Chapter 636: Blood and Cruelty Mirror Life and Death

Earl's Mansion, Outer Courtyard Side Hall.

Outside, the rain was incessant, drizzling, and the rainwater from the eaves was like a waterfall, hitting the green stone strips in the corridor, and the eaves pits formed over time on the stone surface appeared and disappeared in the washing of the rainwater.

Jia Cong sat in the main seat of the side hall, listening to Jiang Liu narrating the news he had heard.

Since he met Yang Yang Hongbin by chance and learned that a major fraud case had broken out in the metropolitan examination, he had been paying attention to the development of the situation at all times.

But as a successful candidate of this year and the top candidate of the metropolitan examination, his identity was special, so for the sake of caution, it was not convenient for him to inquire about the news himself.

So he let Jiang Liu walk around the market to observe the movement.

After Jiang Liu finished narrating the news he had heard, Jia Cong frowned slightly, walked back and forth in the side hall for a few laps, and only stopped after a while.

He said: "Jiang Liu, the news you heard is quite strange.

Among them, Wu Liang visited Xu Xu Liangxiong before the examination, received his guidance on the topics, what kind of situation he experienced before the examination, and how he probed the news of Xu Xu Liangxiong succeeding as the chief examiner.

Finally, how he carried out the sale of examination questions and fraud, the cause and effect, the connection was delicate, and it was interlocking. It doesn't look like the language of the market at all.

A major fraud case involves a wide range of people. It is not strange that there are rumors in the market, but the rumors of the crowd can be so detailed and subtle, which is very strange.

I have investigated major cases many times. This kind of clear narration of all matters can only be detailed in the government's investigation documents. How can the market have such meticulous circulation?"

Jiang Liu said: "My lord is right. I heard these news, and I also felt a bit strange in my heart.

Even the names and crimes of the eleven successful candidates and candidates involved in the case can be heard in the market.

Ordinary people know at most who was arrested and imprisoned, but even the things they confessed in prison are circulated.

It's as if someone in the government is deliberately spreading the news...

Yesterday, it was widely rumored in the city that Lin Zhaohe, who ranked third in the metropolitan examination, was also obtained through fraud.

Yesterday morning, Lin Zhaohe was arrested by the Sun Dali Temple at the Hongde Gate, and the imperial court wanted to strictly punish him.

This news came out, and the city became even more noisy and panicked. This morning, the four gates opened, and a large number of candidates for this year fled the capital in a panic, so as not to be implicated.

My lord, Lin Zhaohe is the third in the metropolitan examination, which is no small matter. He is only two places behind my lord. Such a person is like the face of the imperial court.

Even if he really committed fraud in the examination, the imperial court would probably handle it in a low-key manner. How could it be made known to everyone?"

Jia Cong said sternly: "What you said is not bad. This matter is somewhat abnormal. Someone must be secretly inciting the wind and waves, expanding the situation, and wanting to shape the fraud into an iron case.

If it is just to strip more than ten students of their titles and pull a Grade 3 high official off his horse, such a move is making a mountain out of a molehill. I fear it is another plot..."

At this time, the steward came to the side hall to pass a message, saying that Yuan Jing, a Grade 6 eunuch from the palace, had entered the mansion to convey the Emperor's oral decree and was now waiting in the main hall.

Jia Cong thought of the memorial he sent to the palace yesterday and guessed the reason for Yuan Jing's visit, so he quickly got up and rushed to the main hall...

Love Shenjing, Court of Judicial Review, Criminal Room.

The dark and damp room, with two torches inserted on the wall, the firelight flickering, casting swaying and distorted shadows, combined with the miserable and ear-piercing screams, was like a hell on earth.

Two executioners, naked from the waist up, sweating like rain, waved their whips violently at the two people tied to the torture rack, the dense whip shadows and the sound of abusing flesh making people's hair stand on end.

In this damp and dirty criminal room, all elegance and shame were gone, and the ancient law that "punishment does not apply to scholars" was like a joke.

All the dignity and decency of those involved in the spring examination fraud, after entering this criminal room, would be torn to pieces and then trampled on at will.

At the other end of the criminal room, there was an interrogation table. Two officials sat on the left and back, looking at the two criminals receiving torture on the two torture racks.

