He knelt alone on the execution platform. His dry, red and swollen eyes finally saw Gong Yueyue walking out of the crowd. With a solemn expression, he stepped forward and helped Du Ruotong up together with Xiaomei.
She raised her head and looked at Pan Jingyuan, and the sad young man's face made her feel unbearable. "What can I do for you?" She asked him calmly.
"Take her away, don't let her see." He lowered his head, and a large tear fell on the execution platform.
"Yes." Gong Yueyue and Xiaomei helped Du Ruotong, who was crying until he collapsed, and walked towards the crowd, and the people quickly made way for them.
"I want to accompany him, but I won't leave." Du Ruotong suddenly stopped and stayed where he was.
Yueyue had no choice but to persuade him with kind words: "Don't be like this, your presence will only make him suffer more. Besides, isn't it good to remember how he looks now?"
Hearing what she said, Du Ruotong turned around and looked at Pan Jingyuan who was looking at her on the execution platform. His face, which was full of tears, suddenly broke through the ice and smiled, showing a somewhat rogue smile.
Du Ruotong also smiled silly.
Only Gong Yueyue's nose felt sour and she could no longer hold back the tears in her eyes. She knew that this was the last moment the bad boy wanted to leave to Du Ruotong.
As soon as they walked out of the crowd, the people behind them quickly gathered back together. After walking a few more steps, they heard a faint sentence coming from behind: "The time has come, let's carry out the execution!"
The three girls were stunned on the spot, unable to take another step.
"This...this...is this the rhythm of robbing the law field?" Gong Yueyue muttered in fear.
Sure enough, with a "sudden -" sound, the arrow flew out of his hand. Before she could turn around to see where the arrow was going, she heard Du Ruotong's scream, followed by "嘡啷——"
A loud noise...
Ruotong's screams made Gong Yueyue feel cold. Could it be that the evil young man was dead? He opened his eyes anxiously. He saw Pan Jingyuan still kneeling on the execution platform, but the butcher's knife in the executioner's hand had disappeared.
Pan Zhuqing's horse rushed through the crowd and rushed to the execution platform. His roar shook the sky: "The imperial edict has arrived! The governor of Kaifeng will receive the decree quickly!" He jumped off the horse, raised the imperial edict scroll and hurried onto the execution platform.
The Kaifeng Prefecture Yin received the imperial decree and announced in public: "There is a hidden secret in Pan Jingyuan's murder of an official! He was quickly taken back to the Kaifeng Prefecture Prison and postponed for retrial!"
At the beginning of the lanterns, the largest box in Ziqidonglai was occupied by the distinguished guests Pan Yu had hosted. The Zhao family was almost there, plus Du Ruotong and Pan Zhuqing. However, Pan Jingyuan was still in prison and could not be present.
"Jealous man, it's all thanks to you this time! If it weren't for you, I would be a widow now. I'd like to toast you a toast!" Du Ruotong filled his glass and stood up to thank Zhao Changyuan who was standing opposite.
"I am injured and have been given medicine, so I can only drink tea instead of wine. I wish you and the second young master a happy marriage."
Gong Yueyue recalled the scene at the execution ground during the day, and still felt lingering fear: "It was so dangerous. If you were one step later, you would be dead. My husband, please tell us what happened."
Zhao Changyuan frowned and thought for a while, then said awkwardly: "Maybe I was a little nervous at the time. I don't remember it very clearly. Dad, why don't you tell me."
When Zhao Xiong mentioned what happened in the Jinluan Palace during the day, he became more energetic: "Well, I watched carefully and heard clearly. This is what happened..." He put down his wine glass and his thoughts began to regress.
Zhao Xiong finished handling the official affairs of the Privy Council and went into the palace to see the emperor early this morning with the temporary armistice agreement signed with Xixia. He saw the ministers who were still waiting outside the hall to ask for an audience. Among them was his son Zhao Changyuan.
