Chapter 1180: A Breath of Life Hanging On

Everything was prepared, just waiting for the Emperor's word.

Emperor Jian Shi was still holed up in the great hall, raging impotently.

Wang De had snatched Gan Eunuch's duties, so Gan Eunuch could only rage impotently as well.

"Your Majesty, the court officials are all waiting outside!"

Waiting to watch the punishment!

Emperor Jian Shi rubbed his brow; the fury in his heart had not subsided in the slightest, instead burning brighter and brighter!

"A pack of useless wretches!"

Thinking of the troublesome matters to follow, one annoyance after another, his mood grew violent, and he wanted to kill someone!

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger and take good care of your health. Shall I summon the Imperial Physician?"

"No need! Come, I want to see it with my own eyes—useless wretches deserve to be beaten to death on the spot!"

Emperor Jian Shi stormed out of the great hall.

Outside the hall doors, seats and refreshments had long been prepared.

Emperor Jian Shi dropped into a chair and roared the moment he opened his mouth, "Beat him! Beat him hard!"

Yes, Your Majesty!

The eunuchs carrying out the punishment this time were not only strong and seasoned, but all of them were martial-artist eunuchs. Perhaps their cultivation ranks were not high, but when it came to court beatings, no one was more professional than they were.

They had already received their bribes, and the sums were very tempting.

But the Emperor's demands they would also take into account. When the staff came down, there had to be measure and finesse—satisfying both the court officials and the Emperor, while keeping Xiao Jingcheng alive, and without faking the blows. This truly tested their skill.

At the command, thwack—the staff fell heavily on Xiao Xiao Jincheng's thigh.

The sound, the injury, and the expression that twisted across Xiao Xiao Jincheng's face in an instant sent the watching officials into a sudden thrill of excitement.

Some officials, however, felt their own buttocks begin to ache with every fall of the staff. Memories of their own past court beatings resurfaced—agonizing! Half a life had been lost to it.

This time it was still a hundred strokes; even if Xiao Xiao Jincheng did not die, he would lose a layer of skin.

Thwack!

Thwack!

Thwack!

The two executioners took turns delivering the blows.

The staff fell on his thighs, his buttocks, and one inch higher would have landed on the spine. None of them dared imagine the consequences if the spine were broken.

But the executioners clearly had excellent control, always stopping one inch short.

One inch was the difference between paralysis and mere injury.

The staff struck very hard—anyone could tell from Xiao Xiao Jincheng's complexion that the blows were not faked, every one of them was genuine!

This clearly pleased the officials, pleased the eunuchs and palace maids present. Most importantly, it pleased the Emperor!

To the rhythmic cadence of the court beating, Emperor Jian Shi's mood gradually settled, his fury slowly subsiding.

He sipped his tea, eyes slightly narrowed, listening to the satisfying sound of the staff, his expression faintly pleased.

Gan Eunuch's gaze swept over Wang De as if dipped in poison, then he lowered his brows and eyes again, like a clay Buddha.

Wang Hai stood to one side, taking notes.

When the count reached fifty strokes, switch men! Ensuring every blow carried sufficient force. That was the rule!

Today everyone had received a share of silver; once paid, one had to keep one's word.

Beating the head of the Embroidered Uniform Guard to death sounded satisfying. But Wang De's stepping in made it clear he intended to keep Xiao Xiao Jincheng alive. Moreover, the Emperor too harbored the thought of preserving his life.

Wang Hai felt the banknotes in his chest—mm, he still had to be a man of his word. Having taken the money, even if the other party were a heinous criminal deserving a thousand cuts, he would see this job through. As for what came after, life or death depended on one's own ability.

Xiao Xiao Jincheng had no idea he had just skirted the edge of death.

So close, so very close—the palace folk had meant to break their word and use the chance to finish him off.

These eunuchs, moody and fickle, their minds ever-changing—none of them good people.