The criminal on the left was slightly fat, screaming in pain under the crazy whipping, heart-rending, making people unbearable to hear.

The criminal on the right was slightly thin, making suppressed groans under the crazy whipping, and did not make ear-piercing and distorted screams.

He seemed to use huge perseverance to retain his last dignity, which made people somewhat moved.

Even the executioner who was whipping him at will felt a strange sense of powerlessness.

Yang Yang Hongbin, as the Director of the Sun Dali Temple, had investigated and interrogated countless cases, and was long accustomed to such torture and interrogation, and would not soften his heart by common sense.

But seeing the two people being tortured, they were originally dignified palace examination candidates, destined to be successful candidates, and rising stars in the officialdom.

Now they had fallen into filth, like criminal prisoners and lowly people, being whipped and trampled by others. There was no greater sorrow for a scholar than this.

Yang Yang Hongbin had seen many criminals being tortured and had long practiced a heart of iron and stone, but this was the first time he had encountered such a dignified palace examination candidate receiving torture.

He himself had also come through the imperial examination path and had also been a palace examination candidate in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Feeling for his kind, seeing two scholars fall to this point, his heart was somewhat unbearable.

But after several days of fermentation, the examination fraud case had reached a white-hot stage, and the current Emperor demanded a thorough investigation and strict punishment. The grand trend was such that no one dared to obstruct it.

Even Xu Xu Liangxiong, the dignified Grade 3 Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, was now trapped in the Sun Dali Temple prison. If he refused to confess, he would inevitably suffer physical pain.

Not to mention the two palace examination candidates who were like abandoned people.

This morning, according to the routine of interrogation, Yang Yang Hongbin escorted Lin Zhaohe to the Court of Judicial Review to confront Wu Liang in the interrogation.

But Lin Zhaohe denied the fraud case, saying that since he entered the capital, his behavior had been cautious and he had never overstepped, let alone committed any fraud.

Zhou Zhou Junxing, on the grounds that there was a report and the suspicion was difficult to eliminate, proposed the need for torture to force a confession.

In such a situation, according to the routine of the Three Judicial Offices, torture was between two possibilities.

But the matter involved a major fraud case, the Emperor was furious, and the court and the public were paying attention. Even Yang Yang Hongbin did not dare to easily obstruct the torture at this juncture.

Otherwise, giving Zhou Zhou Junxing a handle would not only cause trouble for Yang Yang Hongbin, but also implicate Minister of the Sun Dali Temple Wei Wei Guanyao.

What Yang Yang Hongbin could do was to be present at the interrogation, making Zhou Zhou Junxing have scruples in his actions.

Once Zhou Zhou Junxing used cruel torture to obtain a confession, or caused death, or forced a confession, he could stop it in time and leave behind evidence for counter-measures.

Yang Yang Hongbin did not expect that Lin Zhaohe, as a weak scholar, would be such a tough bone.

He had been whipped twice and fainted twice, not only refusing to confess but also being stingy with even a distorted scream of loss of composure.

Zhou Zhou Junxing and Yang Yang Hongbin were both experienced in interrogation and saw that Lin Zhaohe was a much harder bone to chew than Wu Liang.

Wanting to get the confession he wanted from such a person was not an easy task.

Zhou Zhou Junxing looked at Lin Zhaohe, who was being tortured, his face gloomy and fierce.

Yang Yang Hongbin felt slightly relieved, but he was not sure how long Lin Zhaohe could persist...

Facing the heart-piercing pain of torture, most people would yield, but everyone's ability to bear pain was different.

Sometimes the endurance of the spirit is more powerful than the endurance of the flesh.

A strong man with great power can yield and confess with a little torture.

There are also weak scholars like Lin Zhaohe, who, because they are nurtured by poetry, books, and famous teachings, have a tenacious and powerful spirit that far exceeds the frailty of the flesh.

At this time, the executioner who was using torture on the right suddenly stopped the whipping and said: "My lord, this scholar is too weak and has fainted again."

Yang Yang Hongbin looked at Lin Zhaohe, who had fainted, the muscles at the corners of his mouth twitching slightly, and his heart became increasingly moved.

He remembered that when he arrested Lin Zhaohe on Hancheng Street, he met Jia Cong by chance. Jia Cong's evaluation of Lin Zhaohe was not bad, and he did not believe that this Hangzhou Prefecture top candidate would commit examination fraud.

