"Ouch! Ouch!" Dantai Fu collapsed on the ground and wailed incessantly. "My lord, these two are crazy. One is my son and the other is my daughter - in - law. They actually beat their father. This is filial impiety. Put them in jail."
You scumbag, still trying to get others jailed?
Yan Tongshu really wanted to break Dantai Fu's other leg.
But there was no way. In this damned world, the law prioritized filial piety. Parents could beat their children, but children couldn't beat their parents.
Just as parents could sell their children, but children couldn't sell their parents.
Yan Tongshu suppressed his anger and said seriously, "Dantai Fu, you are addicted to gambling. You privately sold your granddaughter, Tantai Hong, and forged documents to mortgage your son Dantai Shang's fields and properties. Do you plead guilty?"
Naturally, Dantai Fu refused to admit it. "I'm that dead girl's real grandfather. Can't I sell her? Besides..."
His eyes darted around. "That document was stamped with my son's own fingerprint. Now he's afraid his wife will divorce him, so he's talking nonsense. It doesn't count."
"You - " Dantai Shang struggled to pounce on him. If the yamen runners hadn't still been holding Dantai Shang's hands, Dantai Fu would probably have been beaten again.
Indeed, regarding the document, there was Dantai Shang's fingerprint, and there was no evidence to prove that Dantai Fu had secretly pressed it.
Yan Tongshu continued, "Your granddaughter, Tantai Hong, is the daughter of your son Dantai Shang and your daughter - in - law Liu Yan. According to the laws of this dynasty, her right to personal autonomy lies with her parents. Unless both parents are dead and the government deems you her guardian, you have no right to sell the child without going through her parents, even if you are her real grandfather."
Smack!
The gavel slammed down heavily, and Yan Tongshu shouted sternly, "Dantai Fu, do you plead guilty!"
"I, I..." Seeing that he was about to go to jail, Dantai Fu was naturally unwilling. He shouted, "It was my son who told me to sell her!"
"You dare to distort the facts."
Liu Yan was a woman. Due to the rule of avoiding physical contact between men and women, the yamen runners didn't hold her too tightly. She roared and rushed forward, then bit and scratched Dantai Fu again.
After Liu Yan was pulled away, she stood up, pointing at Dantai Fu from above with her eyes wide open in anger and her voice shrill. "Dantai Fu, let me tell you, I don't have a father - in - law like you, and Hong'er doesn't have a grandfather like you. If you dare to say one more word of nonsense, I'll never let you go even if I become a ghost!"
Yan Tongshu stared at Dantai Fu with a cold voice. "Dantai Fu, it's useless for you to deny it. You privately mortgaged your own granddaughter to the gambling house. There must be a document with your fingerprint in the gambling house. As long as there are no fingerprints of Liu Yan and Dantai Shang on that document, it's iron - clad evidence of your private sale of people. You can't escape!"
Dantai Fu panicked at once. "No, no, no, it's not like this. I'm that dead girl's real grandfather. How can a son and daughter - in - law send their own grandfather to jail? This is filial impiety!"
"Filial impiety?" Yan Tongshu retorted sharply. "Dantai Fu, your behavior is called human trafficking, which is a crime. It's the royal law and the heavenly principle that will punish you. I'm not your son, nor are the royal law and the heavenly principle. Come on, arrest him! Put him in jail and send him to serve his sentence as soon as we get a reply from the magistrate of Yunzhou."
The yamen runners on both sides immediately let go of Dantai Shang, flexed their wrists, and approached Dantai Fu with smiles on their faces.
They had been waiting for this moment for a long time.
This old scoundrel is really inhuman.
"No, no, no, no..."
Dantai Fu was so scared that his soul flew away. He kicked his legs desperately and shrank back.
The yamen runner reached out to grab him, and Dantai Fu suddenly let out a pig - like wail. "My lord Yan! I! I have something to report!"
Yan Tongshu raised his hand to let the yamen runner stop temporarily and asked, "What is it?"
Dantai Fu's face was covered with tears and snot, and his turbid eyes bulged. "I know about Prince Ning, and I also know the secret of that dead girl, Mingzhu. I can tell you. Please don't send me to jail!"
Yan Tongshu said coldly, "I won't make any deals with the law. Arrest him!"
Dantai Fu was pressed to the ground by the yamen runners on both sides in great panic.
Yan Tongshu said slowly, "But if you confess honestly, the food in the dungeon will be better for you during these days while waiting for the reply from the Yunzhou government."
