Chapter Seven, Above the Wumen Gate

Even so, I still want to know what he is truly after. I only ask that you, sir, share everything you know from those years. Xiao Chen's voice was not loud, yet it carried a sense of determination, "No matter what the outcome may be, I am willing to accept it wholeheartedly"

Before leaving, Xiao Chen still had one matter unresolved

Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief, cursing herself inwardly. However, the note had already been swallowed, leaving her with a bitter smile.

Never before had he witnessed such a struggle of a mutilated body. Gongsun Ce unconsciously gripped the pen tightly, his sweat soaking through his heavy shirt. He wished to avert his gaze, but it felt as though something weighing a thousand pounds was pressing down on his heart, preventing him from looking away.

Li Xu accompanied him to the door, knocked, and upon seeing someone come out to welcome Xiao Chen inside, he then left. He did not know what the Second Senior Brother sought from Master Gongsun; he only understood that the Second Senior Brother did not wish to speak about it, and even if he were to ask again, it would be of no use

Gongsun Ce served as a minor official in the Ministry of Justice. On that day, during the third session of the court hearing, he acted as the clerk, and it was the largest case he had encountered since joining the Ministry of Justice

At the moment he paused, the rain suddenly poured down in torrents, falling indiscriminately upon everything within its reach, as if in a frenzied disregard for cost.

Gongsun Ce had encountered many prisoners, some eager to plead their case, some dismissive of words, and others filled with despair, yet he had never seen anyone so at ease and content.

Alright, I will tell you

He still did not dare to raise his head. After waiting for a while, he heard no further sounds—could it be that Xiao Yi was already dead? He slowly lifted his head and shifted his gaze to the execution platform; the scene before him was something he would never forget in his lifetime

The constable strolled to the corner of the wall, cleared his throat and spat on the wall, then returned to his original position and sat down

The person kneeling in the hall, he remembers it very clearly

... ...

The case was presented to the Emperor, and with the stroke of a red brush, the charges were established: treason and collusion with the enemy, allowing the Western Xia people to invade and seize grain, resulting in the loss of more than half of the defending soldiers. The offender was executed by beheading in public at the Wumen Gate to quell the anger of the populace

Xiao Yi is undoubtedly their parricidal enemy

The servant bowed and exited.

Unable to extract information through questioning, they resorted to severe torture, dragging him down to be beaten dozens of times, then bringing him back up. His lower body was already soaked with blood, yet he remained conscious, no longer looking at the people in the hall, but instead gazing blankly at the sky outside, his gaze soft. This drew the attention of Gongsun Ce, who followed his line of sight and saw two swallows flying in and out, carrying twigs in their beaks, busily building a nest on the beam.

The wind howled as it blew, and the surroundings were eerily silent, enveloped in a profound stillness. Everyone fixed their gaze upon him, watching as he struggled to rise from the pool of blood with the only hand he had left.

Stones and bricks fell like rain onto the execution platform, and among them was even an axe, which struck accurately on Xiao Yi's back, causing blood to spurt out... The sound of the shoulder blade cracking was not loud, yet it was enough to send a chill down Gongsun Ce's spine. He turned his head away, not daring to look again, only hearing the executioner shouting loudly for the onlookers to stop, fearing that someone might die before the execution could take place.

Young Master Xiao, please take a seat

Twenty years have passed, and perhaps this young man, who shares his bloodline, can uncover this secret

That night, Xiao Chen could no longer contain himself and resolved to make a special trip to the residence of Gongsun Ce.

Gongsun Ce led him into his study and instructed someone to brew tea

He seemed to sense his gaze; Xiao Chen's expression was calm and unperturbed, as steady as a rock. Gongsun Ce could clearly feel the resolute determination of the young man before him. Even if he did not speak today, it was likely that Xiao Chen would find some other way to uncover the contents of that letter.

At last, the presiding judge slammed the table and exclaimed in anger: "Do you even realize that such a crime is sufficient to warrant your execution by a thousand cuts? As long as you reveal the mastermind behind this, there may still be a chance for you to turn the situation around"

At this moment, Gongsun Ce was finally able to see his face clearly. Through the bloodstains, his face remained handsome and composed, with gentle and tranquil eyes gazing at the layers of clouds in the sky, lost in thought...

Could you please tell me what that letter actually said

On that day, heavy rain poured down, yet the onlookers did not disperse.

The chief examiner was unable to proceed, and could only continue to strike. After finishing, they still could not extract any information, ultimately leading the chief examiners to abandon the effort and throw the thoroughly beaten Xiao Yi back into the cell

He could not remember clearly who was sitting in the hall

"The junior sister is still quite young, and it is not suitable for her to be involved in official matters." Xiao Chen changed the subject, "I have come this time with a request, but I am unsure if you would be willing to assist me?" He was inherently impatient with pleasantries, and at this moment, he was even less inclined to listen to Gongsun Ce's rambling.

It seems that your esteemed father's remains were collected by the household servants, but as for where he was buried, I truly do not know

Gongsun Ce finally nodded, his brows furrowing deeply, allowing himself to return to the vast and indistinct memories...

Xiao Yi has not spoken a word since then

Twenty years ago, in the capital city

This statement, though not loud, struck Gongsun Ce with a sense of shock, causing him to gaze in astonishment at Xiao Chen... In that moment, it was as if time had rolled back twenty years, and he once again saw that person, heavily shackled yet still radiant, smiling lightly and saying: "You may judge as you wish; regardless of the outcome, I am willing to accept it."

