Chapter 1059: Bitter and Deep Grudge

As the Heavenly Prison's executioner, once the task was assigned, Wang Youfu had to accept it whether he wanted to or not.

If it were the previous Jiang Jiang Yucheng, not only would he have to accept the task respectfully, but there wouldn't be a single cent of reward.

Now that Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen was in charge, it was just two words: "classy."

When everyone received their tasks, they were also willing.

Five hundred taels—a huge sum of money; what reason did he have to refuse?

He couldn't think of a reason to refuse.

The greater the risk, the higher the return.

"I will listen to everything my lord says. Whatever my lord says, this small one will do."

Chen Guanlou was happy; the people below were becoming more and more sensible—this was a good phenomenon.

"Find a few more helpers. It's so hot; the Ministry of Justice asked the Imperial Observatory, and the weather will be this hot for the next few days. You cannot follow the old rules; finish the task as quickly as possible."

"If it takes less than three days, won't those above pursue it?"

"It's good enough that the task is finished; they won't pursue it." Chen Guanlou was full of anger.

It wasn't Emperor Jian Shi who had to wield the knife for Lingchi; he just opened his mouth and ordered three thousand cuts. He didn't think about what season it was, what the weather was like—it was simply nonsense!

Yet the people in the Secretariat were also incompetent and couldn't persuade him.

A bunch of trash!

Chen Guanlou ran to Sun Daoning to complain.

Sun Daoning also had a bitter expression; he had to supervise the execution, and it was miserable.

"How about we just muddle through it? I don't believe the palace will insist on counting every single cut, one by one, until three thousand are reached."

"You hit the nail on the head; the palace will indeed send people to supervise the whole process and count every cut clearly. They have to report back and dare not muddle through, so they will naturally keep a close eye on us. I know it's difficult for you, and it's difficult for me, but there's no other way. Sigh, let's all suffer together; just endure these few days and it will be over."

"Even if we endure these few days, it won't be better! You know the smell of corpse rot; in such hot weather, even if we use every means, the smell won't dissipate for ten days or half a month."

"Then find a remote place to carry out the execution."

"It costs money. You sign a slip, at least two thousand taels."

"Are you robbing me?" Sun Daoning was unhappy. Lingchi on one corpse costing two thousand taels was a typical lion's opening. Did he really think the Ministry of Justice's money was blown in by the wind?

"Nothing can be done without money." Chen Guanlou adopted an attitude of absolutely not cooperating without money. "I'll tell you this: without money, there are no executioners. Without executioners, I'll see where you find someone to perform Lingchi. Lingchi is a technical job; not all executioners understand this technique. And it's a corpse. As the Minister of Justice, you know better than anyone the difference between a corpse and a living person."

"You, you, you... you are clearly threatening me."

Chen Guanlou rolled his eyes. "Without money, there is no venue; without a venue, Lingchi cannot be performed. Or should I set up a platform on the street and let the people of the capital open their eyes, letting the whole world know that the Emperor won't even let a corpse go? How about that?"

"You are rebelling!" Sun Daoning slapped the table. "Simply nonsense!"

Chen Guanlou spread his hands. "In short, without money, this matter cannot be done."

"One thousand taels!" Sun Daoning gritted his teeth.

"What can this little money do? Just brewing the medicinal soup to prevent an epidemic will cost several hundred taels. Hiring executioners, building the platform, preparing ice, preserving the corpse, consolation money for everyone—it all adds up, and two thousand taels is tight; I fear it won't be enough. Old Sun, don't be stingy. With the common goal of getting through this hurdle as quickly as possible, money is a small matter. You cannot lose the big for the small. Besides, this is public money; it's not like I'm asking you to pay out of your own pocket, so why be so petty and why haggle with me?"

When Chen Guanlou wanted money, his face was the thickest and his eloquence the best. He could be called glib!

Sun Daoning gritted his teeth, his heart burning with fire.

He fanned himself, took a sip of iced boiled water, and asked, "Starting tomorrow, can it be done?"

Chen Guanlou patted his chest in guarantee. "As long as the money is in place, we can start tonight."

"I will sign the slip for you. Tomorrow morning, as soon as the sky brightens, start preparing. Strive to start work before the sun comes out. Can you do it?"

"No problem! That's what I was thinking, start Lingchi before the sun comes out, and stop work near noon. Wait until the sun goes down in the evening to continue. How is this schedule? It avoids the hottest time, and it's also for everyone's health. After all, the weather is so hot."

Sun Daoning waved his hand, his expression serious, his heart exceptionally irritable. "You arrange it! After it's arranged, report the schedule. I will communicate with the people from the palace. I suppose the people from the palace don't want to supervise the execution under the sun either!"

Chen Guanlou agreed immediately.

In fact, he could write down the schedule immediately.

But things in officialdom cannot be done like that.

He took the slip back to the Heavenly Prison and had Mu Qingshan report the schedule to the Ministry of Justice in the form of an official document. This was the way of officialdom; any matter, even an inconspicuous small matter, had to go through procedures.

This is called procedural correctness!

In case something happens one day and it is investigated, this is called having evidence to check.

How many people died just because there was no evidence to check, and they couldn't explain it to those above? They all deserved it!

Money in place, everything prepared properly.

The next morning, before dawn, the jailers of the Heavenly Prison were busy.

The coroner pulled the Prince of Chu's corpse to the platform, surrounded by ice.

The kitchen was brewing medicinal soup to prevent an epidemic; everyone in the Heavenly Prison, including the prisoners in the cells, had to drink it, just in case.

Wang Youfu hired three executioners to help, taking pills in advance, taking special medicinal pills from Physician Mu, and applying medicinal water to their bodies. The shed was built tightly, just to block the sun.

Before the sun came out, Sun Daoning led a group of Ministry of Justice officials, plus Eunuch Gan and his party, to the Heavenly Prison. Skipping the pleasantries, everyone was in a hurry; let's get the execution over with.

For this task, everyone had a bitter and deep-seated look on their faces.

All kinds of dirty words were cursed in their hearts round after round.

The dog Emperor, not doing human things.

Chen Guanlou leaned forward and asked Sun Daoning for instructions. "My lord, shall we begin?"

Sun Daoning looked toward Eunuch Gan.

Eunuch Gan held a handkerchief to cover his nose and mouth, but he didn't make things difficult and nodded directly.

Thus, Sun Daoning said: "Begin. While the sun hasn't come out, hurry up. It's difficult for everyone!"

"Yes!"

Chen Guanlou waved his hand, and Wang Youfu, wearing a mask, took the first cut.

Chen Guanlou waved his hand, and Wang Youfu, wearing a mask, took the first cut.

The four executioners took turns working, their blade techniques swift and efficient.

Sun Daoning tried to persuade Eunuch Gan that it didn't need to take three days, and that they should strive to finish in two.

Eunuch Gan didn't want to suffer in the sweltering heat either, nor did he want his god-sons and god-grandsons under his command to contract an epidemic and lose their limbs.

He pondered for a moment. "Can it really be finished in two days?"

"With four executioners working in shifts, not even resting at night, two days is no problem."

"Very well! However, the result cannot be reported until the third day. You must not slack off on the work that needs to be done!"

"Understood!" Sun Daoning smiled with satisfaction. At least a day was saved; the sooner the work was finished, the sooner he would be liberated.