Chapter 245 Only Half Done

The third quarter after noon is the time when Yang energy is the most abundant in a day. The sun hangs high in the center of the sky and a person’s shadow is the shortest at this time. The Yang energy is strong, which is suitable for killing people!
Near noon, the sky was clear and the sun was high in the sky. Countless pairs of eyes waiting to watch the execution were looking up at the slowly moving sun in the glaring sunlight.

Because there were too many people to be killed, Li Hu set up the execution ground in the wasteland outside the town.

All the people from the surrounding areas came and surrounded the execution ground. Countless pairs of eyes were filled with hatred as they looked at the gentry, his family members and servants who were tied and kneeling on the execution platform.

At first, some common people thought that the imperial court was too cruel, but when they learned that these gentry had colluded with Wanping County officials to freeze them all to death in the wind and snow, they were furious!

Li Hu and Kong Qingxiang, the executioners, sat high up in the execution tent, waiting for the sound of a cannon to give the order for the execution.

The moment he received the imperial edict, Li Hu was also shocked. He did not expect the emperor to be so angry.

Li Hu is certainly not a good man, but he doesn’t want his hands to be stained with the blood of the elderly, the weak, women and children. This is when my younger brother comes in handy.

So Kong Qingxiang became the chief executioner, and the executioners were all the experts he had just recruited from the Beijing camp.

Kong Qingxiang looked at the sun outside the execution tent, took out his pocket watch, looked at it, put it on the table in front of him, and then said to Li Hu, “I just got the news that the old guy has entered Beijing.”

Li Hu: “Which old guy?”

Kong Qingxiang: “Who else could it be? Duke Yansheng.”

Li Hu: “He is your grandfather after all, don’t call me old man all the time.”

Kong Qingxiang curled his lips.

Li Hu: “Do you know the reason?”

Kong Qingxiang smiled coldly: “It must be coming for me.”

Li Hu thought for a moment and said, “Yanshenggong is not Kong Xiaoer. If he speaks, the emperor will have to give him some leeway. You should be mentally prepared.”

Kong Qingxiang’s eyes turned cold: “Even a rabbit will bite when it is cornered. If he is pushed into a corner, I will kill him!”

Li Hu shook his head.

Kong Qingxiang changed the subject: “The Southern Pacification Office has one more thousand households, and that is Zhen Fu, the eldest son of the Zhen family in Jiangnan who just came to Beijing. Lord, do you know this person?”

Li Hu nodded: “Stay away from him, this guy is not a good guy.”

Kong Qingxiang became interested: “What do you mean?”

Li Hu’s eyes suddenly became sharp and stared at his neck.

Kong Qingxiang subconsciously shrank his neck and asked cautiously, “What’s wrong?”

Li Hu: “Don’t be too curious, it can kill you.”

“Oh.” Kong Qingxiang nodded, but his eyes were full of curiosity.

Li Hu glanced at the pocket watch and it was past noon.

Kong Qingxiang suddenly remembered: “Do you want me to help you check the name of Mei?”

Li Hu looked at him.

Kong Qingxiang blinked his eyes and asked, “Is the eldest daughter of the Xue family in your villa?”

Li Hu: “What’s wrong?”

Seeing his mean look, Li Hu frowned and said, “If you have something to say, just say it. If not, shut up.”

Kong Qingxiang coughed and said, “The man surnamed Mei has now joined King Zhongshun, and you are at odds with King Zhongshun, so you should be prepared in advance.”

Li Hu thought about it and said, “Okay.”

Kong Qingxiang smiled and said, “Can I go to the other courtyard to take a look?”

Li Hu: “No.”

Kong Qingxiang was stunned and remained speechless.

At this time, the timekeeper came over and reported to Kong Qingxiang: “Sir, it is almost past 2:30 noon.”

Kong Qingxiang, however, looked at Li Hu.

Li Hu: “You are the chief executioner.”

Kong Qingxiang seemed to have just realized what was happening, and said to the timekeeper, “Fire the cannon when the time is up.”

The timekeeper answered loudly, “Yes,” and walked out quickly.

Kong Qingxiang: “When do you plan to go back?” Li Hu: “Before Laba Festival.”

Kong Qingxiang: “Oh, there are still five or six days left.”

The timekeeper shouted, “Fire!”

The cannon roared, spurting out a ball of fire!
Li Hu and Kong Qingxiang stood up at the same time.

Kong Qingxiang reached out to the command arrow tube, grasped an arrow and pulled it out, shouting loudly: “Execute!” and threw the arrow to the ground outside the execution tent.

The execution horn sounded!

Hundreds of executioners in red raised their knives, and a flash of knife light appeared.
The onlookers cheered like thunder!

The winter of the fourth year of Yongchang was a year of heavy snow in the capital. It snowed heavily and everything was covered with white.

Jia Zheng walked out from the Zuoye Gate dragging his tired legs.

Suddenly Jia Zheng stopped walking and a trail of snow dust came from the front.

A galloping horse gradually approached, stopped in front of Jia Zheng, and the postman dismounted.

The eunuch on duty at the Meridian Gate had already come to greet them.

The postman took out an urgent letter: “Shandong, six hundred miles, express delivery!”

The eunuch on duty at the Meridian Gate took the urgent letter and turned to run towards the Zuoye Gate.

What happened in Shandong?

Jia Zheng was stunned for a moment, then shook his head and strode out of the imperial city.

The Kunning Palace was extremely lively at this time. The emperor’s grandson and several young eunuchs were playing in the hall, giggling with joy.

The felt curtain of the warm room was raised high. The queen stood by the door and looked at the playing grandson with a smile, saying, “You have done a great job in raising him.”

The Crown Princess, who was holding the Queen’s arm, smiled faintly.

The prince sitting on the couch was also smiling at his son.

The Queen patted the Crown Princess’s hand, then turned around and sat down on the couch.

The prince came back to his senses and handed the tea on the couch to the queen, saying, “I heard that the virtuous concubine is not in good condition?”

The Queen took the tea bowl and paused for a moment before she took a sip and said calmly, “She was already weak, and she knelt there for half an hour in the middle of the night, and it was a windy place.”

The prince smiled and said, “I heard that the second brother has been complaining these days and has said a lot of treasonous words.”

After a pause, he said, “If something unexpected happens to Concubine Xian, there will be a lot of excitement to watch.”

The Queen glanced at him and continued, “I have said this much. We must do our best to maintain the dignity of the royal family.”

The prince agreed.

Queen: “The guilt your father felt now falls on Consort Xian and her son. Don’t get into a conflict with the second son. Do you understand?”

The prince nodded.

The queen suddenly remembered: “There is also Li Hu, you should remind him.”

The prince: “Hey, is Li Hu returning to Beijing today?” He turned to look at the crown princess.

The Crown Princess nodded.

At this moment, Zhao Tong hurried in, bowed to the queen first, and then reported to the prince: “There’s a message from the Yangxin Palace, saying that if Your Highness hasn’t rested, please go there.”

Prince: “What’s the matter?”

Zhao Tong: “Six hundred miles from Shandong, the Duke of Yansheng is dead!”

The prince pretended to be surprised, then stood up and said, “Prepare the warm sedan.”

Zhao Tong responded and retreated.

The prince looked at the queen: “Is he really dead?”

The queen was silent. The retired emperor had received the news yesterday, but things were a little different from what he had expected. After the retired emperor’s men left the post station, the post station caught fire. The body of Duke Yansheng was burned to charcoal, and the confession letter forged by the retired emperor was also burned. The retired emperor’s plan was only half accomplished.

Also, the fire was so strange that I always felt something was wrong.

(End of this chapter)