Chapter 93 Persuasion
After Magistrate Meng completed his inspection of the entire county, he made a register of the fields and submitted a copy to Prefect Song. However, after receiving it, Prefect Song took it out, glanced at it, and threw it back at him.
If Prefect Song really admits to the land register he made, then the people of Biyang County will be saved!
They no longer had to bear so much tax and grain, and no longer had to live those dark and hopeless days without any hope of paying off their debts.
However, this was something that Prefect Song and even the entire court should have done for the people, but Prefect Song used it to blackmail him, just to rescue his wife and nephew!
Magistrate Meng's face immediately turned ashen, and for the first time, he stared angrily at Prefect Song.
Even when he learned that Prefect Song was deliberately making things difficult and forbidding doctors from Lin'an Prefecture from coming to Biyang County to treat him, he had never been so angry.
He actually used the people of Biyang County to blackmail them!
Prefect Song remained calm and composed: "Lord Meng, the deep-seated problems in Biyang County are difficult to eradicate, and this situation is not my fault. Moreover, it is not easy for me to accomplish this task. There are many connections in the Ministry of Revenue that need to be cultivated, and I might be punished if I am not careful. If there were no benefit to be gained, who would take the risk to do such a thing?"
He gave a sarcastic smile: "Even Lord Meng isn't entirely without fault, is he? Before leaving Biyang County, your advisor used your seal to accomplish quite a few things. Can you really deny that?"
Magistrate Meng's hands, which were placed at his sides, couldn't help but clench into a fist.
Master Peng!
As his advisor, he naturally earned his trust, but taking advantage of his illness, the magistrate, without checking or taking stock of the county affairs when handing over the reins to the previous magistrate, simply signed off on everything and then swiftly resigned, leaving him with a mess.
In this matter, Magistrate Meng has no choice but to take full responsibility.
Prefect Song said, "It would be best if the Qi family listened to your advice. If they don't, there are still other ways."
"Another way?" Magistrate Meng asked, puzzled, but Prefect Song did not continue. "Qi is quite ill. I brought her back with me when I came from Lin'an. However, she has divorced the Xie family and has nowhere to go. I have placed her in the City God Temple outside the city. Right now, she must have her former children taking care of her. Why don't you go and see her, Magistrate Meng?"
It turns out that Bao's surname is Xie.
But bringing Qi back is key to the Xie family getting a large sum of compensation, so how could the Xie family let her live a peaceful life and recover?
Magistrate Meng immediately understood Prefect Song's intention: as long as the Xie family forced Qi to her death, the plaintiff's identity could be changed from Baohe's mother to his father, and then the Xie family would be qualified to withdraw the lawsuit and settle the matter.
Five hundred taels of silver was enough for them to disregard family ties and insist on getting the money.
Magistrate Meng turned around and went downstairs.
Prefect Song did not pursue them further; he stayed behind to observe how things would develop.
It was not his intention to confront Magistrate Meng so directly, but he had already seen through him. Magistrate Meng was a man who adhered strictly to the words of the sages and acted in a rigid and methodical manner, but he deeply abhorred the unspoken rules of officialdom.
Prefect Song had made things difficult for him, but now he was also offering him a way out. As a qualified politician, even if he was unwilling, as long as he didn't show it on the surface, they could still put on a show of reconciliation and become nodding acquaintances when they met again in the future. But he was not like that. He was as stubborn and inflexible as a rock in a latrine.
As a dignified prefect, he had to condescend to come to Biyang County in person to plead for mercy, even sacrificing his political resources to do something that was completely useless to him. Prefect Song felt both angry and humiliated.
That vicious woman, Madam Lu, dared to hand over his secrets to the Lu family in order to save her nephew, forcing him to run around for Lu Weifu. After this matter is settled, she can spend the rest of her life in the ancestral hall in her hometown of Yubin!
Magistrate Meng and Steward Zhao went to the City God Temple together.
The usually quiet and deserted dilapidated temple was now bustling and lively.
An elderly woman, around sixty years old, was loudly berating Qi Shi, who was lying in a haystack with her eyes closed. Two girls, around ten years old, were kneeling beside her, their faces full of fear and tears, tightly holding Qi Shi's hands.
