Chapter 227: The Murder of an Adulterer

The eldest grandson smiled and said: "The Law of Yonghui has a stipulation: that is, send someone to act as the head, if the law is compatible with the hermit, the head and the person who speaks, each listen to the law of surrender as a sinner. -- That is to say, if the defendants are legally tolerated with each other, these people surrender on behalf of the defendant, which is equivalent to the defendant's own surrender. Therefore, when the wife of the old rich man goes to the yamen to file a complaint, we can see it as turning herself in on behalf of the old rich man. And his sin is not a crime that cannot be surrendered, such as murder, so he can be forgiven and no longer punished. ――What do you think? ”

Wu Yueniang's research on law is not as good as that of Changsun Yanran, and she doesn't know if this will work, so she can't help but look at Xiao Jiading.

This method of the eldest grandson Yanran has also been encountered by Xiao Jiading in the previous case, of course, it is very familiar. He nodded and said, "Very good." ”

Wu Yueniang still couldn't turn around: "However, his wife came to the yamen just to let the yamen change the sentence of her stupid son to the concubine, not to turn herself in for her husband." ”

"What she said was that her husband had violated the law, so she asked the yamen to change the sentence. Since you said it, what is the difference between it and turning yourself in? ”

Wu Yueniang thought for a while and said, "Okay, just give him a lesson anyway." If he is really imprisoned for a year, then his family will be destroyed. ”

After the agreement, Xiao Jiading wrote a verdict at the moment, recommending that the old rich man be released on the grounds that he had surrendered himself and could be exonerated from the crime. After that, Hou Changshi Shengtang made a judgment according to Xiao Jiading's judgment, and the old rich man was also moved by the words of the eldest grandson Yanran, and felt that although his son was a little stupid, he still loved and filial his parents, and saw the advantages of him, so he still made him his heir, and later married a virtuous daughter-in-law to his stupid son. The daughter-in-law bore him a healthy and intelligent child, after the death of the old rich man. The family wealth was inherited by the stupid son, and with the help of his mother and wife, the stupid son was diligent and thrifty in keeping the house, but he made the family wealth bigger.

After the recording of prisoners here was over, the next day, they continued their journey and came to Andian County, Puzhou.

Here, again, they encountered a very difficult case.

This case is actually very simple, but it is very tricky to deal with. This case is also one of the cases that Princess Yang handed over to Xiao Jiading to undertake.

The facts of the case are as follows: A woman who was making tofu had her husband sick and died. There is only one daughter, and the mother and daughter make tofu for a living. Unexpectedly, a fire from the street caused her tofu shop to be damaged and destroyed in a merciless fire. In order to refinance her capital and have no relatives to borrow, she borrowed usury from a merchant with a high surname, but the interest rate was too high, no matter how hard she toiled. I couldn't change this usury. In the end, he became ill and died. Before he died, the loan shark surnamed Gao forced the woman not only to use a tofu shop to pay off the debt, but also to give her daughter to the merchant as a concubine. The woman was forced to say yes.

The woman's name was Sang Lian. Before that, I got along with a guy in a restaurant. This guy's name is Qiu Sheng, he is very handsome, and he likes to read. It's just that his family is poor and can't afford to support him, so he has to come out and work as a guy in a restaurant to earn money to support his family. I often follow the shop to buy tofu from the restaurant. After coming and going, they were familiar with Sang Lian, and both of them fell in love, and they got along in private. It's just that the two families are very poor and can't get the bride price, so they haven't asked for marriage. At this time, the loan shark merchant Gao shopkeeper forced the tofu woman to take her daughter Sang Lian to pay off the debt and gave the high shopkeeper as a concubine.

Sang Lian cried to death, but there was no way to resist. But after becoming the concubine of the high shopkeeper, Qiu Sheng still often went to Sang Lian. Because the shopkeeper Gao often went out to do business and collect debts, Sang Lian was in private with Qiu Sheng, and had a husband and wife. As a result, the shopkeeper Gao noticed it, and under the torture, Sang Lian couldn't stop the torture and told the truth. The shopkeeper Gao was furious, found Qiu Sheng with a stick, and beat him violently. Qiu Sheng was beaten to the point that his head was bleeding, he turned around and fled, escaping into a dead end, there was nowhere to escape, the shopkeeper Gao claimed to kill him, he was in a hurry, grabbed a stone and threw it over, hitting the temple of the shopkeeper Gao. The shopkeeper Gao fell to the ground on the spot, and the treatment was ineffective, and he died the next day.

