When the executioners heard the order, they all removed the red cloth covering the ghost's head knife, and then took the liquor handed over by the officer next to them, first took a sip and sprayed it on the knife, and then drank the rest in one fell swoop, and then threw the wine bowl on the ground.

When the arrow in the hand of Dali Siqing fell to the ground, the executioner took out the wooden sign with the word "prisoner" written on the back of the prisoner's neck.

After the head fell, the bones rolled a few times, and the headless corpse first spewed a stream of blood into the sky, and then fell forward, and the blood in the neck cavity also gurgled out, and although some of the corpses had no heads, their fingers would twitch a few times.

When the people in the audience saw this, they applauded in unison, only thinking that the beheading of the families of such corrupt officials was also a good thing for the people.

It's just that the faces of many courtiers on the stage are becoming more and more ugly. Except for Xu Xianchun, everyone else is worried that they will have such a day. It's just that I'm worried about it, this official still has to do it, otherwise, according to the murderous nature of this Emperor Chongzhen, if he dares to resign from the official position, it is estimated that someone from Jinyi will come to the door first.

After the execution of the ten people was completed, even if someone cleaned the corpses from the execution table, and then dragged the ten people to continue the execution, in the order of the older man to the younger man, then the older woman and then the younger woman.

At this time, on the stage, it was crying. It turned out that the seven or eight-year-old child was in a state of ignorance, until he saw the execution and beheading, he knew that he was afraid, and he just hid in his mother's arms. It's just that his mother is wearing a big flail, how can she protect these children? But with tears in his eyes, he screamed "my son, my son" again and again.

There is also the baby who has not yet been weaned, only staring at everything in front of him with a pair of big black eyes, his eyes are full of curiosity, but he does not know that he is going to say goodbye to this unfamiliar world today, and he does not understand why the tears on his mother's face continue. Why did you hug yourself and kiss and kiss yourself?

The table was constantly chopping, but the executioners were resting in rotation - no way, there were too many people, and the executioners were tired and weak.

Until the male prisoner basically cut it down, he pulled the female dependents to cut it again. After the two groups of older ladies had finished chopping, there was a rapid sound of horses' hooves far away from the execution ground, apparently the knight on the horse urging the horses to run quickly.

The sound of the horse's hooves got closer and closer, and gradually the figure of the knight on the horse appeared. But I saw that the person who came was dressed as an internal supervisor in the palace, and when I looked closely, it was Wang Chengen, who never left Chongzhen on weekdays.

How fast the horse was running at full speed, and in a blink of an eye he came to the outside of the execution ground, Wang Chengen kept shouting loudly while beating the horse and running fast: "Your Majesty has a decree, suspend the execution!" ”

The soldiers of the Five Cities Soldiers and Horses Division on the periphery did not dare to slack off, and hurriedly isolated the crowd out of a passage so that Wang Chengen could ride over.

Wang Chengen saw that he was isolated out of the passage, and he didn't stop the horse, but ran all the way straight through, until he was under the torture platform, he pulled the horse rope and let out a long exhale, "Huh!" ”

Seeing that many courtiers on the stage looked at him, and the executioners also stopped the ghost head knife in their hands, Chongzhen dismounted, and after quickly coming to the stage, he said loudly, "Your Majesty has a will, everyone kneel and listen!" But it was Chongzhen who ordered Wang Chengen to quickly return to the palace and draw up the holy decree to come back.

When the courtiers, executioners, and other people on the platform and those who were close to the torture platform knelt down, and those who were unknown in the distance knelt down.

Wang Chengen said to the executioners: "Wait a while, our family will read the emperor's will, and when you hear a word, you will shout it out, be sure to let the people in the audience hear it, understand?" ”

Seeing that the executioners should be in unison, Wang Chengen unfolded the holy decree in his hand and read it: "Fengtian carries the emperor, and the edict says: The family members of the offending officials Zhou, Qian, Hou, Luo, Chen, etc., should be killed in one according to the law, but how can the baby be innocent?" I have mercy on his feelings, so I amnesty him. It decrees that every man and woman who have not yet reached the age of fourteen shall be pardoned for their sins, and for their mothers when they are young. Those who are pregnant will also be pardoned. It was sheltered in the Beijing Nursing Home. The original verdict of the rest remains unchanged, and it is advisable to cut it off as one. Chin this. ”

After Wang Chengen read it out loud, the ten executioners also shouted one sentence at a time, and the voice spread far away, so that all the prisoners and the people under the torture platform could hear it clearly.

There was an old boy in the audience who had gone through three dynasties, stroking his gray beard and smiling: "Renjun, Renjun." I'm hopeful. ”

Someone deliberately joked: "Hey, old man, these guys are greedy and pervert the law, wouldn't it be better to die?" ”

The old boy was a fool, his eyes widened, and even his beard was angry, and he said angrily: "What do you know?" The ancient holy kings hunted, and they still surrounded three queyi, and did not hurt the pregnant female beast, which is the way of forgiveness. His Majesty is acting today, quite like the legacy of a holy king, and the rule of three generations can be expected. Is it that you were tortured on stage, and you could bear to see young children and pregnant women die? What if you are one of them? ”

When the funny person next to him heard this, he shuddered and sneered: "What you always say, what you say." ”

Only then did the old boy stroke his beard and smile: "As the saying goes, don't do to others what you don't want, that's the reason." The people on the stage are looking for their own death, that is, they really punish the nine clans, and there is nothing wrong with the law. Now that his young child is waiting for His Majesty's pardon, he is a man of beasts, and he should also be grateful to the Son of Heaven. ”

At this time, the ladies on the stage heard the words, as if they had gone from hell to heaven in an instant, and they couldn't believe their ears, the mothers of those young children were crying bitterly with their children, and as for the young women who could still hold the baby, they were holding their children and kissing them non-stop, thinking of the emperor's blessing and His Majesty's grace. Some people get tired of kissing the child, and the child also stretches out his little hand and tries to push the mother away.

Wang Chengen saw everyone's reaction, and his heart also admired Chongzhen's benevolence, so he said to the courtiers such as Dali Siqing on the beheading platform: "Your Majesty's will has been read, everyone, take the order, and our family can go back to restore our lives." ”

The ministers all knelt on the mountain and shouted long live, Dali Siqing received the order, and ordered the officials to go and open the flail on the children and their mothers, and a group of young women holding babies and those who were pregnant, together with the court, and sent to the almshouse.

When the pardoned people left, the execution continued on the torture platform, and a group of ten people were cut down like this.

Chongzhen was on the second floor of the restaurant, and after watching the scene in front of him, he saw that the execution continued on the stage, but he was very moved.

Chongzhen didn't know if he was right or wrong. Legally, these people deserve to die. From a selfish point of view, these released children and female prisoners are hidden dangers in the future. If there is a character like Nie Siniang in it, can I still sleep well?

It's just that no matter what, I can't get past the level in my heart. That's it, let him go, and take one step at a time.