Behind the old woman stood all the men of the Xie family, glaring at Qi Shi with displeasure.
The old woman said, "Baohe is dead, how can we not be sad? But he's dead, so what? Should our whole family continue to live? Besides Baohe, are you going to take care of these other children? I've never seen anyone like you. People who don't know you would think you're a stepmother. You had five or six children, but you only care about the one who died. How old are your eldest and second eldest? You don't have a penny in the family. How are you going to get married? Your two daughters will be betrothed in a couple of years. Without any dowry, what good ones can you find?"
Qi remained motionless.
The old woman got even angrier: "The adults have all said that even if we sign a letter of understanding, Lu Weifu can't be released. He'll be exiled to a labor camp and will never come back. Isn't it better to let him suffer than to kill him? Why are you so stubborn and unable to see the bigger picture?"
The old man behind the old woman said sinisterly, "Qi, it's no use if you disagree. I've never heard of commoners fighting against officials. How many more days can you last? The Lu family may not be able to release Lu Weifu, but they have plenty of ways to delay the case until you die. Then the plaintiff will return to the Xie family, but their compensation will be reduced from five hundred taels to one hundred taels! You insidious and vicious woman, what right do you have to demand that we lose four hundred taels?! What right do you have?"
Qi finally opened her eyes, coldly staring at her former in-laws who had been repeating the same old story for days: "I have already requested to leave the marriage, and the clan members have witnessed it. I have nothing to do with your family anymore. Back then, you didn't hesitate to throw me out. When I went to Lin'an Prefecture to seek the truth, I became a beggar, asking you for twenty coins for travel expenses, and I was beaten badly. Who told me to stay away from your house? The neighbors can all testify. Why are you coming back to beg me now? When Baohe disappeared without a trace, you acted like he didn't exist. Now that he can earn money, he's your grandson again? Bah! You bunch of fools who even pretend to be timid when your own son and grandson are dead. All you've ever done is bully your own kind. When you see the enemy who killed your son and grandson, instead of rushing to fight them, you'd rather kneel down and lick their shoes. You want to use his corpse to exchange for a life of wealth? I won't do what you want—"
The old woman, enraged, lunged at him, shouting, "Then I'll strangle you first, and I'll give you my life in return, but you must ensure that the Xie family line continues!"
Qi's two sons broke free from their father's restraints and rushed forward, crying, "Grandmother, please don't kill my mother!"
The old woman spat in their faces with hatred, pointing at Qi and cursing, "She only has Baohe in her heart, how can she treat you as her sons? Baoshan, Baolin, you can't live in a good house or get married because you have a mother like her. Once she dies, our family will have everything!"
The scene immediately descended into chaos. Magistrate Meng, unable to bear it any longer, shouted sternly, "Stop!"
The people in the temple all looked over. After recognizing that it was Magistrate Meng, the old woman and man who had been fierce and arrogant immediately transformed from ferocious tigers into domestic cats. Their expressions, which were full of savagery just a moment ago, immediately became respectful and timid.
Qi recognized Magistrate Meng, and a desolate, painful smile appeared on her lips: "My lord, you've arrived~"
Magistrate Meng entered the dilapidated temple, his face cold as he shouted, "The Qi family has already signed a waiver with you and is no longer a member of your Xie family. What are you doing here? Be careful, or I will charge you with disturbing the peace!"
The old woman and old man cried out in alarm, "Sir, she—"
Steward Zhao interrupted them, saying, "She has nothing to do with your Xie family anymore. Get out! If you don't leave, do you want me to call the yamen runners to take you back?"
The Xie family was both shocked and frightened, but dared not disobey, and finally left, looking back every few steps.
The two girls cried and refused to leave, so their brothers each carried one of them away.
The noisy dilapidated temple suddenly fell silent. Steward Zhao stood guard outside, preventing anyone from entering. Only Qi Shi, who was lying in the haystack, and Magistrate Meng remained inside the temple.