The yamen arrested the "adulterer" Qiu Sheng and the "adulteress" Sang Lian, and sentenced them to death by hanging. Princess Yang heard about this case by accident, and she was very emotional, feeling that this high shopkeeper was bullying people and forcing Liang to be a concubine, which was the root cause of this catastrophe. Of course, Qiu Sheng continued to seduce and deceive Sang Lian after Sang Lian became a wife, which is also an important reason. As an adulterer, he killed his husband and sentenced him to death, but Princess Yang felt that it was too much to sentence Sang Lian to death as an accomplice to murder, so she asked Xiao Jiading to find a way to exonerate Sang Lian.

Because Sang Lian also shouted injustice in this case, the case as a prisoner was first handed over to the scribe to undertake. After the scribe submitted the opinion of the undertaker, the opinion was to uphold the original verdict. The reason is very simple, because the "Yonghui Law" clearly stipulates: "If an adulterer commits adultery and kills his husband, although the wife and concubine who committed adultery do not know it, it is the same crime." That is to say, if a wife and concubine commit adultery, and the adulterer kills her husband, whether it is murder or mutual assault, and whether the adulterous wife and concubine are aware of it or not, they are sentenced to death by hanging as an accomplice to the murder. The original judgment was based on this provision.

After listening to the statement of the case and the results of the recording of the prisoner, Wu Yueniang was the first to speak: "I think the original verdict is correct, and the case is judged in strict accordance with the criminal law, what is wrong?" If you want to say wrong, it is the fault of this adulteress herself, since she is already married, she does not abide by women's morals, and commits adultery with others, and the result is that she has killed two men by herself, and she is sentenced to be hanged lightly, according to me, she should be put to death! At least it should be decapitated! Set an example!

The eldest grandson Yanran said: "You can't say that, she committed adultery with others, so naturally she will be punished for adultery, but the adulterer killed someone in a fight, she didn't know at all, let alone an accomplice, why should she be held responsible for this?" The death penalty is also imposed. That's too harsh. ”

Wu Yueniang said: "So what? The king's law is the king's law, and the prince breaks the law, and he is still guilty of the same crime as the common people, not to mention that she is a lowly adulteress! This is what the royal law stipulates, if the adulterer kills his own husband, whether the adulteress knows it or not, he must be executed with the adulterer according to the crime of murder! Is it true that if there is a royal law, we will not enforce it? ”

The eldest grandson Yanran was speechless for a moment, Wu Yueniang was right, "Yonghui Law" is so stipulated. Moreover, "Yonghui Law" was compiled by Changsun Yanran's grandfather, Changsun Wuji. As a granddaughter, she should be exemplary. But thinking about this poor Sang Lian, who was forced to be a concubine and left her sweetheart, and now she is about to be executed, it is really pitiful, but what good way can help her get rid of her crime?

Xiao Jiading didn't speak, he has been silently flipping through the file of this case, looking for a breakthrough from it.

To get rid of the death penalty for Sang Lian. After thinking about it, there are only two feasible ideas: one is to deny Sang Lian's identity as the concubine of the high shopkeeper. But this is not easy to do, because the concubine only needs a piece of paper. The other denies the adulterous relationship between Sang Lian and Qiu Sheng, as long as the two are not adulterers and adulteresses, then this article cannot be applied, and the responsibility for killing the shopkeeper Gao in the fight can only be borne by Qiu Sheng alone.

However, both of these aspects of the evidence were well provided in the case. There is a deed of concubine submitted by the family of the high treasurer. There is also the testimony of the person who was in charge at the time, and the signature on the paperwork. There are testimonies from neighbors who prove that Sang Lian is the concubine of the high shopkeeper. The most important thing is Sang Lian's own confession, admitting that she is the concubine of the high shopkeeper. Therefore, it is impossible to make a fuss about this.

The second aspect. Because the adulterous relationship between the two was not seen by outsiders, there was only a confession from the two, and both of them admitted to adultery, and clearly admitted that they were husband and wife. Meantime. There is also a family member of the shopkeeper Gao who proved that after the shopkeeper Gao found out that Sang Lian might have a man outside, he tortured and interrogated. She said Qiu Sheng on the spot. It can be regarded as evidence to corroborate.

Although the latter thing is a bit thin, both sides admit it, and it is not easy to do.

Seeing that Xiao Jiading had been silent, Wu Yueniang said to Xiao Jiading: "Hey! Zhiyi, what is your opinion? ”

Xiao Jiading was thinking about it, and only after Wu Yueniang asked twice did he come over: "Huh?" What's the matter? ”

Wu Yueniang gave him a big roll of his eyes: "What about you." Do you think there is a problem with this case? ”

Of course, Xiao Jiading couldn't give up so easily, this was not his character, and said casually: "I want to interrogate the defendant and ask again." ”

"What else are you asking? Both confessed. It's very clear! ”

Xiao Jiading said: "Since it is a prisoner, of course it must be reviewed in detail, and you should listen to what the person who shouted injustice said." ”

"Okay, whatever you want!"

