The Red Mansion: From a Small Pawn to a Leader

Chapter 407 Execution, Title

Before the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the government does not arrest anyone and creditors do not collect debts. This is an unwritten rule that has never been broken in the more than 100 years since the establishment of the Dashun Dynasty, let alone killing people on the first day of the first lunar month, and by slow slicing!
The people were excited. The road leading to Caishikou was crowded with people. Everyone was wrapped in a big cotton-padded jacket, their heads and bodies were covered with snow, and their noses were running from the cold, but they were happy anyway because there were too few entertainment programs.

"I'm coming!"

The sound of horse hooves and wheels pressing snow could be heard.

The crowd became agitated, and those at the back kept pushing forward. The soldiers from the Bingmasi who were there to maintain order held their spears horizontally and tried desperately to hold back the surging crowd.

Unlike other death row prisoners, those who were tortured by lingchi, regardless of gender, would be stripped naked and paraded around in public. This practice was meant to humiliate the victim!
In order to ensure that Sun Shaozu could survive three days, his feet were cut 3,357 times. The Ministry of Justice not only paid for ginseng soup for him to drink, but also made an exception and built a tent on the execution platform to protect him from the snow and added large braziers around it to keep him warm. This was the only one of its kind since the founding of the Dashun Dynasty!
The vast majority of ordinary people had no idea what crime Sun Shaozu had committed, but anyone who could be executed by slow slicing by the imperial court was definitely not a good person.

Someone shouted, "Beat him!"

Then a snowball hit Sun Shaozu in the face!
Like water drops splashing into a boiling oil pan, snowballs flew towards Sun Shaozu.
Soon, Sun Shaozu, with a piece of wood in his mouth, was tied to the wooden pillar on the execution platform.

After the official from the Ministry of Justice verified Sun Shaozu's identity, he began to read the imperial edict.

After hearing Sun Shaozu's crimes, the people became even more angry. Their angry eyes seemed to want to cut him into pieces. The people crowded in front of the execution platform uttered deafening curses, but it was impossible to hear clearly who said what or what they were cursing.

Amid the people's abuse, the executioner in red came to Sun Shaozu.

The first class was cut with 3,357 knives. According to the rules, the prisoners would be cut with 357 knives on the first day. Each cut was as big as a fingernail and was made on both sides of the chest. The prisoners would rest after every ten cuts and shouted to keep them awake.

The executioner looked at Sun Shaozu and suddenly slapped him on the chest. Then he took the knife and turned it deftly, cutting off a piece of meat the size of a copper coin from Sun Shaozu's right chest.

Then, the executioner stabbed the piece of meat with the tip of the knife and held it high to show the supervising officials and the people on both sides. At the same time, his apprentice shouted loudly: "First cut!"

At this time, the executioner shook his wrist, and the piece of meat on the tip of the knife flew up and then fell down. The first piece of meat was Xie Tian.

The second cut was made from the left chest. As usual, a piece of meat was cut cleanly and neatly, and then thrown to the ground to thank the earth. The first two pieces of meat were to be offered to heaven and earth! There was also a third piece of meat, which was thrown into the air to thank the ghosts and gods!

The ceremony ended and the Lingchi officially began.
The onlookers watched quietly at first, but soon some idlers took the lead and shouted, "Eleven! Twelve! Thirteen!"

Then more people shouted: "Fourteen! Fifteen! Sixteen."

After more than a dozen cuts, Sun Shaozu was already bleeding, but not much. Due to the cold weather and the palm strike on Sun Shaozu's major blood vessels before the operation, only a few blood beads oozed out of the wound.

The cut pieces of meat must be placed on the table piece by piece. After the execution, the officials from the Ministry of Justice must come forward and count the pieces. If there is one piece more or one piece less, it would be considered a disobedience to the imperial decree.

As the knife cut down, Sun Shaozu's eyes widened in pain, sweat poured down his head, and veins popped out on his arms tied to the wood.
It was snowing heavily, and the snow was falling all over the sky. The snow in Jia She's courtyard was kneeling with all the family members and servants in the mansion.

