Chapter 8, we will meet in court

At that moment, Ji Ying turned his head and murmured to Hei Fu: "I remember that day, he said he had several lives on his hands..."

The black husband immediately fell asleep.

No, absolutely not! Ji Ying shook his head like a rattle.

Heihe quickly got up, and a faint light streamed in from outside, revealing a kindly-faced clerk in a black robe, holding a brush and a knife. His attire was almost a replica of the "civil servant figurine" from the Terracotta Army.

In all matters of governance, one must be diligent, upright, cautious, resolute, thorough and impartial, meticulous and discreet, calm and not harsh, and judicious in the administration of rewards and punishments

Upon hearing the name "Xi" during the self-introduction, he was slightly taken aback. He recalled that in a television program from his previous life, it was mentioned that the greatest discovery regarding the Yunmeng Qin Jian was not the letter written by "Heifu" to his family, but rather the coffin of an official from Anlu County named "Xi," which was filled to the brim with excerpts of Qin laws. This opened the door for archaeologists to the Qin Dynasty.

He was literate to begin with; otherwise, how could he have gone to the military camp and still been able to write letters home? However, he saw that the title of the article written above was "On the Way of Officials"

Upon seeing this person, Heifu felt a great weight lift from his heart. He heard the jailer happily say that this esteemed official, Doctor Xi, was renowned in Anlu County for his strict impartiality and was highly valued by the county magistrate. Difficult cases would be entrusted to him for handling, and if he were to preside over the case, there should be no issues, right

Jingling County, one of the 18 counties of Nanjun, faces Anlu County across Yunmengze. During the Han Dynasty, the officials seated on both sides of the hall were busily recording on wooden slips and bamboo strips. Their seriousness resembled that of court reporters in later generations, as they aimed to document every word and action of the accused, which would then be archived and stored. Most of the Qin slips unearthed in later times are similar in nature.

What should I do?" he asked, looking at Heifu.

Seeing Ji Ying and Hei Fu bow to him, the young clerk smiled and said: "No need for excessive formalities, I am merely a small clerk in charge of food distribution, not an official. You may sit down and speak."

The inquiries pertain primarily to the names, identities, and places of origin of Heifu and Ji Ying, with the most crucial aspect being whether they have any prior criminal records

The Chief Justice was pleased not to interrupt Pan during his statement, but kept writing on the bamboo slips until he finished speaking, and then asked: "Other than the robbery of the merchant Bao, are there no other crimes?"

Such a person should not violate the law, right

It can be seen that the Qin State is indeed renowned for its Legalist principles, conducting investigations with precision and adhering to its own regulations, rather than acting arbitrarily based on the personal preferences of officials

At that time, you only need to state the facts and must not lie under any circumstances! Remember, remember!

Outside the county office, a sea of people gathered. Above the main hall, a plaque inscribed with the four characters "Mingjing Gaoxuan" hung prominently in the center. Below it sat the county magistrate, wearing a black gauze hat, while three executioners' blades, shaped like dragons and tigers, were displayed on the floor. When the criminal was brought up, the bailiffs on both sides shouted "Mighty!" The magistrate then struck the wooden bench with a loud "bang" and pointed at the criminal, saying: "First, give him three hundred strikes of the death penalty stick!"

In the end, as the clerk was leaving, he also left behind a remark

In summary, seeing Heifu in a daze, is this really the legendary "Violent Qin"?

Then there are the "Five Virtues" and "Five Failures"... This refers to the requirements set by the Qin state for officials of all ranks. In plain language, it means to be honest and dedicated to public service, to be loyal to one's duties, to prohibit using public office for personal gain, to be close to the people, and to serve the public by eliminating harm and promoting benefits. This should be quite similar to the contents of the "Several Guidelines on the Integrity of Leading Cadres of the Communist Party of China".

He reassured him: "There is no need to worry about the matter of service; the county magistrate has already sent a document to the county lieutenant explaining the situation. You all just need to cooperate well in the case examination."

Pan hesitated for a moment and said: "No!"

Heifu and Ji Ying, guided by the jailer "Le", walked around the screen and entered the main hall, only to discover that the judge seated in the hall was not the magistrate or deputy magistrate of Anlu County, but the jail clerk, Xi! Today, he was dressed in black, wearing a Xiezhi crown, sitting upright and dignified, exuding an impressive aura

"It should be possible..." Heike replied nonchalantly while lying on the straw mat

After a while, Hei Fu could no longer hold back and asked, "Sir, the two of us are here to serve in the county, and the deadline is the 1st of October. If we miss the service period..."

The interrogation was not held at the county government office, but rather arranged in the county prison, which was separated by a wall. Inside the prison were the cells, while outside was the main hall. From the outside, it appeared to be a small courtyard, lacking the grandeur expected of an official government building; only the stone-paved path was meticulously clean, with not a single fallen leaf in sight.