Zhao Xiong was led by Eunuch Tong and walked into the main hall calmly. The emperor was currently meeting with Wei Tingyue, Yang Guodong and other military attachés to discuss the defense of the newly recovered Youzhou City.
The battle for Youzhou City sounds simple. In fact, Cao Rui and two generals from Yang fought all the way from Yingzhou to Mozhou, and then conquered Waqiao Pass. Only when they were stranded and exhausted did they see the real Youzhou City. The process
It is not difficult, but it is like a sharp knife that disemboweled and cut off the sixteen states of Youyun, which the Liao was proud of. Cao Rui and Yang Jinzhong are currently stationed in Youzhou, and they are afraid of the Liao Kingdom killing them. Although the enemy
The enemy has not taken any action yet, but they have to be prepared to fight at any time. Zhao Changyuan called it "the legacy of snatching food from the tiger's mouth" and issued three memorials in a row, proposing to take advantage of the situation to quickly capture the weakly defended Zhuozhou in order to relieve Youzhou.
In the face of the trap of encirclement, it is better to quickly set up a relatively large-scale military stronghold in the local area to resist the Liao army's counterattack.
But the emperor experienced a palace rebellion, and all his energy and attention was focused on domestic security and defense. He mobilized a large number of imperial troops to reorganize the Imperial Guards, and the border guards frequently transferred personnel... In short, he just didn't take Zhao Xiaobailian's suggestions to heart.
Think about it carefully. In the emperor's mind, Zhao Changyuan is indeed a general with bravery that no man can match, but his experience is still limited. Although he has fought many battles, large and small, most of them were to quell chaos and suppress bandits, or to
It was a misfire with the Xixia Army, and the number of real confrontations with the Liao Army was only once. Zhao Changyuan had fulfilled his responsibility and no longer forced it.
The emperor discussed with the generals for a long time. Seeing that Zhao Xiong looked distracted, he couldn't help but curiously asked him: "Zhao Aiqing, what makes you so happy?"
Only then did Zhao Xiong realize that his desertion was outrageous, and he grinned for a long time without realizing it. He hurriedly stepped forward to apologize to the emperor: "The humble minister deserves to die, please forgive me."
The emperor didn't care, picked up the tea bowl and took a sip: "Hey, why did Zhao Aiqing say this? What's your crime when the tiger is still napping? By the way, if you have anything happy, you might as well share it with everyone.
.”
Zhao Xiong looked troubled: "Uh... Your Majesty, it's just some trivial matters at home, not worth mentioning in court."
When he said this, the emperor became more energetic: "It just so happens that I have been very bored these days, so I just want to hear some interesting trivia."
"Back to the emperor, the little minister's son... will be a father." Zhao Xiong's brows were involuntarily filled with joy.
The emperor's eyes also lit up: "Oh? That's such a great happy event! Hahahaha! I am also happy for your family!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Yang Guodong also cast a congratulatory look at Zhao Xiong.
The emperor raised his eyebrows inadvertently: "By the way, I heard that he has been standing outside the palace these days asking to see me?"
Zhao Xiong restrained his joy and said with an uneasy look on his face: "Back to the Emperor, Quan Zi... is indeed still outside the palace."
"Eunuch Tong, tell him to come in. Oh, wait... let all those people outside come in." When the emperor said this, his eyes were looking at the tea bowl, but he had a tacit understanding with Zhao Xiong in his heart.
"According to the order!" Eunuch Tong left in response. Not long after, he brought in a dozen ministers who had been waiting for many days and looked gray or yellow. The last person to enter the hall was the man with majestic equipment and white skin.
It was enough for General Zhao to light up the entire hall.
The emperor couldn't hide his admiration and leaned forward when speaking to him: "Zhao Changyuan, I heard that you are going to be a father?"
He bowed to the ground and replied: "As for the emperor, I just learned about it two days ago."
