After cutting down 281 death row inmates, three more prisoner carts were slowly pulled into the execution ground.

In these three prison cars, Gao Hongtu, Fan Wencheng and Luwang Zhu Changfang were escorted, and the faces of the three were like ashes, their eyes were dull, and their expressions were sluggish, especially Zhu Changfang, who had already been frightened by the fate he was about to face.

The prisoner cart stopped at the side of the execution table, and the six officials stepped forward to open the prisoner cart and put the three prisoners on the execution bench and fixed them.

The onlookers sounded a sound of inhalation, and the three executioners with their chests and bellies had already strode onto the execution table with sharp ghost-headed knives, these three executioners were all old, and all of them had cold faces, and it was a technical job to cut people, and it was difficult to be competent without a certain amount of execution experience and perseverance.

In addition to the three experienced executioners, there were also six Lang Zhong carrying medicine boxes and waiting under the execution table.

The prison officer Qu Shiyun bowed his head lightly, and the master who stood in front of the stage shouted loudly: "The time has come, execution!" ”

"Rustle, rustle!"

The three executioners raised their knives at the same time.

Cleanly stabbed four times, the feet of the three prisoners have been cut off together, blood splattered, the execution table suddenly sounded an extremely terrible scream, many timid onlookers closed their eyes or did not start, no longer dare to look at this terrible scene, the six Lang Zhong in the audience have rushed to the execution table with a medicine box, and began to give emergency treatment to the prisoners.

In the crowd watching from the periphery of the execution site, some people asked in confusion: "These are prisoners, why do you need to treat them?" ”

"You don't understand that, do you?" An elderly Xiucai said proudly, "This person is the number one torture in the world, according to legend, it was created by the Han Dynasty Empress Lu because of jealousy of Mrs. Qi, cutting off the four feet is just the first step, and then the prisoner's eyes will be gouged out, the prisoner's tongue will be cut off, and then the prisoner's throat will be destroyed, and finally the prisoner's ear hole will be poured with tin, so that he can't hear, can't see, can't speak, but will not die, this is only the first step to cut the four feet, if they are not treated urgently, they will lose blood and die, that is to cut the insincerity of benevolence." ”

"Oh my God, so pathetic?"

"That's too bad, isn't it?"

"What crime have they committed to be tortured like this?"

"Didn't you see what the notice said? Treason to the enemy! ”

The people next to him couldn't help but discuss, at this time, Lang Zhong on the execution table had already helped the prisoner stop the bleeding after a simple bandage, and six more officials carried three large urns to the execution table, and stuffed the three prisoners with only their heads and torsos into the urn, just leaving one head hanging weakly outside the urn.

The executioner first poured the prisoners into a secret covenant to destroy their throats, then used a sharp boning knife to gouge out the eyeballs, cut off the tongue, and finally poured tin into the prisoner's ear holes to plug the ear holes.

"Don!"

After the thunderous gong sounded, a loud official went up to the execution platform and shouted: "Folks, you have all seen it, this is called a person!" Chop off the hands and feet, gouge out the eyes, plug the ears, destroy the throat, so that people cannot see, speak, or hear, life is better than death......"

The onlookers heard a hissing inhalation.

The official said: "But you don't need to be afraid, although the people are terrible, but this will only be used to punish the traitors, as long as everyone does not betray the country, do not betray the nation, they will never be cut by the government, only those who count the ancestors, sell the country for glory, shameless, and willing to be slaves to foreign barbarians, will be cut down Cheng Renbi!" ”

■■■

The yamen of the military department, the lobby.

Shi Kefa wrapped the big seal of the "Military Department Shangshu" with a red silk, tied it, and then solemnly put it on the desk, and finally glanced at the familiar lobby of the military department.

Although most of these subordinate officers of the military department are Donglin Party members, everyone has a conscience, Shi Kefa is a real clean official, even if he is not in harmony with Sun Chuanting and Wang Pu, he can still gain the respect of these subordinate officers of the military department.

A military department chief said gloomily: "My lord, do you really want to resign?" ”

Shi Kefa nodded a little lonely and was silent.

At this moment, Shi Kefa's heart was full of bitterness, not because Wang Pu borrowed his hand to kill nearly 300 officials of Gao Hongtu's party, but because Sun Chuanting and Wang Pu's party had completely controlled the government, even Emperor Longwu had become a puppet in the hands of the two.

