Chapter 811: State Law Overrides Family Rules

Love Shenjing, Zhen'an Prefecture.

At the third quarter of the Chen hour (8:45 AM), the massive grievance-redress drum at the yamen entrance was struck with a thunderous boom. The sound rippled outward rapidly, shattering the morning tranquility.

Hearing the drum, the yamen runners moved in a flurry of footsteps, grabbing their whistles and staves as they surged into the courtroom, each taking their station to project authority.

The Prefect of Zhen'an, Hong Liu Wenxuan, and the Vice Prefect, Liu Liu Binfang, had only just arrived at their offices when they were startled by the booming drum. Both rose and hurried toward the courtroom.

In most government offices, the drums at the entrance were merely for show; the probability of them being struck was extremely low.

Only the drum at the prefectural yamen, commonly known by the commoners as the "Grievance-Redress Drum," was frequently struck by plaintiffs.

Whenever the grievance drum sounded, the Prefect and relevant officials were required to take the bench and hear the case; this was an ironclad rule of the prefectural yamen.

After Hong Liu Wenxuan and Liu Liu Binfang had been seated for a short while, the runners brought in a man of about fifty. He looked distressed and wore simple, tattered clothing, appearing to be a man of poverty.

The Love Shenjing was under the feet of the Son of Heaven, where governance was strict and the law was severe. While commoners often filed complaints, they usually concerned the oppression of the good; major cases involving loss of life were not common.

Initially, seeing the unremarkable appearance of the elderly plaintiff, neither Hong Liu Wenxuan nor Liu Liu Binfang paid much mind, assuming it was just another petty marketplace dispute.

To their surprise, once the man submitted his petition and tearfully recounted his grievances, both Hong Liu Wenxuan and Liu Liu Binfang were greatly shocked.

The old man's complaint not only involved the slaughter of the innocent and coercion leading to death, but the suspect was a servant of the Jia family of the Lady Rongguo Prefecture.

Hong Liu Wenxuan and Liu Liu Binfang were both seasoned veterans of the officialdom, and the Love Shenjing was a place teeming with nobility and meritocracy. Any major case involving wealthy, noble families was a dangerous and thorny affair.

The former Prefect of Zhen'an, Zhang Shou'an, had been implicated in a major case involving the Ningguo Prefecture; not only did he lose his position, but he was ultimately convicted and executed.

After Zhang Shou'an's execution, Hong Liu Wenxuan succeeded him, while Liu Liu Binfang had been a subordinate of Zhang Shou'an at the time. Both were beneficiaries and eyewitnesses to that event.

Now, this homicide case once again involved the Ning and Rong Jia families, and it was similarly a commoner filing a complaint—even the involvement of a wealthy family's servant was identical.

This forced Prefect Hong Liu Wenxuan and Vice Prefect Liu Liu Binfang to be on high alert. They accepted the old man's petition but did not rush to issue a verdict.

Instead, they claimed the yamen needed time to verify the case details and apprehend the suspect, stating that the hearing could only commence the following day. They instructed the elderly plaintiff to return home and await a summons from the yamen.

……

Once the elderly plaintiff left the yamen, Hong Liu Wenxuan and Liu Liu Binfang immediately entered the inner hall to deliberate.

Hong Liu Wenxuan was a second-class Rank Jinshi from the fourth year of Emperor Jia Zhao. Because his ranking was low, he did not enter the Hanlin Academy but instead began his official career as a magistrate of a remote county.

After more than a decade of tempering in officialdom, and possessing a talent for practical governance, he was gradually promoted. Four years ago, he was recommended by the Minister of Personnel, Chen Mo, and transferred to become the Prefect of Dezhou.

Two years ago, when Prefect Zhang Shou'an was convicted and executed, Hong Liu Wenxuan, by a twist of fate, was transferred to become the Prefect of Zhen'an, reaching the peak of his decade-long career.

He was not yet forty, in the prime of his life, and his career still had a long way to go, so he was not as eager for quick success as Zhang Shou'an had been.

