Chapter 61

Zhao Zhentang had already sheathed his blade, wiping the blade with a cloth, then he bowed to the executioner and turned to walk down from the execution platform.

At the moment of beheading, everyone's body trembled. No matter how much they were there for the spectacle, witnessing a real execution was still shocking.

The moment the blade fell and the head was severed, Zhao Jin hadn't yet reacted. Blood spurted out, and the headless body collapsed. Only then did he realize the execution was over. Zhao Jin had never seen real bloodshed before, but he had seen plenty of fake ones. With his mature mind and strong resilience, he tried to remain calm, but instinctively, he still felt fear.

Zhao Jin felt his hair stand on end, his heart pounding, and his body trembling. But he took a deep breath and quickly composed himself. Even without those experiences, five years of physical training and diligent martial arts practice had made him brave enough.

Only then did Zhao Jin notice someone had been watching him. Looking back, he saw his father, Zhao Zhentang, who had just walked down from the platform, looking at him with concern. Zhao Jin felt a warm feeling in his heart and bowed slightly to his father. When he stood up, he saw a look of relief on Zhao Zhentang's face, who nodded and then turned to leave.

Looking over at Chen Sheng, his face was a bit pale but he was relatively calm. Wang Zhaojing showed no signs of being affected, looking completely normal. Sun Dalei and Liu Yong, however, were holding each other's hands, frozen in shock. They were truly terrified.

With a loud noise, the scene finally returned to normal. Many onlookers rushed to the execution platform, taking out the steamed buns and cakes they had prepared in advance to dip in the blood. Some were shouting, "The blood of the most vicious criminals is the most useful. It can not only cure tuberculosis but also bring good luck and wealth."

After dipping the blood, many people started eating right there, their mouths full of blood, but their faces glowing with excitement.

Zhao Jin could tolerate the execution, but the sight of people eating blood-soaked buns was too much for him. His stomach churned with disgust, and he couldn't bear to stay any longer, so he turned and left.

Everyone knew that the last time Zhao Jin watched an execution, he had almost been scared to death. This time, the officials and many onlookers were watching him. To their surprise, Zhao Jin remained calm throughout, even more so than the adults who were used to such scenes.

Such a performance was quite astonishing, and it made people believe the rumors of Zhao Jin's martial prowess.

Zhao Jin walked silently to the cargo yard. After walking down a street, Chen Sheng and the others finally caught up. Except for Wang Zhaojing, the others were still breathing heavily, clearly not yet recovered from the shock.

Teenagers usually had endless topics to talk about when they walked together, but today everyone was silent. It was Wang Zhaojing who spoke first, "Uncle Zhao's blade is really fast. When I watched executions in the capital, the executioners there weren't as efficient."

"Have you seen executions before?"

"My father took me a few times. The first time, I was terrified and had nightmares for several nights," Wang Zhaojing said with a smile.

Zhao Jin found this conversation strange, thinking that the Wang family's way of educating their children was truly unique.

As they talked, everyone finally relaxed. Chen Sheng made a chopping motion in the air and said admiringly, "Uncle Zhao's blade was so beautiful to watch. I wonder how long it will take me to reach that level."

Now, Chen Sheng no longer used a wooden sword in practice but a real sword with a scabbard. According to him, one must be familiar with a real sword, as a wooden sword was too light and could affect one's strength and judgment. One must always hold a real sword.

"Practice makes perfect. After killing so many people, he must have become skilled," Zhao Jin replied with a smile. However, he knew that his father's skill wasn't just from practice but also from his martial arts foundation, which could be seen in his movements when chopping wood at home.

After watching the execution, they returned to the cargo yard, which was already late, past noon. Some of Zhao Jin's peers went to work, while others continued their training. Only a group of children were still playing and roughhousing, imitating the sparring matches they had seen, though they had no martial arts skills and no prizes, just pure play.

After a brief chat, the few in Zhao Jin's circle who hadn't gone to watch the execution were quite regretful. They were full of youthful vigor and eager to see such bloody scenes, but talking about it and actually seeing it were two different things.

After a few more casual chats, everyone dispersed and went home. Zhao Jin hesitated at a crossroads, then turned toward his second uncle's house, which was now unoccupied.

Zhao Zhentang and Zhao Xingzhen's residences were separated by several streets, one of which was lined with shops. However, in recent years, only two general stores remained open to serve the local residents, while the rest had closed down. The street was overgrown with weeds and very quiet. Each time he passed here, Zhao Jin could deeply feel the decline of Xuzhou.

Reaching the door of his second uncle's house, he found it locked and draped with a black cloth, a sign of mourning.

Zhao Jin took out the key, unlocked the door, and removed the black cloth. He walked into the courtyard and stood there with his eyes closed. He had lived here for four years, and every time he stood here, his second uncle, Zhao Xingzhen, would urge him to practice, striking him with a cane if he lost focus.

He couldn't relax. Opening his eyes, Zhao Jin walked into the house and took out the spear. Only through relentless practice and constant improvement could he live up to his second uncle's expectations.

When Zhao Xingzhen was seriously ill, he wanted to find another teacher for Zhao Jin, but Zhao Jin refused. He knew his second uncle was afraid he would slack off without supervision, but Zhao Jin had confidence in himself. He knew his goals and would not slack off.

Stance, strength, and finally spear techniques. It was no wonder Zhao Xingzhen was worried, as these exercises were monotonous and tedious. Training alone, especially for a young person with many interests, could easily lead to distraction and laziness.

But Zhao Jin was different. He could focus and not relax at all, repeatedly thrusting the spear.

Since he had pierced through the wall of the courtyard, Zhao Jin no longer used the wall as a target. Otherwise, the wall would have collapsed. Instead, he used a thick wooden post, painted red at the throat and chest level, and practiced thrusting at it every day.

Zhao Jin had already broken dozens of these wooden posts, and his hands were calloused.

While he was concentrating on his practice, he heard someone knocking on the door. Zhao Jin was surprised, wondering who would come here now. As he walked over, he heard someone outside shouting, "Big Brother Xiaojin, it's me."

It was Mu Shulan. The little girl hadn't appeared for a few days after the memorial. Zhao Jin couldn't figure out her schedule, but he often saw her, so he didn't pay much attention. However, her visit today was a bit strange.

He opened the door, and the little girl ran in with a smile, familiar with the place.

Mu Shulan had her hair in two braids but was dressed in boy's clothes, carrying a small bundle. She looked particularly handsome. At her age, she shouldn't be out in public, but Mu Shulan always liked to go to the cargo yard, mesmerizing a group of young boys.

Others thought the girl was too lively and didn't know the rules, but Zhao Jin knew that Mu Shulan didn't come of her own accord. From the occasional words she let slip, it seemed her father was making her come.

When Zhao Jin first heard this, he didn't know what to say. Such a peculiar father was normal in his previous life, but in this era of strict gender segregation, it was truly unbelievable.

Zhao Jin found it strange but knew it wasn't his place to ask too many questions. The little girl came in, closed the door, and sat down, sighing, "My father and uncles are arguing, and it's scary there, so I came to hide at Big Brother Xiaojin's place."