Yun Qing wanted to send people to the Xiao family home to look for this set of physical evidence. He then asked Dou Ying, " You said ...
Yun Qing wanted to send people to the Xiao family home to look for this set of physical evidence. He then asked Dou Ying, "You said he bribed the authorities to smooth things over. Do you have any proof?"
Dou Ying replied through gritted teeth, "At the time, the authorities had already accepted the case and found witnesses. They soon took Kong Yang into custody. But not long after, the authorities released him. If not for him, how could Kong Yang possibly have been released?" Dou Ying had no concrete evidence; all this information had been gathered from people he had asked at the time.
Yun Qing did not confirm with Xiao Yongchang whether this matter was true. Instead, he directly summoned Ge Tai, the Tongpan1 who had tried the case. In a cold tone, Yun Qing asked, "Why was this case closed so hastily?"
Faced with Yun Qing's powerful presence, how could Ge Tai still dare to lie? If he angered Yun Qing, he might even be beaten to death right there in court. Ge Tai lowered his head and confessed, "This case was not complicated. It was just that halfway through, Xiao Daren2 invited this lowly official to join him for a drink. While we were drinking, Xiao Daren2 told me that Kong Yang was his wife's elder brother and asked me to give him some face." To 'give him some face' naturally meant that he hoped Kong Yang would be let off.
Yuan Ying was furious to the point of death. Kong Yang was merely the older male cousin of a concubine. Since when was he worth Xiao Yongchang treating him like a real brother-in-law?
Yun Qing asked coldly, "Xiao Yongchang, is this matter true?" He truly had not expected there to be so many hidden details behind this case.
At this point, how could Xiao Yongchang still dare to deny it? He nodded and admitted it. "Yes, but I didn't know the full story behind the matter. At the time, I thought it was just a minor disagreement, so I asked Ge Daren2 to open one side of the net3." Just as Xu Wu had said, Xiao Yongchang was simple-minded. The moment Kong Shi used her beauty scheme on him to such an extent that he even forgot his own surname4, so how could he think deeply about anything?
Yun Qing's expression turned ugly. "If not for you, would the entire Dou family have nearly been wiped out? If not for you, would so many victims have been forced into a situation where they were too afraid to speak out? Now, do you think you bear no guilt at all just by saying 'I didn't know'?" Kong Yang was a scoundrel, while Xiao Yongchang was his accomplice. Without Xiao Yongchang protecting the imperial carriage and escorting the voyage5, Kong Yang could never have been so arrogant, harmed so many people and become such a notorious local tyrant.
Because Xiao Yongchang had been implicated in this case, he could no longer stand behind Yuan Ying. Instead, he walked straight down into the court hall.
The guards who had been sent out soon returned with the Dou family's heirloom: a set of twelve flower-patterned cups, one for each month of the year, packed in a brocade box. They handed the item to Gao Song as soon as they entered.
Yun Qing told Gao Song, "Lay out those cups." In doing so, he also wanted to show everyone what the object looked like — the very thing that Kong Yang had racked his brains trying to seize.
Gao Song gently placed the brocade box on the table and opened it. He then carefully took the cups out one by one.
The inside of the cups was coated with white glaze, while the outer walls were decorated with blue-and-white patterns. They were light, delicate and elegant in form, with thin bodies and lustrous glazes. With such colouring, it was clear that they came from an official kiln and were of the highest quality. Such items would not have been out of place even if offered as tribute goods.
Yun Qing pointed at the cups and asked Xiao Yongchang, "Even someone with clumsy eyes6 would know they are no ordinary objects. The Kong family's circumstances are only average, so how could they possibly give such a rare item to their daughter as part of her dowry?" Yun Qing was also familiar with Kong Shi's background. Her grandfather had been a juren7 and had accumulated considerable wealth. However, her father was the youngest son. When the family property was divided, he only received a single residence, a small shop and several dozen mu8 of land. All the family's assets amounted to only about one or two thousand taels of silver. Even someone who could not recognise valuable goods would know that this set of wine cups was a treasure.
No matter how foolish Xiao Yongchang was, at this moment, he also knew he could not keep shouting about his innocence any longer. Otherwise, his end would be very miserable.
By this point in the trial, the case had actually already been fully judged. Therefore, Yun Qing sentenced Kong Yang and the ruffian to death on the spot. As for Xiao Yongchang and Ge Tai, both were stripped of their official posts and dismissed from office. They were also permanently barred from future employment and sentenced to prison time. Xiao Yongchang was sentenced to five years, while Ge Tai was sentenced to two. Yun Qing did not change the punishments of the other criminals; they would still be carried out according to Han Jianming's original judgment.
