Chapter 23: Prefect Liu Listens to Persuasion and Makes a Fatal Error; Judge Jiao Deliberately Buries Nine Lives in Injustice

Now, when Secretary Bao could not find an answer for Prefect Liu, he turned the question back and asked: "What does Your Honor think?" The prefect said: "That is a hard question. I feel that Liang Tianlai, as a commoner, would not dare to appeal to this prefecture unless he had suffered an extraordinary injustice. Moreover, even the magistrate Huang is implicated. Looking at it, the phrase 'money-god manipulation' does not seem far from the truth. This affair truly demands thorough investigation — but I have been ill since recovering from my recent indisposition, and my mind remains cloudy. I was afraid I might misjudge the matter and have not dared to issue a ruling." At this moment the secretary was inwardly thinking: six thousand taels of silver — the rice is already cooked and cannot be uncooked; if I wash my hands of this now, I have no way to give the money back. Though I have never accepted any request in a case before, this once I must act out of turn. He therefore said: "If what Liang Tianlai alleges is true, then Ling Guixing's crimes would certainly be grave. But looking at the complaint, it is at bottom a debt of three thousand taels — however the debt stands, unpaid or paid, would it really generate such deep hatred? The night in question, Liang Tianlai and his sons and brothers happened not to be at home — otherwise there would have been a massacre of the entire household. Dispassionately speaking: though I do not know the details of Ling Guixing's character, he is after all a purchased student (jiansheng) and a man of learning, and is a close cousin by marriage to Liang Tianlai. Even granting some grievance between them, it hardly seems likely he would go to such extreme lengths. Furthermore, the key witness is a beggar, which gives the matter some room for doubt. I beg Your Honor to consider this carefully!" Prefect Liu slapped the table: "Precisely! I had not seen it that way — having a wandering vagrant as one's sole witness is already dubious from the start. Fortunately you, old advisor, have opened my eyes. Otherwise we might have produced another incident like the one in Wulin that year."

It turned out that Prefect Liu, earlier in his career, had served a term as magistrate of Renhe County in Zhejiang, and over a certain case had ignored Secretary Bao's advice, made a wrong judgment, been appealed against, nearly had charges brought against him, and ultimately paid out several tens of thousands of silver to settle the matter. From that time forward, Prefect Liu followed Secretary Bao's word as if it were an imperial edict — whatever he said, the prefect followed, without the least resistance. Secretary Bao was himself an upright man who assisted the prefect wholeheartedly and had never in his life accepted anyone's approach in a case — until now, when he met this weighty affair, and this was the first time in his life he broke his own rule. And so the following day, when Prefect Liu ascended to court, Guixing submitted a deposition essentially the same as he had filed in the county, except that in the middle he had added a passage stating: "Zhang Feng is a vagabond who has lost his livelihood and who once stole from his household, was given a severe beating by the servants, and now bears a grudge and gives false testimony—" and so forth. When the prefect had read it, he called Tianlai and Guixing both to stand before the bench and said: "You two are close relatives through marriage — why are you at law? Moreover, each of you gives a contradictory account: one says the other owes an old debt of three thousand taels; the other says flower-pots, tables, hillock-taro, and field crops were seized and carried off. This court has not witnessed any of these things firsthand and cannot pronounce who is truthful and who is lying. For now, the court will treat both accounts as true — in which case they cancel each other out. No further litigation is permitted. As for the bandits and the deaths, this will be handled as a separate case. Liang Tianlai may only petition the county to expedite the capture of the bandits — no new grievances are to be added. Both parties are to submit a recognizance bond to the court." Guixing was naturally delighted; Tianlai dared not refuse. Prefect Liu then called Zhang Feng to come before him and scolded him: "You vagrant, refusing to keep your place — after committing theft you dare to act out of a grudge and give false testimony!" He ordered a heavy flogging of one hundred strokes of the leather whip, until Zhang Feng was covered in blood. Prefect Liu had already retired to the inner hall.

Tianlai's humiliation was now even worse and harder to bear. He had no choice but to submit his recognizance and help Zhang Feng back. Zhi Bo, knowing that court would be held that day, had arrived early at the Tianhe trading house to await news. Seeing Zhang Feng return in such a wretched state, he was overcome with fury: "This is outrageous! In broad daylight, under the open sky — how can such corrupt and brutal officials be allowed to act this way! Brother Liang, this matter must not be left half-done. Go ahead and file at the Provincial Judge's yamen — and if that too fails, file at the Governor's yamen. We will not rest until the injustice is cleared. With this one pen of mine, Shi Zhi Bo, all petitions are covered — just wait for Zhang, the righteous man, to recover, and then go and file!" Tianlai expressed his thanks repeatedly. Zhi Bo took his leave, and stopped at a stationer's on the way home to buy a blank petition paper, which he took away with him.

