The Heir

Chaрtеr 197: Тhе Сourtroom Dеbаte

Thаt night, the Li familу аtе аnd slерt as usual.

Аfter all, preparаtiоns had lоng beеn mаdе, аnd theу wеrе simрlу waiting fоr Hai Qingtian tо dеliver his vеrdict.

Earlу in the morning, Zhеn Niang madе а rоund аt thе Ink Wоrkshоp befоrе returning hоmе. Shе knew thаt soоn, уamen runnеrs wоuld cоme to summon hеr eldest brothеr tо сourt.

Аs soon as shе stерpеd thrоugh thе dооr, shе heаrd hеr eldеst brothеr’s muffled voiсe: “Тhis is mу, Li Dаlang’s, аffаir. Whаt dоes it have tо do with the Li Family Ink Workshоp? What is the Ink Аffairs Burеau dоing? Тhis is utterlу unreasonable. I’ll go and reason with them.”

Hearing this, Zhen Niang was momentarily stunned. Why was the Ink Affairs Bureau involved?

“Reason with them? How can anything be reasoned clearly now!” Old Shopkeeper Li retorted irritably.

“Grandfather, Eldest Brother, what happened?” Zhen Niang hurried forward to ask.

“Just now, officials from the Ink Affairs Bureau came to see Seventh Grandmother. They said that rumors are spreading outside about the Li family acting tyrannically and seizing private property. Because of this, they intend to re-evaluate the Li family’s right to compete for the tribute. How can I face Seventh Grandmother after this?” Li Dalang pounded the table heavily, his face filled with resentment.

Hearing this, Zhen Niang was also taken aback. She had thought it was only about the oil workshop, but unexpectedly, through twists and turns, it had now entangled the Ink Workshop’s tribute rights.

Needless to say, someone must be stirring up trouble. Who else could it be but the Tian family?

“Dalang, do not speak like this. In this world, how can matters be so clearly separated? When one fails, the entire clan suffers; when one succeeds, even the chickens and dogs ascend to heaven. Such is often the case. What our Li family has done, we have a clear conscience. If Heaven truly intends for the Li family to lose the tribute, then it is Heaven that is blind. As long as the Li family stands upright between heaven and earth, with no shame before our ancestors beneath the ground, that is enough.” At that moment, Chen Shi helped Old Madam Li into the room, and Old Madam Li spoke with a steady voice.

“Yes.” Hearing Seventh Grandmother’s words, Li Dalang and Li Zhenniang, brother and sister, naturally complied. No matter the time, Seventh Grandmother was the backbone of the Li family.

However, secretly, Zhen Niang glanced at her eldest brother.

Li Dalang understood his younger sister’s meaning. From the very beginning, she had warned him to be wary of the Du brothers. Later, when Lord Hai arrived, he had made various preparations. They had done all they could; now they awaited fate.

Thinking this, Li Dalang nodded to his younger sister. Li Zhenniang also clenched her fists.

“Is Li Zhenliang here? Lord Hai summons him.”

“Quickly, bring Li Zhenliang out. There is a case.”

Just then, the calls of yamen runners sounded outside the Li family gate, and Li Liujin hurried in to report.

“Let’s all go and see,” Old Madam Li said.

Thus, the Li family group followed the two yamen runners to the prefectural court.

As the court was in session, many people had gathered outside the yamen. Seeing the Li family arrive, they began shouting, “The Li family is here! The Li family is here!”

“Ah, I didn’t expect Seventh Old Madam to come as well,” someone nearby remarked in surprise upon seeing Old Madam Li. Due to her poor health in recent years, Old Madam Li had mostly stayed secluded at home, and outsiders rarely saw her.

“How could she not come? Didn’t you see the officials from the Ink Affairs Bureau also present in the court to observe the trial? If Li Dalang is truly found guilty, the Li family’s tribute rights for this year will be lost.”

