Chapter 010 is presented as a gift with the head
Please think carefully, my lord
Having said that, he directly lifted his garment and knelt on one knee on the deck, resting his head against the execution stake, his eyes fixed on Zhang Huangyan and the others, without resentment or hatred
Could it be that I guessed wrong?
The axe-wielding warrior, holding a large saber, adhered to the rules established over the millennia. With a loud shout, he raised a bowl of wine, downed it in one gulp, and then forcefully spat towards the blade. He then placed his hands on his hips and spoke to Zhu Mingzong.
Before Zhu made his move, he had one last piece of advice: for the sake of the great Ming dynasty, I implore Your Excellency not to be deceived by Lang Tingzuo's false surrender and delaying tactics! I implore Your Excellency not to be deceived by Lang Tingzuo's false surrender and delaying tactics! I implore Your Excellency not to be deceived by Lang Tingzuo's false surrender and delaying tactics!
This is the attire of the Han family
Perhaps this is the mission of my crossing into this era. If my head could convey that previous statement to Zheng Chenggong, perhaps the history of China would change, perhaps...
There was not a trace of fear, only a sense of nonchalance, as if in a dream. Now, for Zhu Mingzhong, what remained was merely the completion of that mission. After reciting this "Final Poem," Zhu Mingzhong gracefully cupped his hands and bowed deeply to Zhang Huangyan and the others, without anger, without pleading, only a calmness that accepted everything with equanimity.
Such a magnificent land, yet it has fallen into a state of decay
The future may hold countless possibilities
To live is to be part of China, to die is to be part of the Great Ming; an inch of crimson is of great weight, while seven feet is of little consequence
Zhu Mingzhong was unaware of the confusion he left in others. Seemingly having come to terms with everything, he raised his head and gazed at Mount Jiao, recalling that Zheng Chenggong had once offered sacrifices to heaven on that mountain. But would this heaven and earth still be the sun and moon of the Ming Dynasty? With this thought, he could not help but let out a long sigh.
The axe wielder, who was carrying a ghost-headed broadsword, trembled all over upon hearing the word "please." Despite having severed countless heads, he had never encountered such a fierce individual. The smile on this person's face and the utterance of "please" made his heart shudder. His knees suddenly lost all strength, and he collapsed to the ground, kneeling. He then began to mutter in the Jiangsu-Zhejiang dialect, phrases like "please do not take offense," and he no longer dared to strike.
Is it killing, or ... ...
Bestow upon me the vast spirit, transforming it into thunder; grant me the essence, changing it into the sun and stars
After three consecutive shouts of exertion, Zhu Mingzhong's expression remained remarkably calm
In the face of such baseless accusations, Zhu Mingzhong did not refute them, nor did he even defend himself; he simply looked up at the sunlight.
Zhu Mingzong, kneeling on one knee beside the execution platform, gave a slight smile to the executioner, feeling no trace of fear as his wishes had been fulfilled
No one expected that he would recite a poem at this moment
Plagiarism
To have the heart to kill the thief, yet lack the strength to turn the tide. To die in a worthy cause, how joyful it is!
When can a person face life and death with tranquility
Hmm! Lang Tingzuo!
Zhang Gong, his poetry reflects his character; one who can compose such poetry must be a person of great loyalty. I imagine that...
Indeed
Today, it is indeed a great fortune for Zhu to offer sacrifices to the heavens and earth of our great Ming dynasty
I am not
Before Chen Hui could finish his words of persuasion, he heard the person shout loudly again
Looking at the attire that would become a classic Han garment three hundred and fifty years later, Zhu Mingzhong gently removed a few strands of straw from his clothing, then brushed off some dust. His movements were very delicate, to the extent that outsiders might perceive them as somewhat cautious. Yet, anyone could sense his fondness for this garment through his actions.
What should I do
The sudden interlude transformed the atmosphere on the ship; whether it was the soldiers or the civil and military officials, all eyes were fixed on Zhang Huangyan! In each of their eyes, a person capable of composing such poetry must be a person of great loyalty, rather than a spy sent by the Eastern invaders
To live is to be part of China, to die is to be part of the Great Ming; an inch of crimson is of great weight, while seven feet is of little consequence
However, no one spoke up to plead for mercy, as if everyone was waiting for someone else to take the initiative.
Indeed
My lord, I observe that this young man is certainly not a spy. His loyalty is evident in his name, and his dedication to our great Ming is even more fully expressed in his poetry. I urge you to think carefully, my lord!
Please
This blatant plagiarism, even in the presence of its original author, left Zhu Mingzhong unable to smile, and he did not even understand why he was behaving this way. At that moment, his voice was low, yet in the silence, it reached those around him, including Zhang Huangyan and others, causing their expressions to change dramatically.
The blazing sun is like fire
After a sigh of exclamation, Zhu Mingzhong looked at the wooden stake on the execution platform, which was stained with dark red, the marks left by congealed blood. Since this is his mission, then let him fulfill it
However, if the execution were to be halted at this point, would it... Looking at those soldiers, most of them also bore expressions of reluctance. Clearly, they too were moved by the two poignant farewell poems and firmly believed that he could not possibly be a spy for the Eastern invaders
In fact, even Zhang Huangyan himself now doubts whether he has been too "arbitrary". ... If it were an ordinary spy, he would probably have begged for mercy with trembling legs and tears streaming down his face long before this, yet this person ...? ... Considering his two death poems, as well as the sincerity reflected in every word he spoke, could there be such a spy?
The river breeze stirred the wide sleeves, and Zhu Mingzhong, having adjusted his attire, raised his head. He looked towards the platform and saw Zhang Huangyan dressed in a bright red ceremonial robe. He observed the Ming flag fluttering in the wind, the people on the deck either indignant or calm, and the Han attire and hairpins that had ultimately become a final elegy.
No
Hey ... ...
Silently reciting this poem between his lips, even Zhang Huangyan's heart and soul were momentarily shaken. Looking at the fearless young man, he began to doubt his previous judgment even more
I kindly ask Lord Zhang to remind His Excellency not to trust the treacherous scheme of feigned loyalty and delaying tactics from Nanjing! Today, I offer my head as a token, and I wish the great army success in the northern expedition! In the future, beneath the nine springs, I shall once again witness the restoration of the sun and moon over the Han sky!
Am I a traitor to the Han people
When someone takes the lead, naturally others will follow suit. As the chorus of agreement rises, Zhang Huangyan, however, is watching Zhu Mingzhong, who is lying sideways on the execution platform, resting his head on his arm. He observes that face, devoid of any trace of fear, and even now remains remarkably calm. He vaguely feels that he might have truly misunderstood him.
Perhaps one's mission is to convey this message, thereby changing history
What is the reason for this? In that moment, he even wanted to walk over and directly ask why such outrageous words were spoken
Suddenly, a poem emerged in his mind
Please think carefully, my lord
In accordance with the command of the esteemed Lord Minister, the execution shall proceed, and I kindly ask you not to take offense
With a furrowed brow, Zhang Huangyan certainly knew that Lang Tingzuo was the Governor of Liangjiang for the Eastern Bandits, and that he was also the commander of the Eastern Bandits responsible for military and political affairs in Nanjing during this defense of the city.
a delaying tactic
After uttering these words, Zhu Mingzhong said
This may very well be one's fate
Despite being fearless and calm, there is always a sense of unwillingness deep within the heart
Before this moment, Zhu Mingzhong did not know, nor had he ever thought that one day he would find himself on the execution platform, facing the prospect of being dismembered. However, for some reason, that fear had vanished
However, at the moment when Zhang Huangyan was hesitating, Chen Hui respectfully spoke from the side