Lin'an Never Night

Chapter 577 Trial by the Three Divisions
The trial by the three judicial officials still attracted the attention of the government and the public, even though the result was already known.

Many people gathered at the gate of the Dali Temple to hear the news, including many servants sent by powerful families.

The Ministry of Justice and the Censorate both sent representatives to the Dali Temple, with the Dali Temple presiding over the trial, while the Ministry of Justice and the Censorate served as jurors and overseers.

When Zhang Mi was escorted to the lobby, his face was ashen.

During the time he was detained, his mood fluctuated with the changes in the outside world. Sometimes he was full of hope, and sometimes he felt despair. That kind of torture was more painful than death.

Now, before he even went to the lobby, he already knew the result, and suddenly he felt a sense of relief.

When the three judicial organs held a joint trial, Yang Yuan was no longer able to stand trial.

He could only serve as an official of the Censorate and do some auxiliary work.

The three people sitting at the top are Wu Shu, the Minister of Dali Temple, on the right is Zhu Zhuo, the Chief Censor of the Censorate, and on the left is Zhang Fangxun, the Minister of Justice.

Although everyone already knew the result, the necessary procedures still had to be followed. The first witness and prisoner, Gao Yuheng, was brought up first.

He knew about Zhang Mi's serious crime of murder but did not report it. Moreover, the victim was his sister. It was a blood feud. He knew about it but did not report it. He disregarded human ethics and his crime was aggravated. He should be severely punished and most likely he would be exiled.

He was already very wealthy, but he tried to use his sister's death as a means to control Zhang Mi, and thus take advantage of this official's power to gain more benefits for himself. Now he has ended up like this, and he deserves it.

Moreover, his behavior was so despicable that even the prisoners in the same prison looked down on him. This Gao Yuanwai also suffered a lot in prison.

……

At the Liu Mansion, Xiaoshan silk merchant Nanfeng Chi happily visited.

Last time, he asked Liu the matchmaker to be a matchmaker for him. After Liu the matchmaker arrived, she praised Mr. Nanfeng to the point that he was rare in heaven and on earth. Mr. and Mrs. Liu were also very satisfied with Nanfeng Chi.

Nan Fengchi was just over 40, not too old, had passed the imperial examination, was well-educated, and was the richest man in Xiaoshan. If my daughter married him, she could continue to live a comfortable life.

The old couple just tried to sound out their daughter's opinion, but were met with Liu Wanrong's firm opposition.

Liu Taigong's children are all very stubborn in temper. Liu Taigong is afraid that if he insists on his own way, his daughter will lose her temper and it will be embarrassing for everyone.

However, in the eyes of the old couple, Nan Fengchi's conditions in all aspects are really quite good.

Now the emperor has changed the era name and started a new dynasty. His daughter is marrying a businessman. As long as the wedding is not too grand, it will not attract attention from all parties. But his daughter is unwilling.

But my daughter is still so young, is she going to be alone from now on?
It seems that the daughter has never seen Mr. Nanfeng's appearance, and she imagined him to be either gray-haired or pregnant. So Mr. Liu wanted to find an excuse to invite him home so that his daughter could take a look at him, and maybe she would change her mind.

Since the pretext is not blind dating, why not invite a few more? There must be one that my daughter likes, right?

Therefore, Mr. Liu invited the three "candidates" whom he had carefully selected and whose conditions satisfied him to come to his house today.

The first one, and the one the old couple is most satisfied with, is Nanfeng Chi.

Nan Fengchi not only has good conditions in all aspects, but he also lives in Xiaoshan, not far away, so it will be easy for his daughter to come back to visit in the future.

The second person was introduced by Liu family’s eldest brother-in-law Zhang Jiaquan, whose name was Lin Xiqiu.

Lin Xiqiu is a professor at the Imperial College. He is quite old, but he is a scholar.

In the eyes of Mr. and Mrs. Liu, the man was well-read in classics, history, and literature. Their daughter was also a well-behaved girl who was proficient in poetry and songs since she was a child. They thought that such a refined scholar would be the best match for them.

Therefore, although he is a little older, fifty-two years old this year, he was also listed as one of the top three choices by Mr. and Mrs. Liu.

