Judge of the Song Dynasty

After the hottest part of noon had passed, the gates of the Kaifeng Prefectural Office slowly opened.

In an instant, a huge dark cloud of people gradually pressed forward from the gates, soon enveloping the entire prefecture compound.

The scorching early summer heat of noon had not deterred the spectating commoners. The slightly wealthy citizens had retreated to nearby teahouses and taverns for brief respites. The poorer ones had squatted under large trees, eating simple meals and dozing while leaning against the trunks.

No one could sleep without seeing the outcome today! So when the gates opened, everyone immediately gathered around.

However, their enthusiasm made the officials extremely anxious! They were all experienced, so even in cutthroat political struggles they wouldn’t feel such anxiety, since they usually had some idea of what moves their opponents might make. But in the courtroom, they were completely in the dark about what would happen next, how could their hearts not be unsettled?

If the questioning continued, they would lose all face.

After nearly four hours of rest, Zhao Bian appeared energetic and full of vigor. It was quite good being the judge. After taking the judge’s seat, he directly summoned Zhang Fei and Fan Chunren to court.

This was just an intermission, so the ceremonial procedures of the Kaifeng Prefecture didn’t need to be repeated.

“Does Remonstrator Fan have anything else to say?” Zhao Bian asked Fan Chunren directly.

Everyone had witnessed the previous questioning. Wang Hong had already lost control, showing that Zhang Fei clearly had the upper hand. Now the ball was thrown to Fan Chunren. If he couldn’t handle it, they would have to announce the verdict.

Hearing this, the audience outside knew the verdict was imminent and grew very excited.

The officials watched Fan Chunren anxiously.

They had no confidence in him now, especially since his expression didn’t inspire any either.

Fan Chunren stood up and said, “Zhang San’s reasoning just now was indeed brilliant.”

He paused briefly, then continued: “But he overlooked one crucial issue – why would Magistrate Wang want to protect Wei Yushan? As everyone knows, charges of ‘intentionally freeing the guilty’ usually involve corruption, bribery, and private dealings. But as far as I know, Magistrate Wang never accepted any bribes from Wei Yushan, and the other side hasn’t provided any evidence proving this point.”

When he said this, all the officials were stunned.

Indeed!

How had they forgotten this crucial argument?

There must be a reason for the cover-up.

Their confidence was instantly renewed! They knew what kind of official Wang Hong was, and no one had ever mentioned him taking bribes in private.

After speaking, Fan Chunren sat down and turned to look at Zhang Fei.

This was his trump card. Now it was time to watch Zhang Fei’s performance.

He was also very curious how Zhang Fei would convict Wang Hong.

Judging by Zhang Fei’s previous attitude, he was definitely going to destroy Wang Hong completely.

He absolutely wouldn’t let Wang Hong walk out that door freely.

Zhao Bian nodded slightly and looked toward Zhang Fei.

Zhang Fei stood up and said, “I was merely providing evidence to refute the case that Magistrate Wang ‘accidentally’ overlooked Geng Ming’s wrongful case. The facts prove that Magistrate Wang is a habitual offender. Remonstrator Fan’s reasoning doesn’t hold up.”

Zhao Bian nodded and said, “But everything has cause and effect. Why would Magistrate Wang protect Wei Yushan?”

“I will certainly prove this.”

Zhang Fei said, “I request that Your Honor summon witness Geng Ming.”

Zhao Bian said, “Summon Geng Ming.”

After a moment, Geng Ming entered the court wearing Taoist robes.

This was evidence of that he had been forced to run away, so he couldn’t take them off.

He bowed respectfully to Zhao Bian. Seeing him wearing Taoist robes, Zhao Bian felt he should show some respect for the Taoist deities. Additionally, feeling sympathy for Geng Ming, he pointed to the witness chair and said, “You may be seated during questioning.”

“Thank you, Lord Zhao.”

Geng Ming bowed and sat in the witness chair.

Zhang Fei stood up and asked, “Geng Ming, where are you from, and what did you do before becoming a Taoist priest?”

Geng Ming replied, “I am from White Horse Village in Kaifeng County. My ancestors once served as commanders in the Imperial Guard Cavalry.”

At the entrance, Cao Dongdong excitedly said, “So he’s a military household from our Three Military Divisions!”

Ma Xiaoyi asked, “Brother, why are military households always bullied?”