He was cautious and meticulous in his daily affairs, and while he held firm principles in his heart, he was not lacking in worldly wisdom. He and Vice Prefect Liu Liu Binfang also shared a degree of tacit understanding.

Hong Liu Wenxuan asked, "Bingwen, regarding today's complaint involving a person from the Lady Rongguo Jia family, have you discerned any clues?"

Liu Liu Binfang replied, "I have carefully scrutinized the plaintiff's petition. Although the language is colloquial, the cause of action is clear and the logic is sound, with no flaws whatsoever."

"The plaintiff is a poor man from out of town. By common logic, unless a close relative has died unjustly and the indignation is unbearable, one would never risk such danger to sue a Duke's noble family."

"I observed the old man today; he was tearful and heartbroken. Based on my many years of experience in handling affairs, there is no reason to doubt this matter."

"I have already sent Constable Xu to the Liuyang River to investigate the matter on the pleasure boats. Once such an event occurs, there must be many who know of it; it will not be difficult to verify."

"As far as this case appears now, there are likely no difficulties, but the timing of the complaint is truly quite suspicious."

……

Hong Liu Wenxuan pondered for a moment and said, "When Bingwen speaks of suspicion, do you mean the fact that the plaintiff only filed the complaint with the yamen two months after the incident?"

Liu Liu Binfang replied, "The Prefect is absolutely correct. According to the plaintiff, Chen Chen Fushou, his daughter was coerced by the suspect and, having nowhere to turn, fell into the water and drowned."

"He originally wanted to report it to the authorities immediately, but he was threatened by the suspect, Qin Yong, who wanted to settle it privately with twenty taels of silver—an offer Chen Chen Fushou flatly refused."

"Qin Yong, fearing a lawsuit, used the name of the Lady Rongguo Jia family to coerce him and even conspired with others to beat him until he was covered in wounds."

"Chen Chen Fushou is an ignorant man from out of town. Fearing for his life, he fled the Love Shenjing overnight and took temporary residence in Tongxian, fifty li away."

"From this, it can be seen that Chen Chen Fushou is a cowardly man. Even if his own daughter died unjustly, he dared not act on blood-hot courage and could only retreat and flee."

"He was trapped in Tongxian for two months without the slightest movement, which shows he was truly terrified by Qin Yong."

"Why did his courage suddenly surge, leading him to return to the Love Shenjing and resolutely sue the Lady Rongguo Jia family? It is as if he has found some kind of backing."

"During the questioning in the hall, Chen Chen Fushou stated he was from out of town. I specifically asked a few more questions; he has no relatives or old acquaintances in the Love Shenjing. This man has no foundation here."

"He was once patient and cowardly, fleeing the Love Shenjing overnight, but now he acts in complete contrast. One cannot help but be suspicious."

"Based on my private deduction, Chen Chen Fushou's actions before and after are vastly different; he must be pushed and assisted by an external force."

Hong Liu Wenxuan's eyes brightened slightly as he said, "Bingwen means that Chen Chen Fushou dares to sue the Lady Rongguo Prefecture because he has been instigated and supported by an outsider."

"Could it be that someone is secretly making things difficult for the Lady Rongguo Prefecture and wants to use Chen Chen Fushou to stir up trouble?"

Liu Liu Binfang said, "Whether the person behind the scenes is making things difficult for the Jia family, I cannot be certain."

"But based on what is stated in the petition and Chen Chen Fushou's words and actions, this case is certainly solid. Since it has been reported to the Zhen'an Prefecture, this matter can no longer be covered up."

"The Zhen'an Prefecture accepting the petition and handling the case is the duty of the yamen's law. What the intentions of the person behind the scenes are is no longer important."

Hong Liu Wenxuan said, "According to the petition, the suspect, Qin Yong, is a servant of the East Courtyard of the Lady Rongguo second branch. That East Courtyard is where the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, Jia Zheng, resides."

