Chapter 97: Complaint Drum Sounds for Grievances
The beautiful woman struck the drum, intending to air her grievances. The gates of the posthouse were thrown open, and two squads of soldiers escorted her inside as the crowd craned their necks to see.
“Someone really beat the drum…”
“Is the emperor really inside?”
The people stretched their necks even further, wishing they could see through the buildings and into the posthouse. Partly because the woman, Zhang, was exceptionally beautiful, and partly because they wanted to gaze upon the imperial countenance and see the teenage emperor.
Li Jiucheng had already received the little emperor’s orders and instructed his men to open the gates wider: “His Majesty has decreed that the public may observe the trial when the Complaint Drum is struck. If anyone has valuable insights, they may also communicate with His Majesty and offer their advice directly.”
This surprised the people even more.
In the past, only nobles and high officials could offer advice to the emperor, right? Or at least those who had passed the imperial examinations or come from distinguished families? Certainly not commoners like them.
The people were uncertain, entering the posthouse feeling more like they were on a pilgrimage, trembling with trepidation.
However, the soldiers guarding the posthouse, like Li Jiucheng, were surprisingly welcoming:
“Are you coming in or not? This isn’t a government office, and we’re not here to arrest you. His Majesty even ordered tea for the spectators. Aren’t you thirsty after standing outside for so long?”
“Coming in, coming in. Thank you, sir. Thank you.”
“Let’s go in and take a look.”
“Let’s go see.”
So, all the people entered the posthouse.
The posthouse had a spacious courtyard planted with peach trees, shedding petals like rain.
Outside the building where Wei Wanlan was resting, a screen and a long table were set up. Two rows of soldiers acting as bailiffs stood on either side of the screen, not holding staves but resting their hands on their swords.
Behind the long table sat the little emperor, Wei Wanlan. He wasn’t wearing his dragon robe. Instead, he wore a light yellow gauze outer robe over a red cross-collar robe with cloud patterns. His hair was tied up in a ponytail with a gold crown, two curly bangs framing his face.
Even more stunning than the woman beating the drum was the little emperor’s face. It was a beauty beyond description. When the little emperor appeared, Zhang’s presence seemed less conspicuous, as Wei Wanlan silently drew everyone’s gaze.
People wanted to approach him because of his beauty but were awed by his status as the emperor.
He was a young Son of Heaven, beautiful yet inviolable, guarded by soldiers. In that moment, the law allowing people to gaze upon the imperial countenance became a special gift from the Wei ancestors.
As they pondered, the little emperor spoke: “We have informed the people that grievances with nowhere else to go can be brought directly to Us. Common woman Zhang, you are the first to beat the Complaint Drum. You say you are suing the Ruyang County Magistrate and Sheriff. What is your grievance?”
Great Wei used a system of circuits, prefectures, and counties. Ruyang County belonged to the Eastern Capital.
Yuan Xizai had immense power, but he couldn’t manage the Eastern Capital and the surrounding counties simultaneously. So each county had a magistrate as the top official, and a sheriff in charge of local armed forces. These were very low-level officials.
Zhang, dressed in plain clothes, knelt before the emperor and said:
“Three months ago, my late husband was still alive. Our family lived next door to the sheriff, separated only by a wall. We saw each other often. My late husband used to tell me, ‘Better a close neighbor than a distant relative.’ Whenever we made good food or harvested fresh fruit from the farm, he would tell me to visit the neighbors when it wouldn’t disturb them…”
Wei Wanlan sat up straighter.
Zhang wiped the blood from her forehead and continued:
“My late husband was a traveling merchant, trading porcelain. He was away from home most of the year. He wanted me to be friendly with the neighbors, partly to keep me company so I wouldn’t be lonely, and partly so there would be someone to help in case of an emergency when he wasn’t around.”
This was understandable, Wei Wanlan thought.
But Zhang’s tone changed abruptly:
“I always chose times when the Sheriff was not home to chat with the women of his household. It was convenient and avoided suspicion. I never intended to curry favor with the Sheriff. But who knew the Sheriff would misunderstand?”
