Chapter 10

A few days later, in Song City! In the imperial court!

The Dragon Throne was occupied by the Emperor of the Great Song, wearing a level-heaven crown, his face aged with some age spots, showing the Emperor's advanced age. However, his eyes were particularly sharp, staring down at the court below.

On both sides of the court stood the civil and military officials, with two senior ministers at the forefront, looking at the two central figures with averted eyes.

One was Gao Xianzhi, his face cold, respectfully awaiting the imperial decree.

The other was none other than the Crown Prince's grandson, Song Zhengxi, who had recently galloped wildly through the market. At this moment, Song Zhengxi seemed to have his hair standing on end, glaring angrily at Gao Xianzhi.

"Your Majesty, I have already investigated and reported to Your Majesty and all the ministers. Fifteen military families have disappeared, and although there is no conclusive evidence pointing to the Crown Prince's grandson, the relatives and the entire village of Lin Chong were all slaughtered by the Crown Prince's grandson and his gang. The evidence is clear. To stabilize the military, I humbly request Your Majesty to issue an edict, to execute the Crown Prince's grandson according to the law!" Gao Xianzhi declared loudly.

For a moment, the hall was silent, all eyes on Gao Xianzhi. Some admired him, some envied him, their expressions varied.

Song Zhengxi, enraged, jumped up: "Gao Xianzhi, you have such audacity! How dare you execute me? On what grounds? They were just a group of unruly commoners, attempting to ambush me. I was just defending myself!"

Gao Xianzhi looked at him coldly: "Crown Prince's grandson, is it meaningful to argue now? You are now the key to the morale of the Great Song's 800,000 troops. You must take responsibility for your actions!"

"You, you are courting death!" Song Zhengxi was about to strike.

"Ridiculous!" the Emperor shouted coldly.

Song Zhengxi paused, turning to look at the Emperor.

"Grandfather, Gao Xianzhi wants to kill me. I know, Grandfather set severe punishments for the military, but that was after the incident. After Grandfather's edict, I stayed in my residence and never went out, Grandfather!" Song Zhengxi called out anxiously.

At this moment, a minister spoke up: "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince's grandson is young and ignorant, misled by his subordinates. The ringleaders should be executed, and their heads displayed. As for the Crown Prince's grandson, his title should be revoked, and he should be imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison to set an example!"

Song Zhengxi looked at him, his brows furrowed, but he knew this was to protect him, so he did not refuse.

"I agree!" one minister said.

"We all agree!" others echoed.

...

For a moment, many ministers pleaded for the Crown Prince's grandson, as if this was the best outcome.

On the Dragon Throne, the Emperor looked at Song Zhengxi, a trace of affection in his eyes, his heart softening.

Gently, the Emperor nodded, seemingly agreeing to the ministers' proposal to protect his grandson, accepting other punishments.

Gao Xianzhi's face changed, and he spoke again: "Your Majesty, I have one last thing to say. Our opponent is now Gu Hai. In the past, Chen Taichi swept through seven countries and destroyed two, not because of Chen Taichi's ability, but because Gu Hai secretly mobilized troops. I will do my utmost for the Great Song, but the outcome is determined by heaven!"

The Emperor's pupils suddenly constricted, and the two senior ministers at the forefront also changed their expressions.

One of the senior ministers suddenly said: "Your Majesty, the country has its laws, and the military has its regulations. If we pardon the Crown Prince's grandson today, who will pardon the Great Song tomorrow? I suggest the Crown Prince's grandson should be executed immediately to stabilize the military and uphold the law!"

"Pang Taishi, you!" the Crown Prince's grandson shouted angrily.

Another senior minister also changed his expression: "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince's grandson's misfortune is entirely his own fault. Not executing him would undermine the state. The disaster of the Song Kingdom in the past should not happen again. For the Great Song, I humbly request Your Majesty to execute him to uphold the law and the state's dignity!"

"Liu Chancellor, you!" the Crown Prince's grandson exclaimed.

When Pang Taishi and Liu Chancellor spoke, the ministers who were about to protect the Crown Prince's grandson fell silent.

"Thud!"

The Crown Prince's grandson immediately knelt down: "Grandfather, save me! I don't deserve to die! It wasn't me, it wasn't me! Gao Xianzhi is not in the military camp, but interfering in court affairs, Grandfather...!"

The Emperor on the Dragon Throne looked at the Crown Prince's grandson, his fists clenched. The initial kindness slowly faded. Not everyone knew the terror of Gu Hai, but the Emperor had experienced it firsthand. When the Song Kingdom was on the brink of destruction, they had to beg the Immortal Sect to stop the war, an unstoppable force. In times of national crisis.

He had dozens of grandsons, but the Great Song had only one.

"Execute!" the Emperor shouted coldly.

"Grandfather, Grandfather...!"

Despite the Crown Prince's grandson's frantic cries, he was dragged away by the guards.

---

In Song City, at the largest market square.

The place was already crowded with people. Executing the current Crown Prince's grandson? In the past, this would have been impossible, but now, the execution was about to take place?

"General Gao! Look, it's General Gao!"

"Thanks to the General! Song Zhengxi has harmed so many innocent girls. Good, good!"

"Look, they're here. It's really Song Zhengxi and his gang. Hahaha, this is great!"

...

For a moment, the people at the market square were jubilant, clapping and cheering.

The presiding judge sat in the north, facing a large wooden platform. Thirty executioners were already standing on it, waiting to carry out the execution.

To the south of the platform, the crowd was dense. In front of the crowd, Gao Xianzhi and a group of soldiers, including Lin Chong, stood.

To the east of the platform, a group of bailiffs brought Song Zhengxi and his gang.

They were disheveled and terrified.