Shi Kefa was unwilling to join Sun Chuanting and Wang Pu, he chose to resign and retire, not in his position and not in his position, as long as he left the court, no matter how Sun Chuanting and Wang Pu tossed, it had nothing to do with him Shi Kefa.

With his mind set up, Shi Kefa waved at the surrounding military subordinate officers and regiments, and said indifferently: "Everyone, don't leave it at that." ”

After that, Shi Kefa ignored the crowd anymore, turned around and left.

At this time, a figure suddenly walked up under the steps outside the military department, Shi Kefa couldn't help but show a stunned look when he saw the person clearly, and his steps involuntarily stopped, and the subordinate officers of the military department behind Shi Kefa were also stunned, because the person who walked up the steps turned out to be Wang Pu.

Wang Pu waved his hand, and the two guards had already stepped forward with a scroll each, first holding the scroll in their hands high above their heads, and then gently pulling the red rope that tied the scroll, and the rolled scroll was unfolded in an uproar, but it was a couplet: Shi Jian Liufang is really lawful, and Hong Enhao has become an enemy.

The subordinate officers of the army were puzzled for a while, but Shi Kefa immediately understood the meaning of this couplet.

The first sentence of this couplet is embedded with Shi Kefa, and the second sentence is embedded with Hong Chengchou, who was originally the most important minister of the country that Emperor Chongzhen relied on, but in the end he surrendered to Jiannu and became a lackey of the Han Dynasty.

Wang Pu's meaning of sending this couplet to Shi Kefa is very clear, that is, he hates Hong Chengchou who betrays the country and seeks glory, and at the same time clearly believes that Shi Kefa is different from Hong Chengchou.

Shi Kefa couldn't figure out Wang Pu's intentions for a while, and arched his hand and said, "Master Hou......"

Wang Pu stretched out his hand to stop Shi Kefa, his eyes fell on the subordinate officers of the military department behind Shi Kefa, and said, "Can you adults avoid it for the time being?" ”

The governor of the five provinces and the Marquis of Jingnan spoke, and those subordinate officers of the military department did not dare to slack off, and hurriedly withdrew from the lobby of the military department.

Only then did Wang Pu ask Shi Kefa and asked, "Why did Master Shi resign?" ”

Shi Kefa was silent.

Wang Pu said indifferently: "Don't want to go along with us? ”

Shi Kefa pursed his lips, but still didn't speak.

Wang Pu pointed to the couplet in the guard's hand and asked, "Master Shi, do you know why Ben Hou sent you this couplet?" ”

Without waiting for Shi Kefa to speak, Wang Pu continued: "Because you are the most dignified and stylish official of the Ming Dynasty that Ben Hou has ever seen!" Master Shi never sells his reputation, never forms a party for personal gain, never bends the law for personal gain, never favoritism, never bends the knee to the powerful, Hai Gangfeng, who was praised by Emperor Jiajing as the sword of the Ming Dynasty, is nothing more than that. ”

Shi Kefa arched his hand and frowned: "Master Hou is too famous." ”

Wang Pu's tone changed, and then he said: "Master Shi must be scolding me Quan Yu in his heart, yes or no?" ”

This time, Shi Kefa did not evade, and said coldly: "Isn't it? ”

Wang Pu's face sank, and he said in a deep voice: "Then Lord Shi should not resign, since Ben Hou is a annihilator, you should insist on staying in the court and fighting with Ben Hou all the time, Hai Gangfeng in the Jiajing Dynasty was just a small seven-grade county order, but he dared to shout with Yan Song, the first assistant of the cabinet, could it be that Lord Shi is a dignified military department, but it is not as good as a seven-grade county order?" ”

Shi Kefa's color changed slightly, and Wang Pu woke him up with a word.

Yes, if even he Shi Kefa left the court, wouldn't the entire Ming Dynasty let Sun Chuanting and Wang Pu do anything wrong, and who would dare to stand up and fight with them in the future? I just thought about not going along with Sun Chuanting and Wang Pu, but I forgot that I should fight with the two of them to the end.

"Master Hou!" Shi Kefa said in a condensed voice, "Why are you telling your subordinates this? ”

Wang Pu said solemnly: "Because this marquis respects you as a real clean official!" ”

Shi Kefa said: "Master Hou, you paid the price for today's words, you left a person who shouldn't have been left." ”

"Really?" Wang Pu said coldly, "Ben Hou will wait and see. ”

With that, Wang Pu turned around and walked away.

Shi Kefa withdrew the light from Wang Pu, looked at the couplet in the hands of the guards, and said loudly: "Master Hou, the lower officials will frame this couplet of yours and hang it in the lobby of the military department!" ”

■■■

Mandarin Palace.