After the door closed once again, Ji Ying began to worry, for although he had learned some laws from the local clerks in the village, especially remembering clearly the fines for various offenses, he had never engaged in litigation or appeared in court.

However, when it came to the "Xunyu" day, that is, the day of the court appearance, the scene that the black husband witnessed was as follows:

Subsequently, it was the turn of three thieves, shackled in chains, to kneel before the court and present their accounts of the crimes they committed

In addition to the more than 1,000 bamboo slips personally copied by Xi, there were no other valuable burial items in the coffin, which shows how much this civil servant loved his work

Cold dish

At that time, both parties in the lawsuit will have to act as their own lawyers, engaging in a battle of wits and words

Moreover, not to mention that our side is in the right regarding this matter, he had attended interrogation classes during his time at the police academy and had also observed court proceedings many times. Isn't that just confronting the defendant? What is there to be afraid of!

In the imagination of the general public, the trial process in ancient times is likely perceived as follows

The two individuals still claim that they have not committed any crimes, and Le Cai chose not to mention it.

The sky had darkened, and the two fell into a drowsy sleep. Unexpectedly, someone suddenly pushed the door open and entered from outside

... ...

Le Xiaodao said: "The place of origin confessed by the thief is not far, it is in the neighboring county. The correspondence can be completed in just two days. If all goes well, we will be able to start the interrogation in three days. At that time, you, as the accusers, will need to confront the accused in court, explain the circumstances of the case, present the list of witnesses and physical evidence, and then engage in mutual questioning..."

Heihe also stated that he has three brothers, all of whom are law-abiding citizens and have never engaged in any unlawful activities

In a moment, Hei Fu unexpectedly began to look forward to the "Information Prison" three days later

This was something that Heifu had not anticipated. His impression of ancient court trials was shaped by various historical dramas, where the stern magistrate would bang the gavel and strike the offender with a board as thick as his arm

Le also informed them that the information inquired today would be recorded and sent to their place of origin for verification, and that the township and village would be required to respond in writing, which is referred to as "Yuan Shu." This process applies not only to the plaintiff but also to the defendant. Once their identities are confirmed without any discrepancies, the formal hearing will commence.

"It would be better if there were none." Although Le's face was beaming with a smile, the words that came out were chilling.

On the other side, after Hei Fu and Ji Ying arrived in Anlu County, they were taken by the jailers to the county prison for accommodation. However, it was not a cell, but rather a guesthouse within the county prison, which is said to be specifically prepared for individuals like them who have "volunteered". The room is not large, but it is relatively clean, with two straw mats on the floor for them to rest on. However, they are not allowed to move about freely, and even going to the toilet requires someone to supervise. Meals are provided twice a day—of course, they consist only of the coarsest rice.

If there are prior offenses that are intentionally concealed, once the county magistrate informs the village and neighborhood, it could be greatly detrimental to you all

It is rather amusing that, at this point, Heifu can only place his hopes on the fairness and justice of the Qin laws

Ji Ying was very anxious. While Hei Fu was resting with his eyes closed, he kept pacing back and forth, worrying about this and that. After a while, he suddenly asked:

Brother He, do you think that Doctor Xi can handle the case impartially

He Yi was taken aback, huh? So it turns out that in the Qin state, the trial process involves the defendant and the plaintiff arguing with each other while the court listens quietly before making a decision

It is hoped that the officials presiding over today's case can truly achieve these points

The man with the long beard who had fought with the black man was the first to confess, saying: "My name is Pan, I am a scholar from Jingling County, residing in a certain place. I was conscripted into the army last February and went to fight in the northern Zhao Kingdom. Due to heavy rain, I was afraid of the long journey and fled. Later, I took refuge in Yunmengze and became a thief, where I met three others. My crimes are as Merchant Pan described, and I have not committed any other offenses"

Upon entering the main hall, the black servant discovered that there was no place for people to beat drums and voice their grievances, and it was even closed to the public. A "fǔlì", which is a mud-made screen, stood at the entrance, painted white, with several lines of Qin dynasty seal script written in ink on it.

Thus, Heifu and Ji Ying knelt and sat on the straw mat, while the jailer who called himself "Le" sat opposite them. He placed a small wooden frame for a fixed bamboo slip on the table, lit an oil lamp, yawned, and began the routine questioning.

Heifu Dao: "May I ask, esteemed official, approximately when will the interrogation take place?"

At this time, Xi had already begun hearing the case of "Robbery of Merchant Bao." When Heifu and the others were brought into the courtroom, the merchant "Bao" was just recounting how he had gone to the market that day and encountered robbers along the roadside, nine li from Huayang Pavilion, and had fled in fear.