The following day, a tense atmosphere permeated the streets as people discussed the upcoming execution—the beheading of former General Ren Guiwang. Around the execution ground, crowds surged like a tide, drawn by the prospect of witnessing this horrific scene.
When Ren Guiwang was escorted to the execution ground, his figure appeared exceptionally small. His hands were tightly bound, and his face showed an expression of despair and fear. His eyes looked around expectantly, and he whispered, "Master, spare me this time, and I will go through fire and water for you from now on..."
People around him pointed and whispered, making comments and criticisms about him.
"He not only received a salary without working, but also deceived the emperor."
"I heard that his wife was also convicted and hanged in prison."
"Misfortunes never come singly; his eldest son was burned to death just yesterday."
"Hey, ever since a group of frogs appeared on the night his eldest son was married off, the Ren family has been on a dead end."
"This is the consequence of betrayal!"
...
The moment of execution finally arrived. The executioner raised his broadsword, the sunlight reflecting a cold glint on the blade. A gasp rippled through the crowd; many couldn't bear to look at the bloody scene, but most stared intently, as if wanting to etch this moment into their memories forever.
As the executioner's blade fell, a gasp rippled through the crowd. Ren Guiwang's head was severed from his body in an instant, blood gushing forth. The scene shocked everyone present; some even turned pale with fright.
For most people, this was not merely a bloody execution, but a triumph over injustice. Ren Guiwang's crimes were punished as he deserved, and the public's sense of justice was satisfied.
When it was all over, the crowd gradually dispersed, leaving behind only the land stained with blood and the memory of the execution.
As night fell, in a secluded spot in the southwest corner of the capital, there was a small house shrouded in darkness.
The small house had its doors and windows tightly shut, and the windows were covered with thick cloth, cutting off everything from the outside world. The interior was pitch black, so dark that one couldn't see their own hand in front of their face, making one feel as if they were in an endless abyss of darkness.
In the pitch black, a slight noise suddenly broke the silence. A figure dressed in black slipped into the house from outside. His movements were light and swift.
After entering the house, the man in black gently closed the door, then knelt down and respectfully reported in a certain direction inside: "Master, the afternoon before last, someone broke into the Lin residence to assassinate someone. The eldest daughter of the Lin family sprayed the assassin's eyes with chili water, and the young master of the Lin family took the opportunity to stab the assassin in the leg."
"How is the assassin now?" A weak, hoarse voice, as if all the strength had been drained from him, slowly echoed from a corner of the room. The voice sounded extremely weak, as if the speaker was terminally ill.
The man in black seemed to be used to this, his tone remaining calm, even somewhat dismissive: "Master, the assassin was captured. I skinned him alive, pulled out his tendons, killed him, and burned his body to ashes."
"Hmm," a voice responded from the corner.
The man in black continued, “Master, that man surnamed Ren went to the Lin residence to propose marriage and publicly insulted him in front of everyone. That very night, I severely tortured that man surnamed Ren and then burned him to death.”
"Hmm," the voice from the corner responded again, sounding as weak and listless as ever.
“Master, I saw him smile just now.”
The masked man's words seemed to infuse the weak voice with a powerful force, instantly making it lively.
"Huh? He smiled?" A voice from the corner was full of surprise. "What does he look like when he smiles?"
The masked man recalled for a moment, then described, "He was even more handsome when he smiled, with two small dimples on his face, making him look exceptionally good-looking."
"Have you ever seen him smile?" the voice in the corner pressed.
"I have never seen him before," the masked man replied truthfully.
The man seemed to be imagining what Zhao Canchen would look like when he smiled. After a long while, he said, "Anyone who can make him laugh heartily should be rewarded."
Perhaps because he had talked too much, his voice became increasingly hoarse, as if it had been eroded by wind and sand. With a bit of effort, he ordered, "Go and throw that girl a bag of gold."
"Yes, Master." The masked man bowed respectfully, then hesitated for a moment before lowering his voice to add, "It seems he is quite fond of Miss Lin. He not only talks to her a lot, but his tone of voice has also become lighter, and the way he looks at Miss Lin..." He paused, as if choosing his words carefully, "...his eyes are also shining."
"Oh?" The man's hoarse voice rose slightly, revealing obvious anticipation. "Is that really so?"
“Yes, Master,” the masked man replied affirmatively.
The masked man then recounted another incident: "When the eldest son of the Ren family went to the Lin residence, he deliberately hurled insults at him, which enraged the eldest son, who then cursed him back. That very night, I went to teach the eldest son a severe lesson and then killed him. It's clear that he did this to protect Miss Lin, knowing that I would kill the eldest son of the Ren family."
“Since that’s the case…” The man was silent for a moment, then said as if he had made up his mind, “Then let him marry that girl as a companion, so he can be happy forever.”
“But, Master,” the masked man said with a troubled expression, “I’m afraid not many people will agree to this marriage.”
"Of course I know that." The man's voice was tinged with helplessness, and he was out of breath as he spoke. "After all, who would want the son of a former crown prince to marry and have children? The emperor would certainly not want that, and the princes probably wouldn't be happy to see this happen either."
He muttered to himself, and after a while, his voice suddenly became firm again: "But so what? I'm here, and I will definitely help him achieve his wish."
He spoke more and more, his voice growing hoarse, each word requiring all his strength to utter, as if his throat had suffered a severe injury.
Seeing this, the masked man couldn't help but ask, "So, Master, what do we plan to do?"
This time, however, there was no response. The only sound in the room was the masked man's breathing, as if his master had quietly fallen asleep, or perhaps he had already quietly left the room.
The masked man bowed respectfully, quietly withdrew from the room, and closed the door tightly.
The outer courtyard was dilapidated and covered with moss, as if no one had lived there for many years. In the corner, a masked man lifted a wooden lid and took out a heavy, tattered cloth bag from a water vat.
As darkness fell, the masked man hoisted the cloth bag onto his shoulder, leaped over the wall, and headed straight for the Lin residence.
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