Qian Qianyi suddenly asked Sun Chuanting: "Old Sun Ge, I heard that the Hou Ye intends to leave Shi Kefa?" ”

"Hmm." Sun Chuanting said, "There is such a thing. ”

"Ugh." Qian Qianyi sighed, shook his head and said, "Master Hou owes it to consideration, Shi Kefa is like a stone in a pit, his temper is stinky and hard, he and we are not all the way at all, leaving him in the court is not happy, it is better to let him resign according to his wishes." ”

Sun Chuanting snorted and said: "Old Qian Ge, it is not without benefit to keep Shi Kefa, at least when we make mistakes, there are still people who can give us a reminder at any time, and what is even more rare is that Shi Kefa does not form a party and does not show favoritism, which can not only avoid internal friction in party disputes, but also remind me from time to time, not bad, hehe." ”

Qian Qianyi and Lu Daqi could only laugh.

■■■

Governor of the Governor's Office.

Missionaries John and Wang Pu hugged each other warmly and said with a smile: "Your Excellency, if I hadn't suddenly received your edict today, I would have thought you had forgotten about us. ”

"Hahaha, dear John, how is this possible." Wang Pu patted John warmly on the shoulder and laughed, "You are the most honored guest of the Governor, but the Governor has been busy with government affairs lately, and the Governor is almost overwhelmed. ”

John smiled and said, "Your Excellency the Governor is a high-ranking authority, and this is also a matter of nothing. ”

Wang Pu then greeted the thirty or so "infidels" brought by John in English: "Distinguished gentlemen, please be seated. ”

After the thirty or so "infidels" had taken their seats, John pointed to Wang Pu and introduced to them: "Scholars and professors, this is His Excellency the General I mentioned to you, but now he has been promoted to become His Excellency the Governor!" His Excellency assures the Governor that there is absolute freedom of speech in the realms under his rule, and that no doctrine you propose, whether it is a doctrine of the heart or a theory of the earth, will be brought before the Inquisition, let alone condemned for heresy! ”

The thirty or so pagans were excited, they had been in Nanking for a long time, and they had heard more than once from the mouths of the people of Nanking the prestige of Wang Pu, and knew that His Excellency the Governor now controlled a large territory, which was even larger than that of France, England, Prussia, Italy, Spain, and Portugal combined.

"There's good news." John waved his hand to silence the pagans, and then said, "Your Excellency the Governor will arrange for you to teach at the Imperial University, and in addition to teaching, you can also apply for a grant from the newly established 'Academy of Military Sciences' of the Empire to support your academic research. ”

"God, is this true?"

"It's incredible!"

"Oh my God, is it really possible to apply for a grant from the Academy of Military Sciences? I'm worried that I don't have enough money to buy the equipment I need for academic research. ”

The infidels immediately exploded, knowing that in the Western world at that time, only a very small number of academic institutions affiliated with the imperial court could be supported by the political axes of various countries, and these academic institutions were very strict on the identity of researchers, and it was impossible for heretics like them to be among them, so many of them would be bankrupt and destitute because of academic research, and eventually had to leave their homeland to try their luck in the Far East.

This time John took great difficulty to stop the clamor of the infidels, and continued: "In principle, as long as your research project is approved by His Excellency the Governor and filed with the 'Academy of Military Sciences', you automatically have the status of 'Life Academician of the Academy of Military Sciences', and at the same time receive sufficient funding, but there are two prerequisites......"

"Oh God, on what terms?"

"Come on, I can't wait to see the results."

The infidels were clamoring.

John waved his hand and said, "Your Excellency the Governor's examination will be very strict, if your research project lacks sufficient depth, it will be impossible to pass, let alone obtain funding, and for the research projects that have been filed, the Academy of Military Sciences automatically has sixty percent of the patent rights." ”

"No problem." One of the infidels said in a loud voice, "Your Excellency, I will now bring you a plea. ”

"Good." Wang Pu said happily, "What is your research direction?" ”

"My research is analytic geometry, Your Excellency the Governor."

"Analytic geometry?"

Wang Pu's heart beat wildly when he heard this, this is the basis of modern navigation, astronomy, and mechanics, and the analytic geometry in history was summarized and perfected by the Frenchman Descartes on the basis of his predecessors, and Descartes was also persecuted by the Catholic Church, and many of his academic works were listed as [***] by the Holy See, is this guy Descartes?

(To be continued)