Yang Ling had often heard of a line in opera, "Push out the Meridian Gate and be beheaded." Hearing Hongzhi gasp for breath, he jumped in fright. In fact, the Meridian Gate was the main gate of the Imperial Palace, and it was also where the court held important ceremonies. The court never executed criminals outside the Meridian Gate. But this did not mean that people could not die here, because it was also where the court would execute punishments. No one knew how many people would die under the punishments in the past or in the future, and they would all be beaten to death. It was much more miserable than being killed at the entrance of the market.
Yang Ling and Gu Daeyong were handed over by the eunuchs to the palace guards and brought to the Meridian Gate. A large group of people had already gathered outside the Meridian Gate. At the head of the group sat an internal eunuch supervising the execution. Behind him stood thirty minor eunuchs, thirty Imperial Bodyguards on his right, and in front of him were fifty executioners armed with vermilion wooden sticks. It was a frightening scene, and even Yang Ling was shocked.
Seeing the appearance of the eunuch supervising the execution from afar, Gu Daeyong could not help but turn ashen. With a sobbing voice, he said, "Oh no, it's the Director of Rites Fan Ting, Eunuch Fan supervising the execution. Mr Yang, I'm afraid we won't be able to survive today."
Yang Ling asked, "Fan Ting? Is he very powerful? "
Gu Daeyong trembled as he said, "Eunuch Fan is the second in command of the Director of Rites Wang Yue, Eunuch Wang. He is in charge of Dongchang. He has always been the most vicious and merciless. We are finished this time. Just wait and see, according to the rules of the palace, if the eunuch supervising the execution pulls in the toe of his boot, he will die. Thirty strokes are enough to beat him to death."
Yang Ling's eyebrows were twitching as he listened, but when he heard that it was Dongchang's Factory Lord, a glimmer of hope appeared in his heart. He was someone sent by Dongchang and the Imperial Bodyguard to the Crown Prince's side. He hoped that this Factory Lord would not forget his past and remember who he was. If so, when he was beaten, perhaps he would be merciful.
The two of them were escorted in front of Fan Ting. They saw a man lying on the ground. His body was tightly wrapped in sackcloth. Only his head and shoulders were exposed. He could not move at all. Seeing the two of them coming, the man smiled bitterly and said, "Mr Yang, Eunuch Gu, you're here too?"
Seeing him, Gu Daeyong couldn't help being shocked and angry. In a sharp voice he said, "Qian Ning, did you report to His Majesty?"
Qian Ning was lying there like a mummy. He straightened his neck and rolled his eyes at Gu Daeyong. With a bitter smile, he helplessly said, "If I was the one who reported, would I still be lying here?"
He bitterly said, "Outside the Marquis Of Shouning's mansion, one of my subordinates accidentally dropped a token. In the end, the Three Law Bureau followed the clues and found me."
The young eunuch standing to the side loudly shouted, "Silence! Prisoners are not allowed to make noise!"
A moment later, Liu Jin, Ma Yongcheng, and the others were escorted to the Meridian Gate with ashen faces. Fan Ting slowly stood up. The young eunuch next to him brought over a vermilion tray wrapped in yellow silk. Fan Ting took the imperial edict from the tray and loudly read the Emperor's decree. "By the will of the Heavens, the Emperor decrees: Yang Ling …" When he read this name, he paused. His eyes quickly glanced at Yang Ling. Seeing that Yang Ling was also looking at him, he couldn't help but reveal an imperceptible smile.
Fan Ting continued reading, reading out the names of the ten people one by one. After announcing the imperial edict, he waved his hand, and the few of them were pressed to the ground in unison. Each of them was wrapped tightly in a piece of sackcloth, unable to move. Their feet were also tied up with a rope. Yang Ling was slightly relieved when he saw that he had only been stripped of his outer garments, and was not completely naked.
Qian Ning lay next to him and quietly said, "Don't worry, the executioners are all my subordinates. They won't really hit you. It's just that the last fall can't be faked. When the time comes, just hold your breath and bear it."