The emperor asked with great interest: "Then why don't you stay in Luoyang and accompany your wife? Why are you standing outside my palace?"
"I have the courage to ask the Emperor to pardon Pan Jingyuan's death penalty." After saying this, he kowtowed heavily.
There was deathly silence in the hall, Zhao Xiong remained calm, and Yang Guodong was so frightened that he broke into a cold sweat. Wei Tingyue squinted his eyes and looked sulky.
The emperor leaned back in his chair, looked down at Zhao Changyuan who was kneeling on the ground, and finally asked coldly: "Did your father tell you that I have made a decree that whoever pleads for Pan Jingyuan will be held accountable?"
Zhao Changyuan raised his head and replied without hesitation: "Go back to the emperor, I know."
"Then you are really courageous, so you are not afraid of me punishing you?" The emperor squeezed his finger bones and made them crackle as he spoke.
"Wei Chen knew that he was being impudent and was willing to accept the punishment, but Wei Chen still begged the emperor to spare his life!" Zhao Changyuan's clean voice resounded through the hall. Except for Wei Tingyue and the emperor, everyone here was sweating for him.
Father-in-law Tong couldn't hide his worried look.
Wei Tingyue took a step out from among the ministers and looked directly at Zhao Changyuan with tiger eyes: "Your Majesty, this Zhao Changyuan keeps interceding for the evil thief. I see that he is clearly an accomplice of the evil thief!"
Zhao Changyuan raised his head to meet his provocative gaze, and responded with a strong tone: "General Wei's remarks are really ridiculous! If Zhao is really Pan Jingyuan's accomplice, would he be stupid enough to publicly plead for him if it is not enough to avoid suspicion?"
Wei Tingyue didn't expect that the pretty boy who had always been silent would dare to contradict him in public, so he was a little surprised: "You are obviously quibbling! You are playing tricks!"
This sentence triggered an even stronger counterattack from Zhao Changyuan: "You are obviously talking nonsense and spitting blood!"
Wei Tingyue had never been so angry before. He blew his beard and glared, and wanted to rush up and kick him: "Try it again!" Just as he was about to lift his feet, Yang Guodong and Zhao Xiong grabbed him down.
Eunuch Tong was beside the emperor and was furious. Wei Tingyue was too arrogant and incompetent. He dared to be so presumptuous in front of the emperor. He even tried to kick his male idol with his dirty feet! He wanted to rush down and slap him.
He has photons in his ears.
"That's enough! You two don't even know who you are! What's the decency of swearing in my palace?" The emperor finally said coldly, "Zhao Changyuan, since you said you are willing to accept the punishment, then I will grant it to you. First of all
I'll give you twenty slaps, and if you come back to talk to me again, will you still be willing?"
Zhao Changyuan didn't think about it for a moment: "I am willing to accept the punishment!"
The emperor nodded: "Here comes someone!"
"The slave is here!"
"Pull Zhao Changyuan down and give him twenty canes. After the beating, bring him back to me!" After saying that, the emperor picked up the tea bowl and covered his face to prevent him from showing any unbearable expression.
"Yes!" After receiving the order, the guards came to Zhao Changyuan's side to pick him up.
But he stood up, shook his official robe, and said with a Zhao expression: "I can leave by myself." After that, accompanied by the guards, he strode out of the hall.
Zhao Xiong's heart was bleeding. Although he had been mentally prepared, seeing his own flesh and blood being tortured made him unavoidably distressed.
Eunuch Tong and Yang Guodong could not help but frown, scratching their hearts.
"If any of you still want to plead for Pan Jingyuan, as long as you take the initiative to accept the punishment like him, I will give you a chance to say a few words." As soon as the emperor finished speaking, everyone in the palace became silent.
If Zhao Xiongruo saw with his own eyes the scene of Zhao Changyuan biting the cloth, taking off his pants and lifting up his robe and lying on the bench, he would never be willing to serve his son's family again. (To be continued)