The prince is more stable

Chapter 382 The bottom line of the sinner
Outsiders will never know how hard a person will work to survive.

Morality, integrity, fame, wealth, honor...

These external things are so insignificant in the face of life and are not worth mentioning.

All the officials present were so shocked by Liu Qianliang's decision that their heads were buzzing.

It is obvious that Liu Qianliang's decision was not made on the spur of the moment. He must have made plans when he knew he was facing a desperate situation.

At this moment, everyone's views on Liu Qianliang were refreshed again.

I didn't expect that you, with your thick eyebrows and big eyes, would betray the revolution...

So in order to survive, are you going to work hard quietly and then amaze everyone?
It has to be said that Liu Qianliang's words seriously challenge everyone's three views.

Everyone present here is an official. Officials are all well-versed in the books of sages. No matter how corrupt or evil they are, they still have a moral bottom line that belongs to scholars. They simply cannot accept things like surrendering to the enemy and selling out the country.

There was silence in the main hall, and everyone looked at Liu Qianliang in a daze.

Liu Qianliang's face was ferocious, and he looked like a deranged madman at this moment. He looked around at everyone with crazy and provocative eyes, as if telling them frivolously, yes, I am going to surrender to the enemy, what can you do to me?

After a long while, the prosecutor Wang Shenxian slowly said, "Judge Liu, what you just said was just a momentary outburst of anger, right?"

Liu Qianliang laughed heartily. "Is that just an angry remark? The Liao envoy is waiting twenty miles north of Zhending Prefecture. Once the matter is settled, I'll leave the city to meet him. He'll take me to Zhejin Prefecture in Liao to settle down. Do you still think I was just saying that in anger?"

Everyone was shocked again.

It turned out that Liu Qianliang had already quietly arranged a retreat. No wonder he was so crazy tonight and dared to attack Zhao Xiaoqian.

Anyway, it's the last chance of the deal. He can just leave after the job is done. What else does he have to worry about?
However, a surge of anger arose in the hearts of the people.

You just walked away. You did such a big thing. If we stayed in Zhending Prefecture, wouldn't we be dragged down to death by you?

If Zhao Xiaoqian died and Liu Qianliang ran away, the emperor and the court would be furious. Who would they direct their anger at?
Looking at the suppressed anger on everyone's faces, Liu Qianliang squinted his eyes and smiled.

"My dear colleagues, you and I have worked together before, and we are old friends. After tonight, if anyone is willing to go with me to the Liao Kingdom to serve as an official, I will go with you. Once we arrive in the Liao Kingdom, we will simply bow our heads and be submissive to the Liao people, and we will continue to enjoy wealth and glory as before."

"Everyone, who wants to go with me?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the envoy Zhou Chen stood up, his face pale, but he still shook his head and said, "Judge Liu, forgive me for not agreeing with you. Even though my crimes are heinous, I am still a criminal official of the Song Dynasty and will be punished by the laws of the Song Dynasty. I have no complaints, but... I cannot surrender to the Liao Kingdom."

"Really? If I surrender to the enemy, even my ancestral temple won't be able to accept me after my death. They will expel me from the family. I'm sorry, I'll go before Zhao Xiaoqian and confess my crime. I'll be killed or sliced ​​open."

As he spoke, Zhou Yu walked out of the hall with a trembling body. Each step he took was slow and his fear could be seen in his steps, but he still walked forward step by step without hesitation.

Everyone in the hall looked at Zhou Wei with complicated eyes, feeling mixed emotions.

We are all criminal officials of the Song Dynasty, and we are all unforgivable sinners. I don’t know how many sins we have committed among the people. Why are you pretending to be great at this time?
However, every step Zhou Shen took seemed to strike at everyone's heart, making a dull bang like thunder.

The feelings of family, country and ancestors are probably Zhou Yuan’s last bottom line.

After all, there is still a trace of shame. No matter how heinous the crime is or how disgraced one is, this bottom line cannot be crossed no matter what.

The character of the scholars of the Song Dynasty was actually reflected in an evil official. I don't know whether to admire him or feel sorry for him.

Everyone watched Zhou Wei quietly as he slowly walked out of the hall. Liu Qianliang's eyes gradually became sinister, and his expression became more distorted.

We are all sinners, and now you appear great, right?

Staring at Zhou Wei's trembling back, Liu Qianliang suddenly made a gesture outside the hall.

There were five hundred men standing quietly outside the hall. The leader suddenly raised his sword and chopped it down on Zhou Shen's neck.

Caught off guard, Zhou Wei didn't even have time to make a sound before he suddenly fell to the ground. Blood gushed out of his neck, his body trembled violently, and it was obvious that he was no longer alive.

Everyone looked at Liu Qianliang in shock.

Liu Qianliang laughed wildly. "What hypocrisy! Bah! We've already committed an unforgivable crime, why are you pretending to be so dignified in front of me?"

As he spoke, Liu Qianliang looked around at everyone with a sinister look on his face and said, "Whether you are willing to follow me to Liao, I will not force you, but I have not yet taken action against Zhao Xiaoqian. If anyone dares to leave and leaks the news, don't blame me for disregarding the friendship we have had for many years."

The hall was completely silent. Liu Qianliang's mental state was clearly insane. At this moment, he didn't care about anyone's life or death. He just wanted to live himself.

No one dared to say a word. Zhou Wei's body fell in the yard. The blood on the ground dyed the white snow red, which looked particularly glaring.

Liu Qianliang's ruthless actions also deeply shocked everyone.

However, after a long silence, Wang Shenxian, the magistrate of Zhending Prefecture who had been silent, stood up.

