On the one hand, the lamentation and pleading of 390 death row prisoners, and on the other hand, the outspoken advice of Dali Siqing, the Tang Emperor fell into deep thought for a while.

To agree or not to accede to the pleas of these death row inmates?

It would be a great risk to release these prisoners home, and no dynasty has ever released a prisoner who had been sentenced to death home. What if they don't come back? What if they do it again? The consequences of these situations will be unimaginable, and who will bear the responsibility?

But if they don't, the families of these death row inmates will never see them again.

After thinking about it for a long time, Emperor Tang suddenly smiled, pointed to the servant Shi Tang Lin beside him and said: "Tang Aiqing, in the past, you released more than a dozen prisoners to return to their hometowns for spring ploughing, and agreed to return to the case after the farming work was completed, but what happened to the prisoners you released later?"

"Your Majesty, the dozen or so prisoners returned to their hometowns to farm, and as soon as the farming was over, they returned to the prison on their own, and none of them escaped. Tang Lin replied truthfully.

"Hehe, I have a bigger decision to make today than you did: release these death row inmates home and let them see their families one last time. ”

"What, Your Majesty thinks twice!" Dali Siqing was taken aback, and immediately became panicked.

"Your Majesty, back then, Weichen did release more than a dozen prisoners, and agreed with them to return to justice after the farming work was completed. However, today is different from the past, one is that there were only a dozen prisoners released by Wechen back then, and His Majesty will release nearly 400 prisoners today; second, the prisoners that Wechen dealt with in those years were just ordinary criminals, not death sentences, but today's criminals are all death row prisoners who have committed serious crimes and are waiting to be beheaded. Your Majesty should think twice. As a close minister, Shi Tang Lin also persuaded.

"Okay, I've made up my mind, and if something happens, I'll take care of it. ”

As he spoke, Emperor Tang, who had made up his mind, stood up, walked in front of these death row prisoners, and loudly announced a decision that surprised everyone present.

"Yes, I have allowed you to go home immediately to reunite with your loved ones and spend the last part of your life, but you must also abide by a covenant that I will bring you to justice on the fourth day of the ninth month. ”

Although separated by an iron fence, the 390 death row inmates really heard the emperor's personal promise, and at that moment, many people could hardly believe their ears and couldn't help but cheer loudly.

At this time, the Dali Siqing on the side couldn't help but quietly remind: "Your Majesty, they are all extremely evil people, and they don't have any credit at all, what should they do if they don't come back when the time comes? What should I do if I gather a crowd to commit crimes again? Therefore, Weichen proposed: It is okay to let them go home to visit their relatives, but they should be escorted by additional officers and soldiers sent by the imperial court. ”

Li Shimin smiled and waved his hand, "No need, no need! I exchange heart for heart, and sincerity can be exchanged for loyalty!"

So, he turned to the prisoners and said, "I hope you will not live up to my trust." ”

"I believe in you!" said Emperor Tang loudly.

"Thank the Emperor for his kindness!" The condemned prisoners wept with gratitude, and shouted long live for a long time.

After that, the Tang Emperor asked the Criminal Department and Dali Temple to register the 390 death row prisoners again, re-check their home addresses, and the prisoners went home on their own after signing and drawing, and the imperial court did not send anyone to monitor them.

The fourth day of September

Early in the morning, the Tang Emperor went to the gate of the Dali Temple accompanied by the ministers of the Criminal Department, Dali Temple, and Shiyushi.

The time has come for the Tang Emperor and the 390 prisoners to be brought to justice.

I saw that the streets of Chang'an City had already been blocked by people rushing from all directions.

It turned out that the Tang Emperor's release of 390 death row prisoners to go home to visit relatives had long been spread among the people, and when the people of the Tang Dynasty praised the emperor's open-mindedness and generosity, they were even more worried about whether the 390 death row prisoners could be brought to justice at the agreed time.