The scribe quickly brought the culprit Sang Lian into custody, a poor little woman. He was wearing heavy shackles and had load-bearing chains on his hands and feet.

The eldest grandson looked pitiful and said to the scribe, "Take away her shackles and chains!" ”

The scribe said with a bitter face: "There is no way to take it, she is a death row prisoner, according to the rules of the imperial court, once sentenced to death, she must be handcuffed and shackled, and the keyholes are smashed to death, there is no way to open it with a key, unless it is broken." ”

Although the eldest grandson Yanran is proficient in criminal law, she has never personally interrogated prisoners and does not know these rules. Glancing at Xiao Jiading, Xiao Jiading shrugged his shoulders and signaled that this was the case, there was no way. The eldest grandson Yanran had no choice but to give up.

Xiao Jiading said: "What grievances do you have? Let's talk about it. ”

"There is no grievance for the women."

Wu Yueniang was stunned and interjected: "What do you call a grievance if you are not wronged?" Troublemakers, aren't they? ”

"The women don't dare!" Sang Lian was prostrate, and the heavy shackles were supported on the ground, so that her neck could rest for a while, "The folk woman is crying out for Qiu Sheng." ”

"Bold!" Wu Yueniang scolded angrily, "You adulterers and adulteresses, you don't know shame, and you have to cry out for him, if you didn't hook up and commit adultery, where would there be this disaster?" At the end of the day, it's all your fault! Not only have you killed your own husband, but you have also killed your adulterer! ”

"Yes! It's the people's fault! Sang Lian choked, "The people are innocent of the deaths, let the women bear all the blame." Qiu Sheng is innocent, I heard that he was chased to a dead end by my master, there was nowhere to escape, and he was beaten to death by my master, so he was forced to kill. He's excusable. He was killed by me, begging the lord to be the master and spare his life, the woman is willing to suffer from Ling Chi, in exchange for his life, please ask the lord for permission......"

Speaking of the back, Sang Lian sobbed.

Xiao Jiading had already noticed this detail when he was reading the file, if it was a modern criminal law, like this case, in the case of being chased and killed by the other party, when there was no way to escape and his life was threatened, it was allowed to take legitimate defense. In this case, killing the other party can either be found to be justified or excessive, and it is impossible to impose the death penalty for excessive defense. Therefore, in the current society, even if Qiu Sheng's behavior has to bear criminal responsibility, he will not lose his head.

However, this was in the Tang Dynasty more than 1,000 years ago, and the Tang law made very strict restrictions on legitimate defense, and did not recognize the right of legitimate defense when being hunted down and faced with danger. Therefore, it is impossible to exonerate him for this.

As for Sang Lian's hope that Qiu Sheng's capital crime would be mitigated or exempted by aggravating her crimes, it would be impossible to obtain permission either in the Tang Dynasty or now.

Sang Lian just begged bitterly, but Wu Yueniang was tired of listening to it, and ordered to take people out. looked at Xiao Jiading and said, "Xiao Zhiyi, have you found anything?" ”

Xiao Jiading smiled and said, "I still want to interrogate Qiu Sheng." ”

"What are you arraigning him for? He didn't cry out for injustice! ”

"In order to get to the bottom of the case, to verify all the co-defendants, that's a must."

"Alright! If you feel like you have nothing to do, that's up to you. ”

The scrivener brought Qiu Sheng in, also wearing heavy shackles, handcuffs and leg irons. Kneeling on the ground, not saying a word.

Wu Yueniang looked at Xiao Jiading with sarcasm. Xiao Jiading didn't look at her either, and asked casually: "You killed the shopkeeper Gao with a stone?" ”

"Yes!" Qiu Sheng replied.

Wu Yueniang interjected: "Did you deliberately kill the shopkeeper Gao in order to stay with your prostitute Sang Lian?" ”

"No, no!" Qiu Sheng finally raised his head, his face was a little delicate, "How could I do that kind of thing?" I like Sang Lian, and she likes me too, so I went to find her, and I didn't want to disturb her life anymore, let alone kill the shopkeeper. Otherwise, when he beat me, I wouldn't have run away, I wouldn't have fought back, I was serving food in the kitchen of the restaurant, there were kitchen knives, wood knives and axes, I didn't take anything, just ran away, he kept chasing me with a stick, hitting my head and bleeding, and kept saying that Lao Tzu killed you. I thought he might not hit me anymore if he was angry. So I cowered in the corner of the kitchen and held my head for him to beat. But he threw away his stick and took a small axe to cut me. I was so frightened that I ran out. ”

When Xiao Jiading heard this, he asked, "He cut you with an axe?" (To be continued......)