Chapter 128 Your Majesty: I have a grown son, but…
Everyone was puzzled by Fusu's refusal to acknowledge the truth. Throughout history, emperors have sought fame both before and after their deaths; why is he the only one acting differently? Isn't it a good thing that the people willingly praise you?
Fusu: No, you've definitely never heard of the phrase "one fan is worth ten haters"!
Because of the tragedy of his first life, Fusu followed several history bloggers online in his second life. He knew that they compared and belittled historical emperors and generals every day, a practice commonly known as "cyber cricket fighting."
What if you somehow gain eternal fame because of this statue, only to find out in history books that your "upright and just" achievement was simply dealing with a local tyrant while traveling incognito...
Then he can forget about his reputation!
However, if rumors circulate among the people, suppression alone cannot stop them. The later work, *Dayi Juemi Lu*, serves as a cautionary tale. Fusu had no choice but to grit his teeth and diligently manage criminal cases every day, hoping that future generations wouldn't ridicule him too harshly.
As for his later reputation as an upright official and his groundbreaking legal ideas, which led to his frequent appearances in legal history textbooks and even his status as one of the patriarchs of legal professionals, that's another story altogether.
Not only after he became emperor, but ever since Fusu sent troops to surround the Zhang family and, in full view of everyone, bound Zhang Fucai and took him out of the house and into the government prison, the nickname "Little Justice" immediately spread.
When this news reached Fusu's ears, he fell silent after hearing it: "So the people of Huai'ren County have suffered under the Zhang family for too long."
Even though they knew nothing about him, they felt an instant liking for him just from hearing that he had arrested Zhang Fucai. This can only mean one thing: everyone hates the Zhang family too much.
Then he really has to continue being an upright official.
Fusu brought along Su Shi and selected a few literate soldiers to set up a row of tables and chairs in front of the yamen (government office). What for? To help people write legal documents to sue the Zhang family for free! They also served as reception areas for other prominent families in the city who were being sued!
Everyone hurry up! Let's seek justice and avenge our grievances!
In fact, Fusu had already set up a petition drum in front of the yamen, but the effect was mediocre. Not everyone is willing to reveal their family's wounds in front of everyone. Moreover, Huai'ren County has never had a reliable county magistrate or clerk—the previous ones were all beheaded in front of the county people when Di Qing entered the city.
It is said that it was met with widespread approval at the time.
“That’s not right,” Su Shi asked. “Even if the two of us write the complaint, there’s still no one to hear the case.”
Fusu: "Yes?"
"Who...Your Highness, are you referring to the two of us?" Su Shi's eyes widened, feeling immense pressure. "No, that won't do. I can only recite the 'Tiansheng Code' and the 'Song Criminal Code,' not the 'Great Liao Code'!"
"No, that's not right either. When Liu Bang was welcomed into the pass by the Qin people, didn't he only agree to three laws? We can follow the example of Emperor Gaozu."
Fusu, who was unintentionally stabbed, was speechless.
I understand what you mean, but could you please use a different example? It hurts me to no end.
Fusu clutched his chest and slowly exhaled, prompting Su Shi to look over, puzzled: "There's no other way. Calming public anger and winning back the hearts of the people are the most urgent tasks, but we can't just execute the Zhang family. That would make it difficult for future Song Dynasty officials to govern. So, we can only bite the bullet and act as an 'upright official' for once."
"Besides, the only ones here who have systematically studied the law are you and me. If we don't step up, who will?"
"That's true." Su Shi pondered, resting his chin on his hand. Years of editing experience triggered his professional instincts: "But this opportunity is rare, everyone's paying attention..."
"Your Highness, what do you think about us taking this opportunity to establish the 'Seeking Knowledge Newspaper' in Huai Ren County? The first few issues can use the process of the trial of the Zhang family and classic cases as material. Everyone will definitely buy it to read. Once the readership is established, we can gradually change the content later."
Number selection tutorial.
These four words suddenly popped into Fusu's mind.
"You will definitely become a great blogger in the future."
"Blogger? What's that?" Su Shi asked, puzzled. "Does it mean something a high-ranking official? Then let's take advantage of Your Highness's auspicious words—"
Going back means a promotion, hehe!
