Chapter 660: Carrying Him Back to the Residence, Bench and All

The leader was terrified and immediately grew wary.

"An oral edict from the Emperor! Xiang Minghou trespassed in the Imperial Palace, a heinous crime. He is to be punished with one hundred strokes of the military cane, stripped of his rank as General, and banished from the Capital City." Mr. Li stepped forward and announced loudly.

One hundred strokes of the military cane?

The crowd erupted in an uproar. One hundred strokes from the military cane was a death sentence.

Although the Emperor had not explicitly ordered his death, very few could survive a hundred strokes of the military cane.

The imperial guards placed a long bench at the palace gate. "General Xiang, if you please."

Xiang Minghou flicked his wrist, tossing his great saber to a nearby imperial guard. The guard reached out to catch it but was immediately knocked to the ground by its weight.

"You will carry out the punishment." Mr. Li casually pointed to an imperial guard in the crowd.

The chosen imperial guard, a young man in his twenties, froze for a moment. Realizing he’d been picked, he stepped out from the ranks and picked up the military cane.

Xiang Minghou lay prone on the long bench. "Let’s get this over with."

The imperial guard tightened his grip on the military cane. "My apologies, General Xiang."

As his voice faded, the first heavy blow from the cane fell.

"One."

Another blow landed.

"Two..."

Mr. Li counted each strike himself.

"Three..."

As the cane fell again and again, blood began to stain his hips red. He went from gritting his teeth to stifling his groans, but not once did he let out a scream.

The onlookers watched in horror. Every strike sent a shudder through their bodies.

Zhan Yi gritted his teeth, unable to bear watching.

Worry filled Dean Chen’s eyes. ’One hundred strokes... He has to hold on.’

Gu Shuo and Zhan Chi arrived to see this scene. If not for Dean Chen and Zhan Yi holding them back, the two of them would have charged forward long ago.

"Don’t be rash," Zhan Yi said sharply.

Zhan Chi gritted his teeth, his fists clenched so tightly that his fingernails drew blood. He could do nothing but watch Xiang Minghou suffer.

"Gu Shuo, you and Zhan Chi are to leave the city and find Qian Fanji and Qian Fu. Bring them to the General’s manor." Dean Chen was afraid they would lose control and cause trouble here.

"Dean, do you have news of the child?" Gu Shuo guessed instantly.

Dean Chen nodded slightly.

"Where are they? I’ll take my men there now."

"The two of you just need to bring Qian Fanji and Qian Fu to the General’s manor," Dean Chen said.

Gu Shuo fell silent for a moment before nodding. "I’ll go find Qian Fanji. Zhan Chi, Master Qian should be outside the city. You go find him."

"Alright."

Dean Chen let out a slight sigh of relief as he watched the two of them leave. He thought of the letter he had received this morning. Although he didn’t know if its contents were true, he had to let them know.

’After all, they are the little disciple’s blood relatives.’

"Ninety-nine, one hundred! The punishment is complete." The moment Mr. Li’s voice fell, he sounded as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

Dean Chen was the first to rush over to check on him. Xiang Minghou was no longer moving. The flesh on his hips was a bloody, mangled mess, his entire body was stained red, and a pool of fresh blood had dripped onto the ground.

"How is he? Is he still alive?" Zhan Yi also hurried over.

Dean Chen placed two fingers under his nose to check for breath, then felt for his pulse. He breathed a sigh of relief when he detected a faint beat. "He still has a pulse."

"Oh, thank goodness, he’s still breathing. He’s still breathing." Zhan Yi clutched his chest, thoroughly terrified.

"Dean Chen, please disperse the people of the General’s manor as soon as possible. The Emperor will issue an edict to seize the property tomorrow. Also, you and Xiang Minghou must not linger in the Capital City. The sooner you leave, the better." Mr. Li walked over and said in a low voice.

Dean Chen nodded and cupped his fists in a salute. "Thank you for the warning, Mr. Li."

"Please, don’t. You’re too kind, Dean Chen." Mr. Li made a gesture as if to help him up.

"Sigh, I won’t say any more."

"I must return to report to the Emperor, so I’ll be taking my leave." After speaking, Mr. Li led the imperial guards back through the palace gates.

Xiang Minghou was heavily injured and couldn’t be easily moved, so Dean Chen instructed everyone to carry him back to the manor, bench and all.