Chapter 18: Zhang A-Feng Steps Forward as a Witness — Shi Zhibo Writes the Complaint in a Spirit of Justice

Now, on the night of the attack, after Ling Gui Xing had carried out the raid and returned home, following Jue Xing's instructions, everyone came in through the rear gate one by one. Jue Xing had already laid out five banqueting tables to celebrate the victory. For the moment, instead of taking their seats, everyone settled on both sides to recount what had happened. Run Bao and Run Zhi reported first: "The two of us were posted on the road to intercept the Thousand-Commander Huang, as ordered. He did indeed come out. We stopped him at the sandy street, said exactly what we had been told to say. He then asked, 'Why is there so much smoke and fire?' We said, 'This is the smoke from the paper offerings being burned in the evening ceremony tonight.' He took that at face value and went back without suspicion." Jian Lexian and Cai Shun also came to report that no runners had come out from the Patrol Inspector's yamen. Qi Yu, Hai Shun, Liu Yu, and Liu Quan came to report that they had set off twelve baskets of firecrackers in all. Ling Mei Xian and Lin Da-You each gave their account of the assault. Xi Lai came in to report: "The constable Li Yi has been drunk since nightfall and still has not sobered up." Hearing all this, Jue Xing laughed heartily: "This time we can count a great and complete victory! By killing them all inside the stone hall — with no one to file the complaint, why would the local official bother to pursue the case seriously? This is truly cutting the weeds and digging out the roots!" Gui Xing said, "Elder Cousin's planning was truly flawless. But I followed your strategy without understanding all of it — why did we need the ceremony at the start?" Jue Xing said, "The reason is plain enough. You and Tian Lai are enemies — almost everyone knows that. If this great affair suddenly erupted at his home, suspicion would naturally fall on you. You needed to establish some pretext to deflect attention. Since there was nothing else at hand, the ceremony was the perfect cover. It happened to fall today, when the evening burning-of-offerings ceremony was held and the ceremony concluded. As host, you were naturally expected to be present, burning incense and attending to the rites. Tomorrow when the news breaks, who would think to suspect you? That is the whole idea." Gui Xing said, "And the firecrackers — what was their purpose?" Jue Xing said, "This house is barely half a li (a quarter mile) from the Liang household. The raiders were inevitably going to make noise, so the firecrackers were set off to muddle that sound. There was another consideration: I feared Inspector Li might come out, so I sent Jian Lexian and Cai Shun to intercept him. If he did come out, they were to report it to me first; I would then detain him here — with tea, or with wine — and use the sound of the firecrackers to drown out whatever he might otherwise hear. That is also why I had everyone enter by the rear gate on the way back — to avoid running into Inspector Li at the front. Which is why I had Jian and Cai intercept the Inspector's runners, again for a reason: I was afraid the others might not recognize official runners who were plainclothes. Jian Lexian, as I had asked him — he had previously served as a runner in Dongguan county, and currently has a name on the rolls at Panyu county; he could certainly tell. So I specifically sent him. This is the plan I have been working out these past days."

Before long, the four men who had deployed the knockout incense — Zong Meng, Zong Ji, Zong Xiao, and Zong He — came back one after another, each claiming credit: this one had knocked out some village militia, that one had knocked out several night-watchmen. Gui Xing stood in the hall, produced eight thousand taels of silver, and said, "My original promise was five thousand taels as the general reward, plus one thousand for each of Tian Lai's brothers killed. Tonight, one fire and one wave of smoke — I am confident even Yang Fu was inside and perished as well. Truly, the weeds have been cut and the roots dug out. I am adding another three thousand taels; please divide it equally among yourselves." Everyone thanked him together. They then took their seats for the victory banquet, and drank until full daylight, the sun three poles high (late morning), before each went to rest.

Around the shen-you hour (approximately 5-7 pm) everyone rose. Zong Kong put forward an idea: "Lying in bed, I thought of something. That false promissory note for three thousand taels — right now we could use it. With that piece of paper, we can take advantage of the situation to seize his sugar shop." Jue Xing said, "Not a good idea — not a good idea at all. Done that way, we would be seen plainly as preying on people in their moment of misfortune. Let us hold off and think of another way. Right now the sugar shop is not the priority — the stone hall is. We must first find a way to get our hands on the stone hall; everything else can be settled afterward."

