Chapter 38: The leader of the Flower Dynasty Princess CP fan club has arrived. ...
The most bustling area of Chang'an West Market was home to a large number of people.
At noon, the sun shone brightly, sweeping away the dense spring rain and overcast skies of the previous days, making it feel extremely refreshing.
The people kept gathering in the West Market: "Come quickly and see! Feng Dang and other corrupt officials are going to be publicly executed today!"
"It's so satisfying to kill pests like these! It's just a shame this scene can't be preserved for long; all future generations should be able to witness it..."
"Do you need to tell me? The Emperor decreed that their skins be made into drums, and future officials will beat these drums upon taking office. That should be enough to intimidate them, right?"
The sounds were noisy and fragmented.
People from several cities near Chang'an even came to watch the spectacle.
The place is becoming increasingly crowded, with people packed shoulder to shoulder and no space left.
Even though the guards maintaining order in the city shouted as loudly as they could, they could not dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd in the slightest.
"When to execute him?"
"A mere Assistant Minister of the Court of Judicial Review can embezzle thousands of taels of silver and cause the deaths of countless innocent people. Bai Ning, I will never forgive you!"
"Kill them! Kill them!"
"..."
Most of the people in the city had been harmed by these corrupt officials.
Good and evil will eventually be rewarded. They used to lord it over the people, but now they are prisoners. The people naturally cheered. Some even brought eggs, vegetable leaves, and stones, just waiting for the prisoners to appear so they could vent their anger.
It was nearly 3:45 noon.
The people craned their necks to look at the other end of the long street.
However, at this moment, the dense crowd fell silent. The people spontaneously moved to both sides of the street, and without any guidance, they parted like waves to create a wide road.
That was the Dragon Martial Army escorting prisoners to the execution ground.
This group of soldiers numbered about two hundred, and the rhythmic rustling of their armor plates was exceptionally clear and pleasant.
Heavy armored soldiers led the way, while lightly armored soldiers escorted the prisoners.
Unlike any other army in the Qin Dynasty, the soldiers of the Dragon Martial Army were tall and strong, their powerful physiques displaying the majesty of the Qin court and making the prisoners they were escorting appear even more disheveled.
The prisoners, some pale and others with limp legs, were dragged to the execution ground, and those who could speak were still crying and begging for mercy.
"Help! Don't kill me! I don't want to die..."
"This official has repented and reformed, Your Majesty, please spare my life! Your Majesty, please spare my life!!!"
In this situation, the people went from being silent to being completely still.
It's as if a sword called the Great Qin Law is hanging overhead; if anyone dares to commit a crime, they will be immediately killed by that sword.
Suddenly, the prisoner at the front of the procession saw the execution platform convulse and collapse, and the procession paused for a moment.
The offending official was none other than the Dali Temple Assistant Minister whom the people had just been cursing.
Two years ago, Bai Ning investigated a treason case. It was said that several miners in a mountain near Yongzhou had rebelled, and all the miners were executed.
However, in reality, it was Bai Ning who colluded with wealthy merchants to take a liking to this mine, taking advantage of the loopholes in the imperial court's crackdown on the rebels, and causing a huge injustice involving the lives of hundreds of people.
Bai Ning was foaming at the mouth and completely unconscious.
The heavily armored soldiers in charge of escorting the goods turned around and looked at the back of the column.
The sound of hooves slowly approached from afar. The horse was tall and strong, its silver armor gleaming. The young general on horseback had a face as cold as frost.
Xie Qianli had just recovered from his injuries and was no longer resting. He took on this escort mission as soon as he returned to the capital, representing the court in demonstrating to the people the emperor's determination to restore peace and prosperity to the land.
The shadows completely enveloped Bai Ning.
Xie Qianli said coldly, "Wake him up and let him die clearly."
That tone sent chills down your spine.
The military doctor immediately stepped forward, and after acupuncture, Bai Ning regained consciousness, letting out a pig-like scream, and was led to the execution ground along with a group of convicted officials.
The shouts rose and fell even more loudly:
"Don't kill me! Your Majesty, spare my life! Your Majesty, spare my life!"
