Chapter 8 Even if the flogging breaks his body bones, he will not kneel down.
The richest family in Huaicheng is undoubtedly the You family, which has been inherited for a hundred years. This family has made a living by doing business for generations. From real estate and money shops to salt and silk industry, the You family is involved in all of them.
Since You Lang inherited his ancestral business, he has spread the business sources to all counties in Linzhou. Besides, You Lang's father is a rare figure in a century.
Before Huaicheng was affiliated with the Dacheng Kingdom, it only obeyed the city lord. The people of Huaicheng rarely left their hometown to serve as officials in the capital. Since Huaicheng surrendered to Dacheng a hundred years ago, his father, who was only 24 years old, won the top spot in the imperial examination and became the left prime minister at the age of 40. Since the founding of Huaicheng, there have been two top scholars, one of whom was You Lang's father, and the other was Song Lang.
The name of Song Lang may be unknown in Huaicheng. However, if we talk about the statue worshipped in Zhe'erzhai, everyone will know that Song Lang was born in Luoyuan, Yingguo in the 37th year. He was respected as the eldest son of the city lord. He did not need to take the so-called imperial examinations, but only waited to succeed the throne and benefit the people. However, he insisted on serving as an official in the Ying Dynasty.
At only seventeen, Song Lang, the top scorer in the imperial examination, was favored by Emperor Ying and appointed the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor. At the tender age of twenty, he held the title of Imperial Preceptor. However, Song Lang's notoriety was unspeakable. His role as Imperial Preceptor was a betrayal of his country, but as the eldest son of the city lord, he subjected the city's inhabitants to arbitrary slaughter. When the founding emperor of the Great Cheng dynasty passed through the city to execute Emperor Ying, Song Lang delivered a letter of surrender, opening the city gates. He had thus placed the city in jeopardy, subjecting the people of Huaicheng to burning, slaughtering, and looting.
Lang means clean and beautiful jade, and the sound of reading.
Song Lang is a genius, but also a villain.
You Lang's father gave him the name "Lang", hoping that his son would inherit Song Lang's talent and ambition. However, You Lang only inherited the name but not the talent, and only inherited Song Lang's evil deeds.
The You family has great financial power. Although You Lang's father has been dead for decades, the officials in Huaicheng still have to give the You family some face. No matter how many crimes You Lang and his eldest son You Yan commit, no one dares to accuse them in court.
Until ten days ago, Fang Sanniang, who lived two miles east of the city, beat the drum to file a complaint against You Lang's eldest son You Yan. This incident caused an uproar in the city, and the government office sent the person back many times. However, Fang Sanniang was a tough guy and no matter how the government officials threatened or bribed her, she could not get away with it.
Fang Sanniang went to the government office every day to beat the drum to report the incident. The news spread far and wide to Linzhou County. The government office saw that the situation was not good. If the news reached the capital, there might be a disaster. The capital abided by the Dacheng law the most. Common people and officials were all guilty of the same crime. Huaicheng was not far from the capital. The government office had no choice but to hold the trial at the time of Si today.
The hour of Si has arrived, and the light is shining thousands of miles away.
The defendant You Yan was already sitting idle in the government office, with his brother You Heng by his side, but the victim Fang Sanniang was nowhere to be seen.
Prefect Zhang Qian sat high in the main hall. He slammed the gavel in his hand against the red sandalwood bench where the case was being heard, and shouted, "Fang Sanniang! It's almost noon, and yet she's making me and the Young Master of the You family wait! Humph! This woman must be trying to pin some trumped-up crime on Young Master You! Otherwise, why would she be so afraid of going to court? Doesn't she know that false accusations are punished three times more severely?"
You Yan, nearly forty, with a round belly and legs crossed, sat on the armchair. "Master Zhang, why bother with such a vulgar woman? Hey, she's still my concubine, but it's bad luck! My father was still in good health half a month ago, but who would have thought that he would pass away as soon as she came into the house! What a wild woman! I haven't even asked her for an explanation yet, and now she's slandering me!"
You Heng also had a grand master's chair to one side, but he didn't sit down. He stood in the hall for a long time. Seeing You Yan's anger, he advised, "Brother, why don't we wait a little longer? Although Fang Sanniang missed the deadline, she's cunning and treacherous. If she makes a fuss about it and accuses my family of deliberately misrepresenting the time, wouldn't that just fulfill her wish? Our family is upright and fears no accusation. Why not give her a little longer? Let the people of Huaicheng see what a noble family is like."
Before You Yan could reply, the prefect Zhang Qian interrupted, "Second Master You is kind-hearted, but this woman is despicable! How can she be worthy of your affection? In my opinion..." Zhang Qian glanced at You Yan's face, coughed dryly a few times, and said firmly, "Dismiss!"
“Wait!”
