Daming: Internship also counts as work experience

Chapter 11 Solving a Case in Front of the Pavilion
Jia Chuan kept staring at Chai Yu, and when Chai Yu moved, Jia Chuan moved.

Chai Yu was so angry. If he had just kicked Jia Chuan, the whole thing would have been over. He glared at Jia Chuan fiercely and thought: This is not my fault. You are asking for death! Then he knelt down and clasped his fists towards the pavilion and said:
"Your Highness, I saw this woman moving forward and was worried she might be plotting something ill, so I acted impulsively. The Crown Prince's safety is paramount right now, but this man stopped me. I wonder what he's up to?"

Jia Chuan raised his eyebrows after hearing this. This was not a very good statement, but it was said that at this time, the prince had been terrified all the way and had just felt a little safe, but his heart was still not at peace... If such a heart-piercing statement was said to other emperors in history, most of them might have put him under custody immediately, and a small number would have become suspicious because of this statement and wiped out all his previous contributions. Which part did Zhu Zhanji belong to?
Jia Chuan looked towards the pavilion.

The woman was so frightened that she was stunned for a moment. Then she realized what Chai Yu meant and kowtowed desperately, saying in a trembling voice, "I don't have it, I don't have it."

"Jia Chuan, what do you think?" Zhu Zhanji's voice came from the pavilion.

Jia Chuan breathed a sigh of relief and bowed, saying, "Your Highness, please treat the wound first. I have a few questions."

"Ah."

Jia Chuan turned to look at the woman and said comfortingly, "I admire your courage in risking your life to file a complaint for your family. Before I ask the truth, I want to know how you knew that coming here with the team would give you a chance to seek justice for your family."

Chai Yu was stunned. It just... passed like that?

Seeing that it was the man who had just saved her who was asking the question, the woman was obviously less nervous. She knelt down again and begged:

"Over the past few months, I've been looking for people everywhere. I don't know how many times I've been to the county government and the garrison. There are indeed people who sympathize with me and know that I have nowhere to appeal for my grievances. Today, someone told me that a high-ranking official has arrived and the commander is going to personally welcome him. I thought that I couldn't see the commander normally, so even if I can't see the high-ranking official this time, I might be able to seek justice for my family by seeing the commander. That's why I came here. But I hope you won't blame that person. Nowadays, there are not many people who dare to speak up for me. If there is any guilt, please put it on me."

"That man didn't say anything else except that a high-ranking official was coming?"

The woman shook her head, wiped the tears from her face and said, "It is already very rare for him to tell me this. How can I expect him to say anything more?"

Jia Chuan said "hmm", then turned his head to look at Zhu Zhanji in the pavilion. At least the questions he had asked so far were normal.

"Are you sure your family members haven't returned to their hometown?" Jia Chuan asked gently.

The woman nodded heavily and said, "My family fled famine more than ten years ago. When we left, there were not many people left in our hometown. They either starved to death or fled. Now we have settled down here. Even if we want to go back, we will only go back to visit. But my father said that there is no one at home. What is there to go back to? Even if we go back to visit, there is no need to sell the house or land."

"When you returned to your parents' home at the end of December, was everything the same?"

"Yeah! Aside from my father and brother being worried about not being able to cancel the lease, nothing is different from usual."

"You went back to your parents' home on the third day of the Lunar New Year, and someone was already living in the house?"

"No one lived there, but the gate was locked. I called out several times outside but no one answered. Just as I was getting anxious, a soldier came running up and told me that my family had sold the house and land and returned home."

Jia Chuan smiled and asked, "Your family bought dozens of acres of land, and you only rely on your father and brother to farm it?"

"No, a few years ago, we had dozens of acres of land, but in the past two years, it's over a hundred acres. My father hired farmhands. He just wanted to leave some land for my two brothers. The farmland in the garrison was just rented. It was okay in the past few years, but in recent years, the grain we have to hand in has been increased at will. After working hard for a year, we don't get as much as my farmhands earn. My father worked too hard when he was young, and he is indeed unwell. Secondly, he can't even farm all the land himself, so he needs to hire farmhands. The military commander is wise, so how can we rent the land? But he keeps saying it every year, but it's not allowed every year. My father is honest, but also stubborn. The garrison has so many soldiers and doesn't let them farm, but he insists on asking my family to give in. So my father told the people in the garrison before the New Year that he would never farm next year even if he was beaten to death."

"The farmhand is missing too?"

"No, they all went home for the New Year. When I went home in December, my second brother said they had all left the day before."

Jia Chuan nodded, turned to look at Chai Yu who was still kneeling there and asked, "Mr. Chai, is she right?"

"Ah?" Chai Yu looked up at Jia Chuan, trying to pretend to be ignorant, but he couldn't hide his fear.

Jia Chuan smiled at him, a cunning smile, and Chai Yu felt even more frightened. He subconsciously glanced at a clerk in front of the pavilion. Jia Chuan followed his gaze and looked over. The clerk's name was Xu Zhong, and he lowered his head after being looked at by Jia Chuan.

