang Ling nod and leave. Liu Yu, Cao Yuan, and the others who had been arrested and thrown into prison knew that they had submitted to the wrong master. Their lives were over. In prison, they could only close their eyes and wait for death. On the other hand, Zhang Cai and Zhang Wenmian were unwilling to give up.
The two of them were smarter than the others, and smart people were never willing to sit and wait for death. In prison, Zhang Cai wrote a beautiful article overnight, talking about how he had advised Liu Jin not to accept bribes and not to treat the officials harshly. He was a very loyal official and his literary talent was extremely outstanding. He vividly described the awkward situation where he had no choice but to submit to the eunuchs and compromise for the sake of the imperial court and the country.
In reality, the pitiful Minister of Appointments did not know the true reason for the Emperor's sudden change of heart. If he knew that the Emperor was rebelling because of Liu Jin, he probably would not have bothered. It was precisely because he had always believed that the Emperor was furious because of Liu Jin's embezzlement that he had made a big fuss about this matter, expressing his innocence and helplessness.
Although his chances of survival were slim, it could still be considered a good way to seek life in death. If the Emperor had seen his eloquent essay, he might have been moved and spared his life.
It just so happened that a smart person would become even more muddled at a critical juncture. If he begged for mercy, then so be it, but in order to explain that he had no other choice, he had attached himself to Liu Jin. This number one middle-aged handsome man of the capital seemed to have short-circuited, using Li Dongyang as an example. He said that even the Cabinet Secretary had invited Liu Jin to a meal and had written a poem to congratulate him on his birthday. He had flattered and flattered the eunuch, so what could he do?
What he said was true, and the person he had attached himself to was indeed a higher official than him. That person was now an official while he was in prison, and this made him even more pitiful. At the very least, when Dai Yi saw his letter of repentance, he was deeply moved. That night, he specially gave handsome Zhang Cai an extra meal. As a result, early the next morning, Zhang Cai mysteriously 'fell ill' and died.
The other smart person, Zhang Wenmian, did not have a high official position. Whether it was Liu Jin's corruption or rebellion, it seemed that a small character like him could not be the main culprit. There was no reason for him to die with him. Zhang Xiucai spent a long time in prison, thinking hard for a long time before he came to the conclusion that he had been arrested as the main culprit. The only explanation was that they had regarded him as Liu Jin's strategist.
Strategist, if they didn't arrest him, who else would they arrest?
Zhang Wenmian, who had always prided himself on being Liu Jin's military counselor, finally understood this point. Immediately in high spirits, he ordered the officers to invite Dai Yi and Dai Changgong over to report and expose Liu Jin's military counselor, saying that his name was Lu Shijie, and that he was a very famous and talented scholar. He asked Dai Changgong to arrest this man. As for himself, he was only a friend of Liu Jin's niece's husband, so he borrowed his relationship to get this job.
Dai Yi was very happy to hear this. He patted him on the shoulder and said a few words of praise, telling him to stay in prison with peace of mind. He said that under Dai Yi's leadership, Dongchang would no longer be the gates of hell, and that there would no longer be wrongful cases. He, Dai Yi, would not let go of a bad person, nor would he blame a good person. When the truth came to light, he would let him out.
In order to prove that what he said was true, Dai Yi was a man of his word. He immediately took Zhang Wenmian out of the solitary cell and put him in the ordinary cell with more than a dozen prisoners. Zhang Wenmian was so moved that tears welled up in his eyes. Unfortunately, although Zhang Xiucai met Dai Qingtian, his fate was not good. It was said that in order to fight over the toilet bowl that night, the other prisoners got angry and pressed Zhang Xiucai into the toilet bowl, causing him to choke to death.
Liu Jin was not dead yet, but these two smart people died earlier than Liu Jin.
However, Liu Jin's death was also approaching …
※ ※ ※
The Emperor issued a decree to interrogate Liu Jin at the Meridian Gate.
The three departments of law set up a torture chamber outside the Meridian Gate. The six ministries and nine ministers interrogated Liu Jin, and many of the Emperor's relatives and officials were also ordered to join them. Although Liu Jin was bewildered and uneasy in prison, he still could not figure out why the Emperor had changed his mind and wanted to interrogate him in public.
The Imperial Bodyguards lifted Liu Jin and escorted him to the Meridian Gate. Liu Jin looked around and saw that it was the three departments of law. He did not panic and swaggered over. He looked at the crowd contemptuously and said with a cold smile, "Everyone here, I wonder who is interrogating me?"
It wasn't that Liu Jin did not fear death. He was so arrogant because he wanted to use his aura to suppress the arrogance of the officials so that no one dared to interrogate him. It would be best if he could force the Emperor to come out. Only then would he be able to understand the reason for the Emperor's change in attitude and plead for leniency and survival.
Although these officials were not necessarily on his side, when Liu Jin presided over the court, especially when he was in charge of the evaluation of the officials, it was not uncommon for him to pass on a small message or send some gifts. When Liu Jin said this, these officials felt guilty and ashamed. No one responded.
