Stillness,
Silence.
Outside the Duanmen, tens of thousands of people were strangely quiet.
Soon,
a prisoner's cart rumbled forward. A middle-aged man, with disheveled hair and little resemblance to his former human form, stumbled along, shackled and his face covered in bloodstains. His official robes, once worn, were now tattered, revealing glimpses of torn flesh through the rips.
Everyone guessed—
this person was Yan Shifan.
Secret rumors had long circulated in the marketplaces: King Jing was seeking revenge. It was said Yan Shifan had deeply wronged the young prince in the past, and years later, the prince had returned to exact vengeance. The world was filled with strange events, but none compared to this day.
As they were reflecting with a mix of emotion and sadness, several peculiar sounds suddenly echoed—
Moo…
Moo…
Following the sound, five water buffaloes were led forward.
Hoo!
Hiss!
Hiss!
What?
This was a five-bull dissection!
Boom!
The entire square erupted.
The commoners on the outer fringes, who had wished for Yan Shifan's death, were now unnerved by this manner of demise. Many began to murmur amongst themselves. The officials, however, felt their hearts turn to ice. They were not easily fooled; they knew that if there was a first time, there would surely be a last. If Yan Shifan was torn apart today, they themselves could be next tomorrow.
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In their apprehension, the officials felt the day’s events were utterly unprecedented. In the solemn high platform mourning hall, amidst white mourning garments and sorrow, five oxen and a man suddenly appeared? King Jing had just paid respects and wept for the model Confucian official Li Chunfang, and immediately thereafter was to perform a five-bull dissection on Yan Shifan. The impact was too great, too fierce. Everyone was terrified.
Many were whispering amongst themselves—
"That King Jing is acting out of personal revenge…"
"If it's personal revenge, then just kill him. Why do this?"
"Alas… it must be that 'Ghost's Dread' tormented him greatly too…"
"Yes, it is said King Jing lived like a dog in Tianxiang Tower in Anlu for six or seven years…"
"Right, it's said those servants tormented him daily… alas, what a sin…"
"Alas, the people in the King's mansion were long ago replaced by 'Ghost's Dread'… vengeance upon vengeance…"
"'Ghost's Dread' didn't let people live, so now others won't let him live or die easily. This is retribution!"
"Evil begets evil…"
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"Hush! What are you saying!"
"Let's see what he says…"
"…"
King Jing said nothing, and the proceedings continued without interruption, flowing with a single breath. Yan Shifan was bound beneath the mourning platform. Han Chong called ten soldiers; two men were assigned to each ox. With a few sharp whips and the bellowing of the oxen, in mere moments, a string of chilling screams was heard!
But soon, the screams ceased abruptly. Some people strained their necks to look forward, and saw that several of those kneeling had already collapsed to the ground.
This scene evoked a sense of inexplicable disgust in most observers—
King Jing, if you seek revenge, why frighten people like this? And for whom are you doing this?
You have a feud with Yan Shifan, he harmed you, so you retaliate. Why involve Li Chunfang? It's as if you are avenging Li Chunfang.
This is clearly your own vendetta, unrelated to anyone else!
This tragic spectacle today only proves King Jing's tyrannical and unrighteous nature!
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These thoughts swirled in everyone's minds, yet not a single person dared to voice them. The atmosphere became exceptionally strange and subtle.
After an indeterminate period, as many felt their eyes grow heavy, they finally heard King Jing's hoarse and cutting voice—
"There was a man… whose ancestors toiled diligently, lived frugally, enduring a life of poverty… His father's generation, with small savings, acquired some modest land… A prosperous family, with successful cultivation, naturally pursued education… Coincidentally, this family produced an intelligent child who studied day and night, sought out famous teachers, and achieved renown in his youth… He then passed successive imperial examinations, finally reaching the capital, and was ranked among the top… In his prime, he was adorned in silks and riding fine horses, full of youthful vigor. Later, he married the daughter of a Minister, served as an incorruptible official, progressing from the Hanlin Academy to the Six Ministries, eventually becoming a Grand Scholar.
His hometown folks, naturally, took immense pride in him. Moreover, as he was upright and incorruptible, a monument was erected in his honor, within the steles of the academy and by the village wells… It is human nature, after achieving success, to then benefit others… Thus, they also increased their modest holdings and accepted some donations…"
King Jing suddenly paused, like a storyteller, and then asked himself:
"What is wrong with this? Everyone present says it is human nature, that there is nothing wrong with it… Another guest also said that such an achievement is enviable, and that any person with flesh and blood would aspire to it. This shows that the person was utterly blameless… But fate plays tricks,呵呵…"
"One day, the winds and rains suddenly shifted, and everything changed… Then, as one act ended and another began, the scenery changed like a revolving lantern… This man was then burned alive by another Grand Scholar… If there is any reason for this, how did it come to this? Why did this person have to die? And why not someone else? Yet, not a single person listening to the story could answer…"
"Can any of you answer…"
King Jing seemed to be asking himself, and then the entire crowd. His demeanor was somewhat dazed, and also abnormal. The crowd, having already heard that this King Jing was mad, now saw him muttering inexplicably. Thinking that the rumors might be true, they became even more chilled.
King Jing sighed deeply, then spoke to himself:
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"After hearing this grand tale, I have a different feeling…"
"The mistake, all the mistakes, lie in those four words: 'everything changed'… Why? Think about it, this person is like a tree, isn't he? Growing in spring, flourishing in summer, enduring the wind and rain. After decades of changing worldly affairs, he has become a lush forest… Li Chunfang, Li Chunfang, a tree born in spring, with its own fragrance… If the sky suddenly changed, and thunder and lightning struck, then there is nothing to be said…"
Having said this,
he stopped abruptly and signaled to Han Chong.
Han Chong immediately produced a piece of silk and began to read loudly:
"The Ming Dynasty, Jiajing era, was a time of crisis and change. First, Yan Song and his son Yan Shifan colluded with the Western barbarians, forming corrupt alliances and bringing disaster to all corners of the land; then Zhu Mo and Zhang Juzheng disrupted ancestral systems and deviated from the righteous way. These all greatly violated the principles of sustenance, how could the world not be in chaos? Only King Jing, upholding the ultimate principle of eternal and unchanging truth, has today restored the orthodox succession. Thus, it is decreed: Yan's faction, numbering six hundred and three people, are to be executed immediately; and after the Emperor's heavenly surveillance, a grand army shall march south to capture Zhu Mo and Zhang Juzheng to the Imperial Ancestral Temple, to suffer heavenly punishment alongside Yan Shifan."
Hoo…
Everyone finally understood. So this was what King Jing intended? All this nonsensical rambling was merely to find a pretext for a southern campaign?