"We just killed a batch three days ago. Don't worry, sir. We have already deployed a tight defense around the Six Doors. Zuo Zhuguo has also transferred a team of Imperial Guards to guard the area in case of any accidents. Not even a fly can escape."
Now, there are forty or fifty corpses hanging on the willow tree at the entrance of the Six Doors. They were all heroes who failed to break into the prison, were captured, and were executed on the spot.
At this moment, Li Boyang had just finished sketching out a roster. After receiving the latest roster, he tossed the several rosters that had already been sketched out on the desk to Wuqing and said coldly:
"Make arrangements. The day after tomorrow, at the Chai Market, those whose names have been crossed out will be publicly executed."
Free novels, ad-free novel website, TXT downloads, please remember Ant Reading Network
------------
Chapter 158 Autumn Finale Caishikou
Nanjing City.
The firewood market is located to the right of the main gate of the palace.
As the name suggests, it was a place that sold firewood, and the palace would purchase all the firewood it needed from here.
However, Chaishi also has another name, Caishikou.
This is also where prisoners were executed in the autumn, which is the so-called public execution ground.
The executions often mentioned in operas, such as being taken out of the Meridian Gate for beheading, did not actually take place inside the Meridian Gate of the Imperial Palace.
The Meridian Gate was the place where imperial edicts were issued. Every year on the first day of the twelfth lunar month, the "Promulgation of the New Year" ceremony was held at the Meridian Gate to promulgate the calendar for the following year. In the event of a major war, when the army returned in triumph, the "Presenting the Prisoners" ceremony was held at the Meridian Gate to present the prisoners of war to the emperor.
How could such an important place be used as an execution ground? In fact, the execution at the Meridian Gate actually meant being taken to the Chai Market for execution.
The firewood market was unusually bustling today.
After hearing that a large number of prisoners were to be beheaded and displayed to the public today, the curious people of Jinling City arrived at the execution ground early to wait and witness this once-in-a-century spectacle.
Why is it said to be a once-in-a-century event? Because the criminals being executed today are actually those great heroes of the martial arts world.
In the eyes of ordinary people, those heroes are all highly skilled in martial arts, capable of moving swiftly and agilely. They are known by name but never seen in person. Now that the imperial court has actually issued a notice to execute such heroes, how can they not come and broaden their horizons?
In the very center of Caishikou, a large square platform with an area of about fifty meters was built with wood, and round wooden stakes were placed on the platform.
After the prisoner was placed on the platform, the executioner would throw him onto a wooden stake to carry out the execution.
Executions were usually carried out at noon, a rule set by the Ministry of Rites.
Because at noon, when the sun is in the center of the sky, the shadows on the ground are the shortest.
This is the time of day when "yang energy" is at its peak, but Li Boyang's officials believed that killing people was a "yin matter."
They worried that regardless of whether the person killed deserved it, the ghost of the murdered person would always haunt the judge, the official in charge of the execution, and the executioner. Therefore, they believed that executing the person when the yang energy was at its peak could suppress the ghost from appearing.
Besides, there is another layer of meaning: at "noon three quarters", a person's energy is at its lowest, and they are on the verge of "lying down on their pillow".
Therefore, when executing a prisoner at this moment, the prisoner is likely drowsy and confused, and the pain might be lessened considerably at the moment of the death. From this perspective, choosing this time for execution suggests consideration for the prisoner's well-being.
At this moment, there were still nearly two hours until noon, and the people of Jinling City had already surrounded Xingtai in layers, and more people were still arriving.
Outside Xingtai, soldiers in standard military uniforms formed a fence with their rifles, keeping civilians who wanted to get a closer look outside.
Directly opposite Xingtai, there is a marble wall, guarded by imperial guards on both sides, and carved with a lifelike image of the Prison Guardian King, whose eyes are fixed on Xingtai.
Below the King of Hell were three armchairs and a long table. In the middle of the table was a small cylinder containing command arrows, each inscribed with the character "斩" (to behead).
On the left of the three armchairs sat an official who appeared to be around fifty years old. His official robes were embroidered with a pattern of clouds, phoenixes, and four-colored flowers, and he wore a six-beamed crown. He was Zuo Feng, the Minister of Justice, a second-rank civil official in the court, and one of the executioners in this case.
Seated to the right is a military officer, clad in armor with a sword at his waist. He is Feng Guoyong, the current commander of the Imperial Guards, and one of the executioners at this time.
The man sitting in the middle was not wearing official robes, but only a white scholar's robe, which looked very unusual compared to the two people on his left and right. This person was naturally Li Boyang.
At this moment, Li Boyang sat in the grand chair, appearing calm and composed. His eyes occasionally swept over the onlookers, and a cold smile would occasionally flash across his lips.
The four commanders of the Six Doors—Leng Xue, Wu Qing, Tie Shou, and Zhui Ming—looked at the onlookers, whose faces were filled with apprehension. Clearly, today's execution would not go smoothly.
On the left side of Xingtai, there were five or six people gathered, dressed in Taoist robes. If the investigation by the Six Doors was correct, they were all disciples of the Emei Sect.
On a two-story wooden building northeast of Xingtai, there were also several people standing; they were disciples of the Beggars' Sect.
Besides the two top martial arts sects that sent people, at least one-tenth of the people surrounding Xingtai are disciples of martial arts sects.
The purpose of these people's visit is obvious: they were there to storm the execution ground.
The list of those to be executed had been posted three days prior.
Among those executed, apart from a few unaffiliated wanderers, many were disciples of various sects, large and small, within the martial arts world.
It should be said that this group actually makes up the majority.
Come to think of it, these people all have sects as their backers, so they naturally have fewer scruples than ordinary people and often act willfully.
After the Six Doors announced the rules to the martial arts world, these people thought that with a sect as their backing, they could disregard the imperial court and acted without restraint.
Therefore, under the Six Doors' ruthless arrest this time, these people suffered. Under Li Boyang's instructions, the Six Doors will not care which sect you come from, and will not show you any mercy just because you are a disciple of a major sect.
Everyone is treated equally; anyone who dares to disregard the rules set by the Six Doors will be arrested.
When their disciples were arrested, these martial arts sects naturally couldn't sit idly by. They also tried to negotiate with the Six Doors, even resorting to tactics like pulling strings and bribing officials.
However, at Li Boyang's behest, all the money sent was accepted, and the response given to these sects was that since they were not properly disciplined, the Six Doors would take some punishments on their behalf.
Fearing the power of Blood Hand Butcher Li Boyang, and because the Six Doors had openly accepted the benefits they offered, these martial arts sects assumed that the Six Doors would just go through the motions and release the people.
Unexpectedly, three days ago, the Six Doors posted a notice about the execution of those who would be beheaded in the Chai Market. This completely stunned all the sects, who never expected this outcome.