xymnovel Chapter 135 Kill According to the List!
Chapter 135 Kill According to the List!
Chapter 135 Kill According to the List!
The agents of the Eastern Depot pressed these officials to the ground, stripped them of their underwear, and then raised the wooden sticks in their hands high and brought them down hard on their buttocks!
"Snapped!"
Suddenly, screams erupted across Fengtianmen Square!
"Aaaaaaah!"
"Spare me! Your Majesty, spare me!"
"Your Majesty, please forgive us! Your Majesty, please forgive us!"
'
Soon, those officials who had only been given twenty strokes of the cane had finished their punishment.
To their surprise, although their lower bodies were in excruciating pain, at least they were still alive and could still feel their legs.
Such an injury will heal in a few days.
But those officials who were punished with one hundred strokes of the cane were not so lucky.
The screams of agony still echoed across Fengtianmen Square.
The officials who were being tortured had their lower bodies beaten until they were a bloody mess, and their blood dripped onto the still-unwashed floor tiles, forming a river of blood once again.
"Aaaaaah!!!"
"Your Majesty, spare me! Your Majesty, spare me!"
"Your Majesty, we were wrong! We were really wrong! Spare us, Your Majesty!"
'
"One hundred strokes of the cane, each stroke hurting them more than the last."
The excruciating pain tormented their nerves and bodies, and as the fight progressed, each time the blows were lifted again, they would bring up some blood and bits of flesh.
As the fighting continued, some officials simply fell silent.
As the fighting continued, some officials discovered that they had lost all feeling in their lower bodies.
Screams and wails echoed in the ears of every official in the Fengtian Hall, reminding them of the horrific events of the previous night.
Sure enough, yesterday's turmoil was not the end, but only the beginning.
The torture was prolonged, and amidst screams in Fengtianmen Square, the hundred strokes of the cane were finally completed.
Of these nearly one hundred officials, more than twenty were beaten to death.
There were still dozens of officials who were beaten and seriously injured, leaving them paralyzed on one side.
Even so, Zhu Houzhao only ordered the agents of the Eastern Depot to drag the dead officials out of Fengtianmen Square.
Zhu Houzhao did not allow the seriously wounded officials to leave to heal, but instead made them continue to lie prostrate on Fengtianmen Square, dragging their badly injured bodies.
"Do you know why I won't allow them to leave?"
"Do you know why I didn't tell you to get up?"
"Do you know why I insisted that you all attend this court assembly today?"
Zhu Houzhao sat on the dragon throne, looking down at the civil and military officials kneeling on the ground, his voice devoid of any emotion.
The officials kneeling below bowed even lower, trying to make themselves less noticeable, and dared not answer Zhu Houzhao's questions.
Zhu Houzhao didn't expect them to answer, but instead said directly, "Since the Prince of Nan entered the capital, his heir Zhu Chongyao has been traveling around the capital."
"How many of you have met the Crown Prince of the Southern Kingdom?"
"And how many people took the Prince of Nan's money?"
"Do you really think I know nothing about what you're trying to do?!"
Many of the officials present were already on the verge of suffocating under this invisible pressure.
"Yuhuatian!"
"Your subject is here!"
"Bring me the list."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Yu Huatian took out a list from his pocket, stepped forward, and respectfully handed it to Zhu Houzhao.
Zhu Houzhao took the list, browsed through it, and then looked at the people in front of him.
"All officials whose names I have called, stand aside."
"Pu Feiyu, Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Personnel".
"Head of the Household Department, Zhuang Hezheng."
"Gui Guoan, Clerk of the Ministry of Justice"
"Zeng Qizhi, Right Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review".
Guo Xingxian, Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.
"Tao Wendong, Left Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices."
'
'
Every time Zhu Houzhao called out a name, agents from the Western Depot would immediately locate that official among the crowd of officials and pull him out of the line.
The list in Zhu Houzhao's hands was a death list.
Every official whose name he called out showed great fear.
When the agents of the Western Depot grabbed him by the collar and dragged him out of the line, he was still struggling fiercely and shouting loudly.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty is innocent!"
"Your Majesty! I have met with the Prince of Nan, but I did not accept any money from him!"
"Your Majesty! It's all a misunderstanding! The Crown Prince of the Southern Kingdom has come to pay me a personal visit; I dare not refuse, I dare not refuse!"
'
'
Various kinds of roars and screams rang out in Fengtianmen Square.
But the agents of the Western Depot, who were acting on orders, didn't care about any of that. Whoever the Emperor called out a name, they would arrest.
Among the names Zhu Houzhao called out, some were officials who normally attended the court assembly, but many more were those who were absent from the court assembly without a valid reason.
Many officials who had already been beaten bloody and mangled by the Eastern Depot agents and were partially paralyzed were also picked up by the Western Depot agents and dragged aside.
The officials, who were still celebrating their narrow escape from death, were now pale-faced and filled with fear and despair.
It felt like an eternity before Zhu Houzhao finally put down the list in his hand.
The officials who were still kneeling obediently below finally breathed a sigh of relief.
At that moment, they suddenly realized how fortunate they were to still be able to kneel before Zhu Houzhao.