Liu Jin saw this and his courage grew. He raised the shackles with both hands and laughed at the sky. "All the officials in the court came from my family. Who has the right to interrogate me?"
His words were a bit arrogant. Strictly speaking, many of the officials did not become officials through his path. But if one looked at it from a more generous perspective, Liu Jin had just presided over the evaluation of the officials and was reappointed. It did not seem wrong to say that all of these people came from his school.
The faces of the civil and military officials, as well as the officials of the three departments of law, were hot. Although they knew that Liu Jin was now a prisoner, under his accumulated power, no one dared to step out and criticize him.
The Minister of the Ministry of Punishments's face was red. He wanted to scold them, but seeing that the Imperial Censorate and the Dali Monastery were not saying anything, he was not willing to show his face. The Imperial Censorate and the Dali Monastery officials all had their own ideas. The Ministry of Punishments was known throughout the world. The Imperial Censorate investigated, the Dali Monastery refuted, and the first trial was the responsibility of the Ministry of Punishments. Naturally, they did not want to show their faces.
But in front of all the civil and military officials, nobles, and officials, if they allowed a prisoner to be arrogant, especially in front of the Meridian Gate, would it not damage the dignity of the royal family? The Minister of the Ministry of Punishments could only brace himself and weakly say, "Liu … Liu Jin, don't be presumptuous."
Liu Jin huffed and dragged his shackles. His shoulders swayed left and right, just like when he was the head of the internal court. He strode in front of the three departments of law and looked at him from the corner of his eye. He coldly scolded, "Bring a chair!"
Suddenly, someone shouted, "There's no need for a chair. Let's give him a trial first."
Then, a person strode in as if he was flying. He rushed over and stood in front of the three departments of law. Behind him, the two eunuchs hurried to catch up and put down the chair they were carrying. The person smiled slightly and sat on it. He crossed his legs and said with a smile, "Eunuch Liu, how impressive. I am not under your tutelage. Can I interrogate you?"
When Liu Jin saw that the person who came was Zhang Yong, his eyes turned red when he saw his enemy. When his power was at its zenith, even Zhang Yong dared to fight him in front of his face. Now, he was a phoenix that had lost its wings. How could Zhang Yong be afraid of him?
Liu Jin shook his iron shackles and roared as he was about to pounce. Zhang Yong sat with his legs crossed. He raised his index finger and pointed at him. Two captains immediately rushed out from a group of soldiers and firmly held Liu Jin down.
Zhang Yong said unhurriedly, "Come on, work hard for this man, and serve Liu Gonggong well."
The two captains immediately pressed Liu Jin to the ground. They waved their hands for the yamen runners standing on the two sides to carry out the punishment.
Liu Jin was furious. "Zhang Yong," he roared, "You idiot! You dare to use private punishment on me?"
Zhang Yong rolled his eyes. "Look, look," he said disdainfully, "I said you are ignorant and incompetent," he said, "You still won't admit it. The three departments of law will conduct a joint trial. The criminal must first be tortured and beaten before the case can be tried. This is called a trial. It's just like a commoner suing an official, suing the Dali Monastery. You have to roll on a nail board before your case can be heard. Isn't that right, Sirs? "
The three heads of the Ministry of Punishments, the Imperial Censorate, and the Dali Monastery all cupped their fists and said, "Zhang Eunuch's words are not false."
Zhang Yong snorted. The smile on his face disappeared. He shouted, "Beat him!"
The two yamen runners beat Liu Jin's buttocks until they split open. Liu Jin gritted his teeth, unwilling to admit defeat in front of his old adversary. After the beating was over, his robe was dyed red with blood. Zhang Yong said with a smile, "The civil and military officials are the Emperor's subjects. You say they are under your tutelage. This is treason and heresy. Just based on this, I can convict you!"
Zhang Yong asked, "Let me ask you. Do you commit embezzlement, bribery, and extortion?"
Liu Jin lowered his head and thought for a moment. Then he raised his head and answered, "Yes!"
Zhang Yong pointed at the three departments of law, who were dumbfounded, and shouted, "Remember, Liu Jin admits to embezzlement!"
He then asked, "Do you attack and frame loyal and virtuous people?"
With a cold laugh Liu Jin asked, "What do you mean by loyal and virtuous people?"
Zhang Yong laughed and said, "In that case, do you attack and frame government officials who have impeached you, who are not willing to be your subordinates?"
Without even thinking, Liu Jin answered straightforwardly, "Yes."
Zhang Yong pointed again, "Remember, Liu Jin admits to attacking and pushing aside government officials who are not willing to be the accomplices of the tiger."
Zhang Yong asked him one by one according to Madman Zhao's list of thirty major crimes and sixty minor crimes. In order to avoid suffering, Liu Jin did not want to die before he saw the Emperor, so he readily agreed. Until Zhang Yong shouted, "Do you have several hundred household guards, do you have weapons and armors hidden in your mansion?"