"You've come—you've all come! Don't come any closer, don't drag me away! I'm not going to the underworld, I'm not going down there, I won't, hahahaha..."
The executioner sent by the Ministry of Justice stood up and, upon seeing the Duke of Ying, offered Xie Qianli his seat. Xie Qianli was already taller than average, and his heavy armor made him look like a statue of a martial god sculpted from ice and snow.
Sending such a menacing figure to escort the prisoner made even the executioner a little apprehensive: "Greetings, Your Excellency."
Xie Qianli nodded: "I will escort the prisoner and carry out the execution as usual."
He didn't take a seat either, but stood on the execution platform opposite the execution ground. His piercing gaze was enough to keep the crowd from making a fuss.
The executioner ordered, "Where is the head of the Ministry of Justice? Read the charges!"
Several officials from the Ministry of Justice stood up, unfolded the prepared case files, and read aloud to the audience the details of the cases involving the convicted officials and the legal provisions that had been triggered.
His numerous misdeeds are too many to recount.
Compared to all the corrupt officials here, the Bai Ning mine case was actually not the most shocking one, leaving the people astonished.
Noon, 3:45.
The executioner drew a warrant:
"Execute them!!!"
The screams abruptly ceased. The executioner raised his blade and brought it down.
Blood gushed forth, blood flowed like a river, and the people's anger reached its peak.
The execution of corrupt officials was intended to uphold the law, serve as a warning to others, and revitalize the social order, restoring the strict and just legal system of the Qin Dynasty. The people of the West Market cheered.
***
Yunyong Tower in Xishi.
From the top floor, you can see the execution site in the distance.
The moment the knife fell, Ying Xi closed her eyes.
He hated corrupt officials, but he also disliked bloodshed. The sunlight streaming through the window illuminated his delicate profile, his skin as clear and bright as jade.
Sweetie said, "Thank you, Your Majesty." She prevented it from witnessing the execution.
Ying Xi responded indifferently.
Today, he came out in white dragon-fish attire to observe the execution. Lang Xun and Yu Jing sat on either side of him. On the table were home-style dishes, green and purple grapes, two freshly baked Gulouzi sesame cakes, tea, but no wine.
Lang Xun and Yu Jing remained silent.
Even the most satisfying execution is still murder, and the atmosphere at the table was heavy.
Yu Jing tried to break the ice by saying, "The Ministry of Justice has inventoried and confiscated Feng Yong's assets, which far exceed 150,000 taels of silver. In addition, there are several manors that Feng Yong built privately, which are worth hundreds of thousands of taels in total. Your Majesty is overjoyed."
His Majesty did not smile.
Yu Jing couldn't help but connect this to her absurd conjecture: because of this man surnamed Feng, Xie Ji died and Xie Qianli was seriously injured, and His Majesty might be unhappy.
Yu Jing smiled ingratiatingly and tried to salvage the situation: "Look at the Duke, so majestic and heroic! He has recovered so well; it's all thanks to the master's grace..."
"That big wolfhound is so handsome," Tian Tong chimed in.
Ying Xi ignored the two noises and was counting down the days.
The North is peaceful, but only for this period of time.
Taking advantage of the political stability, he quickly dealt with a group of corrupt officials. After that, the situation in the North and South would no longer be optimistic. Rebellions broke out again in the North, while Li Yilong in Jiangnan watched from the sidelines and continued to expand his forces.
Moreover, the Xiongnu and the Southern Barbarians were not at peace either.
The Xiongnu were eyeing them covetously, and the southern barbarians wanted to take advantage of the situation.
In his previous life, the Qin Dynasty sent a princess as a sacrifice in a marriage alliance, which temporarily extinguished the flames on the border.
Poor Princess Huachao was born quiet and gentle, like a sheep or a deer, yet she was sent thousands of miles away to be tormented by the barbarian king.
Ying Xi will not allow such a thing to happen again. He is mentally prepared and there is no need to be too anxious. Moreover, he is richer now than in his previous life, and he has more confidence to do whatever he wants.
Ying Xi gracefully curled the corners of her lips.
At this moment, Yunyonglou was experiencing peak visitor flow, and hurried footsteps could be heard on the stairs.
