Chapter 399: Spring Harmony Tower

Spring Harmony Tower is a teahouse. Naturally, the teahouses in the Prefecture City are far more imposing than those in Xiangu County. The four characters "Spring Harmony, Quiet and Bright" on the plaque at the entrance are even more vigorous and elegant, like swimming clouds and startled dragons.

These four characters alone caused Duan Rong to stop and stare for quite a while.

By the time he sat down at a window-side seat on the second floor of the teahouse, it was nearly noon. He ordered two plates of dried fruit and a pot of clear tea, and began to eat slowly.

Turning his head to look from here, more than twenty death-row prisoners in prison garb were already kneeling at the temporary execution ground at the street corner.

Soldiers clad in armor had already surrounded the street corner.

The executioners, holding thick-backed broadswords with both hands, were already standing at the edge of the execution ground. The scorching noon sun shone on that row of blades, reflecting a chilling, ghastly light.

Spring Harmony Tower is actually some distance away from the execution ground; it is not a good place to watch an execution.

But Duan Rong quite likes the quiet here. The few teahouses and restaurants truly close to the execution ground were already packed with heads at the window-facing spots, no different from the area around the execution ground at the street corner.

As soon as Duan Rong sat down, his Divine Sense suddenly enveloped the execution ground.

Under the probe of his Divine Sense, he saw archers and death warriors in tight-fitting clothes lying in ambush on the rooftops and in the alleys around the execution ground, and even four experts of the True Qi Realm guarding the four corners.

Just as Duan Rong was using his Divine Sense to probe the execution ground, he suddenly frowned and turned his head toward the staircase. He saw a thin person dressed as a clerk, wearing a square cap, walking up slowly from the stairs.

The person who arrived was none other than the Ruyang Prefecture Master, Chen Xun.

At this time, there were few guests on the second floor of the teahouse, and as for those sitting by the window, there was only Duan Rong.

When Chen Xun walked to the window, he slightly raised his eyes and glanced at Duan Rong, who was a few tables away. Seeing it was just a sallow-faced young man, he did not pay much attention; Duan Rong was sitting with his back to the execution ground anyway.

Chen Xun sat down, and while drinking clear tea, he stared intently toward the execution ground.

He knew that Shen Mizhi had already entered the city this morning, and another Outer Sect Disciple was following her; counting them up, that made two True Qi Realm experts.

He had already placed all the strongest forces at his disposal to guard the execution ground, and Yang Ji and Li Hong were also there, totaling six True Qi Realm experts, plus powerful bows and crossbows. He was not afraid of Shen Mizhi making a move; rather, he was afraid that he had set the trap, but she would refuse to walk into it.

Chen Xun looked leisurely toward the execution ground; he truly looked like a scholar admiring a clear breeze and a bright moon.

The drum for the noon hour had already sounded!

The person presiding over the execution of the Shen Yanliu case was none other than the Prefectural Administrator of Ruyang Prefecture, Yang Ji.

When the drum for the noon hour sounded, he glanced at a clerk beside him and said, "The noon hour has arrived. Verify the identities, and carry out the execution in three quarters of an hour!"

That person picked up a stack of documents, cupped his hands, and said, "Yes, my lord!"

The most important prisoner in this case was naturally the former Surveillance Commissioner, Shen Yanliu.

The clerk first walked in front of Shen Yanliu, who was at the very front of the crowd of prisoners.

At this time, several hours had passed since Duan Rong scattered the anesthetic, and these prisoners had basically all woken up, their minds clear.

Yet that "Shen Yanliu" seemed somewhat dazed.

This was because he had not only been hit by the anesthetic scattered by Duan Rong, but had also swallowed a Medicine Pill. His mind was currently in a blank state, and he was very drowsy, yawning incessantly.

When the clerk grabbed his hair and pulled his head up, his gaze was clearly somewhat dull.

The clerk looked at him, glanced at the portrait in his hand, and said loudly, "Shen Yanliu, identity verified, no errors!"

Saying this, he let go of his head, took two steps, grabbed the hair of Ma Chunmin who was kneeling beside him, and lifted Ma Chunmin's face to reflect the daylight.

When the clerk called out, Tang Wanhong's heart stirred slightly.

He seemed to hear the clerk call out Shen Yanliu, but he was too sleepy. The moment his brain began to turn, it became terrifyingly muddled; if not for the Iron Chain pulling him, he would have almost collapsed.

The clerk finished checking the twenty-plus death-row prisoners, reported back to Yang Ji, and then stood to one side.

Suddenly, a person wearing mourning clothes and carrying a food box rushed into the outer perimeter of the execution ground; it was Shen Mizhi.

Shen Mizhi was dressed in plain white, draped in hemp and mourning clothes, and her face was covered in tear stains.

Those armored soldiers wanted to stop her, but she was, after all, a True Qi Realm expert, and she broke in with a slight exertion of force.

Those armored soldiers still wanted to chase and drive her away, but Li Hong immediately walked over and blocked them. He stood there, watching the back of Shen Mizhi as she rushed forward, his eyes flickering.

