Chapter 283: The Road to High Office

Chapter 283: The Road to High Office

— Order in the court!

Xu Zeping, dressed in a green magistrate's robe, sat high in the courtroom. He struck the gavel and sternly announced.

— Order in the court!

— Order in the court!

Xu Zeping's first public case since taking office naturally drew a large crowd of onlookers. If it weren't for the ongoing construction of green bricks in the city, even more people would have come.

The case of Landlord Zhuang trafficking virtuous women was so heinous that it naturally sparked widespread discussion.

The onlookers pointed and murmured as they saw Landlord Zhuang and his wife kneeling in the courtroom.

Xu Zeping looked down at Zhuang Xiangui: "Zhuang Xiangui, you have sold virtuous people into servitude and abducted virtuous women into prostitution. Do you admit to these charges?"

Zhuang Xiangui, seeing the many onlookers, knew that the situation was dire but still wanted to argue: "Your Honor, I do not admit to these charges! The villagers of Xiaoyuan Village willingly sold their daughters to me, allowing me to do as I pleased!"

"Preposterous!"

Xu Zeping glanced at Liu Scribe, who immediately understood: "Summon the witnesses!"

Zhuang Xiangui thought the witnesses would be villagers from Xiaoyuan Village, but to his surprise, the first to come forward was his former teacher, Scholar Zhuang, an old scholar from the Jiangyang private school in Jiangzhong Township.

Scholar Zhuang, leaning on a cane, tremblingly walked into the courtroom, "I am Zhuang Zhong, greeting Minister Xu."

Xu Zeping, to prevent Zhuang Xiangui from further deceit, had made thorough preparations: "Scholar Zhuang, do you recognize the person kneeling below?"

"I do. He is my student from the 20th year of Wenjing, Zhuang Xiangui." Zhuang Zhong pulled out a stack of papers from his robe, "I also have Zhuang Xiangui's schoolwork from his studies."

Liu Scribe took the schoolwork and compared it with the handwriting on the contracts of servitude, "Your Honor, the handwriting is identical."

"Zhuang Xiangui, you claim that the villagers of Xiaoyuan Village willingly sold their daughters to you?" Xu Zeping's icy gaze fixed on Zhuang Xiangui, "Then can you explain the contents of the contract? You were educated by a teacher; you know the law!

The villagers of Xiaoyuan Village are illiterate; even their signatures are just thumbprints. How do you explain this?"

"Your Honor, I am wronged!" Zhuang Xiangui argued deceitfully, "The contract was not drafted by me. I only signed it while intoxicated. The contract was drawn up by my steward, and I was tricked into signing it while intoxicated."

"Deceitful! You truly won't give up until you reach the Yellow River." Xu Zeping continued, "Summon more witnesses!"

Yuan Gang and his spouse, Yuan Hua, villagers from Xiaoyuan Village, the victims of the abduction, Zhuang's steward, Zhuang San, and the madams from the three brothels in Lingbei County were all brought forward by the bailiffs.

Seeing these people, Zhuang Xiangui knew it was all over.

He lowered his head and said dejectedly, "I confess my guilt."

"Zhuang Xiangui and Yuan Gang are the masterminds behind the trafficking of virtuous people, disregarding national laws. According to the law, they shall be beheaded!"

"Yuan Zhangshi (Yuan Gang's wife), Yuan Hua, Zhuang Linshi (Zhuang Xiangui's wife), and the more than thirty members of the Zhuang family, Zhuang San, and the brothel madams are accomplices. According to the law, they shall be exiled three thousand li!"

"Zhuang Linshi has blatantly violated the law by wearing gold-embroidered silk cloaks as a merchant's wife, showing contempt for the law. Her crime is compounded! According to national law, she shall be beheaded!"

Just as everyone thought the case was about to end, Xu Zeping continued the trial: "Zhuang Xiangui, Yuan Gang and Yuan Hua have accused you of conspiring with Zhang Cainv to maliciously block the rivers in the eight townships of Xiaoli Town. Do you confess to this charge?"

Zhuang Xiangui, looking into Xu Zeping's clear eyes on the high bench, felt a sinking feeling in his heart. County Magistrate Xu indeed knew all.

Liu Scribe promptly reminded, "Zhuang Xiangui, you should answer carefully, think of your infant grandson."

"I confess." At this point, facing certain death, a flicker of bitterness crossed Zhuang Xiangui's seemingly honest face. Rather than going to hell alone, he might as well drag a few more down with him: "This humble subject also accuses Hu Yong from Dahu Township, Chen Ping from Xiaohu Township, and Gao Jin from Xiaoye Township of conspiring with me in these wicked deeds..."

Then, Zhuang Xiangui revealed this atrocity that had been hidden for nearly twenty years.

The Zhuang, Hu, Chen, and Gao families were already related by marriage, with daughters frequently marrying into each other's families, forming a community of shared interests.

When it comes to making money, merchants will stop at nothing.

Everything began in the winter of the fortieth year of Wenjing.

In the summer of the fortieth year of Wenjing, Lingbei County began to experience drought.

The sudden onset of the dry season caught the onlookers of Lingbei County off guard, and many onlookers starved to death due to food shortages.

Xiaoli Town, due to its river, was somewhat affected, but by dipping into their savings to buy a little extra grain, they just barely got by.

That winter, the Zhuang, Hu, Chen, and Gao families made a small profit from the drought's impact on grain prices, but not much.

After all, in Lingbei County, they were just small-time landlords, not the big players.

They were nowhere near as powerful as the Qin, Cao, and Zhao families. The onlookers of Lingbei County preferred to buy grain from the Qin, Cao, and Zhao families, partly because they had more grain at cheaper prices, and partly because these families had businesses in Lingbei County, making the journey shorter.