On the other side of the stairs, the waiter said with difficulty, "Miss, the top floor is full. How about I arrange a seat for you downstairs? The dishes are the same upstairs."
"No, no! I have to stay upstairs. Downstairs are just a bunch of peddlers and vendors, not the kind of people I want to see!"
Hearing such arrogant words, Ying Xi frowned slightly.
The waiter explained with a forced smile, "It's peak time for customers right now, why don't you wait a moment, miss?"
The girl replied, "I can't wait! It's more interesting with a large group of people. This lady is just missing such a peerless figure!"
The girl was in a hurry to go upstairs, and the waiter couldn't understand what she was saying at all. He thought she was a crazy person who had wandered out of someone's house because he hadn't looked after her properly. At this moment, he produced a heavy silver ingot in his hand.
The waiter's eyes lit up: "Then should I find someone to share a seat with you, young lady?"
"Go quickly!"
Ying Xi shook her head. Sure enough, when the waiter approached, before he could even speak, Lang Xun firmly refused, "My young master is of noble status. How can he easily sit at the same table with others?"
That's certainly true.
Even Yu Jing and Lang Xun, the Grand Steward and the Chief of the Guard, were filled with trepidation as they sat to the left and right of the Emperor.
The waiter didn't want the duck that was already in his mouth to fly away.
But Lang Xun seemed to be a real expert; the smile on Yu Jing's lips sent a chill down one's spine. The waiter had no choice but to back down.
But the girl thought she had found a seat and had already come over: she strode over, a little reckless, with delicate features and a short stature, like a wild rabbit that was bound to crash into a tree stump and die.
"—Gentlemen of noble birth, please allow the young ladies to sit here! This table is for the ladies!"
She sat calmly opposite Ying Xi, rolled up her sleeves, and glanced up. Her almond-shaped eyes were round and bright.
But in an instant, his expression suddenly collapsed, as if there was a fire burning on the seat.
The little girl jumped up, looked around for a while, and then took several steps back.
"Emperor—Emperor, Emperor, Emperor..."
The domineering attitude of bullying men and women vanished in an instant.
Princess Huachao is like a well-behaved and sensible student who is leading a fight, swimming, and tree climbing, and happens to be caught by the teacher.
Ying Xi looked at her indifferently: "Hmm?"
No matter how Princess Huachao tried to reconcile her earlier self with the elegant and demure persona she displayed within the royal family.
Hua Chao glanced awkwardly at his still-rolled-up sleeves, and said in a melancholy and bitter tone, having completely lost his chance to salvage the situation: "Greetings, Brother Huang."
Ying Xi discovered something rare.
Within the royal family, Ying Xi didn't have many relatives of the same generation; Prince Yong and Hua Chao were two exceptions.
He didn't have much contact with this cousin. As far as he could remember, Hua Chao was very obedient, neither saying much nor being impolite.
Is the real Hua Chao really this flamboyant?
Ying Xi looked Hua Chao up and down again.
In his previous life, the rebellion between the North and South broke out again. The barbarian king in the Southwest extorted the Great Qin Dynasty, demanding a princess as a bride. But his real intention was not to take the princess, but to take the dowry.
No wonder Hua Chao remained calm when she boarded the wedding carriage, but not long after marrying the barbarian king, news came that she had been abused and died.
She was only pretending to be knowledgeable and reasonable.
Such is her nature, and it's hard to hide it everywhere. Once she arrived in southern Xinjiang, she couldn't control her temper, and she didn't have a strong family backing her up.
Her status as a princess first bound her, and then led to her death.
If Ying Xi truly has someone she has wronged, then Princess Ying Jia of Huachao, forced by circumstances, is indeed the first one.
Yingxi peeled a grape and ate it; it was very sour, probably not in season.
His tone was indifferent, but it already carried an indescribable sense of indulgence: "Brother, you're out for a walk. Feel free to make yourself at home and sit wherever you like."
"Uh..." Hua Chao felt like she had seen a ghost, and her eyes slowly widened.
Is this something her imperial brother would say?
My elder brother is aloof and upright, and he dislikes casual people the most.