At that time, Yang Yang Hongbin also felt that Jia Cong's words were quite reasonable, and he had promised to mediate as much as possible to avoid hurting the innocent. Now it seemed that the time had come...

Zhou Zhou Junxing looked at Lin Zhaohe, who had fainted, his face gloomy and cruel, and shouted to the executioner: "Wake the prisoner up and continue the torture until he confesses!"

The executioner held a bucket of cold well water and was about to pour it over Lin Zhaohe, who was in a coma, but was stopped by Yang Yang Hongbin on the spot.

He said: "Zhou, Lin Zhaohe is a weak scholar, his body is not strong enough, he has been tortured several times and fainted several times.

You and I are both proficient in interrogation, and it is not difficult to see that his body has reached its limit. If we continue to add torture, I fear his life will not be guaranteed.

Lin Zhaohe has not confessed yet, and his crime has not been determined. He is still a palace examination candidate of this year. Once he dies from excessive torture.

Although Zhou has great imperial favor, I fear it will be difficult to block the mouths of the world! At that time, the Court of Judicial Review and the Sun Dali Temple will both be left with a bad name, carrying a stigma, and it will be difficult to escape the connection!"

Zhou Zhou Junxing heard this, although his heart was gloomy and fierce, but facing Yang Yang Hongbin's warning, he had to compromise.

He had long heard that Yang Yang Hongbin, Director of the Sun Dali Temple, was a formidable character, and this time he had truly seen it in the process of interrogating the fraud suspects.

Except for the first day of the incident, when the Court of Judicial Review took the lead and arrested and interrogated and convicted Wu Liang, the Sun Dali Temple did not have time to participate.

Afterward, every time he tortured the suspected candidates, Yang Yang Hongbin stuck to the scene of the criminal room like a piece of sticky candy and could not be shaken off.

And for the scale of the torture method, he spoke from time to time to guide and strictly prevent it, which made Zhou Zhou Junxing tied hand and foot and extremely inconvenient.

If Yang Yang Hongbin were not present, Zhou Zhou Junxing could do whatever he wanted, and he would have countless ways to make Lin Zhaohe fingerprint and confess. He would not be in a completely passive and disadvantaged position in front of a weak scholar after several severe tortures.

But what Yang Yang Hongbin said was in line with the criminal law regulations of the Three Judicial Offices. Even as arrogant as Zhou Zhou Junxing, he did not dare to brazenly disobey.

Now the examination fraud case had shocked the court and the public, and the Emperor was paying attention. Under Yang Yang Hongbin's surveillance, he still wanted to act recklessly, which would give people a handle.

By then, the merit of investigating the examination fraud case would not be obtained, and he himself would be pulled off his horse by the Sun Dali Temple first...

With Yang Yang Hongbin present, Zhou Zhou Junxing could only temporarily put down Lin Zhaohe, and his attention returned to Wu Liang under the whipping.

Wu Liang's body was obviously stronger than Lin Zhaohe's. He had suffered cruel torture many times in these days, and although his body was weak, it had not completely collapsed.

Under two rounds of whipping, even the sound of his screams began to be weak and unbearable, but he still did not faint.

Zhou Zhou Junxing signaled, and the executioner stopped the whip in his hand. Zhou Zhou Junxing walked to Wu Liang's torture rack.

He said: "Wu Liang, your crime of examination fraud is solid, your future is ruined, and you deserve to be beheaded!

Don't be obsessed anymore. As long as you confess truthfully, the matter of Lin Zhaohe colluding with you to commit fraud before the metropolitan examination.

!

The Sun Dali Temple and I can plead for mercy for you, let you be exempted from punishment and escape, and return home to live in peace from now on. This is your last chance for survival, don't be self-deluded again!"

Zhou Zhou Junxing's words were full of gloomy bewitchment, as if they could hook out the most evil thoughts in others' hearts.

At this time, Lin Zhaohe, who was in a coma, moved his body slightly, seemingly waking up...

Yang Yang Hongbin, who was present, frowned. He knew that Zhou Zhou Junxing was inducing a confession. With Wu Liang's already convicted crime, even if he implicated Lin Zhaohe, it was absolutely impossible for him to be exempted from punishment and escape.

