Red Mansion: I am Jia Lian

Chapter 707 There is a Law to Follow
"Wake Wu Jing'an up!" Jia Lian showed no sympathy for the Suzhou prefect. With a single order, someone naturally brought a cold towel to wake Wu Jing'an.

"Prime Minister Jia, I am a high-ranking official of the imperial court. Why have you humiliated me in public?" Wu Jing'an, who had "awakened," cried out in grief and indignation, which resonated with the officials present. However, they were afraid of Jia Lian and could only show their resentment.

In front of the crowd of people, Jia Lian said without turning his head: "People must first humiliate themselves before others humiliate them. You are a scholar, you know the meaning of this very thing."

Wu Jing'an collapsed to the ground again, unable to defend himself. Lying on the ground, he muttered to himself, "Wu studied hard for ten years, wasn't it all for the sake of becoming a superior person?"

Jia Lian ignored him, only instructing his men to prevent him from committing suicide, and continued with the case. The factory owner was ordered to compensate the workers for their lost wages (including those during the strike), and each injured worker was to receive 500 yuan in compensation. The perpetrator was to be apprehended immediately. The factory owner was detained pending further judgment.

After one case is adjudicated, the next case begins, still a labor dispute, still requiring the parties involved to be brought to the scene. It's still a case involving a face-to-face hearing for everyone.

When questioned again, the Suzhou prefect adopted an attitude of "I'm not afraid of anything" and "I'll take all the blame myself" and remained silent with his head down.

Jia Lian tried three cases involving assault in one afternoon, and his stance was biased towards the workers in all of them. As it gradually got dark, the people still refused to leave.

Jia Lian picked up the megaphone again: "Fellow citizens of Suzhou, it's getting late. If you trust me, the trial will continue tomorrow, and you are all welcome to attend. If you don't trust me, I'll arrange for someone to light the lamps and conduct the trial tonight."

Immediately, someone in the crowd shouted, "I trust Jia Qingtian, I'll come again tomorrow."

Someone else shouted, "The Imperial Envoy has been working hard all afternoon, everyone should go home and come back tomorrow."

As the crowd gradually dispersed, Jia Lian rose and clasped his hands in greeting to those around him. Before leaving, some people came to Jia Lian, kowtowed three times, and then departed.

Each time, Jia Lian stood and accepted the burden with folded arms, silently bearing this expectation of fairness.

In the end, only five representatives remained, along with a few scattered onlookers. When Jia Lian glanced at them, they all lowered their heads guiltily and walked away. However, they hadn't gone far; as soon as they reached a secluded spot, they were immediately apprehended by the Imperial Guard's secret agents. Jia Lian, present at the scene, asked the representatives if they needed accommodations arranged, but they said they would go home and return the next day.

In the backyard of the government office, facing a group of high-ranking officials from Jiangnan Province, Jia Lian's voice was slightly hoarse: "Don't say I didn't give you a chance. Be more conscientious tonight and write down what you did clearly and hand it over to Lord Feng. It's late, so I won't keep you for dinner. Go home now."

Jia Lian wasn't worried about these people running away; after all, they couldn't hide forever, and these people didn't have the courage to fight to the death. If there really was such a person, before Jia Lian even had a chance to act, everyone else would have to capture him and atone for their sins. After giving Feng Gan a few instructions, Jia Lian left the front hall and went to the back courtyard of the government office. The prefect and his family had already been detained in a side courtyard.

Lin Ruhai, who was over seventy years old, with white hair and beard, could no longer stand up. He sat on a soft cushion, staring sharply at Jia Lian as he entered.

"You haven't changed at all!" Lin Ruhai said. Jia Lian crossed his arms and smiled, "The country always needs some people who can see the big picture. Why can't I be one of them?"

"Sacrificing oneself or even one's family for the so-called greater good is something I, an old man, cannot do. In that case, I'd rather remain unworthy," Lin Ruhai said with a self-deprecating smile.

Having served as Grand Secretary for many years and navigated the ups and downs of officialdom for decades, how could Lin Ruhai not know the state of the country? How could he not know what was best for the country?
In this life, one is both an individual and not an individual.

Behind every individual lies the hope of many. Under the pressure of these hopes, the choice between the overall interests of the nation and personal and family interests is entirely up to the individual.

"I'm not as special as Lord Taishan makes me out to be. If personal and family interests conflict with the overall situation, then I'll prioritize the overall situation. When I can take both into account, I will."

Lin Ruhai was speechless after hearing these words. He simply couldn't manage to do both, which was why he was so troubled.

It is often incredibly difficult to reconcile personal interests, family interests, and national interests. Life presents us with countless opportunities to make choices.

Even Jia Lian could only guarantee that the interests of the three parties were generally aligned.

The problem is that very few people can actually do this.