Zong Kong was about to reply when Xi Lai came in to report: "Master, this is terrible — last night Liang Tian Lai did not die. All those who died were women. He has now filed a report with Panyu County and they are conducting the coroner's inquest at this very moment." Jue Xing gave a start: "Is this true?" Xi Lai said, "How could it not be? I've just come back from the scene myself. I saw Tian Lai and his brother and son, all three of them, right there. The constable Li Yi was flogged over a thousand times — his buttocks look like rotten mulberries. He couldn't even walk; he had to be carried away on a stretcher after the magistrate left." At these words Gui Xing stared blankly, Zong Kong ground his fists together, and Jue Xing clasped his hands in distress — three different states of mind: Gui Xing was furious that all his effort and silver had come to nothing, not a single man killed; Zong Kong was of a mind that since it was not done, there was nothing to stop them from finishing the job tonight; while Jue Xing was thinking ahead to the fact that the men of the household were still alive and, after an affair of this magnitude, Tian Lai would certainly not let it rest — in a day or two they would see what kind of complaint he filed, and this litigation was going to be long and complicated. Jue Xing turned to Gui Xing and said, "From the look of things, someone leaked word, and they were warned in time to escape. Even so, we are extremely fortunate! Tian Lai is a dull man — if he had been slightly clever, once he received the warning he would have posted militia all around and had tenant farmers hidden inside the stone hall and adjacent rooms, ready for us to attack the stone hall and find them fighting back from inside — we would have been captured without resistance. That is precisely why I had the men set off in three waves last night — I was allowing for that possibility. Now that this danger is past, there is no more to be said about it. But from today onward, we must guard against his filing a complaint. If he only reports it as a bandit raid with no names given, there is little to fear. What I fear most is that whoever gave the warning means he may file naming the person who hired the attackers — and that would be a catastrophe."

Zong Kong said, "Elder Cousin-Master! You are being too worried! Which of the people here is not the nephew-father's loyal follower? Which of them has not received his great generosity? Who would go and give information? And as for Tian Lai — he has nowhere near enough courage to accuse us!" Jue Xing paid no attention to this and continued to Gui Xing, "A gentleman prepares against what has not yet happened. You must not take this lightly! You need to prepare everything in advance. Within the next day or two, gradually dispatch the brothers away — not all at once in a rush, and no sign of panic. Those who leave should go openly and naturally. You, sir, need to quietly buy two elderly men in advance to serve as village elders — there are no real gentry here in Tancun, and village elders can speak to the official on your behalf. This is of the utmost urgency. I too cannot linger — I must go and find out where Tian Lai is seeking help to write his complaint, so we can think ahead." Gui Xing was in a daze: "Elder Cousin, please keep this matter fully in mind." Jue Xing said, "If things blow up, I will be drawn in too — how could I not keep it in mind? From now on we will all need to act together in concert." With that he took his hurried leave.

Now, Tian Lai, having buried the bodies, was naturally deep in grief — but for fear of paining his aged mother, he could only restrain himself and try to console her. That day Zhang Feng came to offer his condolences; Tian Lai was grateful for his loyalty and had him stay on at the house for meals. After several days, he thought of the business in the provincial capital and felt he must attend to it, so he left Yang Fu at home to attend to Ling Shi and observe mourning, asked Jun Lai to travel back and forth between the two places as needed, and himself took Zhang Feng and went to the provincial capital. The shop hands offered their condolences in the usual way, which need not be recounted here.

Now, Tian Lai had a close friend surnamed He, style name Jie Chen. That day, hearing that Tian Lai had come to the provincial capital, he came to offer his condolences as well. Tian Lai received him and told him everything. Jie Chen said, "With a grievance this grave, why have you not already submitted your complaint and asked the official to pursue the culprits?" Tian Lai said, "I have certainly been thinking of doing so. Magistrate Huang also told me to submit a written complaint as soon as possible. But as for how this complaint should be worded, I would need to discuss it with someone experienced before getting it right. I arrived only yesterday, so I have not yet raised the matter." Jie Chen thought for a moment: "I have a good friend who has studied criminal law and knows the legal codes extremely well. He never made the move to take up a position because he refused to falsely claim a Shaoxing-area background (as required for professional clerks). He writes legal petitions better than anyone, but will not show his hand openly, and few people know of his talent. Moreover, he has one very inconvenient characteristic: he is not easily approached for help. Offer him money to do it, and he will invariably refuse. But encounter a cause that fires his sense of righteous indignation, and he will do it in an instant, accepting not a cent." Tian Lai said, "What is this gentleman's name? Why not take me to meet him and lay out this grievance before him? Perhaps he will take pity on the case." Jie Chen said, "If you approach him directly to ask for help, he likely will not agree. What I will do is invite him out tomorrow for a casual stroll, and arrange it so our path happens to pass your place. Brother Liang, invite us in for a brief visit; in the course of conversation you may mention this matter and play it naturally from there — that is more likely to work." Tian Lai was greatly pleased and agreed. That evening Jie Chen took his leave.