"I'll confess, I'll confess!" Dantai Fu, being pressed by the yamen runner with his face firmly on the ground, cried, "My lord Yan, I didn't force Mingzhu to marry. It was Prince Ning. He came to me on his own initiative and asked me to force Mingzhu to be his concubine. My lord Yan, think about it carefully. Mingzhu is good at cooking and can make money. If I weren't crazy, I'd definitely keep her at home and let her continue to make money for me. How could I just take a small betrothal gift and marry her off casually?
It was Prince Ning and the local magistrate who set up a scheme. They found me and said that I could inherit all of my elder brother's property, but I had to marry Mingzhu into the mansion of the Duke of Yu as a concubine. And I couldn't let Mingzhu know that it was Prince Ning who actively wanted to take her as a concubine. They gave me an idea, telling me to take a concubine, squander money, and act like I was greedy for a high betrothal gift, deliberately forcing Mingzhu to get married. My lord Yan, I'm wronged. I was also forced to do this."
Yan Tongshu's expression turned solemn, and he leaned forward slightly. "Is what you said true?"
Dantai Fu shouted, "Absolutely true! If I tell even a single lie, may I be struck by lightning and die a bad death!"
He gasped for a few breaths and then continued, "My lord, think about it. I've been in the capital for so long. Is Prince Ning so kind as to give me money every time? It's just because he's afraid I'll tell the truth. I had a quarrel with Prince Ning ten days ago. At that time, Prince Ning gave me fifty taels of silver and drove me out. Mingzhu brought soup over and happened to stand at the door. I'm not sure if she heard it. But if she did, then Prince Ning might have been killed by her. That dead girl is very scheming. It would be a piece of cake for her to kill someone."
This Dantai Fu was really vicious. Even now, he was still trying to frame his own niece. The yamen runner increased the strength of his hand, and Dantai Fu groaned in pain. The yamen runner gave him a disdainful look and loosened his hand. Immediately, Dantai Fu took advantage of it and said, "My lord Yan, if Mingzhu is the murderer, does it count as meritorious service for me to help the Kaifeng Prefecture solve the case? Can I be exempted from jail?"
Yan Tongshu waved his hand, asking the yamen runner to take Dantai Fu away.
Dantai Fu was taken away, but Dantai Shang and Liu Yan were left in a daze.
Yunzhou was next to Bianjing, so they had fled all the way to the capital to take refuge.
When Mingzhu got married, they had already been driven out of the house and returned to the countryside in poverty. They knew nothing about the inside story. They only heard that Dantai Fu was greedy for the betrothal gift and betrothed Mingzhu to a rich and powerful man as a concubine, but they didn't know the real identity of the man.
How could Mingzhu also be in the capital?
And what prince?
How high - ranking an official would that be?
Yan Tongshu pondered for a moment and looked at Dantai Shang. "Dantai Shang, when you were at home, what was your relationship with Tantai Mingzhu like?"
Dantai Shang didn't know the inside story and answered honestly, "I have a decent relationship with my cousin. When I wanted to go to school, my family couldn't afford it. My uncle, a cook, knew only a few characters and was quite hesitant about my schooling. It was my cousin who persuaded him, and then he paid for me to study."
Yan Tongshu asked, "What's the relationship between your cousin and Dantai Fu?"
Dantai Shang shook his head and replied, "Your Honor has seen what Dantai Fu is like. I don't even want to acknowledge him, let alone my cousin. My uncle is a kind - hearted man who values family affection. Even though Dantai Fu is good - for - nothing, he still tries his best to take care of his younger brother. But my cousin is different... She is intelligent since childhood, calm - natured, and thoughtful. For all the big and small things in the family, my uncle always asks her advice before making the final decision.
She sees things clearly. She advised me a long time ago that gamblers have no humanity and that I shouldn't value the father - son relationship too much. I should be on guard against Dantai Fu. It's a pity that I didn't listen. That's why I'm in such a mess today. My cousin also told my uncle early on that we should show family affection in moderation and only give money to those who know how to be grateful. Actually, my cousin also values family affection. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been supporting me to study. She just looks down on Dantai Fu."
At the end of his words, Dantai Shang looked up at Yan Tongshu, saying firmly, "Your Honor, I don't know what happened, but my cousin is a kind - hearted and affectionate person. She is willing to help even a useless cousin like me. How could she hold a knife and kill someone? She would never do such a thing."
Dantai Shang really didn't know what had happened. In his mind, the only way to kill someone was to attack with a knife.
Yan Tongshu nodded and said, "I've noted your words. You can go down first."
Dantai Shang and Liu Yan kowtowed together and replied, "Yes."