Shen Mizhi's arrival caused a commotion among the onlookers.

Yang Ji, sitting behind the presiding desk, naturally noticed it too. He turned his head and exchanged glances with Li Hong not far away.

They were not afraid of Shen Mizhi coming at all; they were only afraid she wouldn't!

The four True Qi Realm experts hiding in the concealed spots on the surrounding rooftops also felt their hearts tremble, paying attention to the movements around them.

Shen Mizhi carried the food box and threw herself in front of "Shen Yanliu," calling out "Father" with tears and sobs.

But the "Shen Yanliu" kneeling before her was currently muddled in the head, unable to even open his eyes.

Shen Mizhi took a pot of wine from the food box, poured a cup, supported "Shen Yanliu," and held the cup up before him.

"Father, Mizhi will feed you a cup of wine! To see you off!"

Shen Mizhi looked at the face before her that could barely even open its eyes; although she had prepared herself mentally, she was still shocked.

This face was truly too similar!

If she hadn't just seen the real Shen Yanliu in the ruined temple not long ago, she would have found it hard to believe that the person before her was a fake.

Every detail on the face was very realistic, even the scars and the mole on the right cheek were exactly the same!

Shen Mizhi suppressed the astonishment in her heart and fed the wine into Shen Yanliu's mouth.

She forced her grief to well up again and said with a sobbing voice, "Father, have a bite of food."

Shen Mizhi picked up a piece of pig's head meat and stuffed it into "Shen Yanliu's" mouth, but he only held it there, unable to chew.

Shen Mizhi wiped the tears from her face, rose from "Shen Yanliu's" side, and came before Ma Chunmin.

She looked at Ma Chunmin's sorrowful face; unlike the hypocrisy she showed toward "Shen Yanliu," Ma Chunmin was truly going to die!

This woman had watched her grow up, had taken care of her daily life, and had never even scolded or beaten her.

But Shen Mizhi also understood in her heart that this was not Ma Chunmin caring for her; this was actually her shrewdness. It was precisely because she achieved this that Shen Yanliu could tolerate her, and even slowly began to hand over some confidential matters for her to handle.

Countless details and those indescribable looks made Shen Mizhi truly feel the disgust coming from Ma Chunmin.

But she was about to die, so Shen Mizhi still wanted to see her off properly.

Shen Mizhi poured a cup of wine, held it before Ma Chunmin, and said, "Aunt Min, Mizhi offers you a cup of wine."

Ma Chunmin looked blankly at Shen Mizhi and muttered, "Mizhi... you..."

"Aunt Min, drink."

Ma Chunmin's hands were bound by iron chains; Shen Mizhi held the wine cup to her lips, and she drank it all in one gulp.

Shen Mizhi wanted to offer her food, but Ma Chunmin said, "Mizhi, I don't want food, bring me another cup of wine."

Shen Mizhi poured three consecutive cups of wine for Ma Chunmin and fed them to her.

Perhaps because the strength of the wine was taking effect, Ma Chunmin felt the fear in her heart dissipate quite a bit; she looked at Shen Mizhi, gave a miserable smile, and said, "Mizhi, I'm sorry! Aunt Min didn't cherish you well. That you are willing to feed me wine today can be considered..."

Before Ma Chunmin could finish her sentence, she saw Yang Ji suddenly stand up and shout loudly, "All idlers withdraw! Executioners, take your positions!"

At this moment, several armored soldiers immediately arrived and shoved Shen Mizhi away.

Shen Mizhi feigned reluctance, her voice carrying a sob.

At this time, Xiao Yu rushed in and helped Shen Mizhi retreat.

Just as Xiao Yu helped Shen Mizhi exit the execution ground and stand on the perimeter, a flash of disappointment was clearly visible in Li Hong's eyes.

If Shen Mizhi had intended to rescue the prisoners, just now would have been a good opportunity to strike; she did not strike then, but instead retreated, so it seemed she truly had no such intention.

Then the inescapable net they had exhausted their efforts and mobilized so many people to set up had been a waste of effort.

At this moment, the executioners were all in position!

Yang Ji looked at the sundial not far to his side, and seeing the shadow reach the mark, he suddenly threw the command token to the ground and said in a loud voice, "The hour of noon has arrived! Execute!"

More than ten executioners were each in their positions, with one executioner ordered to behead one or two people. Who would behead whom had already been designated. Generally, only experienced executioners could get the job of beheading two people to earn two portions of silver.

Ma Chunmin knelt in the shivering wind, watching the head of Shen Yanliu fall to the ground; the head rolled to a stop, and a piece of pig's head meat spilled from its mouth.

Ma Chunmin's eyes suddenly widened in shock, because from her angle, she could just see a burn mark on the back of that head's neck; it looked like an old injury from many years ago, which Shen Yanliu definitely did not have.

"This person is not Shen Yanliu!"

The moment this thought flashed through her mind, she caught a glimpse of a cold light flashing beside her out of the corner of her eye, and her head flew up!