The third candidate was introduced by Zheng Zeming, the second brother-in-law of the Liu family.

Zheng Zeming is now the judge of Lin'an Shipping. He met an overseas Chinese.

According to Zheng Zeming, this man is not only extremely wealthy, but also less than 40 years old. His family was a large family in southern Fujian during the Five Dynasties, with a profound heritage and great talent.

When Old Man Liu heard that this man was a Han Chinese living overseas, he thought that once his daughter married him, she would never see him again, so he rejected the proposal outright.

But Zheng Zeming said that this person had intended to return to his hometown and settle down in Lin'an, where he would start a business and real estate. Only then did Old Man Liu agree to meet him.

Nan Fengchi arrived first, and then Professor Lin was brought in by his brother-in-law and also led into Qiyunxuan in the Liu family's back garden.

My eldest brother-in-law Zhang Jiaquan is equivalent to the deputy director of the National Library and holds a noble status.

The second brother-in-law Zheng Zeming is equivalent to the deputy director of the General Administration of Customs and has great power.

Although Liu Yanran, the sixth daughter of the Liu family, left the royal family and no longer had the honor of being an imperial concubine, the other five daughters also married very well, and the Liu family's status in Lin'an was still as stable as a rock.

Among the three guests, except Nanfeng who had seen Liu Wanrong a long time ago and was attracted to her and took the initiative to ask a matchmaker to come to his house, the other two had never seen Liu Yanran's appearance.

However, they don't have to worry about Liu Yanran's appearance and figure. Since she can be the most favored concubine of the late emperor, it is reasonable that she must be the most beautiful woman in the world.

Professor Lin Xiqiu was stunned when he saw Nan Fengchi, and Nan Fengchi was also stunned when he saw Lin Xiqiu.

Zhang Jiaquan smiled and introduced Professor Lin to his father-in-law and brother-in-law, and also introduced Nan Fengchi.

At this time, Professor Lin and Nan Fengchi had calmed down. They greeted each other with a smile and took their seats.

Professor Lin was of noble status, so he naturally sat above Nan Fengchi.

Although Nan Fengchi was the richest man in Xiaoshan, he was not displeased at all. He smiled and invited him to sit up, and then he sat down at the bottom.

Old Master Liu saw this and nodded secretly. Professor Lin's moral character and writing skills were beyond words, and his self-cultivation must also be good.

Nan Fengchi is a businessman after all, so Liu Taigong was a little worried at first, but now it seems that he is a very humble and polite person.

These two people each have their own advantages and disadvantages. I don’t know who is more suitable for the moment. I’ll let my daughter decide for herself later.

Professor Lin and Nan Fengchi felt a little embarrassed, but as they were both so shrewd, they didn't show it in public.

It turned out that these two people knew each other, and not only did they know each other, they also had a close relationship.

When Professor Lin was in the provincial school, Nan Fengchi was his student.

Today, the master and the disciple are going to see the same woman, which is a bit embarrassing.

Fortunately, the two did not feel embarrassed for long because Zheng Zeming came with the third guest.

This man is a wealthy businessman from Java, Yan Shen from the Yan family.

When Nanfeng Chi saw what was said, he was stunned again. How could such a coincidence happen in such a big city like Lin'an?

The two people competing with me for a woman are actually a teacher and a friend?

Isn't Yan Shen very close to Madam Li from Shifeng? Why did he come to Liu's house for a blind date again today?

In fact, this kind of thing is both a coincidence and normal.

After all, although Lin'an is big, the people who can meet the Liu family's requirements for choosing a son-in-law are only a very small group of people in such a small circle.

It would be strange if they didn't know or understand each other.

Yan Shen was also very surprised when he saw Nan Fengchi.

Zheng Zeming introduced them to each other. The two of them quickly calmed down, greeted each other with a smile, and pretended not to know each other.

There were dried fruits, candied fruits and tea on the table, and everyone sat down and started chatting.

Although Liu Taigong already knew the situation of several people, he still skillfully inquired about them on the spot.

Professor Lin has two sons and one daughter, all of whom are married.

