Pan Rugui strode toward Duancheng Gate, and the Jinyi Guards lined up on both sides, as silent as a cicada. After Pan Rugui stood still and read out the oral edict of Emperor Xiande, the Jinyi Guards immediately took action.

Shen Zechuan was gagged, and Jin Yiwei quickly wrapped him in a thick cotton undershirt and made him lie face down on the ground.

Pan Rugui leaned over in the cold wind to check Shen Zechuan's condition. He raised his fingers to cover his lips, coughed a few times, and said softly: "You are so young, but you are so courageous that you dare to make a show of yourself in front of the emperor." .If you truthfully confess Shen Wei’s treason, there may be a glimmer of hope.”

Shen Zechuan closed his eyes tightly, his clothes soaked with cold sweat.

Pan Rugui stood up and said, "Put down the stick."

The imperial guards on both sides immediately shouted in unison: "Put down the stick!" followed by another thunderous roar, "Hit!"

Before he finished speaking, the iron-wrapped and barbed court stick came down with the wind and hit Shen Zechuan hard.

After three sticks, another voice was heard: "Hit us really hard!"

The pain in his flesh burned his body like fire, and Shen Zechuan could no longer move. He could only bite the blockage in his mouth. He couldn't swallow the blood, and it was all salty between his teeth. Shen Zechuan was still gasping for breath, and he could only open his eyes. My open eyes were stinging from the dripping sweat.

The sky is overcast and the snow is heavy.

The imperial staff is not a job that everyone can do. As the saying goes, "At twenty, you will be disabled at fifty." If you beat this stick with a stick, there are many ways to do it. Generally, it is a family skill, and practicing it is no easier than learning a craft. What's more, doing it This job requires not only good skills, but also good looks. Who wants to be light on the outside but heavy on the inside, and who wants to be light on the outside but light on the inside? They have been doing it for a long time, and you can tell just by looking at the faces of these eunuchs.

Today Emperor Xiande's order is to kill him with a stick, and Pan Rugui has no intention of cherishing him. That means he has no chance of turning around and must die. These Jin Yiwei have shown their special skills, and Shen Zechuan will die within fifty sticks. sky.

Pan Rugui checked the moment and saw that Shen Zechuan had already lowered his head and was motionless. He raised his hand to hug Tang Po and was about to give instructions when he saw an umbrella floating on the road, covering a beauty in palace clothes.

The clouds on Pan Rugui's face instantly dispersed and turned into a smile. Although he did not come forward to greet him personally, the eunuch next to him had already cleverly gone over to help him.

"We would like to pay our respects to Miss Third. It's such a cold day. If the Queen Mother has any instructions, just send someone to convey them." Pan Rugui said, taking two steps closer.

Hua Xiangyi gently raised her hand to signal Jin Yiwei not to move. She was very pretty and had been kept in front of the Queen Mother all year round, and her eyebrows were somewhat similar to those of the Queen Mother when she was young. Even though she was called the third young lady of the Hua family in Dicheng in Quandu, But everyone knew about the noble mistress in the palace, and even the emperor loved her as his own little sister.

Hua Xiangyi said slowly and softly: "Father, is this the son of the Shen family of Zhongbo, Shen Zechuan, lying on the ground?"

Pan Rugui followed the steps of the flowers and replied, "That's it. The emperor just issued a decree to kill him with a stick."

Hua Xiangyi said: "The emperor was very angry just now. If Shen Zechuan dies, the case of Shen Wei's treason will be unclear. The Queen Mother arrived at Mingli Hall half a moment ago. The emperor has listened to the advice and has somewhat calmed down."

Pan Rugui said "Ouch" and said: "Your Majesty, please listen to the Queen Mother's advice. We were so angry just now that we didn't even dare to speak out."

Hua Xiangyi smiled at Pan Rugui and said, "The emperor said, 'Tingzhang', father-in-law, didn't you just obey it?"

Pan Rugui walked a few more steps and said with a smile: "That's right. I just hurriedly beat this kid with the word 'stick'. I wonder what I should do with this guy now?"

Hua Xiangyi glanced at Shen Zechuan and said, "The emperor will drag him back to prison before interrogating him again. This son's life is of great importance. I hope my father-in-law will tell Mr. Ji to take good care of him."

"That's natural." Pan Rugui said, "How dare Ji Lei turn a deaf ear to Third Miss's instructions. It's cold and slippery, Xiao Fuzi, help Third Miss steady."

