To say that the trial is difficult does not mean that it is difficult to examine the criminal facts.
After all, this group of people can be said to have obtained stolen goods together. In addition, the secret letters and secret agreements from previous assassinations were quickly discovered. It can be said that the facts of their crimes cannot be clearer.
But the question is, how to deal with it?
In addition to the head-scratching problem of Lord Pingyang, the other prisoners are not good at dealing with each other. How can they be ordinary people who can talk to Lord Pingyang and raise hundreds of young men in Handan City.
Under the intricate network of relationships, almost one move affects the whole body.
As the most powerful member in Handan City, Mr. Pingyuan has to be treated with caution. Even it itself is inextricably linked.
Of course, Lord Pingyuan has already wiped out all these rebels. As for the trial and sentencing, he can leave it to the current King Zhao.
But obviously, Mr. Pingyuan has no such plan.
Although it was difficult to handle, Lord Pingyuan was still prepared to finish the matter before Zhao Kuo returned to the court.
First of all, the longer this matter is delayed, the more it will be involved. Currently, only a small number of nobles in Handan City are involved. If it goes on for another ten days, I am afraid that more than half of the nobles in Handan will be involved;
Secondly, leaving the problem to the king will undoubtedly intensify the opposition between the monarch and his ministers, which is by no means a blessing for the State of Zhao.
What's more, his brother Pingyang Jun is involved. If King Zhao is allowed to judge, will this evil be eliminated?
If this is eliminated, even King Zhao may have to consider whether there will be any suspicion between him and his chief assistant. If not eliminated, how can he eliminate the accomplices, let alone frighten the world.
Now the pattern of the two powers' struggle for hegemony has become clear. In addition to victory and defeat on the battlefield, the battle is also about the accumulation of national power. This point is very clear to Pingyuan Jun who has experienced the Battle of Changping.
The so-called national strength, the most taboo thing is internal friction.
The highest form of internal strife is nothing more than rebellion. If this trend cannot be stopped, how can Zhao compete with Qin for the world?
Today, the State of Zhao is in a raging fire. There is no choice but to reach the top step by step. Rather than retreating, it is just a step slower, and that is the abyss.
Mr. Pingyuan will never allow anyone to disrupt Zhao's century-old rise.
Therefore, in the early morning of the second day when the king was about to return in triumph, Lord Pingyuan led all the civil and military officials, deducted Lord Pingyang and other prisoners, and arrived at the outskirts of Handan City.
It was late autumn, and the suburbs of Handan in the northern country were already a little desolate. The chirping of birds and cicadas had long since disappeared, and between the sky and the earth, only the gurgling water was left slowly moving eastward. literature
On the embankment, a group of prisoners and the heads of the noble families involved were all tied up tightly and knelt in front of the gurgling water.
Beside them, almost all the officials who were still in Handan were gathered here.
From this distance, everyone can clearly see the appearance of the prisoner in front of them, and naturally can also clearly "appreciate" the upcoming performance of "killing chickens to scare monkeys."
And around the officials is a circle of fences. Inside the fence is a circle of palace guards armed to the teeth. Outside the fence are circles of Handan people who come to ask questions.
Three days ago, Lord Pingyuan posted posters along the street, accusing Lord Pingyang and his group of trying to overthrow the imperial court and overthrow the people's happy life. This is why today's crowds of people gathered to watch.
The people of Handan, who were already having a good time, had been "hungry" for several days for today, so they gathered all the rotten vegetable leaves and rotten eggs in their homes.
Escorted along the way, this group of prisoners had already been severely punished by the common people's rotten eggs and rotten vegetables.
That is to say, the group of adults stood in front of this group of mortals, otherwise the common people would not stop throwing.
What? Have you thrown away the rotten eggs and rotten vegetables?
The most indispensable thing by the river is stones, which are much more powerful than eggs and vegetable leaves when smashed.
As a result, the prisoners kneeling by the river were all covered in bruises and bruises, and their whole bodies exuded an unpleasant stench.
The common people are certainly a bunch of rabble, but they are also like this
They are a mob, but they can still tell who is good to them and who is bad to them, and they will always vote in the simplest way.
The sun gradually rose, and groups of prisoners were finally escorted.
But an old man in plain clothes, carrying a basket, suddenly appeared among the prisoners on the river embankment.
Of all the people present, no one stepped forward to stop him.
Who else could receive such treatment except Pingyuan Jun Zhao Sheng, the chief assistant of the dynasty.
Seeing his brother off may be the only selfish thing he does as the chief minister.
Squatting down, his old hands gently wiped away the rotten eggs and rotten vegetable leaves from the head of another tied old man, and then took out a cloth handkerchief from his body. Just this time, the cool river water, Wiping the old man's face.
"My mother-in-law taught us to be clean since childhood. Look at how old you are, and you still end up like this. When my mother-in-law sees it, she will definitely punish you." With red eyes, Zhao Sheng murmured to Pingyang in front of him. Jun said.
Faced with his brother's gentle caress, the countless anger and grievances in Pingyang Jun's heart finally turned into only two lines of muddy tears.
"Brother." Mr. Pingyang gently called him by his former title.
He has never called this name for many years. Maybe after becoming the king, or maybe since being beaten in all directions by this younger brother?