And so, the "Zhao/Su Family Free Petition Service," which served multiple purposes, was officially opened in front of the government office, charging no fees whatsoever, providing a one-stop service, and being honest and trustworthy to all!
The grand scale of the event even attracted Duan Yin'er, who had been bedridden due to the cold. Arriving at the county government gate, she saw two rows of soldiers with swords standing on either side, maintaining discipline. A space in the middle, meant for queuing, was teeming with people.
"Name?"
“My name is Xu Erni’er.”
"age?"
"Fifty-seven... over sixty!"
Upon hearing this, Fusu looked up and praised, "You are truly old; you don't look it at all," which pleased the person who came to complain, who proudly showed off half of his front tooth.
"So, who in the Zhang family are you going to sue? And what's the matter?"
When this was mentioned, Grandma Xu twisted her fingers, becoming hesitant and uneasy: "The complaint I'm going to file is about something that happened more than 20 years ago. Does it still count?"
In modern criminal law, the statute of limitations is up to twenty years. But as I said before, this is ancient times.
"If the person you are suing is alive and admits to it, then it counts."
Aunt Xu immediately perked up: "I'm going to sue the second son of the Zhang family for ruining my reputation! When I was getting married, I went to his shop to buy things, and he accused me of stealing from his family. In fact, he was the one who lost money, but he blamed it on my daughter! It's made me unable to hold my head up for more than 20 years!"
Fusu picked up his pen and began writing furiously on the paper.
Actually, Aunt Xu was quite uneasy. Was it really worth making a special trip to the county to complain about such a trivial matter? Her husband, and even her son and daughter, all advised her to let it go, but Aunt Xu just couldn't swallow her anger!
Aunt Xu looked at Fusu carefully. Unlike the other villagers who spat at the Zhang family, she sighed and advised her, "What can we do? Life goes on as usual."
In fact, she knew that some people did not quite believe her, and thought that the Zhang family was the scapegoat for her daughter's theft.
At this moment, Aunt Xu felt quite empty inside, because she did not receive the usual supportive response. She couldn't help but wonder: would this little magistrate not support her?
But then she thought, these are pen and paper! So expensive! The magistrate is writing for her with pen and paper, isn't that much more valuable than just casually agreeing?
Thinking this way, she felt relieved again.
Fusu was completely unaware of Aunt Xu's inner thoughts. After recording the time, place, and people, he asked, "If the truth of this case comes to light, would you mind if we published it in the newspaper? Just write it down on paper so you can show it to people everywhere!"
After Aunt Xu understood, she said, "I don't mind! I don't mind at all! I want to prove my innocence!"
“Okay.” Fusu finished filling in the last option: “You can come to the government office the day after tomorrow to check the results of the investigation. Whether the suspect has confessed or not will be recorded on the notice board at the county government office. If this case is published in the newspaper, we will also personally deliver the newspaper with details of the case to your door.”
He spoke in a refined manner, but Aunt Xu understood him perfectly. She looked very happy and clapped her hands, saying, "So that means my daughter's innocence is written down in black and white? I can show it to people now?"
"right."
Moreover, Fusu genuinely believed that Aunt Xu's dream was very likely to come true. Because... this was the fourth accusation he had received regarding a shop under the Zhang family falsely accusing a customer of theft.
The location, people involved, and method of the crime were all highly similar. This essentially ruled out the possibility that the person who reported the crime was framing them.
His mood was somewhat complicated. He pulled out a few papers from the thick pile and walked deeper into the county government office.
The "Second Master Zhang" mentioned by Aunt Xu was the second elder brother of Zhang Fucai, the head of the Zhang family. Because he was found to have participated in human trafficking, he was also taken to the government prison. Fusu emerged shortly after, each of the several legal documents in his hand marked with a bright red checkmark.
The second son of the Zhang family admitted it.
He denied one of the four highly similar charges, but there were a second and a third, leaving him no room for arbitrary denial. Moreover, Fusu had said, "Confess and you will be treated leniently; resist and you will be punished severely."
I was just kidding. Actually, even if you confess, you'll be severely punished.
