Chapter 76 – Help me rub my chest.

Su Yan was stunned, sleepiness suddenly went seven or eight points, looked out the window and muttered to himself: “What imperial historian? Your grandpa is here! Whose head will be chopped off?”

He got up in a heave and got out of bed to find his coat, calling out, “Chase!”

Jing Hong lifted the curtain after him and came in.

Su Yan said, “Go find my official clothes, I forgot where I put them.”

Jing Hongchu saw him burying his head in the baggage to make a copy and pick it up, the corner of his mouth hooked up a helpless smile, stretching out the hilt of his sword and picking it, “Here, this is not.”

“Hey, how is it that your eyes are bright.” Su Yan tugged out that cyan seventh-grade civil official’s regular clothes, see the patch on the front chest and back, shook his hand, couldn’t help but spit out, “Good official clothes, embroidered what mandarin ducks playing in the water, this mandarin ducks color is still faggot purple, rely on ……”

He put his official clothes on with a disgusted look on his face, and Jing Hong chased after him with a taut face to hide his smile, helping him to fasten his belt and put on his ocelot.

Su Yan ordered to go wake up Chu Yuan and others, and carefully packed the appointment certificate, the imperial decree and the Shangfang sword, let Jing Hongchou carry, a group of people out of the inn, riding straight to the street.

The marketplace fire reflecting the sky, the square square platform in the middle of the square, Su Yan far to see a row of figures kneeling on the platform, standing next to a few big men, head bundled red scarf, holding a big knife, suddenly remembered the previous life in the TV series to see the beheading of the scene in the court, I thought to myself is not I want to respond to the scene, the first shout “under the knife to leave a man”?

Spitting on it, he was not so adventurous as to arrive at the edge of the square and go first to read the notice posted on the official list.

Notice full of posted a list, there are several thieves and bandits, the most conspicuous two portraits, rather like the eagle’s beak mountain that pair of thief head brother, next to the note: ringing horse bandit leader Wang Wu, Wang Liu.

Another see a large sheet of thieves order, fully accounted for one-third of the layout, Su Yan quickly scanning, “harsh words, deterrent deterrence of the people is just, Shivu sit-in law is what the hell?”

Chu Yuan explains, “That is, five families for a Wu, ten families for a Shi, a family to violate the law, the other families must be denounced, such as concealment not to report, will be punished with the same crime.”

“Mobilizing the people to report and expose each other, huh? Awesome.” Su Yan looked at the end of the announcement and frowned, “And implicate family members? If one person is a bandit, the whole family will be beheaded, not so brutal, right?”

On the platform, the executioner pulled out the “criminal by card” inserted in the back of the prisoner’s collar and threw it on the ground, and then took a mouthful of liquor and sprayed it on the ghost head sword, waiting for the sign to fall to the ground, and then his hand raised the sword.

Chu Yuan and other people line up around the beheading platform crowded spectators, for Su Yan clear a road. Su Yan rode close to the front, see the kneeling prisoners, men and women, young and old, the oldest is a pair of stooped old man crone, full of wrinkles, numbly kneeling. The youngest teenager about thirteen or fourteen years old, trembling with fear, next to the kneeling woman is probably his mother, turned his head and looked at him just mournful crying.

“What kind of person dares to trespass on the court?”

Su Yan looked back, the field on the steps set up a public case, seated in a similarly wearing seven green robes of the officials, about thirty years, yellow face slightly bearded. This sound of rebuke, it is his side of the police officer issued.

Su Yan beat his horse close to the front, arched his hand and said, “The Imperial Inspectorate of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, the Royal Edict of the Imperial Governor of Shaanxi, Su Yan, the word Qinghe.”

The official froze at his words and slowly rose, also bowing his hand to him in salute: “The Imperial Inspectorate of the Metropolitan Police, ordered to be stationed in Shaanxi to specialize in the capture of thieves, Lu An Gao, the word Riyong.”

Su Yan listening to his self-reported home, almost laughing, thinking that there are parents to the child named “mess” hahaha …… could it be really mess born? His laughing muscles to hold back sour, dry cough, dismounted and walked up the steps: “Please mess …… Lu brother suspend execution, allow me to understand the situation.”

The execution was interrupted, Lu An Gao was already upset, and seeing Su Yan’s intention to intervene, he said in a deep voice: “Could it be that Jun is the Royal Gate Drumming Su XII? The auspicious time should not be missed, if you want to understand the situation, wait for the execution to be completed, this official will slowly explain.”

He said, sitting back in his official chair and reaching for the signet cylinder to get the order sign.

When you finish chopping, I still understand what the hell ah, in case you chopped the wrong head, but also can take back not. Su Yan immediately took a step ahead of the signing cylinder, smiled: “I have a strange problem, the heart of the doubt is difficult to sit still, I hope that brother Lu for me to solve a puzzle first. As for the auspicious time, if you are a taboo person, you won’t put the execution in the night, anyway, it’s already past noon, and then a moment and a half late, and what does it matter.”