Everyone turned to look and saw that the court was already crowded with ordinary people watching the trial. A young lady in plain clothes was pushing her way through the crowd. The crowd was so crowded that it was unbearable. The young lady shouted at the top of her voice, "I wish you good luck! I want to report to You Yan, the eldest son of the You family!"
The lingering sound lingered in the hall, and when the final note faded away, Zhu Hao stood out from the crowd.
You Heng hadn't seen Fang Xuyin come to the court for a long time, and now that Zhu Hao had pointed out his brother's crime, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
If no one comes to court, today's trial will be of no use.
Zhang Qian slammed the gavel. "Good morning?" He nodded slightly and asked, "Wish you good morning, Huai'an Street, the unlucky star who brought down your father, mother, and husband? You've come to the government office... to sue Young Master You? According to Dacheng law, unless the case is urgent, the trial must be held within three days of filing a complaint. There are many people behind you waiting for my judgment. Zhu, please go back today."
"What if what you are complaining about is an urgent matter?"
"The Dacheng law states that anyone presenting an urgent case can use the drum to report it," You Heng said, looking at Zhu Hao. "Huaicheng has over 10,000 people, and Lord Zhang is busy with countless matters, having to hear nearly ten cases a day. If he uses the drum to hear urgent cases, he will receive thirty lashes. This is the law of Dacheng, and it's also the law of Huaicheng. Madam Zhu, will you obey?"
"Since it is the law, I will naturally obey." Zhu Haocai took a step towards the drum outside the yamen, but suddenly stopped. "Xu Yin beat the drum for ten consecutive days to obtain this opportunity to appear in court to present his grievances. The Dacheng law stipulates that if it is an urgent case, the local officials must open the trial immediately. But Lord Zhang has postponed it for several days. Is this considered a violation of the law?"
"Secondly, Second Young Master You, only the defendant and the victim should be in court. Why are you standing in the inner hall? Even if you are the eldest young master's witness, you must wait until the victim files a complaint and Lord Zhang summons you before you can enter the courtroom. You standing in the inner hall now... is not in compliance with the laws of Dacheng." Zhu Hao turned sideways and looked at You Yan, who was sitting idly with his legs crossed. "Since the eldest young master You is the defendant, how can he take a seat? I beg you, eldest young master You, not to treat the laws of Dacheng as empty words."
The gavel clattered like thunder in everyone's ears. Zhang Qian shouted angrily, "How dare you! If you challenge me to a legal debate, you will first receive thirty lashes!"
I wish you a good life. "I obey the law and am willing to be punished."
She turned and bowed to the people watching outside the yamen. "Zhu Hao is willing to be flogged not because he is bowing to official authority, but because he firmly believes in the laws of Dacheng. Good and evil, right and wrong, will eventually be resolved before the law. Though I have a tainted reputation, I trust in the people's discerning eye."
Zhu Hao walked towards the government office to listen to the drum. The crowd was still there. She heard the onlookers whispering, but they were willing to make way for her.
The drums were beaten to protest grievances, and the sounds were so loud that it seemed as if the halls inside and outside were vibrating in unison, and the sound even penetrated everyone's internal organs.
Zhang Qianfu slammed the gavel, and the yamen runners in the hall approached Zhu Hao. They pressed her down on the torture stool, and the whip branches pierced her skin with a sound of breaking through the air.
Seeing the execution had already begun, You Heng leaned forward and tried to retreat. "Madam Zhu is absolutely right. The victim hasn't had time to file a complaint, and I, a commoner, haven't been summoned by Lord Zhang. Now that Madam Zhu has been executed, I, You Heng, must also obey the law." He asked You Yan, "What do you think, brother? The You family's integrity shouldn't be challenged by such scoundrels."
When You Yan heard this, although he was extremely reluctant in his heart, he had to get up from the armchair.
This case attracted many people to watch. His reputation was much worse than Zhu Hao's. Although the officials in the government office had been bribed, the people outside the government office all hoped that he would be imprisoned. He could not let himself be defeated again in trivial matters of etiquette and law.
When You Heng saw this, he jumped out of the hall.
He passed by Zhu Hao and looked down. She had been whipped nearly ten times. The young lady bit her wrist to endure the pain, and intermittent whimpers came from between her teeth. She was drenched in cold sweat, and the blood on her body was as red as plum blossoms. As the brambles fluttered in the wind, he could vaguely catch a glimpse of flesh and blood hanging from the barbs of the brambles.
The young lady met his eyes, and their eyes met. There was a mist in her eyes, but it was not the emptiness after the rain, but the spring sunshine that suddenly appeared in the rain.
You Heng shifted his gaze and walked out of the inner hall.
Zhu Hao Che Wu, the reason why Fang Xu Yin mixed the sleeping drug into the medicine to make her sleep for more than ten days was because he knew that this trip was like walking into a tiger's mouth. Fang Xu Yin tried every means to prevent her from going to court to confess, but planned to bear all the punishments alone.
