Fang Yun used the power of the Legalist's minor legal code to try the four people. Except for the eldest brother who remained silent, the other three had confessed and were willing to expose Mr. Gou's crimes.
Fang Yun slammed the gavel and the code was taken back.
The four suspects looked dazed and it took them a long time to fully recover.
Fang Yun looked at the eldest of the four men and said, "Cha Yue from Ning'an County colluded with Gou Qian to kill Ai Weijiang. The evidence is irrefutable and he has not repented. His crime is aggravated and he will be exiled to the death row camp of Dingyuan Army for twenty years! Come, put shackles and fetters on him, and wait until the case is over, and then escort him to Dingyuan Army with the next batch of baggage train!" As he said that, Fang Yun threw out a warrant.
"Yes, sir!" Then two yamen runners came in and took Cha Yue away.
From beginning to end, Cha Yue didn't say a word.
Fang Yun sighed and said, "Such a man should have made great achievements. Even if he cannot fight on the battlefield, he should be a master in the literary world. However, once such a person goes down the wrong path and is not restrained, he will cause greater harm than ordinary people. In order to prevent more people from being harmed, only severe punishment can show the power of the law and protect the people! Therefore, love is righteous, but crime is not!"
Fang Yun's voice resonated with the strange power contained in the county government office, and the voice spread throughout the county government office.
Many officials in the county government nodded, convinced.
Ao Huang shook his head and whispered, "Well said. Even if he has a good relationship with Gou Qian, he is an unrighteous person if he kills someone. Ai Weijiang is guilty, but his crime is not punishable by death. If Gou Qian just teaches him a lesson, even if he beats him severely, it is considered to be kind and righteous. But if he kills him, it is unkind and unjust no matter what. If anyone thinks that Cha Yue is righteous, what if Cha Yue's knife is placed on the neck of oneself or a relative or friend one day?"
Fang Yun turned his head and glanced at Ao Huang, showing an approving look, and said: "This young man is teachable."
Ao Huang laughed shyly, this was Fang Yun's recognition of his progress. It was the praise from Xu Sheng, which made him very happy.
The Legalist Hanlin outside the palace praised: "We Legalists have always been at odds with the old corrupt Confucianists in the Confucian Li Hall, but Fang Xusheng discusses the law and criminal justice with emotion, benevolence and righteousness. It is reasonable and makes people feel like spring breeze. It is a blessing for the Legalists and the Li Hall."
Fang Yun smiled slightly, but he didn't say it out loud. The reason why the Hanlin of the Criminal Hall praised him was because he "judged benevolence and righteousness based on crime, rather than crime based on benevolence and righteousness", which was essentially like "law is greater than etiquette".
When Cha Yue heard Fang Yun's comments, his body trembled. His head, which had always refused to lower, seemed to become heavy and slowly lowered.
"Come here, go to the Gou family to arrest the suspect Gou Qian! Led by the registrar Yu Bachi himself." Fang Yun threw the order directly into Yu Bachi's arms.
Yu Bachi immediately stood up and strode forward to get the person.
Two quarters of an hour later, Yu Ba Chi came in a hurry, bringing Gou Ke. Because Fang Yun wanted to hold a secret trial, only the original people could participate in the trial. Other officials could not hear it as they were sealed by the power of the official seal.
Gou Qian was dressed in a student's uniform, his face slightly pale due to excessive drinking and sex. His expression was extremely calm, and his eyes were flashing with hatred that was difficult to conceal.
As soon as Fang Yun saw Gou Qian's gaze, he understood everything in an instant.
Gou Qian, as a student and the son of a prominent family in Ning'an County, could have easily become the patriarch of the prominent family... Thinking of this, Fang Yun suddenly looked at Gou Qian and said, "If you were the adopted son of the head of the Gou family, you would be the son of the head of the Gou family. It is reasonable that everything in the Gou family belongs to you. However, you are not the son recognized by the head of the Gou family. You have no blood relationship with him, and all those things do not belong to you! Only after you are honest with your life experience and tell the head of the Gou family, if the head of the Gou family still recognizes you as his son, then everything will belong to you. You can only hate your father and your mother, but not this county!"
