"yes!"
Li Ru's attitude made Liu Dazhu feel as if he had found a backer, and he immediately began to cry and complain:
“That Feng San, relying on the power of the Feng family, said that my father’s land was blocking his family’s feng shui, and he insisted on leading people to forcibly seize it. When my father went forward to reason with them, he was beaten to death.”
But the former magistrate, having accepted money from the Feng family, conspired with them to claim that my father had "accidentally fallen to his death," and that my father's death was unjust!
Upon hearing the accusations, Li Ru's face immediately darkened. He then had someone bring the case file and began to examine it carefully.
Just as Liu Dazhu had predicted, the former magistrate's verdict was not only superficial but also vague, with crucial witness testimonies missing. As for Feng San, "no evidence was found, and he was released in court..."
"Summon the coroner! Summon the former yamen runner! Summon Feng San!" Li Ru's voice was as cold as ice.
Soon, under the threat of torture, the coroner tremblingly confessed that he had accepted bribes from the Feng family steward and had altered the autopsy records.
The original case leader also confessed that he was ordered by the former county magistrate to torture Liu Dazhu to extract a confession and to destroy testimonies that were unfavorable to Feng San.
The evidence is irrefutable!
Li Ru immediately signed the warrant and threw it down in court: "Arrest Feng San and bring him to justice at once!"
The constables exchanged bewildered glances, their faces filled with fear. Wang Tong's face twitched, and he forced a smile, saying, "Your Excellency... this Feng San is, after all, from the Feng family..."
"So what about the Feng family?"
Li Ru slammed his gavel: "Even a prince is subject to the same laws as a commoner! How can the Feng family members disregard human life and escape justice? Arrest them immediately! If there is any delay, you will all be punished along with them!"
This sharp shout startled the constables, who immediately retreated without further hesitation.
In less than half a day, Feng San, who was usually arrogant and domineering, was dragged into the courtroom in a sorry state, chained up.
Feng San initially tried to argue, but seeing Li Rusen's cold face and hearing that the coroner and the yamen runners had all confessed, he immediately collapsed to the ground and confessed to his crimes without hesitation.
"Feng San! He forcibly seized farmland and committed murder; the evidence is irrefutable! According to the Han Dynasty law, murderers shall die! This official hereby pronounces the sentence—immediate execution by beheading!"
Li Ru's voice was icy cold, leaving no room for negotiation: "Immediately imprison him, report to the prefectural government for approval, and then carry out the execution. The land he forcibly seized shall be immediately returned to its original owner, Liu Dazhu!"
The former coroner and the involved constables were corrupt and accomplices in the crime. They are to be severely punished with fifty strokes of the cane, dismissed from their posts, never to be re-employed, have their property confiscated, and be ordered to compensate the victims!
The verdict caused a stir among the people inside the Heyang County government office.
How many years has it been?
For so many years, no one in Heyang County has dared to touch a single hair on the Feng family's head!
The newly arrived young magistrate has actually sentenced the Feng family members to beheading! And it's an immediate execution!
Outside the county government office, the people who had been suffocating under the oppression of the Feng family were initially incredulous upon hearing the verdict, but were then overjoyed!
"Justice! Justice Li!"
Liu Dazhu cried out, banging his head against the ground repeatedly, blood mingling with his tears as it streamed down his forehead.
The onlookers outside the government office also cheered loudly.
County Magistrate Wang Tong's face turned ashen, Registrar Zhao Qian plucked out several strands of his beard, and Chief Clerk Zhou Kui, gazing at the upright figure in the hall, showed a noticeable change in his usually wooden face for the first time.
Li Ru sat upright in the hall, listening to the shouts from below and outside, his face showing no smugness, only a more resolute radiance.
He knew that this was just the beginning. Killing Feng San was merely a warning to others. The Feng family, a behemoth that had dominated Heyang for a hundred years, was deeply entrenched and would never let the matter rest.
...
That night, the Feng family mansion was brightly lit, but the atmosphere was unusually oppressive.
The head of the family, Feng Wanjin, sat upright in his seat, his face so gloomy it seemed as if water was about to drip from it.
His two sons sat at the lower seat: the eldest son, Feng Biao, was a burly man with a fierce face, in charge of the hundreds of private soldiers raised by the Feng family, and was now glaring angrily.
"Father! That corrupt official surnamed Li has gone too far! He actually dared to kill my third brother. If I don't tear him to pieces, I won't be able to quell the hatred in my heart! I'll take some men to the county government right now and chop him up!"
"sit down!"
Feng Wanjin suddenly opened his eyes and shouted angrily, "Fool! Kill an official? Do you want my entire Feng family to be executed?!"
Feng Biao was intimidated by his father's imposing manner and sat down sullenly, still panting heavily.
The second son, Feng Zhi, was thin and pale, with a sinister and cunning look between his brows.
He slowly spoke, “Father is absolutely right. Killing an official is a path to certain death. This Li Ru has clearly come prepared and is deeply trusted by that young emperor. We cannot confront him head-on.”
"So we're just going to let him shit on my Feng family's head?" Feng Biao roared unwillingly.
"Of course not."
Feng Zhi's lips curled up slightly: "Since the hard approach doesn't work, let's try the soft approach. Let's find a way to ruin his reputation and then make sure he dies without a burial place!"
As he spoke, he turned to Feng Wanjin: "Father, this Li Ru claims to be incorruptible and impervious to reason."
But he has one major weakness – his eagerness to establish his authority.
Now that he has won the hearts of the people through his third brother's case, his next step will inevitably be to survey the land, reassess taxes, and completely sever our foundation!
"good."
Feng Wanjin nodded slightly and gritted his teeth, saying, "If this scoundrel is not eliminated, there will be no place for the Feng family to stand in Heyang!"
"Therefore, we must strike first before he makes a move!"
Feng Zhi lowered his voice even further: "Didn't he want to stand up for the people? Didn't he want to severely punish corrupt officials?"
Then we'll convict him of the heinous crime of 'colluding with the Xiongnu and aiding the enemy while betraying the country,' turning this 'upright official' into a traitor despised by everyone, forcing even the young emperor to kill him!"
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