"Brother." Zhao Sheng also called softly.
As he spoke, two lines of tears burst out of his red eyes unconsciously.
So many words have been said in the prison these days. At this time, the two of them just want to have a meal together, just like they did countless days and months ago.
"Come here, I brought my favorite Chengnan apricot blossom stuffing to my brother, as well as the specially cooked beef in the house." Zhao Sheng gently wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and said to Zhao Bao while opening the food box.
"Come on!" Zhao Sheng tore off a large piece of beef and handed it to Zhao Bao's mouth.
The beef is so crispy that it almost melts in one sip.
Zhao Bao ate a large piece in one bite, and wolfed it down with tears in his eyes.
"Brother, you eat too." Zhao Bao muttered while chewing beef.
"Okay, let me eat too." Zhao Sheng said and bit off a large piece of beef, then poured a glass of apricot wine and brought it to his brother.
The slightly turbid wine slowly entered his throat, and Zhao Bao seemed to have returned to his high-spirited boyhood.
At that time, Adi was still Adi, and Handan was still Handan.
The wind seemed to be sweeter at that time...
Three kilograms of beef and one kilogram of wine went into the stomachs of brothers Zhao Bao and Zhao Sheng little by little.
However, no matter how much wine and meat you have, it will eventually run out! Although both of them wanted time to stop at this moment.
He gently put down the wine cup and closed the lid of the box again. Zhao Sheng gently wiped the residue from the corners of Zhao Bao's mouth and called out, "Brother, I'm leaving now. You have a good trip."
Thousands of words were still stuck in Zhao Bao's throat, and in the end he was unable to make any sound.
Mr. Pingyuan stood up slowly and staggered back to the center of the ministers.
"Your Majesty."
Upon seeing this, the ministers also hurriedly gathered around.
Mr. Pingyuan, however, shook his head slightly, casually handed the basket in his hand to the elder, and turned around. Mr. Pingyuan had regained his composure.
Although he was dressed in plain clothes, he still couldn't hide the domineering look from his eyes.
Returning to his seat, looking at the surging river in front of him, and then at the rising sun, Mr. Pingyuan said softly: It's time.
The words were very soft, but in the silent execution field, they seemed so obvious.
With a cry, under this high-pressure momentum, some of the prisoners finally couldn't bear it and cried.
Then, the scene became a mess!
"Mr. Ge, please spare my life!"
"Chief Assistant, we are really not involved in this matter! The general is aware of it!"
"Chief Assistant,
I have an old man above me and a young man below me..."
...
Mr. Pingyuan, who had white hair and beard, was already unhappy, and now he was even more impatient with such a noisy scene.
Lu Buwei on the side understood immediately, and then gave the palace guards a look. The palace guards understood, and used the sheaths and backs of their swords to teach the nobles and officials how to shut up.
Immediately, the noisy sounds gradually disappeared, and only soft sobs and wailing accompanied by the sound of gurgling water flowed into everyone's hearts.
Immediately, Lord Pingyuan nodded to Lu Buwei again.
Lu Buwei understood, and immediately in unison, he unfolded the bamboo slips in his hands and read aloud to the officials and the people watching:
After investigation, Pingyang Lord Zhao Bao and other thieves conspired to rebel and overthrow the country. Their crimes are unforgivable. Now outside Handan City, they are telling the gods of the mountains and rivers to punish them in order to fulfill the destiny.
After saying this, Lu Buwei put away the bamboo slips and looked at Lord Pingyuan respectfully.
Mr. Pingyuan exhaled a long breath and said, "Test."
"Yes." After receiving the order, Lu Buwei turned towards the prisoner and said, "Verify your identity."
Zhao Ping, who was already waiting beside the prisoner, immediately raised his hand and agreed, "Yes."
Immediately, several secret guards dressed as palace guards stepped forward one by one to examine the prisoner.
After a full quarter of an hour, Zhao Ping handed over his hand and replied to Lu Buwei: "Sir, Mr. Ge, I have been verified."
"The chief assistant, I have been verified." Lu Buwei immediately reported to Lord Pingyuan.
Taking a deep breath, Mr. Pingyuan immediately picked up the token on the desk, closed his eyes slightly, then opened them suddenly, and immediately dropped the token: "Execution!"
"Execution!" Lu Buwei immediately shouted loudly...
The whimpering horn sounded immediately, and among the sound of drums, strong men holding big axes slowly appeared on the stage.
As soon as the drums finished, Zhao Ping, who was standing by the river, immediately sang loudly: "Execution!"
...
The giant blade was swung, and the head fell to the ground, and was kicked into the rolling river water. Then the headless corpse dripping with blood was kicked into the waves by the same kick.
Sometimes, human life is just two splashes of water!
One, two, three...
There was another sound of drum beating, one row of prisoners had fallen, and another row of prisoners were brought up...
After a while, a piece of the river surface turned red, and the sweet smell of blood attracted the carnivorous and scavenging fish in the river. The fish worked together to smash the already tattered clothes on the corpse again, and then greedily divided them. Eat fresh flesh.
The blood-red river water has become a palace of joy for fish, and on the river bank, the onlookers are also clapping and cheering amidst the sound of drums...