Mr. Nanfeng still has a son who is not married. He is seventeen years old now, so there is no need to worry about him.

Yan Shen was the youngest among the three, only 38 years old this year, and he had never married, which made Liu Taigong look at him with a higher regard.

Although for a young man from a wealthy family like this, not being married does not mean he has no women, but compared to Professor Lin and Mr. Nanfeng who remarried, it is still a plus.

After learning some basic information about the three people, the eldest brother-in-law Zhang Jiaquan and the second brother-in-law Zheng Zeming started to find some topics to liven up the atmosphere.

In such occasions, it is natural to talk about poetry and songs.

Professor Lin is very familiar with this subject and is not inferior to others in terms of his words. Although Nan Fengchi has given up studying for a long time, he has gained a lot of experience from traveling far and wide, which is enough to cover up his shortcomings.

Seeing the three men talking eloquently and elegantly, Liu Taigong couldn't help but nod secretly.

Yanran has been gentle and well-behaved since she was a child, so the type of man she likes must be a gentle and elegant gentleman. These three people are quite consistent in this regard. Let's see which one my daughter likes the most.

Little did he know that the gentle and well-behaved daughter in his mind since childhood was captured by a maniac with a black scarf on his face, who was determined to kill and brutally possessed her. From then on, he fell deeply in love with her and could not extricate himself.

At this time, the three candidates for son-in-law, who had originally intended to compete with each other, became more and more interested in each other. Seeing this, Zhang Jiaquan asked someone to bring the four treasures of the study, and several of them began to recite poems and paint.

In the Liu family garden, the pear blossoms are white, the apricot blossoms are red, and the whole garden is full of fragrance.

There is a pond in front of the pavilion with gurgling water.

Several people were composing poems, painting, and writing inscriptions in the hall with high eaves, showing the utmost elegance.

At this time, a small boat came floating out from the blooming spring flowers.

Liu Wanrong was very happy today and looked as radiant as a newlywed.

Because, my lover will come tonight.

It was spring, the time when flowers were in full bloom. Liu Yanran was like an apricot blossom on the branch, with her eyes and eyebrows full of spring.

Her mother had just asked her to go to the garden with her, and Liu Yanran happily agreed.

There was no need to dress up too much when strolling around her own garden with her mother, so she just wore casual clothes and her hair was a simple fallen horse bun, with a slender waist and a friendly and charming look.

Nan Fengchi was looking at a patch of apricot blossoms in front of the painting when he suddenly saw a small boat sailing out of the grove.

He immediately ignored the old woman and the man rowing the boat at the back, and only saw the person at the bow.

The ice is clear and smooth, the white is like spring snow, the clouds reflect the clear pond, the moon shines on the cold river...

The beauty is as graceful as a flower, this is the most beautiful scenery in the world.

Nan Fengchi paused with his pen, and suddenly he felt that all the flowers in the garden were no longer fragrant.

Even though he had seen a lot in his life, he couldn't help but be dazzled at this moment.

Professor Lin had just written a poem and put down his brush when he saw Liu Yanran at the bow of the boat.

The woman looked to be in her twenties, with a pretty face, bright and delicate, and a kind of charm that penetrated her gracefulness.

Professor Lin, who had originally been indifferent to remarrying, suddenly developed a strong urge.

If he could take such a beauty home, he would live ten years less, and he would be willing to do that!

……

The three judges jointly tried the case, and it was clear that they were going to resolve the case with lightning speed today.

Faced with the irrefutable evidence, Zhang Mi had nothing to refute. Moreover, he was an official and naturally understood that since such a posture was displayed today, he could not delay any longer even if he wanted to deny it.

Therefore, Zhang Mi was held by someone and signed his confession in a depressed manner. The Dali Temple Minister Wu Shu pronounced the verdict in court, sentencing Zhang Mi to death by public execution, and Gao Yuanwai and the two people who helped Zhang Mi hide the body were either exiled or imprisoned, and were also sentenced to serious crimes.

Afterwards, the three judicial officials entered the palace together to ask for orders.

