Chapter 40 The fourth quarter, 700 criminals were beheaded at one time

When the sun came out, Zhao Kang, the county magistrate of Mei, led a group of county officials to the main canal of Mengxiang.Seeing this shocking scene, his face was livid, and he galloped to Liyang without saying a word. Zhao Kang was the only scholar from the Qin State who was recruited by the Qin State to recruit talents. He was upright and well-read in poetry and books. He was as famous as his elder brother Zhao Liang.Although the two brothers are Confucian scholars who have never been to Confucianism, their lives are very different.Zhao Liangzhi was studying and studying scriptures, and went to Jixia Academy in Qi State to study.Zhao Kang is struggling to enter the WTO, and wants to do something for Qin Guoqiang.Qin Xiaogong recruited talents, and he came here happily.When appointing an official position, Qin Xiaogong appointed him as the key county magistrate of Mei County.I have been in office for half a year, nothing major, just getting familiar with the county situation and waiting for the promulgation of new laws and regulations.In any case, he never imagined that when the new law was promulgated, some people would defy the law by themselves and cause huge troubles.The immigration of Mengxi, Bai and Rongdi is related to the safety of Qin State. How can he deal with it without authorization?

At noon, Wei Yang was eating in the study, when he heard that Zhao Kang urgently asked for an audience, he pushed the tripod and came to the political affairs hall without saying a word.After hearing Zhao Kang's urgent report, he thought for a while, and ordered decisively, "Che Ying, take 200 armored knights and rush to Mei County immediately." Che Ying took the order to gather the knights.Wei Yang ordered Zhao Kang to eat, and went to the study to make some preparations.When Wei Yang came out, Zhao Kang had already got up abruptly, and the neighing of the cavalry had already been heard outside the gate of the mansion.Wei Yang waved his hand: "Let's go." He strode out hastily.Zhao Kang asked in surprise: "Master Zuo Shu? Are you going to Mei County now?" Wei Yang said coldly, "Is it too late?" His eyes swept over, "Report everything to the king, what use is my Zuo Shu?" After speaking, he strode out, flew on the horse, and galloped away first.Che Ying's horse team followed closely behind and rolled out of the west gate.Zhao Kang thought for a moment, got on his horse and whipped him, and rushed after him.

When the sun reached the top of the mountain in the west, the horse team rushed to the main canal of Mengxiang.Wei Yang immediately broke the embankment, looking around, the twilight was dark, the wild was vast, and there were black corpses floating on the water, eagles and vultures were pecking at each other, and the rancid smell permeated the countryside.The highlands where the nine villages of Mengxiang are located have all turned into small islands. Wei Yang's face was livid, and he ordered decisively, "Magistrate Mei, immediately send someone to close the main canal." Zhao Kang agreed, and galloped away.

When the sun went down, the mouth of the main channel of the Weishui River was finally blocked.In the evening, Wei Yang issued three orders in succession at the county government of Mei County.The first way is to order Zhao Kang to lead the 200 infantry stationed in the county and the people along the coast to repair the embankment immediately.The second way is to order Che Ying to lead the armored knights to arrest all criminals in the Rongdi settlement at night, and no one is allowed to escape.The third way is to order the counties to escort all the criminals who openly gathered to fight during the three months after the promulgation of the new law to Mei County.After Zhao Kang, Che Ying and the envoys set off, Wei Yang couldn't calm down, so he wrote two letters with a pen under the lamp, ordering the envoys on fast horses to send them to the Zuo Shuchang's mansion in Yueyang immediately.

At this moment, Qin Xiaogong was practicing sword in the courtyard, and after sweating a little, he went back to the study to bury his head in the case.Three months after the promulgation of the new law, the number of brochures on his desk suddenly increased, all of which were secret reports on public conditions sent directly to him by the government and the countryside through various channels.He carefully read and figured out these secret reports, and felt an unusual atmosphere pervading.These secret reports can be sent directly to the monarch, but not to Wei Yang, the chief regent who presided over the reform, which in itself means contempt and dissatisfaction with the new decree.The intention behind the secret reporter is obvious. The monarch is an ignorant person who has been deceived by the powerful ministers. The blame lies with the foreign powerful ministers. The monarch should come out to abolish the evil law to appease the people.Qin Xiaogong is vigilantly aware that the success of the reform is now the key.Although the "public opinion and popular support" conveyed by the secret report is a kind of panic in the style of Mr. Ye, it is also a dangerous signal. Success or failure is difficult to grasp.Qin Xiaogong did not tell Wei Yang these secret reports and his own judgment.He believes that with Wei Yang's insight, it is impossible not to know these rumors that permeate the ruling and opposition parties.He wants to see how Wei Yang judges the current general situation and how to deal with this crisis of public opinion.If Wei Yang does not have the ability to deal with this general crisis, Qin Xiaogong is willing to be proved as soon as possible, so as to avoid the disaster caused by the loss of trust when a bigger crisis comes.After all, Wei Yang has no actual experience in holding great power, and whether he can still be as thorough and clear as when he was discussing politics after taking power still needs to be verified.Because of this, Qin Xiaogong lived in seclusion and did not interfere with the reform process at all.

