Peace Order

"That person claimed he was innocent,"

"In response, the governor said, ’Next time you commit a crime, I’ll pardon you first, then beat you.’ He then beat the man half to death. Later, that very person did indeed break the law again and got caught."

"Claiming he had been pardoned before, the governor said, ’I beat you even before you committed a crime, so now that you have, isn’t it even more fitting for me to do so? A promise? Hahaha, who heard it?’"

"And he beat him half to death again."

This was just a typical incident involving a cruel official. Ling Pingyang said, "It is hateful, then what?" The young page kicked a stone and said, "At that time, a scholar was assigned there to serve as a Historian. Fearing humiliation, he refused to go."

"It seemed the Emperor had decreed that if the Historian were to be whipped more than ten times, it must be reported to the Court for decision. The former governor was very displeased and said that it was the young man playing tricks on him."

"He would find fault with him constantly, ensuring that the whipping never exceeded ten strokes, but made sure it happened daily after meals. At that time, my master and I were traveling there, and the Historian was detained without food or drink."

"The Historian survived by swallowing the cotton padding from his clothes and dirty water."

"He truly had the gritty spirit of a learned man."

"The common people also lived miserably; everyone was considered guilty and directly whipped. Sometimes they were lashed a thousand times until they died from it. My master’s brilliant strategy eventually resolved the issue, and the governor was taken back and put to death. Subsequently, the Historian assumed his post."

This is an excellent tale of chivalry and rooting out corrupt officials.