Gongsun Ce still kept his head lowered, unwilling to witness the moment of tragedy. He only heard a faint "crack," reminiscent of a bone breaking, followed by the collective gasp of the crowd below, and then with a loud "thud," a heavy object fell heavily to the ground

Gongsun Ce picked up the teacup, raised it to his lips, and after a long pause, set it down again. He said in a deep voice: "I will say it once more, that letter, from the handwriting to the tone, and even to the governor's seal, is undoubtedly in your father's handwriting. The evidence is as solid as a mountain. Regardless of the reasons behind your father's actions, he cannot escape the fact that he is guilty of treason."

After a brief period of commotion both on and off the stage, silence was finally restored with the fall of the token thrown by the executioner.

Xiao Chen choked with emotion, struggling to speak. Several times he opened his mouth but could not utter a word. His hand, originally resting on the mahogany table, had now turned into a tight grip. A surge of grief and indignation welled up in his chest, causing his blood to boil. Suddenly, with a loud "crack," the mahogany table shattered, splinters scattering all over the ground. He had neither struck with his palm nor thrown a punch; it was merely the uncontrollable energy surging within him that had shattered the table.

Xiao Yi had already been severed at the waist, and thick, crimson blood flowed all over the ground. He was struggling to prop up his upper body with his hands, attempting to sit up, or rather, it would be more accurate to say he was trying to make his upper half stand upright.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Chen clenched his teeth tightly, his body tensed to the utmost, yet he could not stop the hot tears from streaming down uncontrollably, and he shivered involuntarily

Speaking of which, this case was greatly aided by the help of you senior brothers and sisters. Lord Bao truly feels a bit regretful about Miss Mo's departure this time said Gongsun Ce with a smile

Fortunately, there are still servants to manage the situation. Xiao Chen could hardly imagine what it would be like to hear that his father's remains had been carelessly discarded in the wilderness or in rivers and lakes. As a son, he would truly have no face to stand in the world.

Xiao Chen got straight to the point: "Regarding the matter of my father from years ago, what exactly did that secret letter he wrote contain? Could it really be that he was colluding with the enemy and betraying the country?"

Yet he has never been able to discover what this secret truly is

Xiao Chen shook his head: "I have never thought of exonerating my father; I just want to... understand him a little better. You once said that the case was hastily concluded and did not uncover my father's motives. Therefore, I want to know why my father died. You say he colluded with the enemy, so why would he do that? Surely the letter must have mentioned what benefits he gained from it"

Gōngsūn Cè did not wish to witness such a gruesome and inhumane punishment as the slicing in half, but unfortunately, the executioner at that time was his direct superior, who ordered him to take notes. With no other choice, he had to accompany them.

He has always wanted to extract the contents of that secret letter from Gongsun Ce, but every time he encounters Gongsun Ce, the latter either speaks ambiguously or changes the subject, in short, he is unwilling to tell him

Gongsun Ce remained silent, just as a servant brought in tea. He took the tea bowl and immediately instructed that anyone who had not heard his summons was not to approach the study.

It seemed as if a thousand years had passed, and Xiao Yi finally managed to "sit" up, though he did not sit steadily, half leaning on the lower part of his own body

At that time, I wondered what kind of ambition such a person had to betray his country and collude with the enemy. Gongsun Ce remained trapped in his memories, unable to extricate himself

With a heavy nod, Xiao Chen took a few deep breaths, forcing himself to calm his emotions, and choked out: "The remains of my father..."

The onlookers cursed Xiao Yi with the most venomous words. After much difficulty, the alliance of Chanyuan was signed with the Liao Kingdom, allowing them to live a somewhat peaceful life. At this moment, the people harbored an intense hatred for those who instigated war, as it would bring about disasters that could lead to the loss of their loved ones. Among this group of onlookers, many were indeed the close relatives of the frontier soldiers.

She felt flustered, thinking he was about to come over, and for a moment did not know where to hide the note properly, so she simply stuffed it into her mouth and swallowed it in a few quick gulps

Unbeknownst to him, Xiao Yi had evidently been subjected to torture once again, as it was apparent that both his left leg and left arm were broken. He was half-dragged out of the prison cart and half-dragged onto the torture platform

Xiao Chen respectfully clasped his hands and said: "I hope you will forgive my boldness in coming here. It is only because I must set off for Shu tomorrow that I have specially come to bid you farewell."

He turned his head and gazed at Xiao Chen for a long time

Gongsun Ce came to his senses and saw Xiao Chen unable to hold back his tears, so he quickly comforted him, saying: "It is likely because he had already lost a considerable amount of blood during the previous torture, which is why your father did not suffer for too long; he passed away in the span of a single incense stick's burning time."

There were no screams, not even a moan; even the sound of thunder miraculously ceased, leaving only the quiet sound of the wind.

The Governor of Shunde, Xiao Yi, is as his name suggests; despite being shackled and dressed in tattered prison clothes, he remains graceful and composed, at ease with his circumstances. Regardless of how the people in the hall question him, he remains silent, responding to everything with a calm and indifferent gaze

Gongsun Ce knew, had always known, that there was certainly a secret hidden in Xiao Yi's heart, a secret that allowed him to face life and death with a smile

Throughout the entire trial, there was a clamor around him, yet he remained as still as a rock

Gongsun Ce naturally knew what he was referring to, but he was unwilling to respond.

Xiao Yi looked at the presiding judge and smiled slightly, saying: "This matter is solely the doing of Xiao alone, so you may judge as you see fit. Regardless of the outcome, I am fully willing to accept it."

He sighed deeply and said, "Believe me, even if you know the contents of that letter, you will not be able to exonerate your father."