The sound of horseshoes broke the silence of the evening. Running first in the line was a soldier riding a tall maroon horse, wearing a red cloak and an iron helmet. "Get out of the way, in the name of Prince Holman!" shouted the soldiers, rushing through the crowd.Behind him is an iron vehicle driven jointly by two horses and a coachman.Behind and on both sides of the carriage, twelve vigilant cavalry were tightly surrounding the carriage. People on the street made way for the procession.People looked at the carriage and the soldiers protecting the carriage with curious eyes.The sweaty horses and wary-looking soldiers all evoke some associations, but it's the vehicles that surround them that catch the eye the most.The carriage of this vehicle is made of refined iron two fingers thick, and the "guests entertained" inside are clearly visible.

The prisoners' wrists were tied behind their backs with ropes, and heavy chains were attached to their feet.Two guards standing in the empty space behind the cage held slender and sharp swords and watched coldly every shake of the prisoner in the cage.Their swords bumped against the steel bars as the carriage jolted, ready to pierce the criminal's heart if they thought the situation required them to make such a choice. Such strict security is rare in cities.Immediately after the carriage passed by, the crowd began to discuss.Prince Holman rarely allows important prisoners to appear in public.Out of deep-rooted prejudice among southerners, the prince would let the repeat offender disappear quietly and inconspicuously, leaving only a meaningless name on the trial book.

The carriage passed through the bustling streets and galloped towards the established goal.The coachman squeezed the last energy out of the two horses without mercy.The two wretched beasts were forced by the whip to exert all their strength, and the wheels jumped violently on every bump and hollow.More than once, the two guards in the car collided with each other. The carriage drove into the Royal Square, where the welcome queue was already waiting. Standing at the front of the queue was a woman in black mourning.The veil hanging from her broad hat concealed her features, but the woman was still very young, as could be seen from her white, supple neck, slender figure, and movement.She was surrounded by four or five tall and strong men, all dressed like her.

"Let the baroness confirm." Two guards opened the door of the prison car.They first untied their weapons and handed them to their companions, and then carefully pulled out the prisoners inside.Their caution was a bit superfluous this time, for the prisoner was led out without a fight.But everyone knows what happened last time. The appearance of this man immediately caused a low exclamation from all around. The prisoner was of medium height, and like all prisoners, he was naked from the upper body.Including his face, many places on his body remained bloodstains that had solidified and turned black. Coupled with bruises and other scars, his body almost lost its original shape.The prisoner's facial features are clear, and it is difficult to tell his exact age just from his face at the moment.He looks as if he could be read as middle-aged or as a teenager.Fighting, torture, and life in a cage had left his face in disarray at the moment, but his eyes were still menacing.Those eyes reminded one of a beast caught in a trap—they were definitely not the eyes of a resigned man.Although his face was full of cuts and bruises, those eyes still gave his face a formidable power.

... All the guards watching the prisoners were taller than him, but no one dared to suspect his threat.Two guards each grabbed his hand—even though it was tied behind his back with the strongest leather straps.But no measure is superfluous.Prisoners have fought for their freedom more than once.The result of these efforts were four dead bodies lying in graves and twelve wounded in beds—the least wounded of them for a fortnight.The man was lean and his movements were calm and graceful.Under the "care" of two soldiers, he left the prison car and approached the black-veiled woman.Suddenly he stomped his foot hard, and the guards present instinctively grabbed their weapons.There was a clatter of steel colliding all around.

Prisoners watched the nervous guards with interest.His gaze made the guards even more confused.They faced a prisoner with his hands tied behind his back, his feet in shackles, and four arms around him.And it was the stamping of such a prisoner's foot that made their entire queue react violently. "Trash!" a voice cursed in a low voice. ... The woman approached the prisoner.One of the guards holding the prisoner raised his hand and lifted the hair from the prisoner's face so that the woman could take a closer look.The woman looked at the prisoner's motionless face for more than ten seconds, then suddenly uttered a cry, and stepped back again and again. Two men came up to support her.

"It's him! That devil!" cried the woman, reaching under her veil with a clean kerchief to wipe, "it was he who killed the baron. That night he killed my husband right in front of me, yes He thrust the dagger into my husband's neck." The two men who supported the baroness whispered comfort to the weeping widow while leading her to the end of the procession. Several men in great robes standing at one side of the line began talking to each other.They didn't hide their conversation, so the prisoner could hear some of it too. "The evidence is overwhelming... There is no doubt that there is no need for a public trial..." The men spoke as if they were discussing what to choose for lunch, but the prisoner knew they were discussing his life or death.