As soon as Hua Xiangyi left, Pan Rugui turned around and said to the two rows of imperial guards: "Your Majesty said that the imperial staff has almost beaten this man, so he dragged him back. He heard what the third lady just said, that was what the Queen Mother meant. Go back and tell Ji Lei , there are gods in this case, if something goes wrong under his hands."

Pan Rugui coughed slowly.

"Even if the King of Heaven comes down to earth, I can't save his head."

Xiao Fuzi came back and helped Pan Rugui. The long road was empty. He asked in a low voice: "Old ancestor, if we just let him go, will the emperor really not blame him if we turn back?"

Pan Rugui stepped on the snow and said, "The emperor knows in his heart that this matter will not happen to us."

He took a few steps, and the snowflakes squeezed into the wind collar.

"A thousand pieces of gold and a promise, the king is most afraid of changing his orders at night. The emperor is seriously ill again due to the invasion of the Twelve Biansha tribes. In the past few days, he has been thinking about giving the third lady the title of princess. This is to please the queen mother. Don't talk about saving anyone's life at this time, it's nothing more than anything else. Whenever the Queen Mother speaks, the Emperor will respond."

Pan Rugui said, turning his head to look at Xiao Fuzi.

"When did you see the Queen Mother change her decree?"

No matter what the case is, the one who tells the truth is the real one.

Shen Zechuan was so burned that he was delirious. One moment, he saw Ji Mu's appearance before his death, and the other moment, he was still living in Duanzhou.

The wind in Duanzhou was blowing the flag, and the mistress came out from behind the curtain, holding a white porcelain bowl filled with thin-skinned dumplings and large fillings.

"Call your brother back!" the master's wife greeted, "If you don't stop for a moment, ask him to come back for dinner!"

Shen Zechuan climbed over the railing of the corridor, took a few steps to the master's side, picked up a dumpling with chopsticks and ran away. The dumpling was so hot that he exhaled. When he went out and saw his master Ji Gang sitting on the steps, he squatted next to Ji Gang. around.

Ji Gang was polishing the stone in his hand, turned his head and snorted at Shen Zechuan, saying: "Silly boy, how much are the dumplings worth? Look at how rare you are! Call your brother back, and we, father and son, will go to Yuanyang House for a big meal. .”

Shen Zechuan didn't answer, but the mistress had already picked up Ji Gang's ear and said, "You don't like dumplings? You can do it. If you really have money, what kind of wife can you marry? Just take these two silly boys and go there alone!"

Shen Zechuan laughed out loud, jumped down the steps, waved to his master and his wife, and ran out of the alley to find his brother Ji Mu.

It was snowing heavily on the road, and Shen Zechuan could not find anyone. The farther he walked, the colder he got.

"elder brother."

Shen Zechuan shouted in all directions.

"Ji Mu! Go home for dinner!"

The sound of horse hooves gradually surrounded him, and the heavy snow blocked his vision. Shen Zechuan was deeply involved in the sound of horse hooves, but no one could be seen on either side. The sound of fighting broke out in his ears, and hot blood splashed on his face. Shen Zechuan's legs hurt. He was pressed to the ground by an irresistible force.

He saw the dead man close at hand again, the arrows whistling in the wind, the man on his back heavy, the sticky and warm liquid flowing down his neck and down his cheeks.

This time he knew what it was.

Shen Zechuan woke up shivering, sweating profusely and shivering from the cold. He lay on the bed, his eyes barely adjusting to the dimness.

There were still people in the prison cell. The servants were cleaning up the mess and lighting the oil lamps.

Shen Zechuan's mouth was dry, and the handyman seemed to know it, so he poured a bowl of cold water and put it on the bed. Shen Zechuan felt cold and hot, and slowly moved the bowl to him with his fingers, spilling half of the water.

No one spoke in the prison. After the servants left, only Shen Zechuan was left. He woke up and fell asleep. The night seemed to be endless and he could not wait until dawn.

The handyman came again to change Shen Zechuan's dressing, and he was much more awake. Ji Lei looked at him from across the fence and said coldly: "This time, you are destined to be in trouble, and the disaster will last for thousands of years. The Queen Mother spares your life, are you afraid of not giving up?" Know why."

Shen Zechuan remained motionless.

Ji Lei said: "I know that your master is Ji Gang, a gangster. Twenty years ago, he and I were brothers. We served together in the Jinyi Guards in this Qandu Forbidden City. I'm afraid you don't know that he was once a member of the Jinyi Guards. As a third-grade commander, I know how to use the Ji Family Boxing."

Shen Zechuan raised his head and looked at him.

