#565 - Snow falls silently (Part 2)

Shen Shi (3-5 PM), the execution grounds at Huailing City.

Regarding why ancient executions were held at the execution grounds, there are generally two explanations.

The first is that the execution grounds were bustling with people, and executions here could serve as a "warning".

The second is that the execution grounds had strong 'qi', which could suppress the souls of the dead.

Both of these explanations undoubtedly have some merit, but neither applies to today's special execution.

The only reason Ning Yongnian chose to kill Li Qi at the execution grounds was this:

He wanted to use this "public execution" to tell certain restless forces within Da Feng:

Your emperor is indeed dead, you can compete for the throne now.

...

At the first quarter of Shen Shi, the prison cart carrying Li Qi slowly entered the execution ground under the gaze of tens of thousands of people.

Everyone crowded around the execution ground had eyes full of unwillingness and anger, but when their eyes fell on the rows of cold, gleaming spear tips, this grief and indignation was suppressed in their hearts by the instinct for survival.

Because dozens of corpses and pools of blood scattered around had already proven the consequences of impulsiveness.

Therefore, all humiliation could only be turned into gazes, shooting like arrows at every soldier of Da Ning.

If eyes could kill, then the thousands of yellow-armored soldiers present would probably have died countless times already.

It's just a metaphor after all.

So countless Da Feng citizens could only watch helplessly as Li Qi was dragged out of the prison cart and escorted to the center of the execution ground like a broken sack.

When the Da Ning soldier acting as the executioner kicked Li Qi in the back of the knee, causing the latter to kneel down tremblingly, many people closed their eyes in despair.

Although they were just ordinary people at the bottom of Da Feng society, their lives had never crossed paths with Li Qi's before.

Some people had even been cursing the court for being incompetent and losing the national war.

But in any case, they were all citizens of Da Feng, Li Qi's citizens.

Therefore, this kneeling not only represented the fall of a nation's dignity, but also seemed to trample the dignity of each of them into the vast snow of Huailing City.

Thousands of years of homeland, tens of thousands of miles of rivers and mountains.

Even though these people's daily lives only consisted of firewood, rice, oil, and salt, and all they sought in life was a few taels of silver.

But at this moment, these illiterate peasant women, porters, vendors, and laborers all felt an extremely clear sense of national subjugation.

They didn't know how to express their feelings, so they could only shed tears for unknown reasons, while tightly clenching their rough, dry fists, and repeatedly trembling in their mouths:

"Sin, what a sin..."

...

The rivers and mountains do not care about prosperity or decline, only the setting sun brings much sorrow.

If there was a way to save Da Feng right now, I believe many people here would be willing to go through fire and water, even at the cost of their lives.

However, until now, no one has told these people what to do.

Or perhaps, many things may not be up to them to decide.

In a certain tavern across the street, in a private room on the top floor.

The slanting rays of the setting sun fell on Yang Liu Shi's face, coating the black veil with a layer of golden light.

She looked at Li Qi, who was as small as a bean, in the distant execution ground, then scanned the slightly moving heads around, but still couldn't find Wei Changtian's figure.

That's right, although Wei Changtian had asked his scouts to find such a good spot to "watch the show", he himself was not here, but had mingled in the crowd and squeezed to the vicinity of the execution ground.

Yang Liu Shi didn't know what Wei Changtian was going to do, and wanted to follow him, but was rejected by the latter.

So she had to wait here anxiously, clutching the corners of her clothes tightly, never letting go for a moment.

She didn't care about Li Qi's life or death at all.

All she cared about was Wei Changtian.

And the latter had instructed her before leaving:

"If the situation is not right, leave the city immediately and meet up with Zhang San, don't wait for me."

After saying this, Wei Changtian left, without even explaining what "the situation is not right" meant.

But the more it was like this, the more uneasy Yang Liu Shi felt.

Is the young master going to save someone?

But how can he save them?

Young master, what exactly are you going to do...

At the same time, in the crowd only ten or so zhang away from the outer perimeter of the execution ground.

Just as Yang Liu Shi was worried to death, Wei Changtian's expression was also very serious at this time.

He had already observed the vicinity of the execution ground several times back and forth, but he had not found Ning Yongnian.

Not only Ning Yongnian, but even Li Huaizhong, Wu Ding, Bai Youheng and others had not shown up.

Obviously, Ning Yongnian would not fail to send second-rank experts to "watch the venue" at this time, so these people should be hiding in places he hadn't discovered.

And Ning Yongnian was most likely witnessing this execution with his own eyes.

But where are they hiding?

...

"His Majesty is benevolent, but the crimes committed by the guilty monarch are truly intolerable by heaven."

"Therefore, only by imposing the death penalty can we comfort the souls of the dead and restore peace and prosperity to the world."

Not far away, the executioner's verdict was coming to an end, and the reasons used were nothing more than the set of "Li Qi harmed millions of people in Yuanzhou City".

Wei Changtian was not interested in listening to these words, but once again turned his head imperceptibly, casting his eyes on a row of shops in the side front.

About seven or eight teahouses and taverns, the taller ones had three or four floors, and the shorter ones only had two floors.

Although he had observed them several times, he still felt that Ning Yongnian was most likely in a window behind one of them.

Huh?

Suddenly, his eyes stopped at a certain place, and his expression changed for a moment.

Wei Changtian only looked at it for less than a breath, then immediately moved his gaze away, and never looked around again.

Although he didn't see Ning Yongnian, he saw another person.

Li Wutong.

Good fellow, is Ning Yongnian so perverted?

Without a doubt, Li Wutong must have been kidnapped by Ning Yongnian.

And the latter's purpose was undoubtedly to let her watch Li Qi's head fall with her own eyes.

Forcing a child to witness their father being killed...

Damn it!

Wei Changtian really couldn't think of what Ning Yongnian was doing this for other than to satisfy some kind of perverse interest.

Could it be that the blow of Ning Wenjun's usurpation was too great? And he became crazy from anger?

After all, with Ning Yongnian's shrewdness, unless there was a profit to be made, or he was really crazy, he would definitely not bother to do such a thing.

Wait!

Frowning, a guess suddenly flashed in Wei Changtian's mind.

He certainly didn't believe that Ning Yongnian would go crazy.

Then, this move must have other intentions.

And the purpose may be related to himself...

The tightly frowned brows relaxed, and his eyes narrowed slightly.

Thinking of this, Wei Changtian not only didn't show any worry, but even seemed to smile.

Heh heh.

Whether it's Xu Sui or Ning Yongnian.

Since we've come to this point, then let's just play it a little bigger.