One hundred strokes of the cane is already a severe punishment; the clerks in the yamen who administer the caning must be skilled in the art.

If you want to take someone's life, let alone a hundred, five or ten strokes would be enough.

If one doesn't want to, even a hundred strokes of the cane will only cause superficial wounds, making one look miserable but not damaging the internal organs.

Judging from the judgment, he would still need to repay the interest on the land and houses afterward, so it was impossible for him to be killed.

Wang Chong let out a bloodcurdling scream and struggled to get up:

"No! Please have mercy, Your Excellency! I am willing to pay, even if it means going bankrupt!"

"Execute!" Deng Hongyi's voice rang out.

Two constables rushed forward and roughly dragged the limp Wang Chong up from the ground.

Wang Chong's face was ashen, tears streaming down his face, and he let out a desperate moan.

He was shoved and dragged by the yamen runners like a fat pig waiting to be slaughtered, and pulled out of the hall amidst deafening curses and spittle.

Before long, the sounds of caning and screams of agony rang out, along with the clamor of the people counting their punishments.

Deng Hongyi picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and the vermilion brush fell to the ground.

His heart-wrenching cries were drowned out by the fervent clamor of the crowd. After enduring more than twenty strokes of the cane, he groaned, and finally fell silent.

The constables knew what was going on and would never kill him on the spot.

However, he indirectly caused the deaths of several people, so while he may be spared the death penalty, he cannot escape punishment.

It's inevitable that he'll linger on for a while; as for whether he can be cured and how long he can live, that's up to fate.

Isn't he a pharmacy owner? Perhaps his medical skills are good enough to save himself, but to get back on his feet... well...

After the execution, Wang Chong's lower body was a bloody mess.

The man had already passed out. When the constables lifted him up, his head drooped, like a dead dog.

Chen Yu was short and thin, so he couldn't see the execution process at all.

But as the people around him reported their numbers one by one, each sound was like a hammer blow to his heart.

Now she is completely convinced that Manager Wang's affair has been exposed and she no longer needs to bear the high interest.

The immense burden on my shoulders was suddenly lifted, and my legs felt weak, as if I were walking on clouds.

My head was spinning, and it took me a long time to regain my senses.

He was panting heavily, and in no time his inner shirt was soaked with sweat.

Her name was not mentioned in the recent case ruled by the Prefect of Jingzhao, probably because the debt had not yet been forcibly collected.

So...did he know what Manager Wang was secretly forcing her to do?

They must not have known, otherwise it wouldn't have been as simple as just one hundred strokes of the cane.

Chen Yu's lips were pressed into a thin line, her mind in turmoil.

Should we say something? Should we report it?

After much deliberation, she finally made her decision.

No, we absolutely cannot ruin the provincial examination. We must pass this time to avoid repeating the same mistake.

Three years—Chen Yu couldn't wait any longer.

She shuffled along the crowd, inching her way out, her small body straining with all her might.

First, approach the edge where the officials are maintaining order; there are still some gaps there.

He walked quickly, bending over, one step ahead of the water and fire sticks.

It took quite a bit of effort to finally get out of the alley.

I was drenched in sweat and felt even more tired than if I had walked forty or fifty miles.

She had only drunk a bowl of thin porridge when she got up early. She hadn't felt it yet because she was so nervous, but now she was starting to feel weak in the knees.

After buying two sesame seed cakes, Chen Yu ate them as he walked. He was worried that someone might sabotage the provincial examination, so he had to spread the word.

After thinking it over, I realized there was only one place left, so I strode towards Qionggui Lane.

In the deep dungeon, Wang Chong suddenly awoke.

hiss……

The heavy darkness, like thick ink, enveloped him endlessly.

Consciousness teetered on the edge of a bottomless abyss, and every attempt to rise was met with a tearing, excruciating pain that yanked it back.

The excruciating pain gnawed deep into his bones, but he was indeed fully awake.

Wang Chong gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead, throbbing incessantly.

How much time has passed? He wondered.

When the pain finally began to subside, my head suddenly throbbed with a sharp, needle-like pain.

Suddenly jolted awake, Wang Chong opened his eyes.

Before me lay a dark prison cell, completely different from the one I had been held in before in the Jingzhao Prefecture prison.

Not only that, but a boning knife was also hanging in front of him, with wisps of black mist swirling around its handle.

"ah!"

It felt like ten steel needles were piercing my head, and intense pain swept over me.

Strangely, his thoughts became more active, and he felt his upper body filled with strength, as if he could stand up right now.

Just then, a faint voice came from beside him, "Wang Chong, it's time to tell the truth."

What appeared was naturally Dou Zhan.

Last night, they lured the snake out of its hole and arrested a large number of suspects, but it is still unknown whether there are any big fish among them.

Therefore, after Yin Zhe returned to Cheng Yuan, Dou Zhan was sent to Jingzhao Prefecture.

I don't understand what you're saying!

Dou Zhan squatted down in front of him, staring straight into Wang Chong's eyes, his right palm outstretched, and the boning knife flew into his hand.

“You were screaming loudly in the hall, but you weren’t really panicking.”

After digesting the information overnight, he was able to roughly control the manifestation and concealment of the "power".

The perception of those in the Divine Martial Realm is far superior to that of those in the Qi Martial Realm, enabling them to detect even the most subtle changes.

During the trial, Wang Chong shouted "happily" as if he were no different from all the previous criminals, but he could not escape the eyes of the judge.

"Also, when the Prefect of the Capital sentenced you to one hundred strokes of the cane, you breathed a sigh of relief. Why?"

The weight of a mountain pressed down on him, rendering Wang Chong completely immobile, yet his mind remained clear.

"M-Sir," this time, he was truly panicked.

"A hundred strokes of the cane are terrible, but at least they can save my life, that's why...that's why..."

"You're lying."

He uttered three words coldly, his tone completely flat, not in question, but with absolute certainty.

Dou Zhan sighed, slowly stood up, and looked down at Wang Chong.

"You don't know who I am. I am Xuanji Guard, the Chief Executioner of the Netherworld Prison."

Wang Chong's pupils suddenly dilated, and his body trembled uncontrollably.

An ordinary person's spirit is already greatly suppressed by the "momentum" of fighting.

Coupled with the secret technique used to forcibly awaken her earlier, it's now difficult for her to conceal her true emotions.

"I hope you can hold on a little longer..."

Before he finished speaking, the boning knife from the chisel had already fallen.

On the other side, Chen Yu walked briskly all the way and finally arrived at his destination.

Looking up, the seven-story tower seems to pierce the clouds, with the plaque reading "Qizhen Pavilion".

Chen Yu unconsciously rubbed the hem of her clothes with both hands, gritted her teeth, and strode forward.