Right now, Qin Xiaogong buried his head in his study, just to make a plan for the prognosis, just in case. "Your Majesty, Mr. Shi, the head of Zuoshu's house, is asking to see you." Uncle Hei whispered at the door of the study. "Jingjian? Let him in." Qin Xiaogong was a little surprised. Jingjian came to see him in the middle of the night. Could it be that something important happened? Jing Jian walked in quickly, cupped his hands and said: "Your Majesty, the three clans in Mei County fought with the Rong and Di people. There were no casualties. Chief Zuo Shu has already rushed to deal with it. This is an urgent letter from Chief Zuo Shu to Your Majesty."

"Why fight with weapons?" Qin Xiaogong asked. "The Mengxi and Bai tribes blocked the main canal, and the Rong and Di people fought for water, so they fought hard." "How are you going to deal with it?" "Master Zuo Shu's decision is not clear. Presumably there is a report in the letter to the king." Qin Xiaogong opened the copper pipe in his hand, took out a roll of parchment and unfolded it, but saw a piece of handwriting: Qin Xiaogong thought for a while, and asked: "According to the new law, what should be the crime for such private fighting?"

"Returning to the emperor, rectify private fights, the chief culprit and the chief culprit will be executed, and the accomplices will be fined and confiscated according to their severity." "How many chief culprits and main culprits are there?" "The exact number of Jingjian is still difficult to know, but it is estimated that there should be more than 300." "What about the accessory?" Jing Jian hesitated and said: "The minister has roughly calculated that there are more than 3,000 accomplices in Mei County alone. Including other counties, there are more than 5,000 people."

Qin Xiaogong was silent.If this was a war, even if tens of thousands of people were killed or injured, no one would make irresponsible remarks.Nor will anyone be discouraged or shaken.But this is criminal killing, killing under the law of the state, and it’s nothing more than thirty or fifty repayments. Killing hundreds of criminals at a time is really unheard of in ancient times.Before the three families were divided into Jin Dynasty, the three clans of Han, Zhao and Wei jointly captured and killed Zhibo, killing more than 200 members of Zhibo's family at one time, and the world was shocked!However, it was a war between family groups like the war of princes, and people did not regard it as punishment.In terms of the reform of punishment and killing, the Li Kui Reform of Wei State, the Wu Qi Reform of Chu State, and the Shen Buhui Reform of South Korea did not execute hundreds of criminals.What kind of consequences will Qin State bring about by doing so?Qin Xiaogong felt uncertain for the first time.However, if you don't do this, there is only one consequence, and that is to declare that the reform has been aborted in fact, and Qin will go back to the old way, and it will perish step by step in poverty.This is a road that Qin Xiaogong is absolutely unwilling to take.The lesser of two evils is an adage of the ancients.Compared with the risk of turmoil that the former may bring compared with the disaster of subjugation, it is natural to take the former risk and avoid the latter disaster.Wei Yang dared to do this, and he must have thought of this.Right now, what he needs to know is what the monarch thinks.

"Jing Jian, what do you think?" Qin Xiaogong asked suddenly. Jing Jian was also silent all the time. When the monarch asked him, he replied without hesitation: "I believe that reform must be risky. Compared with the risk of subjugation, this risk is worth taking." "Okay. Well said. We coincidentally." Qin Xiaogong nodded with a smile, went to the desk and picked up a large brush written by Ye Zhiling on the parchment, stamped it with a copper seal, rolled it up and put it in a copper tube to seal Okay, hand it to Jing Jian and said: "Jing Jian, send someone to send it to Zuo Shuzhang. If you can leave, you'd better go to Mei County, Zuo Shuzhang needs an assistant right now."

