Chapter 9: Shenming Pavilion

The Shenming Pavilion stands just to the left outside the yamen gate, with the Jingshan Pavilion on the right — each a single brick-and-tile building. The so-called Shenming Pavilion was instituted by Zhu Yuanzhang in the early Ming: for ordinary disputes in village streets and marketplaces — civil matters like land and property, as well as minor offenses such as brawling or petty theft — the plaintiff could not bring the case directly to court. It first had to be mediated by someone of high virtue and prestige, much like later civil mediation. Only if mediation failed could the case proceed to the Main Hall for judgment. The purpose was mainly to reduce litigation, prevent yamen personnel from exploiting lawsuits for graft and abuse of law, and at the same time carry out social governance jointly with village elders and clans.

Because the Shenming Pavilion and the yamen represented the gentry and the government respectively, conflicts of interest arose when handling social affairs, and the yamen naturally would not invest resources to maintain them. Thus, by the late Ming, the two pavilions in many places had fallen into disuse. Tongcheng County originally had twenty-three locations with forty-six pavilions, but only the two pavilions at the county yamen were still in operation.

That afternoon, Pang Yu's lawsuit came before the Shenming Pavilion. Jiao Guozha had called in a Village Elder on duty to serve as mediator. A constable came from the Punishment Office, and together with the jailer from the gate earlier, they brought Shopkeeper Zhou out from the jail as well.

Shopkeeper Zhou hung his head low. The moment the Zhou Family Daughter saw her father's wretched state, she rushed over in distress to support him.

Pang Yu's outward appearance was even more wretched than Shopkeeper Zhou's — he looked to be at his last gasp. He had been helped through the door by Jiao Guozha, presenting the picture of someone still not recovered from severe injuries. Following behind was the third of his sworn brothers, He Xianya, who usually worked as an auxiliary and litigation trickster, often helping people file suits at the yamen. Facing such a scene, he was not the least bit nervous.

When the jailer saw Pang Yu, he threw out a couple more taunts. Pang Yu merely smiled again and paid him no attention.

After taking his seat, Pang Yu surveyed the place briefly. The Shenming Pavilion was not very large inside. On the upper wall hung a black-lacquered wooden board — this was the Good and Evil Ledger of the Shenming Pavilion. It mainly recorded recent mediation matters, noting which evildoers had been punished, all written and posted there. Anyone could come in and examine it, carrying the meaning of punishing evil and promoting good.

"You have both arrived. This old man unworthily serves as Village Elder of Qingfeng Market. Honored by the high regard of our Father-Magistrate, today I mediate for the two of you in the matter of Zhou Yongtian wounding Pang Yu with an object. I ask both of you to each recount the circumstances of that day." An old man with a graying beard sat at the head, addressing Pang Yu and Shopkeeper Zhou to his left and right.

Shopkeeper Zhou hung his head like a frostbitten eggplant. The Zhou Family Daughter stood behind Shopkeeper Zhou, still finding time to glare furiously at Pang Yu. Pang Yu, after all, was a man of the yamen — fighting on home ground now, he naturally would not flee for his life as he had that day. He simply continued groaning and feigning severe injury.

The Zhou Family Daughter then said loudly, "That day, it was this Pang family constable who molested me first. My father came out to stop him. If you're going to judge the case, you must first judge him for molesting this slave-girl."

"No manners — what's all this 'molesting, molesting'? Where exactly did he molest you!" Pang Yu lifted his head and gave a cold snort at the Zhou Family Daughter.

"You touched my bottom!" The Zhou Family Daughter said furiously. Today she had actually mustered the courage to say the word "bottom." The moment the words left her mouth, several people around burst out snickering, and the Zhou Family Daughter's face flushed crimson again.

"Do you have proof? Do you have witnesses? Keep slandering me and I'll sue you for false accusation." Pang Yu forgot to feign illness and reflexively raised his head to retort.

The Zhou family were outsiders living away from home, and they were in a lawsuit against a yamen runner — which neighbor would dare come forward as a witness? Zhou Yueru was instantly at a loss for words. After a moment, she said bitterly, "Pah! You dare act but not own up — and you call yourself a man."

"It wasn't me who touched you in the first place. Otherwise, let this young master make it up with a touch, and see for yourself whether I'm a man or not." Pang Yu was righteous and confident. He had woken up lying on the ground — it truly had not been him who did the touching; it was the old Pang Yu who did it.

The Zhou Family Daughter pointed at him. "Have you no shame!"