In front of the Yamen of Dali Temple, Shinong, businessmen, women, and children all gathered here, and everyone exchanged their heads and talked about it, and most people did not believe that those death row prisoners who escaped from the cage would take the initiative to come back and send them to death.

The court had already arranged the execution ground, and under the reflection of the noon sun, the ghost-headed knives held by the executioners were dazzling and dazzling, making people's hearts chill.

In the anxious waiting of the crowd, the first death row prisoner hurried in, followed by the second death row prisoner returned, the third, and the fourth......

"Good!" "Okay!" "Good to be back!"

Every death row inmate who returned won cheers and warm applause from the people present.

The three o'clock in the afternoon agreed by the Tang Emperor arrived, and the officials of Dali Temple took the roster and counted the number of people again, 389, and there was still one person missing.

"Your Majesty, there is one prisoner who has not yet been brought to justice. Dali Temple Qing said.

"Oh, who's not back yet?"

"Your Majesty, Wei Chen checked the roster just now, and the person who has not yet been brought to justice is Xu Fu. ”

"Oh? It was him. Emperor Tang stroked his long hair thoughtfully.

"This damn Xu Fu! ungrateful thing!" said a prisoner on the side resentfully.

"Xu Fu's conscience let the dog eat, the emperor is so magnanimous, but he broke his promise and ran away privately, if I still have a chance to go out, I have to kill him Xu Fu. Many of the death row inmates were furious.

"Yes, kill this untrustworthy villain!" Xu Fu's dishonesty and non-fulfillment of his promise seemed to have humiliated the other death row inmates, who were not worried about the impending execution, but because of the grief and shame of a prisoner's no-show.

Seeing this, Dali Temple Qing reported to the court: "Your Majesty, the time has come, please first issue an order to kill these 389 death row prisoners, and then send someone to arrest Xu Fu, who deceived the monarch and did not believe in his words, and chopped him ...... with a thousand knives."

At this time, all the eyes on the scene turned to the Tang Emperor, but the Tang Emperor Li Shimin was as steady and calm as Mount Tai.

"Wait another hour, if the last death row prisoner Xu Fu doesn't come, go and arrest Xu Fu and bring him to justice. Emperor Tang said to Dali Siqing and the Criminal Department.

"Yes, Your Majesty. ”

As soon as the words fell, the sound of "squeak" suddenly sounded, and a dilapidated ox cart rolled up a puff of dust through the crowd and entered everyone's field of vision.

At this time, a human head poked out of the canopy of the ox cart, with a sallow, thin face, and still haggard face, it was the last death row prisoner to arrive---- Xu Fu.

"Xu Fu, why are you only here now?" the jailer of Dali Temple rebuked him loudly.

Xu Fu saw the tall Tang Emperor in a bright yellow dragon robe at a glance, so he knelt on the ground.

"Your Majesty, the criminals have been sick for the past few days, and they have not been able to rush to the office in time as promised, and I ask the emperor to investigate ......"

Xu Fu recounted the situation of his hurry in detail, coughing as he spoke. It turned out that he suddenly fell ill on the way to the road, so he had to hire an ox cart to come there, but it turned out to be a little later than the agreed time.

Emperor Tang smiled, so he kindly asked him if his family was okay, his mother and son were okay, and if his wife had returned.

Xu Fu hurriedly kowtowed and thanked him, saying that the old mother was good, the children were good, and his wife had also chased him back, and the things at home had been dealt with, and there was no more concern in his heart, so he Xu Fu could leave with confidence.

I heard Xu Fu say that he "has no worries in his heart, and he can leave (receive the death penalty) with peace of mind." Emperor Tang immediately laughed, stood up from his chair, and said loudly in a loud voice: "You are really a prisoner on death row, but your observance of your promise has won my respect for you. ”

Tang Huang looked at the group of death row prisoners and the crowd of people below, the corners of his mouth smiled, and he waved his big hand:

"The Criminal Department, Dali Temple, pass on my will, these 390 death row prisoners will be beaten with 20 boards each, and then all of them will be pardoned. ”