It's not that Fusu is immoral, but the crimes committed by the Zhang family these past few days, as uncovered during the investigation, are too numerous to list. Let's put it this way: human trafficking isn't even their biggest crime. Accusing others of theft is merely the tip of the iceberg.
Not to mention, there are many more cases that cannot be filed due to lack of evidence and remain unsolved.
Day after day, Fusu's fingers developed calluses before he finally saw off those who had come to lodge a complaint. Among them was even someone from Wu Family Village. After finishing his complaint, the man hesitantly told him that they had finished building the clay statue of the young nobleman. They would begin offering incense once it was completely dry.
Fusu: "..."
I had just forgotten about it if you hadn't mentioned it.
As the man left, he turned back several times, saying, "Little benefactor, don't forget to come back to Wu Family Village often!"
Fusu: "Mmm, mmm, okay, okay, okay."
After he had walked away, Su Shi, who was standing nearby, immediately leaned in mischievously and asked, "Aren't you really going back to take a look?"
"Just say you want to see me make a fool of myself."
However, because Fusu did not return to Wujia Village, he only discovered his outrageous appearance much later, and it was too late to stop it, just like another case of cause and effect.
Their immediate priority is to compile the collected complaints into a case file and then select typical examples to compile the first issue of the newspaper. This process is incredibly demanding, and Su Shi complained as he worked: "After finishing this job, I feel like I can go straight to the Ministry of Justice."
"Don't worry, don't worry," Fusu reassured him. "I'll write to Father tonight and ask him to send a few more helpers over."
"Help? Who? Can I request someone?"
Fusu glanced at him and said, "Dream on."
Do you think the Song Dynasty imperial court is a vegetable market? You can pick whatever you want!
"Let's get the newspaper out first. The temporary editor of the Yunzhou special edition of the Qiuzhi Daily."
Upon hearing this title, Su Shi sighed deeply. He regretted making such a boast. Taking on this task would be extremely difficult. The conviction of the guilty was a good thing, but seeing how many decades had passed before the injustice was finally redressed was also painful to bear.
The only consolation is that Sima Guang wasn't in Yunzhou, so they could make up whatever they wanted!
After the content was compiled, a series of problems arose, such as printing issues. No publishing house in Yunzhou had ever taken on this task before. In the end, Duan Yin'er acted as a middleman—the publishing house where she hid the evidence was her contractor, and the money she had kept for printing the evidence but hadn't used was all used to print newspapers.
“That’s what it means to use something properly,” she said.
Fusu and Su Shi did not refuse, but personally expressed their gratitude. Then they went to the backyard of the bookstore to stare at the woodblock printing. In a daze, it was as if they had returned to four years ago when the "Seeking Knowledge" newspaper was first born.
However, their mindsets were completely different. Back in Bianjing, no one knew whether this initiative would succeed, or whether anyone would buy into the "Seeking Knowledge Daily."
But this time, the victims who succeeded in their lawsuits and chose to publish their cases in the newspapers were eagerly awaiting their return, coming to the government office every few days to urge the authorities.
When will my innocence, my daughter's innocence, my husband's innocence, and my aunt's innocence be written down in black and white?
Fusu and Su Shi rushed to the scene, finally managing to publish the newspaper on the very day the main culprit of the Zhang family was executed. Only when the criminal is executed and the innocence is proven, and the voice of justice is amplified to its maximum, does it truly have meaning.
"Breaking news! Breaking news! Seventeen members of the Zhang family in Huai'ren County have been beheaded! The executions will be held publicly today!"
"The Zhang family's twenty years of evil deeds are fully exposed for the first time! The Great Song Dynasty's Little Judge restores justice to Huai Ren County!"
"It turns out these people were framed! Let's see their emotional journey after being framed by the Zhang family!"
Hearing these promotional slogans, everyone was tempted to buy them. Those who had come early to see the execution site, regardless of whether they could read or not, all pulled out their money and bought a copy.
It's all in black and white, and it only costs two copper coins—not expensive at all!
Even if you can't read, it doesn't matter. I bought this thing just for those two words: to vent my anger!