Cao Dongdong quickly responded, “I’ve never bullied military households!”

Geng Ming continued, “Later, our family fortunes declined and we became tenant farmers. In my father’s generation, we managed to acquire some land by trading horses for the imperial government.”

Zhang Fei asked, “How much land did your family own before?”

Geng Ming replied, “We had about 65 acres of land, qualifying as an second-class household.”

“That’s quite substantial!” Zhang Fei said curiously. “With such property, why did you become a Taoist priest?”

Geng Ming’s face immediately filled with anger. “It was all because Wei Yushan forced me to.”

Zhang Fei asked, “How did he force you?”

Geng Ming explained, “Three years ago, I was appointed as the village head of White Horse Village, responsible for tax collection. At that time, Wei Yushan was the wealthiest first-class household, owning hundreds of acres of land, but he used every means to avoid paying any taxes.”

Zhang Fei asked, “What methods did he use?”

Geng Ming answered, “Using his inherited wealth, he engaged in extensive moneylending throughout the village. Especially when he served as the Supervisor of Households of White Horse Village, he created various pretexts to pressure villagers into paying more taxes while secretly offering loans for tax payments. Once villagers paid their taxes, he would demand loan repayment, ultimately forcing them to sell their land to him. However, he wouldn’t register the contract officially, leaving the tax burden on the villagers.”

Zhang Fei asked, “Did the officials not intervene?”

Geng Ming shook his head, “Admittedly, while Wei Yushan collected extra tax money through various pretexts, he didn’t pocket it but submitted everything to the government. His goal was to profit from moneylending and acquire people’s land. The officials didn’t fault him; they even praised him.”

The presiding officials were drowsy.

It was tedious.

Zhang Fei nodded and asked, “Did he target you specifically?”

Geng Ming shook his head, “No, my family had some money then and didn’t need to borrow from him. But my wife and I often helped villagers who were desperate because of him, so we knew all about his evil deeds.”

Zhang Fei asked, “Did you help these villagers without compensation?”

Geng Ming nodded, “Since my father’s generation, we regularly helped poor villagers, though unfortunately we didn’t have much money and could only help a few. If they came to our house for food, we could only offer them a bowl of rice.”

There was a collective sigh from outside.

Good people don’t live long! Both Wen Yanbo and Sima Guang shook their heads and sighed.

This was their ideal model of a landowner.

When the village faced difficulties, relatively wealthy households like his should help.

This was the most cost-effective approach.

This way, the government could preserve wealth among the people.

The only flaw was that such model citizens didn’t seem to live very long!

Zhang Fei said, “Please continue.”

Geng Ming continued, “I couldn’t stand Wei Yushan’s actions, so I secretly investigated his concealed land holdings. I discovered he was hiding 180 acres of land. When I became village head, I went to his house with evidence to collect taxes.

But he not only drove me away, he later falsely claimed he had paid me taxes for those 180 acres of land, accusing me of concealing the tax revenue.”

“How was he able to falsely accuse you?” Zhang Fei asked. “As far as I know, our dynasty requires issuance of a tax receipt after tax payment.”

“He did produce a tax receipt, but it wasn’t one I had given him,” Geng Ming replied. “Besides, how could I possibly have pocketed taxes for 180 acres of land by myself? It was simply impossible.”

“What happened next?” Zhang Fei inquired.

“Afterward, he colluded with two corrupt officials to extort me. They demanded I make up the taxes for those 180 acres, or else he would report me for corruption.”

“Did you pay?”

“Since the tax receipt was genuine, I was afraid of legal trouble, so I had no choice but to pay. But I never imagined that afterward, the government would register those 180 acres of tax burden under my name. My family only owned about 65 acres – how could we possibly afford taxes for 180 acres?”

“Did you not file a complaint?”

“I had planned to, but around that time, Wei Yushan’s daughter caught Prince Chang’s eye and became his concubine. After that, Wei became even more unrestrained in the village. I didn’t dare file a complaint. I knew Wei’s vindictive nature and feared retaliation. Unable to bear such a heavy tax burden, I pretended to divorce my wife and sent her and the children back to her family. I sold off my land and became a Taoist priest. For these past three years, I’ve been hiding in a temple.”

At these words, many officials exchanged strange looks.

The connection to Prince Chang could be useful.

The commoners at the entrance, however, all wore expressions that seemed to say “we knew it was like this,” though none dared speak up.

