Chapter 331

The so-called 'beheading after reprieve' means sentencing to death but not executing it immediately, similar to modern death with reprieve.

After the autumn review, they would be divided into four categories—'genuine circumstances,' 'reprieve,' 'pitiable,' and 'retained for heir support'—and dealt with accordingly.

Although Jia Jing planned to send Xue Pan to prison for a few years to temper his character, he also wanted to eliminate any future hidden dangers from this case, preventing it from being exploited by those with ulterior motives.

But he did not intend for Xue Pan to be sentenced to death and executed.

If the Xue family's sole heir were to die like that, it would not be defusing a danger but rather creating an enmity for no reason, contrary to his original intention!

Therefore, although he intended to expose this case at the right moment, he could not lose the initiative and let Xue Pan be convicted of a capital offense according to law!

Moreover, without privately greeting anyone or alarming Emperor Jing Sheng, the simplest and most direct way to reduce Xue Pan's punishment was to invert the characterization of the case.

That is, to restore Xiangling's 'lowly register' status to that of an abducted girl from a good family.

According to the statutes of the Da Han Empire, abducting and selling a girl from a good family is a serious crime:

"Whoever devises schemes to lure and abduct a good person to make them a slave or servant, regardless of principal or accessory, shall receive one hundred blows with a heavy stick and exile three thousand li."

The abductor is the principal offender, and Feng Yuan, as the buyer, is likewise committing an illegal crime.

The statute explicitly states: "If the buyer knows the truth and shares the guilt with the perpetrator," meaning that if the buyer knows the person is from a good family and still buys them, they bear the same guilt as the abductor.

In other words, as long as it can be proven that Xiangling was an abducted girl from a good family and that Feng Yuan knew of her good-family status yet still bought her.

Then Feng Yuan would no longer be a mere victim but an unlawful participant.

Xue Pan killed a buyer who shared the abductor's guilt; this was an act with cause, and his punishment could be mitigated under the circumstance of 'excusable motive.'

As for whether Feng Yuan was aware—

Judging from the original text, he is very likely to have known!

First, the original describes Feng Yuan as "fond of male companionship, most averse to women," yet he made an exception for Xiangling.

A man who usually despises women, a homosexual, suddenly spending a large sum to buy a maid as a concubine—this very abnormality is itself suspicious.

Why did he insist on buying Xiangling? Was it truly just a "good eye," or did he have another motive?

Following the gray industry chain of this world, abductors specialize in kidnapping five- or six-year-old children, raising them until they are eleven or twelve, "assessing their appearance," then reselling them.

This is not at all unusual; Feng Yuan, being the son of a local gentry family, could not possibly be ignorant of the abductors' methods.

Second, the original records that Feng Yuan agreed with the abductor to "take her in as a wife only after three days," and he gave the abductor ample time.

Upon learning of this agreement, Xiangling "showed signs of worry," and the doorman then had a servant go to comfort her:

"This Master Feng will surely wait for an auspicious day to come for her; it is clear he does not regard her as a mere maid... why fret over just two or three days?"

Here lies an extremely crucial question:

A respectable yet dissolute local gentryman buys an abducted girl from a good family—why does he wait three days? What is he worried about?

Combined with the reality of human trafficking in the Jiangnan region of the Da Han Empire, abductors often vanish quickly after selling the abducted women to avoid official investigation.

If Feng Yuan were truly just "buying a servant," he could have taken Xiangling away immediately after paying, without needing to give the abductor any turnover time.

His waiting three days precisely shows that he knows full well:

He is conducting a transaction that is not clean legally, and the abductor needs time to wrap up.

A person who truly does not know would not leave the abductor an escape route.

Third, in the original, after selling Xiangling to Feng Yuan, the abductor then sold her again to Xue Pan, intending to "swindle both families out of their silver and flee to another province."

The abductor daring to do this shows he was confident he could avoid exposure before the transaction was completed.

But if Feng Yuan were an "innocent buyer," the abductor could simply take the money and run, with no need to sell to a second household.