Liu Jin was taken aback. "Our family's business is very big," he said, "Naturally we have enough to recruit some household guards, but … why would we need weapons and armors? How can there be such a thing? "
With a cold laugh Zhang Yong said, "Countless armors and weapons were found in your mansion, do you still want to deny it?"
Liu Jin was stunned for half a day. Suddenly he struggled with all his might and roared, "Zhang Yong, you old thief, it was you who harmed me! It must be you who harmed me; when did I have any armors and weapons? "
Zhang Yong laughed aloud and said, "From the secret cellar in your mansion, we found a lot of armors and weapons. His Majesty saw it with his own eyes, how can it be fake?"
He turned around and pointed, saying, "Remember, Liu Jin admits to secretly keeping household guards, he cannot deny that he hid armors and weapons."
Liu Jin was so angry that his lungs were about to explode. Forcibly arguing and seizing reason, arbitrarily adding a crime, not so long ago, this was the trick he used to trap hundreds of officials, exclude dissidents, and retaliate. But now, he was being countered in his own way. Only now did he understand the feeling of resentment, grief, and indignation.
His heart was filled with alarm and fear, because he finally knew why the Emperor changed his mind and interrogated him at the Wu Men Court. This time he was really finished. The opponent also understood the principle that if a snake is not beaten to death, there will be no end of trouble in the future. He wanted to torture him to death.
Liu Jin struggled with all his might, but how could he have the strength to struggle against the strong and sturdy armored officer? Liu Jin pushed his hands against the ground and shouted sorrowfully toward the palace gate, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty, save me! Your Majesty, save me! "
"Let me ask you, you secretly hid a mechanical round fan in your mansion, was it a deliberate plot to assassinate the Emperor?"
"Your Majesty, save me! Your Majesty, the Old Slave is Liu Jin, Your Majesty! "Liu Jin pounded the ground and shouted, tears rolling down his face.
"Remember, Liu Jin is only crying bitterly, he does not dare to deny it!"
…
※ ※ ※
In the Crown Prince Palace, Emperor Zhengde was dressed in black, playing the zither anxiously.
His ten fingers plucked and plucked, the sound of the zither was long and full of desolation. Miao Kui and Dai Yi respectfully stood behind, holding their breath and not saying a word.
Suddenly, with a clang, the zither string snapped and the sound stopped. Emperor Zhengde stopped and floated half a foot above the zither. Slowly, a drop of dark red blood slowly dripped down and landed on the zither with a 'da' sound.
Miao Kui and Dai Yi trembled and hurriedly leaned forward, but Zhengde shouted fiercely: "Get lost!"
Both of them were shocked and stood there, not daring to move. Emperor Zhengde stared at the tip of his finger, watching a bright red drop of blood slowly condense on it. His lips suddenly revealed a helpless bitter smile: "The human heart is hard to fathom, and the ravine of desire is hard to satisfy. I have treated Liu Jin well. Tell me, why did he treat me like this? "
Both of them were speechless, unable to answer. Zhengde's eyes flashed and suddenly asked: "Where is Yang Ling? Where is he? "
Dai Yi softly replied: "Replying to Your Majesty, after Your Majesty summoned State Duke Wei, he shut himself at home. He did not even meet the officials who went to visit him."
Zhengde faintly sighed and faintly said: "Subject Yang blames me for listening to slander and confining him at home? Or … because of Liu Jin's matter, he is worried that Zhen has become estranged from him? "
Both of them were on tenterhooks and did not dare to answer. Zhengde was lost in thought for a while before he resolutely said: "That will not happen. Subject Yang will definitely not betray me. We will be monarch and subject for a lifetime, friends for a lifetime … brothers for a lifetime. He will definitely not betray me. "
This is the Crown Prince Palace where he lived when he was young. Zhengde's heart was agitated and he could not control himself. He even changed the way he addressed the Emperor and no longer called himself Zhen. The Liu Jin whom he trusted so much is actually conspiring to harm him. This matter is too much of a shock to him. He said it resolutely and decisively. Rather than saying that he has absolute trust in Yang Ling, it is better to say that he is strengthening his own belief. Zhu Houzhao, who has always valued friendship and righteousness, cannot bear another blow of betrayal.
Dai Yi and Miao Kui quickly said: "Your Majesty is wise. Your Majesty is right."
Zhengde smiled and countered with a question: "Am I wise? Would I be wise to treat a treacherous official as my closest confidant and keep him by my side for so long, to trust him absolutely? "
He slowly closed his eyes and sadly sighed: "I do not doubt Subject Yang, but he avoids the door to avoid suspicion. That means he has a grudge against Zhen. He is worried that Zhen will also suspect him and the devil in his heart will be born, our friendship will no longer be there … … Accompanying the Emperor is like accompanying a tiger, accompanying the Emperor is like accompanying a tiger. Is the Emperor destined to be alone? Destined to never have friends, to never have trustworthy people … … "
A drop of blood fell from the tip of his finger and two teardrops slid down the cheeks of the young Emperor.
He held the greatest power in the world, but emotionally, there were not many people he could be close to and rely on. The two people who were closest to him, one betrayed him and the other ran far away from him to avoid suspicion. That feeling of emptiness filled his heart.