Pearl led the two to the backyard. Tantai Hong had just taken the medicine, and the effect hadn't fully kicked in yet. Her head was still groggy. When she saw her parents, she suddenly sat up on the bed and took out two drumsticks she had hidden in her bosom. "Dad, Mom, big drumsticks, eat."
Tears welled up in Liu Yan's and Dantai Shang's eyes instantly.
This was their Hong'er.
So young, so well - behaved, but she had suffered so much because of them.
Poor Hong'er.
Pearl took out two taels of silver pieces and stuffed them into Liu Yan's hand. "Take this silver first to get through the immediate difficulties."
"No, no, no," Liu Yan said hurriedly, pushing it back. "Your Honor Yan has already upheld justice for us and invited a doctor to examine and prescribe medicine for Hong'er. His kindness is as heavy as a mountain. How can we be so shameless as to take the money again?"
"Take it," Pearl said, pulling her hand and putting the silver firmly in her palm. "If you don't take this money, are you going to let Hong'er go hungry? She is still so young and sick. She needs to eat more to get better quickly. Adults can endure without food, but children can't."
Jinbao beside them also advised, "Yes, you were able to work and earn money in your hometown before. You're just in temporary difficulty now. If you really feel embarrassed, you can take the money. After you get through the difficult time and earn some money, you can come back to the Kaifeng Prefecture and return the money to the young master."
Liu Yan held the money and nodded desperately.
They had money now. This money was enough to live on for more than a month, which was enough time for them to find a way to make a living.
Liu Yan and Dantai Shang kept saying thank you.
Pearl then handed the other medicine to Dantai Shang. "This is the antipyretic medicine prescribed by the doctor, which is for five days. Take it three times a day, and it will cure the illness. And this..."
Pearl took out a packet of preserved fruits and gave it to Liu Yan. "These are preserved fruits, sweet ones. Kids are all afraid of bitter medicine, and the antipyretic medicine is bitter. Give the child one piece after each bowl of medicine."
Liu Yan bowed repeatedly and said, "Yes, yes."
After the court session, Yan Tongshu returned to his study and immediately started writing an official document.
Although the laws of this damned society had many flaws, that so - called gambling house actually dared to violate the imperial decrees and induce an old man to mortgage his granddaughter. It was the worst of the worst.
Yan Tongshu quickly finished writing the official document, ordering the county magistrate of Yunzhou to personally investigate the gambling house where Dantai Fu gambled. After clarifying the criminal facts, all the criminals in the gambling house should be arrested.
After finishing writing, Yan Tongshu sealed the official document and asked the yamen runners to send it out.
The gambling houses and the brothels. The more he thought about them, the angrier he got. Was there no way to ban them all?
Around 3 - 5 p.m., a yamen runner brought a man, the hunter Wang Liang.
Xu Qiu led the hunter Wang Liang in.
Wang Liang was wearing a set of dark - gray, dirt - resistant thin cotton - padded clothes. His skin was dark. As a hunter, he was not tall but rather short and slender.
Wang Liang knelt down and said, "Your humble subject pays respects to the Prefectural Magistrate."
"Get up," Yan Tongshu said in a flat tone.
Wang Liang stood up. Yan Tongshu asked, "Did you personally deliver the live partridges to the mansion of the Marquis of the State of Yu yesterday?"
Wang Liang lowered his head and replied respectfully, "Yes. I caught two partridges yesterday. The mansion of the Marquis of the State of Yu had ordered one. I sold the extra one and then delivered the goods to the mansion."
While thinking, Yan Tongshu asked, "Did you hand them over to the cook Zhou Ping personally?"
Wang Liang replied, "Yes. Every time, it's the cook Zhou Ping who deals with us. People like us, rough folks, don't get to see the master of the house."
Yan Tongshu asked, "How do you usually catch partridges?"
When it came to his specialty, Wang Liang immediately became energetic. "Your Honor, there are skills in catching partridges. Not just anyone can do it. I'm not bragging. In this area, I'm the best at catching partridges. Partridges are timid and will run away at the slightest scare. Others catch partridges by setting up traps with some food in them, waiting for the stupid birds to fall into the traps. But come on, which bird is so stupid as to fall into the trap every day? So they can't catch many.
I'm different. I've been following my father and grandfather to catch partridges since I was a child. I'm used to the sounds of partridges. I could imitate their calls when I was thirteen. I can imitate the calls of chicks and female partridges. Especially in spring, when I make those calls, the stupid partridges will come right over. I can earn enough money during this spring period to cover my expenses for the whole year."