Zhao Yuan said to the three judicial officials: "Since the Three Dynasties, the prison system in our Song Dynasty has become increasingly lenient. However, some people are obsessed with favoritism and evil, and seek protection for others. They are ignorant of the virtues of the emperor and deceive their subordinates. As a result, the prison officials have no way to make decisions, and they are silent about the cases.

People like Zhang Mi go against human ethics, harm people's lives, kill their own relatives, and violate the laws of the country. Their crimes are punishable by death, and the court still has discussions about this. If the court is so lenient, what will happen to the state system, the laws of the court, the public opinion, the temples and the communities, and the people around us!
If the law is not strict, it will not be enough to stop all evil; if the law is not strict, it will not be enough to uphold justice. I have learned from my pain and from now on, all the people of the Song Dynasty, scholars, farmers, merchants, and all other people who violate the criminal law will be subject to the "Imperial Song Criminal Code" and restore the system of Taizu! "

"Finally it's here..."

The Minister of Justice Zhang Fangxun secretly sighed, and together with the Supreme Court Justice Wu Shu and the Chief Censor Zhu Zhuo, they bowed to the ground and said respectfully, "Your Majesty is wise!"

Zhao Yuan picked up the red pen and crossed out Zhang Mi's name on the verdict. He said in a deep voice, "Zhang Mi will be thrown into the streets and executed immediately!"

……

Liu Wanrong unexpectedly found herself in the courtyard, where she saw her father and two brothers-in-law entertaining guests. She wanted to escape, but she was at the bow of the boat, so it was not easy to escape.

Since you have already met each other, it would be rude to pretend not to have seen each other and deliberately avoid each other.

In addition, as her father was calling her from the pavilion, Mrs. Liu had the boatman sail to the stone steps next to the pavilion. She and her daughter got off the boat, entered the pavilion, and met the guest.

Liu Yanran really didn't doubt that this encounter today was intentional by her father.

Because even though her father had brought people back for her to meet before, it was always only one person at a time. It's impossible to find several people for a blind date at once.

So, she really thought that these people were good friends of her two brothers-in-law, so she was very confident and not shy at all.

Mr. Liu smiled and said, "My daughter, you are also an expert in poetry and prose. Come and take a look at the calligraphy, painting and poetry of these three gentlemen."

Liu Wanrong thought that this was her brother-in-law's guest, so she would naturally not refuse him the honor. Although she did not think that there was anything amazing about Professor Lin's poems and Mr. Nanfeng's paintings, she still smiled and complimented them.

Professor Lin was contented, twirling his beard and smiling. The more he looked at Liu Wanrong, the more satisfied he seemed.

This girl is not only beautiful, but also well-educated and well-mannered. She is truly a perfect match for this professor!

Nan Fengchi could see that Liu Yanran was just responding politely, but he just smiled and didn't take it seriously.

Teacher Lin is very old and also a bit pedantic. He doesn't believe that Liu Yanran, who is young, beautiful and accustomed to a comfortable life, would choose Lin Xiqiu.

Yan Shen was younger than him, and his family was well-known in Southeast Asia for its wealth, but his family had already lived overseas after all.

Even if he settles down in Lin'an, can he stay away from his family forever?
Now that she is being compared with the richest man in Xiaoshan, Liu Yanran feels that she is more competitive in terms of figure, appearance, and family background.

Liu Yanran casually commented on the apricot blossoms painted by Nanfeng Chi, and then went to read Yan Shen's poem.

Yan Shen smiled and bowed, saying, "I am not very talented and can't compose a suitable poem at the moment, so I wrote a masterpiece by the predecessors to express my feelings. I'm sorry to make Miss Yanran laugh."

Liu Yanran stared at his handwriting and asked in surprise, "Mr. Yan's handwriting is in the style of a crane?"

"He Ti" is an elegant name for "Shou Jin (Jin) Ti". Both the palace and the government respectfully called this font created by Emperor Huizong of Song Dynasty "He Ti".

Liu Yanran entered the palace at a young age, so she was naturally accustomed to being called that.

"Crane body..."

Hearing these two words, Yan Shen's eyes suddenly became dazed.

He regained his composure, his eyes cleared up again, and smiled, "Yes, it is the Crane Font. When I was young, I traveled to Tokyo and loved this kind of font very much. I have copied and studied it for many years. Miss Yanran, do you think it has some of the charm of the Crane Font?"