Zhu Houzhao put away the list and looked coldly at the officials whose names he had called out.
These officials were actually few in number, only about forty, and most of them were mid-level managers in various departments of the capital.
High-ranking officials who truly wield influence would disdain associating with someone like the Prince of the South.
"You tell me yourselves, how much money did you receive from the Prince of Nan? And what are you going to do for them?"
The officials waved their hands repeatedly, kowtowed incessantly, and wept bitterly, looking extremely regretful.
"Your Majesty, I was confused for a moment, I was confused for a moment!"
"Your Majesty, please give me another chance! I will never dare to do it again!"
"I was blinded by greed at the time. I know I was wrong, I truly know I was wrong!"
"
"These officials just kept bowing their heads and admitting their mistakes, but avoided talking about Zhu Houzhao's problems."
They couldn't talk; the mere mention of it would be a death sentence.
But even if they didn't say anything, Zhu Houzhao had enough evidence.
"Just because you don't tell me, do you think I don't know?"
Zhu Houzhao sneered, "The Prince of Nan is already in prison and has implicated you all."
"Even if you don't speak, I can still convict you!"
"Yu Huatian, obey my command!"
"Your subject is here." Yu Huatian stepped forward, cupped his hands, and accepted the order.
"All the officials whose names I just read out will be punished for participating in treason!"
"The entire family shall be executed immediately!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
After receiving the order, Yu Huatian immediately led the agents of the Western Depot behind him to arrest the officials behind him.
They were led out of Fengtian Hall Square and taken to the execution ground at Caishikou to be executed.
Meanwhile, another team of agents from the Western Depot went to the residences of these people in the capital and arrested their relatives and family members to be executed.
Treason was the most serious crime in the imperial court.
Everyone present knew that, given the courage and positions of these officials, they would never have the intention to rebel.
But when an avalanche occurs, no snowflake is innocent.
Those who participated in the Southern King's scheme for profit may have held low-ranking positions and had limited influence.
However, if there are enough people involved, the cumulative effect can trigger an avalanche.
Zhu Houzhao would not let go of such people who aided and abetted evildoers.
Amidst cries and screams, the group was dragged away by the agents of the Western Depot.
Soon, the square of Fengtian Hall fell silent again.
Only then did Zhu Houzhao say, "My beloved ministers, please rise."
The remaining officials all kowtowed deeply, shouting from the bottom of their hearts, "Long live the Emperor! We thank Your Majesty!"
After everyone stood up, Zhu Houzhao did not announce the news, but continued: "Summon Zhu Wushi, Ling Luoshi, Qi Jingtong, Shenying, and Wang Shouren to come to court for an audience."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Liu Jin, who was standing next to Zhu Houzhao, immediately repeated it loudly in a shrill voice.
Soon, these ministers who had made outstanding contributions the previous day arrived together at Fengtianmen Square.
"Your Majesty, we, your humble servants, pay our respects!"
Zhu Houzhao looked at the five ministers before him, the coldness in his eyes quickly fading, and he nodded kindly to them.
"You all performed great deeds last night, and I should reward you accordingly."
Zhu Houzhao first looked at Zhu Wushi: "Iron-Blooded Marquis Zhu Wushi, listen to my decree."
"Your humble servant obeys the decree."
Zhu Wushi knelt down, adopting a respectful demeanor.
"Rewarding Zhu without disregarding the imperial seal is a loss, but a red edict and a python robe are also given!"
"From then on, they could disregard the bans imposed by the vassal kings and freely enter the capital."
The imperial edict is clear, yet the imperial seal is lost!
These two treasures were the highest-ranking rewards bestowed by the ministers, and Zha Houzhao bestowed them upon Zha Wushi this time.
It is evident how deeply Zha Wushi has earned Zha Houmei's trust!
Upon hearing this, a look of surprise appeared on his previously calm face.
After all, for Zha Wushi, he could neither be granted an official title nor was he already a prince with the highest rank.
As for gold and silver treasures, he had absolutely no interest in them.
Originally, Zha Wushi thought he wouldn't receive any more exciting rewards from Zha Houyi.
But when he heard that His Majesty had bestowed upon him the Imperial Seal, a certificate of merit, and a python robe, Zhu Wushi was still pleasantly surprised.
Most importantly, from then on, he would be able to disregard the ban imposed by the vassal kings and freely enter the capital.
"We, a humble being, have been overlooked; we humbly thank Your Majesty for your grace!"
Zhu Wushi was overjoyed and knelt down to kowtow to Zha Hou in gratitude!
Zha Hou smiled and looked at Ling Luoshi again.
"Ling Luoshi, receive the imperial decree."
"Your humble servant obeys the decree."
Ling Luoshi knelt down, adopting a posture of formal attire.
Zha Hou smiled slightly and ordered, "Promote Ling Luoshi to the rank of Left Pillar of State, enfeoff him as the Earl of Wuqing, add the title of Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince, and bestow upon him a python robe."
The sudden and generous reward immediately shook the entire court.
The rewards bestowed upon Ling Luoshi by Zha Hou are far too many!