Northern Song Dynasty Justice

Chapter 15 Asking for a Confession
In fact, in ancient cases, almost every official used intimidation, threats, instruments of torture and other similar means to make the prisoner confess, which is allowed by the law.

Because there was no advanced technology in ancient times to assist officials in solving cases, and at the same time to pursue justice in the outcome, the easiest way, of course, is to rely on punishment to force criminals to confess.

Compared with instruments of torture, threats and intimidation are considered more benevolent.

As soon as Sima Guang came up, he didn't talk about the case for now, but took advantage of Zhang Fei's identity and bad deeds to launch an attack. At present, he wanted to establish his own authority. In fact, this was a very benevolent method, not bullying.

Officials do this all the time, and most of them are even more ruthless than this.

Zhang Fei is also very aware of this point, but it is very unfavorable to him. If he is not allowed to play freely, but is led by the nose by officials, he will not be able to win this lawsuit.

His sudden agitation was not venting, but premeditated.

He had intended to protect Wei Ada in advance, and he did not reveal anything about Wei Ada's confession, because Wei Ada, as a victim, testified for the murderer, which would definitely arouse suspicion.

Sima Guang will definitely question this point.

Zhang Fei is waiting for him here.

And he cleverly pulled the emperor in, a move that Sima Guang really didn't know how to parry.

It is impossible for him to shake the minister's power to reject the emperor's decision in order to suppress a citizen of Erbi, and he even dared not take the risk of saying a word.

The power of the monarchy and the power of ministers are very delicate things, and the other party is a fool. If we continue to argue with him on this matter, God knows what he will say.

Sima Guang was very angry in his heart, being bullied by a kid like this, and in front of so many colleagues, but he also had to be very magnanimous, you are right, I admit my mistake.

This is for the emperor to see, and the emperor should do the same. He accepts advice with an open mind, and he can correct his mistakes.

The reason why Wang Anshi laughed was because he knew Sima Guang too well, and it was very difficult for Sima Guang to bow his head and confess his cowardice.

Of course, it is even more difficult to make Wang Anshi admit his weakness.

But having said that, Sima Guang's confession does not mean that he has given up completely, but the situation is more equal, everyone is reasonable, not official authority.

This is what Zhang Fei hopes to achieve.

Zhang Fei came to Wei Ada's side, and said softly: "Wei Ada, don't be afraid, everyone sitting here is a gentleman, they are reasonable people."

"I'm not afraid, no...not afraid!" Wei Ada said tremblingly.

He really wasn't as scared as before, because he saw that Zhang Fei seemed to be very powerful.

Zhang Fei asked: "Wei Ada, do you still remember where you were on the night of the crime?"

Wei Ada nodded and said, "I remember, I was on guard at the time in the thatched shed by the side of my field."

Zhang Fei asked again: "Then do you remember what you were doing at that time?"

Weah Avenue: "I was sleeping."

Zhang Fei asked: "Then did you just fall asleep, or are you in a deep sleep?"

Wei Ada scratched his head and recalled: "It should be when I was asleep, and I slept soundly at that time."

Now that we're getting down to business, Sima Guang, Wang Anshi and other gentlemen are drowsy.

That's it?

This is not a trial, it is simply the usual greetings of the neighbors.

But they didn't dare to be careless. This kid dug holes everywhere, so he had to be careful.

Zhang Fei asked again: "Then did you notice that someone sneaked into your hut?"

Weah shook his head.

Zhang Fei continued to ask: "Then when did you know that someone entered your hut and tried to hurt you with a knife."

Asking, Wei Ada was also immersed in everything that happened that night, and relaxed inadvertently, and said: "I suddenly felt some pain in my back and arms, so I woke up. I thought I was bitten by a snake. When I opened my eyes, I realized that someone was going to kill me."

Zhang Fei nodded and asked, "That means you didn't have any resistance or defense before that."

Wei Ada nodded, and said aggrievedly: "I didn't know that someone would come to kill me."

Zhang Fei said: "You just said that there is some pain, but as far as I know, the pain of severed fingers is a severe pain, which can make people faint."

Weah Avenue: "It was after I woke up that my fingers were cut off."

Zhang Fei said: "Can you tell me how your fingers were cut off by the murderer?"

Wei A Avenue: "When I saw her slashing with a knife, I waved my hand to block it. That's how my fingers were cut off."

Zhang Fei said: "What about after that?"

Weah Avenue: "She ran away after that, and I didn't even have time to see who she was."

Zhang Fei said: "This is the whole process?"

Weah nodded.

All the officials, including Sima Guang, originally thought that the two of them were colluding to overturn the previous confession, otherwise, it would be impossible to reverse the case for Ayun, but after listening to their questions and answers, Wei Ada said the same as before. It is enough to prove Ayun's crime of murder.

Sima Guang was very embarrassed. This question and answer really swollen his face.