"Nonsense! If it weren't for you, if it weren't for that beast Ai Weijiang, how could my life experience be exposed! If you were me, what would you do?"
Fang Yun looked at Gou Qian calmly and asked, "If you were the head of the Gou family, what would you do?"
Gou Qian stood there in a daze, speechless.
Fang Yun said: "Although this county will inform the head of the Gou family of this matter, a gag order will be issued. No matter what happens in the end, your life story will not be spread. If someone else spreads it, if there is evidence, I will have the criminal department prosecute for the crime of cursing; if there is no evidence, it will be prosecuted for defamation; if it is spread by officials of the court, it will be prosecuted for the crime of leaking secrets."
The recorder of the Legalist candidates, the palace examiner Yu Bachi and the Hanlin of the Criminal Hall who were present were all stunned.
Everyone thought Fang Yun would use this incident to attack Ji Zhibai, and would do whatever he could, after all, this case was the only one that could implicate Ji Zhibai. However, Fang Yun used such means to protect Gou Qian, and it was obvious that he would not use despicable or extreme means.
At least, he would not attack Ji Zhibai in a way that would hurt Gou Qian.
Ao Huang looked at Fang Yun with pure respect in his eyes, without any impurities.
This is the mind and morality of a virtual saint.
However, everyone then considered the crime Fang Yun mentioned.
Defamation is a crime that has existed for a long time. Generally, people are only charged for discussing state affairs or making irresponsible comments about the monarch. These charges are usually directed at non-scholars. Scholars will never be charged for discussing these issues.
Fang Yun actually used the crime of defamation in this situation to protect his personal reputation, which is unprecedented.
As for the crime of "swearing", it has existed for a long time. Swearing means to curse, and there are many detailed charges for swearing, such as insulting the same clan and peers, insulting elders, etc. Generally, it is a few lashes, and no severe punishment is used.
The sentencing for defamation used to be very heavy, but now the sentencing for individuals will be reduced, and it will inevitably be heavier than swearing.
As for the "crime of leaking secrets" imposed on officials, it is extremely severe. In the laws of any country, leaking secrets is a serious crime, with sentences ranging from three years to death penalty.
In Fang Yun's opinion, the Ning'an County Yamen and the yamen across the human race have become leaky like a sieve. This situation must be stopped as the harm is too great. If even the internal information of the yamen cannot be kept confidential, then this regime is a failed regime and those in power are incompetent.
Except for the Hanlin of the Criminal Hall who seemed to be thinking about something, everyone else only focused their attention on this case.
Gou Xian was a scholar after all, a student. Even though there was still hatred in his eyes, a complex expression of gratitude flashed across his face. He lowered his head slightly and said, "Thank you, sir."
The Imperial Academy official of the Criminal Hall asked, "May I ask Saint Fang Xu, why did you take such a measure?"
Fang Yun had not thought about this question. After a moment of silence, his literary talent moved slightly and he said, "There is sympathy and human courtesy, and in the end, it should be stopped by law."
"I see. Thank you for clearing up my confusion, sir."
Fang Yun smiled slightly.
The Hanlin of the Criminal Hall looked at Fang Yun carefully with a look of surprise on his face, because a strange light flashed across Fang Yun's face, a light he had only seen on the faces of great scholars after a discussion on Taoism.
"Could it be that Saint Fang Xu has comprehended something related to the Holy Path..."
While the Criminal Hall Hanlin was thinking, Fang Yun said, "Qi Junshan and the other three have confessed, what else do you have to say?"
Gou Qian was silent for a moment, then said, "I only have one question. If you can answer it, I am willing to confess."
"Yes." Fang Yun only said one word calmly, but it had a strange majesty, as if he was not agreeing, but ordering.
(To be continued.)
ps: Ahem, I changed my password and forgot it, and it took me a long time to remember it, so I’m a little late…