"He is the second son of the Matriarch of Lady Rongguo and the second uncle of the Count of Lord Weiyuan, Jia Cong. It is rumored in the capital that Jia Cong's biological mother was not prominent and he was disliked by his father from a young age."

"Jia Zheng, however, had a keen eye for talent; he took a liking to this nephew from a young age and even took him into the second branch to raise him. Though they are uncle and nephew in name, their affection is like that of father and son."

"Jia Cong achieved success at a young age, is famous throughout the world, and is a trusted minister of the current Emperor. If we are to handle Jia Zheng's servant, will it offend Jia Cong?"

Liu Liu Binfang's mouth twitched slightly as he said, "Prefect, I have met Jia Cong a few times and know a little about his character."

"Although he is a scion of a noble family, he is quite different from the usual nobility. He is a disciple of the scholarly sect and a Hanlin Academician of the current dynasty; he must value his clean reputation and good name."

"Once Chen Chen Fushou's case reaches the public eye of the government, it cannot be hidden. If we go to their door to make arrests and investigate the case..."

"Judging by his character, he will certainly not be unhappy or harbor resentment toward the Zhen'an Prefecture. On the contrary, he might even hope for the government to intervene to show that the Jia family is fair and impartial."

"After all, the one who committed the crime is a Jia family servant, not a Jia family master. Even if the crime is proven, it can only be said that the servant lacked virtue—such things are common in large households."

"Punishing them early through the hands of the government will instead make the Jia family appear clear-minded and magnanimous, showing they are mending their ways and governing their household strictly. You need not worry too much about this, Prefect."

"I am an old acquaintance of his. Before the yamen makes the arrests, I will greet him first to take care of the human sentiments of officialdom."

……

Lady Rongguo Prefecture.

Yu Jin Chuan walked along the veranda toward the Rongqing Hall. Upon reaching the fork in the road, she saw Sister Yuanyang coming toward her, holding an account book, followed by two elderly women carrying a small box.

Yu Jin Chuan asked, "What is Sister Sister Yuanyang busy with?"

Sister Yuanyang smiled and said, "The monthly allowances are being distributed today. I'm just returning from the Second Grandmother's courtyard. There are many people in the Matriarch's quarters, and many receive only half a string or a full string of cash."

"These copper coins are dead weight. I had someone help me carry them. Why don't I see your Mistress? Why are you wandering here alone?"

Yu Jin Chuan smiled and said, "My Mistress is also coming; she is going to pay her respects to the Matriarch. I just don't know if the Matriarch has risen yet or if she is free, so she sent me to check first."

"My Mistress is currently in the Second Young Master's room. Once I go back to report, she will be coming over."

Sister Yuanyang was slightly stunned upon hearing this. It was already past the Chen hour; how could the Matriarch not have risen yet?

The Second Mistress couldn't be so muddled as to send Yu Jin Chuan to check on the situation; it sounded truly strange.

She said, "The Matriarch is getting on in years; she rose at the beginning of the Chen hour. When I came out to handle business, I just met the Second Grandmother coming over. She is currently talking with the Matriarch."

As they talked, they reached the entrance of the Rongqing Hall and happened to meet Wang Wang Xifeng coming out.

Sister Yuanyang smiled and said, "It is still early; why doesn't the Second Grandmother sit a while longer?"

Wang Wang Xifeng smiled and said, "The monthly allowances are being distributed today. There are many messy affairs in my courtyard; Wu'er and Ping'er are probably in a rush, so I should go back early to check."

She glanced at Yu Jin Chuan standing to the side—her complexion was like jade, her brows and eyes were handsome, and she was so tender she could drip water. She secretly praised in her heart that this little maid was growing more and more proper.

No wonder her aunt only brought her along when going out; not only was she outstanding, but she was also a first-class maid, reflecting well on her aunt's face.

It was already this late, and her aunt was still putting on the airs of the mistress of the house; sooner or later, this display would be pulled up. ===== CHAPTER 812 =====