"Zhen, does not want to be a lonely person!" Zhu Houzhao angrily raised his hand and threw the zither in front of him. The sound of the zither rolling away was like his wounded heart at this moment.
Suddenly, a small eunuch quietly walked over on tiptoe and said in a trembling voice: "Your … … Your Majesty, Duke Wei requests an audience!"
Hearing this, Zhengde suddenly raised his head. His eyes were filled with ecstasy, gratification, and relief.
Dai Yi and Miao Kui both sighed in relief and a relaxed smile appeared on their faces at the same time.
A green-robed scholar gracefully walked over under Zhengde's slightly hazy gaze. He wore a round-collared green robe with large sleeves and a moon-white square scarf on his head. He had a slender figure and a jade-like face, exuding a scholarly air. Zhengde's mind was in a trance. Suddenly, it was as if he had returned to the first time they met in the Crown Prince's palace two years ago … …
"Yang!" A call blurted out.
Zhengde happily called out. Although there were still tears in his eyes, his face was already overflowing with a smile, a genuine smile from the bottom of his heart.
At this moment, the two's hearts were once again glued together. That was a kind of brotherly love that surpassed the relationship between a ruler and a subject. In this world, only Yang Ling could give him this kind of feeling.
"Subject has learned flute skills from my sworn sister, Yixian, but my attainments are not high. Since Your Majesty is in a good mood, subject will perform a song together with Your Majesty. How about it? "
"Good! What song should we play? "
"Let's play the song that Your Majesty composed … … [Killing the Border]!"
Dai Yi and Miao Kui saw the opportunity and quickly took out a jade zither and a bamboo flute from the room.
The desolate and intense sound of the zither sounded again. Clang clang clang, full of vigor. Yang Ling was dressed in Confucian robes, his hand holding the bamboo flute, lightly hitting it in his left palm. Hearing the gentle and faint sound of the zither, spiralling up to the ninth heaven, he suddenly stepped into the wide room, raised the flute to his lips, a thread of corresponding flute sound followed.
The flute sound and the zither sound, one high and the other low, one low and the other high, resonated with each other, like a pair of fish swimming in the water, enjoying themselves.
Zhengde stroked the zither, his eyes fixed on Yang Ling, smiling slightly as his fingers flew down. Although Yang Ling's flute skill was poor, but the two of them seemed to have a tacit understanding. Seeing Zhengde's eyebrows raised, Yang Ling's flute sound immediately turned low and came over, the zither sound indeed rose high. If one saw that Yang Ling's feet were heavy, Zhengde's zither sound also weakened, echoing the flute sound rising.
This song, although it was not as skillful as the one he played with Tang Yixian, but it was free and easy, the music of the heart and mind, made one feel even more carefree …
※ ※ ※
Without knowing when, Zhang Yong quietly came into the hall. Seeing this scene, he hurriedly held a pile of things and stood at the side of the hall, not daring to disturb. Zhengde acted as if there was no one else and finished the song. He pressed the zither and laughed loudly, "Happy! Happy! Depressed for more than ten days, only today and right now, my heart is the happiest. "
He then turned to Zhang Yong, withdrawing his smile and calmly asked, "Finished with the interrogation?"
Zhang Yong looked in surprise at the Emperor's calm and confident appearance, and then looked at Yang Ling, Dai Yi, and the others standing beside him. He didn't understand why the Emperor, who was still sad and angry when he went to the Meridian Gate, suddenly changed.
He didn't dare to look again and hurriedly bowed, saying, "Yes, just as Your Majesty expected, Liu Jin was domineering at the Meridian Gate, berating the officials like they were servants, and no one dared to answer. Fortunately, with Your Majesty's heavenly might, the Old Slave took people away, and Liu Jin was somewhat restrained. The three law departments jointly investigated, in total, there are thirty-five major crimes, sixty-eight minor crimes, Liu Jin confessed, and now it is all recorded here."
Zhang Yong respectfully presented the stack of documents and said, "These crimes still need to be verified by the three law departments one by one, investigate the people related to the case, collect confessions, material evidence, and witnesses, and also bring some victims from all over the world who have been persecuted by his tyrannical and cruel laws, to the point where their families have been ruined and their families have been killed, to the capital …"
Zhengde indifferently said, "There is no need. If we continue with the interrogation like this, it will take a long time, how long will it take? His family has a large amount of gold and silver, illegal weapons and armor, civil and military officials persecuted to death by him, innocent people whose families have been ruined and their families destroyed by his tyrannical and unjust policies, one by one, any one of these is enough to take the road to death. "
With a swoosh, he pulled over a piece of paper. Dai Yi and Miao Kui's eyes brightened. Like two little demons in front of the King of Hell, they rushed over with a whoosh, one holding ink, the other holding a brush, eagerly waiting for this young master to draw the brush and write that old demon's name on the Book of Life and Death.