Jia Chuan pursed his lips and looked at Wu Qiyong, who was staring at Chai Yu who was kneeling there with anger on his face.

Jia Chuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Logically speaking, there was no reason for the commander to be involved in such a murder for money. At most, he accepted bribes to help cover up a few things. But if corruption and murder cases were investigated at this time, if they were investigated too hastily, it would be very likely that the dawn that Zhu Zhanji had just seen would be shattered.

Jia Chuan couldn't help but sigh.

"You ask your own questions, Wu Qi can be trusted." Zhu Zhanji suddenly said as if he knew what Jia Chuan was thinking.

Jia Chuan had no experience in being an official, but Wu Qiyong did. Zhu Zhanji's words actually told Wu Qiyong: I won't care whether you participate or not.

Wu Qi secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

In fact, everyone present at the time knew that the disappearance of this family was indeed a bit strange. However, Zhu Zhanji did not order the officials of the Military Preparations Department to take over the case immediately, but still let Jia Chuan continue to question them. It can be seen that he was still not sure that this case was just a case.

Jia Chuan looked at Chai Yu and asked, "Normally, people who go back to their hometowns for the New Year should set off early. Her family is still home at the end of December. Could it be that she's planning to go back home on New Year's Eve and celebrate the New Year on the road?"

"How do I know?"

"Don't you know they've returned home?"

"Uh... I know."

"When did you know?"

"I only found out when this woman came to me."

"Oh?" Jia Chuan turned his head and looked at the woman again: "Have you met Tongzhi Chai?"

"Yes," the woman replied.

"What did you say?"

"Ask him what he did to my father and brother? My little nephew is only three years old!" The woman covered her face and cried bitterly.

Jia Chuan turned his head and looked at Chai Yu again: "Look, she didn't tell you that her family had returned home when she saw you. How can you conclude that her family had returned home?"

"Where else can he go if not back home? As the saying goes, a man of wealth returns home. His family has made some money over the years, so it's normal for him to want to go back and show off. She's a married daughter, and she's still thinking about her family's money. Her family must be wary of her, so they didn't tell her about her itinerary."

"You mean you know her family is well-off and has some money?"

"Uh... I know everything."

"Oh? Xu Chenshi also knows?" Jia Chuan looked at Xu Zhong. Xu Zhong was shocked by Jia Chuan's look and question. He opened his mouth but didn't know how to answer.

"Do the two captains also know?" Jia Chuan looked at the burly man who had just taken a few steps towards Xu Zhong and was about to discuss something with Xu Zhong in a low voice and asked.

The two captains stared at Jia Chuan with wide eyes, then looked at each other. One of them said bravely, "The Yang family father and son are capable. Everyone around here knows it, and we naturally know it too."

"So you also know that the Yang family sold their houses and land and returned home with their valuables?"

The two nodded heavily at the same time, and the other person explained, "I've heard from Old Yang that he wants to return home a long time ago. He uses this excuse every year to cancel his lease."

"You also know that it's an excuse?" Jia Chuan asked with a smile.

The captain opened his mouth, then looked at Xu Zhong nervously. Xu Zhong stared at the mud in front of him, motionless.

If the prince had not been present, Xu Zhong would have strangled Jia Chuan to death on the spot. He only hoped that the prince would quickly remember to hurry on his way and leave the case to them to investigate themselves, and then everything would be fine.

"It was your men who went to inform Yang on the third day of the Lunar New Year that her family had all returned home." Jia Chuan did not use a question but a statement.

The two captains glanced at each other, neither confirming nor denying. While they were still hesitating, Jia Chuan politely bowed to Wu Qiyong and said, "Commander Wu, please send someone to tie these two up first."

Jia Chuan pointed at the two captains.

The two were stunned and were about to argue when Wu Qi waved his hand and several soldiers came forward and tied them up in no time.

If it were someone else, regardless of whether they were involved or not, they would all suggest that the most urgent thing is to rush back to the capital and ignore such things. However, Wu Qiyong had fought side by side with Zhu Zhanji, and he knew the crown prince very well. The more you persuade him, the more obsessed he will become. It is better to let go and let this Jia Chuan deal out the trouble.

What is the real business? This crown prince is different from what others think, not to mention that the prince has already given him a life-saving talisman, so Wu Qiyong naturally won't say much.

"Your Highness, I would like to speak to these two men alone." Jia Chuan pointed at the two tied captains and bowed.

Kuang Zhong's wound had been treated. If Jia Chuan had not been asking questions that attracted Kuang Zhong's attention, he would have probably shouted a few times. The rain soaked his clothes and swollen the wound. It was really painful to clean it. At the moment, Zhu Zhanji was enduring this pain, so he could only say "hmm" heavily.

Kuang Zhong looked at Jia Chuan with a pale face. He wanted to remind him, but he didn't have the strength. He was really worried that Jia Chuan would ruin the current good situation. He was also worried that Jia Chuan would not be able to find out the truth. It would be a real slap in the face in front of so many people.