Yang Ling nervously said, "Many thanks for Brother Qian's advice. This is the first time I'm really a bit nervous."
Lying on his stomach, he raised his head and strenuously looked toward Fan Ting, wanting to see if the tips of his toes were outside or inside. Unexpectedly, through the gaps between the legs of the executioners, he only saw Fan Ting holding a teacup with his face up to the sky, with his legs trembling uncontrollably. He could not help but stare blankly.
He turned his eyes to look at Gu Daeyong and the others. He saw that they were also staring at each other. These people all knew the rules of beating people by the eunuchs in the Palace. Therefore, seeing that Fan Ting did not follow the rules today, they were all a bit baffled.
They saw a little eunuch move closer to Fan Ting's side. He bent his waist to listen to his instructions. Then he straightened his waist and raised his voice to shout, "Carry out the execution!" Ten little Flag Officers of the Imperial Bodyguard walked behind Yang Ling and the others with their wooden clubs in their hands. They raised their clubs high, shouted loudly, and 'whoosh!' the clubs came down.
The sound of the clubs was piercingly cold, it looked very intimidating, but when the clubs hit his buttocks, Yang Ling only felt a numbing and burning sensation, but he did not feel much pain. He was still puzzled. Suddenly he heard a miserable howl from the side. It was truly a sound that would make anyone cry, a sight that would make anyone grieve.
Yang Ling jumped in fright. He turned his head to look at Qian Ning. He saw that Qian Ning's mouth was drawn back, his face was contorted, and he was screaming like a pig being slaughtered. But as soon as he met Qian Ning's eyes, he saw Qian Ning was secretly winking at him, his eyes were incomparably crafty. Yang Ling was suddenly enlightened; he hastily followed suit and screamed in pain.
The ten little Flag Officers each struck three times with their clubs and then retreated. The little eunuch who gave the orders shouted again in a majestic manner, "Round up the punishment!" The fifty soldiers heard this, formed groups of five and lined up, taking turns to carry out the punishment. They shouted the command, one person shouted "Hit with all your might!" and then another person shouted "Hit with all your might!" and then another person shouted "Hit with all your might!" and then another person shouted "Hit with all your might!" and then another person shouted "Hit with all your might!" and then another person shouted "Hit with all your might!" and then another person shouted "Hit with all your might!" and then another stick came down. Although Yang Ling felt that the soldier seemed to be being lenient, but other than the three strikes from the little Flag Officers, which were very light, there was still some pain. Therefore, the screams were half real and half fake.
When he heard Gu Daeyong and the others' screams, he thought that these people's martial arts were really good. But when he turned his head to look, he saw Luo Xiang, who was next to him on his left, had hit his head on the ground and was screaming in pain. His body, which was tightly wrapped in sackcloth, was writhing and twitching like a maggot. His face was in so much pain that tears and mucus flowed down his face. He could not help but be frightened: "Looks like they are not receiving the same treatment as me, they are really, really getting beaten."
He raised his head to look at Fan Ting and saw that Eunuch Fan was raising his cup and drinking by himself. His expression was leisurely and contented. His crossed legs were still shaking gently, but he did not even look at him. Yang Ling secretly rejoiced that Fan Ting remembered who he was. If it was not for his orders, after these thirty strikes, even if he did not die, he would be crippled.
After thirty strokes, the soldiers threw away their wooden clubs, lifted the corners of the sackcloth tied to their bodies, and lifted them up with a shout. Yang Ling saw Qian Ning's eyes wide open and his breathing closed. He did not dare to be slow, and hurriedly took a deep breath. The four soldiers exerted their strength in unison, and with a loud shout, they swung Qian Ning high into the air, and he fell to the ground with a thud.
This fall caused Yang Ling's vision to turn black and he almost lost his breath. He endured the pain and lay on the ground for a long time, unable to breathe. After a long time, he gasped for breath and regained his consciousness. He heard groaning sounds all around him. He stole a glance and saw that Gao Feng, Luo Xiang and the others' faces were deathly pale. Their pure white clothes were stained with blood and they had already fainted.