Zhengde held the brush in his hand and wrote down three large characters. After a moment of hesitation, he clenched his teeth and wrote down another three large characters. Then he threw the brush away and suddenly flung the paper toward Zhang Yong. The white paper floated up. Fortunately, Zhang Yong's eyes were sharp and his hands were fast; he rushed a step forward and knelt down to catch it in his hands.
On the white paper, dripping with ink, there were six large characters: "Do not repeat, die by a thousand cuts!"
As soon as Zhang Yong saw this, he was overjoyed. The Emperor had issued an edict, so there was no need for further investigation. That old fellow Liu Jin was dead for sure.
The Emperor's edict had to go through the Hall of Governmental Affairs before it could take effect. The Empress of a generation, Wu Zetian, looked down on the world. She also had to change the Hall of Governmental Affairs to Phoenix Pavilion and the Gate Department to Luantai. If the edict did not come from Phoenix Pavilion and Luantai, then it was not an edict. To Ming Destiny, the Hall of Governmental Affairs was abolished and the Cabinet was established. Edicts had to go through the Cabinet.
However, the law was the law, and the truth was the truth. The Emperor's edict and secret edict existed in any dynasty. The edict that Zhengde secretly went to Datong and left behind was an edict. The secret edict that Yang Ling received in Bazhou was still an edict. The edict at this moment was still the same. As long as no one objected, it could be carried out. If someone objected, it could still be carried out.
The problem was, if an edict was issued to kill Liu Jin, who would object?
Yang Ling had already seen the six large words. The opponent that he had fought with for so long, the enemy that always wanted to kill him, was finally going to be beheaded. However, he could not describe the feeling in his heart. It was relaxed, but there was definitely no joy.
Zhang Yong had already left for a long time with the edict. Yang Ling then stepped forward and bowed. He said softly, "Your Majesty, I … wish to visit Liu Jin. I beg for Your Majesty's permission."
Zhengde turned around and stared at Yang Ling. His gaze was very strange.
Dai Yi and Miao Kui instantly broke out in a cold sweat. "A traitor that tried to kill the Emperor and rebel. Everyone is avoiding him like the plague. Duke Wei actually wants to visit him? Isn't this making a mistake? "
Yang Ling calmly met Emperor Zhengde's gaze. Zhengde's eyes gradually overflowed with a smile. He stood up and said, "Very well. Bring some food and wine and send him off on my behalf."
Yang Ling bowed and said, "Respectfully send off Your Majesty." He straightened his back. Dai Yi and Miao Kui had already followed Emperor Zhengde and left.
The spring water in the pond was rippling. Two mandarin ducks were floating on the water. The wisteria on the rack was covered with fresh green. A few brightly colored vines were embellished. Yang Ling let out a long sigh and slowly walked away. The Crown Prince Palace once again fell into silence.
※ ※ ※
A small table was filled with food and wine. Liu Jin and Yang Ling sat opposite each other.
Both of them were calm and amiable. It was as if they were good friends of many years. There was not a trace of life and death enmity between them.
"Now, I really miss the days when I was in the Bell and Drum Unit. I got up a little early in the morning. After the bell and drum was over, I would drink a cup of hot tea and eat some snacks. Then I could go back to sleep. In the afternoon, I would accompany the Emperor to have some fun. There was nothing important that day, so I didn't have to worry about anything. The Musical House would give me some money every few days. It would be thirty or fifty taels of silver. I would put it in the box and watch it fill up. Ah, ah. "
Liu Jin, with his gray hair disheveled, looked at a beam of light shining through the high ventilation window. There was dust floating in the sunlight, and some flying insects were busy flying here and there.
Liu Jin laughed bitterly and said, "Look at that little thing, so happy. As for me, when I became a big official, everyone bowed to me. It was so glorious! I put a mountain of gold and silver into my home, but I didn't feel anything. I only remember to hug, hug, hug. I am a useless person. What's the use of so much money? What's the use of offending people for this pile of copper and iron? Now that I think about it, it's really not worth it. "
"Eunuch's idea today may be true. But if you can leave this cage, you will try your best to return to the Emperor and harm the world even more. People's idea, alas … When I left the Yang Family, I wanted to save three or five hundred taels of silver, buy a well-off family, and let my beloved wife have no worries about food and clothing.
Later, when I became a big official, I thought that I can't let this power down. I can't be mediocre and wait for death. I can't only care about my small family. I have to do something for the people. People's idea is not the same. "
Liu Jin's pretense of begging for pity was exposed by him, and he could not help but stare at him fiercely. Yang Ling acted as if nothing had happened and drank by himself.
A crafty look flashed through Liu Jin's eyes, but he immediately hung his head dejectedly and said, "I brought this upon myself. At that time, I was the one who went to the Chicken Cry Inn to deliver the imperial edict and invited you, Sir Yang, back to the capital. Who would have thought that I invited a jinx for myself."