Qi coughed and said, "My lord, Lord Song, who brought me back, said that you would come to see me. I have been waiting for you for a long time."
Magistrate Meng felt a pang of sadness looking at her frail appearance: "Qi, how old are you this year?"
Qi was taken aback. After a long while, she rolled her eyes and thought for a moment before coughing and saying, "My lord, I am thirty-six years old this year."
She's thirty-six years old, but she looks fifty-six.
Looking at Magistrate Meng's complicated expression, Qi smiled sadly: "My lord, thank you for helping me find the murderer who killed Baohe. My son can rest in peace now."
Magistrate Meng's expression was complicated: "The person who helped you was not me, but my cousin in the capital, Qi Shi. I did not help with your matter."
Qi said calmly, "Lord Meng, you all share the same surname, so it doesn't matter whether it's you or your cousin. If it weren't for you, Baohe and I would just be roadside grass, easily trampled and killed. How could we even talk about revenge? I am still very grateful to you."
Magistrate Meng remained silent, unable to utter a single word in the face of someone like Madam Qi who loved her son so dearly.
Madam Qi said, "You saw it too, sir? My former in-laws and their family, ever since they found out I had returned from Lin'an, have been at it one moment trying to tear up our marriage contract and marry me back so that the Xie family could become the plaintiff; the next moment they wanted to kill me so that they would have the right to sign the settlement agreement, fearing that if they were even a day late, their five hundred taels of silver would fly away, and their wealth and glory would be gone forever!"
Tears welled in her sunken eyes: "But that's my son's life! How can they make a fortune off the money they got from selling his life?"
Magistrate Meng remained silent, sensing the excruciating pain she felt as a mother who had lost her child.
After shedding tears for a while, Qi finally calmed down and fell into her memories: "Our family was very poor. Baohe was the third child in the family, with two older brothers and two younger sisters. He was not favored at home, but no matter how hard life was, I couldn't bear to sell him. When he found a job as a helper for the Zheng family, the whole family was very happy..."
It was precisely because she insisted on not selling Baohe that Baohe's commoner status was preserved, and Lu Weifu was able to be imprisoned.
Every drink and every bite has its predetermined course.
Qi's voice trembled slightly: "But he's disobedient. He did bad things because he's terrified of poverty. He can't resist money. For those ten taels of silver, he almost harmed Young Master Meng..."
Magistrate Meng was moved. It seemed that the Lu family had already told her everything about how Baohe got to Lu Weifu's side.
Qi looked at Magistrate Meng and said, "He was wrong, but his crime did not warrant death. If Lu Weifu hadn't been so cruel, and had only given him a beating, he would have learned his lesson and gone home, and he wouldn't have died. But he died, and I want Lu Weifu to pay with his life. Am I wrong to do that?"
Magistrate Meng shook his head: "You did nothing wrong. A life for a life, a debt for a debt, it's only right and proper."
Qi seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and said with a bitter smile, "Lord Meng, thank you. You are the first person to agree with me doing this... Yes, a life for a life, a debt for a debt, is a matter of course. The son of the Lu family is pampered and noble, but my son, born of a lowly person, is also my heart and soul. Why can't I make him pay with his life?!"
Magistrate Meng said, "Then you should try your best to live, live on, until the day Lu Weifu is sentenced to death. I can see that you seem to have a death wish, hoping to find a sense of belonging here so you can go with Baohe. But I still want to advise you. Baohe is your son, that's true, but you also have two sons and two daughters. They are all still unmarried and have not yet established their own families. If you go with Baohe, what have those children done wrong? They've lost their mother at such a young age."
Qi was stunned. She turned her face away, tears streaming down her face. Yes, Baohe was her son, but she also had two sons and two daughters, especially her two youngest daughters, one ten years old and the other eight years old. They were not valued at home. What would happen to them if she really left?
In her heart, they were all her precious children; she loved them no less than she loved Baohe!
Magistrate Meng said, "Actually, Lu Weifu killed someone, so in addition to being sentenced, he must also compensate you for your losses. According to the laws of Dawu, you can also receive 42 taels of silver in compensation. With this money, there will be no problem in curing your illness."
