In the third year of Yonghui (652 AD), November 11.

As soon as Wu Kang was promoted to the judicial army, someone beat the drum. The originally simple case, with the help of Jiu Niang, twisted and turned. The plaintiff's lawyer argued that the defendant had occupied the plaintiff's house and the plaintiff was killed in his own home, so he was suing the defendant for intentional homicide.

The core point of the case is to determine whether the so-called cross-occupation of the house really exists. Wu Kang quickly made up his mind, adhering to the principle of "whoever sues shall present evidence", and asked the plaintiff's lawyer whether there was any real evidence.

Jiuniang had a small face and her words were chiseled: "Joining the army, five years ago, the two families clashed, and the neighbors saw it. Liu Ziyou relied on the fact that his family had many brothers, forcibly occupied the land and pulled the courtyard wall, and intimidated the Qi family not to sue the official. After being interviewed by the lawyer, two neighbours agreed to testify. As for the physical evidence, it is the household registration document of the Sihu Yamen. ”

The household registration documents of the Sihu Yamen have been sent to collect the dog-headed military division, and the seal of the judicial yamen is stamped, and it is a major case of human life, and Lao Sun will definitely issue it.

Wu Kang also completely understood that the fundamental purpose of this girl was to establish herself with authority. If the murder case can be reversed, it will be difficult for her law firm not to be popular. Full of helplessness, he continued to praise him, and ordered in shock: "Left and right, summon witnesses." ”

The two officials went out as promised, and a long wait followed. In line with the professional ethics of praise, Jiuniang was given a seat, and the little girl sat on the Taishi chair, which looked decent. It didn't take long for the dog-headed military division to come back, and Wu Kang gave the order again: "Left and right, pass the bad handsome to the court." ”

The bad guards also have the intention of complimenting, and they are ready to wait for the rear office. Jiang Da Niu led the four stall heads, went to the hall and waited for orders, and Wu Kang gave orders: "The bad handsome Jiang Da Niu, Cheng Jiulian, the head of the Yawei team, and Chen Linran, the head of the team, each selected three subordinates, took the household registration documents, and investigated the scene of the crime again. ”

After a few sighs of silence, he said solemnly: "Strictly follow the household registration documents, and determine the boundaries of the houses of Liu and Qi, which must be accurate to the inch; Investigate the location of the corpse to determine whether it has crossed the line, and it is also accurate to the inch; Inspect the courtyard of the Liu family to determine whether the deceased has set foot on it. ”

From the "execution" sign holder of the bookcase, he took out a green sign and said with a straight face: "According to the three points raised by this official, the three reports will be handed in and become evidence in court." Every piece of evidence must have the fingerprints of the surveyor, as well as the fingerprints of your three leaders. Bad handsome ginger bull, step forward to take the sign! ”

"The subordinates have orders", Jiang Daniu stepped forward quickly, bowed first, and then raised his hands. Wu Kang handed over the green sign, Da Niu held the sign with both hands, took five steps back and turned around, and raised the sign in his hand high: "On the order of the martial minister, follow Ben Shuai to investigate the scene." ”

More than a dozen officials left the lobby, and the trial was suspended again. Lao Cui turned his head, glanced at the four lottery holders, and turned his head noncommittally. Wu Kang was a little embarrassed, he also did this thing.

The capacity of the sign holder happens to be a bucket, the back is engraved with "Wuzhou Judicial Yamen Main Hall", and the front side is engraved with "Execution", "Law", "Strict" and "Ming", all of which are made red with ink and clay, and are arranged on the bookcase in turn. Placing a green bamboo stick in the barrel is equivalent to an arrest warrant and a search warrant, and the errand officer relies on this sign to enforce the law.

The other three lottery holders, respectively, put white, black, and red three-color sticks, which are used to hit the prisoner's board. White rods of ten rods, black rods of twenty rods, and red rods of thirty rods each. In order to show that he is benevolent, Wu Kang only put three red sticks in the "Ming" bucket, indicating that he can play 90 canes at most.