The territories of these four families were mostly in Xiaoli Town, limiting their business to the surrounding area where the onlookers lived.

The four families gathered together, and wicked schemes began to brew.

If they were going to make money, they might as well go big.

So the four families joined forces and turned their greedy eyes to the river.

But how could they reasonably block the river without the onlookers noticing?

They thought of Zhang Cainv, Zhuang Xiangui's mistress, whom he had transformed into a revered fairy goddess!

They knew all about the Zhuang family's dirty secrets.

Every death in the Zhuang family, from the old master to the second young master, had Zhang Cainv and Zhuang Xiangui's fingerprints on it.

The four families did two things: first, the Hu family, who ran a gambling den, set a trap to lure in gamblers like Yuan Gang; second, the four families sent their men to capture children from various villages and hide them, then had Zhang Shenpo divine where the onlookers should look for their children.

These two actions completely established Zhang Shenpo's reputation as a divine figure.

From the shadows, they watched as the common people revered Zhang Cainv, knowing their plan had succeeded.

Only one final step remained: Zhang Shenpo had to declare that the dragon vein of the feng shui and Bagua array had been cut.

In the fortieth year of Wenjing, Zhang Shenpo declared that the dragon vein had been cut, and to restore it, the river must remain as it was, convincing the onlookers.

Those who resisted had their children captured and hidden by the four families...

Or Zhang Shenpo would predict their remaining days, and gamblers would poison them to seal their fate.

Through this twisted scheme, the townspeople of Xiaoli Town worshipped Zhang Shenpo as a god.

—You evil spirit, why aren't you dead yet! shouted the onlookers.

—Drop dead, you scum!

..

As Zhuang Xiangui spilled the details of their wicked deeds, the onlookers erupted in curses, and those nearby spat on him.

"Silence in the court!"

"Take the criminals kneeling below away," Xu Zeping struck the gavel. "Guards, go and arrest Zhang Cainv, Hu Yong, Chen Ping, and Gao Jin and bring them to justice! Tomorrow we will publicly try this serious case."

When Xu Zeping returned yesterday, he immediately sent a fast horse to report the matter to his superior, Prefect Xu Zhizhou. Given the gravity of the crime, Prefect Xu Zhizhou would likely not sit still.

He rubbed the gavel, and if nothing unexpected happened, Prefect Xu Zhizhou would definitely appear in the court tomorrow.

Blocking the river channel would inevitably harm many innocent onlookers.

Xu Zeping sighed deeply. For personal gain, harming the onlookers, severely affecting local food supply and public safety, according to the law, the entire family should be executed!

Since ancient times, wicked people have been universally condemned, so as soon as the bailiffs set out, the onlookers eagerly followed, fearing that Zhang Cainv, Hu Yong, Chen Ping, and Gao Jin might escape.

Xu Zeping looked at the Town Head of Xiaoli Town kneeling below, "Town Head Jiang, this is a dereliction of duty, and you should be stripped of your position. The specifics will be decided after I report to my superior."

Returning home, Xu Zeping looked at the two little ones babbling, and his previous agitation was swept away.

"Ah~"

"Ah ah?"

The nearly two-month-old babies could already smile and show their facial expressions. Yuan Ge Er and Man Ge Er opened their innocent phoenix eyes, their blurred vision making it hard for them to see what was in front of them.

But they would shake their tender paws with the shaking rattle, babbling something.

Today's case in the court was also heard by Cheng Ge Er and others. Knowing that Xu Zeping, as a local official, was upset by such events.

Xu Songshan glanced at Xu Linshi, "Midwife, go make some of your specialty dishes to cheer the children up."

"You old man, idle as you are, why not come with me?"

"You old woman, why do you like to boss me around more as you get older?"

Xu Songshan complained verbally, but his steps did not hesitate at all, turning around to follow Xu Linshi to the small kitchen.

The time for babies to play is always limited. After amusing Xu Zeping for a while, the two little ones yawned and started to get sleepy.

Hearing the little ones start to whimper, Xu Zeping instinctively picked up Man Ge Er to soothe him.

Looking at the other little one in the cradle, he couldn't help but seek help with his eyes.

Cheng Ge Er timely entered the inner room, picked up Yuan Ge Er, and hummed a little tune.

In no time, the two brothers fell asleep one after the other.

The two gently placed the babies in the cradle and then quietly exited the inner room.

Regarding the two babies, both Cheng Ge Er and Xu Linshi believed it was better to do things themselves, so the children would be closer to them. So they took care of them as much as possible, trying not to trouble the young maid and the wet nurse.

This might be a bit tiring, but both Cheng Ge Er and Xu Linshi were happy to do so.

This might be the small-town mentality ingrained in them, not forgetting their roots despite their wealth.

Cheng Ge Er brewed a cup of hot tea in front of Xu Zeping, "The weather is cold, have a sip of hot tea."

Xu Zeping gazed out the window at the bitterly cold wind howling outside and couldn't help murmuring, "Cheng Ge Er, why do you think people are never satisfied?"

Cheng Ge Er wrapped his arms around Xu Zeping from behind, resting his face against Xu Zeping's broad back: "I don't know. I only know that greed is like a snake trying to eat an elephant. I just want to take good care of our little home with Pingping and watch our children grow up healthy."

"Yes, greed is like a snake trying to eat an elephant."

A warm embrace always brings comfort.

Xu Zeping turned around and drew Cheng Ge Er into his arms.

Everything unfolded just as Xu Zeping had anticipated. The next day, at the third quarter of the Mao hour (around 5:45 AM), a yamen runner rushed in to report that Prefect Xu Zhizhou had arrived!