Fan Ting unhurriedly stood up and waved his sleeve, saying: "The execution is complete. We have to return to the palace to receive the imperial edict. Let's go!" Fan Ting led the group of Imperial Bodyguards and left, leaving only ten people lying on the ground outside the Meridian Gate, unable to move.
After a long time, a few eunuchs from the Eastern Palace came out and helped Liu Jin and the others up. Qian Ning, who had been lying on the ground, took advantage of the situation and sat up. Gu Daeyong and the others had been beaten until they were weak and had no strength to greet them. They were dragged back to the palace by the eunuchs.
Qian Ning took out two small bottles from his pocket and tossed one to Yang Ling. "Drink it all," he said. "This is a top-notch medicine for injuries. I promise you won't get sick."
Yang Ling sat up with difficulty. Although the Imperial Bodyguards had been merciful, after thirty strikes, he still felt a burning pain. His buttocks were probably not only swollen but also broken.
Qian Ning's subordinates rushed over to help him and Yang Ling up. They carried them a long way and exercised their blood vessels until they felt numb and no longer felt any pain. Only then did they call for a carriage and help the two up. Qian Ning had long been prepared for the execution. The carriage was covered with thick cushions and there was even an Imperial Bodyguard doctor waiting in the carriage. He immediately took off the two's pants and applied the medicine.
Qian Ning said: "Mr. Yang, I'll take you home first and then go back to recuperate. Ouch, be gentle, my buttocks are really painful."
Qian Ning ordered the doctor and asked: "Mr. Yang, my subordinate lost his waist token and was found by the Imperial Bodyguard. Damn, the Marquis Of Shouning is really amazing. I, a dignified Imperial Bodyguard in charge of thousands of households, beat up a small servant of his, and he actually got an imperial edict to punish me. But I didn't say a word about the Crown Prince leaving the palace. How come you were also brought out to be tortured? "
Yang Ling knew that Hongzhi must have another group of people in charge of monitoring the movements inside and outside the palace. It was very likely that they were the secret agents of the West Factory. He didn't dare to casually reveal it and only said: "We returned to the palace and were seen by someone who reported to the Emperor. That's why we were arrested and beaten. It's just that … I'm really sorry that I implicated Official Qian."
Qian Ning pretended to be heroic and said: "We are brothers. We should drink wine together and endure beatings together. What is a little pain? For the Crown Prince, it's worth it to suffer a little more. "
He moved closer to Yang Ling and laughed in a low voice, "I heard that Grand Secretary Li and Zhang Heling fought in the throne room at noon today. In a fit of anger, the Emperor threw him into prison as well. Heh heh, I'm very happy to be able to let him stay in prison. Damn it, this is settled. It's never too late for a gentleman to take revenge. Let's wait and see, hahaha … Aiyo."
His laughter affected his wounds and he couldn't help but grimace in laughter. It was indescribably ugly.
When the car arrived at the gate of the Yang Family on Hu Guo Si Street, Yang Ling was worried that Young-niang would see his injuries and worry for him, so he refused Qian Ning's good intentions of sending someone to escort him. He got out of the car alone and endured the pain as he limped to the courtyard. At this time, the sun was setting in the west. The afterglow of the sun shone on the courtyard, striking the eyes with a golden color.
Yang Ling guessed that Young-niang was cooking in the room, so when he walked to the door, he straightened his back and looked to make sure there were no flaws. Only then did he push the door open and walk in. The fire on the stove had already died down. A black jar was gurgling with hot steam. A strong smell of Chinese medicine choked the nose, but there was no sign of Young-niang.
When Yang Ling saw this, he couldn't help but be shocked. He said hoarsely, "Young-niang, Young-niang?" After calling twice and not getting an answer, Yang Ling hurriedly endured the pain and rushed into the room. The light in the room was dim. He saw Young-niang curled up on the bed, covered with a quilt and motionless.