Looking at Lao Cui's eyes, the rhythm of making trouble, Wu Kang's scalp is a little numb. At this moment, two handymen brought two people in, about thirty years old, wearing cloth clothes, which were Jiu Niang's so-called human witnesses. coughed dryly twice, and asked in an official tone: "Witnesses in the court, report your name." Who testified and what testimony did he have? ”

Witness A reported: "Joining the army, my name is Gao Huaide, the neighbor of the Qi family, and I testify for the Qi family." Five years ago, the Liu family built a new house, and the courtyard wall was pulled to the Qi family, occupying a distance of three feet. The Qi family had a dispute with the Liu family and was beaten by the Liu brothers. ”

Witness B confessed: "Joining the army, my name is Wu Fanjiang, the neighbor of the Liu family, and I testify for the Qi family." Qi's father-in-law was injured and was bedridden for more than half a month, and the Qi family did not dare to stop him. The Liu family relied on the large number of people, not only occupied the Qi family, but also moved the gate two feet in front of it, occupying the road in the alley. ”

The scribe prepared his testimony, and Wu Kang said in an official tone: "Gao Huaide and Wu Fanjiang, as witnesses, you must seek truth from facts, and your testimony will become evidence in court." If you commit fraud, Article 26 of the Law of Yonghui will give you corresponding punishments. ”

"The lawyer has something to say"... It's a familiar taste again, and it's a familiar brain pain. Jiu Niang became a demon again, and said solemnly: "Before the witnesses passed through the court, the lawyer had already heard of his orders, and they knew the consequences of perjury. In the opinion of the lawyer, the competent officer should not interfere! ”

Oh my God, why don't you go to God? I'm just kindly reminding you that it's not an obstruction of justice! Wu Kangqi had a toothache, and said in an official tone: "Witness, if you are literate and hyphenated, confirm the testimony again, sign and draw the charge; If you are illiterate, name a trustworthy person, and the official will send someone to ask for it. ”

"We know the grace of joining the army", the two witnesses read quickly, and signed and drew the charge as required. The official held the testimony in his hand and put it down on the table.

Wu Kang swept over at a glance, and said solemnly: "This is a major case of human life, the two of you are not allowed to leave Wuzhou City within a month, and you are ready to be summoned by this government at any time... Step back for now. ”

The trial was interrupted again until someone outside the government reported that the bad people and officials who had been on business had returned. Announcing them to the court, Jiang Daniu first reported: "Wu Gong Rongyu, according to the documentary records, after our on-the-spot measurement, the Liu family crossed the line by three feet and two inches. ”

The head of the official squad announced: "Wu Gong Rongyu, after careful investigation of the footprints and bloodstains, the corpse is attached to the root of the wall, without any limb parts, and crosses the boundary between the mansion and the courtyard. In the courtyard of the Liu family's house, no footprints of the victim were found. ”

The investigation report was submitted together with the green signature. The green sign was put into the holder, Wu Kang read it carefully, put the document and testimony together, stared at the trembling defendant, and asked in shock: "Defendant Liu Ziyou, this official asked you, do you occupy three feet and two inches of Qi's house?" ”

"Wronged", Liu Ziyou knelt on the ground, and shouted at the top of his voice: "The three-foot land originally belonged to my family, and it was occupied by the Qi family more than 20 years ago, and I just reoccupied it..."

"You are talking nonsense, when did my family occupy your land, you spewed blood", Qi Laozhang gritted his teeth and refuted, and fought with Liu Ziyou.

A war of words spread, and a woman broke into the yamen and was crushed by four officials. She is Liu Ziyou's mother-in-law, scolding the Qi family while struggling, quite tough. Two more handymen were added to her to stop.

