The third day of September in the first year of Jinghe was the day of autumn execution.
The rain dripped on the moss-covered stone wall.
It was still dark, and the Northern Pacification Office was heavily guarded. The officers in black robes stood silently in front of the main hall. Zhang Luo lit a lamp himself, and a window in the hall lit up.
Deng Ying was brought out from the back hall. She walked a little slowly, but the escort did not rush her.
His hands were tied behind his back with ropes that dug into his shoulder bones.
Zhang Luo asked, "When was it tied up?"
The captain replied:
"My lord, follow the rules."
"Release first."
"Need not."
Deng Ying said calmly: "We have to tie him up anyway, not at this moment."
After that, he paused and said, "I want to drink a sip of water."
Zhang Luo said: "Give me some water."
The jailer handed over the cup of water, and Deng Ying lowered his head and took a sip slowly.
Zhang Luo signaled the people escorting him to temporarily retreat to the hall, "You can sit here for a while."
Deng Ying raised his head and asked, "Who is the official supervising the execution?"
"Qi Huaiyang, the Minister of Punishment, we have a tacit understanding on all matters before the execution. Whatever you want, I will do my best to help you within my authority."
Deng Ying shook her head and smiled, "I want to live."
Zhang Luo was slightly stunned, and everyone present fell silent.
"This is what I really think, but I also know that it's too late to say it now."
As soon as he finished speaking, someone outside the hall reported, "Sir, the prison guards are here to pick up the prisoner."
Zhang Luo responded coldly: "I know."
After saying this, he stepped aside, raised his hand and bowed, saying: "In that case, I will see you off on your journey."
**
Chen time.
The rain gradually stopped, and the wet ground was turned into mud by people's feet.
Most of the pavilions near Shuntian Prefecture were closed. In front of the Pichang Temple (1) to the left of the government office, officials were pouring water on the newly built execution platform. Large tracts of filth were washed from the execution platform and flowed into the old ditch on the platform.
The guards of the Wucheng Bingmasi blocked the crowd of people watching the execution ten meters away from the execution platform, but the crowd gathered more and more, and the Bingmasi pushed each other, and people fell down from time to time. Qi Huaiyang stood behind the tent and said to the criminal officer beside him: "Go over and tell the Bingmasi commander that the people must not be hurt at this time."
Soon, the military commander came to report, "Sir, it's not even 7:00 yet, and tens of thousands of people have gathered. It's not that we acted violently, but we pushed and pushed them, so it's inevitable that there will be casualties."
The officer said, "Sir, isn't it too early to take the prisoner to be executed at 9:00 p.m.? Why not postpone the time of taking the prisoner to a later date?"
Qi Huaiyang said: "It's not that I don't like it, but do you think it will be of great use?"
"this… "
As he was speaking, the Censor of the Inspectorate came in hurriedly and said, "Sir, please take a look outside."
Qi Huaiyang reached out and lifted one side of the tent, and the officials from the hall also gathered over.
In the crowd, Zhou Muyi and several officials from the Hanlin Academy, wearing long robes, escorted the staggering Bai Huan and walked slowly towards the execution platform. Bai Huan was over eighty years old and could not walk alone. Even with Song Yunqing's support, he rested every five steps. Bai Huan was the prime minister of two dynasties and the teacher of many officials from the Hanlin Academy. After he retired due to illness, he could not walk. Everyone had never thought that they would see Bai Huan again here today. They called him by his honorable title: "Mr. Bai is here, leave a way for Mr. Zhongtang!"
The two criminal justice officials squeezed out of the crowd, stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Zhongtang, the Shangshu, please come to the back."
Bai Huan helped Song Yunqingzhan straighten up and glanced behind them, "I have not been in the court for many days. What qualifications do I have to stand with you, the Shangshu?"
"Don't say that, sir. You are old. We..."
"If it weren't for the prison, how could I have built a high platform? I..."
He raised his hand and pointed upwards, "I came here today just to see my students..."
After he finished speaking, he stretched out his hand to hold the fence in front of the execution platform and leaned his frail body against it.
Qi Huaiyang let go of the tent corner, turned around and saw that all the officials behind him were silent with their heads down, so he couldn't help but say, "Say what you want to say."
Everyone was silent at first, until the last official looked up and said, "Sir, I cannot bear it."
Just as he finished speaking, a gong was heard outside.
The prison van carrying Deng Ying arrived in front of Pichang Temple.
Deng Ying was brought out from the prison van.
The occasional drizzle wet the prison uniform on his body, but because he was tied too tightly, he had lost most of his consciousness and did not feel cold.
He raised his head and looked towards the Pichang Temple.
The Pichang Temple was built during the reign of the first ancestor of the Tang Dynasty. It is located to the left of Shuntian Prefecture. It was once a place for skinning and later became a place for capital punishment. A bloody place will never smell good no matter how you wash it. However, the surrounding trees are growing well, almost covering the high eaves of the imperial city. Only a few glazed tile roofs are left, which have been washed clean by the rain.
Deng Ying walked forward on the muddy road, but his eyes never left the roof.
The past is like a beautiful old dream, which can reflect light even in the dirtiest quagmire.
After so many years, he had never regarded himself as the construction of this imperial city. Until the moment of death, Yang Wan finally extinguished his self-destructive heart, and he dared to look directly at the traces of his existence.