This discussion was not long, and these people quickly reached a consensus.One of them, a fat man of forty or fifty years old, came up to the prisoner and announced his end to him in a tone of compassion. "Severn Agers, I pronounce your sentence. Tried by four judges and witnessed by twelve witnesses. You, for murdering Baron Cowan, will be publicly displayed for two days and then sentenced to... The judge who spoke paused for a moment, as if he felt that he should show his mercy, "Which god are you a believer in? I will let the pastor come to pray for you last." The prisoner lowered his head, and his lips moved slightly, as if to say something.The judge stepped forward, trying to listen carefully to what he had to say.The prisoner grunted again, but it was still too soft to hear, so the judge stepped forward again and took the place in front of the prisoner.

The prisoner sprang up like a tiger pounced on its prey.The two tall soldiers failed to catch him, and his head hit the judge's jaw.The two slammed into each other and fell to the ground.Two soldiers rushed up in time and grabbed the judge before the prisoner could bite him by the throat.Four strong arms held the prisoner's body.No matter how hard he struggled and twisted, he couldn't break free from the strong rope and shackles, as well as the hands that were firmly pressing on his shoulders and head. "Bitch!" The judge got up angrily, wiped the stained part of his shoulder vigorously, and cursed at the same time.Several other soldiers rushed to help, and they began to beat the daring prisoner with skill and brutality.The prisoner did not continue to struggle, and allowed them to beat him without moving.His eyes were fixed on the judge in front of him who sentenced him to death.The deep hatred in those eyes made the judge take a step back involuntarily.A soldier kicked him hard on the head, and the spur left a deep gash on the prisoner's forehead, bleeding profusely.

"Drag him out! Put on the heaviest shackles and chain him to the execution ground for public display!" Some handymen and soldiers came over, carrying huge torture instruments in their hands.This horrible thing was invented to torture and humiliate prisoners.After wearing the shackles, the hands and feet of the person are trapped on the same iron plate, unable to stand or lie down, and can only sit in a monotonous posture.The heavy weight of the shackles ruthlessly pressed on the prisoner's shoulders, and within a short while, the muscles in the waist and back would hurt like a knife was being cut.Among the prisoners who were judged to wear shackles for public display, those who were physically weak often could not last until the execution and died.