Wu Kang slapped the shocked wood and scolded sharply: "This is the public court, not the vegetable market!" The woman of the vulna, who crossed the line of observance and roared in the court, should have been thirty rods. This official reads your first offense, open the net, dare to commit it again, and the punishment will not be forgiven! Left and right, blast out. ”

The crowd dodged out of the way, and six handymen carried the woman and threw her outside the yamen. Wu Kang glared at the defendant and said solemnly: "There are all human and material evidence, and you can't deny it." The official asked again, did he occupy three feet and two inches of Qi's house? ”

Liu Ziyou continued to shout grievances, and insisted that it was his family. was so stubborn, Wu Kang didn't bother to bother with his lips, took out the red slip from the stick, and scolded in an official tone: "The evidence is like a mountain, and you still forcibly quibble, so contempt for the court, how can you not be punished?" No need to strip and be executed! ”

The red sign landed, the matter was a foregone conclusion, and thirty rods must be played. The two of them knocked him down, crossed two water and fire sticks, stuck his neck, and the other two were executed. The water and fire stick was pumped on the buttocks, and Liu Ziyou, who was beaten, cried wolf.

With such a serious picture, Wu Kang was distracted and remembered the late old president Li Er. Before Zhenguan, the cane punishment was to beat the prisoner on the back. Once Li Er had a whim, looked at the meridian map of the human body, and found that there were many acupuncture points on the back, many of which could be fatal. Li Er thought to himself, what about beating people to death? Seeing that there were few acupuncture points on the buttocks, he ordered the younger brothers to spank their butts in the future.

Just now, he deliberately explained that "you don't have to take off your clothes", that is, don't take off your clothes during the execution, which has to say Li Er. In Chang'an City, Zhenguan year, there was a court trial, a female prisoner was stripped and cane, and she was ashamed and hanged, and the city was full of storms. Li Er once again instructed his younger brother that women are not allowed to take off their clothes when they are tortured, and men should watch it.

Wu Kang is the soul of later generations, and thinks that whether it is a man or a woman, it is an insult to strip and beat his ass, so he deliberately confesses and beats him with clothes. The snapping sound stopped, and this one also came back to his senses, and then took out the red slip and continued to ask: "Do you want to occupy three feet and two inches of Qi's house?" ”

Liu Ziyou, who was moaning on the ground, saw that it was a red sign again, and immediately admitted it in fright. The corners of Wu Kang's mouth hooked up with disdain, and the ironclad evidence dared to deny it, isn't this uncomfortable? Put the red stick in the holder, and tell his subordinates to let him draw a charge.

After reading the testimony, Wu Kang continued to judge the case: "Three feet and two inches of land belongs to the Qi family's house, and the courtyard wall naturally belongs to the Qi family. Qi Yiren climbed over the wall of his own courtyard and looked for a rattle in his house, but you held a stone hammer, entered the Qi family's house, and brutally killed the owner of the house. The officer asks you, what is the crime? ”

Liu Ziyou realized that it was serious, got up with a sigh, and shouted in his voice: "Wugong Mingjian, I was wronged!" That was my family's land, and the Qi family took it first. Qi Yiren entered my house at night, and I killed him in accordance with the king's law, what is the crime? ”

The dead duck's mouth is hard, and the startling wood sounded again, and Wu Kang sneered: "Who does the three-foot land belong to, what you say doesn't count, and what the official said doesn't count." Sihu Yamen household registration documents, only what is said! Trespassing on private houses, intentional homicide, and beheading according to the law! ”

The bitter shouting of grievances sounded again, Wu Kang was too lazy to pay attention, and the shouting stopped when he was tired. He motioned for the dog-headed military advisor to tilt his head and whispered the proposed verdict. The military advisor nodded again and again, conveying the meaning to the scribe, and the scribes on both sides began to draft.

Wu Kang looked at the plaintiff with pity, and there was no "attached civil lawsuit" in the Tang Dynasty, and the plaintiff could not claim material compensation.

