The crowd was packed three layers deep, forming an impenetrable circle around the execution grounds. People stood on tiptoe, craning their necks, eager to get a glimpse of the daredevil who had impersonated a Jing'an Guard.
On the execution platform, Gu Mingshan knelt with his hands bound behind his back. His hair was a mess, and he wore a prisoner's uniform of white cloth with black characters. His face was bruised and swollen, and his body was covered in wounds.
Beside him stood a tall, burly executioner, cradling a Ghost Head Saber in his arms.
A group of Jing'an Guards stood ramrod straight around the platform, hands on the hilts of their sabers, ready to deal with any emergencies.
Several meters away, behind a long table, Pei Shaoqing sat quietly in his official robes, waiting for the appointed hour.
Time passed, one second at a time.
"My Lord, it is noon." Sun Youliang looked up at the sky, then walked to Pei Shaoqing's side to remind him.