Shen Mizhi's tearful face on the edge of the crowd flashed before her eyes, and then her consciousness began to blur...

On the execution ground, as a large number of heads flew up, Chen Xun sat in a window-side seat and had already seen a patch of black dots floating up from afar.

Shen Mizhi had not struck, and his heart felt quite disappointed.

Shen Mizhi was an Outer Sect Disciple of the Sect; since she had not rescued the prisoners, he could not just attack an Outer Sect Disciple of the Sect for no reason.

The moment "Shen Yanliu" was beheaded, Chen Xun stood up and glanced at the sallow-faced young man not far away.

Ever since he sat down, that young man had only glanced at him once, and afterwards just drank tea by himself, occasionally looking at the scenery outside the window with a very relaxed expression.

Chen Xun sighed slightly; ever since he took the position of Prefecture Master, he seemed to have never been this relaxed.

Just like just now, he appeared calm and composed sitting there, but his mind had been tense the entire time.

Although Shen Yanliu had now been beheaded and the matter could be considered to have come to an end, he still had several complicated matters on his mind.

Especially the matter of Tang Wanhong being rescued from the Prefecture City Dungeon had still given him a great shock.

And Tang Wanhong's social circle was complex, involving both officialdom and the jianghu deeply, so it would likely not be an easy task to find out who was responsible.

But regardless, these jianghu outlaws daring to rescue someone from his Prefecture City Dungeon was equivalent to slapping his face; no matter the cost, he had to dig out the person behind this.

When Chen Xun slowly walked down the stairs, Duan Rong finally lifted his eyes to glance at his back.

His Divine Sense was still covering the execution ground at this time.

Shen Mizhi was collecting the corpses of Shen Yanliu and Ma Chunmin.

Xiao Yu had already bought two coffins at a coffin shop and hired people to carry them over; at this time, they were carried from the perimeter to the edge of the execution ground.

Shen Mizhi personally lifted the remains and severed head of "Shen Yanliu" and placed them into a coffin, then placed the remains and severed head of Ma Chunmin into the other coffin.

Shen Mizhi's face was covered in tear tracks, looking extremely sorrowful, and the onlookers nearby all praised her for being filial.

When Xiao Yu and Shen Mizhi left the execution ground with the two coffins containing the corpses, Duan Rong finally stood up from his seat in the teahouse.

Unlike Chen Xun, Duan Rong sat here specifically to watch them take the corpses away.

Because the corpses were evidence of the crime and could not be left behind.

Shen Mizhi using the rites of utmost filial piety to collect the corpses was the final part of this plan.

And it was logical; who would be suspicious of a daughter collecting the corpse of her deceased father? Who would dare to stop her?

Xiao Yu and Shen Mizhi carried the coffins out of the city and stopped the two coffins at the Public Mortuary outside the city.

Shen Yanliu had a bitter youth, was without kin or connections, and had long since cut ties with his hometown; Shen Mizhi did not need to talk about returning him to the ancestral grave, so she held the wake and funeral at the Public Mortuary and buried him there.

Those executed also had no relatives or friends to pay respects.

That night, only Xiao Yu accompanied Shen Mizhi to keep vigil in the Public Mortuary.

Shen Mizhi was dressed in mourning clothes, kneeling before the spirit hall, occasionally burning paper money in a fire basin.

She was burning it for Ma Chunmin.

It was already midnight, the surroundings were silent, and the people at the Public Mortuary had long since fallen asleep.

Suddenly, a black shadow flashed in from outside the door.

Xiao Yu and Shen Mizhi had naturally already sensed it, but they were not surprised.

The firelight illuminated the face of the person who arrived; it was Duan Rong.

With his Divine Sense projected, Duan Rong confirmed that no one was monitoring the surroundings.

The three looked at each other, but no one spoke; Duan Rong walked slowly into the spirit hall, suddenly lifted the lid of "Shen Yanliu's" coffin, and under the scan of his Divine Sense, the situation inside the coffin was visible in every detail; he suddenly infused his right hand with True Qi and lightly struck a spot inside the coffin!

He was already at the True Qi Realm Great Perfection, and his control of force was exquisite and Entering Micro; as the True Qi surged, a skull inside the coffin was shattered into a mist of blood.

The cypress wood coffin shook slightly.

Duan Rong pinched a bloody piece of skin out from the mass of rotten flesh in the coffin.

He covered the coffin and threw the piece of skin into the fire basin in front of the spirit hall.

The tongues of fire engulfed it, the skin twisted and deformed, and Shen Mizhi added another handful of paper money; the skin was soon burned pitch-black, and it was impossible to tell what it was.

Duan Rong looked at Shen Mizhi and Xiao Yu without speaking, but with a flicker of his eyes, his figure flashed and he darted out, disappearing into the pitch-black night.

With this, the matter was thoroughly concluded.

Even if someone were to open the coffin and examine the corpse, who could say that the person inside was not Shen Yanliu?

As for the real Shen Yanliu, in the vast sea of people, before long, who would still remember him?

(End of chapter)