Chapter 657: Beheading is a quick way to die

In less than a month, the three rebel brothers were escorted to the execution ground and beheaded. No one came to collect their bodies, so the menial laborers simply dumped them into the mass grave outside the city.

Chen Guanlou couldn't stand the sight of it, so he spent some money to arrange for the laborers to provide three thin wooden coffins and found a spot in the mass grave to bury them. At least they wouldn't have to be left exposed in the wilderness.

Although he looked down on the three rebel brothers, finding them pathetic and incompetent, dragging down the average standard of the rebel ranks, he had always admired those who dared to kill officials and rebel. Regardless of their motives, they had at least done what others wanted to do but dared not. The moment they raised their banner to rebel, they were certainly heroes.

Heroes deserve a coffin.

The lives of the Zhou family members had also entered a countdown. They were the main course the imperial court required; every aspect had to be handled formally, and they absolutely could not be killed carelessly.

The Zhou family was shrouded in gloom and misery. Although they had accepted their fate, they were still terrified.

The strategist's younger brother wept bitterly and tried to commit suicide several times, but he never succeeded.

Chen Guanlou instructed the prison guards not to worry about them. If they truly made up their minds to commit suicide and succeeded, although the higher-ups would blame them, he was willing to take the responsibility.

He was willing to give the Zhou family a chance.

As for the water bandits, they were almost all dead, with only a few tough ones left who hadn't breathed their last.

The Ministry of Justice had some opinions about this, but not many. A group of water bandits—they were going to die anyway; whether they died in the Heavenly Prison or on the execution ground made little difference.

Since Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen hoped they would die in the Heavenly Prison, they would give the man surnamed Chen some face. The officials of the Ministry of Justice all held their noses and accepted the matter, not pursuing it further. When checking off the death reports, they were very prompt, just glancing at them as a formality before marking them off.

As long as the Ministry of Justice didn't pursue it, other government offices had even less standing to comment. They could only watch helplessly as Chen Guanlou held absolute sway in the Heavenly Prison.

"I know you sympathize with the Zhou family, but the Zhou family must be executed according to the law; you cannot mess around."

In private, Mu Yiguan Mu reminded him repeatedly.

"Guo Dachun has been causing trouble for several years, leaving the Northwest without a single day of peace. The Zhou family is the chicken being killed to warn the monkeys for the higher-ups. If you resolve the Zhou family ahead of time so they can't make it to the execution ground, the higher-ups will definitely find trouble with you no matter what."

"Old Mu, do I look like a fool to you? Do I have so much excess conscience that I have nowhere to put it and must find trouble for myself?" Chen Guanlou pointed at his own face and asked in return.

Mu Yiguan Mu gave a hum. "You look a bit like one. You are a person who, one moment, is so cruel that you make people break out in a cold sweat in the middle of summer, and the next, your conscience overflows. It seems you do things entirely based on your whims, without a single clear bottom line. You repeatedly emphasize following the rules, but in my eyes, you are the one who follows the rules the least in the entire Heavenly Prison."

"I am the Jiang Jiang Yucheng; what I say is the rule. Old Mu, you are still too rigid; you haven't grasped the essence of the word 'rule' flexibly. People like Chen Quan wouldn't have this question." Chen Guanlou gave a chuckle, looking quite proud.

Mu Yiguan Mu let out a 'hehe', expressing his disdain. "Don't you dare mess around! I'll state this in advance: I will not provide any poison."

"Just kidding. If I really wanted to help the Zhou family seek death, why would I need poison?" If he were willing, even if everyone in the prison died, not a single trace of human interference could be found.

Having received Chen Guanlou's affirmative reply, Mu Yiguan Mu silently breathed a sigh of relief.

He was truly worried that the other party would suddenly ask him for fast-acting poison. If that happened, would he give it or not?

Fortunately, Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen's conscience was limited, and he upheld his professional ethics, not acting recklessly.

The day of the execution arrived.

Early in the morning, Chen Guanlou personally went down to the dungeon, invited the Zhou family out of their cells, led them to the washroom to freshen up, changed them into clean prison uniforms, and even prepared a sumptuous banquet for the whole family.

