Chapter 175: Get on your knees—I

The shopkeeper continued speaking.

Upon hearing that, not only Lin Zikai, but even the black dog stared wide-eyed.

To execute a Vice Minister of the Rites Bureau over four hundred taels?

That's utterly ridiculous, isn't it?

Not to mention Qingzhou; even if you went to Yongning Prefecture and picked any county magistrate at random, they'd be more corrupt than this guy.

If a Vice Minister of the Rites Bureau had embezzled four hundred taels during his term, that would already qualify him as an upright official.

Old Li stroked his chin and said, 'This Vice Minister of the Rites Bureau must have offended someone, right?'

The shopkeeper shook his head: 'That's not something a mere tavern keeper like me could know.'

"Rumor has it this Vice Minister Xu Kong has committed plenty of crimes—murder, robbery, and the like—but I've actually met Xu Kong, and I don't think he's that sort of person."

The shopkeeper then sighed: 'But what can we do about it?'

"Xu Kong has no backing."

"Never mind, never mind—what would you gentlemen like to drink?"

Lin Zikai waved his hand: "Just give us your Yanchao Meng."

After the shopkeeper left, Lin Zikai finally spoke: "You say, could Xu Kong's case possibly be related to the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Yang Wan'an?"

Old Li said in a muffled voice: "I think it's quite possible."

Shen Qing waved his hand, leaving a few taels of silver on the table: "Whether or not it's related, if we raid the execution ground and intercept him, we'll find out everything."

Just then a scholar walked into the tavern.

At the execution ground.

Xu Kong was trussed up tightly; though his body was covered in wounds, even as he knelt on the ground, his back remained ramrod straight.

Behind him stood an executioner sharpening his blade.

The executioner spoke softly, so only Xu Kong could hear.

"Vice Minister Xu, I have no choice—I'll sharpen the blade quickly to lessen your pain."

Xu Kong glanced at him, his eyes showing some gratitude, but he couldn't speak; all one could see was his cheeks bulging, as if something were stuffed inside.

This was a common method for public executions in ancient times—fearing the prisoner might speak out, they'd stuff his mouth full of stones.

Xu Kong turned his gaze; beneath the table were two women dressed in white hemp—his wife and daughter, weeping tearfully.

Just then, the officer overseeing the execution checked the time and then barked a low order.

"It's noon already—execute!"

A flash of cold light crossed the air—the executioner had already raised his heavy sword high.

Beneath the table, Xu Kong's wife and daughter painfully closed their eyes.

But the imagined sound of flesh being cut never came.

Xu Kong's wife slowly opened her eyes, only to see a man in a blue robe gripping the falling steel sword with one hand.

Shen Qing flicked his finger, and the steel sword snapped into fragments that fell to the ground.

"Don't rush—I still have a few questions."

"Who are you? How dare you raid the execution ground? You must have a death wish."

The officer in charge of the execution leapt to his feet—he was Zhao Yang, Assistant Censor of the Censorate—and today's case must not go wrong.

"Now someone wants to raid the execution ground—I won't allow it."

He waved his hand, and two squads of soldiers surged forward, tightly surrounding Shen Qing.

Shen Qing glanced down at his clothes: "Oh, sorry—I've killed a lot of people today, my uniform's soaked in blood, and I forgot I'd already changed out of my official robes."

"Take a look at this."

Saying that, Shen Qing produced the token of the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Shen Qing spoke slowly, word by word: "May I ask, do I now have the qualifications to question him?"

Zhao Yang's face instantly turned grim, forcing a strained smile; his earlier arrogance vanished.

"Ah, it's Commander Shen of the Embroidered Uniform Guard—go ahead, ask away."

"But Xu Kong is heinously guilty; I doubt he'll say anything truthful..."

Shen Qing glanced at him, his tone icy.

"You're quite tight-lipped—am I asking you?"

Zhao Yang's face froze; he dared not speak another word.

The scholar and Lin Zikai hurried onto the platform, untied Xu Kong's bonds, and pulled the stones from his mouth one by one.

Xu Kong struggled to his feet, his steps unsteady: "Vice Minister Xu Kong greets Minister Shen, thanking you for saving my life..."

Shen Qing glanced back at him: "You're thanking me too soon—I just said I'm here to ask questions."

"If you're innocent, then your life is spared for now; but if you're truly guilty, you'll die a far uglier death than this."

Xu Kong clasped his hands: "I, Xu Kong, am upright and proper—Minister Shen, ask away."

Xu Kong's words rang out with unusual firmness.

Shen Qing snorted: "First question—do you know the situation at Frost Bell Temple? What's its connection to Yang Haichen?"

This question seemed to strike a chord in Xu Kong; his face flushed, he broke free of the scholar's support and strode purposefully toward Shen Qing.

"Minister Shen... there's..."

But before he could finish, Xu Kong's eyes rolled back and he fainted.

The scholar rushed over; judging from that reaction, Xu Kong clearly knew something—how could he just collapse before finishing?

At that moment a childish voice came from the edge of the table: "My father's heart ailment acted up—he's fine..."

Only then did Xu Kong's wife, clutching her eight‑year‑old daughter, struggle up from the edge of the table.

Xu Kong's wife quickly pulled a black pill from her bosom and shoved it into Xu Kong's mouth.

Shen Qing looked at the little girl: "Is this your father?"

The little girl nodded: "Yes, thank you, big brother, for saving my father's life."

The little girl didn't know Shen Qing's identity, nor what crime Xu Kong had committed; she only knew Shen Qing had saved her father's life.

Meanwhile, Xu Kong on the ground, after taking the pill, indeed showed a noticeable improvement.

And among the crowd below, one person, seeing this, turned pale, spun around, and ran toward the outside of the execution ground.

Shen Qing extended his left hand to shield the little girl's eyes, while raising his right hand and flicking a blade of light that pierced straight through that person's thigh.

"Before I finish my questions, I don't want anyone to leave this execution ground. Do you understand?"

Having said that, Shen Qing turned his head to look at the execution supervisor Zhao Yang: "I suppose you must know something, right?"

Zhao Yang was about to speak and deny, but Shen Qing's icy voice came: "If you lie to me, the outcome will be grim."

Zhao Yang swallowed a mouthful of saliva, held back his denial, nodded with difficulty, fear showing in his pupils.

From his reaction, it's clear he knows quite a lot, even the inside story, and likely participated; otherwise, why would they let him oversee such an important matter as Xu Kong's execution?

If so, then he's an accomplice—at the very least, he can't escape responsibility.

Shen Qing took his seat and crossed his legs.

"Since you know, this will be easy to handle."

"Come, come over."

"Kneel down, I'll ask you a few things."