"I obey." Jing Jian took the brass pipe, turned around and walked away quickly. At three poles in the sun, Jing Jian had already arrived in Mei County.Wei Yang was looking through the household registration booklet in a large room temporarily vacated in the backyard of the county mansion. When he saw the Jingjian walking in hurriedly, he smiled in surprise, "I was just about to call you, so here you are. Sit first." Turning around, he ordered The servants serve tea and dinner.Before wiping off his sweat, Jing Jian took out the brass pipe from his leather bag, "Master Zuo Shu, this is your majesty's letter." Wei Yang took it and opened it, and two lines of big characters came into his eyes: Wei Yang let out a long sigh of relief, and handed the parchment to Jing Jian.Jing Jian looked at it and said excitedly: "Your Majesty has clearly observed that Zuo Shu has nothing to worry about." Wei Yang smiled lightly and said, "Is there no worry about future? But it has never been your Majesty." Jing Jian hurriedly ate.Wei Yang said: "Chang Shi will stay in Mei County for a few days. This is a major event that needs to be handled carefully so that no future troubles will be left." Jing Jian said: "I have already arranged the affairs in Liyang Mansion properly. Don't worry, Chief Zuo Shu. , I will take care of chores." Wei Yang said: "The most important thing today is to work with Zhao Kang to sort out the list of criminals." During the conversation, Jing Jian had finished eating, and the two discussed in secret for half an hour, and then they split up and acted . Two days later, the water from the embankment burst quickly disappeared into the dry land under the scorching red sun, and the roads and roads dried up even faster. Except for some potholes, they were almost the same as usual.Zhao Kang and Che Ying have already escorted all the participants of the armed struggle from the Mengxi Bai clan and the Rongdi immigrants to temporary tents outside the county seat.Jing Jian and Zhao Kang respectively led a group of capable officials to clean up the criminals who fought with weapons. They were divided into five categories according to mastermind, main murderer, dead, wounded, and agitated, and they were detained separately, and their confessions were recorded one by one.This thing was done for three full days.During the three days, private fight criminals from other counties were also escorted to Mei County.All of a sudden, there was an endless stream of soldiers and criminals on the official road outside the four gates of the county seat, together with some crying old people, women and children who followed, the Weishui Caotan where the criminals were temporarily held was like a big fair.People in Mei County rushed to watch the fun in fear, nervousness and curiosity. Some smart people took the opportunity to set up various small stalls, selling water, food and odds and ends to visitors, and foreign businessmen selling wine and new clothes. .When the poor visit the prison, they want to eat and drink.When the rich visit the prison, they have to buy wine for the detainees to soothe their worries.For those who think they are bound to die, relatives, friends and clansmen will buy new clothes for them. Within ten days, business was booming outside the grass beach tent.In particular, wine and new clothes from foreign merchants are extremely sought-after, with prices skyrocketing.The Mengxi and Bai tribes have deep roots in Qin, the Rong and Di immigrants also have outstanding military exploits, and those who dare to fight against the wind in other counties are not easy to deal with.The intercessors from all sides come and go mysteriously, and the chariots and horses shuttle back and forth to the small town of Mei County every day, which makes the people of Mei County open their eyes while being surprised. Wei Yang was well aware of all the commotion outside, but he didn't care about it, he just concentrated on looking through the criminal's confession and relevant records of each county in the county government.All the nobles of the royal family, noble officials, elders of honored ministers, leaders of Rongdi in Longxi, local officials, etc., who came to see him, not only could not see Wei Yang, but even Jingjian and Che Ying could not be seen.The three clerks appointed by the Jingjian specially received these people. All the gifts were accepted, all the letters were left behind, and all the excuses were answered in one sentence: "I must report the truth to Zuo Shuzhang." A special small house has been piled up with secret letters, and the guards can hardly believe it. How could so many rare treasures suddenly appear in the impoverished state of Qin? On the thirteenth day, Wei Yang walked out of the study and broke the silence.The first order he gave was to ban the temporary market in the Weishui Caotan and clean up all the merchants.In the afternoon of that day, the Weishui grassy beach turned into a hot wilderness again.The second order was to send Zhao Kang to enlist five hundred minions to build the execution ground.The third order was to send Che Ying to urgently transfer all 2,000 armored knights to Mei County to wait for dispatch.The fourth order was sent to all the counties and counties in Qin State, ordering the county magistrates to lead all the village leaders and patriarchs