By some coincidence, Xilai happened to pass by and see him. Returning to the Sande Inn, he told Guixing: "Just now I was walking through Dishiba and saw someone come out of the Tianhe trading house and buy a blank petition. I don't know where Tianlai is going to file next." Juexing said: "No need to wonder — he is certainly going to appeal to the Provincial Judge's yamen. We must prepare for him—" In the middle of their discussion, Lin Dayou arrived and joined the conversation. Dayou said: "That wretch Zhang Feng — who willingly testifies for Tianlai — even after being offered money and a wife, won't take it. The only thing left is to find a way to kill him. Without a witness, Tianlai loses half his footing, and we won't need to fear him anymore." Guixing said: "But what decent method is there to bring about his death?" Dayou put his head down and thought for a moment: "Among our former partners, there is one Li Ah'er who, after receiving the generous payment from the master, came to the provincial city and lost every last coin at gambling. He is still lodging in my opium den, with nothing to do." Guixing said: "Then put out some more money and hire him to stab Zhang Feng to death." Dayou said quickly: "Bad idea! If the stabbing fails, or if it succeeds but the authorities catch him, that only creates more complications. I have a method to kill him right in the courthouse, and it requires no one to pay with their life." Guixing said: "Even better! What is the method?" Dayou said: "We only need to spend a little money among the runners at the Provincial Judge's yamen to arrange it — have Ah'er slip in as a runner, and best of all be assigned to the ankle-clamping crew. If Tianlai files and the case is heard, we see to things on the inside, and when the time comes, the moment the judge orders the clamps applied, they put Zhang Feng into the clamps and squeeze him to death. Isn't that clean and simple?" Juexing clapped his hands: "Splendid, perfectly splendid! This scheme is exactly what I had in mind." Guixing said: "Then I ask Brother Lin to go and handle it. However much you need for expenses, come here and draw it freely." Dayou took his orders and left.

Here, Guixing kept a constant watch for intelligence, and also asked Juexing to work his connections inside. Juexing said: "We don't yet know for certain if Tianlai will file or not — why stir things up prematurely? Once we have reliable intelligence, I have my own methods. Though I know no one inside myself, I have a source for discussion. My relative by marriage, Li Huiguo, has dealings inside — I can certainly make effective arrangements. My dear nephew need not be anxious." Guixing had always admired Juexing's uncanny foresight, and hearing him say this, naturally deferred to him.

Two days passed, and Li Ah'er came in person to report that he had managed to get himself enrolled among the runners in the Provincial Judge's yamen, and came specially to give notice. Guixing was delighted: "Excellent! Go back and work matters out among your fellow runners. If Tianlai does file a complaint, and Zhang Feng can be squeezed to death in the clamps, I will pay five hundred taels here for all of you runners to divide among yourselves." Li Ah'er acknowledged the order and left. Just then Juexing came in from outside: "So Liang Tianlai has gone and filed, sure enough!" Guixing said urgently: "Please send cousin-uncle at once to make the arrangements!" Juexing said: "Don't be hasty — first look at his petition. I have already managed to obtain a copy." Guixing took it and read; the general substance was the same as what had been filed at the prefecture, but the opening two lines now read: "Complaint regarding the massacre of seven bodies and eight lives, bribery of officials at the provincial court, a witness slain under illegal torture — petitioning Heaven for rescue and redress." The ending also implicated Guangzhou Prefecture. Guixing finished reading and said: "What should be done now? Please, cousin-uncle, quickly think of something." Juexing said: "Quickly weigh out twenty thousand taels of silver for me, take several attendants to divide and carry it, and come with me to Foshan immediately." Guixing said: "The yamen is right here in the provincial city — why go to Foshan?" Juexing said: "My relative by marriage is in Foshan!" Guixing said: "Silver is too heavy — let us use banknotes." Juexing said: "Very well. Only the notes must be in small denominations — some of a thousand, some of five hundred, and even more of the smaller ones. I fear that this time we must spread money to every level." Guixing agreed and told the manager of the Sande Inn to go and obtain the notes. Juexing, not daring to delay, set off at once.