The soldiers dragged the two men aside. Jia Chuan squatted down and whispered to them, but no one could hear what he said.

Wu Qi squinted his eyes and looked left and right. Xu Zhong could no longer stand steadily, and Chai Yu was trembling all over. Fortunately, the other officials looked normal. He pursed his lips and couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

After an incense stick of time, Jia Chuan returned to the pavilion and bowed, saying:

"Your Highness, the rules of the garrison are that the young and strong are stationed for training, while the old and weak and the remaining soldiers cultivate the land. Once they become lazy, even though they wear military uniforms, they become landlords who only care about collecting rent. In recent years, natural disasters have become less frequent, the country is stable, and there are naturally fewer refugees, and fewer people renting land. The Yang family is a major tenant. If the Yang family stops renting land, the land will be abandoned, and the grain that should be handed over to the garrison will not be delivered. I just wonder if it was the idea of ​​annihilating the entire family to seize their wealth that was proposed by Chai Tongzhi or Xu Chenshi?"

"It wasn't me!" Xu Zhong immediately knelt down: "Yes, it was Chai Yu who told me that. I didn't agree at first..."

"You're talking nonsense! I just didn't know how to keep the Yang family and came to you to complain. It was your idea!"

Jia Chuan shook his head and looked at Wu Qiyong. Wu Qiyong waved his hand again, and his own soldiers came forward and tied the two men tightly. The two men had already collapsed, no longer arguing or resisting.

Zhu Zhanji's shoulder was wrapped in gauze. The pain had made him pale. He took a deep breath and said, "Military Governor, take over this case and investigate it thoroughly. I want to see the file in three days."

The Bingbei Dao, whose full name is the Dao for Rectifying Bingbei, was a branch of the Censorate. The deputy envoy or assistant envoy of the Censorate served as the Dao official. His main responsibility was the military affairs in the jurisdiction and supervising the local army. This case involved military farms in the garrisons, so it was most appropriate to order them to investigate.

Jia Chuan breathed a sigh of relief. He had just met with the two men to learn about the situation of the military farming in the garrison. The two captains did not say whose orders they took, and he did not ask. It was just that Chai Yu and Xu Zhong were guilty, and he could not hide it with just a lie. In any case, the charges against the two had been laid out in front of the prince, and they would be convicted later... Jia Chuan looked at the officials of the Military Preparation Department. They seemed to dare not make too big changes. They just had to see who was the mastermind. As for whether there were other people involved in the garrison... This matter could only be handed over to the Military Preparation Department. Now was not the time to investigate in depth.

Jia Chuan stood aside and carefully watched everyone's expressions secretly.

Seeing the four murderers being brought out by the emperor, Wu Qiyong was filled with rage. When he heard that the crown prince had ordered the military preparation department to investigate the case, he hurriedly said, "The guards will definitely cooperate fully."

As long as the prince is willing to let go, this matter will be much easier.

"Crown Prince...Your Highness!" Yang seemed to understand, but not completely. She crawled forward two steps and asked anxiously, "My family, are my family still alive?"

Jia Chuan sighed, walked over, squatted down, and said gently: "You can hold on from winter to summer, your family in heaven will surely be comforted."

Yang was stunned for a moment, then muttered, "I know. In fact, I thought of it a long time ago, but I didn't dare to believe it. I thought there was no grudge or hatred. Maybe it was just for some money. They, they were imprisoned somewhere waiting for me to save them..."

As Yang spoke, she covered her face and sobbed. The child hugged her mother sensibly.

"How do your in-laws treat you?" Jia Chuan asked with a sigh.

"Ever since my family members couldn't be found, my husband's family has been displeased with me. Otherwise, I wouldn't have brought him with me to suffer." Yang said while hugging the child and sobbing.

Jia Chuan stood up and looked up at the dark sky. He didn't know which department he could ask for help in this matter.

The people from the Military Preparation Department had stepped forward at this time and said some soothing words.

Jia Chuan clasped his hands together and said to the officials, "The future of these two people... I'll be in your hands! Just give her in-laws a few words of advice, so that they know they have the support of the government. Then... their lives will be easier."

The officials from the Military Preparation Department had the same expression, all of them were stunned.

This young man was a favorite of the Crown Prince. One of the people was the first to react and said repeatedly, "Of course it is so, of course it is so."

　This case happened during the Jiajing period and was handed over to Zhu Zhanji by me. Back then, the case was full of twists and turns. Even though the evidence was conclusive and presented to the emperor, it was retried several times because of Yan Song, but in the end the main culprit was still sentenced to death.

　　……

　　Tomorrow will be the first round of recommendations, and I sincerely beg you to read it! Especially on Monday and Tuesday. I will update after midnight on Tuesday, just to get more readings. Whether this book will be a failure or linger on depends on whether your hands are free (covering your face)

　　Bow your fists deeply!

(End of this chapter)