zChapter 992 - Execute? (1/2)
Seeing Imperial Concubine Li personally go to her wardrobe and pull out a white cloth. She also pulled out a number of needles before ducking into the inner hall and began doing what she was best at, stabbing voodoo dolls. Though Zuo’er was utterly helpless, she still let out a sigh of relief.
Although it was taboo for Imperial Concubine Li to stab voodoo dolls, it was better than doing something else to oppose the ninth prince. As long as the servants of Zhang Ning Palace did not speak about it, news of this would not spread. Right now, she would rather have Imperial Concubine Li focus her efforts on stabbing a doll and stay put in Zhang Ning Palace. She must not interact any further with Talented Lady Liu.
Zuo’er glanced at Imperial Concubine Li and made a decision. Leaving the hall on her own, she informed the other servants in the yard: “In the future, when Talented Lady Liu comes again, just hold her outside. Regardless of what excuse you use, even if you need to just forcefully chase her out, you must not let her in. Do you understand?”
The servants did not know why there was such an order, but after thinking a bit, she was just a talented lady. So what if she was her sister? Either way, they were never close in the past. Thinking about it, it had to be that Her Highness Imperial Concubine Li did not want to see her! Thus they nodded and complied, expressing that they would no longer let Talented Lady Liu or anyone related to Jing Si Palace into Zhang Ning Palace.
It was impossible for the people outside the palace to know about what had just happened inside the palace. Recently, the Board of Punishments had been arranging for Xuan Tianmo’s execution. Xuan Tianming was busy with raiding the Sheng Palace and personally led a group in registering the things that had been seized. They were preparing to have it all added to the national treasury three days later.
When he saw old eighth’s foundation, he could not help but sigh and think that his wife’s previous raid was not fierce enough! Old eighth really had many hiding places for his things. The residence had another hidden passage and underground vaults. They all contained many treasures. Seeing the things carried out one chest at a time, he felt quite distressed. If all of these things had been placed in Feng Yuheng’s space, how great would that have been!
Of course, he did not dare tell Feng Yuheng about these things after returning home. He even told her: “You really cleaned out the Sheng Palace the previous time. The court is unable to find a single nice thing.” One might as why this was done? What a joke, based on his kleptomaniac of a wife, if she found out that old eighth still had so many nice things, would she not go and steal it all overnight! However, those things had already been registered and would be added to the national treasury. He could not allow them to disappear from under his nose.
However, Feng Yuheng was not very interested in the things he said. She was only concerned with whether or not old eighth would really be executed in three days’ time. In regards to this, Xuan Tianming said: “The imperial decree has already been handed down. Three days later, at half past noon, the Board of Punishments will carry out the execution. If there is any change to this, as I see it, that old man might as well stop being emperor.”
Three days later, Xuan Tianming personally fetched the eighth prince from the condemned cell. Having spent three days in the freezer-like condemned cell, one would be reduced to quite a sorry state. Xuan Tianmo’s legs were completely stiff from constantly sitting on ice. Unable to walk, he could only be carried out by some strong eunuchs.
While he could not move his legs, he was quite alert. When he saw Xuan Tianming, he even chirped with some vigor: “I have lost, but you might not win either.”
How could Xuan Tianming have any desire to argue with him. This person was about to die. Saying anything would be a waste of time.
He personally brought him out of the palace and escorted him to the transportation cell for the condemned before handing him off to Xu Jingyuan. He, however, did not follow them to the execution site. In the end, they were still brothers. Even if there had been enmity in the past, he did not wish to personally witness his head being cut off. Thus he waved his hand and climbed into the imperial carriage with Bai Ze and returned to the Yu Palace.
Xuan Tianming did not want to watch old eighth have his head chopped off, but Feng Yuheng did not have that brotherly connection! After he returned to the palace, he heard Lady Zhou say: “The princess went to the execution with Palace Princess Wu Yang and the young misses from the Fung family and the Ren family. They said that they were going to watch the execution.”
Across from the execution site, there was a two-story tea house. There was a private room with a window that happened to be facing the execution site. Sitting at the window, one could clearly see the situation outside. At this time, Feng Yuheng, Xuan Tiange, Ren Xifeng and Fung Tianyu were seated at the table. While sipping tea, they waited for the time of the execution.
The waiter that came to provide them with tea said: “This private room has been jokingly called the execution observation room by the people. Not to hide anything from you, but ever since the imperial decree was announced, this private room has been quite requested!” The waiter spoke with a look of joy on his face. It was as though he was speaking about something very joyous, and this private room would be hosting a wedding. In truth, it was a room to watch people get executed. It was specifically for watching people get killed.
When the waiter left, Feng Yuheng said: “Say, do you think the waiter is happy because this private room has been heavily requested? Or do you think that the person being executed is too disliked?”
Xuan Tiange shrugged: “It’s most likely both. Based on old eighth’s popularity, at least half of the people in the capital hate that they aren’t able to strangle him to death!”
Fung Tianyu asked her: “Speaking of, that’s your cousin. Now, he’s going to be executed. Are you not uncomfortable in the slightest?”