O Zhang Yan nian no longer wanted to show the secret edict. This kind of thing couldn't be shown around recklessly; otherwise, it wouldn't have been called a secret edict. He was very tempted to cut off the fat man's neck with one swing of his sword, but after much thought, he didn't do it. Since he was unwilling to kill Prince Shizhi Zhao, Prince Shizhi had decided to tie him up and prepare to beat him eighty times as punishment for spreading rumors.
Beating someone with eighty strokes wasn't usual; generally, a commander wouldn't order more than thirty unless he just wanted to give them a lesson.
In the army, there was an unwritten rule: if you received thirty strokes, it would only cause minor injuries and pain. However, if you were hit with even one stroke more than thirty, you might end up severely injured or broken.
The eighty strokes meant death.
Zhang Yan and Wang Zha began pleading for leniency but eventually turned into violent anger. Even though Zhang Yan's sword was drawn, it didn't change Prince Shizhi's decision; instead, they were tied together to face the consequences of their punishment.
Zhang Yan couldn’t believe what he was experiencing until he felt hands pressing him down onto the ground. He was stripped naked in broad daylight, feeling a profound sense of shame. They had been beaten before, but never like this—exposed and humiliated publicly.
Wang Zha's eyes were bloodshot as he roared, "Zhao Shizhi! Are you trying to strip my family of all honor? If you want to kill me, just do it quickly! Don't shame me in such a way!"
Prince Shizhi continued his mockingly cheerful demeanor and waved dismissively. He ordered the execution immediately. He could see that messengers on horseback were rushing toward them; they had to wait for this moment. He wanted to give cloudzheng a favor, expecting something in return.
Prince Shizhi no longer cared about his future punishment but wanted to vent his anger by seeing Zhang Yan and Wang Zha suffer. After all, they had made the first move, and even if the emperor was angry, he wouldn’t order their deaths; at worst, they would be put back into confinement.
Ruyi Liu once said that such a stimulus could make the weak Emperor Zhao Jing die of shock.
A swift horse rode in, carrying a long spear that deflected the whip intended for Zhang Yan's buttocks. A red-faced general shouted, "Zhang Yan and Wang Zha! The commander orders you to return immediately with your men, prepare for the campaign!"
Zhang Yan saw Wali Li come but couldn't speak as his naked buttocks were exposed. There was no face left for him now.
Wali Li's spear cut through their bindings, and he signaled them to put on their clothes before leading them out. They didn’t even need to acknowledge Prince Shizhi.
With Ruyi Liu’s command, the guards from Prince Shizhi’s residence rushed forward, but Wang Zha and his men kept retreating while leaving their weapons behind.