Liu Yanran exclaimed: "Compared with the calligraphy of Emperor Huizong, it is almost indistinguishable from the real thing! Mr. Yan has mastered the essence of the crane style!"

Liu Yanran picked up the piece of paper with the poem and read: "I am sending you flowers and wine to celebrate the new flowers. I hold the flower branch in my left hand and the cup in my right hand. I want to ask about the flower branch and the cup of wine, why don't you come with me, my old friend?"

This is a poem titled "Apricot Blossoms in Hometown" written by Sikong Tu of the Tang Dynasty. It is about the Han people living overseas. It is the season when apricot blossoms are in full bloom in the garden, so it is very appropriate to use this poem to express his feelings.

However, this poem was actually just average, but among the talents displayed by the three people today, it was Yan Shen's calligraphy that amazed Liu Wanrong, who was familiar with Huizong's calligraphy when she was in the palace.

Yan Shen smiled and said, "From what Miss Yanran said, it seems that she has a lot of experience with this crane-style calligraphy. Could you please write a poem for us to appreciate?"

Liu Yanran only thought that they were having a small "gathering" today, so after a brief thought, she said, "In that case, Yanran will show off her ugliness."

Yan Shen was very surprised. He quickly spread out the paper for her, weighed it down with a paperweight, then stepped aside and ground ink for her.

When Mr. Liu saw this, he exchanged glances quickly with his wife. It seemed that this statement was more favored by his daughter.

Mrs. Liu showed a hint of pride, because when the old couple commented on the three candidates for sons-in-law, she felt that her daughter would like Yan Shenduo more. Who doesn't like someone younger?

What's more, among the three, Yan Shen has the most handsome appearance.

Yan Shen wrote a Tang poem, and Liu Yanran wrote a Song poem.

This is a poem by Chen Yuyi, a famous scholar in the Northern Song Dynasty. Chen Yuyi once served as a minister. He became famous all over the world for a line in his poem "Spring is in full swing on the branches of red apricots" and was praised by his contemporaries as "the minister of red apricots."

Liu Yanran wrote this poem to show off her calligraphy, and she also used the Slender Gold style.

"The scenery in the east city gradually becomes beautiful, and the rippling waves welcome the guests. The morning chill is light outside the green willows, and the spring is bustling on the red apricot branches.

I always regret that I have little joy in this life, and I would rather love a smile worth a thousand gold. I hold wine for you to toast the setting sun, and let the evening light shine among the flowers.

Yan Shen was grinding ink for her and happened to be standing beside her watching her write. In Yan Shen's opinion, the thin gold script was slightly inferior to his, but not much different.

Moreover, although the handwriting is beautiful, the beauty beside him is even more beautiful.

Just now, when Liu Yanran stood at the bow of the boat and walked out from the apricot blossom forest, she had already amazed him.

At this time, the two of them were standing very close to each other, and Yan Shen only needed to raise his eyes to see Liu Yanran's skin, which was as smooth as jade.

Her skin was faintly flushed, smooth and jade-like, and as beautiful as apricot blossoms, with a naturally charming and enchanting charm.

Looking at her again, her brows were slightly furrowed, and her slender jade fingers were holding the brush and writing. There was a faint fragrance wafting through her clothes. She was so gentle and charming!
Hearing this, my heart beat fast.

Originally, he tried every means to get close to the Liu family, simply because he had his eyes on the Liu family's connections, which would be of great help in his establishment in Lin'an.

But now, he has another motivation.

The beauty of this woman captivated her.

Especially her identity, she is the imperial concubine, Zhao Gou's woman, so...she is mine...

When he thought of his and Princess Liu's identities, a strange and forbidden pleasure suddenly filled Yan Shen's body and mind.

At this moment, he really developed a strong desire to possess this woman!

……

The execution of Zhang Mi was like thunder.

Before the three-court trial in Lin'an Prefecture, Liu Yiguan personally led a team to build an execution ground at the intersection of Houshi Street and Yudai Street.

The emperor signed the sentence with his own hand and as soon as the decree was issued, Zhang Mi was immediately taken to the execution ground.