“That’s true,” the bystanders agreed in unison.Thus, a path was cleared, allowing the Li family party to enter.

"Seats for Old Madam Li and Old Shopkeeper Li." Seeing the old shopkeeper and madam of the Li family arrive in the hall, Hai Rui rose to greet them, while the yamen runners promptly brought stools.

In this era, great respect was accorded to the elderly. Those over seventy not only were exempt from bowing to officials, but some courteous officials would even offer them seats. Hai Rui, who placed utmost importance on filial piety, observed these courtesies even more strictly than others.

"Thank you, Lord Hai. This old woman pays her respects." Old Madam Li and Old Shopkeeper Li both returned the courtesy before taking their seats.

Zhen Niang naturally stood behind the old madam.

By now, Hai Rui had returned to his seat on the dais, the gleaming plaque reading "Clear as a Mirror" shining brightly above him.

Then, with a sharp rap of the gavel, he announced, "Summon Li Zhenliang."

Li Zhenliang, who had been standing to the side, did not wait for the yamen runners to push him forward. He stepped up to the hall and immediately knelt with a thud, awaiting questioning.

"Li Zhenliang, the Du brothers accuse you of scheming to seize the oil mill. What do you have to say?" Hai Rui fixed a cold gaze on Li Zhenliang.

"Your Honor, I have been wronged." Li Zhenliang kowtowed, his face full of grievance.

"Wronged? Then let this official ask you: Was the Li family oil mill originally the Du family oil mill?" Hai Rui pressed further.

"That is correct. The Li family oil mill was indeed the Du family oil mill at first. However, the Du brothers mismanaged it, causing the Tung Oil Poisoning Incident. Fearing responsibility, they both fled. Only because my wife held shares in the oil mill did I take over its affairs. The entire case is recorded in the county yamen. The transfer of the Du family oil mill to me was sealed by the Du brothers' mother and presided over by Magistrate Wei." Li Dalang explained.

"Tung oil poisoning?" Hai Rui snorted coldly and then called out loudly, "Summon Chen Shu and Fang Huai."

The yamen runners escorted two men into the hall—one in his forties, the other in his twenties, both dressed in simple cloth shirts.

"Chen Shu, former manager of the Du family oil mill, and Fang Huai, one of the victims of the tung oil poisoning that year. Both have been brought forward." The yamen runner reported before stepping aside.

At the sight of Chen Shu, Zhen Niang couldn't help but frown. This Chen Shu had once been a manager at the oil mill, but his character was flawed, caring only for profit. After her elder brother took over the mill, he had been dismissed. Who would have thought he would resurface now?

"Chen Shu, Fang Huai, recount the events of the tung oil poisoning incident from that year. Not a single false word is permitted." Hai Rui rapped the gavel again.

"Your Honor, the tung oil poisoning incident that year was actually orchestrated by the Li family. It was the Li family who ordered the tung oil to be mixed in. I witnessed this with my own eyes. I was driven out of the oil mill simply because I spoke up for the two masters at the time." Chen Shu declared.

"Your Honor, I was one of the victims of the tung oil poisoning that year. I was originally grateful to the Li family, but only after meeting Uncle Chen did I learn that the Li family was the true culprit. I beg Your Honor, the just official, to uphold justice for us." Fang Huai then spoke loudly.

Zhen Niang gritted her teeth upon hearing this. This man had been saved by her Li family back then.

Seizing the opportunity, the Du brothers knelt and lamented, "We beg Your Honor to uphold justice for us poor folk. Think of how we brothers toiled to run the oil mill, only to be schemed against by the Li family and reduced to this state. Truly, heaven does not answer our cries, nor does earth heed our pleas."

"You... you are slandering us!" Li Dalang glared, his eyes red with fury. He never imagined these people could twist the truth so shamelessly."Silence." In the hall, Hai Rui once again struck the magistrate's block, then coldly stared at Li Dalang and said, "So. What more do you have to say?"