The following afternoon, sure enough, Tian Lai saw Jie Chen walking past with another man. He invited them in for a moment, and Jie Chen brought the other man with him. Tian Lai asked his name and learned the man was surnamed Shi, with the style name Zhi Bo. They took their seats as guest and host. Jie Chen then deliberately asked Tian Lai about his family affairs, and Tian Lai deliberately told his story once more. Zhi Bo said, "In these times of peace, how can bandits be allowed to act so boldly? Why has Brother Liang not quickly submitted his complaint to have the local official pursue them?" Tian Lai said, "My case is not like an ordinary robbery — there is someone who hired the attackers." Zhi Bo said, "And who hired them?" Tian Lai then described all his dealings with Ling Gui Xing from beginning to end. Zhi Bo said, "Is there a witness?" Tian Lai said, "There is one witness." He then told the story of Zhang Feng's warning. Zhi Bo said, "With a witness, you can file directly against the one who hired them. This is what is meant by 'to catch the thieves, catch their king.' If you only file for armed robbery, it would be easy for him to bribe the runners, and the case might go unsolved for a hundred years." Tian Lai said, "I am grateful for your instruction. The only problem is that I lack someone to write the petition. Do either of you gentlemen happen to know a reliable person who can do this?" Jie Chen looked at Zhi Bo upon hearing this. Zhi Bo said, "The provincial capital has plenty of people who do that kind of work — Brother Liang may simply make enquiries." Tian Lai heard this and had nothing to say. Jie Chen thought for a moment: "There are plenty of people to write it, but there is one concern: Ling Gui Xing is a man of enormous wealth — one hundred thousand taels — and is cunning and unscrupulous. He has probably already spread his bribes everywhere. What if the person we engage deliberately introduces flaws into the petition, then goes to help Gui Xing write the rebuttal, demolishing it completely? Wouldn't that ruin everything?" Zhi Bo pondered: "I wonder whether that witness Zhang Feng can be relied upon?"

Tian Lai had Zhang Feng called in so Zhi Bo could see him directly. Zhang Feng spoke first: "I was indeed outside the Ling family window that day and heard the ruffians speaking. At the time I acted purely on a moment of compassion when I went to give Liang's master a warning — I had no thought of any reward. Yet afterward the master called me his 'benefactor' again and again, which fills me with shame. He has even lifted me out of the ranks of the beggars, giving me warm clothing and proper food, so that I have actually become indebted to him. Let alone going to court as a witness — if he asked me to walk through fire and water, I would go!" Zhi Bo said, "Do not say that so lightly now. When you are before the court, with all the official intimidation around you, you will likely be frightened before you even open your mouth. And if what you say matches the facts that is well and good; but if it does not match, you will be beaten and clamped — does that not frighten you?" Zhang Feng flared up in anger: "You, sir, go too far in looking down on a man! Does a man lose his backbone just because he has been a beggar? I became a beggar precisely because my backbone was too stiff! If Master Liang were willing to let me take matters into my own hands, I would not bother with the lawsuit — right now I would go straight back to Tancun, force my way into the Ling household, find Gui Xing, and hack him dead. Then I would go to the authorities myself to confess, stake my own head to pay for his life, and not involve Master Liang by so much as a single thread. That I could do. But I've thought it over: if seven dead and eight killed can be settled by offering one Ling Gui Xing in exchange, that seems too light a trade. Better to take it to court and bring in several more of the bandits to be executed — that would be a more satisfying way to vent this fury! That is why I have not gone and done it myself." Zhi Bo clapped his hands in delight, hurried to bow to Zhang Feng, and said, "What a man of principle! Please forgive me for having eyes that could not see Mount Tai! The writing of the complaint — leave that to me. I am not someone Ling Gui Xing can bribe; indeed, he would have no way to reach me." Tian Lai was overjoyed and at once had a gift of one hundred taels of silver presented to Zhi Bo as a writing fee.

Would Zhi Bo accept it or not? Read on to the next chapter.