Chapter 57 Caishikou

In the capital, the place where criminals are beheaded is called Caishikou.

On weekdays, Caishikou is a bustling street with pedestrians coming and going.

When there is a public beheading, the Ministry of Justice will clear the Caishikou area in advance and prepare the venue.

Every time a prisoner is beheaded in Caishikou, the common people will come to watch the excitement.

This time, everyone heard that it was the emperor who ordered the beheading of corrupt officials, and there were fifteen corrupt officials, including the current minister and the son of Grand Tutor Jiang. The level of excitement was no different from a festival.

People planned to watch the beheading several days in advance.

Most of the people in the capital, as long as they could spare time on this day, were all eager to watch. Those

who really couldn't get away could only sigh alone, as if they had missed a once-in-a-century event.

Citizens from prefectures and counties near the capital, as long as they had money and time, would come to the capital by carriage several days in advance, find an inn to stay in, and wait to watch the beheading.

All the inns in the entire capital were fully booked within a few days.

Guests who came late couldn't even find a place to stay, so they had to park their carriages in secluded places and spend the night in the carriages.

The wine houses, teahouses, and restaurants in Caishikou, as long as they had a favorable position to watch the beheading, all became popular.

The store owners specially marked the window seats on the second, third, and fourth floors as VIP seats of different levels and sold tickets to the public.

The top floor window seats are the most expensive, the lower floor window seats are the second most expensive, and the seats not near the window are the cheapest.

Many shops in Caishikou made a lot of money by selling tickets in advance.

On the day of beheading, before dawn, Caishikou was already full of people.

Xia Zhengqi deliberately stopped attending court on this day.

In Kunning Palace, Xia Zhengqi got up early, washed and dressed neatly.

The queen deliberately put a peace amulet on Xia Zhengqi: "This is what I asked for from Guangji Temple, and it was painted by Master Huihai himself. Wear it on your body to ward off evil spirits."

"Ruoyu is still considerate." Xia Zhengqi smiled sweetly.

Xia Miaoyuan was cleaned up by the nanny at this time, sitting on the bed and playing with the rattle.

[Wow, is Dad going to execute corrupt officials today?]

[I want to go and see too.]

[I want to go too!]

[Daddy, take me there!]

Xia Miaoyuan threw away the rattle and stretched out her two little hands to reach Xia Zhengqi, babbling as if she was talking.

"Miaoer, are you going out with father?" Xia Zhengqi leaned over lovingly and gently pinched Xia Miaoyuan's round and smooth little face.

[Yeah, yeah, yeah, I want to go, I want to go.]

Xia Miaoyuan nodded vigorously.

"Not today, father is going to Caishikou Prison today, children can't go, they will be scared."

Xia Miaoyuan grabbed Xia Zhengqi's robe with her little hands, crying and protesting.

"I really can't, Miao'er." The queen pried Xia Miaoyuan's little hands apart.

Xia Miaoyuan raised her eyes, and Xia Zhengqi had already turned and left.

"Wow... wow... wow... wow..." Xia Miaoyuan pounded the bed and burst into tears.

"What's wrong? What's wrong?" A clear male voice came.

Xia Miaoyuan wiped her tears, and saw the second prince walked in through the curtains.

"Is it because father refused to take you out?" The second prince asked softly, hugged Xia Miaoyuan in his arms, and took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears.

The queen watched from the side and couldn't help but pursed her lips and smiled.

"Your Majesty, Rongpin is here to bring snacks." Xiaoluzi walked to the door and reported.

"It's just right, you coax your sister, and mother will go to see Rongpin." The queen hurried to the front hall.

[I want to go to see the corrupt official! ]

[Why don't you take me with you! It's not fair! 】

【I don't like daddy anymore! 】

Xia Miaoyuan couldn't stop crying.

"Sister, don't cry, do you want to go out?" The second prince kissed Xia Miaoyuan's little face.

Xia Miaoyuan dodged suddenly and even stopped crying.

【Don't kiss, it's piercing my face! 】

"Look, my second brother just shaved this morning, it's so clean." The second prince grabbed Xia Miaoyuan's little hand and touched his cheek.

"Come, try it, isn't it smooth?"

Xia Miaoyuan burst into laughter, stretched out her two little arms, and hugged her brother's neck.

"Don't make a sound, second brother will hold you out to play." The second prince said softly.

【Yeah. 】 Xia Miaoyuan nodded vigorously.

The brother and sister sat in the sedan chair and went out of the palace gate. A gorgeously decorated carriage was already parked there waiting.

"Why are you taking so long? Didn't I tell you to come out earlier?" A magnetic male voice came from the carriage.

The attendants helped the second prince get on the carriage. Xia Miaoyuan looked up and saw that it was the prince Guoguo in the carriage.

[Ah, the prince Guoguo is so nice.]

Xia Miaoyuan immediately smiled with joy.

The second prince sat down, and the prince took Xia Miaoyuan in his arms and complained, "Why did you bring your sister out?"

"She was crying and wanted to come out to play! I couldn't bear it, so I took her out." The second prince lowered his eyes and muttered.

"Hey, we are going to Caishikou to watch the excitement, not to play on weekdays. You are really mean." The prince rolled his eyes helplessly.

[Ah, are you going to watch the show of beheading corrupt officials too? 】

【Wow! It's just great! 】

Xia Miaoyuan couldn't help but chuckle.

The Crown Prince and the Second Prince all lowered their heads and smiled secretly.

After a while, the Crown Prince's carriage had arrived at the vegetable market.

At this time, the people who were waiting to see the excitement were already crowded.

The originally wide streets were now crowded with people on both sides.

The armored and sword-wielding imperial guards, holding spears in their hands, lined up on the street, blocking the surging crowd and leaving a path in the middle of the street.

This path was reserved for officials.

Because it was the prince's carriage, the imperial guards recognized it and were tacitly allowed to enter on the official road.

The three siblings got off the carriage, and the followers finally squeezed through the crowd and protected them to the third floor of Hongyun Building.

Hongyun Building was a restaurant diagonally opposite the execution ground, and the prince had already sent someone to buy a seat by the window.

The prince held Xia Miaoyuan and sat down with the second prince, drinking tea and looking at the execution ground.

The four corners of the execution ground were guarded by imperial guards. In the center of the execution ground, a tall flagpole stood upright, with the flag of Daxia flying in the wind.

On the execution platform, several seats were still empty.

In front of the execution platform, there was a square platform made of stone slabs. In front of the platform, five huge wooden blocks were neatly placed, and on the wooden blocks were mottled bloodstains. That was the place where the criminals were executed.

Opposite the execution platform, the surging crowd waited patiently, talking about these death row prisoners.

Occasionally, a few clever vendors would emerge from the crowd, looking for any opportunity to sell sour plum soup, osmanthus cake, etc. in baskets.

"The Emperor has arrived!"

A shrill voice shouted, and the crowd immediately quieted down and looked towards the official road.