Chapter 2956 Judgment
Mr. Song looked at Bai Shan's back as he left, his mood fluctuating.
Song Dalang was also surprised and couldn't help but ask, "Father, we've already given him a way out, why won't he get off?"
Even when they were talking to County Magistrate Lu, they had never been so humble.
Mr. Song retracted his gaze and said, "It's normal for a child from an aristocratic family to be confident."
"But the official salt for the Governor's Mansion...could it be that Governor Guo doesn't want this batch of official salt?"
Mr. Song shook his head. "We need to send someone to take a look at the new salt works. I'm feeling a little uneasy. Perhaps they already have enough official salt."
"That area is being guarded by Inspector Luo's men. I've inquired, and the people he brought to the new salt field are all his trusted aides. The others are patrolling and guarding other sections of the road, and they have no visibility of what's going on at the new salt field." Song Dalang said, "Those are all Inspector Luo's men. We can't get close at all. After what happened with Zhu Qi and the others, the security there has become even tighter."
Mr. Song said, "Since no one can get in, then let the news come out. Use money to smash it. If ten taels of silver can't buy the news, then use a hundred taels of silver, or two hundred taels of silver!"
Fortunately, Mr. Song did not mention using one thousand taels, and Song Dalang breathed a sigh of relief.
Of course, it is impossible for them to spend money themselves, it is done by their subordinates.
They were looking for some families of soldiers they were familiar with. After they paid some money, someone took clothes and other things to Dadawa the next day. Unfortunately, they didn't see anyone.
"...They say they're strictly checking in Dajiawa to prevent anyone from colluding with the bandits. Forget about meeting, even the clothes and rice we sent were all returned. We can't even get in."
Another servant came in and said, "Master, the county court is now in session."
Mr. Song held his forehead with a headache and felt very uncomfortable. He didn't understand why the situation took a turn for the worse overnight?
What’s the trick at the new salt field?
The asymmetry of information made Mr. Song very anxious. If he had known this...
He was too conceited. Mr. Song felt that he had underestimated his enemy.
County Magistrate Lu was so smart and capable, and it was only after two years in Beihai County that he challenged the Song family, but his success was mixed. He saw that Bai Shan was so much younger than County Magistrate Lu, with a handsome face and a handsome appearance, so he couldn't help but look down on him. Who knew...
Master Song came back to his senses and said, "Go to the storehouse and get the coral tree, and also get a bucket of pearls. Then we will go to Qingzhou City."
Song Dalang was stunned and asked, "Father, why did you bring so many things..."
"We haven't paid a visit to Governor Guo since he took office, so let's make a special trip this time."
Song Dalang felt a pang of pain, "Father, that coral tree is..."
Mr. Song stopped him and said, "Only when the family is strong will Meng'er have the resources in the future, and it will be easy for her to get these things."
Song Dalang could only go to the warehouse to get something, but he was still very sad.
Even County Magistrate Lu didn't force them to this point.
Mr. Song was also reflecting, and finally felt that it was because he underestimated Bai Shan.
Bai Shan was trying the case. There was no suspense in the case. Zhu Qi confessed, and the thugs who followed Zhu Qi also confessed.
Song Min looked around and simply gave up denying it. He confessed frankly that it was he who instructed Zhu Qi and others to investigate the new salt field.
He admitted his guilt very well, but he firmly denied that this matter had anything to do with Master Song and the Song family behind him. When asked about the reason for the crime, he said, "I am the manager of the Longchi Salt Works, but because of the new salt works, the Longchi Salt Works has been closed. I was dissatisfied and wanted to see what was going on at the new salt works, so I bribed Zhu Qi and others to go and take a look."
No matter whether people outside believed it or not, Bai Shan didn't believe it anyway, but he still sentenced him according to this confession.
First, Song Min was stripped of his management responsibilities, then fined, caned, and sentenced to six months in prison.
As for Zhu Qi and others, Bai Shan thought about it and felt that it was too expensive to keep them in jail. Now the official salt had not been sold yet, and the money in the county government had been spent, which basically relied on him for subsidies. He should not add more burden to the jail and the county government, so he beat them with a stick and sentenced everyone to three months of hard labor.
County Lieutenant Dong was a little stunned and asked, "Sir, where are we going to let them serve now?"
You can't send it to the salt field, right?
"Let them build a road," Bai Shan said. "The mountain road leading out of Xiaoliu Village should be built. The road surface should be flat and wide enough for a carriage to pass through."
County Magistrate Dong: "...this money?"
Although they were forced to do forced labor and did not receive any wages, their food and drink, as well as their tools, did cost money.
Bai Shan said, "I'll ask Chief Secretary Song to allocate some of the money, and you send three yamen runners to keep an eye on them."
County Magistrate Dong glared. "Eighteen people, only three yamen runners assigned to keep watch? Isn't that too few?"
"They are all people with families and jobs. How dare they run away?" Bai Shan paused and said, "Just don't bully them. Just serve normally and provide them with food and drink. Oh, and let them live in tents at the foot of the mountain. Allow their families to send them clothes and other things."
"The daily schedule should follow the county yamen's schedule, which is only three hours a day. In the extra time, let the yamen runners explain the laws of Dajin to them, so that they don't accidentally break the law in the future."
County Magistrate Dong was a little embarrassed and asked cautiously, "Sir, I'm afraid most yamen runners don't understand the Jin Code."
"How could you not understand?" Bai Shan frowned. "Even if you're following in your father's footsteps and didn't get in through an exam, you should know the basics, right? Stealing, robbery, and murder are the most basic offenses. Even less serious offenses like insults and assault are also considered illegal. Don't think that just because they ask the village head to handle these minor matters, they're not breaking the law."
"In short, let them all learn."
County Magistrate Dong could only agree cautiously and did not dare to tell Bai Shan that among the 48 yamen runners in their county government, 16 were sons who inherited their father's business or brothers who followed in their elder brother's footsteps, only three were admitted by passing the county examination of Mingluxue, and the rest were all promoted through connections or by being hangers-on.
There is no systematic study. For things like laws, small matters are handled by the village headman, and big matters are handled by the county government.
The major cases that can be found in the county government office are murder, arson, robbery and theft. Moreover, the theft is not just ordinary petty theft. You know without thinking that such things are illegal.
As for things like insulting, beating wives and sons, they are generally not reported to the government office. The neighbors will help persuade them first. If that doesn't work, there are the hangers-on. Above the hangers-on, there is the village head. Only when the village head can't handle it well will they report to the county government office.
However, no one had expected that this kind of thing was illegal before. So, is it really illegal?
Even County Magistrate Dong himself, who had read the "Law of Jin" many times, had some doubts, as he had not seen this violation of the law in the law book.
He couldn't help but ask Bai Shan, who said speechlessly, "How can it not be illegal? Look carefully. Jin law has a law on righteous separation. Not only between husband and wife, but also between relatives, if there is any beating, murder, or adultery, regardless of the will of the husband or wife, the couple can be divorced. Anyone who violates the law can be sentenced. Jia Wu has beaten his wife many times, and he should have been divorced long ago. He refuses to repent. Isn't this breaking the law?"
See you tomorrow
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