Shaking his head slightly, he sighed helplessly: "Qi Qin, raise your head... You won the lawsuit, but you lost your life. You lose your husband, and your child loses her adult. This tragedy is born because of doting, children can be pampered, but they can't be doted, otherwise something will happen..."

The words stopped abruptly, and he was frightened by Lao Cui's eyes, and reacted instantly, and was suspected of scolding Huai. Seeing that Jiu Niang's face sank again, she quickly stopped the topic, comforted Qi Qin's and said: "People can't be resurrected after death, and the mourning changes... Shape up or ship out! ”

Qi Qin's sorrow came from the heart, he hid his face and cried, and Qi Lao Lao was in tears. Wu Kang shook his head, looked at the defendant with an earthy face, and said: "Liu Ziyou, Liu Ziyou, from innocence to capital crime, just because of three feet of land. Take advantage of a small advantage and suffer a big loss, a bloody lesson! ”

Wu Kang felt a lot, and his education addiction attacked: "Those who enter people's homes at night for no reason will be flogged forty." The master kills the one when he arrives, don't worry. This half of the law gives you the confidence to kill. In fact, in the official's opinion, the second half of the sentence is the essence. ”

Lao Su came over to whisper, Wu Kang nodded after listening, and continued to educate: "The intruder is an old and weak woman or a child, or a drunk person who is lost, kill him and be exiled to 3,000 miles, and go to Qiongzhou to fend for himself." This tells us that when a stranger breaks in, we should first determine whether there is a threat, rather than killing people directly. ”

In front of the verdict, Wu Kang said again: "Defendant Liu Ziyou, the evidence in this case is conclusive, and you will be sentenced to death." If he refuses to admit his guilt, the official will impose a heavy sentence. Rather than suffering from the bitterness of the flesh, it is better to file an appeal, and then Wuzhou Qingtian Cui Gong will open the court to reiterate the case. You know the law, and you're wise, and you know how to choose. ”

The four officials took the verdict and laid it flat in front of the defendant, who struggled for a long time and finally signed it. The official instructed the daughter-in-law of the Qi family, and also drew the fingerprints of the charge, and finally submitted the verdict. Wu Kang held the book in both hands, stood up and stood tall like a pine, and shouted with full of anger: "This hall pronounces the verdict!" ”

The Soviet division left and said: "All stand up!" ”

Jiu Niang reacted the fastest and took the lead in getting up from the chair. The two officials forcibly erected the defendant, and Qi Laozhang and Qi Qin also stood up. Cui Yixuan glanced at Wu Kang and slowly left his seat, and the other two old foxes looked at each other for a moment, and then they also stood up.

A subdued voice sounded: Defendant Liu Ziyou, male, 32 years old, lives in Xingfa Street, Wuzhou City. He was convicted of intentional homicide and sentenced to beheading in accordance with the "Famous Laws" of the "Yonghui Law". First, he is not from an aristocratic background, and second, he has no official position, which does not conform to the scope of "eight discussions". He will be imprisoned immediately, and he will be beheaded after the autumn.

The official pushed Liu Ziyou to the ground, and the rope was tied up.

The judgment continues to read: "If the defendant and the plaintiff are not satisfied, they may appeal to the Wuzhou Zhengya within 10 days. During the appeal, the plaintiff was not allowed to leave Wuzhou City. The deceased has been identified and the murder weapon is already in the file, so it should be buried as soon as possible. The Qi family suspended the funeral and waited for the final verdict. Now this official announces, retire! ”

Uncle Qi and Qi Qin kowtowed like pounding garlic, and thanked them vigorously. Wu Kang pondered, since Big Guy Cui was here, he had to put on a show. So he stepped down from the judge's platform, personally helped Qi Laozhang up, and helped Qi Qin's family falsely.

