The weather is gradually getting warmer, willows cling to the river, swallows flit across the river causing ripples, and butterflies dance along with fallen flowers under the trees. Shengjing City looks like a late spring scene.
A tall, snow-white horse was walking slowly along the street. Seeing that the arrogant man on the horse was Zhang Heng, the son of Pingyang Marquis with a pockmarked face, the people on the street gave way to him, fearing that they would not be caught.
Shengjing City is densely populated, the streets are paved with bluestones, and the shops are bustling. After passing through several streets, there are two stone roads in front of you, which are called "cross streets" because they intersect straightly.
Across the street, there is a large courtyard with yellow tiles and pink walls. The bright sun shines on the glazed tiles, making it dazzling. The plaque on the red lacquered door with gold nails reads "Yushou Si Yamen" in gold. There are two half-person buildings on the left and right of the door.
The tall stone lion is majestic and domineering.
Outside the gate of Yushousi Yamen, there are few people for nearly a hundred steps. Only a hundred steps away are shops doing business and passers-by. A tall horse stopped majestically in front of the gate of Yushousi. The two Yamenmen guarding the door immediately looked fierce.
stopped it.
Zhang Heng did not dismount, but looked at the two government officials and asked arrogantly: "Is your commander here?"
The two government officials looked at each other and asked coldly: "Who are you? Do you know where this is and how dare you be so presumptuous?"
Zhang Heng twisted his mouth and smiled coldly, and said arrogantly: "Go and tell your commanders that Jinjiawei Commander Zhang Heng is here, and I have a good thing to tell him!"
Upon hearing Zhang Heng's name, the two government officials immediately put away their arrogance and sent people in to report the matter.
Zhang Heng sat on the horse and waited triumphantly. When he was bored, he suddenly noticed a man and a woman standing on the street corner: the man was tall and thin, with an iron-gray face, and he was very eye-catching with a flying fish brocade suit.
.
Zhang Heng squinted his eyes and took a closer look at him, and immediately recognized: this person was the officer of the Imperial Guard who rescued King Yi and the leader of the caravan from him last time - Ruan Lang...
Thinking of the humiliation he had given him that day, Zhang Heng became extremely angry. He gritted his teeth with hatred, and the veins in his hands holding the reins were exposed.
His resentful eyes turned and fell on the woman in front of Ruan Lang, and his eyes suddenly lit up: that woman had dark hair, skin like snow, and a very outstanding appearance.
The woman and Ruan Lang were talking and laughing, flirting and behaving very intimately. They looked like they were either a couple or a couple.
Zhang Heng secretly cursed: What a flower stuck in cow dung! What a pity that such a beautiful woman followed such a man!
But then, he rolled his eyes, raised the corners of his lips slightly, and a sinister smile appeared on his face.
The yamen servant who went to report the matter came back and invited him in to meet him. Zhang Heng jumped off the horse in high spirits, threw the reins to the two of them, glanced at the men and women on the corner again, and then walked majestically with long strides in all directions.
Go in the door.
As soon as Zhang Heng stepped into the door, he was covered in the turbid odor mixed with all kinds of odors inside. Because the Yamen of the Yushousi was very cleverly designed - the moment you entered the door, it was not the interrogation hall, but the ordering hall.
People were frightened upon hearing this, and the notorious imperial edict was issued.
A long and narrow corridor is lined with dozens of dark and small cells. In each cell, there are more than a dozen prisoners, crowded into cages like animals.
Everyone was lifeless and half-dead, slumped on the ground. In the wounds on their bodies, big or small, new or old, pus and blood were mixed together, exuding the stench of decay. But they didn’t know that the wounds that covered their bodies were mixed with pus and blood.
Which one smells worse, excrement?
Zhang Heng took out a handkerchief and blocked his nose. He would rather suffocate himself to death than be stinked to death. Suddenly, he felt like something was eating his boots under his feet. He lowered his head and took a look, and immediately became shocked.
He cursed and couldn't help but jump up and kick that ghost thing away.
The Censor next to him sneered and joked: "Commander Zhang, be careful! The prison is infested with rats, and the prisoners' skin is eaten by rats!"
As he said that, he pointed to the prison on the side. Zhang Heng couldn't help but look in the direction of his finger. He saw a skinny man with long hair covering his face lying in the cell. He was motionless and seemed to have been dead for a long time. Several
The fat and big rats were gnawing at his corpse with great relish.
But the prisoners who were locked up together were expressionless and motionless, as if all this had nothing to do with them, or maybe they were waiting to become the next corpse. Because for them, death here is more important than life.
will be happier!
"This is not a place for people to stay!" Zhang Heng held back the sour water in his stomach, cursed fiercely, then let go and hurriedly left this ghost place.
But before he could pass through this Shura Hell, he was frightened by bursts of heart-rending cries and the eerie and terrifying sounds of various instruments of torture.
"What is this sound?" Zhang Heng stopped suddenly and looked around in panic. These terrifying sounds seemed to penetrate into his ears from all directions, and cold sweat suddenly ran down his back.