Wu Liang seemed to be deaf to Zhou Zhou Junxing's words, his expression dull, but his heart was like being stabbed by a sword.

The crime of examination fraud is solid, the future is ruined, and you deserve to be beheaded!

This sentence of Zhou Zhou Junxing seemed to have cut him into thousands of pieces, making him painful and hopeless.

He had studied poetry and books all his life, just to fight for a blue-cloud official career.

All his hopes were destroyed in one day. Even if he had regret that could overturn the mountains and seas, it would be of no avail and difficult to save...

Zhou Zhou Junxing continued: "As long as you confess truthfully about your collusion with Lin Zhaohe to commit fraud, not only can you be exempted from physical pain, but you can also be released from prison today.

This official is a Grade 4 official, my words are not regretted, and my words are worth a thousand gold, I will never break my promise!"

Wu Liang's expression fluctuated, and he said: "My lord, it is my own crime, but Brother Yichun... Lin Zhaohe has never committed fraud, and he even persuaded me to focus on poetry and books and not to be obsessed with taking shortcuts with topics.

The student has read poetry and books and knows rites, righteousness, integrity, and shame. I cannot lose my virtue and frame my classmate and close friend. Lin Zhaohe has no act of fraud, my lord, please see the truth."

Zhou Zhou Junxing sneered gloomily: "Bold Wu Liang, you still dare to argue. Give him branding torture!"

Yang Yang Hongbin stood up abruptly and said: "Zhou, Wu Liang's confession still has room for discussion. Do you want to force a confession!"

Zhou Zhou Junxing sneered: "Yang, didn't you hear clearly just now? Wu Liang said with his own mouth that Lin Zhaohe persuaded him to focus on poetry and books and not to be obsessed with taking shortcuts with topics.

This shows that before the examination, Lin Zhaohe knew about the suspicion of examination fraud. They are both inseparable. This villain is cunning and deceitful. Without major torture, he will not confess!"

Yang Yang Hongbin's face changed slightly upon hearing this. Wu Liang was eager to clear Lin Zhaohe's name, but his words actually gave Zhou Zhou Junxing a handle. For a moment, he was speechless.

Zhou Zhou Junxing seized the opportunity and signaled to the executioner.

The executioner was quick, took out a red-hot branding iron from the fire basin, and branded Wu Liang's left chest and elbow, where his clothes were torn...

When Wu Liang first entered the prison, he still had fantasies about his official career. After several whippings, he did not confess, until Zhou Zhou Junxing used two branding tortures.

The heart-piercing pain of the charred flesh completely broke Wu Liang's persistence, making him confess to the Court of Judicial Review's charges.

Those two branding tortures destroyed the rites, righteousness, integrity, and shame that he had accumulated through more than ten years of hard study, and also left a terrifying shadow in his heart that was difficult to dispel.

The branding iron in the executioner's hand had not yet touched his skin, but the red-hot heat of the branding iron had already evaporated the cold sweat on the surface of his skin into water vapor...

Wu Liang trembled all over. He could no longer distinguish between reality and hallucination. The stench of charred flesh and the heart-piercing pain seemed to have permeated his whole body, making him only seek a quick death!

That feeling of instant collapse and humiliation filled all his nerves again, and the shouting and avoidance from the bottom of his heart could no longer be restrained, and he blurted it out!

"I confess! I confess everything..."

Yang Yang Hongbin closed his eyes helplessly, sighing in his heart. Zhou Zhou Junxing had won...

He thought of Jia Cong's regard and worry for Lin Zhaohe, and a heavy sense of powerlessness rose in his heart. This brilliant talent who ranked third in the metropolitan examination had fallen...

Zhou Zhou Junxing sneered triumphantly and ordered the executioner: "Take him down from the torture rack and let him fingerprint the confession!"

Wu Liang was taken down from the torture rack by the executioner, his whole body seeming to have been hollowed out. He stumbled a few steps, and the clerk of the Court of Judicial Review had already picked up his pen and dipped it in ink, waiting for his confession record.

At this time, a weak voice suddenly came from the torture rack on the right: "Xiwen, why did you report and frame me!"

The voice was extremely weak, on the verge of death, and even a little difficult to detect if not listened to carefully.