"Your Honor, Chen Shu was dismissed by me for embezzling money from the oil mill. This is retaliation. I beg Your Honor to investigate clearly," Li Dalang said through gritted teeth.

"Your Honor, Chen Shu claims everything was masterminded by my Li family. Where is the evidence? Magistrate Wei previously had detailed case records for this matter. I ask Your Honor to review them carefully." At this moment, Old Madam Li, seated to the side, also spoke up.

"Old Madam, is Chen Shu's eyewitness testimony not evidence? As for the previous case records, I have already examined them in detail. However, over the years, your Li family bribed Clerk Yun and the former Magistrate Wei. Look here. Are these account books not accurate? Given this, how can those case records be trusted?" Just then, Hai Rui tossed down another account book. In cases of collusion between officials and merchants, such records hold no credibility whatsoever.

Zhen Niang walked over, picked it up, and flipped through it. She couldn't help but inwardly exclaim in dismay.

Future generations had analyzed Hai Rui's character. When it came to money matters, he tolerated not the slightest impurity. Yet this account book precisely recorded the Li family's various sponsorships to the yamen over the years. Of course, it also included customary gifts to Clerk Yun and Magistrate Wei.

This was actually a common practice. After all, the Li family were merchants. To ensure peace and safety, such expenses were unavoidable. What merchant family could do without them?

Moreover, such sponsorships were also a way for merchants to give back to their hometown. It should be noted that the yamen's charitable halls, disaster relief efforts during crises, and donations to the county school for scholars—all required funds. Where would the yamen get so much money? Most of it relied on donations from local gentry.

Thus, in this era, for an official to govern a locality well, the support of the local gentry was indispensable. In fact, donations like those from the Li family should have been encouraged by various yamens.

However, nowadays, some yamens did not truly use these donations for the benefit of the people. Instead, they found ways to pocket the funds.

Consequently, in Hai Rui's eyes, this situation became collusion between officials and merchants, a bribery of the entire yamen by the Li family. Naturally, Magistrate Hai trusted the Du brothers and distrusted her Li family.

"Your Honor, such expenses are unavoidable for any merchant family. It is unfair to my Li family to infer guilt based on this," Old Madam Li said calmly from the side.

"Collusion between officials and merchants harms the locality. With these account books as evidence and now a witness, does your Li family still dare to quibble?" Hai Rui's face was equally cold. Did they think he didn't know? It was precisely because merchants used money to collude with officials that they gained backing and thus brought harm to the locality.

The chaos in the state, the displacement of the people, the corruption of officials—all these were not without the schemes of such merchants. Today, Hai Rui would put an end to this corrupt trend.

"Attendants, hear the judgment..." Hai Rui said, about to write the verdict.

"Wait, Magistrate Hai. This humble girl dares to speak. I have something to say." Zhen Niang could no longer hold back. Though her actions were reckless, she could not let Hai Rui pronounce the verdict. With that, Zhen Niang knelt with a thud beside her elder brother.

"What do you have to say?" Hai Rui frowned."Before this humble woman speaks, may I request that Your Honor provide a bowl of clear water and a chopstick," said Zhen Niang. In truth, all the details of the entire case were recorded in the case files. The so-called testimonies of the Du brothers and this Chen Shu were utterly unreliable. It was only because Magistrate Hai’s own preconceptions, combined with his bias, that allowed the Du brothers to succeed.

Therefore, the first thing Zhen Niang needed to do was to shatter Magistrate Hai’s subjective and idealistic perception; otherwise, he simply wouldn’t listen.

"Fetch a large bowl of clear water and a chopstick," Hai Rui ordered a nearby constable.

Soon, a large bowl of clear water and a chopstick were brought. Zhen Niang directly inserted the chopstick into the water in the bowl. "Your Honor, please look—is this chopstick straight or bent?"

"Nonsense, the chopstick is naturally straight," Hai Rui glared at Zhen Niang.

