Chen the Agent was filled with regret for squeezing to the front to watch the spectacle of Wang Daxia getting beaten up. Now he had landed himself in trouble.
As a commoner, Chen the Agent had to kneel when facing officials. Without an official for a father, the fawning yamen runners couldn’t be bothered to fetch him a cushion.
Kneeling on the hard ground, Chen the Agent replied, "This humble commoner, Chen Fa, works as an agent on Gulou West Diagonal Street. This morning..."
As an agent, his trade relied on his gift of the gab. In just a few words, he recounted the incident of Wang Daxia’s assault. "...I intended to wait at the Wang residence gate to seek justice from Commander Wang after he returned from his office, but I never saw the commander. Wang Daxia found me at the wonton stall and warned me not to report to the commander. Then, the Embroidered Uniform Guard came to arrest Wang Daxia."
"Every word I’ve said is true—I dare not lie. My neighbors in Sweetwater Lane, the wonton shop owner, and the tenants can all bear witness."
Thousand Household Chen pressed further, "From the time you were beaten to when you encountered Wang Daxia again at the wonton shop, you didn’t see Wang Daxia himself during that interval. How long was that period?"
"About half a shichen (one hour)." Wang Daxia recalled, "When Wang Dxia grabbed me onto his horse, I heard the evening bell from nearby Longhua Temple. In summer, Longhua Temple’s evening bell rings 108 times at the end of the You hour (6:20 PM). By the time we were eating wontons, it was already dark, and the night watchman was striking his clapper to announce the time—it was exactly the first watch, the Zheng hour of Xu (7:00 PM)."
Thousand Household Chen looked coldly at Wang Daxia, who was kneeling on a cushion. "From Sweetwater Lane in Wanping to the prefectural school in Daxing, you rode there and back to murder my son—exactly half a shichen. If you’re not the murderer, then who is?"
Even Commander Wang felt his son could hardly evade suspicion and urged, "What were you doing during that half shichen? Is there anyone who can vouch for you?"
Wang Daxia hemmed and hawed, looking troubled, hanging his head and fidgeting with his fingers at his chest.
Thousand Household Chen’s gaze was murderous. "Commander Wang, as an appointed official of the court, you cannot shield a murderer in the public court."
Commander Wang, with a wrathful Vajra expression, roared like a lion, "You unfilial son, speak up! If you’ve been wronged, your father can still clear your name. But if you truly committed murder, even I cannot save you!"
Wang Daxia lowered his hands and sighed. "At this point, I have no choice but to confess truthfully."
In the court, Prefect Wang Niqiu was overjoyed: the murder case would be solved the very night it occurred, ensuring a smooth performance review this year.
Commander Wang stared at his son in disbelief. "You... you fool!"
Thousand Household Chen imagined himself as the executioner, slicing this scoundrel into a thousand pieces: Young Master Wang, don’t you die before I reach the thousandth cut!
Outside the court, listening to the trial, Wei Caiwei thought: What’s going on? I’m the one who killed Chen Dalao!
Wang Daxia took a deep breath. Pressed to this extent, there was no avoiding the truth. He had no choice but to reveal the facts honestly. "I left early this morning. Can anyone guess where I went?"
Thousand Household Chen said, "You must have secretly gone to the prefectural school to scout, spying on my son, waiting for a chance to strike."
"Not at all, not at all." Wang Daxia shook his head. "I went to Sanlitun. My mother has a dowry estate there."
Sanlitun is located east of Beijing’s Inner City, named for being exactly three li from the Chaoyang Gate.
Commander Wang had a bad feeling. "What did you go to the estate for?"Wang Daxia whispered, "I sold the estate. A geomancer approached me, saying someone had taken a fancy to the land and was willing to pay two thousand five hundred taels of silver for it. At first, I refused, but I urgently needed money recently, so we agreed to complete the transaction at the estate today."
Wang Commander sprang to his feet. "Your mother's dowry is all in your stepmother's custody. How did you get the deed?"
"Of course, I stole... took it," Wang Daxia argued evasively. "It was originally my mother's legacy to me. I have the right to dispose of it, and my stepmother has no authority to interfere."
"I'll beat you to death, you unfilial son!" Wang Commander charged forward, aiming a kick, but Officer Mu wrapped his arms tightly around his waist, restraining him, and pleaded:
"Sir, calm your anger! The second young master may have had no choice but to urgently need money. Let's hear the full story first."
Wang Commander clutched his chest, feeling a sharp pain. "What other reason could a wastrel have? He must have lost money gambling and sold the estate to pay off his debts."
"Impossible!" Wang Daxia retorted. "My gambling skills are quite good; I usually win more than I lose. If you don't believe me, go ask at the gambling den."
What a hopeless fool!
Even Officer Mu was at a loss for how to defend the young master now. "Second young master, say less. Look how angry you've made your father."
Thousand Household Chen, who had been watching this "tender father-and-son scene" from the sidelines, waved his hand dismissively. "Wang Commander, if you want to discipline your son, do it at home. This is a court of law, a place for interrogating criminals—Wang Daxia, you went to Sanlitun to sell the land. That happened in the morning. My son died in the evening."
Wang Daxia explained, "Sanlitun is a long way off. I sold the land and signed the contract in the morning. Some of my mother's dowry chests were still in the estate, so I rented a nearby house in Sanlitun to move the dowry. I was busy until the afternoon before returning to the city. Passing by Sweetwater Alley, I noticed the lock on the gate had been changed. The neighbors said Chen the Agent had rented out the house. I didn't even go home but went straight to West Diagonal Street by the Drum Tower to fetch him, demanding he cancel the lease with the tenant. This house is not for rent."
Thousand Household Chen accused, "You beat Chen the Agent and then rode to the prefectural school to kill my son."
