Chapter 3 Everyone will die

In the solemn court hall, Yanshan County Magistrate Zhang Zhongren, wearing a black gauze hat and a rare blue robe and mandarin duck suit, sat under a plaque hanging high in the mirror, with the sunrise in the east as his back, and his plump and white face seemed to have a little more color.

It's quite majestic and looks a bit ironic.

On the left and right sides of the public case were the county magistrate, county lieutenant and others.

The wolf-like and tiger-like government officials stood on both sides, holding water and fire sticks.

Under the case, stood Lin Lan. He was wearing handcuffs and shackles, his face was thin and pale, his prison clothes were ragged, and his hair was like weeds.

This time in the court was not for trial, but for beheading and execution. In order not to damage the reputation of Taoism, it was not shown to the public, and no people gathered in front of the court to watch.

If the Taoist master had not insisted on executing him in the hall, and Magistrate Zhang wanted to please him, how could he have acted like this?

Beheading in court?

This kind of thing probably hasn't happened a few times in the whole of Dayu.

There were already prepared straw mats by the yamen servants nearby, which would be used to collect the corpse later, as well as a few buckets of dry soil and clean water to prevent blood from spraying everywhere after beheading and polluting the court.

However, Lin Lan noticed that not far from the public case, there was a man lying sideways on the ground. The man was wearing a tattered Taoist robe, with disheveled hair, a gray face, a pair of dirty big bare feet, and his elbows supporting the ground.

, holding his head, looking at him with a smile but not a smile.

He immediately recognized him as the Taoist who had exposed him.

"Lin Lan."

During the public case, Magistrate Zhang slapped the wooden case and shouted: "How dare you not kneel down when you see me?"

Lin Lan said nothing and stood there with a calm expression.

"You are indeed a rebellious person." Magistrate Zhang sneered: "Whether you kneel or not, seven days have passed and you are about to be executed. Today, your blood will be splashed in the courtroom!"

He glanced at the poor Taoist from the corner of his eye, and then said: "It's okay to ignore me, but you should thank Taoist Master Mo. If he hadn't cared about the reputation of Taoism and had compassion, otherwise I would have made you parade in the streets today."

, which will make your Lin family’s reputation hard to get rid of.”

Lin Lan was too lazy to pay attention to the dog-licking bureaucrat. He just yawned and looked at the down-and-out Taoist with an expressionless face.

This gesture seemed to annoy Magistrate Zhang, who immediately slapped the scaffolding and said angrily: "Let the executioner prepare immediately. When three-quarters noon comes, the execution will be carried out immediately!"

Immediately, several yamen servants began to get busy. They spread a large piece of linen cloth on the court floor and covered it with a layer of dry soil. After the beheading, the blood would directly splash onto the dry soil, making it easier to handle. Wrapping it in linen cloth

That’s it.

"Little guy."

The down-and-out Taoist looked at Lin Lan with great interest, and suddenly said: "Last time I saw you desperately trying to defend your life, why are you not afraid of death this time?"

Magistrate Zhang said calmly: "Priest Mo, this boy must also understand that he will die. It is better to give up the struggle and regain a little more dignity before death. I have seen many people like him."

.”

"Really?" But the down-and-out Taoist squinted at Lin Lan and said softly: "Why do I feel...you don't seem to think that you will die?"

Lin Lan also looked at the poor Taoist and said, "Didn't I say that I can tell fortunes?"

Hearing this, County Magistrate Zhang felt so ridiculous that he couldn't help but sneer and said: "You are a charlatan, you are still talking about fortune telling, and you even believe it in yourself? Is it possible that you are still calculating that you will not die?"

"

For a moment, all the officials and government servants in the hall burst into laughter.

The down-and-out Taoist didn't smile, he just looked at Lin Lan. After a long while, he asked, "Could it be that he had guessed his chance of survival?"

The tone of his question was a little more serious.

Lin Lan also answered more seriously: "I haven't calculated my own death, so I won't die today."

The down-and-out Taoist was silent for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter: "Interesting, interesting. I want to see how you survive today."

"Won't die?"

Magistrate Zhang sneered, "I also want to see if you can still act like this when you lose your head."

After a while, the tall, thin and muscular executioner came to the court, untied the stainless steel sword wrapped in cloth strips, the blade was sharpened and shone with cold light, and he also prepared a pot of rice wine.

The two government officials also placed anvils and pads on the dry soil, then removed the shackles on Lin Lan's hands and feet, and pressed his upper body on the pads.

As soon as the time on the sundial outside the court came, a yamen servant immediately shouted outside: "The time has come!"

In this court, there was naturally no need for the beheading officer to monitor him. Magistrate Zhang looked at Lin Lan mockingly, and when he was about to throw out the beheading token, he shouted coldly: "The auspicious time has come for execution!"