Yang Ling hurriedly rushed over and grabbed her thin shoulders. "Young-niang, Young-niang?" He touched Young-niang's forehead. It was burning hot. Han Youniang's body trembled slightly. She heard her husband's call and struggled to open her eyes. She wanted to speak, but her teeth were chattering, and she couldn't even say a word.
Yang Ling was scared out of his wits. He hugged Young-niang in horror. His heart was filled with pain and regret. In the past few days, he had also seen that Young-niang had no appetite and looked very bad. However, he felt that Young-niang was a martial artist and her body had always been strong. It should just be a common cold, so he didn't take it too seriously. At this time, seeing her haggard appearance, Yang Ling felt as if his heart had been hollowed out. He panicked and regretted.
Young-niang struggled in his arms and moaned, "It's so cold. Hubby, Young-niang is so cold. I … I'm very thirsty … I want to drink water …"
Yang Ling hurriedly said, "I'll go, I'll go. Wait, I'll get you some water."
He ran to the outer room in panic. After searching for a long time, he finally found the bowl. He searched everywhere, but he couldn't find the water. At home, he never had to worry about these things. When he was thirsty, warm tea would be sent to him. When he was hungry, steaming hot food would be served on the table. Everything was so natural. Now that he had to take care of Young-niang, he couldn't find anything. Thinking of how good Young-niang was, his heart felt even more uncomfortable.
Young-niang was so sick, how could he let her drink cold water? Yang Ling scooped up a ladle of water and threw it back into the vat. He ran to the stove and put the medicine pot to the side. The handle was so hot that he almost dropped the medicine pot.
Yang Ling hurriedly filled half a pot of water and sat on the stove. He stuffed seven or eight pieces of firewood into the pot. Seeing the fire burning, he felt relieved and rushed back to the room. He lit the oil lamp and brought it to Young-niang. Then he hugged Young-niang and whispered, "Young-niang, I'm boiling the water. It'll be done in a while. It'll be done in a while."
The light in front of her made Young-niang squint her eyes. She licked her dry lips and opened her dazed eyes. She coughed for a while and said with an ashamed smile, "Husband, you're back. Young-niang is so useless. I … … I … … I went to see the doctor. He said that I had a cold. But when I came back with the medicine, I couldn't take it anymore."
Yang Ling saw that while she was talking, her body kept shivering. Her face was red and sickly. Under the light, he could faintly see the rose-colored rash on her neck. It didn't look like she had a cold at all. He couldn't help but panic and said, "What cold? This bullshit doctor is delaying things. I'll take you to see a doctor. I'll find the best doctor."
He didn't say anything and ignored Young-niang's powerless struggle. He carried her body and rushed out. The old man who was preparing to close the stall was surprised to see his neighbor, Mr. Yang, rush in front of him and anxiously asked, "Old man, where can I find a doctor? No, no, where can I find a doctor? I want to find the best doctor! "
When the talkative old man heard Yang Ling call him old man, he couldn't help but feel flattered and said, "Daren, the best doctor in this street is Mr. Liu from Wild Chrysanthemum Garden. Golden Needle Liu is famous in the capital, but his consultation fee is really … …" Seeing that Yang Ling's eyes were about to spit fire, the old man quickly changed his words and said, "This street is the third shop at the end. Daren … … I have a small cart at home. Daren, do you want to take Madam there?
It's not a short distance. "Yang Ling nodded his head. The old man hurriedly ran home and took out a two-wheeled cart. Yang Ling saw that the cart was usually used to transport goods and people, so it was a bit dirty. He quickly went back to take a bed and put Young-niang on it and covered her with a quilt. After this toss and turn, Young-niang's breathing became more rapid. Her eyes were tightly closed and she was already unconscious.
Yang Ling was as anxious as fire. He pulled the cart and ran all the way to Wild Chrysanthemum Garden. But right now, his legs were also inconvenient. It was difficult for him to move, but he ran with all his might. Under the setting sun, his desolate figure looked unspeakably sad.