Although Gao Yuheng, He Xiao and three others were not sentenced to death, they were also dragged along to be tied up and watch the execution.

The long street was crowded with people.

Beheading in the street is an entertainment activity that the people love to watch. Moreover, the people of Lin'an don't have many opportunities to see such a drama of execution in the street.

Even the Ministry of Justice was a little unfamiliar with executing people in the street. They temporarily brushed up on the rules and procedures of executing people in the street before they could carry out the execution.

As for Zhang Mi, who is to be executed today, his evil deeds have recently spread throughout the city and he has been cursed by countless people.

His execution naturally attracted special attention.

Four prisoners were taken to the execution platform, one was to be beheaded and three were to kneel beside him.

Before the executioner from the Ministry of Justice finished reading the verdict, the garbage on the stage had piled up almost as high as the four people kneeling there.

"This is outrageous! You are not allowed to make noise or spread ashes in the market. You will be fined."

The supervising officer was furious and ordered the police officers, "Go, tell the people to be quiet. Where is the executioner?"

In order to avoid accidental injury, the executioner escaped from the scaffold and ran to the side.

When the executioner, who was picking vegetable leaves from his shoulders, heard the executioner calling him, he ran over with his knife in hand and said, "Here I am."

The executioner shouted, "Go, execute him immediately!"

The rule of "three quarters past noon" was only in the Ming Dynasty. Other dynasties did not deliberately choose this time.

However, it is true that most executions take place around noon, but it is not because the yang energy is strong at noon, so this time is chosen.

It was because from the time he went to the yamen to take up duty in the morning, the prisoners were brought to the execution ground and publicly executed, and it was almost noon.

If you go to work too early, you have to go to work early; if you go to get off work too late, you have to delay getting off work. We are all workers. The ancients also didn’t like to work overtime.

At this time, it was already past two quarters past noon.

The executioner threw down the death card, and the executioner immediately walked onto the stage with a knife in hand.
The common people were being watched by the officials. On the one hand, they were worried about being fined for littering. On the other hand, they had already thrown away most of the garbage they needed to throw away, and if they threw more garbage they could only use bricks. So they just kept quiet, and were excited, just waiting for the head of that inhuman beast to fall to the ground.

Team leader Yue squeezed in the crowd, carefully observing Zhang Mi, who was languishing in the garbage heap, his face pale and his body as shattered as a sieve, and nodded secretly.

If he hadn't come to watch today, how could he have given such a vivid performance?

The second part of "Yang Yuanzhi's Solution to the Corpse Hidden Case" can be adapted into a variety show immediately. As an important supporting actor who plays the role of Zhang Mi, he naturally cannot miss this rare opportunity to collect folk songs.

Now, the veteran actor has an idea in mind, and he believes that he can play the role of Zhang Mi very well.

At the Liu residence, Liu Yanran had already left with her mother after writing the poem. The tea, candied fruits, and four treasures of the study were removed, and Grandpa Liu warmly entertained the three guests.

From the fact that he frequently talked and drank with Yan Shen during the meal, Professor Lin and Mr. Nanfeng knew that maybe Old Man Liu had taken a liking to Yan Shen.

When the banquet was over and they were leaving, Yan Shen suddenly said, "Miss Yanran from your family has a handwriting as elegant as a fairy in crane style, with unique charm, and I like her very much.

I wonder if the old man could give Miss Yanran’s calligraphy to the students so that they can appreciate and learn from it.”

After hearing this, Old Man Liu couldn't help but smile.

My daughter has always been rude to strange men, but today she wrote a poem for Yan Shenhe.

Now Yan Shen is asking for his daughter's handwriting, it seems that they are in love with each other.

Mr. Liu was very relieved that his daughter's life was finally settled. From now on, he only had to worry about his troublesome son.

He smiled with relief and said, "Of course it's fine. Master Yan, just take the word."

Professor Lin and Nan Fengchi stood nearby, and no amount of cunning could hide their ugly expressions.

PS: I owe one chapter to Alliance Leader JJM, and one chapter to Alliance Leader Jinxiaoyingtichu.

(End of this chapter)