He slapped his thigh and hatefully said, "Accuse me of rebellion? What's the use of hiding armors and weapons in my house? The four outer armies are in your hands, the capital camp is in Zhang Yong's hands, and the imperial stables are in Miao Kui's hands. You never let go of the military power. What's the use of hiding a few armors, swords, and spears in my house? A hundred family warriors, a motley crew, and I can kill the Emperor? I don't believe it. I don't believe the Emperor will believe it! "
Yang Ling smiled faintly and said, "You don't believe it? It is indeed unbelievable, but this matter involves the imperial power, so there's no need to question it. Besides, could it be that Eunuch Liu doesn't remember Cao Jixiang's rebellion? "
As soon as Liu Jin heard this, his face couldn't help but turn pale. How could he forget this old senior? Cao Jixiang was the head eunuch during the reign of Emperor Yingzong. After Wang Zhen, he was the most powerful eunuch. This fierce man's plan to usurp the throne was to lead a group of family warriors to enter the palace and kill the Emperor, then hold the ascension ceremony.
With such a simple-minded old senior as an example, how could the Emperor not believe it?
Yang Ling continued, "You also know that the military power is not in your hands, so you roped in Governor Shen Ying and a group of high-ranking military officers. Then you placed trusted aides in the Three Commissariat and One Guard. Then you made the head of the Imperial Bodyguard, Yang Yu and Shi Wenyi, into your trusted aides and adopted them as your sons. You built your parents' graves in your hometown, and your standards are beyond that of a Marquis. These matters, with the help of the imperial censors and scholars, are enough to weave a flawless heavenly net. Eunuch Liu, don't be delusional."
Liu Jin stared straight at him, not saying a word for half a day.
Yang Ling picked up the pot and poured him a cup. He slowly said, "Eunuch Liu, to tell you the truth, you cleared the land, did the examination for officials leaving their posts, changed the periodic examination to a sudden examination at any time, reformed the salt policy, and many other things. Many, many things, to me, are things that I deeply approve of. Many years later, the method you used today will definitely be used by others.
If you only did it for the sake of political reform, even if you died, you would still be considered a real man, and perhaps your name would go down in history. Unfortunately, you did all these things for your own personal gain. Clearing the land was to please the Emperor, and you reap the benefits from it. The examination for leaving your post was to force the corrupt officials to give you gifts. You basically did not punish them, and made them even more unscrupulous.
Changing the examination every three years to a sudden examination at any time was just to drive your opponents out of power, and to help your trusted aides and family servants into official positions. You did all these things in order to consolidate your personal power, in order to collect money from your treasury!
Do you know that you, Liu eunuch, have never killed a single person with your own hands, yet countless people have died because of you? Do you know that you, Liu eunuch, have never destroyed a family with your own hands, how many families in the world have broken up and died because of you, how many families have sold their children and daughters because of you?
You have deceived the monarch and harmed the country, you have brought endless scourge, your crime is the most heinous, truly unforgivable! "
Liu Jin's countenance was ashen, his body trembled slightly, but he did not utter a single word.
Yang Ling's tone softened, he said, "You and I are not engaged in a political struggle. If it was only a difference of political opinion, perhaps I would not have the heart to kill you. But now, don't be delusional. Today I am representing His Majesty, I am also representing myself, to send you off on your last journey. "
While saying that, Yang Ling took out a small vermilion pill from his bosom and gently placed it on the table. He said, "This is the 'Three Steps Chasing Soul' poison, it is the only good deed I can do for you, an evil man with countless wronged souls wailing above his head."
Liu Jin retreated in panic, from the bed all the way to the corner of the wall. With a trembling voice he said, "You … what do you want to do? You want to poison me to death? Somebody, somebody, Yang Ling wants to kill someone, quickly save me! "
His voice reverberated in the prison, far and near, but not a single sound could be heard. Looking at Yang Ling's pitiful gaze, Liu Jin suddenly knelt down on the bed and repeatedly kowtowed, "Sir Yang, Duke, please be magnanimous, please don't kill me, I don't want to die, don't kill me, please don't kill me …"
Yang Ling sighed softly, he slowly got off the bed and stood up straight. Liu Jin was so scared that he shrank into the corner of the wall like a mouse. Yang Ling softly said, "His Majesty has sentenced you to death by a thousand cuts. Death by a thousand cuts, you should know that this kind of torture is not something a flesh and blood body can endure. Take this pill and seek a quick death. "
"Liu gonggong, farewell, you … take care!"
Yang Ling bowed his head, opened the door and slowly walked out. After a short while, two prisoners rushed in like wolves and tigers, and with a crash, locked the door tightly.
Seeing that the guards had left, Liu Jin hurriedly crawled to the table, picked up the pill and looked at it carefully for a while, then suddenly laughed.
"I don't believe that His Majesty will kill me. I watched him grow up, do you think I don't know his character? Heh heh heh, surnamed Yang, you treacherous thief, it must be that His Majesty wants to spare my family, you want to trick me into committing suicide, hahahaha …, will I be fooled? Will I be fooled? Hahahaha … "
Liu Jin's hair was disheveled like a hungry ghost, he threw the pill away and rolled into the haystack. Liu Jin looked at the sunlight through the vent, his eyes shining, "Tomorrow, His Majesty will definitely let me out! Definitely! "
* * *
Ming Destiny's death penalty was varied, but there were three most commonly used: hanging, beheading, and death by dismemberment. Hanging was the lightest punishment, allowing the person to have a whole body, with a white silk tied around the neck, three times, and three times, until the person breathed his last. The second was beheading. After beheading, the family members would find a cobbler to stitch it up again, and it could barely be considered a whole body. The third was the heavy punishment that was only used for heinous crimes: death by dismemberment!