Fortunately his luck was good, and he had met Wang Hai. And Wang Hai had learned nothing else from Chen Chen Guanlou except those two words: keep one's word. Either don't do it, or once you've taken the money, give it your all to see the thing done well.

And so, after the hundred strokes were done, Xiao Xiao Jincheng still had a breath of life hanging on, and someone stuffed a slice of ginseng into his mouth to keep him alive.

"Your Majesty, the court beating is finished! The man still has a breath of life in him for the moment."

The eunuch reported, awaiting instructions.

Emperor Jian Shi grunted, "Surviving a hundred strokes of court beating—his fate is great. Take him away and treat him well."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

"Are you all satisfied, my dear ministers?" Emperor Jian Shi's gaze swept over the assembled officials. "Xiao Xiao Jincheng has only his last breath left; whether he lives depends on whether his fate is great enough."

"The Emperor is wise!" Xie Changling led the cry.

The officials came to their senses. "If Lord Xiao can pull through this trial, this old minister admits his life was not meant to end."

"Your Majesty, the Embroidered Uniform Guard disregarded Wang Fa…"

"Enough! I am weary!"

Emperor Jian Shi swept his sleeves and left; the officials exchanged uneasy glances.

Xiao Jingcheng was carried out of the palace, sent back to his residence, where physicians were summoned and medicine administered.

The jailers of the Imperial Prison were all placed under the watch of the Six Doors' agents.

Many had already received word that at least half of the Imperial Prison's jailers would die this time.

Minister of Justice Sun Sun Daoning sighed heavily.

Chen Chen Guanlou had not been wrong—the Ministry of Justice really was a wash-foot maid's brood. Damn it, even the job of executing jailers had to be handled by the Ministry of Justice. Back then the Court of Judicial Review and the Censorate, who had kicked up the biggest fuss, had stepped aside and kept their hands clean.

What a mess this was…

He resignedly picked up the documents, looked at the list of names above—over a hundred people, all of them had to die!

He gave the order: "Follow this list and first take these jailers into custody. As for when exactly to deal with them, make separate arrangements!"

"With this many people, I'm afraid Warden Chen of the Heaven Prison will kick up another fuss."

"Let him fuss all he wants. Besides, I, this official, have no choice in the matter. Go carry it out!"

Once the order was given, the Six Doors followed the list and escorted the Imperial Prison jailers off to the Heaven Prison.

Chen Chen Guanlou was completely numb!

"Outrageous! Wang Wang Qiren goes too far! The moment something happens, every stinking, fragrant thing gets dumped on the Heaven Prison. Is the Heaven Prison a cesspit, specially set up to handle your garbage for you?"

"Warden Chen, we are only following orders. The Ministry of Justice gave the command, and we have no choice but to obey. If you're unhappy, coming to us is useless—you need to take it up with the Ministry of Justice."

"Has there been any word on how to deal with this group of jailers?"

The other party lowered his voice, leaned close to his ear, and whispered: "I heard, and I'm only saying I heard, nothing's confirmed yet, but it's said the whole batch is to be executed. Don't you spread it around. These Imperial Prison jailers are wildly arrogant; if they learn they're going to be executed, they'll likely cause trouble."

It wasn't "likely"—they would cause trouble, one hundred percent.

The reason they were behaving now was that they were convinced the head of the Brocaded Guards, Xiao Xiao Jincheng, would protect them. What they didn't know was that Xiao Xiao Jincheng himself was now in dire straits, lying on a sickbed fighting for his life.

"You hand such a hot potato to the Heaven Prison—are you hoping every brother in the Heaven Prison dies? Heaven Prison jailers going up against Imperial Prison jailers is a beating waiting to happen. We're all brother units, is there any need to be this vicious?"

Chen Chen Guanlou was furious.

If it were only a few people, or even twenty or thirty, he would have held his nose and accepted it.

Good heavens, a single delivery of over a hundred people—do they think the Heaven Prison is too quiet, too safe, and they won't be satisfied unless they stir up some bloody incident? How much do they hate the Heaven Prison, how much do they hate him, this Warden!