"I did not," Wang Daxia insisted. "Didn't I just get two thousand five hundred taels? After beating Chen the Agent, I went to the Red Sleeve Brothel at Shichahai and spent two thousand taels to redeem Miss Yingying. The remaining five hundred taels I deposited at the Three-Link Bank on West Diagonal Street by the Drum Tower. Here, this is the banknote for five hundred taels just issued by the bank, with the date on it."
Wang Daxia took a banknote from his chest. A constable placed it on a tray, showing it to Wang Commander and Thousand Household Chen before presenting it to Prefect Wang Niqiu.
Wang Daxia continued, "Both the Red Sleeve Brothel and the Three-Link Bank are in Wanping County, Northern City. Redeeming Yingying and depositing the silver took exactly half an hour. After leaving the bank, I headed home and saw Chen the Agent eating wontons by the roadside. I went over to warn him not to report me to my father. The madam of the Red Sleeve Brothel, the brothel servants, Miss Yingying, and the manager and clerks of the Three-Link Bank can all testify for me."
Upon hearing this, Wang Niqiu ordered constables to split up and bring the witnesses to the court for questioning.
Thousand Household Chen, half-convinced and half-doubting, commanded his subordinates from the Embroidered Uniform Guard to accompany the Shuntian Prefecture Yamen constables in fetching the witnesses.
Wang Commander, equally distrustful of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and fearing they might threaten the witnesses to frame his son, also divided his men from the Northern City Military Command into several teams to join the Embroidered Uniform Guard and Shuntian Prefecture constables in bringing the witnesses for questioning.The officers and soldiers in the yamen scattered like a swarm to arrest people, and soon nearly all had departed.
Chen Jingji rubbed his numb knees from kneeling. "Sir, since this humble commoner has no further business here, I beg to take my leave."
Wang Niqiu said, "You will remain in the yamen and are not permitted to leave. Wait until the other witnesses have been questioned before departing."
Still unable to extricate himself, but at least it was better than kneeling, Wang Niqiu limped away and went to sit in a small room to the west to wait.
It was impossible for one person to bribe both the brothel madam and the bank owner within half an hour. Although the witnesses had not yet arrived at the Shuntian Prefecture Yamen, Wang Niqiu already felt that Wang Daxia could not be the murderer.
Wang Niqiu said, "Everyone, take a rest first. I have ordered midnight snacks and fragrant tea to be prepared for you all."
Wang Daxia stood up from the prayer mat, acting as if nothing had happened. "I've never had tea at the Shuntian Prefecture before. I must savor it properly today."
"I'll beat you to death, you unfilial son who only knows how to eat, drink, whore, and gamble!" Wang Commander could no longer restrain himself. He rushed over and delivered a flying kick. "Spending two thousand taels on whoring—you've utterly disgraced our Wang family!"
Wang Daxia, accustomed to his father's beatings, had long been prepared. As Wang Commander launched his flying kick, he somersaulted backward three times in succession, evading the strike, and retreated all the way to the wall. He said:
"I didn't whore! I only redeemed Miss Yingying. She is a pure courtesan who sells her arts, not her body. Chen Dalao repeatedly harassed her, and I fought with him over her. That's how our feud began."
Wang Daxia pointed at Thousand Household Chen, who sat as still as a statue. "Since I'm on your list of suspects, I suppose Chen Dalao's servant must have mentioned Miss Yingying. The Red Sleeve Brothel was planning to sell her virginity at the end of the month, and customers were competing to bid for her deflowering. Chen Dalao made the highest bid—three hundred taels—and swore he must have her. Miss Yingying begged me to help rescue her from the brothel life, so I sold my Sanlitun estate to redeem her."
The hope of having just found the real murderer was instantly dashed. Thousand Household Chen redirected his anger toward Wang Daxia. "Two thousand taels to redeem the top pure courtesan of the Red Sleeve Brothel? You're spouting nonsense!"
Wang Daxia said, "Miss Yingying had privately saved over five thousand taels over the years, preparing to buy her own freedom, but the madam demanded seven thousand. She was short two thousand, so I sold my estate to help her in this emergency."
Wang Daxia then pulled out a piece of paper. "Look, this is the IOU Miss Yingying wrote me. She said she would repay me as soon as she had the money. The remaining five hundred taels are in the Three-Link Bank. I don't plan to touch them. When she repays me, I'll buy back the Sanlitun estate."
"You believe the words of a brothel woman?" Wang Commander was so furious he seemed on the verge of exploding. "Spending two thousand taels to rescue a courtesan? Letting a brothel woman make a fool of you, manipulating you like a puppet! You might as well have gone whoring!"
Wang Daxia said shamelessly, "What kind of father teaches his son like that? 'Might as well have gone whoring'? My mother has been dead for eleven years. If she knew of this from the underworld, she'd be so angry her coffin lid wouldn't stay shut!"
Wang Commander nearly fainted on the spot.
The bystanders outside the yamen burst into laughter and began discussing among themselves:
"Magistrate Wang's son lives up to his reputation—spending two thousand taels to rescue a courtesan."
"Miss Yingying is a free woman now? Does that mean we no longer have a chance to get close to her?""The madam loves money, the girls love handsome faces—do you think the Top Courtesan lacks two thousand taels of silver? She was just testing Young Master Wang's sincerity because she fancied his good looks. With your ugly mug, even if you offered two thousand taels, Miss Yingying wouldn't spare you a glance."
Upon hearing this, Wei Caiwei felt the pure white mourning bun on her head instantly turn verdant green: So my late husband had such romantic debts in his youth!
Men! How many more "surprises" do you have that I don't know about?
Just cut it off already, hurry up!
For an incurable profligate like you, castration is the only permanent cure!
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