Chapter 447

Xuanji curled up on the ground, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, not defending himself, just closing his eyes in pain.

He could not refute Wei Wenlie's words; now he was just seeking death.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger."

Si Wushuang, who had been silent, finally spoke. "Xuanji's words are understandable, but his crimes are unforgivable.

Colluding with the enemy and betraying the country, leaking military secrets, causing our army to lose soldiers and generals, and frustrating our strategy—this is an unforgivable crime.

If we abandon national law because of private feelings, how can we convince the public? How can we deter the villains? How can we comfort the spirits of the soldiers who died in battle?"

He bowed slightly, his tone resolute: "I think he should be executed with extreme punishment to warn others!"

Yes, it is understandable, so what? What he committed is a monstrous crime!

Xuanji's master and junior brother are relatives, but are the Western Liang soldiers who died in battle not someone else's sons, husbands, or fathers?

Is Xuanji's pain comparable to the pain of the Western Liang people whose families were destroyed because of his leaks?

No! Absolutely not!

Wei Wenlie straightened up slowly and said expressionlessly:

"Military Advisor Si is right. National law is like a mountain; how can it be desecrated by private feelings? Xuanji, you colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country, the evidence is conclusive, and the crime is unforgivable!"

He paused, every word carrying murderous intent.

"I sentence you... to death by slow slicing! A thousand cuts! To comfort the heroic spirits of our Western Liang soldiers who died in battle! To warn others, and announce it to the world! Anyone who betrays the country will meet this end!"

When the words "slow slicing" came out, Xuanji's body trembled violently.

A thousand cuts... that was a torture a thousand times more terrifying than death! It was truly a state of being unable to live and unable to die!

Xuanji opened his mouth, seeming to want to say something, to beg for mercy, to defend himself, but in the end, all words were blocked in his throat.

From the beginning, he had no choice... didn't he?!

Moreover, any words were pale and powerless at this moment.

There was fear of death in his eyes, but the fear lasted only for a moment.

Replaced by a kind of complete calm, or even... a trace of relief.

Xuanji slowly pressed his forehead to the cold ground again, his voice so light it was almost inaudible:

"The guilty official... accepts the decree and thanks you for your grace."

No crying, no begging, only a kind of resignation-like detachment.

Wei Wenlie looked at Xuanji in this state, and the violent, angry fire in his heart that had nowhere to vent burned even more fiercely.

He hated this calmness! He needed to see the fear and regret of the betrayer!

Xuanji's appearance of waiting for death was instead like silently mocking his authority!

"Drag him down!"

Wei Wenlie waved his sleeve abruptly. "Take him to the execution ground immediately! I want to see it with my own eyes! Watch him be sliced a thousand times! One cut! Not a single one less!"

"Yes!"

The guards outside the hall responded in unison and strode into the hall, roughly dragging Xuanji up from the ground.

Xuanji did not struggle, letting the guards hold his arms.

At the moment he was dragged out of the hall door, he looked back one last time.

When he left the palace resolutely at the beginning, it was not because he wanted any fortune-telling money from his master or the glory and wealth of Western Liang.

It was just that he wanted to achieve some success so that he could protect his master and junior brother in the future.

Such an ending now is not bad; although he died in Western Liang, at least he saved the lives of the two people he loved most.

It's just a pity... since that parting... he had never seen them again!

I don't know if they are safe, and whether Beijiang will keep its promise!

Master... Junior Brother... take care...

This was the last thought in his heart.

"Dead... all dead..."

Wei Wenlie sat back on the throne dejectedly, pressing his temples hard with both hands. "Helian Bobo is dead... Dou Wen and the others are dead... now even Xuanji... is dead... all moles! All traitors! Who else... can I trust around me?!"

He raised his head abruptly, his bloodshot eyes staring fixedly at Si Wushuang. "Wushuang! You tell me! Who will be the next one?! You?! Or Cui Yan?! Or Lu Wenchang?! Or... some eunuch or palace maid around me?!"

Si Wushuang sighed; he knew that Xuanji's betrayal, especially exposed in this "helpless" way, was a huge blow to Wei Wenlie, and had already plunged him into a serious crisis of trust.

Even Xuanji, who had defected before several noble families, was like this, so how much credibility did the remaining people have??

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger."

Si Wushuang bowed deeply, his voice as calm as possible. "Xuanji has been brought to justice, the mole has been removed, this is a misfortune among misfortunes.

After this incident, the loopholes in our information delivery have been exposed, and I will immediately set about rebuilding a more secretive and reliable channel, enabling absolutely loyal and reliable people, and strictly limiting the scope of those who know.

As for those around Your Majesty..."

He raised his head, his gaze calm: "I suggest that Your Majesty personally select absolute confidants to form a personal guard, responsible for all food, daily life, and the delivery of secret documents, and no outsiders are allowed to be near.

At the same time, strengthen monitoring of important ministers and generals in the court, and establish a mechanism of mutual checks and balances. In extraordinary times, use extraordinary methods."

Wei Wenlie listened to Si Wushuang's clear suggestions, and the hostility in his chest calmed down a little.

He looked at Si Wushuang, this Military Advisor he relied on most, who was the only existence he could still trust at this moment.

"Good... good..."

Wei Wenlie leaned back on the throne exhaustedly and waved his hand. "Do as you say. As for the candidates for the personal guard... I will choose them myself. As for the monitoring... you have full authority. I... am tired."

"Yes, I will take my leave." Si Wushuang bowed again and slowly retreated from the hall.

Walking out of the hall door, the dazzling sunlight outside made Si Wushuang narrow his eyes slightly.

He looked up toward the execution ground, where shrill screams and the noise of the crowd would soon come.

Xuanji... was just a pathetic pawn, who ended up in such a state for the sake of his closest relatives.

There was not much fluctuation in his heart; in troubled times, affection and loyalty were often the most extravagant and fatal things.

Inside Guansongling in Beijiang, a team of Ming soldiers was escorting the elderly Bu Yunsuan to Guangwu City.

There were tears in Bu Yunsuan's turbid eyes; he had thought he would die in the Ming Army's cage, but he didn't expect to be released two days ago.

The Ming soldiers escorting him told him that he could live in Beijiang like ordinary people in the future, but he was not allowed to step out of Beijiang.

Sensing something unusual, he observed the stars and cast a hexagram at night, but got an answer that made him extremely sad.

His death... was replaced by Xuanji!

This was Jiang Jinshi's method, using Bu Yunsuan's life to threaten Xuanji, making him replace the real spy to die.

So Xuanji's words were seven parts true and three parts false; it was true that the lives of his master and junior brother were held in Jiang Jinshi's hands, but the previous things were not done by him.

It was this mixture of truth and falsehood that deceived Si Wushuang's eyes and made Xuanji appear more vivid.

Jiang Jinshi promised Xuanji that as long as he stood up to take the blame, he would ensure his master and junior brother would be worry-free for life.