Chapter 626: Implication

"In the twenty-seventh year of His Majesty's reign, obeying the Emperor's decree to relocate, Xiang Liang brought his household into Guanzhong. Eight years have passed since. He dwells in Yueyang, content to be a commoner, and has always been law-abiding. As for his younger brother Xiang Chan's crime of murder and flight, Xiang Liang was a thousand li away and utterly ignorant of it. To be suddenly arrested now — is this not an injustice? The Xiang clan's disciples and former officials are spread throughout Chu. If he is punished by law without guilt, it will only alarm the hearts of the Eastern Sea people and bring disaster upon you, elder brother. Therefore, in your younger brother's view, Xiang Liang need not be implicated. He can be released without charge, to pacify the Xiang faction's followers…"

In the thirty-fourth year of the First Emperor, early in the seventh month, a letter from Xianyang was laid before the desk of Sima Xin, the Assistant Magistrate of Yueyang.

"Law-abiding?"

Sima Xin sneered. "Xiang Liang was arrested only three days ago because his brother resisted officers and killed a man in Xiaxiang, yet he has already bought someone off to plead his case through Cao Jiu, a prison clerk in Xianyang. It seems these eight years in Guanzhong, he has cultivated quite a network…"

When the First Emperor first unified the realm, he issued a relocation decree, moving one hundred twenty thousand households from the six kingdoms into Guanzhong, settling them across various counties.

As a great clan of Chu and a pillar of resistance against Qin, the Xiang clan of Xiaxiang naturally received special attention. Xiang Yan and the Xiang clan's eldest son died in the war. The second son, Xiang Liang, became head of the family, and so he was forced by the Qin army to move into Guanzhong with his nephew, "Xiang Ji," to reside in Yueyang County.

But the Xiang clan was vast. Using the division of the family as a pretext, Xiang Liang had already split the lineage and estate after Chu's destruction. Thus, the Xiang clan was divided in two: part was brought by him to Yueyang, and the other part, under the leadership of Xiang Yan's youngest son, Xiang Chan, remained in Xiaxiang.

Now, eight years had passed. The Xiang Liang of old, who loved gallantry and righteousness, seemed to have utterly faded, losing himself in wine and women. His favorite pastime was hosting banquets, and he was not only peerless in Yueyang County but also somewhat renowned among the Six Kingdoms' immigrant circles throughout Guanzhong.

On the other hand, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse. The Xiang clan possessed vast manors and fields. As a sugar-cane planting craze swept the south, the Xiang clan, like the Zhao, Jing, and Qu clans, also opened some brown sugar workshops. Regrettably, before their investment could be recouped, the imperial court nationalized the sugar industry. All these clans' money vanished like stones dropped into water, and their discontent with the court grew ever deeper…

During the rebellion of the Tian clans in Qi, had the First Emperor and the court's tens of thousands of troops not been stationed in Pengcheng to keep the peace, I fear even Chu would have revolted. This was also why the Emperor decreed that not a single soldier enter Qi: first, to overawe Chu and Wei; second, to show those harboring treacherous intent that Qin, relying solely on the Qi garrison, could easily shove this restored "Qi" back into its coffin!

But one wave had barely subsided before another rose. The Qi rebellion was just quelled when the First Emperor prepared to campaign against the Baiyue, conscripting able-bodied men from Chu. The Chu people had always believed the south was a demon-haunted realm, a place one went to die. Consequently, large numbers of conscripts fled to evade orders. Now, in the three regions of Eastern Chu, Western Chu, and Southern Chu, fugitives were everywhere.

These fugitives either fled into the marshes to become bandits or sought refuge with local strongmen. Over two months ago, Donghai Commandery received a report from the Xiang clan's enemies, stating that Xiang Chan was sheltering fugitives, hiding them on his estates…

Upon hearing this, the Governor of Donghai sent men to Xiaxiang County to investigate thoroughly. When the Qin officials were about to search the Xiang estates, they were obstructed by the Xiang clan's household guards. A conflict erupted, an official was killed, and over ten county soldiers were killed or wounded!

Shocked by this news, Donghai Commandery immediately dispatched commandery troops to surround the Xiang clan's mansion in Xiaxiang County. Only after breaking in did they discover it was already empty…

Xiang Chan knew that having killed a Qin official, the authorities would never let the matter rest. So he dispersed his clansmen and fled into hiding with his retainers.

Chu is a land of mountains and marshes, where becoming a bandit is easy. The authorities could only control the cities and were helpless against the outlaws in the wilds. But the monk may run, but the temple cannot. Xiang Chan escaped, but the entire Xiang clan's mansions and properties were sealed. And Xiang Liang, who was in Xianyang and still ignorant of the matter, was also arrested by the authorities.