Everyone's eyes immediately focused on him.

Liu Qianliang narrowed his eyes and said gloomily, "Wang Tuiguan, what do you want to do?" Wang Shenxian smiled politely at Liu Qianliang and said, "Things have come to this point. There is absolutely no chance of recovery. If you and I are arrested, we will both be sentenced to death."

Liu Qianliang sneered: "So?"

Wang Shenxian sighed, "I also passed the imperial examination in the sixth year of Emperor Shenzong's Yuanfeng reign. Before taking the imperial examination, I thoroughly read the classics, history, and collections of the sages. Although it was to prepare for the imperial examination, I also memorized many of the sages' words."

"A gentleman has his ways and his ways. I can't surrender to Liao. Like Zhou Yuan, I'm afraid my ancestors won't recognize me, and I'll be nothing but a wandering ghost after death."

"I've made many mistakes in this life, but at least I didn't surrender to the enemy. Even if my ancestors scold me for being an unworthy descendant, I'm sure they'll eventually recognize me. Since there's no way out, I can only think more about what happens after death."

Wang Shenxian looked at Liu Qianliang and said with a smile, "What's wrong with adding me as a hypocrite?"

"I'm a very sensitive person. After being arrested, interrogated, tortured, convicted, and formally executed by Zhao Xiaoqian, I couldn't lose face in front of so many people. I couldn't bear the humiliation."

"It's better to die at the hands of my accomplice tonight. At least I can leave myself a trace of dignity..."

Wang Shenxian looked at Liu Qianliang with eyes full of undisguised contempt and sneered, "Killing one is killing, killing two is killing. You can kill me now. Finally, I want to say one last thing..."

"Liu Qianliang, you are a bastard!"

After saying this, Wang Shenxian strode into the courtyard and stood beside Zhou Shen's body. Suddenly, he knelt down on both knees, facing the direction of Bianjing, and said with emotion: "I, the sinner Wang Shenxian, am ashamed of the emperor and the people. I will die tonight to apologize for my sins!"

Liu Qianliang's eyes were bloodshot, and he gritted his teeth and said, "Okay, Wang Shenxian, I'll grant you your wish!"

The gesture fell, and the sharp knife also fell. Wang Shenxian fell to the ground and died without a word.

His blood-red eyes fiercely scanned the people in the hall, and he laughed like a madman, "Is there anyone else willing to die? Stand up quickly, and I'll grant his wish!"

Everyone in the hall hung their heads in silence.

Not everyone can face death with equanimity, especially if they are bad people who have committed many evil deeds.

Seeing that no one spoke, Liu Qianliang said coldly: "After tonight, your life or death has nothing to do with me. Just don't ruin my plan now!"

Liu Qianliang looked at the five hundred men standing quietly in the courtyard and shouted in a deep voice, "If you perform well tonight, I will lead you to a prosperous future! Now, everyone, leave the house and head straight to the government office to kill Zhao Xiaoqian!"

…………

In Zhending City, in the courtyard of a simple and dilapidated house two streets away from the government office, Zhao Xiaoqian, wearing a cloak, holding a girl in one hand, looked up and quietly admired the falling snow.

Heiji and Genji felt a little cold and couldn't help but snuggle into Zhao Xiaoqian's arms.

"Your Excellency, is the heavy snow so beautiful?" Ping looked up at Zhao Xiaoqian in fascination. Her pretty face was reddened by the cold wind, but she was completely unaware.

Listening to the awkward official language, Zhao Xiaoqian chuckled: "You need to learn and practice the official language of the Great Song Dynasty more. Others will know you are from outside the province as soon as they hear it. They will charge you a few more coins to buy a pancake. It's such a disadvantage."

Genji beside him also laughed and said, "Sister Heike's official language is really too abstruse. I can't understand it."

Zhao Xiaoqian turned his head and glanced at her, saying, "How good is your official language? You still have the nerve to laugh at others. You are all the same, so don't laugh at each other."

While Zhao Xiaoqian was flirting with the two girls, he suddenly saw flames rising from the direction of the government office. The fire grew bigger and soon illuminated half the sky red, which was even more eye-catching in the dark night.

Zhao Xiaoqian sneered: "Finally you took action, Liu Qianliang, you are a talent."

After the Pingyuan sisters identified the direction, they were horrified and asked in a trembling voice, "Your Excellency, isn't that the backyard of the government office where we live?"

Zhao Xiaoqian smiled. "That's right. Why else do you think I brought you out here in the middle of the night to stand in the courtyard of this residential building and enjoy the snow?"

"Someone wants to burn you to death?" Ping said in shock.

Zhao Xiaoqian said sternly, "This is a matter of life and death. You are not allowed to get yourself out of it."

Genji was shocked and said, "You are the highest official in Zhending Prefecture. Who is so bold as to set you on fire?"

Zhao Xiaoqian looked at the two of them and smiled strangely: "Is the person who gave you two to me surprised or surprised?"

The two sisters were even more shocked: "Judge Liu?"

Flames shot up into the sky, and gongs were beating all around the streets outside the government office. Countless people were shouting that the fire was burning, and the panicked shouts and screams could be heard from two blocks away.

At the same time, Zhao Xiaoqian heard a series of orderly footsteps and the sound of armor colliding, gradually coming closer and closer.

Zhao Xiaoqian's expression became more relaxed.

"Now that the Dragon Guard Battalion has entered the city, it's time to let Liu Qianliang and the others know that playing with fire will not only make you pee on the bed, but also cost you your head..." Zhao Xiaoqian murmured as he looked up at the snow falling from the sky.

(End of this chapter)