Lu An Gao secretly scolded him for being a scoundrel, and had to spend time explaining: “These seven criminals on the stage, three of them are accomplices of the bandits, who killed the officials and robbed the grain and ordnance, and did nothing wrong; the other four are the family members of the bandits, who knew that the law of guilt-by-association was enacted, but they hid the news and didn’t report it, and also tipped off the bandits, so they should be sentenced to death according to the law.”

Su Yan said: “This accessory is just, how can family members also be sentenced to beheading? Kindred hide from each other, since ancient times, the law agreed, in addition to plotting rebellion, plotting rebellion, plotting rebellion and other serious crimes, allows immediate family members can not report each other, otherwise the kinship of the moral integrity of the disappearance of.”

He reached out and pointed to the old man and crone on the stage, “Look at those two old people, half into the ground, do you want to force them to come forward to report their children and grandchildren? Love of children, is not human nature? Even if you want to punish, not to the same offense theory directly sentenced to death, I hope that brother Lu think twice.”

Lu An Gao Liang was not moved, “The law of guilt by association was not finalized by this official alone, the governor also gave his nod. Su just arrived in Shaanxi, do not know the secrets and benefits. The local bandits are rampant, robbing houses, very arrogant, the local officials can not do anything before reporting to the court. The court ordered me to be stationed in Shaanxi, specializing in catching bandits, if I do nothing, how can I live up to my duties and the grace of the court?”

Su Yan sighed: “The reasoning is so reasonable, but in practice, we have to pay attention to the method. Rough repression can only treat the symptoms, not the root cause, but will provoke civil unrest.”

Lu An Gao laughed coldly: “This official deciwei year, the temple test a flower, served as the royal historian for eleven years, but also a newly appointed half-aged boy to teach me how to govern for the government? Ancient cloud chaos with the heavy, the great ancestor of the emperor also said, ‘I rule the chaos, non-fierce can not be’. Shaanxi is full of theft and chaos, if not severe punishment, from the heavy punishment, how to deter those who do not obey the discipline of the change of the people against the people, to set things right?”

Su Yan immediately refuted: “This is the same time, this is the same time! In times of chaos, the use of heavy punishment, in order to rebuild the social order, now a hundred years of the dynasty, when the light taxes, cultivate and stabilize the people’s hearts. Shaanxi chaos, the root cause is horse politics, horse politics, if clear, the chaos since the peace, the emperor ordered me to come to Shaanxi governor, the purpose is also in this. Please listen to my advice, the sages have a saying – ‘under high pressure, there is bound to be a rebound’ ‘if you don’t explode in silence, you will perish in silence’. “

“Bullshit! Which saint said that? I’ve never heard of it!” Lu An Gao was furious and rose to his feet, “You clean up your horse administration, I arrest my bandits, well water does not offend river water. You and I are both seventh grade royal historians, who is in charge of whom?”

Su Yan was angry at his stubbornness, slammed the signet tube and also said loudly, “The purpose of clearing the horse policy is to return the people to the fields! If you kill all the people and force them to rebel, what the hell am I going to do!”

“I kill s**t and have a clear conscience! As for your success or failure, what’s it to me?”

“You only know that the lower people are easy to abuse, but you don’t know that water can overturn a boat, so sooner or later you’ll get into big trouble!”

“What’s the big trouble? Is it possible that these mud legged people still dare to rebel! I tell you Su XII, these bandits I catch one cut one, catch ten cut five pairs, you want to enlist people to go by yourself, do not drag me! Otherwise, I’ll go to the Golden Palace to report you, do you think you’re the only one who dares to beat the Deng Wen Drum?”

All are imperial historians, mouth gun competition ring ping pong. Su Yan see this messy imperial historian completely unable to communicate, and the two status is equivalent, difficult to suppress, then remembered the emperor’s gift of the Shangfang sword, then intended to bring the fox fake tiger a bit, regardless of whether he serves, the first stage to save a few lives before.

He was about to tell Jing Hong to chase after him to fetch the sword when the sound of golden drums came from the city gates again.

Just see a team of Yamen soldiers escorted the five tied criminals, majestically into the city, there is a front band, and gongs and drums, and blowing horns and suona, lively and festive very much.

–No wonder the city of Yan’an noise, day and night to disturb the people, it turns out that this royal historian every caught a thief and bandit, have to be so loud to announce some of their own achievements.

Su Yan simply laughed in anger.

The prisoners were escorted to the front, and the soldiers loudly reported, “Your Honor, at the junction of Yan’an and Qingyang, the bandit Qi Mang was captured.”