For example, Prince Yong's elder brother was often sent by the emperor's elder brother, an old minister, to give him a lecture because of his unruly and dissolute behavior.
Hana-cho dislikes being lectured, so she pretends to be well-behaved.
But now that his elder brother is telling him to do whatever he wants, Hua Chao doesn't know what to do.
He could only pour tea for Yingxi, saying, "Please have some, brother."
Ying Xi took the cup of tea with a serious expression. Suddenly remembering what she had just said, she wondered if the woman had been wronged somewhere and asked, "Did the cart driver offend you?"
"No...it's not that either." Princess Huachao lowered her head.
In her memory, her elder brother was always busy with official duties and trivial matters of the court, and had no time to chat with her, let alone care about her life.
Ying Jia felt like she was sitting on pins and needles, yet also felt a surge of furry excitement. She muttered softly, "Oh, Your Majesty, please don't ask anymore. I was just joking."
Ying Xi was also taken aback, her teacup trembling slightly as she felt a sense of unfamiliarity.
How should I put it?
Ying Xi was in the imperial court and had no harem, so no one dared to act coquettishly towards him.
Today I've stumbled upon Ying Jia's true colors. I never imagined that Ying Jia would not only be so outspoken, but also so daring to take advantage of others.
Hua Chao knew she couldn't hide it anymore, so she simply revealed her true nature. Taking advantage of the fact that he didn't intend to punish her, she cautiously pushed her luck, intending to get away with it.
Ying Xi savored it for a moment and actually found it quite enjoyable.
Ying Xi said, "Then I won't ask anymore. You can do as you please, and you don't need to pay for the meal."
Yingjia's eyes widened even more.
Although the siblings had been estranged for a long time, they were both members of the royal family and shared the same roots. Ying Jia easily felt a sense of closeness to Ying Xi.
However, the emperor's majesty was not to be trifled with. She dared not act rashly and had to attend to important matters first.
She first took out a pen, then a notebook, and while looking around, she lowered her head to write something down.
She seemed to be silently observing the elegantly dressed men gathered on the top floor of Yunyong Tower.
Ying Xi was not surprised.
To be honest, after hearing Tian Tong's lewd talk about touching chest muscles and giving aphrodisiacs all day long, Hua Chao was actually quite reserved.
Hua Chao, however, did not think that way.
Hana-cho is acting really weird today.
She had clearly only come to gather materials, but she saw a different kind of imperial brother outside the palace.
Her elder brother was dressed today in a wide-sleeved robe with a snow-white base and glittering gold embellishments. The cuffs were decorated with noble and gorgeous patterns, and he exuded an elegant fragrance. His voice was clearer than ice shattering and jade striking.
Compared to her imperial brother, everyone else in the room looked rather shabby!
The key point is that he treats me quite well.
The real-life figures that Ying Jia had just recorded suddenly seemed like pearls in the eyes of the emperor.
The princess's eyes were darting around, and flowery words were tumbling out, overturning all the plots she had already conceived.
She originally wanted to write a story about a courtesan who became entangled with many patrons, and was eventually rescued by a peerless man.
But suddenly, she changed her mind.
It turns out that when she truly faced beautiful things, what she thought of was how to cherish them.
If the protagonist were someone like the emperor's elder brother, as bright and beautiful as the moon, she would be reluctant to see him bow down to anyone else.
The story of the young master risking his life to save the courtesan from prostitution slowly faded from Ying Jia's mind.
She secretly observed Ying Xi, when suddenly another strong creative inspiration surged within her, and a thousand thoughts burst forth.
But she couldn't catch it for the time being.
Ying Jia lowered her head anxiously, almost burying it in her notebook.
At this moment, she noticed that her brother, the emperor, had straightened his body, pursed his lips, and his expression had become very serious.
Ying Jia was confused.
Is it something to do with national affairs?
She noticed Ying Xi's brows furrow slightly, which made Ying Jia's heart curl up in fear.
As for what Princess Huachao didn't know—
Right in front of Ying Xi, the romance system popped up a message, issuing a new task: Feed Xie Qianli (0/1000)
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