Chapter 14: Get Two-tenths of the Dowry
The officer was originally ordered to take Qin Lang to the yamen for questioning.
Seeing Qin Lang's cooperation, he said, "Okay, let's go, Master Qin."
Qin Lang followed the officers to the Jingzhao government office. As soon as he entered, he saw Lin Zhiyi kneeling on the ground, and the person trying the case in the court was Jingzhao Yin Feng.
Qin Lang bowed and said, "Thank you, Lord Feng, for helping me recover the thief."
Then he looked at Lin Zhiyi, anger rising, and asked angrily: "Lin Zhiyi, tell me! Where did you steal the things from the Qin residence?"
After Qin Lang finished speaking, everyone looked at him.
This man is the defendant who seized Miss Lin's property. How dare he be so shameless in court?
Lin Zhiyi looked at Qin Lang coldly with a hint of ridicule.
"Excuse me, Master Qin, what did I take from the Qin family? Oh, I see. You only brought two rags with you when you came to the capital to take the exam. Is that what you are talking about?"
Qin Lang paused and wanted to talk about dowry, but couldn't say it.
"Anyway, you know it very well. Mother's big gold bracelet is missing, and the valuables in my elder brother and younger sister's rooms are also missing. If it wasn't you who took them, who else could have taken them?"
"Oh, Lord Qin, it's not the loudest voice that makes you right. Then, may I ask who gave them these valuable items? Lord Qin says I took them, but what evidence do you have? If not, then it's a false accusation.
Besides, let alone those things I didn't take, even if I did, I'm just returning them to their original owners!"
Qin Lang choked: "You!"
When did Lin Zhiyi become so eloquent and logical?
In the past, she was always confused by her own words.
Otherwise, how could he have coaxed Lin Zhiyi into asking for the dowries of her mother and two sisters-in-law.
As for his career, it was also because he coaxed Lin Zhiyi to return to the Lin family crying and seek help from her father-in-law.
Usually, she respects her mother-in-law, obeys the Qin family's words, and is always under his guidance.
Over time, Lin Zhiyi formed a habit. Not only did she obey her husband, but she also responded to every request from his family.
And now, looking at her expression, she doesn't seem to be afraid of him.
But her mind was so clear.
"Who are you? You are not Lin Zhiyi!"
Lin Zhiyi looked at Qin Lang as if he was a fool, curled the corners of her lips, and the sarcasm on her face became even stronger.
"Oh? Then who do you think I am, Master Qin? Do you want me to tell everyone everything you've done?"
Qin Lang felt a little guilty for a moment.
He didn't know how much Lin Zhiyi knew about the things he had done.
Then he regained his composure. Lin Zhiyi must be lying to him. He had never told her, so how could she know.
Lin Zhiyi saw every expression on his face.
Lin Zhiyi was just trying to trick him, and she immediately realized that he had something on her.
But if you want to investigate him, it's not the right time. You can let him run around for a few years, and then come back in five years, and then wipe out the Qin family in one fell swoop.
At this moment, Lord Feng slammed the gavel and shouted sternly, "Is the person standing below the defendant Qin Lang?"
Qin Lang bowed and said, "Your Excellency, it is me."
"Well, considering that you are also an official appointed by the court, I will return Lin's dowry in full. Otherwise, I will have to report this matter to His Majesty."
Jingzhao Prefecture was directly under the imperial court and was responsible for governing the imperial city and more than 20 surrounding counties.
Lord Feng is the third-rank Jingzhao Yin. Unlike poor scholars like Qin Lang who rose through the imperial examinations, the Feng family is a family of officials.
Although he was the son of an official, he did not rely on his family. He achieved what he has today entirely through his own hard work.
What he hated most was people like Qin Lang who took shortcuts and didn't work hard to rely on their own real abilities, but instead resorted to these crooked ways.
Lord Feng also has a daughter who is about to reach marriage age. He is most afraid that his daughter will also meet someone like Qin Lang.
Qin Lang originally thought that he was at least an official in the same court as Lord Feng, and if nothing had happened today, he would have married He Jiaojiao by now.
His father-in-law, Minister He, was also a third-rank official, on par with Lord Feng. He never expected that Lord Feng would not give him any face at all.
"Master Feng, you may not know that Lin Zhiyi has been divorced by me for defying my mother-in-law. Therefore, it is unreasonable for her to take her dowry with her."
