Ming Dynasty Detective 1546

Chapter 227 The Truth
"Report! There's something fishy about the injuries on Madam Qin's body!"

It is well known that there were shady practices involved in the execution of sentences by government offices in ancient times.

Through long-term training, the yamen runners could control the severity of caning. They even practiced hitting the cane with tofu, eventually achieving results such as "the outer skin is intact but the inside is rotten" or "the outer skin is red and swollen but the internal injury is minor".

As a result, prisoners who bribed the yamen runners would receive light beatings, while those who did not bribe would suffer severe cuts and bruises. Several cases in the Qing Dynasty show that giving thirty taels of silver would only result in minor injuries, while giving one hundred taels of silver would allow the prisoner to move normally the night of their punishment.

Sun Heihu, a former customer of Zhao Wenhua's Baihua Wine, was a local tyrant in the Southern Prison and was most skilled in this kind of tactic. Of course, compared to the veterans in the Northern Garrison, he was just a greenhorn.

It was the old man who stepped forward and, after a brief examination, discovered that the torture inflicted on Madam Sheng's eldest disciple, Qin Shi, while seemingly severe, had not actually damaged her fundamental health.

This is strange.

Haiyue gave the order with her eyes, and Sun Weixian verbally obeyed: "Bring the entire group from the government office here."

Shen Mo and the group of constables who participated in the interrogation dragged him over with trepidation.

The former, being an official, could still barely stand, while the latter had already fallen to the ground, his face ashen.

Haiyue said calmly, "Judge Shen, we meet again. Regarding the case of Madam Sheng, do you have anything to say to us?"

Shen Mo hurriedly said, "Hai Hanlin is a man of noble character and will one day become a literary giant. Why make things difficult for me? If his reputation is damaged because of a small misunderstanding, wouldn't it be like a pearl being tarnished, which would be a great pity?"

Haiyue shook her head secretly and made a gesture.

Sun Weixian immediately said, "Shen Mo, courtesy name Jingzhi, self-styled Shen'an, is usually prudent and cautious. He is always present for his daily roll call at the government office, and his case files are always neatly organized. However, he always asks his superiors to make decisions on major cases and dares not act on his own. He also habitually uses ambiguous language in official documents to avoid leaving any handles. As a result, you have served as a judge for three years without ever being punished, and your performance evaluations have been outstanding year after year."

Shen Mo's expression changed slightly.

Sun Weixian continued, "That's strange. You're usually so tactful and avoid trouble, yet you've personally taken charge of this matchmaker's murder case without any shirking of responsibility. What's the reason for that?"

Shen Mo blinked: "I don't understand what Vice Commissioner Sun said. Since this case is under the jurisdiction of the prefectural government, as the investigating officer, I should do my duty. As for those evaluations, they are just rumors from the outside world. The Ministry of Personnel's performance evaluation is enough to prove my responsibility."

"Humph!"

Having seen many such people in Jinling, Sun Weixian followed up, saying, "Let's just consider those rumors. You, Shen Jingzhi, have always been conscientious and responsible. In this case, you clearly identified Qin as the murderer, yet you deliberately showed leniency during torture. How do you explain that?"

Shen Mo's expression finally turned ugly. He glanced at the clerks around him, especially at the jailer: "Perhaps someone has been bribed. It has nothing to do with me!"

"Okay!"

Sun Weixian sneered: "Guards! Take these petty officials to the prison and interrogate them thoroughly. Our Embroidered Uniform Guard can never be bribed; every blow will be delivered with full force!"

Shen Mo is an official, and without an imperial edict, it is indeed not advisable to act rashly. However, he also brought his subordinate clerks with him. These people are usually powerful figures among the common people, but within the Northern Garrison, they are nothing.

"Spare your life! Spare your life!!"

And so, shrill cries rose and fell. The jailer who had just been called out by Shen Mo was the first to break down, screaming, "It was Magistrate Shen who ordered my men to show mercy! It was Magistrate Shen!"

Shen Mo's expression changed drastically: "He's making baseless accusations!"

Sun Weixian then beckoned: "Come here! Tell me in detail!"

Before the Imperial Guards, the jailer spilled the beans, spitting out everything: "In the past, when I carried out the punishments, I either 'beat them hard' or 'beat them with all my might.' One was normal force, and the other was beating them to death. Only those whose families had bribed me were 'beaten with care,' which was just for show. But before this time, before the punishment, Magistrate Shen instructed me to 'beat them with care'..."

"Nonsense! He's slandering me! Slandering me!"

Shen Mo was still angrily rebuking, but Sun Weixian ignored him completely: "So, how many times did Qin Shi suffer torture? Yet her injuries weren't serious?"

The jailer said in a trembling voice, "He was tortured four times... but they were all superficial injuries..."

Sun Weixian asked, "Do you think the Qin family knows this?"

The jailer nodded repeatedly: "The thief knows that although she screams terribly during the torture, it doesn't break any bones. She must be able to feel it!"

"In other words, the judge and the perpetrator deliberately colluded..."

Sun Weixian frowned: "Why is that?"

Haiyue finally spoke, her clear voice drowning out the screams and curses around her: "Because someone wanted to keep this case under control, but didn't want it to end quickly, and even the Qin family refused to cooperate, which led to the reversal later on, since the case is not yet closed."