But when Wu Liang heard it, it was like a thunderbolt, making him stop his steps.

This voice, though weak, carried a bone-chilling coldness, as if splitting his body, extracting his soul, and making him lose all cover and evasion.

They were close friends for many years, studying together in a village private school when they were young, and when they grew older, they studied together in Hangzhou Prefecture, knowing each other's hearts and being like brothers.

Wu Liang never dreamed that the world would play tricks on people, and that one day such heart-piercing words would appear between him and Lin Zhaohe.

Wu Liang turned his head to look and saw Lin Zhaohe, who was covered in blood, seemingly using all his strength to lift his head slightly.

Through his disheveled hair, a weak yet sharp gaze appeared, as if it could pierce his heart.

Wu Liang trembled all over, as if bearing the judgment of the underworld, and he said loudly: "Brother Yichun, it was not me who reported and framed you, it was Zhou Yan who reported us, I really couldn't take it anymore..."

Lin Zhaohe's weak and sharp gaze was still fixed on Wu Liang.

The atmosphere in the criminal room seemed to be frozen, a mysterious aura pressing on everyone's heart, and even the cruel and arrogant Zhou Zhou Junxing stopped his words and actions for a moment.

Yang Yang Hongbin looked at Lin Zhaohe, who was seriously injured and dying, a strange light appearing in his eyes, and he was secretly shocked in his heart.

Finally, perhaps it was Wu Liang's indignant and urgent expression that infected Lin Zhaohe, and the sharpness in his eyes gradually softened.

He said in a weak voice: "Whoever harmed me is no longer important. I, Lin Zhaohe, have fallen to this point, and I ask myself that I can hardly escape.

It is my fate, I can only die. I have never committed examination fraud, yet I have to bear this stigma. I am not reconciled to die!"

Lin Zhaohe's words, one by one, were like a heavy hammer, slamming into Wu Liang's chest, making his heart ache as if splitting, his heart full of guilt and despair.

Because of his own shortcut, disaster fell from heaven, and he was arrested into the prison of the Court of Judicial Review, suffering all kinds of torture, losing all his elegance, and living a life worse than death.

The ten or so successful candidates and candidates implicated by his confession scolded and insulted him all night, making him lose all face and have no interest in living.

Fame in the imperial examination and passing the gold list had all become an empty dream.

Now his future was destroyed, he was irredeemable, his reputation was ruined, and he would leave behind a legacy of infamy.

He had fallen to such a state, why should he implicate his innocent close friend and classmate, making him end up like himself.

Harming others and himself, increasing his sins, what was the point of him struggling to survive, and with his shameless life, it was better to seek relief...

A crazy thought, after being suppressed for a long time, finally broke through the shackles and permeated Wu Liang's whole body, his eyes instantly turning blood-red.

At this time, Zhou Zhou Junxing was a little impatient and said: "Stop talking nonsense, take Lin Zhaohe back to the cell, wait for the next interrogation, and let Wu Liang confess and fingerprint immediately..."

Wu Liang had just been taken down from the torture rack. Although he was covered in wounds and his steps were swaying, the executioner did not help him, and he stumbled, only leaving the torture rack a few steps.

The two executioners heard Zhou Zhou Junxing's instructions. They were busy untying Lin Zhaohe from the torture rack as they passed Wu Liang.

Wu Liang hunched his body, standing still, because his boiling blood and the cumulative wounds of torture seemed to instantly lose the feeling of pain.

He turned around strangely and quickly, rushing toward the torture rack only a few steps away...

Yang Yang Hongbin's face changed greatly, and he shouted: "Stop him!"

But the matter was too sudden, and everyone in the criminal room was caught off guard.

No one expected that Wu Liang, who was wailing in torture, was far less resilient than Lin Zhaohe, but would make such a fierce move.

A violent collision occurred in the criminal room, the sound so harsh and decisive, as if carrying a crazy sense of relief...

Wu Liang slammed his head into the torture rack, blood splashing everywhere!

Lin Zhaohe, who was being untied from the torture rack by the executioner, saw this shocking scene before his eyes and let out a miserable scream: "Xiwen!" (End of chapter)

Lin Zhaohe, who was being untied from the torture rack by the jailers, saw the shocking scene before him and let out a shrill scream: "Xiwen!" (End of chapter)