After traveling through time, I was raised by a little brat

The busy days flew by like a fleeting moment. Thanks to everyone's concerted efforts, Yingtian Prefecture gradually regained its vitality and vigor, and all affairs were managed in an orderly manner. Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was almost the Little New Year, and the entire prefecture began to bustle with preparations for the year-end cleaning activities.

Amidst this busy and festive atmosphere, a yamen runner, while cleaning a room that was usually closed, unexpectedly discovered a mountain of files. These files were neatly arranged and clearly classified. On one shelf were placed those difficult unsolved cases that had gone unsolved for many years.

On another shelf were stored the cases that had already been decided. Curiously, each file had a small slip of paper attached, bearing only a single numerical amount, leaving the true purpose of the slip baffled. Faced with this enigmatic situation, the yamen runners, though filled with curiosity, dared not rashly open the files. Instead, they decided to report this astonishing discovery to Tang Wenshu, who was temporarily serving as the acting judicial officer.

Tang Wenshu was charged with the heavy responsibility of handling all judicial trials and various illegal incidents in Yingtian Prefecture. Upon hearing the news, she immediately dropped her busy work and rushed to the room piled high with files. Gazing at the staggering volume of files and the countless slips bearing incomprehensible amounts, Tang Wenshu knew this matter was serious, likely hiding many unknown secrets and complexities.

Tang Wenshu thought to herself, "Could these densely packed numbers be the amount of money received in bribes? Did the judicial officer in charge of this case accept bribes when he made the verdict and intentionally misjudge the case?" Thinking of this, she couldn't help but frown, with doubts in her heart.

Tang Wenshu casually picked up a file and took a closer look. On the cover, she saw the words "Murder case of Yao Qingcheng, a woman from Mengzi Lane, West Street, and Zhang Shangchen, a commoner" written in large letters. Filled with suspicion, she slowly opened the file and read it carefully.

The case unfolded with surprising twists and turns! According to the case files, Yao Qingcheng was brutally raped by Wei Gongjin, the husband of Wei Yuanwai. Zhang Shangchen, who happened to be working for the Wei family, returned home early for work and witnessed the appalling scene. Furious, Zhang Shangchen immediately seized a sharp blade and beheaded Wei Gongjin on the spot. However, the verdict was surprisingly different—Zhang Shangchen received the death penalty, while Yao Qingcheng was sentenced to thirty years' exile for accessory to murder. Even more outrageous, the verdict made no mention of Wei Gongjin's rape of Yao Qingcheng.

Tang Wenshu's eyes drifted to the amount marked beside the file, where the tiny words "two hundred taels" were clearly written. Seeing this, she suddenly realized that these two hundred taels of silver must be the ill-gotten gains that the Wei family had used to bribe the judicial officer in their vain attempt to take the lives of Zhang Shangchen and Yao Qingcheng.

Tang Wenshu gently reached out and picked up the document again. After unfolding it, she discovered that it was actually a complicated civil dispute case.

The incident occurred in Zhengjia Village, outside the city of Yingtian Prefecture. Villager Zheng Lifei borrowed an ox from the Zheng Lin family in the same village to plow the fields. According to the village's unwritten rules, if you borrow livestock from someone else, you must pay three cents a day as rent and be responsible for the animal's diet.

However, Zheng Lifei, driven by a desire to save money, completely disregarded these regulations. Not only did he fail to provide the borrowed ox with adequate food and water, he even forced it to work non-stop, without a single break. After just three days, the poor ox finally gave in and collapsed from exhaustion.

Unexpectedly, Zheng Lifei showed no compassion for the already sick cow, nor did he even consider taking it to a veterinarian. Instead, he shamelessly dragged the immobilized cow to Zheng Lin, falsely claiming that he had borrowed a sick cow. Furthermore, he brazenly demanded a refund of the rental fee and compensation for the lost work time caused by the cow's illness.

Furious, Zheng Lin refused to accept such an unreasonable demand, and so he sued Zheng Lifei in the government office. Unfortunately, the official presiding over the case, perhaps influenced by certain factors, ultimately ruled in favor of Zheng Lifei. Thus, the innocent Zheng Lin was not only forced to pay a large sum of money, but also had his cattle, which had once belonged to him, ruthlessly awarded to the other party.

Tang Wenshu carefully examined the note next to the file, and saw that it clearly recorded the amount of ten taels of silver.

Tang Wenshu took a deep breath, gathered herself, and then picked up the thick stack of files again, carefully leafing through them. Time passed, and she had already reviewed several case files in succession, but the results were all the same—these cases had solid evidence, but ultimately resulted in wrongful convictions.

Tang Wenshu's frown deepened, her doubts growing stronger. After careful consideration, she became more convinced of her initial suspicion: the judicial officer in charge of these cases must have accepted bribes, leading to such an unfair trial! However, the matter might not be that simple. Perhaps besides this judicial officer, there were other officials involved...

Thinking of this, Tang Wenshu couldn't help but feel a surge of anger and helplessness. But she quickly calmed down, carefully sorted out the important files, held them in her arms, and quickly walked towards her eldest brother Tang Qi's study.

At this moment, Tang Qi was sitting at his desk, diligently handling government affairs. As the acting prefect of Yingtian Prefecture, he shouldered a heavy responsibility, requiring full authority over all matters within the prefecture. Hearing a knock on the door, Tang Qi looked up and saw his sister enter the room, carrying a stack of files. A hint of confusion crossed his face.

"Brother, I have something important to discuss with you." Tang Wenshu walked to the table, gently put down the file in his arms, and said seriously.

Seeing this, Tang Qi quickly stood up and asked, "Shushu, what happened? Why are you in such a hurry?"

Tang Wenshu pointed at the files on the table and said slowly, "Brother, I've just reviewed some past cases and found many strange things. These cases should have been based on irrefutable evidence, but the verdicts were ultimately wrong. I suspect the judicial officer at the time accepted bribes, and there may be other officials involved as well."

Upon hearing this, Tang Qi's expression instantly grew solemn. He knew this matter was of grave importance. If it were truly as his sister had described, then the entire judicial system in Yingtian Prefecture would likely be in serious trouble. After a moment's contemplation, Tang Qi said to Tang Wenshu, "Wenshu, you've done a great job. Leave these files here for now. I'll send someone to investigate this matter in depth. However, let's put those old cases aside for now. After all, our most urgent task is to uncover the truth behind this unjust case."

Tang Wenshu nodded, agreeing with his elder brother's arrangement. Then, the brother and sister began to discuss their next plan of action...