The red walls, golden tiles, carved beams and painted buildings are just like the beautiful rivers and mountains, with boundless scenery.
Regardless of the will of the people at the time and the rules of history, they looked at this soon-to-be-punished man equally and paid tribute to him.
I wanted to live, even though I knew it was too late. But before that, I didn't seem to be particularly sad.
It turns out that after reconciling with one's own identity, one can face oneself squarely. This is the first time since I was released from prison that I feel a clear conscience.
Deng Ying thought about it, closed her eyes gently, and let the officer lead her through the smoky trees behind the temple towards the Pichang Temple.
Deng Ying was brought in from behind the tent of the execution platform.
As the tent was opened and closed, the smell of rain and earth poured in.
Qi Huaiyang signaled all officials to keep quiet, and asked the officer who was escorting Deng Ying, "Where is the physical examination record?"
The officer recorded the document and presented it, saying, "This was written by the Northern Pacification Commissioner himself and has been verified in the imperial prison. Lord Zhang ordered me to tell Lord Shangshu that there is no need to repeat this."
Qi Huaiyang looked at the document and replied, "I understand."
After saying that, he looked at Deng Ying and said, "As the prison officer, I cannot speak to you in private, but before I explain the matter to you, there is one thing I want to say to you."
"Please speak, sir."
"Although I have never made friends with you and do not fully understand your character, after reading Yang Wan's article, I still feel upset. I, sir, cannot bear it."
Deng Ying said: "Please be careful with your words, sir."
Qi Huaiyang said: "Whether I need to be careful with my words or not, you can go out and listen for yourself."
After he finished speaking, he called out her name in a straight voice: "Deng Ying."
"exist."
"According to the law, you are not allowed to open your mouth while waiting to be executed. Otherwise, your tongue will be cut off immediately."
"I see."
An official said, "Why can't you let me speak?"
Qi Huaiyang glanced at him and said, "Rest."
After saying that, the officer said, "Take it up."
**
The execution platform had only ten steps, but Deng Ying walked very slowly.
The noisy crowd fell silent when they saw him being brought up. The officers took him to the rack and made him kneel down, then retreated behind him. Deng Ying had her eyes closed, but she heard an old voice on the stage calling out her name.
"Talisman spirit."
Deng Ying's shoulders trembled and he lowered his head to look at the execution platform.
The one who was happy was none other than Bai Huan.
He was seriously ill and his forehead was covered with sweat after standing for a long time. Even though he was leaning against the fence, his body was still shaky.
Deng Ying was speechless and could only bow down with difficulty and kowtow to Bai Huan.
Bai Huan looked up at him and said in a weak voice, "Fu Ling, the teacher is here to send you off. Don't worry, as long as I am alive, your body will be buried somewhere and your spirit will rest in peace."
Deng Ying straightened up and shook her head with tears in her eyes.
Bai Huan stretched out a hand towards her and stroked her head.
"Fu Ling, you don't need to speak. You don't need to say anything."
"Yes, Mr. Factory, you don't need to speak."
Song Yun said this lightly, and knelt on the execution platform, and Chen Hua also knelt down with her.
Song Yunqing raised her head and looked at him, raising her voice and saying, "Yang Wan is not here, I will speak for her. At the end of the tenth year of Zhenning, my brother was killed by He Yixian. I was implicated and almost died. Fortunately, the factory official Yang Wan rescued me, so I was able to save my life. My brother's body was collected by the factory official and is now buried in the eunuch. When I burn incense, I will be grateful to the factory official. Factory official, Song Yunqing was once a female official in the inner court. She studied for ten years in vain, but only thought about protecting herself. I am speaking frankly here today because I believe in you and Yang Wan. Yang Wan said that there will be injustices in this world, and there will be justice. We will have a day to speak out."
"yes!"
Zhou Muyi in the crowd said loudly, "I have also studied for ten years in vain, but I don't know your conscience. Chushan and Hudan have more than a thousand fields, but I didn't take a penny from you. I even spent all my salary to support my private school in the south. We were frivolous and didn't know your etiquette. We died before the autumn exam. Fortunately, you, the official, saved us, and we are here today. Deng, I don't know when I can thank you for saving my life. When we met on the road, you raised the shackles and put me down. Did you want to do the same as you? I, Zhou Muyi, answer you today. No matter what the world is like in the future, we are willing to be like you, to serve the government with an upright heart, not afraid of filth, keep our original intentions, and live in harmony with the world."
After had finished speaking, he also raised his hand and bowed three times to .
Then he knelt down and said loudly: "Hanlin Academy Scholar, Chushan Academy Student Zhou Muyi, kneels to see off the factory minister."
After saying this, Song Yunqing also knelt down and said loudly: "Changchen, Yunqing kneels to see you off!"
Chen Hua also said: "Master, I will kneel down to see you off as well."
Deng Ying cried silently and kept shaking her head.
The policeman was afraid of any unusual movement, so he stepped forward and held him down.
Bai Huan panted and shouted, "She won't resist at all, don't humiliate her! Don't humiliate her!"
As soon as this voice came out, the crowd also echoed it.
The censor looked at the scene on the execution platform and could not help but walk up to Qi Huaiyang and said, "Sir Qi, seeing this situation, I must go to the palace to report to His Majesty."
Qi Huaiyang raised his hand to stop her, "Wait a moment, I'll write the chapter, and you bring it back to the palace yourself."