“The mission this time is to annihilate you, Shen Du and your group in one fell swoop! You’re nothing but his pawn!” He became increasingly agitated as he spoke, breaking into uncontrollable coughing.
Only after his coughing subsided did Shen Du calmly respond to his earlier words: “Annihilate us? Isn’t it the Guangchun Hall that’s being annihilated now?”
His cold, emotionless voice made Wang Buzui’s previous outburst seem like the ravings of a madman.
Wang Buzui was speechless for a while, feeling somewhat confused.
“You want my life? That’s wishful thinking, I’m afraid.”
Wang Buzui wanted to say something more but was silenced by Shen Du’s next words.
“You, Wang Buzui, deserve death a thousand times over. You’ll be executed this afternoon.”
With that, he left the prison with Zhu Yan, while the man in the cell continued to shout, saying something about how the Guangchun Hall would never fall. Shen Du merely snorted softly, saying nothing.
Watching their retreating figures, Wang Buzui’s mind was in a daze, unable to vent his discontent.
But his little sister had not yet been revived, he couldn’t die like this.
There must be another way.
Right, there was still one person here. How could he, Wang Buzui, die so easily?
Thinking of this, he suddenly laughed.
As soon as they left the prison, Shen Du ordered an immediate execution without any delay. Every moment Wang Buzui lived was another moment of threat.
This scourge who had killed indiscriminately for so long deserved to die.
Afterward, he sent a message to the capital, informing the Empress of this matter.
The Inner Cabinet, when handling cases, could execute first and report later.
Zhu Yan, who had been watching from the sideline the whole time, couldn’t help but admire this resolute action: “Well done, eliminating a public menace. The Grand Secretary is truly just.”
Praised like this, Shen Du put down his brush, his eyes twinkling with a hint of amusement. He beckoned, “Come here.”
Zhu Yan approached. Seeing her staring at his hand, Shen Du shook it and raised it: “It’s nothing.”
He had suffered countless injuries before, and this minor flesh wound was truly nothing.
Zhu Yan shook her head and looked up at him again: “Shen Du!”
“Hmm?” Here we go again.
Zhu Yan’s cheeks flushed red: “Husband!”
“You need to get used to it. Don’t always make me correct you.”
“Alright, alright, I’ll try my best.” After all this time, why did he always pick on these unimportant points?
“It’s not about trying your best, it’s a must.” He was a bit dissatisfied again. She had called him that so naturally a few times before, why was she like this again?
Zhu Yan helplessly raised her hands in surrender, only to have her nose gently tapped by the man in front of her.
What a bother, she thought, but didn’t say it out loud, just giving him a playful smile.
At Zhu Yan’s insistence, Shen Du’s hand was treated with medicine and simply bandaged.
The two walked side by side in the corridor. Times had changed, and now the Yingzhou government office was cold and solemn.
Just as they turned a corner, Zhu Yan bumped into someone. Before she could look up, she smelled a sweet fragrance.
She quickly raised her head and found it was Xiu Xiu. Xiu Xiu stumbled from the collision, but Shen Du showed no intention of helping.
“What’s wrong?” She had to steady the person who almost fell to the ground, asking softly.
After regaining her balance, Xiu Xiu immediately withdrew her hand from Zhu Yan’s, shaking her head slightly.
Seeing her discomfort, Zhu Yan immediately nudged Shen Du’s waist with her elbow, signaling him to leave.
Receiving this signal, Shen Du looked at her with some displeasure, then saw Zhu Yan winking at him, and had no choice but to leave the scene.
Only after he left did Xiu Xiu’s expression soften considerably.
“When can I go back?” Looking closely, there were traces of tears in her eyes.
Seeing this, Zhu Yan raised her hand to wipe away the tears that had fallen from Xiu Xiu’s eyes, but Xiu Xiu beat her to it. She could only awkwardly withdraw her hand: “Why are you in such a hurry to go back? Did that Pan Chi bully you?”
Xiu Xiu immediately shook her head, lowering her gaze and no longer meeting Zhu Yan’s eyes.
Seeing that she didn’t want to speak anymore, Zhu Yan chuckled lightly with some helplessness. She wanted to reach out and hold the other’s hand, but remembering how quickly Xiu Xiu had withdrawn her hand earlier, she retracted her own.
“It might not be safe to go back now. We can discuss this matter again in a few days.” After all, given Xiu Xiu’s relationship with Wang Buzui and the Guangchun Hall, Zhu Yan couldn’t possibly let Xiu Xiu return, so she found an excuse.
However, Xiu Xiu’s attention seemed to have never been on this from the beginning. She interrupted before Zhu Yan could finish speaking: “Does Wang Buzui have to die?”
This question caught her off guard. Wang Buzui undoubtedly had to die, but the problem was, why was Xiu Xiu so concerned about Wang Buzui? She had almost been harmed by him before, why was she feeling sympathy for him now?
She scrutinized the person in front of her. Xiu Xiu looked very similar to the woman in the painting but with a more voluptuous figure. She had good features and bone structure. She had become much thinner in the few days she had been at the government office, and her original clothes hung loosely on her body. Her hair was in a simple bun, she wore light makeup, and her head was slightly lowered as she fidgeted with a handkerchief.
In her impression, Xiu Xiu was not such a shy and reserved person.
“Your name, was it given by Wang Buzui?” Zhu Yan stared at Xiu Xiu, blurting out.
Xiu Xiu’s shoulders trembled slightly. She glanced up at Zhu Yan, then lowered her head again, nodding slightly with a soft “Mm”. Then she looked up again, persistently asking, “Does Wang Buzui have to die?”
Zhu Yan had lost interest in asking further questions, so she said:
“Not die? Should we let him go instead? He has killed many innocent people, you know.”
At this, Xiu Xiu lowered her head again and remained silent. Zhu Yan also exchanged a few casual words before leaving.
But Xiu Xiu remained where she was, motionless.
At noon, many civilians had already gathered at the execution ground. Upon learning that “Half-Face Ghost” Wang Buzui was to be beheaded, the people of Yingzhou all praised the court’s actions.
There was constant chatter among the crowd, rising and falling, with some even deliberately speaking loudly. The words were nothing but curses for the man about to be executed.
“He deserves to die!”
“Even dying a hundred times wouldn’t be enough.”
In contrast, Wang Buzui had been standing quietly on the execution ground since he was brought out, composed, not showing the slightest panic even as the executioner sharpened his blade nearby.
The sun was strong, its light falling unfiltered into everyone’s eyes. Noon was approaching.
Soon, Shen Du appeared leading a group of people. Shen Du sat down at the top, while Zhu Yan stood far from him, watching from the side.
Even so, Shen Du was somewhat displeased. He didn’t want Zhu Yan to be here, such a bloody scene was better left unseen.
But Zhu Yan insisted, even using her experience as a coroner to pressure him. Her final “Please, husband” left him with no choice.
At least Zhu Yan was obedient enough to stay far from the execution ground, which made Shen Du relent.
Yesterday’s events had made Zhu Yan feel something was amiss, causing her to be cautious. She insisted on coming to watch Wang Buzui’s execution with Shen Du, and sure enough, she caught sight of Xiu Xiu at first glance.
After saying goodbye to Xiu Xiu yesterday, she found Jing Lin to lift Xiu Xiu’s confinement. Jing Lin naturally agreed without asking any questions, but subsequently informed Shen Du.
When Xiu Xiu saw Zhu Yan arrive, she immediately came over from elsewhere, deliberately standing beside her.