This was his means of livelihood, and Wang Liang proudly puffed out his chest.
Yan Tongshu was amused by him and asked, "When you delivered the partridges to the mansion of the Marquis of the State of Yu that day, did you encounter any special people or special events?"
Wang Liang scratched his head and said, "There was nothing special, but there was an annoying person."
Yan Tongshu asked, "Annoying?"
Wang Liang replied, "Yes, Your Honor. We usually go into the mountains before dawn to catch partridges, come down the mountain in the afternoon, and then deliver the goods. If we catch more than we need to deliver, we'll go to the market at the foot of the mountain to sell the extras. You could say that there are many people selling wild game near that market at the foot of the mountain.
Not long ago, a man came to our market at the foot of the mountain. He was wearing expensive - looking cloth, but his body was dirty. Every time he came, he would pick and choose at each stall for a long time before buying two or three. He paid generously, but he was really too picky. He asked a lot of questions too. Everyone likes his money, but they also find him annoying."
Yan Tongshu raised his eyebrows slightly and asked, "Did he choose your partridges yesterday?"
"Yes," Wang Liang said carelessly. "He loves to buy partridges, but he's so stingy that he's not willing to spend more money to make an advance reservation. I heard from others that his wife recently passed away, and he's become a bit odd. His wife used to love eating meat and wild game, and she especially loved partridges in spring. So he always comes here to pick and choose for a long time to select the best ones to offer in sacrifice to his deceased wife. Actually, he's quite pitiful.
That day, he spent a long time choosing between two partridges. He checked the feathers one moment and the necks the next. When I was distracted for a moment and turned around, when I looked back, he was even holding the partridge upside down to look at its vent. I was really speechless at that time. I told him that the two were the same, but he didn't believe me and insisted on choosing by himself. Fortunately, he gave more money after he made his choice, so I didn't mind.
Yan Tongshu asked, "Do you know his name?"
Wang Liang shook his head. "We all just call him 'that guy'."
Yan Tongshu picked up a writing brush and simply sketched Wang Quan'an in front of the cemetery. Then he waved for Wang Liang to come forward. "Take a good look. Is it him?"
Wang Liang recognized him at a glance. "Yes, it's him. With that dejected look, I've only seen one like him in my life."
Yan Tongshu confirmed again, "Is the market on the outskirts?"
Wang Liang replied, "Naturally. It's at the foot of the mountain and is a temporary gathering during this season."
Yan Tongshu nodded slightly and let Wang Liang leave.
Currently, only Wang Quan'an is related to live partridges, and honeysuckle, which looks very similar to gelsemium and is extremely hard to distinguish, was also found in his home.
Wang Quan'an is more suspected.
But Tantai Mingzhu's suspicion is also high.
She clearly hates Dantai Fu but still keeps him in the Yuguo Duke's Mansion.
Moreover, Tantai Mingzhu might have heard the conversation between Dantai Fu and Ning Yuan and knew about Ning Yuan bribing Dantai Fu to force her to be his concubine.
If Tantai Mingzhu already knows, she must hate Ning Yuan to the core.
But she still makes soup for Ning Yuan every day to take care of his health.
Yan Tongshu pondered for a long time.
After half of the Shen hour (3 - 5 p.m.), Zhang Jiu brought news that Jin Chi had returned to the official residence. The two immediately went there.
The official residence is a temporary accommodation provided by the government for officials from other places who come to the capital. Like the post - station, officials can stay there with free board and lodging.
The prices in Bianjing City are high. Many honest and upright officials who don't have enough money on them will choose to stay in the official residence.
If there are many people in the official residence, often two or three people have to share a room. So, as long as they have money, they will choose to rent a house by themselves or stay in an inn.
Fortunately, at this time, there weren't many people in the official residence, and Jin Chi, the Transport Commissioner of Jiangnan, got a single room.
After the soldiers announced their arrival, Yan Tongshu and Zhang Jiu entered the official residence.
The conditions of the official residence were not good, and the room was not big either. There was only a bed, a table, and a cabinet in it.
When Yan Tongshu walked in, Jin Chi immediately bowed and saluted. "Your subordinate pays respects to Lord Yan."
"Lord Jin, there's no need for such formalities," Yan Tongshu said, raising his hand to support him in a gesture. "I've come here to ask you some questions about some doubts."
Jin Chi nodded and stepped aside, gesturing with his hand to invite Yan Tongshu and Zhang Jiu to sit down.
Jin Chi went to the outer room for a while and brought in two cups of green tea. "The tea in the official residence is ordinary. Please don't mind its ordinary taste, my lords."