Lu An Light Shine stared straight at the face of the criminal and suddenly laughed out loud, “Qi Mang! It really is Qi Mang!” He turned his head and said to Su Yan, “Please see, Mr. Su, this is the third chair of the Horse Pirates, Wang Wu and Wang Liu’s right hand man. If we catch him, can Wang Wu and Wang Liu still escape?”

“The Rattlesnake Pirates will soon be ashes and ashes, and other gangs of thieves and bandits are even less to worry about!” Lu An Gao Liang spoke with sarcasm, “What kind of high-pressure is bound to rebound, why don’t you ask him to play one and show it to this official?”

As the words fell, a roar was heard, like a tiger roaring through the forest, “–Dog officer! Take your life!” The human offender bellowed, violently breaking free from the hemp rope, rushing towards the two men in official uniforms on the steps.

In the midst of the change, Lu An Shine was stunned.

Jing red chase because he and Su Yan scolding, early held a belly of fire, several times want to draw the sword, were Su Yan secretly pressed. Now see the people offenders rise up and attack, obviously can easily solve the siege, but intentionally not out of hand, only wrapped Su Yan, show stance drift back, away from the circle of trouble.

The Jin Yi Wei Tie Riders immediately swarmed up and protected Su Yan in the center.

A group of magistrates jumped forward, seven hands and eight feet to capture the prisoners, but could not suppress, was his struggle, thrown out three or four. Qi Mang’s beard was as angry as a halberd, and his big fist smashed Lu An Gao’s face.

Lu An Gao’s legs slid down the official chair, only to hear a click above his head, the official case was split into two by the fist force. He rolled over and rolled down the steps, grabbed the scattered order sign on the ground and scattered them out, shouting, “Take it down! Quickly!”

The people watching the beheading in the field saw the situation is not good, I do not know who screamed “ringing horse thieves into the city – to fight with the soldiers -” at once the crowd hooted and hollered and did birds and beasts dispersed, leaving behind only a place of The shoes and shoes of the foot and the cap and scarf of the crowd.

Qi Mang was as strong as an ox and knocked over seven or eight government officials and soldiers one after another.

There are a dozen yamen surrounded by a group of hard to pounce on, stacked like a Luohan will be constantly roaring Qi Mang pressed under the body, the rest of the people rushed to use the iron chain to his hands and feet tightly bound.

At the same time, the executioner on the stage, seeing the superior officer throw out the order sign, regardless of the circumstances, his hand rose up and knifed down.

Bright red blood fountain sprayed more than three feet high, splashing the executioner all over his face and body, seven messy heads rolled on the stage, and then rolled down from the edge of the stage to the ground.

Su Yan was chased and protected by Jing Hong, turned his head to look at the bloody beheading platform, his eyes filled with stern colors, gritted his teeth and cursed, “Fuck!”

If it is not a sudden change, perhaps his sword under the pressure of the people, the prisoners on the stage can still have a chance to live, now it is too late to say anything.

Qi Mang was chained into a meat dumpling, blocking the mouth, but also non-stop writhing. Lu An Gao stunned by the magistrate to help up, face green and white, voice trembling: “Put, put him into the prison, strict guard …… this official want to follow the vine to find the melon, the ringing horse pirates will be a net!”

When the fear subsided, annoyed, Lu An Gao gasped for air, to Su Yan said: “Tonight’s matter, if it is not the Su Royal Secretary interfered, how would it come to such a state! Tomorrow at the hour, the government office, when the governor is present, you and I will talk again!”

Su Yan coldly laughed: “Obviously it is your own crow’s mouth, have to provoke the offenders, what has it got to do with me? Speaking on speaking, letting off steam, who have I, Su Qinghe, been afraid of?”

Lu An Gao Gao was furious, not caring that his official robe was covered with dust and mud, and his head cap was askew, and he whisked his sleeve away.

Su Yan looked at the mess, the night wind blew, the blood puffed his nose, could not help but shake his head and sighed: “Sins.”

Chu Yuan advised, “Lord Su, this place is bloody and filthy, why don’t we go back to the inn first and go to the government office in the morning?”

–

“After the thieves and bandits have ambushed and beheaded, their corpses will be exposed for three days as a warning to others.” So reads the order issued by the Lu imperial historian to crush the thieves.

And so on the high pole outside the city gates that night, there were seven more heads.

The night was as dark as ink at the stroke of midnight, and the soldiers guarding the gates were so sleepy that they dozed off with their backs against the wall.

A group of black-robed masked men emerged from the night, diving to the pole. One of them is extraordinarily small and thin, as nimble as an ape, a few leaps and climbs up to the top of the pole, and removes the newly hung heads one by one.

The masked men wrapped the heads in cloth, put them in lime boxes, and tied them securely to the horses.

“Fasten the horse and send it to Hawksbill Hill.”

“If the fifth brother and the sixth brother know their father and mother sister in law and nephew …… alas! This bullshit officialdom, goddamned royal historian!”