Fang Xuyin hadn't expected her to wake up early, right?
Zhu Hao silently counted in her mind. She had now reached the twenty-fifth lash. Her back felt like it was on fire, as if her bones were about to shatter. With only the last few lashes left, she realized the yamen runners were using force that threatened to kill her. Were You Yan and the corrupt officials in the court planning to leave her speechless?
The flogging was meant to be a physical punishment, but the pain ripped through her bones. In a trance, she suddenly smelled a pungent, pungent aroma, and the wound felt like it was being bitten by ants. The teeth marks on her left wrist oozed blood. She was so exhausted that tears and cries burst forth from within.
The guards were still waving their whips when Zhu Hao raised her trembling arms. "I've been lashed thirty-four times," she said in a trembling voice. "Since I've already received thirty lashes, what are you doing with this abuse of power?" The people outside the yamen saw it all. "What explanation do you have for this, Lord Zhang?"
"Bah!" You Yan pointed at Zhu Hao, "Thirty-four? Who saw that?! Who has the time to count how many times you, a bitch, have been flogged?!"
"I! I saw it! I even counted it!"
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw a shaved-headed child. He was quite imposing, with his hands on his hips, "I'll count! Sister didn't lie! That's thirty-four lashes!"
You Yan kicked the armchair beside him away and cursed, "Whose family is this brat? You're not even fully grown yet and you dare to talk down to me?! You've never been to a private school before, so just shut up! Do you need your grandfather to teach you how to do arithmetic?"
"Yes! Private school!" the child said with all his strength, without any fear, "A mouse has a skin! A man has no manners!"
The people outside the hall burst into laughter. The child was quite excited. He wanted to say something else, but was pulled into the crowd by a long arm and disappeared in an instant.
Zhang Qian slammed the gavel, and the laughter finally stopped. "Besides the young boy just now, has anyone else been counted?" He looked away and quickly added, "It seems not, but the child is young and immature, so what he said doesn't count."
As soon as she finished speaking, the bailiff pulled Zhu Hao off the torture stool. She fell to her knees, feeling completely powerless.
Zhu Hao glanced outside the yamen, but she didn't see You Heng, and her heart finally settled down.
Today, Fang Xu pleaded in court for ten days, but she failed to show up on time. Either she had a hidden agenda, or she was in danger.
Zhu Hao intentionally sent You Heng away in order to look for Fang Xuyin. Now that You Heng was not in the government office, she must have figured out her hidden intentions.
Although she could not handle the whole thing alone, she had to hold on until You Heng and Fang Xuyin entered the hall.
Zhu Hao was trying to gather his thoughts when he heard Zhang Qian say with feigned concern, "Ms. Zhu, I see you're seriously injured. How about rehearsing the case another day?"
Zhu Hao smiled awkwardly and said, "No need, I just want to be judged today."
You Yan was already strolling around the defendant stone, but he didn't kneel. Instead, he challenged Zhu Hao, "Since that's the case, why don't you bend your knees and crawl to the front? I guess your legs and feet aren't very nimble after the flogging?"
But everyone saw Zhu Hao standing straight with wounds all over her body. She walked unsteadily, and every step she took seemed like she was walking on clouds.
No matter how awkward her movements were, she never crawled or knelt.
I wish you a difficult journey, and may your blood turn into pearls wherever you go.
She knelt on the Accuser Stone, her voice weak but piercing: "When I am required to kneel, I will bend my knees. Otherwise, even if my body is broken, I will not kneel."
Zhang Qian's face turned pale. Suppressing his anger, he asked, "What injustice has Zhu suffered? What crime do you want to accuse You of?"
Zhu Hao looked towards the hall and saw Zhang Qian sitting in the Mingtang. On the plaque were written four big characters "A Bright Mirror Hanging High", and below was a painting of "The Sun Rising over the Sea". One could see the red sun rising in the sky, thousands of waves rolling up auspicious clouds, and cranes flapping their wings and flying together.
The official should be painted like this, clear as the blue sea and bright as the morning sun.
Zhu Hao smacked his lips and suddenly chuckled. Zhang Qian banged the gavel, "Zhu! How dare you play around in this hall?"
She knelt down and said bluntly: "I wish to sue You Yan for murder."
"Half a month ago, my aunt Zhu Lanxiang accepted twenty taels of silver from You Yan. She ostensibly sold me to You Lang as a concubine, but in reality, she and You Yan were colluding to bury me with him. When the You family's matchmaker came to the Zhu residence to fetch me, You Lang had already been dead for several days. You Yan and Zhu Lanxiang treated human life like a mere twenty taels of silver. They treated human life like grass. I beg Master Zhang to investigate this matter."
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The rat has skin, but the man has no manners. — "The Rat" by Anonymous, Pre-Qin Dynasty
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