“He chose a time when my husband was away and climbed over the wall into my home at night.”
“He’s a martial artist and tried to force himself on me. I was powerless and didn’t want to make a scene, so I could only resist by threatening suicide, crying that our marriage was harmonious and I couldn’t betray my husband…”
Zhang began to weep mournfully, her shoulders shaking with sobs.
Dressed in mourning clothes, she looked like a white flower trembling in the wind. Zhang continued to weep:
“The Sheriff cursed me for not knowing what was good for me. My cries alerted the guards, who lit torches to search the courtyard. The Sheriff, fearing for his reputation, hurriedly climbed back over the wall and left.”
“But he was afraid I would report him, and afraid my husband wouldn’t let it go. So he struck first, bribing the magistrate. When my husband returned, he framed him for assaulting his concubine, causing her to commit suicide by jumping into a well. The magistrate arrested my husband.”
“They controlled the county prison.”
“I couldn’t see my husband at all. He was tortured into confessing. The case was settled in Ruyang, claiming witnesses and evidence were conclusive. My husband died in prison, leaving me only a corpse, and they claimed he committed suicide out of guilt…”
“Your Majesty! I have been wronged!”
Zhang kowtowed again.
Wei Wanlan didn’t know the specific details. He had just sorted out the situation in the Eastern Capital and hadn’t gotten to the suburban counties. But this was the first case for the Complaint Drum. He had to make a splash, no matter where the official was from. He had to investigate.
Wei Wanlan: “Bring the Ruyang Magistrate and Sheriff before Us.”
Night had fallen.
The crowd outside the posthouse was packed tight enough to burst the doorframes.
The Sheriff was brought in first. He had a square face and wide mouth, looking like a martial artist. His appearance didn’t reveal whether he was a villain.
The Sheriff bowed to Wei Wanlan. Seeing Zhang weeping nearby, he glared angrily, his large body trembling with rage. He accused Zhang of being a wicked woman:
“Your Majesty! Although this humble official is a minor official, I entered the service through military examinations and have read the classics. I know right from wrong. This wicked woman’s husband was involved in a murder case. Now that her husband is dead, she refuses to pay the huge compensation owed to my household.”
“But pity my beloved concubine. She was a daughter of a respectable family, not a slave. Why should she die unjustly…”
Saying this, the Sheriff bowed to Wei Wanlan again.
After the Sheriff bowed, the Magistrate was also dragged over from the Ruyang County office by soldiers.
Ancient people slept early. Hearing he was to see the emperor, the Magistrate was groggy and disbelieving, letting the soldiers drag him into the office with his official robes disheveled.
“Your, Your, Your Majesty!” The Magistrate hurriedly kowtowed to the little emperor, his hat rolling far away. Seeing the scene, he realized the little emperor really would summon minor officials like them, smaller than ants. “This subject has lost his composure before the monarch. Please forgive me, Your Majesty, spare my life!”
So the plaintiff and defendant involved in the case were all present, arguing their sides in the hall. Wei Wanlan rubbed his temples.
He had used an item to trace a wrongful case in the Luoyang Imperial Villa, but acting as a judge was a first. He had thought it would be simple: set up the drum, let the victim beat it, and then catch the bad guy.
He forgot the bad guy would defend himself and deny it.
Wuwuwu, it’s hard to catch them QAQ…
The Great Wei emperor clearly couldn’t proceed with the work. He didn’t dare show it on his face and wanted to rely on the system for help. But seeing Xiao Ji nearby, watching the scene thoughtfully, Wei Wanlan remembered Xiao Ji’s background, and his eyes lit up.
A wise ruler can employ capable ministers, right?
Giving complex problems to capable people is a sign of a wise ruler, isn’t it?
He just needed to ensure the final check was accurate!
After all, Judge Dee and Bao Zheng both became prime ministers. These people knew how to solve cases. The Valiant Warrior was prime minister material, so he should handle it.
He gave a look that said “you understand”: “Minister Xiao.”
Xiao Ji understood: “Why trouble Your Majesty personally? This subject will investigate the details, and then Your Majesty can make the final judgment and bring justice to this case.”