The Village Elder quickly extended a hand to placate both sides. "Let us speak civilly, both of you. I do not yet know who this young lady is..."

The Zhou Family Daughter said, catching her breath, "I am my father's daughter. My name is Zhou Yueru."

The Village Elder said, "Since we are in the Shenming Pavilion today, it is with the intent of reconciliation. The Zhou family young lady must not be so aggressive."

He Xianya cut in at this point. He first cupped his hands and bowed to the Village Elder, then said with perfect courtesy, "Elder Wu above, this junior is He Xianya, a friend of the aggrieved Pang Yu, handling the litigation matters on his behalf. I am honored by Elder Wu's inquiry. The true facts of that day are as follows: Pang Yu, under orders from the Runner Squad leader to conduct street patrol and inspection, was outside the Zhou family paper shop on East Street when he saw a rat scurrying wildly across the street, startling the Zhou girl. Fearing the girl might be bitten by the rat, he stepped forward to help drive it away. Who could have known that this Shopkeeper Zhou would bite the hand that feeds him, insisting on falsely accusing Pang Yu of molesting his daughter, and even declaring that Pang Yu must marry his daughter, or else pay him silver before he could leave. Pang Yu, as a constable, could never tolerate such wicked conduct, and was about to take Zhou Yongtian back to the yamen to see the magistrate. The father and daughter then brought out clubs and beat him, causing head injury and stroke, and also injuring his internal organs so that blood flowed from his mouth and nose on the spot. This is attested to by all who were present. After returning home that day, he vomited three pints of blood and has been unable to recover to this day. Heaven's light shines bright — how does such conduct differ from that of a highway-robbing bandit? This junior, upon investigation today, has learned that Zhou Yongtian is ordinarily irascible, relying on some physical strength to frequently bully his neighbors, and has finally committed such a wicked act. I think that our Tongcheng, a land of supreme virtue, cannot tolerate such a villain doing evil. This junior presumes to ask Elder Wu to render justice for the Pang family and restore clear order to our Tongcheng."

"Pap, pap," came two crisp sounds.

Everyone turned to look and saw Pang Yu clapping. In Pang Yu's eyes, He Xianya's speech was well-reasoned, well-evidenced, and righteous, his image perfectly matching that of Fang Tangjing from "Nine-Rank Sesame Official."

"You are utterly shameless! Saying he was on street patrol — he wasn't even wearing his constable uniform..." Zhou Yueru, her face bright red, pointed at He Xianya in fury. She was an average speaker, and now, frantic with rage, she found it even harder to describe the events of that day. Hearing He Xianya's brazen lies, she lost control and made as if to lunge at him.

He Xianya, his face full of righteous indignation, raised his head and stared at Zhou Yueru, saying loudly, "Miss Zhou, this is the county yamen, the foremost place of virtue in Tongcheng. Before Elder Wu's very eyes, do you still dare commit violence and evil?"

Jiao Guozha slapped a palm down on the head-hanging Shopkeeper Zhou. "What are you playing mute for? Want to go back to the jail?"

Shopkeeper Zhou shuddered and hurriedly said to the Village Elder, "It's exactly as they said, not a bit of difference..."

Zhou Yueru turned her head and stared at her father, her face full of shock. "Dad, how can you say that?"

Shopkeeper Zhou dared not look at her. He only lowered his head and said, "If you hit someone, you should pay."

Zhou Yueru said urgently, "Dad, in all matters there must be right and wrong, surely. Paying silver for hitting someone is right, but you can't turn black into white. This villain becomes a righteous hero, and we become highway bandits."

"I have my own ideas. You — you don't know what it's like in there. Don't say any more."

He Xianya snapped his fan shut with a "whoosh" and slapped it into his palm. "Elder Wu, honored sirs, you have all heard Zhou Yongtian admit the truth of what this humble one has recounted of that day's events. I have already stated earlier that Pang Yu, on that day, was under orders from the Runner Squad leader to conduct street patrol and inspection — this constitutes official business of summons and arrest. According to the 'Regulations for Trying Cases,' for any person who resists and refuses to submit when court officers are pursuing the collection of rations and pay or conducting official business of summons and arrest, and who strikes the dispatched officer, the penalty is eighty strokes of the heavy rod. If the injury is severe, reaching internal injury with spitting blood or worse, and for the principal offender in serious cases, each adds two degrees. The punishment caps at one hundred strokes of the heavy rod and exile three thousand li. For those causing permanent disability, strangulation!"

Shopkeeper Zhou crashed to the floor, chair and all, with a loud clatter.