Chapter 8, there is only one truth

Under the jurisdiction of the Provincial Court of Justice, there are also sub-divisions for administrative and judicial oversight, which are managed by the Deputy Provincial Judge or the Assistant Judge of the Provincial Court. For instance, Zhejiang is divided into the Eastern Zhejiang Circuit and the Western Zhejiang Circuit, with Hangzhou Prefecture falling under the jurisdiction of the Western Zhejiang Circuit

After this case is handled as a solid case, the patrol department will report the case details. Since it involves a major case of loss of life and official corruption, the supervisory office must report it to the Ministry of Justice, which will then be submitted for the emperor's approval before being transmitted down through the ranks for proper execution

Although this young lady appeared extremely fatigued, Wang Xian could not simply sit with her in silence, so he could only clear his throat lightly

Even if one can barely recognize it, it is human nature to be unwilling to accept the fact that a loved one has passed away until the very last moment. At that time, the body had not even been examined; why were the Zhao family so anxious to mourn?" After a pause, Wang Xian continued, "Therefore, there are only two possibilities—either they already knew that this body belonged to your sister-in-law, or they already knew that this body did not belong to your sister-in-law.

The statement made by Wu Zuo is indeed reasonable; even if the outcome is incorrect, it merely reflects negligence on his part, and at most he would face dismissal without the risk of legal repercussions. However, when He Guanchao's inquiries yielded no results, he turned to interrogate Lin Rongxing. Lin Rongxing, having been thoroughly beaten down, naturally revealed everything he knew, admitting to having bribed County Magistrate Chen with one hundred guan in banknotes, which was handed over by the clerk Wang Xingye of the Criminal Division.

Where does it come from

In order to extract a confession from Wang Xingye, He Guanzhao resorted to severe torture once again. However, whether it was due to encountering a tough nut to crack or the constables going easy on him, Wang Xingye withstood the torture and resolutely denied any connection with County Magistrate Chen. Left with no other options, He Guanzhao had no choice but to cease further investigation, but this was already sufficient to cause County Magistrate Chen considerable distress.

Although it is no longer the Hongwu era where one would be flayed for embezzling twenty taels, the criminal law remains severe and particularly harsh. The outcome for Wang Xingye is undoubtedly a light sentence

How to make the authorities believe

Therefore, my brother must be wronged!" Lin Qing'er nodded emphatically

You said... Wang Xian pondered for a moment, then suddenly lowered his voice and spoke slowly, "Could it be that your sister-in-law is still alive?"

Indeed, Zhou Wuzuo, upon seeing that testimony, admitted to having received a labor fee of ten guan, which was given by Wang Sili

I find it highly likely. Wang Xian opened the case file and pointed to a page, saying: "Look at this section regarding the autopsy in Lingqiao Town; it is very clear. This female corpse has been submerged in water for a long time and has already deformed, and wild dogs have torn the body beyond recognition. How could the Zhao family possibly identify the corpse at a glance as their daughter?"

After finishing, Wang Xian discovered that Lin Qing'er had already leaned against the table, resting her chin on her hand and fallen asleep. This girl was as delicate as a blade of grass, yet resilient enough to evoke sympathy. Although he was not one to cherish the delicate, he still held great admiration for Miss Lin.

Later, Lin Rongxing revealed the location where the blood-stained clothing and the murder weapon were buried. When the constables went to investigate, they indeed found a blood-stained dress and a whistle stick. Seeing that a breakthrough had finally been made, He Guanzhao was overjoyed and ordered that the barely conscious Lin Rongxing be pressed further, and he summoned Zhou Wuzuo for questioning. Zhou Wuzuo initially insisted that he had not received any money, claiming that even if the investigation was flawed, it was merely due to a lack of skill. When asked, the clerk Wang Xingye from the criminal division gave the same response.