Yan Tongshu and Zhang Jiu picked up the teacups and took a small sip each.
After drinking the tea, Yan Tongshu held the cup in his palm and slowly said, "Lord Jin, I heard that you went to the Yuguo Duke's Mansion before seeing the emperor when you came to the capital for your official report. I wonder if there's any special reason?"
"Well," Jin Chi lowered his eyelids, as if considering his words. "Since you're asking, my lord, I dare not not answer. But some matters are of great importance, and I really can't disclose them. I can only say that when I was the Transport Commissioner in Jiangnan, I discovered some problems. But I was short of evidence. I couldn't present it to the emperor, so I had to take some tentative actions."
Yan Tongshu's eyes flickered. "So, has the path become clear?"
Jin Chi smiled. "My lord is really sharp. Well, half of the path has become clear, but for the other half, I'm still lacking the ability."
Yan Tongshu asked again, "Is the clear half related to the theft in the Yuguo Duke's Mansion?"
Jin Chi nodded.
He had long heard of Yan Tongshu's reputation for being "excessively upright". Since he trusted Yan Tongshu, he didn't want to hide more.
Yan Tongshu's eyelashes fluttered. "I still have one more question to ask you, Lord Jin."
Jin Chi said, "My lord, just ask. If I can answer, I'll tell you everything I know."
Yan Tongshu said, "After the theft in the Yuguo Duke's Mansion, the Duke of Yuguo was very nervous and angry and ordered all the servants to be searched. Such an important thing must have been hidden very carefully. Even if you were taking tentative actions, without someone inside and outside working together, it would be hard to find where the thing was."
Jin Chi nodded. "There was indeed someone who helped me."
Yan Tongshu immediately asked, "Tantai Mingzhu?"
Jin Chi showed surprise again. "How did you know, my lord?"
Yan Tongshu said, "The main industries of the Yuguo Duke's Mansion include restaurants, land rents, rice shops, rouge and powder shops, and jewelry stores. Except for land rents, Tantai Mingzhu is in charge of other businesses such as restaurants and rice shops. Although Tantai Mingzhu manages the proper businesses, she is a concubine. Her personal rights and property rights belong to Ning Yuan, and she doesn't have the qualification to independently mobilize money.
The Duke of Yuguo doesn't have much say in the court and doesn't participate in many affairs, so he won't cause any trouble. And you are the Transport Commissioner of Jiangnan, in charge of money, food, and water transport, which matches the Duke's business. Judging from the Duke's reaction, the stolen thing is very important. There are very few people in the entire Yuguo Duke's Mansion who can touch such an important thing. Among the people in the Yuguo Duke's Mansion, the only one who is relatively clean, can be involved in business, and has a conscience is Tantai Mingzhu."
After Yan Tongshu finished speaking, Jin Chi suddenly stood up and bowed deeply to Yan Tongshu with a smile. "My lord, I'm completely convinced."
Yan Tongshu was even more shocked.
Why did this man suddenly perform such a big salute?
Zhang Jiu smiled beside them. "Lord Jin, be more reserved."
Jin Chi straightened up and laughed heartily. "I've long heard of your great name, my lord, when I was in other places. Some said that you are upright and unyielding, some said that you are overly rigid and pedantic, and some praised you for having sharp eyes."
Really?
No one doesn't like to be praised, and Yan Tongshu is no exception.
She blinked her eyes and looked at Jin Chi brightly. Is she already so famous now?
Is she the kind of famous person who is praised by everyone all over the world?
Jin Chi said with a smile, "Now that I've met you today, I can see that you are indeed meticulous in your thinking and can detect hidden things."
Yan Tongshu remained calm on the surface but felt shy inside.
If he praised her like this, she would be proud.
But it wouldn't hurt to praise her a few more times.
Just when Yan Tongshu was looking forward to it, Jin Chi changed the topic. "It's true."
Jin Chi sighed deeply and admitted frankly, "I must tell you, my lord. I'm actually an old acquaintance of Miss Tantai... Six years ago, when I came back to the capital for my official report, I passed by Yunzhou and had a meal at the Ke Xianju. At that time, Miss Tantai was only fifteen years old, but she had already shown extraordinary business talent.
I ordered several dishes, and Dantai Sandao saw that I was an official and came over to exchange pleasantries with me. We chatted for a few words, and he talked about this daughter of his. While being proud, he also had some concerns. He especially sighed at that time that Miss Tantai was so capable as a woman that it would be difficult for her to find a suitable husband."