Qi was taken aback, and a glimmer of hope appeared in her eyes: "If I refuse to sign the settlement agreement, can I still get forty-two taels of silver as compensation?"
Magistrate Meng said, "Yes, if they don't give it to you, you can continue to appeal."
Madam Qi chuckled: "But no one has ever told me about this before. They're so afraid I won't reconcile!"
Magistrate Meng said, "You're still young. You've already come this far; there's no need to lose hope for the future with a death wish. In fact, you can not only win this case, but also receive compensation and live a good life."
She's only thirty-six years old. Considering the current average lifespan of over fifty years, she has at least another ten or twenty years to live.
Upon hearing this, Qi felt much better and struggled to sit up. "Lord Meng, thank you for your guidance. I will take good care of myself and try my best to live on."
Magistrate Meng nodded and was about to turn and leave when Madam Qi suddenly called out to him, "Magistrate Meng, did Prefect Song send you here?"
There's nothing to hide about that, Magistrate Meng nodded.
Qi said, "He is Lu Weifu's uncle, how could he let you tell me these things? He must have sent you to persuade me, right?"
Lady Qi was truly a woman who was both resilient and intelligent.
Magistrate Meng smiled slightly: "It's alright. Since it's a matter of persuasion, we are prepared for either success or failure."
Qi said, "I have met Lord Song twice. Both times he used an escalating bargaining tactic to force me to agree to a settlement. What did he trade with Lord Song that made him personally come to persuade me?"
Magistrate Meng was silent for a moment, then said softly, "Use the future tax revenue of the people of Biyang County."
Qi was shocked: "What?"
Magistrate Meng asked, "Does your family farm? Are there any fields registered as superior land that are actually medium or inferior land?"
Madam Qi murmured, "Yes, my family used to have more than six acres of land, all of which were low-grade land, but we had to pay taxes according to the rates for high-grade land..."
Magistrate Meng said, "Prefect Song has agreed to help change the land register, so the people of Biyang County will no longer have to bear the burden of excessive taxes."
Qi was so shocked that she couldn't say a word.
Magistrate Meng said, "But I feel it is unreasonable to force you in this way. I respect your decision and believe that there will always be a way to reduce the people's taxes."
He nodded to Qi Shi and turned to leave.
Steward Zhao followed behind Magistrate Meng, feeling it was such a pity.
The master is just too soft-hearted. Prefect Song is right. Madam Qi trusts the master's character very much. If the master were to speak up, Madam Qi might actually agree.
But he quickly came to terms with it; Magistrate Meng had always been this kind of person, his surname and all.
Perhaps he should trust the master; he will find another way to change the lives of the people of Biyang County.
Magistrate Meng did not go to see Prefect Song, but instead continued his planned inspection of spring plowing in the countryside. When he returned to the county office half a month later, he heard news that shocked him: "What did you say? The Qi family and the Lu family have reconciled?"
Steward Zhao said, "It's absolutely true. The entire Biyang County is watching the battle between the Qi family and the Xie family. The yamen runners have gone several times to maintain order..."
How could such a dramatic change have occurred in just half a month? How could the Qi family, who had been insisting on sentencing Lu Weifu to death, suddenly give up and reconcile with the Lu family?
He said with a serious expression, "Tell me in detail what happened."
Steward Zhao said, "Two days after Master left, Lord Song's attendant came and took away Master's land register. He said that starting this year, Master could collect taxes according to this register. I quickly inquired with him and learned that Madam Qi had signed a settlement agreement with the Lu family, but she increased the settlement amount by one hundred taels, and finally received six hundred taels in compensation. Madam Qi also said that she agreed to the settlement for Master's sake and hoped that Lord Song would keep his promise."
Magistrate Meng was shocked: "But I did not persuade her to reconcile that day!"
Steward Zhao was also present that day and naturally heard the whole story: "Yes, I was also shocked when I learned the result. I went to see Madam Qi, and she said that everyone was advising her to reconcile, but only you, sir, supported her in pursuing the case. Only you, sir, told her to live well. So she decided to help you, sir, and also help the people of Biyang County, so that they would no longer have to live such a miserable life..."