Though the Xiang clan was once wealthy and noble, now they were merely one of thousands of powerful families. The central government paid them no mind, and the Commandant of Justice ordered Yueyang County to adjudicate the case on its own…

However, the Yueyang County authorities were still divided on this case. Xiang Liang was indeed the head of the Xiang clan, but he had moved to Guanzhong many years ago, maintaining only correspondence with Xiaxiang and never returning. Nor was there any evidence that Xiang Chan's harboring of fugitives and killing of a Qin official was directed by Xiang Liang.

Moreover, the very classification of this case was problematic. If Xiang Chan's crime was deemed "murder and absconding," then Xiang Liang, having divided the family, would not be implicated and should be released without charge. But if Xiang Chan was judged to have "plotted rebellion," then although Xiang Liang did not belong to the "three clans" of father, mother, and children, as the elder brother, he would still face punishment.

Before the formal trial had even begun, behind-the-scenes maneuvering had already started. Xiang Liang was wealthy and generous, and fond of making friends. Sima Xin's brother-in-law, Cao Jiu, had once served as a minor clerk in Yueyang and was acquainted with Xiang Liang. Later, Cao Jiu went to Qi County as a prison clerk and still had dealings with the Xiang clan.

Later, with Sima Xin's help, Cao Jiu returned to Guanzhong to serve as a prison clerk in Xianyang. Not forgetting old ties, upon receiving Xiang Liang's plea, he intended to lend him a hand…

"I wonder how much money he took?" Sima Xin thought to himself.

Unlike Guanzhong, where the laws were stricter and officials dared not openly embezzle or take bribes, nowadays, which Qin official posted to the former lands of the six kingdoms did not return with bulging pockets?

The times had changed. Honesty and simplicity were no longer the norm. The heart of one man is the heart of ten million. Qin loves extravagance, and men also care for their own homes. When His Majesty the Emperor himself leads by building grand palaces, how can the officials below remain incorruptible?

They naturally dared not openly withhold tax funds destined for the court, but they certainly did not refuse the goodwill gestures of local powerful clans.

What Sima Xin was now considering was this: if this case did not draw the attention of the Commandant of Justice and was left for Yueyang County to adjudicate on its own, he might be able to turn a blind eye. After all, Xiang Liang truly had not committed a crime; he had merely been dragged down by his younger brother.

The Xiang clan was wealthy and powerful. Although their old nest had been raided by the Donghai Commandery authorities and their clansmen had scattered, as long as Xiang Liang was unharmed, some benefits could certainly be produced…

Having made up his mind, Sima Xin finished his day's work and returned home. Unexpectedly, his wife told him that in the guest hall, a visitor from afar wished to see him, saying he brought good news.

"Where does this guest come from?" Sima Xin asked casually, not paying much attention.

"I hear he comes from Jiaodong."

Sima Xin's wife, Lady Cao, served him hot soup. Unexpectedly, her husband choked, coughed, wiped his mouth, and without even bothering to change his clothes, cursed, "Why didn't you say so sooner?" and hurried off to meet the guest.

He could never forget who the grand frontier official in Jiaodong was.

Seven years ago, Sima Xin, then a minor prison clerk in Xianyang, had taken on a case: a honey merchant from the South Market sued an out-of-town sugar seller from Nan Commandery…

In the end, Sima Xin upheld justice for the Nan Commandery sugar seller and cleared their name. But in truth, he had done this to curry favor with the then red-hot close minister of the First Emperor: Heifu.

After this matter, Sima Xin established a connection with Heifu. Although no direct reward was given then, a few years later, Sima Xin was promoted by the Commandant of Justice, rising from a hundred-dan prison clerk to the four-hundred-dan Assistant Magistrate of Yueyang…

Sima Xin knew perfectly well whose influence he had to thank for that.

Now, Heifu was already a high official of two thousand dan, just one step away from being enfeoffed as a marquis. Sending someone to see him at this moment must mean an important matter!

After meeting the guest and a secret discussion, Heifu's retainer took his leave. When Sima Xin returned to the bedchamber, his wife asked him what had happened.

Sima Xin's expression was stern as he said to his wife:

"Write a letter and tell your elder brother Cao Jiu: this time, I cannot help him!"

…

Several days later, after rigorous adjudication, Assistant Magistrate of Yueyang Sima Xin issued the final verdict on Xiang Liang's implication case:

"Xiang Chan harbored fugitives, murdered an official, and plotted rebellion. The man himself has fled, but his elder brother, Xiang Liang, and his nephew, Xiang Ji, are rightfully implicated. These two are now sentenced to be reduced to penal laborers and sent to Mount Helan in Beidi Commandery to serve the punishment of 'warden labor'!"

PS: A bit late, this is the second chapter. Qidian seems to be lagging again, still hasn't shown up after ten minutes…

(End of Chapter)