Zhang Fei asked, “If that’s the case, why are you reporting Wei Yushan now? As far as I know, his influence is even greater than before.”

Geng Ming replied, “These past two years, I’ve been secretly investigating Wei Yushan, gathering evidence of his tax evasion, waiting for the right moment.”

“What did you discover?” Zhang Fei asked.

“I found that in recent years, Wei Yushan has become even more aggressive, forcing villagers to flee, turning their lands into tax-free properties. The government then redistributed those tax burdens to nearby residents.”

“On what grounds could the government do this?” Zhang Fei asked.

“According to our dynasty’s laws, when people sell land, they must first offer it to relatives and neighbors. The government claimed these neighbors failed in their supervisory duties and redistributed the tax burden to nearby residents.”

Zhang Fei nodded and asked, “So why are you choosing to report Wei Yushan now? Aren’t you afraid of his retaliation?”

Geng Ming’s eyes suddenly reddened. “Because… because my wife and children are living as widows and orphans at her family’s home. They’re treated poorly, suffering abuse and bullying, often going hungry and cold. They can barely survive. I… I had no choice but to come forward and report Wei Yushan.”

By the end, he covered his face, choking with sobs.

The commoners outside were deeply moved, wiping away tears secretly.

Is this what happens when someone stands up for justice? Being forced to become a tax collector for the government under corvee laws was truly scary – if you didn’t treat commoners harshly, you yourself would be finished.

Wang Anshi was quite pleased seeing this scene, not because he was heartless, but because it provided ample evidence for his Labor Recruitment Law.

Of course, this was also Zhang Fei’s promise to him.

Seeing Geng Ming crying uncontrollably, Zhang Fei turned to Zhao Bian and said, “Your Honor must have seen the evidence of Wei Yushan’s tax evasion. It’s easily verifiable, including those 180 acres at Luoma Slope. To this day, only two years of taxes have been paid on that land, all by Geng Ming. This cannot be a coincidence.”

Zhao Bian nodded.

“I have no further questions,” Zhang Fei said and sat down.

Fan Chunren was slightly startled, his eyes filled with confusion. He stood up and asked, “Geng Ming, was Wang Hong the Kaifeng County Magistrate at that time?”

Geng Ming wiped his tears and shook his head.

“I have no more questions.”

Fan Chunren sat down.

Zhang Fei stood up again and said, “I request Your Honor to summon Wei Yushan to court.”

Zhao Bian first had someone take Wang Hong away to rest, then ordered Wei Yushan to be brought in.

After a while, a middle-aged man of about forty appeared in court. He had a square face, thick eyebrows and large eyes. From any angle, he was tall and imposing, with a dignified appearance – he didn’t look like a criminal at all! “This humble one Wei Yushan pays respects to Lord Zhao.”

Wei Yushan bowed with cupped hands.

Zhao Bian merely nodded.

You’ll be questioned standing!

There’s no seat here for you.

Wei Yushan glanced at the chair but dared not say anything, obediently standing in place.

Before questioning even began, the commoners at the entrance hurled abuse at Wei Yushan.

They normally wouldn’t dare curse him, but if not now, then when?

Many spectators were actually there just to vent such emotions.

Wei Yushan could only lower his head, trying to ignore it all.

Having served as Prefect of Kaifeng Prefecture before, Zhao Bian knew how to handle such situations. He waited until the commoners had mostly finished cursing, then struck his gavel: “Silence.”

After the entrance gradually quieted down, Zhang Fei stood up and said, “Wei Yushan, regarding Geng Ming’s case from three years ago…”

Wei Yushan nodded and said, “I did it.”

This statement caused an uproar.

You’re confessing rather readily.

Even Zhao Bian, Han Qi, and Fu Bi were surprised as they looked at Wei Yushan.

Though I wanted you to confess, I didn’t expect you to admit it so straightforwardly. Zhang Fei was taken aback and said with mixed amusement and anger, “Well then, tell us your version of events.”

Wei Yushan nodded and said, “Among the first and second-class households in White Horse Village back then, the Geng family and my Wei family were the most influential. When I was the Supervisor of Households, I never went to collect taxes from his family – other village heads did that. But once he became village head, he came to make trouble for me. I believed he was using his official position to suppress our Wei family.

So I bribed two clerks. The tax receipts were real ones I got from paying taxes, not fake ones. I just found a way to temporarily keep the grain out of storage. I used those receipts to intimidate him into helping me pay taxes.