They rushed to the execution site from all directions, and were stunned to see the "Seeking Knowledge" newspaper in each other's hands. They began to whisper among themselves. Some even huddled together, sharing the newspaper, piecing together familiar words, and trying to decipher the meaning of the articles.
"Twenty...and another 'two'!"
"This character is '生' (shēng), I recognize it."
"Is it the word 'money'? I can't remember."
"Twenty-three years ago, Zhang Ercai extorted large sums of money from residents and villagers of Huai'ren County by falsely accusing them, damaging the reputations of many innocent people to cover losses in his shops. Victims in this case include: Bai Erya, Xu Erniang, Zhou..."
The woman's voice was clear and loud as she read the entire news report aloud to everyone present. She slowly moved her face away from the newspaper, revealing herself to be Duan Yin'er, who had recovered and come specifically to witness her enemy's beheading.
Aunt Xu immediately exclaimed excitedly, "It's me! It's me! I'm innocent!"
Waving the newspaper in her hand, she approached Duan Yin'er with a fawning smile: "Miss, where is the passage you were just reading? I'll show it to someone when I get back!"
Duan Yin'er pointed it out to her: "Here it is."
"Here it is, right here..."
Aunt Xu stared intently at the line of characters she couldn't recognize, tears suddenly welling up in her eyes. This wasn't even a major event in the Zhang family's history, but it had weighed on her like a cold, hard boulder for over twenty years. She had lived with the stigma of "theft" until this day. On the day the guilty party was brought to justice, her innocence was finally vindicated.
"..."
Seeing this, a mist welled up in Duan Yin'er's eyes. She continued reading, and every now and then someone would come to her to claim them. As she read out more and more charges, the Zhang family's expressions grew increasingly grim.
Public execution, in a dual sense.
As they listened to their own misdeeds being exposed in broad daylight, and as those they could have easily crushed avoided them like the plague, for the first time in a long time, they felt the urge to "hurry up and let the knife fall."
The last paragraph that Duan Yin'er read aloud was about the trafficking of people: the "Seeking Knowledge" newspaper listed the number of people they had trafficked, the transaction volume, and all the people involved in the process.
Finally, a small, documented list of the names of the women who were abducted and sold was also included.
This was Fusu's suggestion.
Although the chances of the sold-out man reuniting with his original family are extremely slim, he will not give up as long as there is hope. What initially motivated him to take on the challenging task of conquering the "Sixteen Provinces of Youyun" was nothing more than a woman's incredibly simple wish to "know where her hometown is and go back to see it."
Duan Yin'er finally finished reading.
Her hands were trembling. Because it meant that the execution was not far off.
The criminals of the Zhang family also realized this fact, their faces growing even paler, almost as if they were dead. Those who had just been chanting "Hurry up and carry out the execution" now trembled like leaves as they looked at the long knife in the executioner's hand.
However, their pitiful state did not move the onlookers; instead, it fueled their anger.
"Hurry up!"
"Yes! Blood for blood!"
"What are we waiting for if we don't behead them!"
Amidst their frequent urging, the executioners leisurely drank a cup of wine, their hands firmly gripping the executioner's blade. Then they raised it high, "Crack—"
Blood splattered on the pages of the "Seeking Knowledge" newspaper.
The head rolled off, the dead staring in disbelief.
Some of the people who had been rushing about so urgently were now trembling with fear, while others suddenly covered their mouths and burst into loud sobs. Their cries were exactly the same as Duan Yin'er's that day—the relief of seeing the real culprit brought to justice.
The heads of the Zhang family members rolled down one after another, their cries of sorrow overlapping and growing louder before finally subsiding. Someone started it all, a simple "Thank you, Your Honor!" followed by several others, eventually becoming a cacophony of voices.
"Thank you, Your Honor!"
"Xie Xiaoqingtian—"
"..."
Fusu couldn't help but complain, "Is it big or small?"
"And why am I being dragged into this again!"
Su Shi clutched his stomach, laughing uncontrollably. He put one arm around Fu Su's shoulder: "Didn't you say you wanted to sneak away? Why did you still come?"
Indeed, with the Zhang family's affairs settled, Fusu wanted to leave secretly. Partly to avoid being awkwardly praised, but more importantly, the human trafficking case that had been uncovered still had connections. They needed to deal with it as soon as possible before the *Seeking Knowledge Daily* reached the individuals involved and they were able to slip away unnoticed.