Death by dismemberment, also known as "cutting", was commonly known as "cutting". According to the theorem of how deep the hate was, how deep the love was, women comrades also called it "the one who should be cut a thousand times". Death by dismemberment was to cut off the flesh of the body piece by piece, making the person cry out in pain, it was the most miserable in the world, and even the merciless executioner would soften his heart.
Therefore, the executioner, who was bribed or did good deeds to accumulate good karma, would often secretly stab the victim's chest at the time of the execution, causing the person to die immediately, so that he would suffer less pain. Then, he would not cut a living person, but a dead body, and he would feel better.
But who dared to do death by dismemberment for Liu Jin? On the day of death by dismemberment, tens of thousands of people came to the streets. Those who were persecuted by his minions, their families were destroyed, and their wives were separated from their children, gnashing their teeth and rushing here to vent their anger. Because of the construction of Xuanming Palace, their ancestral graves were dug up, and their corpses were dragged everywhere by wild dogs. Their descendants could not even recognize the corpses of their ancestors, and they wore mourning clothes, not for him, but for the memorial tablets and incense offerings, coming here to worship their ancestors first.
In front of the Xuanwumen Gate, at the west market's market entrance, where Yang Ling had been interrogated and executed, there was a huge crowd of people early in the morning. All of them wanted to see the traitor being punished and vent the filth in their chests. But it was not until close to noon that a donkey cart, escorted by the soldiers who were on guard, arrived.
Liu Jin still did not give up. He twisted his neck and stared in the direction of the palace, hoping that the Emperor would change his mind at the last minute and spare him the death penalty. The preparation was done in an orderly manner. The executioner half dragged and half supported him to the center of the execution ground, took off his shirt, and tied him to a wooden stake. Then, he opened a fishing net and wrapped him in it, wrapping him behind his back with a wooden stick. This way, even though Liu Jin was not considered fat, the flesh on his body was protruding out of the holes in the net, causing his face to turn red.
The executioner was the impartial and impartial old man from Shandong, Wei Shen. This brother's face was red, and he hated evil as if it was his enemy. Regardless of whether it was the royal family or the noble relatives, as long as they violated the law, they must be punished according to the law. He was not afraid of the other party's status. Even though there were many people who hated Liu Jin, those who dared to come and supervise his execution were mostly lacking in courage. Wei Shen did not shirk his responsibility and became the butcher to everyone's satisfaction.
The signal cannon sounded, it was already a quarter past noon. Liu Jin was still craning his neck, looking at the palace in a daze, hoping for a miracle to happen. At the moment of execution, a sudden edict was issued, changing the death sentence to exile. This kind of thing was not unheard of. In fact, it was very common. Wei Shen was also anxious; he was afraid that the Emperor would really be soft-hearted and release this evil eunuch.
His eyes were fixed on the corona and the hourglass; he prayed in his heart, "Please don't come, please don't come, His Majesty is soft-hearted. If Liu Jin does not die, sooner or later he will return to the palace and harm the world again. Heaven bless us! Why is the hour so slow, it's not here yet! "
Wei Shen wished he could rush over and pick up the hourglass and pour all the sand into it. Tens of thousands of common people also knew the story of 'let a man under the knife'. Without prior agreement, everyone shut their mouths and turned around to look at the palace from a distance. There was a person there who could decide whether Liu Jin lived or died, who could decide whether the world would suffer from his torment again.
Tens of thousands of people on the execution ground were unexpectedly as quiet as death at this moment. Right at this moment, the neigh of a horse was heard, an Imperial Bodyguard galloped as fast as the wind from the direction of the palace, and along a narrow path separated by the soldiers and soldiers, he went straight to the execution ground.
Tens of thousands of common people did not make a sound, their hearts were in their throats, their eyes were filled with fear, they wished that the Imperial Bodyguard would stumble and fall to his death.
Wei Shen was also feeling uneasy; he hurriedly walked out of the execution platform and went forward to meet the horse. He saw the fast horse galloping to the front of the platform, raised its front hooves, and with a long neigh, the Imperial Bodyguard on the horse took out a white leather document from his bosom. The common people stared at it, not knowing what was going on. Wei Shen was in charge of criminal law, he was overjoyed when he saw that the cover was not yellow, but white. He immediately bowed his head and kowtowed.
The white cover was not an imperial edict, but a letter urging the executioner to carry out the execution immediately. The news spread like thunder, and tens of thousands of common people shouted "Long live His Majesty" and uniformly kowtowed in the direction of the palace.
Wei Shen was extremely excited, and his face became redder. He took the letter, returned to the execution platform, pulled out the arrow of order, and threw it down the platform, shouting, "Begin!"
