Misty Rain of the Old Times

Chapter 88 Fishing?

There was already a commotion outside before daybreak. It wasn't the usual bustling city noise, but rather a kind of restlessness that was hard to tell whether it was excitement or indignation.

The inn was facing the street. Chen Xuan, who was woken up, looked out the dark window, but it was brightly lit outside.

I got up and opened the window, only to see crowds of people surging in the streets and alleys, gathering from all directions, holding lanterns and torches and heading in a specific direction. The voices were noisy and buzzing, and I couldn't hear what they were saying.

Chen Xuan was shocked when he saw this. He realized that these people should be going to watch the beheading. But why did they have to go so early? It was not even dawn yet, and the execution would be at noon. They would not be able to see anything if they went at this time. Were they just going there to get a good position?
It is impossible to understand people’s mentality. There are more and more people, hundreds and thousands of them coming in an endless stream. Some of them look like they are traveling from the countryside at night, and their bodies are wet with the night dew.

Are they there to watch the fun, or are they so enraged by the public outcry over the executioner's crimes that they want to witness the criminal's fate with their own eyes?
As for Chen Xuan, this incident was directly related to him, but he was very calm and not anxious at all. He was even in the mood to close the window and practice calming and health-preserving exercises on his own.

He had almost finished practicing when he heard Gao Jingming next door, who had been woken up, shouting in confusion, "What's going on outside? Why is it so noisy?"

"Master, the people outside gathered to watch the execution, so it was inevitably a bit noisy. Did it affect your rest? This matter cannot be stopped. Don't mind it. It will be over after a while." Zhao Erhe's voice sounded outside, explaining that he was on duty in the second half of the night.

Gao Jingming immediately became interested and said, "Is that so? Let me take a look."

As he was speaking, I heard him get out of bed and open the window, and then I heard him say: "Really, there are so many people outside"

The next moment, there was a sound of a door opening. Zhao Erhe said again: "Master, please don't blame me. For your safety, I will accompany you to watch it."

As a guard, Zhao Erhe was quite competent. He was worried that Gao Jingming would be in danger if he opened the window in the house. After all, no one knew who were the people on the street, so he had to be protected by them. Even if there was another person outside, he couldn't take care of so many people.

"It's okay. Are Master and the others awake?" Gao Jingming said indifferently.

"It's so noisy outside, he should be awake..."

It was already bright outside, but there was still a continuous stream of people outside. Chen Xuan estimated that many people from all over the place had come to watch the execution. There must be at least tens of thousands of people gathered, and he estimated that the area around the execution ground was already packed with people.

After finishing his daily 'training', he washed up and went out. He looked at Gao Jingming's open room and asked, "Master, do you want to go downstairs to eat? Or should I bring it up for you?"

There was no maid around. This was Chen Xuan's job. The guards had their guarding duties, and the other servants who followed him were not qualified to serve him like this.

"A Xuan always comes out so early. Let's go downstairs to eat and watch the fun while waiting for the master," Gao Jingming said as he retracted his head from the window.

So the two of them went downstairs, Zhao Erhe followed, and they found a table to sit at in the lobby. Chen Xuan went to arrange the food. After that, Geng Hong and Lengbing and the others came down, and they set up a separate table on the side.

"Why are there so many people here? They are still gathering. Is beheading so interesting? It's not a festival." Gao Jingming looked outside the gate in confusion.

At first, Mr. Yushan had intentionally concealed the details, but Gao Jingming had already guessed it yesterday. Zhao Erhe had already spoken out, so there was no need to be secretive. After Chen Xuan had tasted everything, he said, "Perhaps this is a rare execution, and people are all joining in the fun."

"It's so lively, let's go after we finish eating," Gao Jingming said eagerly.

Of course he had to go, otherwise there would be no need to come to Lanfeng County. Chen Xuan asked dumbly, "Master, aren't you afraid?"

"What are you afraid of? There are so many people here. Besides, I have never seen a beheading. I will tell Linzi and the others what happened in two days. But they have never seen it," Gao Jingming said indifferently.

This is also a show-off. Kids are really boring, but you'd better laugh after watching it.

Soon Mr. Yushan also came downstairs, pushed down by Uncle Zhong. The stairs did not affect his ability to push Mr. Yushan down steadily. If you look closely, it is clear that it was Uncle Zhong who brought the wheelchair down.

Seeing this, Chen Xuan arranged for the servants beside him to prepare food for Mr. Yushan, and he tried his best not to leave the table.

"Master, master, can we go and watch the execution later?" Gao Jingming immediately requested Mr. Yushan.

He pushed his wheelchair over and said, "Since Ming is interested, of course you can."

This saves him the trouble of forcing him to watch it.

"Then let's eat quickly. There are so many people outside. If we go too late, we may not be able to squeeze in," Gao Jingming said anxiously, stuffing food into his mouth quickly.

Mr. Yushan came over and shook his head and scolded, "Don't be anxious, don't be anxious. Have you forgotten your teacher's teachings? You need to be calm in everything. What a mess it is to be impatient. And you need to chew your food slowly, otherwise it will be bad for your health."

"Okay then," Gao Jingming obeyed obediently, but he obviously couldn't sit still.