Fusu stroked his chin: "I feel like I should show up for this occasion."
But he still felt some regret.
As he expected, it turned into an awkward praise contest.
"Aren't you going to stand up and say a few words?"
"I'd better not. It just feels weird to give a public speech in front of a crowd." Fu Su imagined the scene for a moment and rubbed the goosebumps on his body. "Besides, I have to do something to be worthy of them calling me 'the upright official'."
"That's true."
So, let's go.
Under the cover of night, they rushed to their next destination before the next suspect learned of the situation.
-
The Great Song Dynasty.
Inside the Chuigong Hall, honeycomb briquettes were burning, their smoke circulating through the chimneys, making the entire hall warm and cozy. Ever since the emperor sent a letter with the recipe from the north, this item was no longer a rarity and had entered the homes of ordinary people.
After all, stone ore was not a rare commodity within the Song Dynasty. However, its uses were limited, and charcoal was a superior alternative, so its applications were confined to the local area. Nevertheless, it was still a mineral deposit, and it was recorded by the government.
After the imperial edict revealed the method for making honeycomb briquettes, these briquettes gradually became popular. This allowed the people of the Song Dynasty to enjoy a mild winter.
After all, the production process of pressing 30% yellow clay and 70% coal powder together is not complicated at all. Farmers can do it themselves. Those who previously purchased the "Northern Expedition Limited Edition" at high prices, in order to show off their elegance, not only followed Fusu's example and painted patterns on the coal, but also tried to add various spices during the production process, which would be released with the heat when burned.
Cloves, mint, styrax, agarwood, cinnamon... all sorts of pleasant scents compete for attention, creating a lively and vibrant atmosphere.
However, in the Emperor's Chuigong Hall, they used honeycomb briquettes, which had little to no smell. Because he didn't need to compete with anyone, he used the most prestigious batch, the "Northern Expedition Commemorative Edition."
Ordinary people would treasure it and covet it; owning one was a double proof of elegance and wealth. But the royal family would only use it as firewood.
The subtext is clear to anyone who understands it.
Within the vast imperial court, only a few individuals, such as Fan Zhongyan, Fu Bi, and Ouyang Xiu, held different views on this matter.
What's the point of showcasing royal extravagance? The emperor just wanted to flaunt the deep bond between father and son.
Do you know where these honeycomb briquettes come from?
It was sent by His Highness the Crown Prince!
What the official was showing off wasn't his confidence, but his son's concern for his elderly father! It was a truckload of coal that raised enough money for the military expenses in Yunzhou!
Those who grasp the truth are always a minority, and their lives are often filled with suffering. Whenever they hear similar discussions, they can't help but shake their heads and sigh. And today, seeing a few people gathered in front of the Chui Gong Hall, exchanging glances, they let out similar sighs of helplessness.
"I guess the Emperor gathered us together because of that matter."
"What else could it be?"
"Let's go, let's go. After all, only we know the inside story."
Several people walked side by side into the Chui Gong Hall and, as expected, saw that the Emperor was in high spirits, his eyebrows raised high, seemingly examining something on the table. Hearing the noise, he looked up and smiled at them: "You gentlemen have arrived."
Those present had been ruler and subject for a long time, so they spoke frankly. Fu Bi asked directly, "Your Majesty, you summoned us here today. Could it be that His Highness the Crown Prince has sent some good news?"
To put it more bluntly: Your Majesty? You've come to show off your son to us again today?
What do you want to show off today?
The emperor was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter: "Hahahahahahahahahaha!"
“My lords, you know me well,” he said.
Emperor Renzong didn't find Fu Bi's words offensive at all, since he really did have a son who could show off every time, and the content of his show-offs was different every time.
My lords may be joking, but the question is, do any of you have a son like that? Do you?
-----------------------
Author's Note: Your Majesty: I have a fine son, but you ministers do not. This is a victory. [Sunglasses]
I forgot to send out red envelopes after writing 500,000 words, I'll send them after writing 510,000 words, 20 in total! [Sprinkling flowers]
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