Chapter 99: Beheading the Sons and Grandsons, Captivating the Soul, Autumn Sleeping in the West Chamber
On the night of July 19, the upstream impounded lake collapsed for the second time, and huge waves rushed down the river.
On the evening of July 20, the peak of the flood reached the capital.
At 19:30, the Lugou Bridge was cut in half by the flood, and only six of the eleven archways remained intact.
At around 9 o'clock on July 21, the southern dike had breached in eight places, and it was officially declared that the entire dike had been lost.
It's noon and the sun is shining brightly.
"Zhao Yuankun, the second son of Zhao Rongheng, has been identified!"
"cut!"
"Dad! I don't want to die, I don't want to..."
The executioner raised his knife and the screams stopped abruptly.
Shen Lian stepped on the rolling head, and a soldier nearby immediately came forward to pick it up and threw it into the surging torrent not far away.
Then someone else came forward and dragged the headless body away.
Shen Lian used a cinnabar red pen to cross out Zhao Yaokun's name, and then shouted: "Next!"
The person brought up this time was a quiet young man of about eighteen or nineteen years old.
Jin Yichuan stepped forward and looked at the young man for a few times, then called out his name in a rhythmic manner: "Zhao Shoulian, the eldest grandson of Zhao Rongheng's eldest son, has been verified!"
“Woo, woo!”
Just after verifying his identity, he heard a muffled groaning from behind him. Looking back, he saw Zhao Rongheng, who was tied to a wooden stake, struggling more violently than ever before.
Obviously, the status of this eldest grandson in the eldest house in his heart is far greater than that of the two sons who were killed before.
If I had known this would happen, why did I do it in the first place?
Jin Yichuan sneered and was about to mock Zhao Rongheng, but he heard Sun Shaozong say quietly, "Get closer, let him take a closer look."
These words are a hundred times more stimulating than any sarcasm or ridicule!
Seeing his grandson being pinned down at his feet, Zhao Rongheng struggled almost madly with a dazed look in his eyes as if in a dream. The wooden stakes deeply wedged into the riverbank were actually shaken by him!
"cut!"
However, Sun Shaozong crushed all his struggles with just one cold word!
There was a crisp sound, and the handsome head fell to the ground, and the hot blood in the skull sprayed all over Zhao Rongheng's head and face.
At this moment, the micro-expression on Zhao Rongheng's face is enough to support a 90-minute ethical tragedy!
However, Sun Shaozong's attention was not on Zhao Rongheng. Compared with the hundreds of thousands of innocent people affected by the disaster in the two prefectures and seven counties on the south bank, what was the suffering of a corrupt official?
What he cared about most at this moment was the reactions of the dozens of Hebei officials standing nearby!
These Hebei officials were specially invited by Sun Shaozong to watch the execution under the name of Wang Yan.
As for the purpose...
Local officials embezzling disaster relief funds and grain has always been the most common plot in costume dramas. Sun Shaozong invited them to watch the execution in order to deter them in advance so that no one would break the law!
This is the only thing he can do for the victims right now.
Judging from their pale faces, the effect is obviously quite good.
"Next!"
Sun Shaozong was secretly glancing at the Hebei officials when Zhao Rongheng's eldest son, Zhao Muen, was brought up.
With the previous example, Sun Shaozong didn't need to give any instructions this time, and the soldiers brought him to Zhao Rongheng.
Unexpectedly, before Jin Yichuan could step forward to verify his identity, Zhao Muen suddenly pounced forward and bit Zhao Rongheng's leg viciously!
No matter how the soldiers pulled and beat him, Zhao Muen refused to let go. In the end, they had no choice but to tear off a large piece of skin and flesh to separate the father and son.
"Give me back my Lian'er's life, give me back my Lian'er's life! My Lian'er, my poor Lian'er!"
Zhao Muen's crazy and shrill roar echoed on the levee for a long time, and after the word "behead", it completely fell silent...
--Dividing line--
Due to the flood, Sun Shaozong had to wait until the third day of August before he finally returned to the north bank.
At this time, the north bank had changed completely. Wang Yan was dismissed from all his official positions and the matter was handed over to the three departments for joint investigation. As for the position of commander-in-chief of flood prevention and disaster relief, it was taken over by Xu Furen, Grand Secretary of the Cabinet.
Even Jia Yucun was replaced by the governor Liu Chongshan and sent back to the capital.
On the third day of the first lunar month, Sun Shaozong went to Xuanzhen Temple to hand in his name card and waited for half a day, but he did not even see Xu Furen and was only given the "grace" of returning to Beijing to report on his work.
It just so happened that after more than half a month, Sun Shaozong was exhausted both physically and mentally. Since the other party was too lazy to even see him, he naturally had no interest in continuing to waste time on Beidi.
We traveled light and with a small entourage.
Back at the Sun Residence, the scene was naturally a different one.
Brother Bianyi led the whole family out to welcome him. They set off hundreds of firecrackers to celebrate, and then set out a table of nutritious food, which he ate until he was full.
After having a full meal and a few drinks, I looked at the messy table and thought about the hungry victims on the south bank. I felt that the poet's words, 'The rich have wine and meat, while the poor are freezing to death on the streets,' were truly a very vivid description.
Fortunately, Sun Shaozong was not a pretentious person. Even after seeing all the sufferings in the world, he still slept peacefully in his brocade quilt, carved bed and hibiscus tent.
I slept until the afternoon of the next day.
Sun Shaozong woke up in a daze. Seeing that the room was bright, he covered his head with a quilt and shouted incoherently: "Furong, Shiliu, quickly bring me some clean clothes and get me a basin of clean water !"
Who knew that after calling out a few times, there was no response from Furong and Shiliu, but instead some rustling noises were heard.
Sun Shaozong was puzzled, so he leaned over to look, but he saw a slim and plump figure at the end of the bed. She was lowering her head to take off her shoes and socks. She had nothing on except a pink bellyband embroidered with lotus flowers!
The woman took off her shoes and socks, then carefully climbed to the end of the bed. She supported herself on both sides of Sun Shaozong's legs with her two white arms, and climbed up like a beauty dog. However, she had only climbed halfway when she met Sun Shaozong's scorching gaze.
"ah!"
The woman's face flushed instantly, but she did not try to dodge or retreat. She only said hesitantly, "Sister Rong asked me to come here to relieve my fatigue."
The woman who climbed into the bed was naturally Xiangling.
Seeing her cute and lovely appearance, Sun Shaozong was aroused with anger, but he still forced himself to ask: "Then where is your sister Rong now?"
"Master invited a troupe to perform at our house, and Sister Rong went to the front to listen to the performance." Xiangling said, her eyes narrowed slightly, and she added weakly: "She said she would be back before dinner."
Before she finished her words, Sun Shaozong had already embraced her in his arms!
Xiangling moaned, her beautiful eyes becoming even more blurred. She thought she was about to be baptized by a violent storm, but unexpectedly, she felt warm all of a sudden. It turned out that Sun Shaozong had wrapped her in a brocade quilt.
Xiangling was just feeling confused when she heard Sun Shaozong say, "Your sister Rong is so kind, how can you dirty her room? Let's go to your west wing to relax!"
As he said this, he tucked Xiangling under his armpit and strode towards the west wing.
This wasted time is just like what is said in the Romance of the West Chamber:
I have the softest and warmest fragrance in my arms.
Ah, Ruan Zhao arrived at Tiantai, and spring came to the world with colorful flowers.
The willow waist is swaying gracefully, the flower heart is gently opened, and the peony blooms with dewdrops.
