IDWBE -Chapter 126 The Examination

In an instant, the head fell to the ground. As blood spurted from the neck, the executioner had already stepped back and cupped his hands proudly toward the crowd.

Then, one head after another rolled across the ground like watermelons.

One of the executioners was probably too nervous. With a single stroke, the prisoner beneath him let out an earth-shattering scream—the head was only half severed, still hanging from the neck.

The executioner’s face was splattered with blood. Frightened, he staggered back several steps. Seeing everyone staring at him, he flushed with embarrassment, gritted his teeth, and stepped forward again.

This time he raised the blade, gathering all the strength in his body.

Another horrific scream rang out.

He had struck off target again.

The prisoner’s eyeballs drooped, blood trickled from the corners of his mouth, and he could no longer make a sound. Yet the head still hadn’t fallen; his body twitched violently.

Many in the crowd could not bear to watch.

What kind of hatred was this?

If you’re going to behead someone, at least give him a clean death!

The burly executioner stood frozen in place, mortified beyond words.

In the end, Liu San couldn’t stand it anymore. He stepped forward, raised his blade, and with one clean stroke finally separated the prisoner’s head from his body.

This small incident became the talk of Baiyun City for two or three days.

It was simply too horrifying.

Death itself was not the most frightening thing—what terrified people was dying in such an unclean, lingering way.

The fiasco left Shan Qi with little dignity.

According to Liang law, any death sentence was supposed to be reviewed by the Ministry of Justice, examined by the Court of Judicial Review, and finally carried out by imperial decree.

But in reality, if every capital case were sent to the capital for review, it would result in prisoners being detained indefinitely.

It was common for death row inmates to remain in the imperial prison for ten or even eight years, often dying inside before the autumn execution.

The imperial prison was overcrowded; ordinary criminals didn’t even qualify to be held there.

Eventually, county and prefectural offices stopped filing paperwork altogether—criminals were put in the cangue and left to die.

Most conspicuous were the Secret Guards and the Court Guards. They had the authority to detain people, but not to formally sentence them to death.

Yet they possessed countless ways to make a person die inside the prison.

Once a man was dead, all problems were solved.

By the fifteenth year of Delong, the “joint trial of the three judicial offices” had become little more than a formality.

Prefectural offices everywhere carried out immediate executions—who waited until autumn anymore?

So what did it matter if a second-rank official like him ordered a few beheadings?

What he hadn’t expected was that his very first public execution would turn into such a joke. If word spread, it would be truly humiliating.

Every profession had its specialization.

He was even considering spending heavily to invite a professional executioner from the capital.

Winter had arrived, yet the banyan trees throughout Baiyun City remained lush and green.

The final examinations at Sanhe School were approaching.

However, even after exams, there would be no vacation.

Other than the Spring Festival break, Sanhe had neither summer nor winter holidays.

Lin Yi had no intention of granting them any. The children had already started school late—if they were given holidays too, what would they learn?

It was continuous cramming education. Learn as much as you can; if you can’t, then so be it—like Yu Xiaoshi and A-Dai.

Lin Yi attached great importance to the final exams. The papers for arithmetic, natural studies, and chemistry were all personally drafted by him.

Especially arithmetic. With rare patience, he pondered and revised the questions for three days before finalizing them.

He believed mathematics was the foundation of all disciplines.

One could say that behind every major advancement in human history, mathematics stood as the silent, powerful support.

On the day of the arithmetic exam, he personally invigilated.

Seeing how seriously Prince He took it, Shan Qi, Xie Zan, and others had no choice but to accompany him.

Ten garrison soldiers and constables supervised the examination hall from all sides. The students had no opportunity to cheat.

Watching the students scratch their heads in frustration, Lin Yi smiled knowingly.

Who hadn’t been like that as a student?

He clasped his hands behind his back and stepped out of the classroom. Shan Qi followed behind, flattering him.

“Your Highness’s questions are indeed ingenious.”

“Arithmetic is a fine discipline,” Lin Yi said lightly with a smile. “Brothers may betray you, women may leave you, but arithmetic won’t. If you don’t understand it, you don’t understand it. No matter how you study, you still won’t understand.”

The corners of Shan Qi’s mouth twitched, but he still smiled along. “Such learning allows no falsehood.”

“Exactly,” Lin Yi laughed. “One is one, two is two. Even if you panic, it doesn’t change. If you don’t know it, you don’t know it.”

Turning to Xie Zan, he said, “First place in each subject and overall first place—you must reward them, and reward them generously. Let them understand what it means when they say, ‘Within books lie houses of gold.’”

“I understand,” Xie Zan replied.

As for the imperial examinations, not only did Prince He not hold hopes for them—even these old men didn’t dare to dream.

Sanhe lacked a scholarly atmosphere. The students had only just barely learned to read. Even if they went to take the imperial exams, they would merely make up the numbers, wasting money and effort.

Lin Yi continued, “And once you have a house of gold, will you still lack a beauty like jade?”

“Indeed,” Shan Qi replied.

He always felt that Lin Yi spoke too bluntly.

Yet crude words often carried solid reasoning.

After a moment’s thought, Lin Yi added, “Rewarding first place isn’t enough. They must ride tall horses and wear red flowers.”

The old men exchanged glances—that was treatment reserved for the top scholar of the imperial exam!

But since Prince He had spoken, they had no grounds to object. In fact, in response to his call for “innovation,” after the exams they immediately organized a martial arts competition at the newly built square on the ruins of Baiyun City.

Over a thousand students from the school, regardless of age, volunteered to participate.

However, Baiyun City’s only girls’ school was displeased.

The girls’ school had over seventy students, ranging from three years old to over twenty. Its headmistress was Zixia.

“Lord Xie, what do you mean by this?” Zixia confronted Xie Zan. “Are the students of the girls’ school not students?”

“Miss Zixia, they are girls. How can girls compete on the same stage as boys?” Xie Zan’s eyebrows shot up. He found her request inconceivable.

“Lord Xie, Prince He has said that men and women are equal.”

“This…”

After hesitating for a while, Xie Zan had a sudden idea. Pointing to Hong An behind Zixia, he said, “As I understand it, Hong An is the disciple of Chief Steward Hong and has already reached the fifth rank. That would hardly be fair to the other children.”

If you want to talk about fairness—

The other students didn’t have a grandmaster as a teacher!

Zixia smiled. “She won’t participate.”

Unable to refuse any longer, Xie Zan reluctantly agreed.

On the day of the martial arts competition, the vast square of Baiyun City was packed with people.

After all, it was yet another novelty for the city.

And among the participating students were their own sons and nephews—they naturally came to cheer.

But not everyone agreed to let their children compete.

The butcher, Jiang, had already tucked his pig-slaughtering knife inside his chest!

His daughter—his own flesh and blood—actually wanted to participate!

He might be uneducated, but he understood the principle that men and women should not touch.

When fists and feet inevitably made contact, would his daughter still be able to marry?

Would the Jiang family have any face left?