in the county, and rush to Mei County three days later.The fifth is the secret slip, sent by Pegasus to the Yueyang State Mansion. As the envoy's fast horse galloped, the Qin government and the people were full of panic, doubts and various speculations.Some people said that the weather was ominous, and Zuo Shuzhang was about to start a killing spree.Some people say that the masterminds of crimes are all rich people, and it is not enough to kill a few poor people.Some people even said that Zuo Shuzhang collected countless rare treasures, and none of the prisoners were fine.It was as usual inside and outside the palace, and the monarch did not convene a court meeting in any form, as if nothing had happened in Qin.On the other hand, the upper class nobles in Liyang kept a reserved silence. They kept silent about the reform and everything that happened in Mei County. They looked at the peaceful government and smiled inscrutablely at each other. In July, the small castle in Mei County looks like a big steamer.In the middle of the night, Wei Yang walked out of the study, called Che Ying, the supervisor of the scene, and rode out of the city on three fast horses, and repeatedly patrolled the Weishui Caotan.The croaking of frogs drowned out their pointing and discussion, and the three returned to the city until a big and round moon became smaller and lighter in the far western sky. In the morning, as soon as the morning glow broke through the clouds, the four-door archery tower in Mei County sounded a heavy horn horn, sobbing and mournful.People poured out from the four opened city gates, rushed across the suspension bridge, and rushed to the Weishui Caotan.On the roads and alleys in the fields, there were people holding white banners in their hands, wearing sackcloth and straw ropes around their waists, crying loudly and stumbling over.In the low-lying area on the grassy beach of the Wei River, two thousand armored knights lined up to form a huge execution field, isolating all the crowds who rushed to the periphery.But the common people on the Siye Heights can see it very clearly like a bird's-eye view.Among the armored knights, 700 selected executioners with red cloth headbands, holding thick-backed broad-bladed short knives, lined up in order.On a temporary high platform in the middle of the execution ground, Wei Yang sat majestic and stern.Jing Supervisor Che Ying stood solemnly on both sides of the long case.The two rows of black-clothed officials in front of the long case are the county magistrates who came all the way from various counties and counties.The more than a thousand people densely lined up under the high platform are all the village leaders and patriarchs in Qin State.Everyone was silent, only the sound of the wind blowing the flags could be heard in the huge practice field. Zhao Kang, the county magistrate of Mei, hurried to the high platform and reported in a low voice: "Master Zuo Shu, the relatives of the criminals are coming to sacrifice." Wei Yang: "Order the criminal's relatives to stay away from the execution ground, and not disturb the trouble, otherwise they will be punished with the punishment of disturbing." Zhao Kang hurried to the outside of the execution ground to announce the order of Zuo Shuzhang.For the first time, the relatives of the criminals outside the execution ground showed terrified expressions, paralyzed on the grass and wept silently.Historically, executions in the execution grounds have not prohibited the living sacrifices of relatives and friends. How come the new Zuo Shuzhang of the Qin State doesn't even have such a heart of benevolence and righteousness?It's too ruthless!The rest of the tens of thousands of common people who watched the excitement were also silent, and there was no discussion at all when they watched the killing in the field.In front of such a huge execution ground, people felt the majesty of the state's laws for the first time, and felt the toughness and ruthlessness of this white-clothed Zuo Shuchang, who was not as weak as people originally imagined, and dared to set up such a huge execution ground!The loyal farmers thought of Yimu Lixin at the March Fair, and they couldn't help but nodded and sighed in a low voice, "Hey, it's self-inflicted, so I can't live." When the sun rose three poles, Jing Jian gave a loud order: "Take the prisoner into the execution ground—!" Che Ying waved the command flag, two thousand knights gave way to a door, and a group of spearmen divided into two columns held the long line of criminals into the execution ground.The prisoners were dressed in reddish-brown coarse cloth clothes, their hands and feet were tied with thick hemp ropes, and they walked slowly towards the center of the execution ground in groups of a hundred.The people on the Siye Heights were silent. It was the first time they saw such a group of "ocher clothes" and the executioners with red scarves and short knives like a square formation on the battlefield. Everyone's heart couldn't help trembling.The ocher-clothed prisoners were no longer arrogant and impetuous, and all of them were dejected and pale.At the forefront are the patriarchs of the Mengxi and Bai tribes and twenty-six village officials, as well as the village leaders of the Rongdi immigrants.They are all old people in their sixties, their