Pilate didn't want to waste any more time on this, as the highest administrative and military governor here, and as a great man with judicial powers, he had a lot to do, so he didn't want to ask any more questions about such a Jew.

So he turned to the priest and asked, "Where is your master?" ”

The priest said in awe, "He is waiting outside the door for your notarized judgment." ”

Before Pilate walked out of the door, he asked Jesus one last question: "Do you think you are the king of Israel?" ”

Jesus replied, "If you say I am a king, then I am a member of Israel, and for this I have come into the world to bear witness to the truth." ”

Pilate smiled and said, "What is the truth?" ”

With that, he left Jesus and walked out of the door.

Outside the gate were a large number of Jewish nobles from Jerusalem, led by the chief priests, who were waiting for their Roman governor Pilate to decisively execute the shepherd who called himself the Messiah.

Pilate's fat figure appeared in front of everyone, and the square immediately fell silent, and everyone closed their mouths to listen to Pilate's speech.

Pilate looked at the crowd in front of him and exclaimed, "I find no fault in this man named Jesus, who is a law-abiding citizen." You Jews have asked me to release a Jew every year after the Passover without conditions, and that year I want to release this Jew named Jesus, do you agree? ”

As soon as Pilate finished speaking, all the people shouted excitedly: "Let's not release this madman and liar, but release Babiba, we would rather have this robber!" ”

Pilate was overwhelmed by this cry, and he could not rely on his authority in the face of these Jewish nobles, because he knew that the abuse of authority would lead to disaster, and his previous predecessor was assassinated by a Jew for being too arrogant and oppressive to the Jews.

Pilate waved his hand to silence the crowd and continued: "Roman law does not prohibit anyone from spreading doctrines, and besides, this Jesus is very law-abiding, and I have no right to arrest him. ”

The chief priests cried, "He is blaspheming our gods, he is sinning, and he should be arrested and executed, otherwise the wrath will ignite all of Jerusalem." ”

Seeing the unanimous plea, Pilate had to change his initial mind, and he had to have Jesus imprisoned.

But in the days that followed, letters calling for Jesus' execution flew into his office like snowflakes, and the more disturbing news was that a large number of people from all over the province of Judea were pouring into Jerusalem, all of whom were followers of Jesus, who had vowed to save their master.

Pilate was caught in a deep contradiction between killing and not killing.

In the evening, Pilate had no appetite for a large table of sumptuous dishes, but kept drinking luscious wine brought in from Sicily.

At this moment, a centurion of a Roman legion appeared in front of Pilate, and Pilate stood up as soon as he saw this man, whom he knew.

This centurion used to be Caesar's personal entourage, Octavian's brainstorm, and the important person who once influenced the fate of Rome, this person was Yang Rui.

Yang Rui walked up to Pilate with a smile and asked, "Tell me quickly, what makes you so unappetizing." ”

Pilate sighed and said, "It is a man who calls himself the Messiah, he taught Jesus, he is a law-abiding Roman citizen, although the doctrine he preaches is in conflict with Judaism, but I have no reason to deal with such a person, Rome is a law and a notarization." ”

Yang Rui did the opposite Pilate, poured himself a glass of wine, took a deep sip and said, "Don't say these polite words to me, tell me what you really think." ”

Pilate smiled and said, "I can't hide anything from you." ”

Pilate continued: "I could execute Jesus, but that would provoke a popular revolt, but if I didn't execute Jesus, I would also offend all the Jewish nobles, and I could not afford to drop the taxes of the Jewish province." ”

Yang Rui nodded and said with a smile: "I'm glad that you can be honest with me, then I will also tell you what I think." ”

Pilate hurriedly poured Yang Rui another full bottle of wine and said with a smile: "Please tell me, I need reasonable advice too much now." ”

Yang Rui suddenly asked, "Are you afraid of war?" ”

Pilate shook his head and said, "Of course I am not afraid, but I am a general of the Gallic legion, and I fought bloody battles in Gaul and Egypt, and Octavian himself awarded me medals." ”

"That's good!" Yang Rui nodded and said: "The civil rebellion is not terrible, you have a sufficient number of Roman legions in your hands, for these civilians who only have hoes and sickles, Roman short swords and shields are the most powerful response." Do you understand what I mean? ”

Pilate nodded, and did not reply immediately, but looked forward to Yang Rui continuing to guide him.

Yang Rui continued: "But the nobles of Jerusalem can't be treated like that, of course you can kill them all, but all the property and wealth of these Jews are left in Rome, and if you kill them, you won't get a penny of taxes, and without taxes, the province of Judea will fall, and the people will rebel as well, but at that time, what will the Roman emperor think of you?" ”

Pilate broke out in a cold sweat as he continued: "Your achievements have made the Roman Emperor very unhappy, and if you have connived at all this and angered the Jewish aristocracy, then your political career will be over." How to choose, I think you already know. ”

Pilate threw his glass on the table and said, "Then I will have to execute Jesus." ”

Yang Rui nodded and said, "Yes, Jesus must die before you can keep your official position." However, in order to maintain your image among the people, you also need to do something appropriate before Jesus is executed. ”

Pilate said, "What to do?" ”

Yang Rui said: "You have to make the people think that you are forced to do so, that you are forced by those nobles, and transfer the contradiction to the people and the nobles, so that even if you do something, you will not plant the infamy on your head." ”

Pilate strode up to Yang Rui, took his hand and said, "Thank you for your teachings, I know what to do." ”

Yang Rui also stood up and stared at Pilate seriously and said: "Don't use hangings or beheadings, short-term pain cannot satisfy everyone, and short-term pain is easy to forget, only long-term torture will make everyone remember." ”

Hearing this, Pilate was shocked and said, "You mean to use ......"

Yang Rui nodded and interrupted Pilate and said, "I'm glad you understood what I meant. ”

Late at night, Jesus was locked up in the deepest part of the Doge's Palace, in a dark solitary cell, and Yang Rui appeared in front of him at the flash of a figure outside the railing.

Jesus got up from the haystack, knelt on the ground and said, "Father, what instructions do you have?" ”

Yang Rui asked, "Your moment is coming, are you ready?" ”

Jesus was silent for a moment and said, "I'm ready, it's just ......"

Yang Rui said: "It's just that you're still thinking about Magdalene and the unborn child? ”

Jesus nodded and said, "Yes." ”

Yang Rui said: "You don't have to worry about this, I know that although Peter and these people are peeping at your status after death, they will do their best to protect Magdalene and that child, but what I want them to do is to commemorate your merits." ”

Jesus said, "Why do those who believe in me think so?" ”

Yang Rui said: "Because they are human beings, they will have weaknesses, otherwise you would not have been betrayed and appeared here." Only your death can bring the awakening of the world! You will die for it, aren't you afraid? ”

Jesus shook his head and said, "Don't be afraid, if the Father wants me to do this, then I will do it, because I know where I am going in the future, and I look forward to it happening." ”

Yang Rui sighed and said, "It may be my fault for cruelly letting you peek into the truth." ”

Jesus asked, "Father, what do you mean by this?" ”

Yang Rui waved his hand and said, "It doesn't matter. ”

After saying that, he continued: "Tomorrow you will be subjected to the most cruel torture in this world, Jesus, are you ready? (To be continued.) )