"Hurry up and eat and drink. This is your last meal in this world. Even if you have no appetite and can't eat, at least taste the flavor. When you get to the underworld and drink Meng Po's soup, you won't be as hungry. Drink a little less, and who knows, you might even retain some memories of this life when you are reincarnated. In your next life, remember to remind yourselves: if you encounter government soldiers again, run faster. Those broken pots and pans, just throw them away; don't be reluctant. If you are reincarnated into a wealthy family, learn your lesson well and don't force people to rebel. Leave a way out in everything so you can meet again in the future. In short, I wish you all a smooth journey on the Yellow Springs Road."

Private Secretary Mu Qingshan, standing to the side, frowned repeatedly upon hearing this blessing. Mu Yiguan Mu, however, chuckled; when it came to being clear-headed, it had to be Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen.

If he were in their shoes, Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen would probably eat and drink to his heart's content, striving to be a well-fed ghost.

The Zhou family members were hesitant and uneasy. Originally, they hadn't thought about the beheading, but upon hearing the words "Yellow Springs Road," everyone trembled, even Old Master Zhou, who was usually open-minded.

With pale faces, they picked up the wine cups of the same color, which complemented each other perfectly, and downed them in one gulp!

With wine stains on the corners of his mouth, Old Master Zhou said sincerely:

"Many thanks to Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen for your care during this time; we are deeply grateful. To be able to meet Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen in the final moments of our lives is our good fortune. It shows that even Heaven could not bear to see the Zhou family depart so miserably. In the future, if my son also falls into such a plight, if Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen happens to see him, please say this for me: the Zhou family does not hate him! Alas, the times are such that it is not something human power can reverse. If there is no chance to see him, I trouble Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen to wish him from afar that everything goes smoothly, that he may soon have children, and continue the Zhou family line."

"Fine, I promise you; if there is a chance, I will definitely pass the message on to him. However, I hope there will never be such an opportunity in this lifetime. Let me just wish him from afar that he may soon settle down, start a career, have children, and get everything he wishes for."

Private Secretary Mu Qingshan frowned deeply: Old Master Zhou's son is a rebel, isn't he? And a strategist at that. Wishing a rebel that he gets everything he wishes for—can these words be said? Can he listen to them? If this were anyone else, they would have already been arrested on charges of having ulterior motives and sympathizing with rebels.

His master was becoming increasingly unrefined.

Completely disregarding the occasion, speaking nonsense.

It was truly exhausting.

Old Master Zhou was filled with emotion, tears streaming down his face!

Chen Guanlou urged them, "Don't just cry; eat and drink. Once you reach the execution ground, if your stomach isn't empty, you'll have at least three parts of courage in your heart."

Old Master Zhou nodded repeatedly, "Listen to Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen, hurry up and eat and drink more."

The Zhou family wept silently, eating the food and wine, tasting nothing.

Chen Quan poked his head in from outside several times, wanting to urge them that the time had come. Seeing the scene inside the room, he didn't dare to speak up and disturb them. When the atmosphere was about right, he poked his head in again, "My lord, it's time to set off!"

If they delayed any longer and arrived late at the execution ground, they would be held accountable by the higher-ups.

Today's execution supervisor included a eunuch sent from the palace. No matter what, they could not be late; they would rather be early.

Chen Guanlou nodded and waved his hand, "Go, go. Go early and consider it getting familiar with the venue. Don't be afraid; the executioners today are all old acquaintances. I have already made arrangements for you, guaranteeing that one stroke will be fast and steady, with no pain at all—*crack! *—and you'll be gone. There's nothing to be afraid of."

Upon hearing this, the Zhou family became even more afraid! The food they had just eaten almost came back up.

It had to be Old Master Zhou who bowed deeply, "Troubling Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen, I am so embarrassed. I have nothing to repay you with in this life; I only hope that in the next life, if we can meet again, I can repay you a little."

"Easy, easy! You all set your minds at ease; beheading isn't as scary as you imagine. You die very quickly; you won't even have time to look back on the things of this life." ===== CHAPTER 658 =====