gray bearded heads trembling in the sun.Every one of them has fought on the battlefield, shed blood and died for Qin.Until yesterday, they were still full of hope for their old age. They believed that Liyang would have a miraculous pardon. They believed that the State of Qin would never kill old Qin people like Meng Xibai and the old immigrants from Rong and Di in the time of Duke Mu. I believe that a middle-class son of Wei State can turn the world upside down in Qin State. At this moment, when they passed through the deadly silent crowd and entered the murderous execution ground, they felt the majesty of this thing called "law" for the first time, and felt the importance of personal life in the face of power and decrees. Small.When they walked to the grass beach near the river, they saw a dense pile of wooden piles in front of them, each with a name written on it, and a big bright red tick on the name, they suddenly felt deep fear , paralyzed on the grass with his legs limp.In the shadow of swords and swords on the battlefield, they may be blood-spattered and turned into corpses at any moment, but no one feels afraid, no one thinks of retreating.According to folk proverbs, a person who lives to fifty is not considered a young life.Now that I am sixty years old, what fear is there in death?People have the same heart and the same reason.But no one can overcome this fear and stand up by themselves. When Meng Tianyi, the chief of the Meng clan headed by the two soldiers, clamped up and leaned against the wooden stake, the old patriarch seemed to finally understand, and his white head was leaning on the wooden stake, panting.Suddenly, he stood up straight and shouted hissingly, "Don't forget the people of Qin, the crime of private fighting is shameful—! The bloodshed in public battles is immortal—!" After shouting, he jumped up, pointed his throat at the sharp end of the stake and suddenly Leap up and dive!There was a "poof", the sharp wooden stake pierced into the throat, and a stream of blood spurted and splashed!Meng Mengtianyi's body was hung upright on the stake. In an instant, the criminals of the Mengxi and Bai tribes howled loudly, stood up, and hissed in unison: "Private fighting is shameful, public fighting is immortal—!" They jumped up one after another, smashing themselves into the sharp ends of the wooden stakes and died. The shouts echoed in the river valley, and the people on Siye Mountain were deeply shocked by the unheard-of and unseen repentance of the execution ground. They even shouted impulsively: "Private fighting is shameful! Public war is immortal—!" The shouts were mixed with crying, that It is a memorial ceremony for relatives of outsiders. When he became hasty, Supervisor Jing was stunned.Wei Yang nodded and said, "Repentance before execution, people from the Xu family pay homage, return to the village for burial." Jing Jian suddenly woke up, and loudly announced Wei Yang's order.The onlookers rushed out of the way, and the remaining women and teenagers of the Mengxibai tribe rushed into the execution ground, knelt down to the high platform crying, and kowtowed three times in thanks. Wei Yang said coldly: "The criminals repented before their execution and taught the people to fight. They have done a little bit of merit. The sacrifice and burial are stipulated by the law. What kindness can Wei Yang have? From now on, we must not attribute the clarity of the law to personal merit, otherwise it will be false. punishment." Thousands of people and officials in the execution ground were all stunned.It is really a big and rare thing not to accept praise and thanks.Is this person ruthless?Or is law enforcement like a mountain?No one dared to discuss it. "Start." Wei Yang ordered in a low voice. The Jingjian ordered: "The criminal should be punished, and the body must be verified—!" When the criminals entered the arena, Che Ying had already come down to the execution ground to command. She was busy for a while, and galloped up to report loudly: "Report to Chief Zuo Shu, all the seven hundred criminals have been verified, and there is no mistake!" Wei Yang nodded, Jing Jian announced: "Bang the drum and execute the execution—!" Che Ying waved the command flag, the drum beat loudly, and then raised the command flag again, "The executioner is in place—!" Seven hundred executioners with red scarves lined up neatly, striding forward and standing in front of each stake. "Raise the knife—!" With a sound of "Shua!", the seven hundred short knives were raised together, and a bright light shone in the sun. "One, two, three, chop—!" Seven hundred thick-backed broadswords drew a shining arc, shining radiantly, blood spattered, and seven hundred human heads rolled down on the green grass at the same instant.Almost at the same time, the sea of ​​people on the Siye Heights let out a soft "Ah—" as if they were struggling in terror in a nightmare.Under the faint blue sky, the bright red blood flowed into the Weishui River, and a layer of golden-red foam floated on the wide river surface, rushing eastward with the waves.Under the scorching sun, the smell of blood quickly filled the air. People felt sick and vomited, and fled in all directions. A black pigeon rushed into the sky, and with a faint whistling sound, it flew towards the mountains in the southeast direction.