The reason he dared to sell the same woman twice is that he knew the buyers would not dare to make a fuss.

Feng Yuan bought an abducted girl from a good family—this matter itself is something that cannot be brought to light.

Precisely because Feng Yuan dared not report to the authorities or publicize the matter, the abductor felt emboldened to sell the same woman twice without scruple.

Combining these several points of doubt with Jia Jing's personal inquiries to Xiangling herself about her experiences, Jia Jing believes Feng Yuan is very likely to have been an informed party.

As for the specific outcome, of course it will be investigated by the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

As long as we obtain the testimony of the original broker's intermediary, the testimony of those around Feng Yuan, and the abductor's testimony, the matter will naturally come to light.

Therefore, Jia Jing's arrangement for Xuanwu to have someone receive Zhen Fenshi was precisely for the sake of Xiangling and Xue Pan!

After Jia Jing and Xuanwu had carefully given instructions regarding the matter of Xiangling and Xue Pan, they then chatted about intelligence from Jiangnan, Shandong, Henan, and so on.

Until the attendant guards came to report that Marquis Zhongjing Shi Ding had arrived for a visit, did Jia Jing conclude this conversation and go to meet Shi Ding.

…………

Inside Rong Qing Tang.

At the si hour, sunlight slanted in through the eastern window lattice, spreading a sheet of bright, glittering light across the blue‑brick floor of Rong Qing Tang.

The ice basin in the hall had been refreshed with new ice; a coolness seeped out thread by thread, mingling with the green smoke of aloeswood from the Boshan furnace, thereby keeping the heat at bay outside the door.

Jia Mu leaned against the couch, wearing a stone‑blue floss‑silk jacket, her head adorned with a vermilion gold forehead band, a cup of clear tea at her side, her expression showing a hint of pleasure.

Since Jia Jing moved out that morning, she had felt an inexplicable gladness, as if a dark cloud that had long pressed upon her head had drifted away.

At this moment, she smiled and looked down at her niece‑in‑law Niu Shi, asking in a pleasant tone:

"How come you have leisure to come over today?"

Niu Shi is the wife of Marquis Zhongjing Shi Ding; although she is Jia Mu's junior, she does not usually come to the Jia Mansion except on festivals.

As the mistress of the marquis's household, she also has many daily affairs.

Niu Shi wore a stone‑blue vest, her head crowned with vermilion gold‑inlaid pearl hairpins, her attire neat from head to toe, yet unostentatious.

Her countenance was gentle, her brows and eyes bearing a touch of scholarly air; hearing the question, she smiled and replied:

"Isn't the Duke of Jingguo back? The master has long been saying he wants to consult him on battlefield tactics."

"Early this morning we prepared gifts and I pulled him along to pay a visit; now he has already gone to the Duke of Jingguo's residence."

"They are going to discuss official matters, so I happen to come over here to pay my respects to the grandmother!"

Niu Shi's words carried a hint of respect for Jia Jing.

Although they are relatives, they did not call Jia Jing Jing'er, but respectfully addressed him as Duke Jingguo.

Jia Mu's hand paused slightly as she lifted her teacup, and she said with a smile:

"They're all relatives; just call him Jing'er. Calling him Duke Jingguo only adds unnecessary distance!"

"Why is Ding'er in such a hurry today? Jing'er only returned yesterday, and this morning he just moved over to Ning Guo Fu."

"I was thinking of letting him rest more, but I stopped those young ladies from going over to Dong Fu."

"Jing'er has been fighting in the northwest for several months; it's not easy to finally have a moment of leisure!"

Jia Mu pointed to Si Chun, Bao Dai, and Xiang Yun sitting properly downstairs, her smile showing affection.

She still calls Dong Fu Ning Guo Fu; she can't break the habit of decades all at once!

Mrs. Niu's gaze lingered on Xiang Yun for a moment, then her face broke into a smile as she said:

"Duke Jingguo is a pillar of the state; my father and my brother have repeatedly urged me."

"You must show him respect; never put on the airs of an elder! Moreover, you must not call him Jing'er, or you'll lose propriety!"