Preface: It should be a toast to the wind!
Imperial Square, the cold wind whistled, creating a solemn scene.
The Phoenix Empire's war god of a generation, the commander of all the armed forces, Tang Li, conspired against the state. He and his family and followers were to be executed today.
Because Tang Li had held a high position for a long time and liked to lead his troops into battle, earning illustrious military achievements and attracting many die-hard followers, the Imperial Military Committee, after deliberation, decided to put him and his family to death by the ancient method of fire execution. It was to be broadcasted live to the armed forces and citizens nationwide, aiming to serve as a stark warning to others.
It was said that this method of execution was highly theatrical; the criminal struggled in agony inside a cage, unable to escape the sturdy prison, and eventually, in full view of everyone, turned into char, disappearing in smoke and ash.
The vast square was packed solid, with everyone looking grave as they struggled to focus their gazes on the temporary platform.
The platform was piled high with dry wood, on top of which sat cages made of the latest gold-threaded material developed by the Imperial Science and Technology Research Institute.
This metal had proven resistant to cutting by blades or burning by fire; even the latest model of laser weapons would require a significant amount of time to cut through it.
The cage for the main offender, Tang Li, was placed in the center, the most prominent and sturdiest of all...
Of course, its durability was several dozen if not hundreds of times that of the cages for the accomplices.
Inside the cage, Tang Li's limbs were securely fixed with chains made of gold-threaded material; his head was the only part of him that could move.
No wails of despair, no cries for help, for he knew they would be meaningless.
His gaze was filled with deep affection and reluctant farewell as he looked towards his wife and the infant, just three days old, that she held in her arms...
Indeed, they would not spare even a child.
To destroy the weeds, you must pull them up by the roots; otherwise, they'll grow back with the spring breeze.
"I'm sorry!"
"I'm sorry!"
"I'm sorry!"
-----
Tang Li's voice had long been silenced by poison, making him unable to make any sound, but his wife was able to understand the words he wanted to say from the shape of his lips.
His wife, Chen Yan, was as gaunt as a withered tree, with tears brimming in her eyes, frantically shaking her head. She told her husband it was alright, it was alright, we are a family, we are a family, if we must die, we'll die together.
But she could only make indistinct, muffled noises with all her strength.
Unable to communicate through words, even saying goodbye was a luxury.
Fortunately, they didn't need to say goodbye. Ten years as husband and wife, twenty years of companionship had bonded their souls, and a single glance expressed everything.
"The time has come, carry out the execution!"
The Inspector, dressed in black with a masked face, shouted loudly, and immediately, more than a dozen strong men carrying torches converged from all around, lighting the wood beneath the cages from every direction.
Boom!
The dry wood, enhanced with an accelerant, caught fire quickly, and the roaring flames instantly engulfed one cage after another of massive gold-threaded metal.
Chen Yan, holding the baby, desperately pressed herself closer to her husband Tang Li, closer and closer...
Her husband's embrace was the safest and warmest place in the world.
It had been in the past, and it was now!
----------
At the foot of the green hills, in a small farmhouse courtyard.
A man dressed in casual clothes sat in the yard, holding a delicately beautiful infant wrapped in a massive black cloak. The baby, unable to move in its tiny form, could only survey the man before him and the surrounding world with its beautiful eyes.
The man's expression was sorrowful, his face ashen, with a deep tear track at the corner of his eye.
After an unknown amount of time, he suddenly picked up a bottle of liquor from the side table and poured himself a full cup.
He tipped the glass, dropping just a drop of the liquor into the baby's mouth, and said, "From today on, we're family. Here, little fellow, let's celebrate."
The strong drink made the baby's face turn red, and it began to cry loudly.
The man ignored the baby's cries, swallowed the remaining liquor in one gulp, and facing the breeze and the moonlight, he sang out hoarsely, "The General has fought a hundred battles and his name has split. Looking back towards the Heliang Bridge, I cannot return for a million miles, and my old friend has been forever lost."
"The chilly wind blows over the Yi River, Xiao Xiao, and the crowd's robes look like snow. The true warrior's lament has not yet ceased. Cry, bird, do you understand such sorrow, I suppose you cry not clear tears but tears of blood."
"Who will drink with me, under the bright moon!"
Inside the house, a suppressed cry of a woman could be heard.
It sounded like a harmony!