When Xiao Yongchang heard that he would have to reclaim wasteland for five years (in the northwest, imprisonment was equivalent to opening up wasteland), he was instantly stunned. Once he had come back to his senses, he wanted to ask Yuan Ying for help. However, under Yuan Ying's murderous gaze, he did not dare utter a word.
The guards immediately stripped Xiao Yongchang of his official robe. At this point, he did not dare resist either and obediently let the guards escort him out of the court hall.
Seeing that Kong Yang was also about to be escorted away, Dou Ying hurriedly rushed forward, grabbed Kong Yang, and asked, "Where did you take my younger brother and sister? Speak quickly. If you don't, I'll strangle you to death."
Kong Yang had already been sentenced to death. Whether he spoke or not, he would still die. Naturally, Kong Yang would not say anything. Instead, he let out a strange, cackling laugh. "Don't even think of finding out where they are for the rest of your life."
Looking at Dou Ying, who seemed on the verge of collapse, Yun Qing said, "As long as you describe what your younger brother and sister look like, this Wang will send people to search for them. As long as they are in the northwest, they will definitely be found." The probability that they were not in the northwest was very low. Because after Yun Qing took control of the northwest, anyone leaving had to undergo strict inspection. Entering the northwest, however, was not as strictly checked.
Dou Ying's tears fell in streams as he kowtowed and exclaimed, "Many thanks, Wangye! Many thanks, Wangye!" The past six months or so had been like a nightmare for him.
Yuan Ying's wife, Xiao Shi, had almost fainted from anxiety when she heard that Xiao Yongchang was going to prison for three years. Once Yuan Ying finally returned, Xiao Shi asked, "Master, what exactly is going on? Why is Yongchang going to prison?"
Yuan Ying snapped, "If he hadn't made a fuss, would today's matter have happened? He brought this ending upon himself." Han Jianming hadn't even pursued the matter any further that day, yet Xiao Yongchang actually had the audacity to go around complaining about it out loud.
Xiao Shi wiped away her tears and responded, "Master, it's too late for you to say that now. We can't let Yongchang go to prison, Master! If he does, his whole life will be ruined!" She was implying that Yuan Ying should go and plead with Yun Qing to spare Xiao Yongchang.
Yuan Ying glared at Madam Xiao and retorted, "Do you know? Today, even I was almost dragged into it." He had no problem helping arrange for Xiao Yongchang's time in prison to be a little more comfortable. But asking him to beg for leniency was absolutely out of the question.
Xiao Shi was so frightened that her face turned white. "Master, this matter has absolutely nothing to do with you. How did it implicate you?"
Hearing this, Yuan Ying's suppressed anger flared up again. Xiao Yongchang was only a lowly fifth-rank military officer and had no dealings with the local civil administration. On what basis would Ge Tai show him respect? Yuan Ying explained, "The reason Ge Tai gave him face was that he is my younger brother-in-law. Fortunately, Ge Tai knew how to behave. If he had talked nonsense in court, I would definitely have been implicated." Even though Yuan Ying knew nothing about it, if Ge Tai had dragged him into it in front of over a hundred people, his reputation would have obviously taken a hit. It wouldn't even matter if Wangye had found out later that he had nothing to do with it.
After saying that, Yuan Ying added, "You should know how Xiang Weiguo was stripped of his official post, shouldn't you? He can start over from the beginning, but I no longer have that opportunity." Xiang Weiguo was younger than Yuan Ying and had no injuries, so he could return to the battlefield and earn military merit again. But Yuan Ying could no longer lead troops into battle. Once he fell, he would never be able to rise again.
On that note, the Dou family had certainly had their fair share of misfortune. Their case occurred in the fourth month of last year, shortly after Yun Qing returned to Yu City. Consequently, Yuan Ying was responsible for all matters, both large and small, within Haocheng. This was also the reason why Ge Tai granted Xiao Yongchang this favour. Had the situation been as it is now, with Yuan Ying solely responsible for military affairs and not local administration, Ge Tai might not necessarily have given Yongchang any face9.
Xiao Shi instantly turned pale and no longer asked Yuan Ying to plead for mercy.
Yuan Ying sighed and said, "You may make some arrangements so that he suffers a little less in prison. Do not interfere in anything else, and you must not interfere either." Yuan Ying had no siblings himself, so he took good care of Xiao Shi's family. However, no matter how much he cared for them, he still had to take care of himself first. At this critical point, if he did too much, he would certainly find himself at the mouth of the wind and the crest of the waves10, and might even incur Wangfei's displeasure.