Here, Guixing watched anxiously for his return. Who could have guessed that three days would pass with not a shadow of news? Guixing grew as anxious as if sitting on a bed of needles, his heart leaping up and down without rest. Only on the fourth day did Juexing return, saying: "Prepare yourself to go to court quickly — everything has been laid out." Guixing said: "Cousin-uncle, why have you only come back today?" Juexing said: "What do you mean? I came back the day before yesterday — but I was following Li's relative around making arrangements and couldn't break free to come here. Only yesterday did things fall into place—" Even as he spoke, a runner arrived with a summons. Guixing put on his student's ceremonial garments and went to court.

Provincial Judge Jiao called both parties before him for a careful examination, but the testimony of both sides remained the same as it had been at the prefecture and county — nothing new could be elicited. Judge Jiao ordered a temporary withdrawal and called Zhang Feng in for questioning. Zhang Feng said: "I bear no enmity whatsoever toward Ling Guixing. Had I not heard and seen it with my own ears and eyes, how would I have dared to come forward as a witness!" The judge listened in silence. He then took out Guixing's deposition and read it over several times. Suddenly he slammed the bench in fury: "Zhang Feng! At the prefecture and county you testified that you heard it through a window. Just now you said you saw and heard it with your own eyes and ears. This court now asks you — what exactly did you see? Speak!" The two rows of runners echoed in a chain: "Speak! Speak, speak!" Zhang Feng's phrase "heard and saw it with my own eyes and ears" had slipped out carelessly; now, caught by this question, he was dumbstruck for quite some time and could say nothing.

Judge Jiao said in great fury: "Wherever this court has administered justice, government has been simple and punishments clear. How can I allow you, a vagrant, to thrust yourself into lawsuits! Who put you up to this? Speak at once!" The runners again echoed in a chain: "Speak!" Zhang Feng said: "Truly, no one put me up to it — I heard it with my own ears!" The judge shouted: "Your hawk-eyes and rat-face are the very mark of the unworthy. Without the great punishment, why would you confess?" He then called out: "Apply the ankle clamps!" The runners on both sides rushed forward as one, knocked Zhang Feng to the ground, fitted the clamps, and pulled the rope tight by one degree. Zhang Feng cried out: "Injustice! Righteous sir! Injustice!" The judge shouted: "Tighten!" The runners tightened by another degree. Zhang Feng wept aloud. The wolf-and-tiger pack of runners had received Guixing's five hundred taels of bribe money, and Li Ah'er was mixed in among them, desperately wishing to take the man's life at once so he could go and collect his reward. He grabbed the rope and pulled with all his might. The clamps squeezed Zhang Feng until fire burst from his eyes, thunder drummed in his ears, and the pain shot from his clamped ankles all the way through to his heart. Tianlai, watching, felt both courage and gallbladder crack apart. He called to Zhang Feng: "Elder Brother Zhang! Just say whatever you like — confess anything at random!" Zhang Feng shook his head: "You may clamp me to death, but I won't—" The runners, fearing he would really confess at random, loosen the clamps, and fail to kill him — making it impossible to claim their reward from Guixing — heard Tianlai's words and tightened with extra force. Pitiful Zhang Feng — before he could finish his answer, he gave one great cry, his bowels and bladder both burst forth, and he died beneath the ankle clamps. The runners pretended to lean down and examine him carefully before reporting: "Zhang Feng has fainted!" The judge said: "Revive him and question him further." He rose and withdrew from the court.

The runners, fearing he might still revive, and seeing the judge had already gone, did not loosen the clamps but deliberately lifted Zhang Feng and threw him to the floor: "Is he truly dead?" Seeing no movement, Li Ah'er came over and kicked him: "Hey!" He leaned down for a look: "Well! Truly fainted — how could anyone be so fragile?" He called out: "Come, all of you — let him loose!" In an instant seven or eight pairs of hands were loosening Zhang Feng; two runners even filled their mouths with cold water and sprayed it all over the dead man's face. Tianlai watched, his heart so pained he could not weep; he was already in a stupor. Li Ah'er came over and pushed him: "Hey! This man is yours — call for someone to carry him back and treat him. When his wounds are healed, he will be called back for the next hearing." The runners scattered and dispersed.

What became of the body of the dead Zhang Feng, left there on the floor of the Provincial Judge's great courtroom? Read on to the next chapter.