Chapter 157
After Wan Tong was sentenced to death, Wen Shi didn't think much about it and began to focus on reading these books.
He decided that next spring, when the weather warms up, he would travel around the counties below. He can ride a horse, so he has no worries. Seeing things for himself is definitely better than just hearing about them.
The judge told him that the case files were all there, so it must have been handled very well at the time.
This person is known for being tactful, sociable, and generous to his subordinates.
Wen Shi wasn't stupid. If he were to investigate this matter retrospectively, it would need a catalyst. Otherwise, if he were to investigate it without any apparent reason, the people in the government office wouldn't be at peace.
When you reach a higher official position, that's how it is—there are more things to do and more things to consider.
Recalling what the gentleman said before, that there is no absolute fairness in this world, I now deeply feel this.
A few days later
The rewards from the capital have arrived, filling three carriages and fifteen large boxes.
Wen Shi had the things placed directly inside the house and all the doors opened. Outside, snow was falling heavily, but inside it was completely quiet.
"Sir, that's all. Here's the list. Please check it."
All these things weren't given to him alone. The rewards were for all officials of the seventh rank and above in Jiangzhou. He was the highest-ranking official, so he was the one who distributed them.
Different ranks receive different rewards.
"Have someone bring me the list of officials."
"yes."
Wen Shi opened the boxes one by one. He had always been the one to receive the reward before, and this time it was his turn again. As for how to distribute the rewards, it wasn't difficult.
Of these, half were to remain in the prefectural government office, while the remainder were distributed to local officials of lower rank.
In addition to fine silks, satins, silver, and jewels, the rewards also included antiques and picture books. Since he held the highest official rank, he could choose first.
After Wen Shi checked the items, he began to select them. He first picked out twelve bolts of silk, all of which were brightly colored. He also picked out some hairpins and jewelry, which were probably from the palace and were very exquisitely made. Among them was a pair of jade hairpins, which looked quite elegant and Yingxiang would probably like them. The brocade was soft and smooth with delicate patterns, and it would definitely look beautiful when made into clothes.
Wen Shi was not greedy; he couldn't possibly keep most of it and give the rest, which was worthless, to his subordinates.
Just follow the previous rules, and there won't be any mistakes.
He kept some of the antiques and paintings he liked. As for the money, it was written that a total of three thousand taels had been sent, all of which were rewards for officials and were legitimate income.
After reviewing the list of officials, he had a rough estimate in his mind, and in the end, he kept three hundred taels.
He then began to distribute the remaining items according to the roster. Those with higher official ranks naturally received more, while those with lower ranks would also receive some, just not as much.
This can't be divided equally; he's not some saint, and his family doesn't have that much wealth.
If you try to be different from others in everything you do to show off, that's not a good thing, and Wen Shi understands this in his heart.
In less than an hour, Wen Shi had finished dividing the items. They were all of the same grade and the items were all roughly the same. There would definitely be more in the next few years. If he returned to the capital in the future, he could take these belongings with him and his family fortune would gradually increase.
In the afternoon, Yingxiang looked at the things that had been delivered, feeling somewhat surprised but mostly delighted.
Needless to say, that box of jewelry was all for her. She had bought jewelry before, and the difference was obvious in comparison.
Needless to say, the silk should also be put to good use. The colors are all very nice, so we can make clothes from them all. For a family of four, we can divide them equally, which would be three bolts each.
Wen Yixin is young, so he can make several sets with these three pieces. She, Wen Shi, and the eldest brother can only make three sets at most.
Jiangzhou is not without good embroiderers, and Yingxiang plans to hire someone to come to her home to do the work.
She set up the calligraphy and paintings in the room, and saved the money. Right now, all she could think about was that getting promoted meant real wealth, and these were all gifts from the emperor.
When Wen returned in the evening, he found that the house was very different from before.
Yingxiang was talking to her youngest son, and there were some things she shouldn't touch.
"These are all imperial gifts; they cannot be sold, nor is there any need for them. It would be good if they could be used in the future."
Yingxiang wasn't that discerning, but she wasn't stupid. The emperor had sent it, so it couldn't be bad. Royal face was also very important, which was why she displayed it all. Firstly, it looked nice, and secondly, it was useful. There was no need to leave it to gather dust.
"Here's the order form, my wife, please keep it safe."
Large households usually keep a list of their furniture and belongings, which they will definitely take with them when they leave. These items are not cheap, so Wen Shi made preparations in advance.
"good."
Yingxiang glanced at it; some of the calligraphy and paintings had rather nice names. She carefully put the list away.
"Stop touching me, go play outside."
The child had had his fill of petting and ran off in a flash. He was well-behaved when he was little, but he became mischievous as he grew up. He smiled when he heard this and then sat down in front of his wife.
"Do you like the jewelry I picked out?"
"Of course I like it. The white jade hairpin is nice. I'll wear it tomorrow."
Upon hearing this, Wen Shi's smile deepened.
“The silk is perfect for making New Year’s clothes. I’ve already divided them up. This year’s clothes for Leqian will be made according to your measurements, just a little shorter than what I would make for you.”