The Ming Dynasty essentially inherited the administrative divisions of the Yuan Dynasty, but the powers were divided into three branches: the Provincial Administration Commission for civil governance, the Judicial and Inspection Commission for legal matters, and the Military Command Commission for military affairs, establishing a system of checks and balances.

"Absolutely not," Lin Qing'er declared emphatically, "Do you know where that so-called physical evidence came from?"

Thus, He observed and determined that Lin Rongxing was a murderer, and even sent a letter to the educational authorities, stripping him of his scholar status, and then subjected him to severe punishment

Of course it is false, Lin Qing'er gritted her teeth and said: "Because my brother is wronged, he did not kill anyone at all"

So, are you saying that the physical evidence is fake

... ...

"It is useless to talk to me," Wang Xian said淡淡道: "We must make the authorities believe that this case can be turned around!"

Hmm. Wang Xian nodded

"How could it be..." Lin Qing'er did not believe it. Even if that female corpse was not her sister-in-law, she had been missing for more than two years; how could she possibly still be alive

Lin Qing'er suddenly woke up, rubbing her flushed cheeks, and shyly asked: "Have you finished watching?"

Lin Rongxing repeatedly claimed ignorance, as he held the title of a scholar and thus could not be subjected to punishment. He also noticed on the Zhao family's legal documents that there was a witness, Hu Sancai, who was Lin Rongxing's classmate.

Although Lin Rongxing's bones were hard, after enduring a variety of tortures, he ultimately succumbed and confessed to his discord with the Zhao family. He lured her to the riverbank, killed her, and then bound her to a stone before sinking her to the bottom of the river

During this period, the Lin family was dissatisfied and took the case to the provincial capital. The case dragged on for over a year, until last winter when the verdict was finally delivered. Although County Magistrate Chen was not guilty of embezzlement, he was dismissed from his position for being lax in governance and lacking discernment. Lin Rongxing was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve, while Wang Xingye was punished with one hundred strokes for fraud and sent to the salt fields for five years of hard labor. As for Zhou Wuzuo, he was punished with two hundred strokes for dereliction of duty and exiled three thousand miles. Later, due to severe injuries, he died in prison.

"Three days apart, one should look at each other with new eyes," Wang Xian said lightly. "Therefore, there is only one truth— they know that the female corpse is not your sister-in-law! Moreover, she must not be dead!" As he spoke, he gently tapped the table and said, "Find her, and this case can be turned around!"

The inspection officer of the Western Zhejiang patrol place attaches great importance to the case controlled by the Zhao family, as it involves not only a homicide but also a case of bribery and corruption among county officials. This is undoubtedly a major case in the province of Zhejiang

After obtaining Lin Rongxing's testimony, He Guanzhao conducted a second interrogation of the Xu official from Fuyang County. This time, he was more astute, placing the slippery Wang Xingye at the back and first interrogating Zhou Wuzuo.

He observed and angrily said, "Your two families are less than ten miles apart, and the Zhao family went out in broad daylight. How could there possibly be an accident? It is clear that you, after committing murder, falsely claimed that she went back to her mother's house!"

Upon receiving the testimony from Zhou Wuzuo, He Guanzhao was overjoyed and immediately summoned Wang Sili for questioning. In the main hall, Wang Sili was at a loss, saying that the bookish fellow was oblivious to the realities of life, as if everyone in the yamen were living on the wind from the northwest. Although the county magistrate was indeed as incorruptible as water, each time he went out, there were dozens of people, including the bearers of his sedan chair, the three classes of yamen runners accompanying him, as well as the laborers and local militia. They had no income, or at most a meager wage, which was hardly enough to support their families. They relied entirely on such errands to earn a little hard-earned money to get by. Although the county magistrate was indeed as incorruptible as water, each time he went out, there were dozens of people, including the bearers of his sedan chair, the three classes of yamen runners accompanying him, as well as the laborers and local militia. They had no income, or at most a meager wage, which was hardly enough to support their families. They relied entirely on such errands to earn a little hard-earned money to get by.

