The lights in the prison were dim, Shen Zechuan felt cold in his hands and feet, and became more and more breathless. The hemp rope was tied tightly, and he kept twitching his wrists, but to no avail.
The soil bag was squeezing his chest, and he seemed to be thrown into a deep pool of water. His ears were buzzing, his breath was confused, and he couldn't continue to breathe as if he was drowning.
Shen Zechuan rolled his eyes, staring at the candlelight outside the railing.
Several Jin Yiwei in the hall were drinking and drinking with their fists, they didn't even have time to look back at Shen Zechuan. Shen Zechuan was nailed to the rough straw mat by the soil bag, and the suffocating nausea buried him like a flood.
His eyes were a little dim, Shen Zechuan raised his head, gritted his teeth and moved his feet. His legs were almost numb from being beaten by the cane, and now he lifted them up, as if he was unconscious. He stepped on the left corner of the wooden bed, which was devoured by worms, and had been slightly damaged by him sitting on it the day before.
Breathing is getting harder.
Shen Zechuan kicked that corner and stamped with all his strength. But his legs and feet were weak, and he didn't even stomp out, and the bed board didn't move. Cold sweat dripped hard, and the clothes behind him were soaked.
He wants to live.
Shen Zechuan whimpered wildly in his throat, he bit the tip of his tongue and stomped the bed board with his foot.
Ji Mu's immature corpse was the whip that was whipping his desire to survive, and Ji Mu's voice seemed to be echoing in his ears.
He wants to live!
Shen Zechuan slammed into the wooden board hard, and finally heard a "thump" sound. The bed board was stomped in half, the body slumped, and the soil bag rolled down. He came out like a broken water and fell to the ground, gasping for breath.
The ground was cold, and Shen Zechuan's injured leg refused to obey. He propped himself on his elbows, sweat dripping down the bridge of his nose. It was cold in the prison, but he felt that his whole body was burning, so hot that his internal organs were tumbling, and finally he couldn't help lowering his head and retching.
Shen Wei should be damned.
Zhongbo has 120,000 troops and horses, divided into six states to fortify the line. After the defeat of Chashihe, the sand cavalry invaded the Dunzhou line. As the interrogator said, there was still an opportunity to recover. Shen Wei not only had strong troops and strong fodder, but also had a garrison army in the three cities of Duanzhou available for deployment. However, he unexpectedly left Duanzhou and fled back to the Dunzhou palace.
This escape became the beginning of the fall of Zhongbo. The three cities of Duanzhou were all slaughtered by the Biansha cavalry. The morale of the garrison fell, and they hurriedly retreated to the south. Everyone thought that Shen Wei would fight to the death with the twelve Biansha tribes in Dunzhou. Run away again.
The Zhongbo army was retreating steadily, and the Biansha cavalry were like sharp-edged steel knives, piercing almost the entire territory of the six states. They came on horseback, went into battle lightly, and chased them all the way to 800 miles away from the capital city of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
If Shen Wei could burn down the granaries in the city and clear the fields while retreating, then the Biansha cavalry would never be able to go so far. Because they had no luggage, they relied on the food in the captured city as their supply. Once the food in the city was burnt, the sturdy Biansha cavalry would starve.
There is no way to continue fighting on a hungry stomach. At that time, the Libei Iron Cavalry will cross the glacier and block the retreat of the twelve Biansha tribes. , these machetes are the turtles in the urn, and they are determined not to survive the winter.
But Shen Wei didn't do that.
He not only gave up resistance, but also left all the granaries in the city to the Biansha cavalry. The Biansha cavalry slaughtered the city of the Dazhou people by relying on the food of the Dazhou people. Their horses were kept fat and strong by Shen Wei, and they drove the civilians and captured soldiers in the Chashi River, and they were killed overnight.
Shen Zechuan escaped from death.
Qi Du is now about to clear the account books, and all the orders before Shen Wei are extraordinarily sloppy. He really seems to be cooperating with the twelve departments of Biansha. However, Shen Wei was afraid of crime, and burned himself with a fire, and even destroyed all the documents, even Jin Yiwei, who was doing things resolutely, was helpless at this moment.
The emperor wanted to find out, they could only keep interrogating Shen Zechuan who might know. However, Shen Zechuan's biological mother was a Duanzhou maiko, and Shen Wei had too many sons. He was ranked eighth from his concubine, and he couldn't get his turn. He had long been sent to Duanzhou by the Dunzhou prince's mansion. I remember there was such a son.