Mr. Yushan said helplessly: "Master has arranged a good position for you. I am sure you can see clearly. Are you satisfied with this?" "Ah? Master has already arranged it in advance. Then I won't be in a hurry." Gao Jingming finally calmed down after hearing this.

Then they ate breakfast leisurely. Chen Xuan went to pay the bill, naturally using Gao Jingming's money. Then the group headed towards the execution ground. There were not many people on the street outside.

I haven't checked out yet. I think I'll have to stay one more night before returning to Yushan. After all, I still have things to do after the execution.

On the way to the execution ground, Mr. Yushan whispered a few words in Uncle Zhong's ear, and then Uncle Zhong left alone.

The execution ground was not close to the inn where they were staying, and the walk was not fast. It took almost an hour to reach the outskirts. The place was already crowded with people. The streets and alleys were full of people, and there were even people on some rooftops and trees.

"Master, where is the place you arranged? I can't get in here." Gao Jingming, who was standing on tiptoe at the back of the crowd, could only see the back of other people's heads and couldn't help but said in confusion.

Mr. Yushan pointed to the alley next to him and said, "Go this way."

Then they passed through the alley, and outside was still a street, empty with not many people. However, there were government officials on duty not far apart on both sides of the road. They looked like soldiers, not ordinary yamen runners, and ordinary people were not allowed to approach.

"Mr. Yushan, please come this way. Please slow down," someone said politely when they arrived and took the initiative to lead the way.

He smiled and nodded, saying thank you. Then Mr. Yushan explained, "This street will soon be used to escort prisoners to the execution ground. Outsiders are not allowed to approach. For the sake of your dignity, I can take a shortcut and go directly to the place I have arranged in advance."

"Ah? This is the path that prisoners take. Wouldn't it be a bad idea for us to take this path?" Gao Jingming suddenly said.

Mr. Yushan knocked on his head and said, "Under the bright and clear sky, we are upright and honest, what's wrong with that? You are afraid of violating taboos here and there. You might as well stop studying and become a monk or a Taoist priest."

"Master, I was wrong. I won't say any more," Gao Jingming said with a smile, touching his head.

Chen Xuan paid attention to it and found that there were monks and Taoists in this world, plus scholars, which could be considered as Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism. He just didn't know if they were called the same.

With the help of the "micro-criticism" channel, Chen Xuan and his companions successfully reached their destination, a teahouse not far from the execution ground. It was quite elegant, but I don't know how the business is usually like in such a place, but it was packed that day anyway.

They entered through the back door. The streets outside were blocked, so they went straight to the private room on the third floor. The view was wide, and they could see everything outside by opening the window.

Looking around, the streets were full of people, and the buzzing noise was like a swarm of bees.

The execution ground had been prepared, but the officials were not in place yet. The area of ​​30 meters around the execution ground was separated by yamen runners and soldiers, and there was also a passage for escorting prisoners. Anyone who dared to go forward and violently expel them would be beaten with blunt instruments, fists and feet, but they would not actually kill civilians.

There were a dozen waist-thick wooden stakes placed on the execution platform three feet above the ground. There were hidden knife marks on those stakes, and countless heads had been chopped off by them. They were all soaked black with blood.

At this time, seeing the execution ground, even though there were people everywhere, it was still filled with a solemn atmosphere. Therefore, Gao Jingming, who had been extremely cheerful before, became quiet instead. Upon closer inspection, it was obvious that he was afraid.

Chen Xuan himself was very calm. He didn't know why. Apart from the mentality of an adult, it was as if it had nothing to do with him, and he had almost no emotional fluctuations.

"Are you feeling unwell Ming'er? I see that you are in a bad mood," Mr. Yushan looked at Gao Jingming and asked knowingly. This was exactly the effect he wanted. If everyone had no awe for the majesty of the king's law, how could the Jing Kingdom with its hundreds of millions of people live in peace?
Building his courage is one thing, but it is also important to make him understand that all beings are equal under the Guitou Knife, especially someone with Gao Jingming's status. If this is not instilled in him from a young age, if he grows up and realizes his own uniqueness and does evil, there will be endless troubles.

"Master, I'm fine," Gao Jingming said with forced calmness.

Nodding, Mr. Yushan waited patiently. He noticed Chen Xuan's calmness, but he did not look at him with disdain. Instead, he had a preconceived notion that he had experienced such a scene once before. If he was not a criminal, why would he use his hair instead of his head?

Such a wait was not unbearable. Instead, the atmosphere became more and more heated. Everyone was waiting for the moment when the knife would fall.

Thinking of the drama he had seen before, Chen Xuan asked curiously, "Sir, on an occasion like today, will anyone come to rob the execution ground?"

Mr. Yushan laughed upon hearing this and said, "We can't rule out such a possibility. If there isn't one, that's good. If there is, that's even better. It proves there are still some fish that slipped through the net!"

Chen Xuan was shocked when he heard this. Is this really possible?

On second thought, seeing Mr. Yushan's calm demeanor, Chen Xuan even suspected that he might be fishing. He estimated that even if someone really robbed the execution ground, the execution would still proceed as normal, and it would only be a matter of chopping off a few more heads!
"Silence, the executioner has arrived..."

Following a series of reminders, the originally noisy situation gradually quieted down...

(End of this chapter)