Chaos of Ming 1628

A member of the Imperial Guard drew his sword, its blade gleaming, and placed it against the neck of the first person.

The man knelt on the ground, trembling all over.

The people were restless, and some tried to rush forward, but were forced back by the Embroidered Spring Blade.

The people who were tied up were either spirited young men or vigorous adults, each with a family behind them.

The reason why the crowd gathers and does not disperse is because of the husband, son, or father on the stage.

The knife is raised.

Cries rang out, and finally someone in the crowd couldn't hold back any longer, clasping their hands together and pleading incessantly. Someone knelt down, and those behind tried to step forward, only to trample on the kneeling person.

If this continues, it will inevitably lead to a horrific stampede. Even if it succeeds, how can Sun Qing have peace of mind?

The time has come!

"No!" Sun Qing's voice came from deep in his throat: "Whatever you want me to acknowledge, I will acknowledge."

"If you had done this earlier, you wouldn't have suffered like this!" The officer laughed and gave Zhou Ji a look, and Zhou Ji hurriedly ran forward.

He held a confession in his hand, on which the detailed charges were written. It listed almost every crime that could implicate Sun with crystal clarity, and all that was missing was a fingerprint.

This is a common tactic used by the eunuch faction. The confession has already been written according to their wishes. Regardless of whether the person can withstand the interrogation, even if they are dead, they can simply press their finger down and the crime is established.

The crimes of Wei Zhongxian's faction are also a significant part of history. Sun Qing knew this, and only after suffering a little did he manage to turn the tide.

Suffering amplifies human relationships, and he had already laid enough emotional groundwork. He stared intently at Zhou Ji, who trembled again at the sight.

Regardless of whether the officer nodded, he proceeded to give his testimony and read it aloud.

Sun Qing came here on the orders of Sun Chengzong to murder a high-ranking official of the court. This was all because Wei Zhongxian had reported him for crimes, and Sun Qing harbored resentment and was plotting revenge.

Every charge was fabricated out of thin air. The crowd was filled with righteous indignation.

"Hahaha," Sun Qing couldn't help but burst into laughter: "What a magnanimous Emperor Taizu was! Such a sordid thing is probably not something a man or woman could do."

The officer was taken aback at first, then realized what was happening. They were being insulted for being neither male nor female.

The matter involved eunuchs, specifically Wei Zhongxian, but the so-called "eunuch faction" wasn't entirely composed of eunuchs. Many were also normal men.

Working under Wei Zhongxian made it easy to be misunderstood. Naturally, these words were even harsher than insults, directly negating a man's function of procreation.

"Damn it!" the imperial guard cursed angrily. "If it weren't for the fact that the Emperor's coronation celebrations haven't ended yet, I'd make you pay!"

"Hurry up and sign!"

Sun Qing suddenly looked up and stared at the person on the stage: "I can sign the document, but you have to release everyone who was arrested in Botou first."

The Imperial Guard officer is ridiculous. When will the eunuch faction ever negotiate with someone who has been captured?

Zhou Ji whispered to his side, "Sir, many of the people on this stage are quite famous. Now that about a hundred of them are tied up here, the people of the city are rushing over after hearing the commotion."

"This place has been crowded for tens of thousands of years. It wouldn't be good if there were too many people."

This also hints at a popular uprising.

The officer, his face dark, grabbed Zhou Ji by the collar and pulled him close: "Do you think I have no dignity?"

"My lord, I have a way to both avert disaster and destroy his spirit," Zhou Ji said, trembling, but still maintaining a forced smile.

Seeing the officer nod, he leaned closer and spoke in a low voice.

The two spoke in hushed tones, so that no one else could hear a word they uttered. The officer, on the other hand, relaxed, then burst into laughter.

He released his grip and patted Zhou Ji on the shoulder instead: "You good-for-nothing, you didn't make a penny, but you've got a lot of tricks up your sleeve."