"That's all. I just came to see you. Once things are settled here, remember to visit your aunt. Goodbye!" Lin Ruhai didn't say much. He was already grateful that he came, but he couldn't guarantee that it would be effective.

In fact, Lin Ruhai already knew that coming here would be pointless, but he still came anyway, since he still needed to continue living in Suzhou.

There are some things Lin Ruhai won't say, otherwise he'll just be humiliating himself. Having been father-in-law and son-in-law for so many years, who doesn't know who the other is?
The servants came in and carried Lin Ruhai out, out of the government office through the back door, and into a carriage.

Jia Lian remained seated, and Yuanyang entered and asked in a low voice, "Master, it's time to eat."

Nodding, the maids brought in the food. Jia Lian was indeed hungry, so he picked up his bowl and chopsticks and started eating.

The next morning, when Jia Lian got up to wash and dress, Feng Gan had already arrived. Judging from his complexion, he must have not slept all night.

Jia Lian laughed and said, "You're in charge of the interrogation today, I'll just sit and watch. Hurry up, after we finish things in Suzhou, we still need to go to Songjiang."

Feng Gan nodded and said, "The latest news that came yesterday is that the strike in Songjiang and other places is still ongoing, and there are still hundreds of female workers blocking the gate of the government office."

Jia Lian understood his meaning and said calmly, "With the Imperial Guard keeping a close eye on things, the Prefect of Songjiang probably won't be able to escape."

Feng Gan felt a slight chill. Things had indeed gone as he had expected. The other side had made arrangements in advance, and the officials involved in the case were truly doomed this time.

Looking back, every time Jia Lian came to Jiangnan Province, a group of officials would always suffer misfortune, and this time should be no different.

"I received over a hundred letters of repentance early this morning. Would you like to take a look, sir?" Feng Gan braced himself. Whether he could get through this ordeal depended on today.

After Jia Lian finished eating, he put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth, and clapped his hands: "Bring it here so I can read it in the courtroom, lest I get too bored and fall asleep during the trial."

Having suffered a series of blows, Feng Gan abandoned any remaining hope and gritted his teeth: "Prime Minister Jia, rest assured, I will certainly handle this case impartially."

Jia Lian smiled and said, "The officials involved will not be dealt with for the time being. We will send the report to the capital later, and His Majesty will decide how to handle the matter. You and I can offer suggestions."

The prefectural government office reopened, and there were still many onlookers today, but unlike yesterday, the trial was not being held directly outside the main gate. Jia Lian sat to the side and behind, while Feng Gan presided over the trial.

Feng Gan stood up and clasped his hands in greeting: "I am Feng Gan, the Governor-General of Liangjiang. I have been appointed by the Imperial Commissioner to handle the cases of the people who have suffered injustices today. Please, all aggrieved parties, enter the court in an orderly manner. Please note beforehand that there is no need to kneel."

A number of officials from Jiangnan Province were also present today, but they did not appear in the main hall. Instead, they stood in the corridor behind the door waiting. The officials all looked unwell, indicating that they had not slept all night.

There was one exception: Wu Jing'an, the prefect of Suzhou. His official robes were removed, and he stood aside in his everyday clothes, waiting to be questioned.

It's still unknown what will happen to others, but his outcome is certainly not good.

Jia Lian was actually quite disappointed. He had been given a whole night, but no one had made a move against Wu Jing'an, leaving him with no excuse to go all out.

In Suzhou, Wu Jing'an could lose face, but the faces of other officials must be considered. Pushing everyone to the opposite side would be foolish.

Feng Gan heard five cases in one morning, and none of the parties involved fled; they all obediently showed up. It seems Feng Gan had done his job well last night. The plaintiffs present, despite being told not to kneel, all knelt anyway. This shows the power of inertia. Jia Lian didn't try to correct them; it was fine as it was. What the people wanted was fairness. The rule of not kneeling when filing a lawsuit should be established by the emperor.

When Jia Lian came to Suzhou, he never intended to start a massacre. For Jia Lian, the most important thing was to clarify how to handle future labor relations.

Yesterday's actions were an exceptional case, and it was imperative to appease the public and cool down the boiling public sentiment as soon as possible.

Feng Gan adhered to a clear principle in his trials: whether there was any injury, and whether the injury involved homicide. In making specific judgments, he maintained a principle of limited bias towards the weaker party.

Jia Lian remained silent throughout, took a break at noon, and continued the trial in the afternoon.

The hearings continued in the afternoon, with five more cases heard. Many more citizens are waiting to file complaints. In cases involving unfair rulings against officials, the officials in question must come forward to defend themselves.

On this day, two more officials were publicly reprimanded by Feng Gan for failing to defend themselves and were sent back to await further action.