"Don't kill me, Grandfather, Grandfather, don't kill me!" Song Zhengxi cried, but the noise around him was too loud, and his cries did not carry far.

"Father, father, where are you? I'm about to be killed, father, father!" Song Zhengxi cried in fear.

"Crown Prince's grandson, what should we do? I don't want to die!" his gang cried.

"You can't kill me, I'm the Crown Prince's grandson, my father is the Crown Prince, I will be the Crown Prince, wailing!"

"Shut their mouths!" the presiding judge shouted coldly.

"Yes!" the bailiffs responded.

Then, they quickly gagged Song Zhengxi and his gang.

"Ugh, ugh, ugh!" they could only make muffled sounds.

Then, black hoods were placed over their heads.

"Ugh, ugh, ugh!" the prisoners could only make muffled sounds, desperate and anxious.

"Bring them to the platform!" the presiding judge shouted.

"Yes!"

The bailiffs led the hooded prisoners around the platform to the north side, forming a long line. Everyone watched the long line, and when some prisoners were hidden by the platform, others were still visible.

Thirty prisoners slowly climbed the steps of the platform.

"Thud!"

The bailiffs kicked the prisoners' legs, and they all knelt down.

Lin Chong's eyes were fixed on Song Zhengxi, his eyes red, his fists clenched.

The presiding judge looked at the sky.

"The time has come, execute!" the judge threw a token.

"Thud!"

The executioners each sprayed a mouthful of liquor on their swords.

"Roar!"

With a loud cry, the swords fell, and thirty heads flew into the air.

"Thud!"

Blood spurted three feet high, splattering everywhere.

"Wow!" the crowd was in an uproar.

They were executed? That was the current Crown Prince's grandson, the Crown Prince's grandson!

"Xiao Die, your revenge is complete. I am sorry to you!" Lin Chong collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Sir!" the soldiers supported Lin Chong.

Gao Xianzhi looked at the soldiers and said, "Did you see clearly? Do you understand? Besides Lin Chong's relatives being harmed by Song Zhengxi, your relatives have all disappeared, framed and harmed by Gu Hai! The Crown Prince's residence was searched, and your relatives were not there. Do you believe me now?"

The soldiers, with red eyes, nodded.

"General, we believe you!"

"General, it's Gu Hai, all of it is Gu Hai's doing, except for Lin Da's family!"

"General, I will fight bravely on the front lines, I will!"

...

The soldiers promised.

"Good, rest this afternoon. We will set out at dusk and return to the camp. Explain to the troops that everything is Gu Hai's plot! We must take advantage of the momentum to capture Hulao Pass and repay the Emperor's trust!" Gao Xianzhi affirmed.

"Yes!" they responded.

"Thank you, General, thank you, General!" Lin Chong bowed repeatedly to Gao Xianzhi.

"Lin Chong, rest for a while, come back with me!" Gao Xianzhi said solemnly.

"Yes, General, you have avenged me. My life is yours, I will die on the battlefield!" Lin Chong said gratefully, his eyes red.

Gao Xianzhi nodded.

By executing the Crown Prince's grandson, Gao Xianzhi had to bring Lin Chong back to the camp to boost morale. He wanted the entire army to know that military law was strict, and no one could harm their families.

Gao Xianzhi believed that executing the Crown Prince's grandson was the best way to convince the soldiers. If even the Crown Prince's grandson could be executed, who would dare to harm their families? Then, even if Gu Hai had more lies, they would be useless!

Gao Xianzhi was now full of confidence, believing that upon return, the entire army would be united. Executing one person would unite the entire army, and they could capture Hulao Pass with one push.

Now, the key was speed, speed, speed!

---

At dusk, Gao Xianzhi led the soldiers away, heading towards Hulao Pass.

The execution platform at the market square, however, was deserted under the night sky. During the day, it was the busiest place, but at night, it was the quietest.

Many people had died here; who would come here at midnight?

But now, someone had come.

It was the presiding judge from the execution, standing next to a man in black, who was none other than Gu Hai, the one who troubled Gao Xianzhi. A carriage was nearby.

"Who is this...?" the judge asked, trying to flatter.

"I am the Crown Prince's man. Knowing too much is not good for you!" Gu Hai said calmly.

"Yes, yes! I won't ask, I won't ask. You showed me the letter, I believe you. After all, the Crown Prince's grandson is the Emperor and Crown Prince's beloved. How could he be executed so quickly?" the judge laughed.

"Keep today's events secret. Anyone who leaks information will be charged with treason!" Gu Hai said sternly.

The judge shivered and nodded frantically: "I understand, I understand. They are all my trusted men, don't worry!"

At this moment, Gu Hai lightly tapped the platform.

Suddenly, a small door opened on the north side of the platform.

"Ugh, ugh, ugh!" a muffled sound came from inside.

A man came out, leading a prisoner from the day.

"Sir, as you instructed, when the Crown Prince's grandson approached, we switched him with a dead prisoner. The one executed was the dead prisoner, the Crown Prince's grandson is fine!" the man laughed.

Gu Hai looked down and saw Song Zhengxi's pants dripping with urine, clearly terrified.

"Phew!"

The man removed the black hood from Song Zhengxi's head.

"Ugh, ugh, ugh!" Song Zhengxi looked at Gu Hai in shock.

Removing the rag from his mouth, Song Zhengxi exclaimed in fear: "I'm not dead? I'm not dead? I'm actually not dead?"

Gu Hai smiled slightly: "How could General Gao dare to kill you? You are the future heir. This was just to cover up. Once the Chen Kingdom is destroyed, everything will be fine!"

"Huh? General Gao saved me? Which General Gao?" Song Zhengxi was at a loss.

"General, Gao Xianzhi!" Gu Hai smiled slightly.

...