"Your Honor is wronged! If I hadn't already offered you all this, how could you possibly accept such a small amount?" Zhou Ji forced a smile, suppressing his heartache.

The officer chuckled, "If things are done properly, you'll get plenty of benefits."

Having said that, he didn't pursue the topic any further. It was fine if he gave everything to Li Weilin; that man was dead anyway, and his family would be investigated sooner or later.

The imperial guard walked up to Sun Qing, sneering repeatedly, "So many demands just for you to sign something?"

"Anyway, chopping off your finger won't make a difference."

He stroked his chin, looked Sun Qing up and down, as if he had discovered something interesting: "I can release him, but you dared to disrespect the Grand Eunuch, so this matter still needs to be taken seriously."

"Guards, please have Young Master Sun atone for the Eunuch's sins!"

Botou is on that newly erected stone tablet.

The stele is made of bluestone and is about ten feet tall. Several lines of large characters are carved in the center, each character gilded and dazzling in the sunlight.

The Imperial Guards immediately stepped forward, dragged Sun Qing to the stone tablet, and tied him to the Longevity Tablet.

Only by making him the most hated person can the public's reaction be less intense when he signs the document. Zhou Ji certainly has a sharp mind.

"Everyone says that Young Master Sun is eloquent and persuasive. They also say that the Sun family is strict with themselves and well-read." The imperial guard paced back and forth, sneering as he looked down at Sun Qing: "Young Master Sun must also have a photographic memory."

"You've seen this Longevity Stele," the officer thought, and couldn't help but laugh. "Then please, young master, recite what's written on this stele about Lord Wei's merits."

"Say one right, and I'll release one person." He paused, turned around, and stared at the bound man. "Say one wrong, and I'll kill one."

The crowd suddenly erupted into turmoil.

"You lackeys!" the man being held captive struggled violently, cursing, "I'm not afraid to die, Young Master Sun, don't confess, don't read my name..."

Before the words were even finished, the back of the embroidered guard's knife had already struck the man on the back of the neck. The man groaned and fell to the ground, his eyes wide open, but he didn't move, his fate unknown.

The thin boy next to him trembled uncontrollably, but he gritted his teeth and refused to bow his head.

They have integrity and backbone, but they also have family!

Crying gradually rose from among the onlookers:

"Young Master Sun, I know you and I are innocent, but my son is the only son in three generations; he can't be harmed!"

"Young Master Sun, our entire family of fourteen depends on my father for food..."

Sun Qing raised his head.

The veins on his neck bulged as he looked at the clear blue sky and suddenly smiled.

The laughter was so sudden that it silenced the crying crowd.

The sky was bright and clear, yet it was terrifyingly dark. Sun Qing roared at the heavens, "The heavens have no judgment, the good man walks in danger, and the wicked run rampant in the world!"

The roar was deafening.

A single roar ignited the fury in many people's eyes.

But Sun Qing lowered his head when everyone's emotions were at their peak, and read out the first line in a trembling voice: "A pioneering hero, a monument to longevity."

The first sentence is correct. It's just the large characters on the top of the stele, not referring to Wei Zhongxian.

If the first sentence is correct, then naturally one person will be released.

Zhou Ji hurriedly stepped forward: "That sentence doesn't mean anything. That old man is just a beggar. Let the useless one go first."

The imperial guard nodded.

Old Yu was released.

He was just pushed back into the crowd when a pair of hands caught him steadily. Turning around, he saw it was Shen Junru.

The two exchanged a glance, and Lao Yu was about to call out when Shen Junru gripped her longsword tightly, staring intently at the Longevity Stele.

His voice remained firm: "I am relieved that you are safe and sound, sir. But I know that Sun refused to bow to the eunuch faction even at the cost of his life, and that he did so out of desperation to save someone."

"Sun's reputation should not be damaged because of him."

Shen Junru gritted her teeth and sighed, "Sir, please leave first. I will kill him first, then commit suicide to atone for my sins!"