More than a dozen hands helped, and the prisoner was put in shackles and thrown back into the prison cart.The prison van turned around and drove towards the city's execution ground, where the guillotine and gallows were erected.After the wheels began to roll, the baroness, who had been carried to the back of the crowd in grief and weeping, rejoined the first column.She quietly watched the prison car go away until it disappeared from sight. The execution ground is a dark, melancholy and eerily empty corner.The god of death settled down here, leaving black marks under the guillotine knife as proof of his existence.Every year during major festivals, every instrument of torture here will be activated, filling their eternally empty stomachs with life, and entertaining the audience with blood.At night, it's deserted—except for the soldiers on duty.Legend has it that ghosts and ghosts roam around the execution ground every night.But during the day, there is never a shortage of spectators here. A crowd of vagrants—or, to use a better word, a crowd of idlers—surrounded the gallows in the early morning, watching the prisoners guarded by three soldiers.At first they just silently looked at the prisoner on the high platform, but as the crowd grew, they began to point out and guess the prisoner's identity. The notice clearly read: "Severn Argers: Notorious Assassin. Killer of the venerable Baron Cowan. Concurrently guilty of multiple murders. Public display for two days. Burned." Most people don't know who Baron Cowan is.The prisoner is a captured assassin.For the audience, that's enough.People started pointing at the bruises on the prisoners.The horrifying scars, old and new, covered most of the prisoner's body.This will be good fodder for their small talk. The prisoners are indifferent to the audience's pointers, and seem to have no idea that they are talking about themselves.This arrogant attitude finally angered the audience.Relying on the large number of people, some stones and rubbish began to fly up to the execution platform and hit the prisoner's body.A moderately large stone flew up from the crowd, and happened to hit the prisoner on the forehead, re-opening the wound that had been pierced by the spur and scabbed over.Blood flowed from the wound and stuck to the hair next to it.The prisoner raised his head angrily, and his distorted face made the crowd commotion.The depths of his pupils were burning with fire, and even at this moment, this hatred and menacing gaze could still scare the group of idlers. "Who threw the stone?" the prisoner asked in a deep voice.The crowd was in turmoil and confusion, but no one stood up to take the responsibility.The prisoner could only stare at this group of weak and cowardly people.Nothing is thrown up anymore.Everyone silently looked at the bound prisoners on the high platform, as if the one trapped in the shackles at this moment was a demon from the abyss and purgatory. The morning thus passed.At noon, another group of soldiers came to the execution ground and exchanged positions with the original soldiers on duty.Because of what happened in the morning, the crowd of onlookers not only did not decrease in this hot noon, but increased instead.One of the incoming soldiers took out butter, bread, and garlic, and leaned against the shadow of the scaffold to eat.He soon discovered that the prisoner was watching him. "It's not for you." He looked at the prisoner, and shook his lunch as if showing off, "You're going to be burned at the stake tomorrow night, and you'll eat for nothing." "I want some water." The soldier froze for a moment, then burst out laughing.He seemed to think that this was a good opportunity to make a joke, so he walked to the front of the execution platform and faced the crowd of onlookers at his feet. "Have you heard, this guy wants to drink water! Who is willing to bring him water to drink? Whoever wants to come up by himself!" A burst of ridicule mixed with abuse erupted from the crowd.Someone yelled loudly: "Hey, you choose yourself. If you know anyone, call someone to help you! Now is the time to prove your character!" Following these words, louder laughter broke out . The prisoner stared intently at the crowd.None of them seemed willing to offer to help him at this moment. "Let," he said, looking at someone in the front of the crowd, in a silent voice that everyone could hear, "I still remember you, I used my sword to avenge your son ...the son who was killed by a gang of highway robbers, and the sheriff, desperate for promotion, wouldn't even allow such a case to be reported." Including the soldiers on the execution platform, all the people looked at the person the prisoner was talking to, an old man with gray hair.The old man got into the crowd in a panic and disappeared in a flash. "And you, Artel. I helped you kill the businessman who tried to force you into bankruptcy with conspiracy and usury." The face of the gorgeously dressed middle-aged man whose name was called turned pale.But he tried his best to look as if he had nothing to do with himself.He turned around slowly, gave a mocking smile as if the prisoner had misunderstood the person, and squeezed out of the crowd. "Murphy. The nobleman who raped your wife and then used his status to escape punishment died under my sword. You will never forget." "Don't talk nonsense! You bastard!" The face of the man who was called out changed drastically.At first he wanted to be like the previous people, denying his name, but there were a few acquaintances in the crowd.After hesitating for a few seconds, he gritted his teeth, lifted a stone and threw it over.The stone fell on the wooden platform next to the prisoner, making a loud blunt sound, "If you talk nonsense again, I will smash your head!" The prisoner's gaze continued to search the crowd.A few people standing in the front retreated one after another and got into the crowd to avoid the eyes of the prisoner.The prisoner looked back and forth repeatedly, but he couldn't find a familiar face in the crowd.He bowed his head, acknowledging the failure of his efforts. There was a burst of laughter from the tense and silent crowd just now: "There is no water, as much urine as you want!" People laughed easily at the silent prisoner on the execution platform.The soldier who made the suggestion was also pleased with the situation.He watched the prisoner's expressionless face as