The two guards gave a cold and disdainful smile: "What else can there be? Of course it is the sound of prisoners being tortured! Why, the commander of the Golden Armored Guards who leads thousands of troops, is actually afraid of such a sound?"
Zhang Heng had an angry look on his face, gritted his teeth tightly but said nothing. But he cursed angrily in his heart:
He finally understood why the Imperial Guard's Yamen was designed in this way - the imperial prison was placed at the outermost part, while the interrogation hall was placed at the innermost part.
Because any prisoner who enters here has no chance of escaping except turning into a corpse. And the prisoners who are sent in, after walking through the purgatory-like long corridors and then going to be interrogated, often fail to fight themselves.
trick.
Zhang Heng endured the discomfort and anger and walked forward for a while. Suddenly, the originally smelly air was mixed with a faint scent of rouge. And among the shouts and cries that echoed in the corridor, there was also
The laughter of men and women.
Zhang Heng immediately frowned, full of disdain: He had heard that Wang Jing was extremely lustful, but he never expected that he would do such a dirty thing here.
Two servants of the Imperial Guard Division pushed open two heavy and cold doors, and a gloomy torture chamber suddenly appeared in front of them. Wang Jing, son of Wang Su and commander of the Imperial Guard Division, was sitting on a chair casually, stretching his legs.
Rest comfortably on the desk in front of you.
Two charming and beautiful women were in his arms, flirting with him and feeding him wine and snacks. Wang Jing seemed to have no hands, even though the two women fed him, he did not move a muscle.
.
Zhang Heng frowned, and just as he was about to walk over, he suddenly realized that the place in front of him was like a purgatory on earth: on a square case full of stains, there lay a naked man, his limbs
He was tightly tied to the four legs of the case. The two government officials next to the table were beating him with whips. His body was quickly covered with bloodstains, some of which were deep enough to see the bones.
He yelled and cursed wantonly, greeting all eighteen generations of Wang Jing's ancestors. But Wang Jing was enjoying the soft jade in his arms and ignored this crazy prisoner.
For a time, the sounds of crying and cursing mixed with the melodious singing made people feel horrified and their whole body trembled.
Zhang Heng narrowed his eyes and carefully looked at the man in front of him: he looked wretched, behaved despicably, had no talent or virtue, but he was able to climb to this position by relying on his father's background.
No, he is not without merit, at least he is perverted, cruel, and loyal to the emperor. Perhaps these are the reasons why he can climb up!
Anyway, a place like Yushousi does not need talented people, it only needs people like him - cruel and loyal people!
Zhang Heng suddenly felt fearful of Wang Su and Wang Jing, father and son. After pondering for a long time, Zhang Heng walked forward and bowed his hands in salute, saying softly: "Commander Wang!"
Wang Jing raised her eyelids and glanced at him, snorting coldly: "Oh, it turns out to be Commander Zhang. What can trouble you to come to a dirty, smelly, and fearful place like mine?"
Zhang Heng raised his brows, and said with a rare laugh: "This place is indeed dirty and smelly, and no one wants to come in. But the strange thing is that this is also the most eye-catching place in the imperial city! Many people are scratching their heads.
Everyone wants to come in, but only a man of extraordinary talent like Mr. Wang is qualified to sit in the imperial guard and take care of the lifeblood of Shengjing for the emperor!"
Wang Jing suddenly opened his eyes and looked at him, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he suddenly felt fond of this talkative person. He waved his hand gently, and the two women who were leaning in his arms immediately stood up and walked out of the door.
Wang Jing pulled a chair from beside him, patted the seat, and said with a mouthful: "Sit down."
Zhang Heng didn't take his rudeness to heart and sat down unceremoniously, crossing his legs and proudly meeting Wang Jing's scrutinizing gaze.
Wang Jing touched the mustache on his lips and asked nonchalantly: "Commander Zhang is here. If you have anything to say, don't hide it! Don't disturb me while watching the show!"
Zhang Heng smiled coldly and said nonchalantly: "I have a great thing that I want to share with Mr. Wang, but I just don't know...if Mr. Wang is interested!"
Wang Jing glanced at him and asked impatiently: "What good thing is this? I don't have much patience!"
His arrogance made Zhang Heng immediately grow a long face, but he could only hold back for the time being: "The election for the beautiful ladies in the palace is about to begin. This group of women is really fat and thin, each leading the way. It is the best in all previous elections."
The best of the best!"
Wang Jing suddenly became interested. He immediately sat up straight and asked with a smile: "Oh, how did Commander Zhang know such a private matter?"
Zhang Heng leaned back and hummed triumphantly: "Because I am responsible for sending the beautiful women to the palace this time, and the people who inspect these beautiful women are all mine, so I naturally know everything!"
Wang Jing's shining eyes turned around in a circle, and then asked with a smile: "I wonder if the beautiful thing Commander Zhang just said has anything to do with this matter?"
Zhang Heng smiled proudly, leaned forward slightly, and whispered in Wang Jing's ear: "As long as Commander Wang is willing to stand by my side, then this time the beautiful lady and Commander can be ahead of the Emperor."