As for him later becoming a Taoist priest, that had nothing to do with me. I didn’t go looking to cause him trouble.”

Su Shi turned to his younger brother and said, “This man is truly ruthless.”

Su Zhe nodded and said, “Not just ruthless, but cunning too. Everyone thought he had forged the tax receipts, which would be a serious crime. Who would have thought he actually paid taxes to get them? I doubt even Geng Ming expected this.”

Hearing this, Zhao Bian became furious: “When Geng Ming came to collect taxes from you with proper documentation, did he ever ask for even one extra coin?”

Wei Yushan shook his head and said, “No.”

Zhao Bian said, “This was legitimate tax collection, yet you saw it as him suppressing you? Why didn’t you just pay your taxes?”

Wei Yushan replied foolishly, “In response to Lord Zhao, everyone was finding ways to avoid paying taxes, even those third and fourth-class farmers. If I had paid, people would have laughed at me for being stupid.”

“…?”

Zhao Bian couldn’t help but laugh, though it was a bitter laugh, and he was at a loss for words.

Han Qi said, “This man is truly clever!”

Fu Bi frowned and said, “Perhaps someone clever was guiding him from behind.”

Wei Yushan appeared simple-minded, but his answer was quite brilliant – the law does not punish the masses.

However, no one expected that Zhang Fei was the one guiding him from behind.

Though Zhang Fei only told him what to do, not exactly what to say, proving that Wei Yushan was indeed as ruthless and cunning as the rumors suggested.

Zhang Fei asked, “So you admit to all your tax evasion?”

Wei Yushan nodded.

Zhang Fei continued, “Are you acquainted with Magistrate Wang of Kaifeng County?”

Wei Yushan nodded and said, “I have a very good relationship with Magistrate Wang.”

Zhang Fei said, “From what I know, shortly after Geng Ming reported you, you immediately filed a complaint against him. How did you learn about Geng Ming’s report?”

Wei Yushan replied, “Magistrate Wang sent someone to tell me.”

Zhang Fei asked, “Did he instruct you what to do?”

Wei Yushan shook his head firmly, “No, he just informed me. I decided to file the counter-complaint on my own.”

Zhang Fei asked, “So you never bribed Magistrate Wang?”

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Wei Yushan immediately said, “As everyone knows, Magistrate Wang is an upright official who never accepts bribes. I’ve never tried to bribe him with money or land – you can investigate this.”

At these words, all the officials held their heads high.

Though Wei Yushan was ruthless, he took responsibility for his actions without pushing blame onto others.

He was a real man.

Fan Chunren looked at Zhang Fei in confusion, wondering how he would convict Wang Hong at this rate.

Zhang Fei asked curiously, “If there were no financial dealings between you, how did you become acquainted?”

Wei Yushan said, “I’ve always admired Magistrate Wang’s way of handling matters – decisive and unwavering. When he needed funds for water works, road repairs, or disaster relief, I donated considerable amounts. That’s how we got to know each other through repeated interactions. You can verify this too. I evaded taxes because I didn’t want people to think I was stupid, not because I was stingy.”

What a smooth talker. Zhang Fei asked, “Did you donate voluntarily?”

Wei Yushan replied, “No, usually the government officials would come asking, and then we would donate.”

Zhang Fei asked, “How much have you donated these past two years?”

Wei Yushan thought for a moment and said, “I don’t remember exactly, but at least seven or eight hundred strings of cash.”

The other officials grew increasingly excited – this was much better than they had imagined.

However, conservatives like Wen Yanbo and Sima Guang became increasingly dejected.

Wang Anshi in particular kept sending challenging signals toward Sima Guang.

Sima Guang pretended not to notice and focused on the hearing.

Keeping wealth among the people was one thing, but having it concentrated in the hands of someone like this was indeed awkward.

Geng Ming was their ideal model, yet he ended up with his family ruined and scattered.

Zhang Fei asked, “Did Magistrate Wang know about your tax evasion?”

Wei Yushan shook his head firmly, “I don’t know, probably not.”

Zhang Fei asked, “Did Magistrate Wang ever send anyone to investigate you?”

“No, he didn’t.”

“I have no further questions.”

Zhang Fei sat down.

Fan Chunren was completely stunned. That’s it? Just like that?

How could he convict Wang Hong with this?