"Although the suspect is currently Qin, if she has been tortured multiple times and refuses to confess, and if she cooperates with new leads, it's only natural that the case could change..."

Sun Weixian reacted quickly, his gaze falling on Shen Mo: "Judge Shen, what a clever trick, you've gone to great lengths!" Shen Mo trembled and finally shut his mouth.

"Go and bring the Qin and Gu families here!"

While the officials handling the case are being interrogated here, new confessions are being recorded there.

When the eldest disciple, Qin, and the youngest disciple, Gu, were brought before him, a complete relationship was revealed.

Sun Weixian took it subconsciously, but after a pause, he handed it to Haiyue: "Please take a look, Hai Hanlin."

Compared to the initial statement of being coerced into obeying orders, this statement sounded more natural. After all, this person had grasped the key to the case in just a few words and was indeed qualified to give the order.

Haiyue nodded slightly and accepted it without ceremony. Her gaze swept over it quickly, and she understood what was going on. She then asked her eldest disciple, Qin Shi, "When did you join forces with Shen Mo to try and take over your master's family business?"

Madam Qin was horrified: "Sir, what...what are you talking about?"

Haiyue pointed at the jailer: "The Imperial Guards just examined your injuries. This person has also confessed that under Shen Mo's orders, they were careful when using torture. You look miserable, but in reality, you haven't suffered any serious injuries!"

"However, there is a problem here. You can be lenient when using torture, but you can't easily clear yourself of the crime. Since you are willing to cooperate, you will of course not take the blame for the bloody crime of killing two people in the end."

"So the case takes a turn for the worse, and the real culprit will eventually become Gu Shi, who is also imprisoned. Of the three disciples, one was murdered and another is the murderer. So, Madam Sheng's family business will naturally fall into your hands, right?"

Qin's face was pale, but upon hearing the last part, she suddenly exclaimed, "No! That's not right! My younger sister has always been favored by Master, who declared early on that he would pass on the entire family business to her. Why would she go so far as to kill Master?"

"You do have a quick wit!"

Haiyue said calmly, "But this matter itself is somewhat suspicious! Gu family, if you take in three disciples in the future, it will be seen as favoring the younger one and wanting to leave the family fortune to him. Would you announce it beforehand?"

Upon hearing that she would become the real murderer, Madam Gu was already stunned. Now, when questioned, she stammered, "This servant...this servant wouldn't..."

“No normal elder would do this.”

Haiyue said, "Madam Sheng's family fortune is enormous. Even if she intends to leave it to her youngest disciple, Gu Shi, what good will it do to reveal this so early, other than inciting jealousy and resentment among her other two disciples?"

Qin quickly said, "Perhaps Master did not consider this carefully..."

Haiyue shook her head: "As the top official matchmaker in the capital, even if there's some exaggeration involved, she's still well-informed and shrewd. She shouldn't make such a mistake! Unless..."

Sun Weixian listened carefully and immediately replied, "Unless she doesn't really care about this disciple and is deliberately saying this to the servants around her, knowing that there are spies from the other two disciples among them, and using this to sow discord?"

The family property was divided into three parts fairly and justly, so no one would fight over it. However, Madam Sheng insisted on giving all the valuable mansion and property to her youngest disciple. Such favoritism naturally caused fierce disagreements and conflicts.

Madam Gu's face turned pale: "But Master... why would Master do this?"

"This is the core reason why the Qin family dared to frame you for murder!"

Haiyue looked at Qin Shi: "You know that your master actually hates this junior disciple very much, which is why he orchestrated this murder. Have I omitted anything from what I said?"

Qin could no longer hide the panic in her eyes, and she subconsciously looked at Shen Mo.

Shen Mo sensed the gaze and knew that this was a critical moment of life and death. He turned to look at the other person, quickly gave him a reassuring look, and then looked at him coldly: "The name of Detective Hai Hanlin is renowned, but what I have seen today is not convincing. You are just speculating. How can you convict her?"

Haiyue chuckled: "Judge Shen, that's a strange thing to say. Didn't you believe Qin was the murderer? I'm saying she's the murderer now, so why are you still unhappy?"

Shen Mo paused, then said in a deep voice, "Of course it's because you accused me of colluding with this criminal. How could I ignore such slander? If it's really as you say, that Madam Sheng actually dislikes her third disciple and didn't intend to leave her the family fortune, then why would Madam Qin kill people? And why kill two of them?"

Qin suddenly realized: "That's right! Since Master doesn't actually like my younger sister, why should I do these things? There's no need for me to harm my second sister..."

"What if Madam Sheng originally intended to leave all her family property to her second disciple, Madam Feng?"

Haiyue picked up the book of statements and shook it gently: "According to the records of the older servants, Madam Sheng originally loved Madam Feng the most, treating her like her own daughter, until she turned to Madam Gu in recent years."

"Whenever Madam Sheng mentions you, she always describes you as having a vicious nature and being greedy. She is also the coldest towards you during holidays and other occasions."

"This shows that her affection for her youngest disciple, Gu Shi, may be feigned, but regardless, you, as the eldest disciple, will not be entitled to any inheritance. This shows..."

Sun Weixian slammed his fist on the table and stood up, saying, "This is the real motive behind your risky actions, collusion with outsiders, and murder of your master and sister!"

(End of this chapter)