The child is still growing, so it doesn't need to be too big. This is all good material, so a slightly larger size is fine for Yingxiang, and the child can wear it for a longer period of time.
The subordinates received their rewards one after another, and many people looked at Wen Shi with new respect. Although this superior did not come from a wealthy background, he was very generous and did not give them anything worthless; he gave them all the good stuff.
Wen Shi is very busy. He needs to familiarize himself with many things and has official duties to handle. Therefore, he has never left the government office since he arrived.
During the day I'm always in the front, and at night I rest in the backyard; it's always been like this.
Early that morning, Duan Tongzhi came to see Wen Shi. He was the second person in the prefectural government after Wen Shi, and was considered the deputy prefect. Below him were the sub-prefect and others.
"My lord, someone is crying out for justice at the door, saying that the third young master of the Wan family forcibly took a girl as his concubine."
"Let Magistrate Zhao conduct a trial. The testimonies and case files must be prepared. I will review them later. Bring the parties involved in the case and question them carefully. We cannot allow a wrongful conviction. We must avoid any appearance of impropriety and prevent Judge Wan from getting involved in this matter."
Due to his position, Wen Shi no longer needed to personally handle cases. Some cases from the local area would be sent to him for his decision, but these were mostly cases he was unsure about, cases not clearly stipulated by law. Otherwise, the county magistrate could handle them. There were also officials in the prefectural government who were specifically responsible for handling cases.
Jiangzhou has many subordinate counties, a total of six, with a population of over 100,000. There are many things to do, and it's unrealistic for him to take on everything himself.
The Wan family's situation is truly complicated. They haven't forgotten what happened before, and now another problem has arisen.
"yes."
How many people came?
He asked when he heard this.
"There were more than twenty people, men, women, and children, who were the woman's family members."
"I understand. You may leave."
The case quickly reached Magistrate Zhao. Privately, he had dealings with the Wan family and they had a good relationship. Now, he heard that the Wan family had gotten into trouble again, and the prefect had asked him to handle the case. This time, he was a little unsure of what to do.
"Lord Duan, is this true? I've heard that the third young master of the Wan family is a refined and gentle young man. How could he possibly do such a thing?"
"Whether it's true or not, you can find out by checking. The prefect also said that, in order to avoid suspicion, you shouldn't let Judge Wan get involved."
After Duan finished speaking, he turned around and left. Zhao, the magistrate, was a little flustered. What was he going to do?
He paced back and forth in the room, but dared not delay, and soon went to the court.
Wen went directly to the archives.
"Bring me the case file of the eldest son of the Wan family. I need to take a look."
The official below was taken aback, then immediately went to do it. He couldn't guess what Wen Shi meant, but he was his superior, and he certainly couldn't disobey him.
No matter how good Wan Tongpan's interpersonal relationships are, when it comes to his own official position, no one will go out of their way to help him, since they are not his sworn brothers.
After he received the news, his third son was summoned to the government office and confronted the family.
At first, he expressed disbelief and rushed home. Seeing his beloved concubine crying with tears streaming down her face, what could he not understand?
“Master, this is extortion. Feng’er already paid the money beforehand, and it was agreed that he was buying a good concubine.”
"You slut."
Wan Tongpan almost fainted from exhaustion. What was this all about? Was it because they were afraid he was having too good a life? Last year he was the eldest, and this year he was the third.
The treacherous sons are all treacherous sons, and they have no worries at all.
"Master, Feng'er is your son, you must help him, Master."
"That woman asked me for money earlier, sir."
Madam Wan sat at the head of the table without saying a word. She recalled how this man had gloated when her son had gotten into trouble before. She felt a little smug, but more than that, she was worried.
The children fighting over the inheritance is a matter for the future; the most important thing right now is to handle this matter properly.
"They say she was bought, but do you have the woman's identification documents?"
As expected of an official, Wan Tongpan was quick-witted, and he knew his third brother well enough to know that he definitely couldn't do something like this.
"It's gone, sir, it's gone."
“It was with me before, but then it disappeared. She must have stolen it. She said she wanted to help her family, but I scolded her back. Master, Master.”
Madam Wan immediately stood up. If there were identification documents, it would be fine; they would serve as proof. But without them, she would be at someone's mercy and would have no way to defend herself.
How much money do they want?
"They said it was five hundred taels of silver."
"Make arrangements and tell them that as long as the lawsuit is dropped, the money will be given to their family immediately."
"This has already reached the authorities, sir. It's probably not going to be that easy. The case has already started, and the people involved have been arrested and won't be able to get out anytime soon."
After Madam Wan finished speaking, she couldn't help but sigh.
“I have some connections with that Magistrate Zhao.”
"What a misfortune for our family."
Judge Wan's face turned very ugly after he finished speaking.
This matter has definitely blown up. Right now, he wishes he could just beat that good-for-nothing to death. He just doesn't know how this will end.
He wondered if he could explain this to the prefect, and whether the emperor in the capital would know about his family's affairs.
Soon, he received another message and immediately went to retrieve the previous case files.
Now he was in an even worse mood.
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