Lin Mo's eyes focused instantly. The person was none other than his former acquaintance—Huo Cheng!
"It's you?" Lin Mo's voice revealed a hint of surprise and confusion.
Zhao Shu, how dare he employ someone from the Huo family?
Huo Minggao, the traitor who colluded with the Northern Barbarians to besiege the capital while Lin Mo was engaged in a fierce battle with Dong Pan Ge. His actions plunged the capital into chaos. However, under Lin Mo's iron-fisted rule, Huo Minggao's conspiracy was ultimately thwarted, and he fled in panic like a defeated dog.
However, at this moment, Huo Cheng reappeared in his sight and was employed by Zhao Shu. The reason for this stirred up an indescribable emotion in Lin Mo's heart.
Huo Cheng looked up at the bedside table and then said, "Your Highness, please sit down!"
At this moment, a majestic platform has been erected on the side of the water. Huo Cheng sits on it, his eyes as sharp as a hawk's, looking down at the group of trembling suspects below.
To his left stood a towering gallows, its thick ropes seemingly capable of devouring life, long enough to suspend twenty souls at once.
At this moment, four corpses hung from the gallows, swaying slightly in the wind, as if telling endless tales of sorrow. One of them still looked fresh, while the other three had weathered the elements, their skin withered and their appearance horribly pale.
A bold crow, ignoring the somber atmosphere, plucked a sliver of rotting flesh from one of the decaying corpses—its feast for the day. The other crows, however, scattered due to the crowd gathered below,不敢易近 (不敢易近 is a phrase that doesn't translate directly but implies a reluctance to approach).
The townspeople thronged around, their eyes filled with anticipation and fervor, as if waiting for a grand spectacle—someone to be mercilessly taken from their life by the gallows.
Besides Huo Cheng, another official from the Great Xia Dynasty sat on the high platform. His expression was equally stern as he surveyed the scene below with Huo Cheng.
He was unforgettable; his skin was as pale as the morning frost of early winter, and his body was covered with a layer of soft, fluffy fat, as if those were the gentlest clouds in the world.
He wore a pristine white shirt, with fiery red riding breeches tightly wrapped around his legs, and a delicate mink cloak pinned to his shoulder with a pure gold brooch, making him appear both luxurious and precious.
Huo Cheng, on the other hand, presented a completely different image. He was clad in heavy chainmail and tough leather armor, resembling an unshakeable mountain. A breastplate made of gray steel covered his chest, gleaming with a cold light.
His greatsword hilt protruded abruptly from behind his left shoulder, like a sleeping beast, ready to awaken and tear apart any enemy.
A young man wearing a coarse cloth cloak and dirty clothes was being interrogated. “I didn’t harm anyone, sir,” Lin Mo heard him say. “I just took what they left behind when they ran away. If you want to cut off my fingers for that, then cut them off.”
“According to the rules of this world, thieves should be punished with a single finger,” Huo Cheng’s voice was as cold and hard as steel, without a trace of emotion, “but you, you stole not only property, but also the food that orphans and widows depend on for survival. This crime is even more serious.”
His gaze sharpened as he turned to the captain of the guards standing to the side. “Today, I want you to cut off three of his fingers, but remember, leave seven thumbs, to show that he still has a shred of humanity left.”
"Three...three sticks?" The thief's face turned ashen instantly, his voice trembling with despair.
The guards seized him without mercy, and his resistance was weak and feeble, as if he had truly become a cripple.
Then, Huo Cheng turned to the next criminal—a steamed bun vendor. He was accused of mixing sawdust into the flour to pass it off as high-quality.
"You have used ill-gotten gains to deceive the people. You are hereby fined ten taels of silver as a warning to others." Huo Cheng's words were brief and powerful.
The boss looked terrified, waving his hands repeatedly and swearing to the heavens that he didn't have that much money. Huo Cheng watched coldly, unmoved. He knew that in this world, some people were always thinking about how to exploit loopholes and how to gain the greatest benefit with the least cost.
However, Huo Cheng was here today to show these people that in this city, rules cannot be easily trampled upon. He slightly raised his hand, signaling the guards to take action. Seeing this, the shopkeeper turned pale and could only helplessly accept the punishment.
Next to step onto the stage was a carpenter, his face deathly pale, clearly filled with fear. Standing opposite him was an archer from the Great Xia Dynasty, his wrists wrapped in thick bandages, seemingly silently recounting the earlier conflict.
"My lord, this shameless scoundrel actually stabbed my hand with a dagger." The archer's voice trembled slightly, clearly a mixture of anger and pain. "He groundlessly accused me of cheating when rolling the dice, completely disregarding the facts."
Huo Cheng's gaze was as sharp as a hawk's as he carefully examined the carpenter before him. His voice was cold and firm: "Is gambling permitted within the Great Xia military camp?"
The archer was taken aback by the sudden question. He paused for a moment, then swallowed hard and answered cautiously, "M-Sir, this...this should not be allowed."
Huo Cheng nodded slightly, satisfied with the archer's answer. He turned to the carpenter, his voice devoid of any emotion: "What else do you have to say?"
The carpenter was pale and stammered, trying to explain, but the words wouldn't come out. Seeing this, Huo Cheng gave him no further chances.
"Since you have nothing to say, then let's proceed according to military regulations," Huo Cheng said calmly. "Cut off one of his little fingers and let him choose for himself. As for the other hand, pierce the palm with a nail as punishment."
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