Ji Lei opened the door, and when the handyman went out and there was no one around, he sat next to Shen Zechuan's bed.

"Later he committed a crime, and it was something that still cost him his head. But the late emperor was kind and did not kill him in the end. He was exiled outside Guanma Road." Ji Lei propped up his knees and showed his teeth to Shen Zechuan in the backlight. He smiled and said, "Your master - he has no ability and is a good-for-nothing. How do you think he survives? Just like you today, he borrowed the help of your master's wife. I'm afraid you don't know who your master's wife is. I Let me tell you, your wife’s name is Hua Pingting. There are eight cities in Cennan in Qudu, among which the Hua family in Dicheng is the current family of the Queen Mother. So the Queen Mother keeps you here today for your wife.”

Ji Lei bowed his head and whispered.

"But who knew that your wife had died in the rebellion? I said Ji Gang was a loser. His father died twenty years ago, and his wife and son died twenty years later. You don't know who the culprit is. ?You know best in your heart that the culprit is Shen Wei!"

Shen Zechuan's breathing stagnated.

"Shen Wei opened the tea stone river defense line, and the Biansha cavalry rushed in. The scimitar cut your master's wife's throat. Before she died, what happened would make Ji Gang's life worse than death."

"Duanzhou fell, you said it was your brother who rescued you." Ji Lei leaned back in his chair, looked at the back of his hands, and said, "Ji Mu, you have been raised by Ji Gang, Ji Mu is your brother. He is Ji Gang's only son was Ji Gang's only bloodline and the only continuation of the Ji family. But because of Shen Wei, because of you, he died too. Thousands of arrows pierced his heart, and his body still had to be left in the sinkhole to suffer the hooves of the border sand cavalry. Trampled. If Ji Gang is still alive, I don’t know what to think when he goes to collect his son’s body.”

Shen Zechuan suddenly raised his body, and Ji Lei pushed him back with ease.

"Shen Wei, he is a traitor to the country and collaborates with the enemy. You must bear this debt. Today, if you want to survive, tens of thousands of wronged souls in Zhongbo will cry loudly. You fell asleep at night and slowly distinguished who is your master and who is your master! You are still alive, but This life is already more painful than death. Can you forgive Shen Wei? If you forgive Shen Wei and excuse him, you are sorry for your master's family. After all, you have received the kindness of Ji Gang's upbringing, how can you be so unfaithful? Unfilial things."

"Besides, even if you live on, no one in this world will understand you. When you come to Qudu, you are Shen Wei. Now the people are so angry that there are countless people who hate you to the bone. You are bound to die, and it is better to die than to die inexplicably. Speaking frankly to the emperor and fully explaining Shen Wei's crimes can also be regarded as comforting your master's soul in heaven."

Ji Lei suddenly stopped talking and saw Shen Zechuan, who was pressed down on the bed, smiling, and a cold look appeared on the young man's pale face.

"Shen Wei did not collaborate with the enemy."

Shen Zechuan chewed each word word by word.

"Shen Wei is not a collaborator!"

Ji Lei lifted up Shen Zechuan and bumped it against the wall. There was a "bang" sound and some dirt was rubbed off, causing Shen Zechuan to cough.

"There are too many ways to kill you." Ji Lei said, "You ungrateful little bastard, you were lucky enough to steal a life this time. Do you really think you can survive today?"

He turned around and dragged Shen Zechuan across, kicked open the cell door and walked out.

"I act impartially and obey the Queen Mother's will. But there are many people in Zhou Dynasty who can do whatever they want. You are so stupid, so I will follow your wish. You want someone to kill you, and this person is already here!"

The city gate of Qudu suddenly opened wide, and a column of dark heavy horses rushed in from the outside like thunder.

Shen Zechuan was dragged in the road, and the Jin Yiwei dispersed suddenly. The dense crowd also split into two, making way for the heavy cavalry column.

Birds of prey from Libei were hovering in the sky, and the bumping sound of armor hammered his heart. The sound of horse hooves was getting closer. Shen Zechuan opened his eyes and saw the heavy horse headed by him charging straight towards him.

The horse under the heavy armor was like a ferocious beast. It was breathing hot air and ran a few steps away. Just when it was about to collide, it suddenly reined in. The horse's hooves were raised high. When it stopped, the man on the horse had already turned over. .

Ji Lei stepped forward and said loudly: "Xiao..."

The person who came didn't even look at Ji Lei, and walked directly in front of Shen Zechuan. Shen Zechuan just moved the shackles, but this man kicked Shen Zechuan in the heart with the speed of thunder!
Chapter completed!