Magistrate Meng was speechless for a long time. He had already prepared to find another way out for the people, but unexpectedly, Qi Shi abandoned her revenge for losing her son and chose to help him.
He didn't even bother going home to change his clothes; he immediately set off to find Qi Shi: "Where does she live? Take me there."
Steward Zhao immediately had Zhao Jian drive the carriage, while he and Magistrate Meng got into the carriage. He even joked with interest: "Master, you would never guess what happened to Madam Qi after she received the compensation money. Now the whole county is watching her family's drama!"
It was rare to see the usually serious Steward Zhao joking around, so Magistrate Meng asked curiously, "What's wrong with her?"
Butler Zhao said, "After she got the money, she took it upon herself to buy a small courtyard house in the east of the city and moved in. When the Xie family, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, tried to enter with their luggage, she immediately called the yamen runners and had them all driven out. She said that she had already divorced Xie Daxing and that her property had nothing to do with the Xie family. This infuriated the Xie family, and they have been calling the yamen runners every few days. The Xie family has either asked the clan elders to mediate or asked her maternal relatives to persuade her to reconcile. Qi's attitude has softened a bit, and she has taken her four children in to live with her. But she won't budge an inch on her former in-laws or Xie Daxing, and she won't even let them in the door. If we go there now, we might run into them begging and pleading at her door!"
He glanced at Magistrate Meng and couldn't help but say, "Even Madam makes Xiaoxiao go over to watch the excitement every day. After watching, she tells her about it when they get back, and Xiaoxiao says, 'What a great female lead's comeback!'"
Magistrate Meng's mouth hung open for a long time before he finally said, "Didn't the Xie family come to the yamen to file a lawsuit?"
Butler Zhao said, "They came, why wouldn't they? It's just that the master hasn't returned, and the case is pending, so the court hasn't convened yet. But Madam Qi isn't afraid at all. When they divorced, Xie Daxing and his parents were extremely harsh. Not only did Madam Qi get nothing, but they were also angry that she didn't care about anything because she filed a lawsuit for Baohe. They gave her Baohe's household registration, making her live with Baohe's memorial tablet. Madam Qi had no choice but to establish her own household, and Baohe's household registration is with her. Therefore, Baohe's compensation has nothing to do with the Xie family, and the Xie family wouldn't win the lawsuit anyway—"
Magistrate Meng smiled and said, "That's why the Xie family is anxious. If the Qi family refuses to accept them, the three of them will truly be kicked out of the house."
Qi took in her four children, provided them with a house and money, and now she had a place to find a husband for her son or prepare for her daughter's marriage. The only ones who didn't get any benefit were Xie Daxing and his former in-laws.
Butler Zhao said, "That's exactly right, which is why they're now doing everything they can to coax the Qi family into reconciling with Xie Daxing."
Magistrate Meng calmly leaned against the carriage with his hands in his sleeves: "The yamen won't take this kind of case. It's sent back to their village head. Marriage between a man and a woman should be based on mutual consent. If the other party is unwilling, why should they go to the yamen to file a lawsuit? Where does that logic come from?"
Steward Zhao suppressed a laugh and said, "Yes, I'll have the clerk withdraw the case when I get back."
When Magistrate Meng's carriage arrived at Qing Shi Lane in the east of the city, he indeed saw the old woman who had cursed Qi at the City God Temple that day. She was holding a prepared meal at the door, trying to coax her granddaughter to open it for her. But the door was quiet inside, and no one opened it for a long time.
As soon as Magistrate Meng stepped off the carriage, someone noticed him: "Lord Meng, Lord Meng has arrived!"
When Madam Sun, Qi's former mother-in-law, saw Magistrate Meng, her eyes widened like copper bells. She dropped what she was holding and rushed towards him, crying out, "Magistrate! You've finally returned! I beg you, Magistrate, to do justice for me! I want to sue Madam Qi for being unfilial to her parents-in-law, disrespectful to her husband, embezzling my grandson's compensation money, and even buying a house without my permission but not allowing me to live there! Your Honor, I'm innocent!"
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