Whipping

However, the miracle did not happen. What they were met with was heavy footsteps, the jarring sound of keys clinking, and the cold, impatient voice of the garrison captain Hugo.

"Bring Lex and Finn, the two ringleaders, out here!" Hugo ordered his men from the dungeon entrance.

The cell door was violently flung open, and several ravenous servants rushed in, grabbing Lex and Finn without a word.

"What are you doing? Let go of my son!" "Don't touch my brother!" The crowd screamed in terror and rushed forward to stop them, but the servants pushed them away and knocked them to the ground without mercy.

Lex and Finn struggled, but they were wounded, hungry, and cold, no match for these hard laborers. They were quickly dragged out of the cell by their arms twisted behind their backs.

"Tommy! Lord Karl! Save us!" Finn screamed with all his might as he was dragged out of the dungeon. His voice echoed through the dungeon corridor, filled with resentment and a last glimmer of hope.

The square in the center of the village was now packed with almost all of the village's more than four hundred people.

Anxious whispers and murmurs filled the cold air. People were wrapped in tattered clothes, their necks hunched, their faces mostly showing numbness, fear, and a hint of curiosity.

In the center of the square, two simple but sturdy wooden frames were temporarily erected, with buckets and several heavy, water-soaked cowhide whips placed beside them.

This scene sent chills down the spines of many who had experienced or heard of similar situations.

Standing prominently at the front of the crowd were the landowner Edward and the blacksmith Barton.

Edward wore a reserved sneer as he glanced at the terrified villagers, reveling in the feeling of being in control. Barton, on the other hand, looked both smug and triumphant, occasionally complaining loudly to acquaintances about Finn's "ingratitude," his spittle flying everywhere.

Lex and Finn were bound hand and foot and shoved to the wooden frame.

They wore only thin, tattered clothes, shivering in the cold morning wind, their faces pale.

Upon seeing the terrifying wooden frame and whip, the two men finally revealed their undisguised fear, but they gritted their teeth and did not beg for mercy. They simply glared defiantly at the familiar and unfamiliar faces of the onlookers.

"Silence!" Hugo shouted, and the noise in the square gradually subsided, leaving only the sound of the howling wind.

At this moment, the village chief John, with his square steps and surrounded by several servants, ascended a slightly elevated earthen platform at the edge of the square.

He cleared his throat and spoke in his usual authoritative and lecturing voice, which carried far in the silent square:

"Fellow villagers of Jialan Village! I have gathered you all here today to deal with two audacious and lawless scoundrels!"

He pointed to Lex and Finn, who were tied to the wooden frame. "These are the two! Lex the hunter, and Finn the blacksmith's apprentice! As villagers and Contracted Apprentice, they are ungrateful and disloyal. They have been misled and secretly conspired to escape from Jialan Village with their families!"

"This is a betrayal of the village! A betrayal of the Lord! And a blatant trampling on the kingdom's laws and village rules!"

His gaze swept across the crowd, lingering for a moment on the young faces that usually seemed rather "restless," and his tone became even sterner:

"Especially this Finn! He signed a five-year apprenticeship contract with Master Barton at the Blacksmith Shop, in black and white. Master Barton provided him with food and lodging, taught him the craft, and was incredibly kind to him! But what did he do? He's ungrateful and treacherous, actually trying to tear up the contract and run away! Master Barton, please come out and be our witness!"

Barton, who had been impatiently waiting, immediately pushed his way out of the crowd, stood by the earthen platform, and, in his hoarse voice, waved his fists and roared at the villagers:

"That's right! Village Chief John is right! Finn, that little brat, is an ungrateful wretch! He signed a contract with me, ate my food, lived in my house, and now he wants to run away before he's even mastered the skills? What kind of logic is that? This kind of treacherous person should be severely punished! Please, everyone, be the judge!"

Barton's performance caused a small commotion. Some people who were dependent on Barton or wanted something from him whispered in agreement, while most remained silent.

John nodded in satisfaction and continued his pronouncement, "In conclusion, Lex and Finn have committed multiple crimes, including inciting desertion, intending to betray the village, and violating the contract! To punish them for all their crimes, and to serve as a warning to others and uphold the law and order of our Jialan Village, they are hereby sentenced to public flogging! Execution immediately!"

"Whipping!" A collective gasp and low gasps of shock erupted from the crowd.

Caning is no joke, especially in the dead of winter. A few lashes can tear the skin and flesh, chill the bones, cause lifelong illness, or even lead to death!

Some soft-hearted women turned their faces away, unable to bear watching any longer. Edward's sneer became even more pronounced, while Barton looked relieved, as if he had "deserved it."

The executioners were two burly, fierce-looking henchmen personally appointed by Hugo.

They stepped forward and scooped up the icy, even frothy, well water from the bucket beside them, then poured it mercilessly over Lex and Finn!

"Ah!" The biting cold instantly pierced through their thin clothes, reaching straight to their bones. The two of them involuntarily let out a shrill scream, their bodies convulsing violently, their teeth chattering wildly, goosebumps rising on their exposed skin, and their faces turning from pale to a terrifying cyanosis.

The splashing of cold water was not only for the sake of ritual, but also to intensify the suffering of the victim and make the whipping more "significant".

Hugo seemed to think his subordinates weren't quick enough, so he stepped forward himself and took a swelled, heavy cowhide whip with a forked tip from a servant.

He weighed it in his hand, tested its feel, and a cruel excitement appeared on his face.

He walked up to Lex, who was soaking wet, trembling, and staring at him with fear in his eyes. He slowly raised the whip, pulled his arm back, tensed his muscles, and prepared to deliver the first lash that would tear flesh apart!

The square was completely silent. Everyone held their breath, staring wide-eyed at the whip flashing high in the air. Some children covered their eyes in fright.

Lex and Finn closed their eyes, bracing themselves for the impending agony and humiliation...

At that critical moment, just as the whip was about to lash down, a fatal blow was imminent.

"Da! Da! Da! Da!!!"

A sudden, rapid, thunderous sound of approaching hooves, as heavy as a storm, came from the direction of the village entrance, violently breaking the deathly silence in the square!

The sound was so dense, so powerful, so impossible to ignore, that it could not have been produced by just one or two packhorses or livestock in the village! It was the roar of a large cavalry force galloping at high speed, the iron hooves pounding the frozen earth, a roar full of power and killing intent!

Hugo's hand, which was holding the whip high, froze in mid-air, and the cruel expression on his face was instantly replaced by astonishment and a trace of panic.

John abruptly straightened up from the earthen platform, looking in the direction from which the sound of hooves came with surprise and uncertainty. Edward's sneer froze, Barton's mouth dropped open, and all the villagers, including Lex and Finn who were waiting for their execution with their eyes closed, turned to look at the village entrance!