"Your Honor, please take a closer look at the chopstick in the water before speaking," Zhen Niang insisted.

Due to the refraction of light, it was clearly visible that the part of the chopstick where it entered the water appeared slightly bent. Hai Rui frowned even more deeply. "What exactly are you trying to say, Miss Li? Make it clear to this official."

"Magistrate Hai, this commoner merely wishes to make Your Honor understand that common sense, visual perception, and subjective assumptions are not always accurate. Only by pulling out the chopstick and seeing the tangible evidence can one ascertain the truth," Zhen Niang explained.

"Is the account book not evidence of the truth?" Hai Rui snorted coldly.

"The account book is factual, but the Li family’s donations were not intended to bribe Magistrate Wei, Registrar Yun, or the constables. If Your Honor has the time, you may investigate further where the funds recorded in this account book actually went. Huizhou is a region of frequent rain and mountains, with many mountain streams. Often, a single night of rain can wash away villages, farmlands, and bridges. The annual expenses required for such repairs are no small sum." Zhen Niang paused briefly before continuing.

"Since childhood, I have been taught by my elders the way of commerce: the poor rely on a skill to make a living, the wealthy create prosperity for their hometowns, and the accomplished benefit the world. This is also the way of commerce that Master Zigong inherited from the teachings of the Sage. Our family’s ancestral precept states that the Li family, as merchants for generations, should uphold this principle. Therefore, whenever there is even a slight surplus, we always think of contributing to our hometown. The yamen, serving the Son of Heaven above and the common people below, receives donations from the Li family out of our sincere desire to bring a little benefit to our hometown. And this desire is not unique to the Li family—among Huizhou Merchants, there is not a single one who lacks it. I believe such account books in the yamen are not limited to our Li family alone."

Zhen Niang spoke these words calmly and earnestly. This was not something she fabricated but rather the ancestral precept recorded in the Li family genealogy: "Those who engage in commerce must uphold the way of commerce."

For this reason, over the years, although the Li family’s Ink Workshop had not been particularly prosperous, their donations to the yamen had never been lacking. Magistrate Wei was also a capable official, so thanks to the donations from merchants, Huizhou’s governance had been quite successful.

Otherwise, Huizhou ink would not have achieved its current prominence.

Of course, it was precisely because of this that the Li family had always maintained good relations with the yamen. Back when Uncle-in-law Jin Hua attempted to seize control of Li Mo, he had received assistance from Registrar Yun.

However, with the arrival of the new magistrate, things changed. As soon as he took office, he began exploiting silkworm farmers and frequently extorted wealthy households. He was not a benevolent official, so the Li family’s donations had actually decreased compared to the past.Speaking of which, Zhen Niang felt that behind the Du brothers' incident, there was the shadow of this newly appointed county magistrate. If nothing else, just based on the account books previously presented by Magistrate Hai, how could Hai Rui have obtained them without the consent of this magistrate?

As for why the magistrate would do this, Zhen Niang speculated that, firstly, Magistrate Wei held relatively high prestige in Huizhou. Moreover, since this magistrate took office, the issue with the silkworm farmers had stirred up widespread public resentment, so everyone remembered Magistrate Wei's good deeds. Additionally, since officials like Yun Dianshi were originally promoted by Magistrate Wei, they likely did not share the same intentions as the current magistrate. Therefore, this magistrate likely wanted to take this opportunity to, on one hand, diminish Magistrate Wei's influence in Huizhou, and on the other, remove Yun Dianshi from his position.

Of course, there was another matter—the day Zhen Niang witnessed the silkworm farmers suing the county government. She guessed that the magistrate was currently under considerable pressure, and this move was also a way to shift the blame elsewhere.

Naturally, these were merely Zhen Niang's speculations. She couldn't concern herself with such matters; all she needed was to make Hai Rui understand that the Li family's donation was not a bribe.