he munched his lunch. There was a commotion in the crowd, people stepped aside one after another, and a girl holding a wooden bowl struggled to get out of the crowd.She walked slowly up the ledge, past the surprised soldier, and walked up to the prisoner.She hands the bowl to the prisoner.The bowl is clean drinking water. The prisoner looked up at the girl.The girl was fourteen or fifteen years old, she was wearing an old dress that had been mended many times, her face was covered with freckles, and her red hair was tied into two very simple braids.She looked at the prisoner with a smile, and brought the bowl to the prisoner's mouth. The prisoner lowered his head, buried his cracked, dry lips in the water, and began to gulp down the water.Although the girl held the bowl carefully, a lot of water was spilled because of the prisoner's violent movements. "I'm sorry, Mr. Ajas, I can only do so much for you." After the prisoner finished drinking the water, the girl said softly, "I will never forget you, it was you who avenged my poor sister. Those swingers hijacked, gang-raped and killed her - only you helped me." There was silence among the crowd.But anyone with a discerning eye can see that a storm is brewing—not against the prisoners, but against the girls.The loss of superiority combined with frustration creates a feeling of insult and strong hostility in the crowd.The girl who broke the rules—she was clearly one of the lowest burghers—became the target of public criticism.And the source of the storm, the soldier guarding the prisoner, looked at the prisoner and the girl with the same vicious eyes.Because he had spoken publicly just now, he couldn't take it back for a while, and could only watch the girl feed the prisoner water.His other two companions had no intention of intervening because they were out of the way.They just watched the girl finish drinking water for the prisoner.And the girl didn't know what happened because her back was turned to the audience. However, this storm did not become a reality.There was a cry from behind the crowd, and they scattered like birds startled by hawks.A whole company of soldiers appeared on the execution ground.Several dignified judges - some of whom had already met the prisoner yesterday evening - walked in front of the procession accompanied by another young man, richly dressed and arrogant.They approached the gallows where the prisoner was.Others understand that this team is not a good one.Soldiers who had eaten half of their lunch hurriedly threw away their food and stood up straight.The girl who delivered the water also jumped off the high platform like a fawn. The prisoner raised his head and held his breath as he watched the people who were getting closer and closer from a distance.At the back of this queue, a cart was pulled by several servants--the firewood needed for the burning was in the cart. The young man walked up to the high platform until he was within five steps of the prisoner.He briefly glanced at the prisoner's face, then immediately turned around, walked to the edge of the gallows, and faced the crowd in the distance. "According to the order of His Royal Highness Prince Holman. Tomorrow is the anniversary of the death of his father, Lord Regent Kiria - so no gatherings will be allowed tomorrow. His Royal Highness has decided to give Severn Agers, the assassination of Baron Ke Wen The murderer's sentence is commuted, and his one-day publicity sentence is reduced—execute at the stake today!" In the audience, several people began to erect a stake.That is to erect a solid stake, and then pile firewood at the foot of the stake. After the preparations were completed, the man walked up to the prisoner again: "Is there anything else you want to say? There is still a while, and I am the priest of Tempus, the God of War - if you need a dying confession, I can provide it for you." Serve. Although I am more convinced that you are a follower of the murder god." "Wait a minute...Your Excellency..." A judge stretched out a hand from the side, trying to stop the man's benevolent move. There were obvious bruises on his chin caused by the impact, "This murderer is too dangerous..." "Your Excellency, everyone in the world, no matter who they are, has the right to confess their sins." The pastor pushed the judge's hand away, "This is the same for people who have committed major or minor crimes." He went back to the prisoner , and at the same time signaled the guards to open the huge shackles, "Sharp eyes, full forehead, straight nose, delicate hands and feet, flexible and powerful - there is no doubt that you have a prominent background. It is a pity that the noble blood has been reduced to this point .Repent, Your Excellency. This is your last chance to wash away your sins and ascend to heaven." The prisoner smiled, showing sharp and sharp teeth like a tiger. "I'm sorry. I'm so fucking sorry." He looked at the judge he'd bumped, "I didn't stab you in the back that night when you fucked that bitch in bed. I saw you running out without pants..." "Blasphemy! Nonsense!" said the judge, blushing with exasperation.He kicked the prisoner in the face who couldn't dodge, interrupting the conversation, "Stubborn, hopeless!" He kicked again, kicking the prisoner's forehead so hard that he almost knocked him down .The huge shackles controlled the prisoner, and the prisoner shook for a while, but did not fall. "Unreasonable." The pastor obviously understood the judge's feelings very well. "It seems that you have no fear of death, but you will regret it." There was an unnoticed sly gleam in his eyes.Four stout, expressionless guards stepped up and removed the shackles from the prisoner.Then dragged the paralyzed body to a small dark room nearby.There, the prisoner will be put on the unique clothing of the burning prisoner.If the relatives of the prisoner had enough money, they could bribe the soldiers to strangle the prisoner in that hut, so as not to suffer unnecessary pain at the stake.But this time there was clearly no such dark dealing. The townspeople stood at a distance watching a body wrapped in a special oil-impregnated garment being drawn to the stake.The executioner threw a flaming torch into the pyre, and the flames shot up into the air.In a blink of an eye, the entire pyre was swallowed. In that small dark room, Severn Agers was looking at the fire burning outside in puzzlement.