Chapter 382: Chapter 203: The Xuyi Class, Talents Emerge in Great Numbers
Officials throughout the ages, when interrogating cases, in addition to the conventional five listening interrogation methods, would also employ some crafty techniques that couldn’t be brought to the table, such as cunning, inducement, and deceit.
These crafty techniques must not be used recklessly; mastering the extent of their use is also an art, otherwise, it is easy to cause wrongful convictions.
Chen Guangrui did not have direct evidence to show that Yuan Hu was the murderer of the Chen Family’s eldest lady. The means he used to question Yuan Hu based on conjectured results were a form of deceit.
Yuan Hu, having just been intimidated by Liao Jinzhong, dared not conceal anything upon hearing Chen Guangrui’s stern questioning, and simply said openly:
"I have killed many people and know I cannot escape death. If I confess truthfully, I hope for a quick end from you, sir. Even if I have to go to the execution ground, I accept it, just don’t torture me and let me suffer, only then will I speak."
Chen Guangrui ambiguously replied, "If you confess truthfully, I will not act beyond the laws. But if you conceal anything, I will not be lenient either!"
Yuan Hu, somewhat apprehensive, glanced at the smiling Liao Jinzhong and said in a muffled voice, "That Chen family woman, I beat her to death with a wooden stick because when she came home from outside, she happened upon me in the house. It was her ill fate, not my intent."
Beside them, Chen Feng, who was almost being ignored by everyone, spoke again, "You killed her, but was it you who stole my child and gave him to the Jin family?"
Yuan Hu frowned and said, "What child, what Jin family, I don’t recognize them!"
Today there was no child’s crying to disrupt the court, which made Chen Guangrui quite happy, although the father seemed a bit tactless.
"Silence!" Chen Guangrui’s gaze fell on the Chen family’s wet nurse and asked, "You are the wet nurse of the Chen family and seem to know a great deal about them. Tell me, was the eldest lady of the Chen family dissatisfied with the concubine?"
The Chen family’s wet nurse truthfully said, "The eldest lady married the master for many years but bore no child. Later, the master took Xiao Min as a concubine, and the eldest lady made a fuss for a while. If it weren’t for the master pressing her with the family lineage, Xiao Min might not have even entered the door."
"When the master was home, the eldest lady treated Xiao Min as her own, but when the master was away, she often made things difficult for Xiao Min. After Xiao Min gave birth to a son, the eldest lady naturally became more dissatisfied..."
Chen Guangrui said sternly, "To speak arbitrarily about one’s superiors is a serious crime. Did you see it with your own eyes, or are you speculating?"
"I dare not deceive; I have seen with my own eyes the eldest lady making a gesture as if to strangle the young master. Besides the master, others somewhat know about this incident."
Chen Guangrui ordered other family members of the Chen family to come forward and be questioned. It was indeed as the wet nurse said; the Chen family’s eldest lady had no toleration for others.
Chen Feng’s face turned alternately pale and flushed upon hearing this, feeling utterly humiliated.
Above, Chen Guangrui’s gaze swept over everyone and he said, "The case is now clear. The eldest lady of the Chen family, out of jealousy and hatred, threw the concubine’s child into the Qu Water River. Fortunately, the child’s fate was not meant to end, as she was discovered and rescued by Mrs. Jin, who was washing clothes by the river, and taken home to be nurtured..."
In the court, the Imperial Inspector stroked his beard and nodded, but just as the case was about to be concluded, Mrs. Jin, who was kneeling in the hall, suddenly spoke, "Sir, the child was not saved by me. It was the manifestation of the Lady Baosheng, who used the jade ruyi to drag the child to shore..."
This woman truly knows not the occasion. Who doesn’t know that the Baosheng Temple was built by him? Whether or not Lady Baosheng manifested, you speaking out in public, whether people believe it or not, if anyone suspects it’s a deliberate mystery to gain fame, it’ll not look good.
Chen Guangrui frowned slightly, interrupting, "I am only here to ascertain the truth of the case. Whether or not it was you who saved the child is of no concern to the case."
After speaking, Chen Guangrui ordered the Government Official to escort Yuan Hu back to prison. Once everyone left the court, the case would be concluded.
However, just at this moment, the sound of the great court drum being struck echoed from outside the Government Office’s entrance.
Chen Guangrui had just lifted himself half a span from the chair and hadn’t fully stood up, when he sat back down again.
This chair truly couldn’t hold him. If it were usual, he would have brought his red mahogany Master’s Chair which was comfortable.
Unfortunately, no matter how much you guard day and night, you can’t guard against a thief in the family.
Such a fine chair, and it was actually taken away by that unruly kid, Shang Shaoyang.
"Cases under Chen County Magistrate’s jurisdiction indeed are not few." The Imperial Inspector suddenly commented.
Hearing this, Tang Master and the County Magistrate’s forehead began to sweat again.
There never used to be so many cases in the Government Office. Today, for some reason, as soon as they close one case, the great court drum gets struck again. Isn’t that drum only struck in great injustice?
Without great injustice, who would dare strike that drum?
Chen Guangrui, hearing the Imperial Inspector’s words, knew the other was deliberately suggesting he mismanaged governance; otherwise, how could there be consecutive cases...
Amidst the forensic doctor’s clerks, Xu Qing perked up energetically; the real drama was about to begin!
"Who is striking the drum? Bring them to the court!"
The Wu family brothers wore plain, everyday garments, looking no different from the common folks on the street.
Apart from the two brothers, Wu Zhiyuan’s wife, Zhang Wan, was also present in the court.
"Scholar from the Year of XuJi, Wu Zhiyuan (Wu Wencai), greets the official."
This Scholar’s term sounds familiar. Chen Guangrui himself was a scholar with remarkable memory, and the moment he heard this, he recalled having encountered Xu Qing, who was also a Scholar from the Year of XuJi, just a few days earlier!
Why is it that everyone born of that XuJi Year is so unusual?
Unless Chen Guangrui’s memory served him wrong, that celebrated old gentleman Tian She, who became a child student at twenty-nine after fourteen attempts and a Scholar at seventy, was also a candidate from the Year of XuJi.