“Big brother Qi Mang has been imprisoned, we can’t say when he won’t have a life, we have to go and save him.”

“Do not strike out rashly! Hold back for now, and wait for Fifth Brother Sixth Brother’s side to make up their minds, and we’ll do as we’re told.”

–

Although not contaminated with half a bit of blood, Su Yan returned to the inn, but still can not help but regurgitate nausea, re-bathed once.

Jing Hongchou stood outside the door of the room, listening to the faint sound of water rubbing against the fabric against his body, and memorizing the Internal Heart Technique silently from beginning to end and end to end ten times, finally waiting for Lord Su to lazily say, “I’m ready, come in.”

He took a deep breath and pushed his way inside.

Su Yan was wearing a Chinese sheet and silk pants, sitting on the edge of the bed, draping his long, wet, dark hair, taking a cotton towel and twisting it clumsily between his hair.

Jing Hong chased can not watch, took over the cotton towel gently wipe, and also transported the internal force, will slowly dry his hair.

Su Yan hugged a bent right leg, looking a little frustrated, and sighed silently.

Jing Hongchu knew that he was chagrined, and said, “Tonight’s matter, your honor has already tried his best. Life and death have their own destiny, if you want to blame it on the brutality of that surnamed Lu, it’s not your fault.”

Su Yan said in a low voice, “Even if the governor is present, I can still clamp down on him for a few points as an imperial historian. On the other hand, the other party is also an Imperial Historian, and has a royal decree that specializes in catching thieves, so I can only try my best to convince him.”

“That surnamed Lu is very stubborn, simply can not listen to persuasion, waste of words of adults, why not use the imperial sword to cut people directly, not to say that the first decapitation?”

Su Yan lost a smile: “You are in the jungle, do not know the official world. After all, it is a political disagreement, but not the other side of the corruption, if I cut him without saying anything, turn back to be impeached by the ministers, the emperor will naturally protect me, because the sword is given by him, in the future, but it is difficult to trust me so much again. Because I have failed his trust by killing officials presumptuously.”

Jing Hong chased originally wanted to answer “failed so what? He gave you the sword, and do not let you use it, give what”, but thinking of Su Yan people in the officialdom, I am afraid that the body can not help, then did not say out.

As if Su Yan heard his heart, he laughed: “Do you know what is called nuclear weapons? Only holding it in my hand, letting you know that I have this thing, but if I use it or not, when I use it, no one can say, so that I can deter the four directions. Once it’s launched,” he spread his hands, “Instead, it exposes all of its cards, and it will also violate the public’s anger and be attacked by a fire set.”

“The bottom card …… Right, isn t there a holy decree? Bring it to me.”

Since the capital of the bean curd stall, from Su Xiaobei hands to get the imperial decree, Su Yan has not opened to see, afraid of their own look at those words of depreciation, the heart will be sad – although only to cover up the official words, or from the Secretary of the pen eunuch’s hand, by the seal eunuch stamped with the seal of the jade, the emperor is only responsible for the point of view, but after all, it is also considered the holy will.

He is not afraid of the crowd impeachment and abuse, but in the emperor there is a little aggression can not be subjected to, not moving, picking up the leg even crying with a pet, with a child, think of it and feel ashamed, but this shame with a few …… swinging points? Su Yan can not help but shiver, drive away the heart of this ghostly flash of thought.

Jing Hong chased after him and found the holy decree and handed it to him.

Su Yan strengthened his spirit and leaned on the bedpost, slowly unfolding the scroll, and after reading only two lines, he was stunned.

Jing Hong chased after him and saw that he was lost in thought, calling softly, “My lord?”

Su Yan enlightened sober, holding the imperial decree and laughing aloud, and then suddenly lay down on his side, turning his face into the wall to hide his moist eyes.

“Since you can’t repay me, then repay the world!”

–The Royal Master really took this promise and fulfilled it to the extreme.

The power given to him by this imperial decree is far beyond the limit of what an ordinary subject can get. The emperor knows him and believes in him, and is even worried that he won’t use the Shangfang Sword easily, so he gives another holy decree as the biggest support and backing for his actions.

Su Yan hugged the imperial decree, as if he had returned to that day, the imperial study where only the ruler and the minister were pulsating with each other, to that burning yet restrained, secretive and silent yet thrilling embrace.

He shed silent, hot tears in the aftermath of a soft laugh.

Jing Hong chased heard his rapid and uncertain breath, obviously emotional agitation, and hide his face not attack, I do not know whether it is happy or sad, fear that he seven feelings of internal injuries, busy asked: “adults, what is written on the imperial decree?”

“Wrote …… the word ‘love and justice’.” Su Yan’s chest was infarcted, huffed, “Ah Chui, my chest is stuffy, you help me rub, rub.”