The tall and thin executioner took a sip of rice wine and sprayed it on the blade. Then he raised the long steel knife in his hand high, took a deep breath, the muscles of his arms flexed, the energy settled in his Dantian, he concentrated his breath and exerted force, and stared

Lin Lan's neck.

Lin Lan glanced at the sharp knife from the corner of his eye, and then slowly closed his eyes.

Still didn't see his own end.

"drink!"

Hearing a low roar from the executioner, he suddenly swung the long knife in his hand and slashed towards Lin Lan's neck!

The icy blade flashed a cold light in the air and suddenly fell!

A sneer appeared on Magistrate Zhang's lips.

However--

"clang!"

The imaginary sound of the blade chopping flesh and bones did not appear, but the sound of gold and iron clashing!

Immediately, there was a bang and something fell to the ground.

Everyone looked intently and realized that what fell on the ground was actually half of the blade!

The long stainless steel knife held by the executioner has also been broken, and the jaws of the hands holding the handle of the knife have been cracked and blood oozed.

No one saw clearly what happened, but they saw the light of the knife falling, and before it hit Lin Lan's neck, in the blink of an eye, the long knife had been broken into two pieces.

Lin Lan opened his eyes, looked at this scene expressionlessly, and slowly straightened up.

The whole hall was shocked, but fell into speechless silence.

"You...you..."

During the public case, Magistrate Zhang looked at Lin Lan in disbelief. His big white face was full of shock, and his lips trembled as he said: "What kind of magic are you doing..."

But Lin Lan didn't say anything, just looked at the downtrodden Taoist.

The desolate Taoist lying on his side on the ground changed from his previous appearance of watching a play. His figure floated up, his eyes were fixed on Lin Lan, and he suddenly asked: "Are you really good at telling fortunes?"

Lin Lan asked: "Am I still alive?"

"Taoist Priest Mo." Magistrate Zhang said hurriedly: "This thief doesn't know what magic tricks he knows, but you must..."

The downcast Taoist turned his head slightly and glanced at Magistrate Zhang from the corner of his eye, "Master Zhang, please be patient."

After Magistrate Zhang shut up, Taoist Luo Luo looked at Lin Lan again, narrowed his eyes and stared at him quietly for a long time, and then said: "Since you can calculate, you can probably calculate the fate of other people? For example, these people here?

"

Lin Lan stood up unsteadily and said, "Give me a chair, I want to sit on it."

The down-and-out Taoist raised his eyebrows slightly, and then said: "Okay."

With a wave of his hand, a chair next to the court flew over and landed behind Lin Lan.

"What else do you want?" asked the down-and-out Taoist.

After Lin Lan sat down, he raised his hands, shook the shackles on them, and said, "These shackles make my hands and feet hurt, and I can't calm down."

The down-and-out Taoist didn't say anything, he just flicked his fingers twice.

Hearing just two clanging sounds, the shackles on Lin Lan's hands and feet shattered and fell to the ground.

After everyone saw this scene, they realized that the person who had just broken the knife was not Lin Lan, but Taoist Priest Mo!

But... why did this Taoist master want to save this death row prisoner?

Could it be that he really thought that this liar could tell fortunes and had a love for talents, so he gave him another chance?

"Is it okay now?"

The down-and-out Taoist asked softly, without the slightest hint of impatience.

Lin Lan didn't say anything, but slowly turned his head and glanced at the surrounding government officials one by one, including County Magistrate Zhang, the County Magistrate, and the County Lieutenant on the public case... taking a panoramic view of everyone.

Then, he sat motionless on the chair and waited silently.

Time passed little by little.

After a while, County Magistrate Zhang couldn't help but said: "What are you doing, you kid? Are you trying to delay past noon and live an extra day? My officer..."

But the down-and-out Taoist glanced at him suddenly, with a cold look in his eyes, which instantly made Magistrate Zhang feel as if he had fallen into an ice cellar. He blocked out the rest of his words and felt a cold sweat on his back, and he did not dare to say another word.

.

After another long while, Lin Lan finally raised his head slightly and looked at the fallen Taoist.

"Has it been calculated?" asked the down-and-out Taoist.

Lin Lan was silent for a long time, and then slowly said: "Everyone... will die."

As soon as he said these words, all the government officials in the hall were stunned and then glared at him.

But before everyone could start insulting them, they heard the down-and-out Taoist suddenly burst into laughter:

"Hahaha, awesome, really awesome, you are truly the darling of God!"

Just as the laughter of the poor Taoist reverberated in the court, the spears and waist knives placed on the weapon racks in the court suddenly floated out of thin air, turning into sharp blades with cold light, and directly stabbed many government servants and officials present!
Chapter completed!