This article is also included in the Dagan Law.
Etiquette emphasizes "filial piety", and a daughter-in-law must be absolutely respectful to her parents-in-law. If her words or actions are disrespectful, her husband can divorce her.
Lin Zhiyi defended herself, "Your Excellency, I have been paying my respects to my mother-in-law every morning and evening, and I have never been lazy in serving her. I am also very considerate to my husband. How can I be said to be disrespectful?"
It was Master Qin who wanted to demote his wife to a concubine, but since I disagreed, he proposed a divorce. The Qin family believed that after the divorce, I had to bring back my dowry, and only then would they divorce me."
Lord Feng believed what Lin Zhiyi said even more.
Because some time ago, he heard that Qin Lang was going to marry the daughter of the He family as his wife.
"Lin, do you have any witnesses?"
Chai Ya stepped forward and said, "Sir, I am a maid in the Qin residence. I can testify."
Qin Lang retorted, "She is someone close to Lin, so she naturally speaks on Lin's side."
Lord Feng frowned, "Go to the Qin family and bring the other witnesses."
Lin Zhiyi sighed slightly.
What's the use of bringing servants with you? All of them have defected to the Qin family.
After a while, the officers brought the rest of the Qin family, including servants.
As expected, Old Lady Qin and the rest of the Qin family insisted that Lin Zhiyi was divorced by Qin Lang because she was disrespectful to her mother-in-law.
As for the servants, they hated Lin Zhiyi for selling them to Chenji Yahang as laborers, and they naturally agreed with the Qin family.
They still held on to a glimmer of hope that if they could be awarded to the Qin family, perhaps they would not have to suffer in the Xuanzhou Copper Mine.
Lord Feng was helpless in the face of this situation.
According to the Dagan Law, the wealth earned by the wife's family was not subject to the division limit. However, if a divorce was based on the seven grounds for divorce, the husband's family could withhold part of the dowry on the grounds of moral impropriety.
He looked at Lin Zhiyi with a hint of sympathy, slammed the gavel, and made a judgment.
"According to the Household Marriage Law, Lin can receive two-tenths of the dowry, and the remainder will go to Qinmen. Is Lin willing to accept the judgment?"
"Yes, it's women's clothing."
Lin Zhiyi sighed in his heart, the laws of the ancients really need to be improved.
Although she felt aggrieved, she thought that the Lin family would be exiled from the capital Chang'an today, so she shouldn't delay for too long.
Besides, even if she keeps dealing with it, she may not be able to get everything back.
And the dowry had long been put into her space, so there was no point in arguing about it.
The Qin family's servants suddenly felt hopeful. If this were the case, they wouldn't have to be sold.
But in the blink of an eye, they stopped laughing. They only heard Lin Zhiyi say, "Sir, I only want the house and servants that I brought as a dowry. The rest can belong to the Qin family."
"allow!"
Anyone with a discerning eye could see that this time Lin Zhiyi was forced to leave the marriage.
But this is the law of the land, and since Lin Zhiyi has insufficient evidence, he can only make this judgment.
He had just sent someone to take inventory of Lin Zhiyi's dowry. According to Lin Zhiyi's request, only the house and servants were needed, which did not exceed 20% of the dowry, which was reasonable.
When Old Lady Qin heard this, she immediately became unhappy. Lin Zhiyi's dowry had already been taken away, so wouldn't they get nothing?
"I don't accept it. Our house was burglarized last night, and all the dowry was stolen by Lin Zhiyi. How could you still award the house to her? Shouldn't you arrest her, throw her in jail, and sentence her to death?"
"Um?"
Lord Feng slammed the gavel and glared at Old Lady Qin, "If not, will you be the Jingzhao Yin?"
Old Mrs. Qin was startled and immediately shut up.
Seeing that Lin Zhiyi was about to leave the court, Old Lady Qin hurriedly tugged at the corner of Qin Lang's clothes.
Qin Lang reacted immediately and realized that he couldn't let Lin Zhiyi get away with it so easily.
"Your Excellency, yesterday the Qin residence was robbed by bandits, and all the dowry you ordered was stolen. I hope you can find the thieves and recover the stolen property."
"Also, my fiancée, Mrs. He's dowry was also stolen. I suspect she was the one who stole it."
Qin Lang pointed at Lin Zhiyi.
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