At around nine o'clock in the morning, there was still light rain in the sky. On the large campus outside Songyang Gate, a group of soldiers stood in solemn silence. On the platform was a row of bound prisoners kneeling, with two soldiers standing behind each.
The sergeants in the audience looked at the scene in front of them with doubts.
After the arrest last night, the soldiers monitored the barracks of the sixth bureau, and the first bureau was notified to be on armed alert. People from other bureaus were more or less aware of these unusual movements in the camp. There were rumors in the camp, and there were all kinds of things.
speculation.
Pang Yu was wearing official uniform and a black gauze hat, standing on the general platform in the rain. Jiao Guozhao was kneeling not far from him. His body was struggling and twisting, and his mouth was stuffed with cotton. He kept whining at Pang Yu.
Make a sound.
Pang Yu didn't look at him. After scanning the field, he nodded to Jiang Guoyong beside him.
Jiang Guoyong bowed, and when he lowered his head, he glanced sideways behind him. Guo Fengyou, Pang Ding, and Secretary Hou were also on the stage and did not look at him at all.
Jiang Guoyong took a breath, came to the edge of the general platform, and unfolded a piece of submission paper.
"Last night, when the Chinese Army Guards patrolled the camp, seven gamblers were captured in the barracks. They were the Chinese Army Camp Commander Jiao Guozhao, the Sixth Bureau Hundred Commander Tang Ze, and the Sixth Bureau Flag Commander Zhang Fugui...
Wu Dacai, a soldier of the Chinese army camp, seized fifty-seven taels and three cents of gambling money."
There was a slight commotion below. Over the past few months, everyone had recognized Jiao Guozhao and knew that he was the sworn elder brother of Pang Daren. He seemed to have more power than the various bosses, and he did not expect to be arrested.
Jiang Guoyong's face turned a little red, and he continued to read after the soldiers calmed down, "After interrogation all night, Wu Dacai also accused Jiao Guozhao of forcibly taking military pay from him, and also sued General Tang Ze of the Sixth Bureau for apportioning the soldiers' pay and drinking the soldiers' blood.
.”
Ng Tak Choi knelt at the end, feeling as if everyone was looking at him, burying his head and not daring to look anywhere. Every time he heard his name, his body trembled slightly.
Jiang Guoyong glanced at Pang Yu secretly, paused for a moment and then raised his voice, "The military rules of our camp are clearly stated. Anyone who participates in gambling will be punished with fifty military sticks. Anyone who opens a gambling game in the camp will be executed. Anyone who deducts military pay and drinks the blood of soldiers will be executed."
Tang Ze took advantage of his authority to blackmail his subordinate sergeants and forcibly allocate monthly salary for his own use. Jiao Guozhao, as the commander-in-chief of the Chinese army, opened a gambling establishment in the army and took the lead in violating military laws. After investigation, it was found to be true, and the two of them followed the law.
…Beheaded!”
There was a sound of gasping and breathing below. Jiao Guozhao on the stage was stunned for a moment, and suddenly he twisted violently to stand up. Two soldiers behind him firmly held him down.
After Jiang Guoyong finished reciting, he turned to look at Pang Yu, feeling quite uneasy in his heart.
No one slept last night. At midnight, the book office went to find Pang Yu again, and then summoned Jiang Guoyong. At dawn, Pang Yu finally determined the crime and punishment.
But it wasn't until this moment that Jiang Guoyong felt that Pang Yu really wanted to kill Jiao Guozha, and that he also brought a boss with him. Because everything was too hasty, he still feels a little unreal.
Pang Yu said without looking at him, "March method!"
Jiao Guozha next to him struggled even more fiercely. Guo Fengyou directed two soldiers to go over and punch and kick the bound Jiao Guozha, causing him to collapse on the ground.
Guo Fengyou came over with a big knife and "drag him off the stage."
"Behead him right here."
Guo Fengyou turned to look at Pang Yu and reminded him carefully, "Sir, those old clerks said they were beheading people under the stage."
Pang Yu said coldly, "On the general platform."
Guo Fengyou did not dare to say anything anymore, and ordered the two soldiers behind him to pull up Jiao Guozhao's upper body and still let him kneel on the ground, exposing his neck.
Guo Fengyou reached out and touched the joints of his neck and made a cut with the blade of a knife. Blood soon oozed from the mouth and a red mark appeared.
He was also a little nervous because he had never beheaded anyone before. Although he had carried out two assassinations, they were mostly with knives and barrels, and they were all people he had never met before, but Jiao Guozhao met him every day.
It was originally suggested to hire an executioner from the county government, but Pang Yu did not allow outsiders to carry out the execution, and appointed Guo Fengyou to carry out the execution. After receiving the executioner task, Pang Yu hurriedly asked the clerk in the government office for methods.
Finally, I took a peek at Pang Yu and found that Pang Yu didn't look back at all, which showed that I had made up my mind.
Guo Fengyou took a deep breath to steady his mind and stood beside Jiao Guozhao.
"Don't move Jiao Ba, lest you suffer."
The sword was raised high, and the school grounds fell into a deathly silence.
Jiao Guozha had blue veins on his face and tears streaming down his face. He whimpered like a beast from his blocked mouth. His body was shaking like chaff, and feces and urine were flowing out from under his body.
The broadsword paused in the air for a moment, then slashed down with a roar. The sergeants in the audience couldn't help but scream. Jiao Guozhao's head fell to the general platform with a bang and rolled twice before stopping. The severed neck was like a fountain.
Generally, blood arrows spurt out, and after the first spurt, it becomes a continuous flow of blood, with occasional rhythmic surges.
Only then did the two soldiers release the headless body and let it fall down, leaving the stage covered with blood and blood mixed with rainwater and spilled everywhere.