Wei Ada answered very honestly.

This made his question just now have a kind of villain's heart to judge the gentleman's belly.

Sima Guang wondered, did they deliberately embarrass me by doing this?This kid was so hateful, he asked, "Have you finished asking?"

"Xiaomin finished asking."

Zhang Fei said: "Just now Wei Ada's answer is enough to prove that Ah Yun has no intention of murder."

Sima Guang was stunned immediately, could it be that I am deaf, did I hear wrong?Unhappily said: "This has already entered the house with a knife and murdered, and you don't have the intention to murder?"

Zhang Fei said: "Xiaomin has a piece of evidence to present."

Sima Guang nodded.

I saw Wei Aer coming to the hall with a roll of canvas.

The canvas is opened, but there is a figure drawn on it.

This is really unique.

Zhang Fei said: "Please look at the presiding judge, this is the distribution map of the wounds on Wei Ada's body, it was drawn by Xiao Min who asked the master of Dali Temple."

Sima Guang immediately looked at Xu Zun.

Xu Zun nodded and said, "I can assure you that this picture is exactly the same as the wound on Wei Ada's body. Bachelor Sima can send someone to verify the authenticity."

"That's not necessary."

Sima Guangliang and Xu Zun didn't dare to lie about it, so he asked Zhang Fei, "What does this mean?"

Zhang Fei said: "Please look at the presiding judge, the more than ten wounds about Wei Ada are all distributed on the hands, legs, and back, and none of the wounds are on the vital parts."

Sima Guang said: "If it hits the vital point, Wei Ada probably won't be able to stand here today."

Zhang Fei said: "But according to what Wei Ada said, he didn't know that Ayun had entered the hut at that time, and he didn't have any precautions. In this case, Ayun cut more than ten knives, but none of them hit the vital point. Isn't that strange?"

Sima Guang said: "It was late at that time, and there were no lights beside the field, and Ayun turned his head back to attack. Under nervousness, he failed to hit the vital point, which is also reasonable."

Zhang Fei said: "But as far as I know, Wei Ada has always had the habit of snoring when he sleeps. It can be said that he snored like thunder. If Ayun really murdered Wei Ada, he could beheaded if he found the sound, and he would be killed with a single knife. But Weah didn't have a single wound above his neck."

At this point, he paused for a while, and then said: "In addition, there are more than ten wounds on Wei Ada's body, except for the broken finger, the rest are all flesh wounds, and he fully recovered within half a month.

As for the injury of the severed finger, Wei Ada has just made it very clear that he waved his hand to block the knife, and the combination of two forces caused the finger to be severed. If he hadn't waved his hand, would he still suffer from the severed finger injury? pain?

Obviously not, and Ayun saw that he cut off his finger and severely injured Wei Ada, so he ran away immediately and did not continue to commit murder. All these circumstances are enough to show that Ayun has no intention of murdering. "

Sima Guang immediately retorted: "Ayun is just a weak woman, how could she have the strength to kill someone? The wound is not deep enough to prove."

Zhang Fei said: "But Xiaomin has sufficient evidence to prove that she is absolutely capable of killing people, and she is not inferior to men. If she really wants to kill someone, even if she misses a vital point due to the weather, it is enough to seriously injure Wei Ada. .”

Sima Guang asked, "What proof do you have?"

Zhang Fei said: "How much does the chief judge think Xiaomin weighs?"

Sima Guang was taken aback by the question, and said, "How do I know that?"

Zhang Fei said: "Xiao Min weighs about 130 catties. I don't know if the chief judge approves it."

Sima Guang looked at Zhang Fei. Although he was thin, he couldn't stand tall, so he nodded and said, "Almost, but why do you ask this?"

Zhang Fei said: "The presiding judge must not forget that after Ayun escaped from the scene of the crime, he rescued Xiaomin on the way, and Xiaomin was in a state of drowning at the time. If she was just a weak woman, how could she save a 130-jin woman?" The drowning man, rescue him ashore."

Many officials whispered to each other and discussed in low voices.

Don't think they don't understand, but when it comes to the common sense of drowning, everyone still knows a little bit.

Without a handful of strength, it is impossible to save people.

Zhang Fei said: "This is enough to prove that Ah Yun is completely capable of killing people, and there are circumstances to kill people. It is only because she has no intention of killing people that Wei Ada can survive."

Sima Guang immediately questioned: "But if she had no intention of killing, why did she go to assassinate Wei Ada with a knife? This evidence is conclusive, and she has confessed herself. It cannot be concluded that she did not succeed in the murder. No intention of murder."

Zhang Fei nodded with a smile and said: "The chief interrogator is right, why did Ayun bring a knife to Wei Ada's thatched shed to injure Wei Ada, what was her motive, and what was her purpose , This starts with the case of Fang Datian's marriage to partial wealth, and the whole story of this case stems from this."

(End of this chapter)