Upon the overturning of the autopsy results from Fuyang County, He observed that his internal balance naturally tilted in favor of the plaintiff. He directed his suspicious gaze towards the officials of Fuyang County, ordered County Magistrate Chen to be suspended pending investigation, and then personally began the interrogation of Lin Rongxing.

If it is the former, then they at mhetushu.com must certainly know who the murderer of your sister-in-law is, and they intend to protect this murderer. However, if that is the case, they should wish for this matter to settle down and would never file a complaint later, so the former cannot be established

Although the words may be unpalatable, this is the reality; anyone in Wang Xingye's position would have to act in the same manner. Moreover, such matters cannot be altered by a mere minor official. However, that He Guanzhao, with his bookish demeanor, actually insisted that this constituted bribery. He then pressed County Magistrate Chen on whether he had accepted bribes, to which Wang Xingye firmly maintained that it was all the doing of his subordinates, and that the county magistrate was completely unaware of anything.

Oh ... ...

Lin Rongxing spoke confidently in response to He Guanzhao, vehemently denying that he had killed his wife. However, He Guanzhao learned through witness inquiries that Lin had a history of assaulting his wife. Lin then stated that his first wife had died during childbirth, and he later remarried Zhao. However, Zhao was known for her promiscuity, often flirting with his classmates, which made him quite uncomfortable. There were times when they had arguments, and he had even resorted to violence. The recent disappearance of Zhao occurred after a fight between them, on her way back to her parental home.

For instance, when going to Lingqiao Town, the concerned party is typically required to pay the "shoe money." Since it is ten miles away, an additional thirty wen and twenty wen for food and drink must also be added. Subsequently, the body is transported to the mortuary for an autopsy, all of which must be covered by the concerned party, as the government has no obligation in this regard. Therefore, I requested a fee of one hundred guan, which is merely in accordance with established practice and not an act of bribery

"It was only after my brother was stunned by the beating that I kindly reminded him that if he couldn't remember where the weapon was buried, it would be better to bury it again," Lin Qing'er said with a strong tone of sarcasm. "My brother sent a message home, so I, along with my mother, found a dress of my sister-in-law's. My mother then pricked her arm, turning it into a blood-stained garment, and found a whistle stick to bury under the crooked tree at the village entrance. After that, I informed my brother, and only then could he confess."

Furthermore, Lin Qing'er recounted to Wang Xian what she had heard last time on the boat, "If they have nothing to hide, why would they fear a mere... to report to the authorities?" As she spoke, she glanced at Wang Xian and asked, "Is what they said true?"

From a procedural standpoint, it has already been established as a solid case. Wang Xian slowly said, "If we only consider the final report submitted, even I would believe that your brother is the murderer"

In the eyes of future generations, it may not be considered significant logical reasoning, yet it left Miss Lin in complete admiration. After careful contemplation, she realized that it was indeed the case, and she immediately expressed her respect, saying: "You are truly impressive!" Afterward, in disbelief, she added: "I never would have expected such words to come from your mouth."

"How is it?" Lin Qing'er asked with a hint of hope.

He immediately ordered the coroner from the inspection department to conduct another autopsy, and the results were significantly different. The coroner from the inspection department, after examining the scene and performing the autopsy, determined that the female corpse had been dead for several months. It had merely been tied to a stone and submerged at the riverbed, and it was only after the rope came loose that it floated to the surface. Therefore, it did not appear to have been deceased for such a long time.

He observed that Ma was about to ask a question in class. Hu Sancai revealed that during the years they drank together, he had heard Lin Rongxing complain several times about Zhao's failure to uphold her duties as a wife, expressing a desire to kill her.

Wang Xian nodded and said: "It should be like this. Among my friends, there is one named Liao San, whose brother specializes in handling lawsuits and writing legal documents for others. I asked Liao San to ask his brother to help me write a legal document, but before I could get it, I was beaten. " After a pause, he recalled carefully: "It should have been his brother who reported the news, which was later spread by Liao San."