Someone is going to kill him.
This is not a secret, he entered Qidu to suffer for his father. He is the only remnant of the Zhongbo Shen clan, and his father's debts are repaid by his son. After the interrogation in the imperial prison, the emperor will use his life to pay homage to the 30,000 soldiers who were killed in the Battle of Chashi River in Zhongbo Dunzhou.
But that shouldn't be such an assassination.
Shen Zechuan wiped the corner of his lips with his thumb, tilted his head and spat the blood from his mouth.
If Shen Wei is indeed fornicating with a foreign enemy and intends to rebel, then Shen Zechuan will die sooner or later. There are still people in Yedu who are worried about interrogation. If this is the case, then there must be something strange about Shen Weibing's defeat.
Shen Zechuan didn't know anything.
He has a master in Duanzhou, and his brother is Master's only son Ji Mu. To him, Shen Wei was just King Jianxing, and it had nothing to do with him. Whether Shen Wei was collaborating with the enemy, he didn't know at all.
But he must have been bitten to death.
The ground was cold, and Shen Zechuan was lying on his stomach like this, but he was more awake than during the day when he was frozen. He is a felon of Jinyi Wei Qinti, and all the arrest cards, arrest papers, and Jinghui approvals are all conveyed from the top. trial.
This has shown the emperor's determination not to condone and to investigate thoroughly. But who is so daring to still take risks under such circumstances and want to kill him before the emperor's personal trial
The cold wind was still roaring at the window, and Shen Zechuan rolled his eyes, staring at the wall in the darkness, daring to close his eyes again.
The next day was slightly cooler, and Shen Zechuan was brought back into the lobby. It was snowing heavily outside the door, and the interrogator who faced him with a cold face a few days ago was smiling, serving tea with both hands, and respectfully waiting on the side of the Grand Master's chair.
Sitting on the seat was a white-faced and beardless old eunuch. He was wearing a velvet velvet hat and a gourd-view patch. His cloak had not been taken off, and he was holding a golden plum blossom to warm his hands. He listened to the movement, just opened his eyes and looked at Shen Zechuan.
"Godfather." Ji Lei, who had been interrogated by orders for the past few days, bent over and said, "This is the remnant of Jianxing Wang Shenwei."
Pan Rugui looked at Shen Zechuan and said, "How did it become like this."
Ji Lei knew in his heart that Pan Rugui was not asking why Shen Zechuan was so dirty, but why he had not been tried so far.
Ji Lei's forehead was soaked in sweat, he didn't dare to wipe it, he just kept bending over and said, "Shuzi is ignorant and ignorant, and he was unconscious when he brought it back from Zhongbo.
"The emperor wants Qinti's felon." Pan Rugui didn't take the tea. "A fifteen or sixteen-year-old child was sent to the famous prison. You personally tried Mr. Yuji, but you have not been able to give a confession so far."
Ji Lei served tea and smiled bitterly: "Because Qinti is a serious offender, he doesn't dare to commit suicide without authorization. He was already suffering from the cold when he came. If he didn't kill him in any serious way, Shen Wei's case would be unsolved."
Pan Rugui looked at Shen Zechuan for a while, and said, "We are all dogs under the lord's seat. If the teeth are not so sharp, it would be useless to keep them. I know that you are in trouble, but this is your responsibility. Now the emperor wants to meet people. , this is to understand you Jin Yiwei, how can you complain again."
Ji Lei hurriedly bowed down and said, "What my godfather said is very true, my son has been taught."
Pan Rugui made an "um" between his nose and said, "Clean him up. How can he be holy when he is so dirty."
Shen Zechuan was taken down by the handyman to be cleaned, the wound on his leg was simply bandaged, and he put on clean cotton clothes. At the mercy of others, he was physically inconvenient to walk, and it took some effort to get into the carriage.
Pan Rugui finally took Ji Lei's tea, stared at Shen Zechuan's back, and said, "Is this really Shen's remnant?"
Ji Lei said: "Exactly. He is the only living person in the Chashi Tiankeng. He was held by the son of Libei Xiao himself, and has been imprisoned in the prison car of Libei Tieqi. He was never touched by others."
Pan Rugui sipped the cold tea, and after a while he said with a smile, "Xiao Shizi is a cautious person."
* * *
Shen Zechuan got off the carriage, and Jin Yiwei carried it across the long road again. The goose feather snow was blowing on his face, and the inner eunuch who led the way walked quickly, and there was no nonsense.