Originally, Yuan Ying had known that since Yuxi had interfered in this matter, his younger brother-in-law would definitely suffer a great loss. But he had not expected that Han Shi would directly cut off his younger brother-in-law's official career and completely ruin him. What was truly frightening was that, while the move was undeniably brutal, it was executed so perfectly by the book that it was impossible to find any fault with it. After this incident, Yuan Ying became even more wary of Yuxi.
Although Xiao Shi was feeling very sad, she could still tell what was important and what wasn't. She nodded. "I know what to do." She could send more food and clothing over; beyond that, there was nothing else she could do. Her younger brother was certainly important, but it was her husband whom she and her children relied on. She could still clearly distinguish between the two.
Yuan Ying sighed. "After he has completed his sentence, let him return to Xinping City!" With such a reputation, Xiao Yongchang would not be able to make anything of himself in Haocheng.
Xiao Shi nodded, looking sorrowful.
After hearing Han Gao's reports, Han Jianming remarked, "I did not expect Yuxi to actually find Dou Ying." The reason he had sentenced Kong Yang to twenty years that day was that no lives had been lost directly in that case, meaning the crime did not warrant the death penalty. But the Dou family matter was different. Kong Yang had caused the deaths of the Dou family members, so he had to pay with his life. However, for the sake of killing the chicken to warn the monkeys11, Yuxi had actually brought Dou Ying back. That was quite deliberate of her.
Mr Zhao smiled. "Now that the matter involving Dou Ying has come to light, Kong Yang has been executed, and Xiao Yongchang has been stripped of his office and dismissed. This is enough to achieve a deterrent effect." Wangfei's act of killing the chicken to warn the monkeys this time had produced an even better effect than he had imagined.
Han Jianming felt gratified yet also somewhat disappointed. "Yuxi prepared very thoroughly." Yuxi had grown very quickly, but precisely because she had grown too quickly, even he was somewhat unable to keep up with her.
Mr Zhao had followed Han Jianming for many years, so how could he not understand what Han Jianming was thinking when he saw his expression? "Master, this kind of change in Wangfei is only good for the Han family." Although Yuxi had not personally appeared this time, the officials and generals in Haocheng all knew in their hearts that the reason Xiao Yongchang had fallen to this point was because he had offended Yuxi. Yuxi was using this matter to establish her authority, making those dissatisfied with her wary and no longer daring to slander or defame her at will.
Han Jianming was not stupid. He knew that the more stable Yuxi's position became and the more her power grew, the greater the benefits for the Han family. Han Jianming smiled and reminisced, "When I asked you to explain matters of the imperial court to Yuxi back then, you were not very willing!" Remembering Mr Zhao's reluctant expression at the time, who could have known that this day would come?
Hearing this, Mr Zhao also became emotional and said, "At the time, I thought explaining matters of the imperial court to a little girl was a complete waste of time." When Han Jianming had asked him to teach Yuxi back then, he had indeed been unwilling. He had only agreed out of consideration for Han Jianming. It was only later, after he recognised Yuxi's unique insights and talent, that he began to teach her attentively.
Han Jianming commented, "Yes! Back then, I only taught her because I could see how eager she was to learn. Who could have thought that this girl would come so far?"
Footnotes Full List
- 通判 (tōng pàn) — assistant prefect/judicial commissioner
- 大人 (dàren) — title of respect toward superiors
- 网开一面 (wǎng kāi yī miàn) — means to show leniency or give someone a way out.
- 连自己姓什么都忘了 (lián zìjǐ xìng shénme dōu wàng le) — means someone is so bewitched or carried away that they lose all sense.
- 保驾护航 (bǎo jià hù háng) — means to protect, shield, or back someone up.
- 眼睛再拙 (yǎnjing zài zhuō) — literally 'even if the eyes are very clumsy'; means even someone with poor judgment or an untrained eye
- 举人 (jǔrén) — successful candidate in the imperial provincial examination
- 亩 (mǔ) — a traditional Chinese unit of land area, approximately 1/15 of a hectare or about 666.67 square metres.
- 给这个面子 (gěi zhège miànzi) — literally 'give this face'; means to grant this favour or show this respect.
- 风口浪尖 (fēngkǒu làngjiān) — means the centre of controversy or a dangerous, sensitive moment
- 杀鸡儆猴 (shā jī jǐng hóu) — means to punish one person as a warning to others.
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