The smile on his face was like a spring breeze, and he said with a pleasant face: "Cui Gong has three orders, as an official in Wuzhou, he must be conscientious and ensure the peace of the party; It is necessary to judge the case impartially and clear the river. This is a matter within the scope of this official's duty, and it should not be treated with such a great gift. Go back and live a good life, if you have any difficulties in life, you can come to this official. ”

As soon as these words came out, there were three cold snorts behind him. One is Lao Cui's, with disdain with kindness, and two are Zhao Beijia and Bai Sima's, with contempt with contempt. Old Uncle Qi burst into tears, and said intermittently: "Wu is busy with official business, how can you bother with old and rotten things?" ”

"Huh! This is wrong", Wu Kang corrected with a straight face: "Cui Gong once taught me that there is no trivial matter in people's livelihood, and the people are greater than the sky. Cui Gong also said that as an official of Wuzhou, family affairs, national affairs, and world affairs must be cared about in everything..."

Two cold snorts came as scheduled, two old foxes. coughed Lao Cui, and finally couldn't stand the fleshy fart. Wu Kang stopped patting the horse, exchanged pleasantries with the Qi family for a while, arranged for the servants to put on the ox cart, and sent the corpse and the Qi family away. The Qi family knelt in front of Jiuniang again and thanked her for her great kindness.

The officials moved together to put Liu Ziyou on death row, waiting for the autumn to be beheaded. A few days ago, there was an amnesty in the world, and the cell is still empty, and Liu Ziyou is fortunate to be the first tenant of Wuzhou Prison. He instructed the officials to disperse the melon-eating masses, return to work in front of the case, classify the testimony and verdicts, and affix the judicial military seal.

The officials left one after another, the three old foxes greeted each other at the door, and Jiuniang happily ran to the back of the bookcase, and grinned: "Erlang, how am I doing?" This kind of case can be turned over, and my law firm must be famous in Wuzhou. ”

Wu Kang snorted twice, and said angrily: "Okay, it almost didn't me off!" What did you do? If it were replaced by another court official, a roaring court, it would have bombarded you a long time ago... That, Jiu Niang did a good job, if you hadn't mentioned it, my first time sitting in the court, I'm afraid it would have ended in an unjust, false and wrongful case! ”

Jiuniang also snorted twice and took her foot away from Wu Kang's foot. Lao Cui coughed, and Jiuniang immediately lowered her head, looking like a good baby. Lao Zhao and Lao Bai had already left, Lao Cui put his hands behind his back, looked up and down at the lobby furnishings, and his eyes fell on the four lottery holders.

After a while, I came to the bookcase, looked at the quail-like little daughter, sighed helplessly, and said "nonsense" full of pity. Then he looked at Wu Kang with sharp eyes and scolded sharply: "Wu Bianzhi, you are messing around!" What did you do? ”

The two of them trembled violently with fright, Jiu Niang just wanted to speak, Lao Cui glared back, and reprimanded Wu Kang with a split head and face: "You are clever, you can get some high tables and high benches, can the furnishings in the yamen be moved casually?" If it is overdone, disaster will come! What's going on with these buckets, and what's going on with bamboo sticks? ”

Wu Kang looked at the sticker and said with a hippie smile: "Cui Gong Rongyu, that's the case." There are many small disputes among the people, the buyer says that the seller's 'fight' is small, that the seller's 'ruler' is short, and the seller insists that the number is sufficient. ”

Cui Yixuan's face gradually softened, and Wu Kang continued: "Every time, we have to find a bucket and a ruler, first, it will be troublesome, and second, what we find may not be standard." So I suggested that Zheng join the army, build four standard buckets, and create a one-foot-long bamboo stick. If there is such a dispute, it is enough to make a direct comparison, which is fair, just and reasonable. ”

Lao Cui was noncommittal, and continued to ask: "These things, there are other meanings, let's talk to the old man." If it makes sense, the old man promoted it in Wuzhou and wrote to Chang'an. ”

Wu Kang no longer retained, and explained the meaning and discernment of the sticker. Lao Cui glanced at him twice, walked in all directions with his hands behind his back, and left the judicial yamen leisurely.