Ng Tak Choi's forehead almost touched the countertop, and he lay on the ground with his mouth wide open, breathing heavily.
The next step was to behead Tang Ze. This man was an old man from Zhuangban who had participated in the night attack on Tongcheng. He had never thought that he would be beheaded, and he collapsed on the ground at this time.
When Guo Fengyou executed it, it was not as smooth as Jiao Guozhao's. It took him three cuts to cut off his head.
The two heads were placed on the general's platform, and all the soldiers could see them.
Pang Yu slowly took a step forward and reached the edge of the general platform. Jiang Guoyong quickly took two steps back.
Pang Yu scanned the audience and took out two pieces of paper from his arms.
"Entering the camp, there are two people's signatures. Observing military discipline is not an empty talk! Today, everyone needs to know that military discipline! It's not a nice thing to say. This is the army. Military discipline is strict and no provocation is tolerated. Punishment will be bloody.
Don’t avoid relatives! Military laws are strict not to kill people, but to save more lives on the battlefield.”
Nearly a thousand soldiers were silent in the rain, and the blood on the platform leaked from the gaps in the wooden boards to the ground, flowing slowly with the rain.
Pang Yu shouted loudly, "Jiang Guoyong comes out! Jiang Guoyong quickly stepped forward and said, "Here we come!"
"From this time today, Jiang Guoyong is appointed as the commander-in-chief of the garrison camp. With the general title, he will be in charge of military and legal affairs in the camp."
Jiang Guoyong was stunned for a moment and said quickly, "Yes, sir!"
Pang Yu continued, "In every hundred general bureaus, there is a town governor and a town sergeant to enforce the military laws of each bureau! In the first bureau, Dong Mingyuan was the town governor; in the second bureau, Yang Guangzu was the town governor, and in the third bureau, Yang Guangzu was the town governor.
Governor of the Bureau..." Following Pang Yu's command, the people whose names were called came out one after another. They were all old men in the strong squad in Tongcheng. They were not given the position of captain in the garrison camp. They were all caught off guard when they were suddenly appointed.
Pang Yu coldly looked at the entire battalion and said loudly, "Soldiers who fear me will not fear the enemy, and soldiers who fear the enemy will not fear me. All soldiers must respect military discipline.
The governors at all levels should strictly enforce military discipline. No matter who violates it, they cannot escape punishment! If the governor fails to enforce it effectively, I will question you as the governor."
After he finished speaking, he looked at Jiang Guoyong and said, "There are others waiting. The town governor will use military sticks on the rest of the gambling participants! It will be under your supervision."
Jiang Guoyong did not dare to delay and announced hurriedly, "All gamblers will be punished with fifty military sticks. Wu Dacai will be punished with thirty military sticks as appropriate because of his meritorious service. The governor of each bureau will come to the stage to execute the execution."
After Wu Tac Choi heard what he was being dealt with, he felt relieved and completely collapsed on the general stage. At least he was treated as a participant in the gambling and would not be deemed to have assisted in setting up the gambling and be beheaded.
His life was saved, but if he was beaten with thirty army sticks, he would be disabled and he would not be able to escape. It depends on what the executioner thinks.
Before he could think too much, a figure ran onto the stage first, holding a military stick and standing beside him.
Wu DaCai looked at the man blankly, and after a moment he finally recognized that man, it was Dong Mingyuan.
Ng Tak Choi gasped, closed his eyes and waited for the unknown fate.
...The continuous heavy rain finally stopped, the weather cleared up in Anqing, and the sky washed by the rain turned blue.
On the second floor of Dajiang Yinzhuang next to the camp, Pang Yu looked at the blue sky in a daze.
He Xianya stood behind Pang Yu and said carefully to the figure in front of him, "Sir, I plan to take a boat to Nanjing early tomorrow morning."
Pang Yu hummed and said, "Two people have been arranged for you to take with you.
It is not easy to create a newspaper, and there must always be someone around you who can help you.
This is a timely publication that involves a lot of work, so we must do it with care."
"I remember all the instructions given by the adults."
He Xianya hesitated for a moment and said, "It's not easy for your Excellency to create the Anqing garrison camp. I always want to help, so I plan to donate the money I got that day to the garrison camp to help you buy more ordnance."
"Whatever is given to you is yours."
Pang Yu looked at the river outside the window with her hands behind her back, "Every family also needs to live, I don't want any money.
But it’s inconvenient for you to carry it with you. You can store the money in Dajiang Bank and get hundreds of taels of interest every year. It’s a win-win situation for both parties.”
He Xianya said without hesitation, "Thank you, sir, and the little man will go and save it immediately."
Pang Yu turned around and looked at He Xianya and said calmly, "I have already told you about Jiao Guozha. Keeping him will only lead to our death together in the end."
"The villain understands and has tried to persuade me. The gentleman is so benevolent and righteous that he can only blame himself."
"As long as you understand."
Pang Yu nodded, "Don't worry about going to Nanjing to work. Your home is in Anqing and I will take care of you. You don't have to worry."
"Thank you, sir." He Xianya bowed in salute, lowered his head and turned around to go downstairs.
There was silence in the house, and Pang Yu stood alone in front of the window, watching He Xianya go out and disappear into the crowd of people on Songyangmen Street.
After a long while, Pang Yu also went downstairs. Pang Ding was waiting downstairs. When he saw Pang Yu coming downstairs, he hurriedly greeted him.
Pang Yu saw a banknote in his hand and asked, "Aren't you unwilling to deposit money in the bank?"
Pang Ding lowered his head and looked at the banknotes and said, "I don't need the left and right, it's still profitable and cost-effective to save them all. Save them all."
Pang Yu nodded silently and walked towards the door. Pang Ding quickly collected the banknote and followed behind.