As a good subject, mutual flattery with the emperor was essential.
Xiao Ji stepped in, fan waving, elegant and dashing, tapping the Magistrate’s shoulder:
“Did you bring the confession and witnesses from the original case?”
Hearing Xiao Ji’s question, the groggy Magistrate slowly looked up, taking a long time to rasp: “Yes…”
“Bring the witnesses.”
A soldier brought over the night watchman and the Zhang family servant who had testified.
The night watchman was around forty, wearing brown linen clothes, with a dark yellow face and a large nose, speaking in a muffled voice:
“This lowly one… is… is the witness to this case, the night watchman who saw the head of the Zhang family molest the Sheriff’s concubine.”
Common people probably never expected their affairs to reach the emperor’s ears. The night watchman was scared silly, stammering.
Xiao Ji didn’t mind. A witness with poor psychological quality was better.
He focused on the night watchman: “This official has the testimony in hand, but repeat what you saw and heard that night to the Son of Heaven.”
The night watchman’s lips were pale and trembling, his face devoid of color. But he was flanked by majestic soldiers. Although the little emperor was beautiful, the torchlight made his golden clothes glow with an imposing aura, so he didn’t dare look anywhere.
The night watchman lowered his head:
“That night, I was on patrol passing the narrow alley where the Zhang family and the Sheriff’s family lived. You know, the curfew in our small county isn’t as strict as in the big cities. The Sheriff’s concubine’s close relative was critically ill, so she had to go out. At night, she ran into the suspect returning to the Zhang house.”
“The head of the Zhang family had been drinking. He was drunk. It was pitch black at night. There were no lights in the county town.”
“The head of the Zhang family thought his wife was meeting a lover while he was away. Furious, he tried to pin his wife against the wall to do husband-and-wife things, but the Sheriff’s concubine screamed, dropping her jewelry in fright. I hurried over to stop him.”
“I shone my lantern, and he panicked, hurriedly gathering his clothes. The Zhang family’s own guards also came out in the dark hearing the noise. We all saw a black mark on Master Zhang’s private parts.”
“If we hadn’t seen such an unsightly scene with our own eyes, who could make up what his private parts looked like?”
The night watchman finished.
Xiao Ji summoned the Zhang family guard. The guard no longer worked for the Zhang family, but his testimony matched the night watchman’s.
Zhang family guard: “This commoner saw it with my own eyes. It was very dark, and I didn’t carry a lantern, rushing out from my own house. I thought a thief was trying to harm the mistress. When the night watchman shone his light, this commoner saw clearly how Master Zhang was desecrating the Sheriff’s concubine!”
Such certainty made the Sheriff kneel straighter in the courtyard.
Zhang continued to weep: “Nonsense. This common woman… is wronged.”
Wei Wanlan’s face felt hot.
How should he put it?
He had certain parts too, and had been kissed, but discussing private matters publicly was a bit embarrassing.
But the mundane lives of common people, the gossip and trifles, were different from the court life Wei Wanlan lived. It was the most vulgar and grounded reality.
Wei Wanlan didn’t know how to judge. He still felt everyone had their reasons.
But he never forgot to pretend to be profound: “朕 (We) have a rough idea in mind. I want to hear Minister Xiao’s opinion. Do we see eye to eye?”
Sure enough, Xiao Ji wasn’t good at martial arts, but this was easy for him. He thought for a moment, fan in hand, then his face turned serious, and he bowed to Wei Wanlan:
“The Ruyang Magistrate and Sheriff colluded, fabricated testimony, and tortured the suspect into confessing. These two have no regard for the law. Please punish them severely, Your Majesty!”
As soon as he finished speaking.
Gasps sounded simultaneously inside and outside the courtyard.
The onlookers were puzzled. How did he arrive at that conclusion?
The little emperor was also puzzled, but continued to pretend to be profound, nodding sagely.
Actually, he was thinking: Why?
At this moment, Xiao Ji pointed his fan at the blazing torches illuminating the posthouse.
The torches instantly extinguished.
The entire Luoyang posthouse was plunged into darkness.
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