Jia Lian twice stepped forward to explain to the people that the handling of officials' mistakes required His Majesty's decision, and the imperial envoy only had the right to make suggestions; he asked for everyone's understanding.

On the third day, Jia Lian was still seated during the trial. The case involved was still a labor dispute, but the details were getting smaller and smaller, and no officials were involved. After all, ordinary people only resort to litigation as a last resort.

On the fourth day, the judge was changed to the governor, and on the fifth day, the judge was changed to the provincial treasurer.

On the sixth day, the labor dispute case was basically concluded, and Jia Lian spoke out again.

"Fellow elders, are you satisfied with the verdict in the relevant case? If you are not satisfied, you may stand up and speak out, and request a retrial."

No one from the common people spoke up, so Jia Lian continued.

"Since no one is speaking up, then I will say a few words. Ordinary people are weak and vulnerable, while factory owners are wealthy and powerful; an ordinary family cannot possibly fight them. They often suffer in silence. Such incidents will continue to occur. To prevent large-scale public discontent, upon my return to the capital, I will certainly suggest to His Majesty the formulation of relevant laws and regulations to protect the interests of the people as much as possible. Here, I demand that officials at all levels consider the interests of the vulnerable and disadvantaged, and give them due consideration when adjudicating related cases. Those who are rich but heartless must be severely punished without exception."

Jia Lian's summary was met with cheers; the common people are still very easy to fool.

With the matter in Suzhou settled, Jia Lian summoned a group of officials for a meeting.

"The cabinet is very dissatisfied with what happened in Suzhou and Songjiang, and His Majesty is also very dissatisfied. You officials are paid by the court, so you should share His Majesty's burdens. With such a big incident, even if I don't punish you, His Majesty will not let you off the hook. Think carefully about what you should do."

As he spoke, Jia Lian took out all the letters of repentance and said, "Those whose names are called, come and take them back yourselves. I don't want to see your letters of repentance. You should all submit your own petitions to plead guilty. Making such a commotion is at least a crime punishable by an inspection." As he spoke, Jia Lian read out the names one by one, and the officials came forward one by one, covering their faces with their sleeves, and took back their letters of repentance.

The next day, Jia Lian went to Songjiang, accompanied by the Governor-General of Liangjiang, the Governor of Jiangnan Province, and the Commissioner of the Three Departments. The situation was handled more quickly there. The Songjiang Prefect suffered the same fate as the Suzhou Prefect: he was arrested in public and sent to the capital for trial.

Even if they don't die, the worst outcome will be exile.

The situation in Songjiang was more complicated, as it involved multiple murder cases, and three county magistrates, including the one from Shanghai County, were arrested on the spot.

Jia Lian spent about twenty days on the job, and finally managed to review almost all the cases.

On the imperial side, Li Yuan quickly issued a series of punishments. Feng Gan, the Governor-General of Liangjiang, was found guilty of negligence and transferred to the position of Governor-General of Liaodong; his rank wasn't lowered, but it was effectively reduced by half a rank. He was succeeded by Lin Ping, the Governor of Jiangbei Province. For the remaining officials in Jiangnan Province, the best outcome was demotion. The Prefects of Suzhou and Songjiang were exiled to Anxi. One county magistrate was sentenced to exile, and three county magistrates were dismissed from office and stripped of their official titles.

All those mentioned were court officials. Following the late emperor's approach, Li Yuan spared the lives of those who could be spared, except for those who were plotting a rebellion.

Three factory owners involved in deaths and injuries were sentenced to immediate execution, and fourteen were exiled. More than five hundred accomplices were tried swiftly and severely, with twenty-two sentenced to immediate execution, more than one hundred exiled to Anxi, and the rest sentenced to varying terms of imprisonment.

Before Jia Lian returned to Beijing, Li Yuan, based on the treatment and rules of state-owned enterprises, issued relevant legal provisions regarding the relationship between labor and management.
Most importantly, it stipulated that the daily wage for hired laborers, whether long-term or temporary, could not exceed one silver dollar. Otherwise, the hired laborers could file a complaint with the government, and officials at all levels must handle the matter according to law.

The last rule is rather special: workers have the right to form associations for self-protection. However, they must register their associations with the government and send representatives to negotiate with the government in case of disputes. They are not allowed to organize themselves to cause trouble in the streets.

Regarding the last point, it wasn't Jia Lian's suggestion, but since Jia Lian was in Jiangnan, he couldn't object on the spot, especially since the emperor had already approved it.

It is evident that this series of regulations originated from the emperor's will.

The above series of regulations is entitled "Several Legal Provisions Concerning Labor Relations".

In Jia Lian's view, the promulgation of this regulation was the most important thing. He didn't care how it was implemented, but the key was to have a law to follow. From then on, labor disputes were freed from the chaotic and barbaric era.

(End of this chapter)