The next day, it was sunny and cloudless, which was considered the best weather in winter.
The cold wind was still blowing in Zhengcang City, because on the high platform in the center of the square, which was almost forgotten by everyone in the city, the prisoner's head was about to be chopped off.
The public beheading of dozens of prisoners at one time was unprecedented in Zhengcang City's hundreds of years of history.
In Zhengcang City, which had just experienced an unprovoked war, in almost every alley there were people who had been knocked on the door by Lijun soldiers and "invited" to watch the execution. Among these people were hotel owners, tea shop clerks, and wealthy people. The merchants on one side also have long-term workers who sell their physical strength, and there are all kinds of them.
As a result, the square on this day was as lively as an old market, even a little crowded.
Dozens of people were kneeling in a row on the high platform. There were men and women. Some were only wearing thin underwear, and some were wearing soldiers' armor. The only thing that was the same was their state. They all seemed to be scared out of their wits. He knelt there with his head on the ground, as if he didn't dare to look into the eyes of the people in the audience, let alone the bright butcher knife behind him.
A tall and thin general presided over the execution ceremony. He was fully armored and had a solemn look on his face. He walked all the way to the front of the high platform. Facing the countless pairs of eyes of the people from all around, he unexpectedly suddenly shouted loudly, "Everyone knows about us. We came from Li County, armed with knives, but does anyone know why we stayed away from home, far away from our wives and children, tied our heads to our belts and went to the distant city of Zhengcang to fight for our lives?!"
As soon as he said this, the originally bustling square fell silent.
The tall and thin general held the handle of the sword with one hand and continued, "You don't know that just a few days ago, when you were sleeping peacefully in a warm house one night, an army sent by the prefect of Yongchang County attacked me. The camp at Tianmen Pass in Li County! They killed my brothers, trampled on my territory, and humiliated my Li people!"
He glanced at the audience with cold eyes and shouted angrily, "I, Li County, have been friends with Yongchang County for generations. Do you know why the prefect of Yongchang County betrayed the hundreds of years of friendship between the two counties, and why he let people who should be as close as brothers The Li people and the Yongchang people are each other’s enemies?!”
"It's because of them!!" He waved his right arm horizontally and pointed at the prisoners kneeling in a row behind him, and shouted angrily, "It's because these rats are as dirty and despicable as
Poor Guangjun people! They sneaked into various cities in Yongchang County and used money and women to seduce the powerful people of Yongchang County one after another. When most of the courts in Yongchang County only spoke out for the interests of Guang County, they betrayed the brother city-states and destroyed the century-old city wall. , became the only thing that the dim and old prefect of Yongchang County could do! ! "
"Now, we are here!" the tall and thin general shouted with passion, "The prefect of Li County told us that every Li person should not be insulted lightly, but the people of Yongchang are not our enemies. We want to destroy them." The only ones we want to betray are those Meng family dignitaries who only oppress the people and do nothing to betray Li County and Yongchang County! What’s more, we must kill every Guang County rat who hides their heads and tails to sow discord between Li County and Yongchang County!”
He pulled out the long knife at his waist with a "choking" sound, and slashed the long knife into the edge of the high platform with a wave of his hand, "Today, I was ordered by the prefect of Li County to kill this group of people hiding in Zhengcang City disguised as Zhengcang people to assassinate me. The spies of Guang County, General Lijun, have committed many crimes, the evidence is conclusive, and their intentions are sinister. They deserve death! Please all the people of Zhengcang City as witnesses to kill the spies of Guang County, and make all Zhengcang people innocent! Military order!"
"cut!!!"
As soon as the tall and lanky general finished speaking, the soldier behind him who had already raised his long sword picked up the sword and chopped off dozens of heads neatly. Blood spattered and there was no sound everywhere!
Only the cold winter wind howled by, as if Zhengcang was an empty city.
On the high platform, the soldiers packed up everything and returned to the military camp in silence. Under the high platform, the people whispered in twos and threes and returned to their respective residences. On this day, Zhengcang City was in a fiery silence.
No one noticed that the tall and thin general who had presided over the execution ceremony had arrived at a tall building in the corner of the square at some point. He saluted respectfully in front of the young man sitting by the window and said, "Your Majesty, the execution has been completed." , Judging from the on-site situation, the effect should be good.”
Devour
The young man was naturally Luo Chuan. He just looked out the window at the gradually dispersing square and shook his head. "People's hearts are often the most complicated. I don't believe that a speech and an execution can change people's hearts." He said Smiling, he looked at the tall and lanky general and encouraged him, "What you said earlier was so eloquent and interesting. I will think of you next time I have such an opportunity, Jiu Ge."
Tall and thin
The general blushed at Luo Chuan's words and couldn't say a word for a while.
Luo Chuan stood up and patted his shoulder and said, "I have heard people tell me these days that there are all kinds of proud remarks circulating in our army in recent days, and some even compare Lijun's one or two victories. It’s not good to have your merits blown up to the sky,” he took back his hand and said with a serious expression, “After hundreds of years of peace, it’s a big deal to suddenly seize a few cities from a neighbor who didn’t have much defense.”
Jiuge looked solemn, lowered his head and said nothing.
"Today Lijun Qingqi and I are leaving Zhengcang City for Liangcang City. We are not going to bring an end to the victory of this great war. On the contrary, it is to kick off the coming of the real war. This real war will come from Yicheng, Yongchang County, who is bound to counterattack, will come from Jincheng, Guangjun County, who is eyeing us, and will also come from the hearts of all the people who have been occupied by us just like today. If we cannot win any of these battles, everything before this will be just a mirror and nothing. Meaning," Luo Chuan walked past him and went straight downstairs, "Jiu Ge, if only now, at the beginning, my army has to lie on the basis of some trivial achievements and feel pretentious, then they They are likely to die when the real war comes, and as generals, you should keep them awake."
Jiuge turned around solemnly, knelt down on one knee facing the direction Luo Chuan and others left, and said in a low voice, "Subordinate, obey the eunuch's order!!"
Luo Chuan did not look back or give him any response. He just silently took Siqi and others and a group of blood knights back to the government office. He found Shen Cheng, whose physical condition had begun to improve, and talked in detail for a long time before coming out of the government office. Wu Qianli The Jun Qingqi had already assembled, and after Luochuan put on his armor and mounted his horse, he stepped on the node that shook the earth and headed west out of the city gate.
Unlike when they arrived, every sound of horse hooves seemed to hit the hearts of the people in the city, shaking them with chills. Now that they left, the people could whisper about the excellent armor and equipment of Lijun Qingqi, almost Armed to the teeth.
Luo Chuan, who had always been hidden among the cavalry army, watched and listened. He didn't look back silently until he was five or six miles away from Zhengcang City. The city in the distance was still vaguely visible, but the noise or undercurrent in it, They are all blocked behind the city wall.
Out of sight.