Only then did Liu Jin scream in fear, but the executioner was already prepared. He screamed in fear, and immediately stuffed a large ball of stinking rags into his mouth. The chief executioner was the number one executioner of the Ministry of Punishments, Liu Yehe, also known as Liu Yidao, or Liu Xiaodao. Most of the executioners of the Capital Society were under his tutelage.
He was now in his fifties, and his disciples and disciples were all over the Six Fan School. If it was not for Liu Jin's identity, he would not have personally carried out the execution. He waved his paper-thin knife, and his bladesmanship was extremely skilled. With two swishes, Liu Jin's upper eyelids were cut open, and a thin layer fell down.
Liu Jin's eyes were wide open in pain, but they were already covered by his eyelids. Blood flowed from the sides of his eyes, and the parts that could sense light were all red. He could not scream, and he could not see. It was really like falling into a bloody hell, and he was in so much pain that he wished he was dead.
Liu Xiaodao moved his knife as if it was flying. He first cut his arms, and the flesh exposed by the fishing net was cut off piece by piece, and fell into the red lacquer basin below. A disciple next to him sang the number of cuts loudly, "One cut, two cuts, three cuts …"
Behind him, there was a disciple controlling the tightness of the fishing net. Because the execution required more than three thousand cuts, if it was too tight, the flesh would be cut off at once, and only the skeleton would be left. Liu Xiaodao also had a secret. While no one was paying attention, the disciple next to him smeared wet mud with hemostatic and anesthetic drugs on the flesh that had been cut. He was afraid that the tortured person would die from excessive blood loss. If the number of cuts was not used up, it would ruin Master Liu's reputation.
With each cut on the stage, the audience cheered. It was very lively. However, although Liu Jin was guilty of the most heinous crimes, such torture was really unbearable to watch. At first, the cheers were thunderous, but as the number of cuts increased, Liu Jin had become a bloody man. More than half of the people below the stage covered their faces and left. Most of them were women and children. No matter how beastly the people on the stage were, their hearts were made of flesh. How could they continue to watch?
Only the people who had suffered from Liu Jin's cruelty did not leave. They gritted their teeth and stood there, waiting for the end of the execution to buy Liu Jin's flesh from the executioner to go home and feed it to the dogs.
At this point, Liu Jin showed his true colors as the world's most ruthless person. Until the end of the execution, he had received four hundred and seventeen cuts, but he did not die. He was wrapped in linen and sent back to the prison, where it was announced that the execution would continue tomorrow.
Liu Jin already did not know pain. The continuous and extreme pain had the effect of numbing the nerves, not to mention the numbing drug that Liu Xiaodao had applied to his body. After standing in the prison for a moment, Liu Jin, who seemed to have regained consciousness, suddenly howled like a wolf. He threw himself into the pile of straw in the corner and began to rummage.
The jailer didn't know what the condemned prisoner was doing, so he curiously stood to the side and watched. He saw the prisoner burrowing into the haystack like a pig eating its food. After a long time, he suddenly heard Liu Jin's complacent laughter, "Found it, hahaha, I found it, I found it …"
The joyful laughter was sometimes high and sometimes low, and gradually disappeared. Liu Jin was still lying in the pile of straw, his buttocks in the air, and did not move. The prisoner called twice, but did not wait for him to answer. He opened the prison door, walked in and kicked his buttocks.
Liu Jin fell to the ground, his body still bent. There was a surprised and satisfied smile on his face. His eyes were wide open, but they had lost the spirit of life.
The prisoner was knowledgeable and knew at a glance that the old eunuch was dead. He could not help but murmur, "Ah! What a pity, Master Liu Xiaodao, this time he has lost his face. "
※ ※ ※
Liu Jin did not give up and was taken to the execution ground to be cut.
When Yang Ling heard the news, he just sighed softly and did not say much. Even though he still had a trace of old friend feelings for Old Liu, he did not have time to sigh now.
Because he had received a very bad news. Because of Liu Jin and Liang Hong, one dragging the rear and the other commanding blindly at the front, the Bazhou Ringing Horse Gang missed the best time to annihilate the Ringing Horse Gang. Now the Ringing Horse Gang was getting stronger and stronger. They came and went and could not be stopped.
This news was not a big deal, but what was more troublesome was that the Ringing Horse Gang in Bazhou had made contact with the Taihang Bandits. The Taihang Mountain Horse Gang started a rebellion in Shandong's Qingzhou. Qingzhou and Bazhou responded to each other and raised the flag of rebellion at the same time. The rebel was Yang Hu, and he also quickly gained momentum.
This was not a big deal, but in the face of such a situation, Miss Cheng, who was also unable to mend the sky, saw that the situation was not good. She could only tell him hesitantly that Red Lady was probably in Qingzhou, and she was likely to be one of the rebels.
When Yang Ling heard the news, he sat on the chair with his son in his arms and was in a daze. Mr. Yang's little hand slapped Father Yang's face several times, but the Duke still did not move …
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