"Madam is young and has always been healthy. That's why she only got sick now. This is not a good thing. The cold has been accumulating in the body for a long time. Once it breaks out, it will be like a building collapsing. If you want to treat it again, sigh … …" Golden Needle Liu gently shook his head while stroking his beard.
This Mr. Yang was like a tiger in danger. He pulled the cart and kicked open the door of the shop. He also took out the Imperial Bodyguard card and forcibly drove away the rich man and his twelfth concubine who were asking for treatment for infertility. Then he pulled his arm and came to see his wife.
Seeing that the person who came was a member of the Imperial Bodyguard, Doctor Liu originally had some fear. But when he talked about the pathology, his occupational disease inevitably acted up and he began to shake his head.
Yang Ling was so anxious that beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. He swallowed his saliva and worriedly looked at the unconscious Young-niang. He begged: "Mister, please think of a way. How can my wife be treated? Mister, rest assured, no matter how expensive the medicine is, no matter how much money you spend, I will do it. Mister, please take care of me. "
Golden Needle Liu frowned and said: "Madam has been sick for a long time. The human body's Yang defense is deficient. It is easy to feel the cold. The disease can be divided into external cold and internal cold. I see that although Madam's body is strong … … I am afraid that she has been suffering from cold for a long time. The external cold has not dissipated for a long time. Thus, it caused the internal cold to occur. The cold is Yin, and the Yin is cold. Therefore, the blood and Qi are condensed, and the meridians are blocked … … "
When Yang Ling heard this, he remembered the time when they lived in the Yang Family. In the dead of winter, Young-niang only wrapped herself in thin clothes every night. Every day, she suffered from the cold. Could it be that the root of her illness was from that time? Yang Ling thought of the suffering that Young-niang suffered during that time. He couldn't help but feel a pain in his heart. Tears streamed down his face. At this time, seeing that Golden Needle Liu was able to tell the cause of the disease, a glimmer of hope appeared in his heart. He hurriedly asked: "Mister, may I ask how to treat it?"
Golden Needle Liu frowned and said: "Madam's body has been suffering from cold for a long time. The meridians are blocked, and the blood and Qi are not good. Originally, with her body, she could slowly recover, but not long after, she was living in a hot place. The Yang and Yang collided, and the cold quickly entered the spleen and kidneys. This caused the spleen to be unable to circulate. The kidneys are unable to absorb Qi, so the water channels are unblocked. The marrow and warmth nourish the whole body. The water is forced into the blood … … "
"Fuck … …" When Yang Ling heard that he was still talking about Yin and Yang and the Five Elements, he couldn't help but be scared. He jumped up and grabbed Golden Needle Liu's clothes. His face was ferocious. There was no trace of gentleness left. He shouted: "Don't talk to me about pathology. I only ask you, how to treat it? How to use the medicine! "
Golden Needle Liu didn't get angry. He looked at Yang Ling with pity. He shook his head and said: "The disease has entered the wilderness. It's hard to cure."
Yang Ling let go of his hand. He fell down on the chair. After a while, he suddenly jumped up and shouted: "I don't believe it. I don't believe it. It can't be. I'm not dead yet. How can Young-niang die?"
He hugged the unconscious Han Youniang. With tears in his eyes, he said: "In this big city of Beijing, I don't believe that I can't find a person who can cure Young-niang!" He carefully placed Young-niang on the cart. He pushed the cart. Because he ran all the way, he tore his wound. Blood stained his shirt. As Yang Ling pulled the cart, he murmured: "The heavens have eyes. They won't let Young-niang die. They won't!"
Golden Needle Liu shook his head. He knew that the person in front of him was from the Imperial Bodyguard. He couldn't afford to offend him. But because of his dignity as a famous doctor, he waited for him to leave. He quietly muttered: "In Beijing, I don't dare to say that my medical skills are the best. But if I can't cure it … … I'm afraid no one else can. If you believe me, you can use some tiger wolf medicine to make her temporarily awake and leave her last words. But now … … heh heh! "
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