When Pan Rugui arrived in front of Mingli Hall, the little eunuch who was waiting under the eaves immediately greeted him. He first took off the cloak for Pan Rugui, then put on the cover for him, and then took the warm hand from Pan Rugui's hand. After the communication was finished, Pan Rugui kowtowed at the door and said, "Your Majesty, the slaves brought people here."
After half a moment, a low voice came out: "Bring it in."
Shen Zechuan's breathing stagnated, and he had already been put in. The incense burnt inside, but it was not stuffy. He listened to a few intermittent coughs, and out of the corner of the eye swept to the feet on both sides of the hall.
Emperor Xiande was dressed in azurite robes, and his back was so thin that he could see the bones. He was frail, and he became ill for three years. Sitting on the chair at this time, Rong Chang's face was extraordinarily gentle and graceful due to the lack of qi and blood.
"Ji Lei has been in the trial for a few days." Emperor Xiande glanced at Ji Lei, who was kneeling behind him, "Is the trial clear?"
Ji Lei kowtowed and said, "Report to the emperor, this son's speech is full of inaccuracies and loopholes. The things he has provided in the past few days are full of contradictions and cannot be trusted."
Emperor Xiande said, "Bring up what he offered."
Ji Lei took out the packed confession from his arms and handed it to Pan Rugui with both hands. Pan Rugui stepped forward again and respectfully presented it to Emperor Xiande.
Emperor Xiande watched it once, and when he reached the Chashi Tiankeng, he covered his lips and coughed. He didn't want Pan Rugui to wipe it, so he wiped the blood from his lips with a handkerchief, and said in a deep voice, "30,000 soldiers died in the Tiankeng, Shen Wei is not dead, people and gods are angry!"
Shen Zechuan closed his eyes, his chest throbbing rapidly. Sure enough, the next moment I heard what Emperor Xiande said.
"Head up!"
Shen Zechuan's breathing was slightly short, and his palm on the ground was cold. He slowly raised his head, and his eyes fell cautiously on Emperor Xiande's boots.
Emperor Xiande looked at him and asked, "You are Shen Wei's son and the only living person in the Chashi Tiankeng. What do you want to explain?"
Shen Zechuan's eyes turned red, he shook slightly, and wept silently.
Emperor Xiande's expression remained unchanged, and he said, "Go back to my words!"
Shen Zechuan raised his eyes suddenly, the tears in his eyes had already trickled down, dripping down his cheeks. He only raised it for a moment, then slammed his forehead on the ground again, shaking his shoulders and arms, and the choking sound in his throat followed.
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty! My father's heart is for the country, and he is ashamed of his country after his defeat. He has no face to see the elders of Zhongbo again, so he apologizes!"
Emperor Xiande reprimanded: "You are talking nonsense! If he is devoted to the country, why would he retreat again and again?"
Shen Zechuan cried hoarsely: "My father sent all his sons to the battlefield, and my eldest brother Shen Zhouji was dragged and tortured to death by Biansha people on the official road in Chashi! If he is not loyal, how can he achieve this?"
Emperor Xiande said: "How dare you mention the battle of Chashi? Shen Zhouji escaped from the battle, and his sin is unforgivable."
Shen Zechuan looked up at Emperor Xiande, tears poured down like rain, and hissed: "The battle of Chashihe, blood flowed into a canal, my eldest brother was unconscious and incompetent, but he also defended for three days. During these three days, the military information was transmitted to Qidong and Libei, Without these three days…”
He was so choked up that he couldn't speak.
Emperor Xiande looked at the confession in his hand. He didn't hear him in the hall, only Shen Zechuan's sobbing. In this incomparably long silence, Shen Zechuan's fingertips had already been pinched into his flesh.
Emperor Xiande suddenly sighed and said, "Has Shen Wei ever collaborated with the enemy?"
Shen Zechuan answered decisively, "Never."
Unexpectedly, Emperor Xiande put down his confession, his voice suddenly became cold, and he said: "Shuzi is cunning and intends to deceive the emperor, so you can't keep him! Pan Rugui, drag him down and kill him at the door!"
"The slave and maid follow the order!" Pan Rugui immediately took the order and bowed down.
Shen Zechuan was like a basin of cold water in his pocket, and his whole body was suddenly cold. He struggled suddenly, but Jin Yiwei tightly covered his mouth and dragged him out of the Mingli Hall quickly.
The author has something to say: Eunuchs claim to be slaves.