Jia She, kneeling there, was not only terrified but also confused.

The eunuch who announced the decree gently reminded: "General Jia, thank you."

Jia She finally woke up and bowed his head, saying, "I obey your order!"

The eunuch who announced the decree handed the imperial edict to Jia She, saying, "Your Majesty has said that the stolen goods and the silver for the crime can be sent to the Ministry of Revenue."

Jia She said, "Yes." He stood up holding the imperial edict and said to Wang Shanbao, "Please ask this eunuch to come down for tea."

The eunuch who announced the decree said: "Don't bother. The Imperial Household Department is still waiting for a reply." After saying that, he turned and left.

Jia She watched the eunuch who announced the imperial edict disappear in the snow, then he looked down at the imperial edict in his hand, his beard trembling slightly.

At this time, Mrs. Xing came over and said softly, "Master..." Jia She said, "Let's go."

Mrs. Xing felt relieved when she heard this, answered "yes", and quickly asked everyone to leave.

"Keep Wang Shan in the care." Jia She added.

Wang Shanbao stopped.

Jia She gritted his teeth and said, "Go to Caishikou and tell the people in the Ministry of Justice and the executioner to treat that bastard well for me!"

Wang Shanbao: "How much?"

Jia She: "Let them speak."

Wang Shanbao was slightly stunned. The stingy guy was plucked out! It seemed that Sun Shaozu was very angry with him!

Jia She: "Tell them to go to the Ministry of Revenue to ask your Second Master for the money."

Wang Shanbao smiled secretly and said, "Yes." Then he walked out.

Jia She was the only one left here. He looked at the imperial edict in his hand, then spat in the direction of the palace: "There will be a time for you to cry." Then he turned and walked towards the study.

Duke is a title of extremely high honor, which is used to reward people who have made important contributions to the country and the royal family. It cannot be awarded to those who have not made military contributions to the country.

The title of Duke is also divided into different levels. Some titles are based on the country's name, some are based on auspicious words or virtues, and some are based on directions. The most honorable title of Duke is naturally based on the country's name. This kind of title is not only a recognition of personal achievements, but also a glory to his family.

Emperor Yongchang paced back and forth in front of the imperial desk with his hands behind his back.

The Crown Prince sat quietly on the couch, looking at him cautiously.

Emperor Yongchang suddenly walked to the imperial desk and sat down. He picked up a pen and wrote a row of big characters "Duke Zhongguo, Duke Anguo, Duke Dingguo, Duke Xiangguo" on a blank piece of paper.

After thinking for a while, he wrote the three big words "Duke of Wei".

After a pause, he wrote "Duke of Jingguo" and "Duke of Weiguo", then crossed out the three words "Duke of Weiguo". Then, he wrote "Duke of Zhengguo" and "Duke of Luguo" at the bottom, put down his pen, stared at the paper, and thought deeply.

After an unknown amount of time, Emperor Yongchang came back to his senses and crossed out "Duke of Zheng", "Duke of Wei", "Duke of An", "Duke of Ding" and "Duke of Xiang". The red pen paused on "Duke of Lu" but ultimately did not cross it out.

Only "Duke Zhongguo", "Duke Jingguo" and "Duke Luguo" were left on the paper.

Emperor Yongchang picked up his pen and wrote in the blank space, "Annual salary of 3,500 dan", "Promotion of the title of Prince's Guardian", "Reward of 1000".

The self-ringing clock in the corner suddenly rang. Emperor Yongchang's hand trembled, and a drop of thick vermilion ink fell on the rice paper.

Looking at the two words "Shangchuan" covered by red ink, Emperor Yongchang was stunned for a moment, then put down his pen and looked at the pointer. It was time to eat!

At this moment, the eunuch on duty walked in quietly and said, "Your Majesty, the Concubine Shu wants to send dumplings to the Third Prince."

Emperor Yongchang was silent for a moment, then said, "Let the third son enter the palace to accompany his mother for dinner, and leave the palace before dusk." After that, he said to the crown prince, "Let's go to your grandmother."

(End of this chapter)