Judge of the Song Dynasty

Hanging?

Wen Yanbo, who had just been deep in thought, was so startled that he stood up directly.

He had not expected Zhang Fei to be so ruthless.

Exclamations of shock also rang out both inside and outside the courtyard, as everyone stared wide-eyed at Zhang Fei.

It seemed they too found this unbelievable.

The lengthy closing argument had set everyone present to thinking. After all, those in attendance were either scholar-officials or learned men who possessed the wisdom to distinguish right from wrong, and they too felt that Zhang Fei’s words held some merit.

But that final submission advocating for a sentence of death by hanging truly frightened quite a few into breaking out in cold sweat.

Fu Bi, who sat beside Wen Yanbo, did not stand up. Instead, he tugged at Wen Yanbo’s sleeve.

Wen Yanbo turned to look at Fu Bi.

“Brother Yanbo, do not panic!” Fu Bi smiled slightly and said, “This lawsuit is nothing more than a performance staged by that Wang Anshi—not to accuse others, but to clear himself of wrongdoing. Can you not see this?”

Wen Yanbo said, “I had thought of this before, but if that is the case, why would Zhang San seek to put Song Minqiu to death?”

“Only thus can it appear authentic!”

Fu Bi chuckled twice.

Seeing Fu Bi so relaxed, Wen Yanbo found some comfort and sat back down.

Fu Bi suddenly glanced at Wang Anshi sitting across from them and chuckled again, “Though it is a performance, for Wang Anshi it was still extremely perilous. I believe that after this, he will not dare to act so recklessly again.”

Wen Yanbo still carried some tension, “That may be so, but it still depends on Chunren’s performance. That Chancellor Zhao presiding in this court is not a judge who shows personal favor.”

Not only he, but many others present clenched their fists and watched Fan Chunren nervously, clearly knowing that Zhang Fei’s closing argument had indeed been quite reasonable.

If Fan Chunren could not forcefully refute it, then Song Minqiu and Li Dalin would be in danger.

But Fan Chunren was no longer the fledgling he had once been in court, who would become extremely nervous and at a loss when falling into disadvantage. He stood up with a relaxed expression, first glancing at Zhang Fei and shaking his head with a smile, as if showing a trace of disdain.

Then he declared in a clear voice, “A pen-in-cap, under the gaze of hundreds, interrogates two State Counsellors of the current dynasty, with content that includes court deliberations, legal reforms, and future new policies.

Every word he just spoke in this hall was even more one-sided, mystifying, and exaggerated than those remarks in Song Minqiu’s pamphlet.

But just as Zhang San said in his first defense of Ayun at the Court of Penal Review, such a situation could only occur in our Great Song. Had this been during the Han or Tang dynasties, this pen-in-cap would likely already have lost his head.

Just as with every lawsuit Zhang San has fought before—when defending Cao Dongdong, he openly speculated about military and political affairs; when defending the Shi family, he openly speculated about ancestral laws; and when defending Geng Ming, he openly speculated about taxation abuses.

Especially when defending Geng Ming, the turmoil he caused was far greater than Song Minqiu’s pamphlet. Yet no one said to prohibit litigation throughout the realm.”

Zhang Fei said glumly, “Is he here to try a case, or to promote me?”

Xu Zhiqian said, “Know yourself and know your enemy, and you can fight a hundred battles without defeat.”

Zhang Fei muttered, “I would rather study you than study him.”

Looking around, Fan Chunren asked and answered himself, “The court understands that if the people are forbidden from litigation, they can only suppress all their grievances in their hearts, and once they can bear no more, they will rise in rebellion.

But when the people litigate, is it not also for their own interests? Are they not also selfish? How is what Song Minqiu did any different?

Zhang San, relying on the benevolence and tolerance of our dynasty’s sage ruler, stands here spouting nonsense, yet also slanders the very benevolence and tolerance of our dynasty— he is truly digging his own grave, utterly laughable. Nevertheless, I would still welcome meeting him again in court next time, for this is the very foundation upon which our Great Song was established.

As for Academician Wang’s concerns about movable type printing.”

Fan Chunren chuckled heartily, “In my view, that is even more absurd. Everyone knows the dangers of water and fire, yet they continue to live alongside them, channeling water for irrigation and making fire for cooking. No one has ever proposed filling rivers and extinguishing all fires to prevent the disasters of water and fire.

Only mediocre talents would flatten a mountain that is in the way. True worthy ministers use appropriate policies to employ new technologies in governance for the benefit of the state, rather than speaking of them with alarm, fearing them like tigers, and abandoning their use.

When paper first appeared, no one spoke this way. When brush and ink first emerged, no one spoke this way either. Throughout history, in every land, only Academician Wang has ever worried in such a manner.

However, his concerns have triggered an even greater upheaval, which contradicts what he claims to worry about—truly self-contradictory and puzzling!”

Sima Guang stroked his beard and said, “Well reasoned.”

Wang Anshi’s eyes widened: “Bah! What reasoning? He’s merely exaggerating the facts.”

Sima Guang countered, “Are you not doing the same?”

Wang Anshi snorted, “How can a sparrow understand the ambitions of a swan?”

Fan Chunren suddenly looked toward Zhao Bian, “What Song Minqiu and Li Dalin did was simply to record on paper Su Shi’s public remarks made before a large audience, then share them with others. If Su Shi committed no crime, then Song Minqiu and Li Dalin are completely innocent of bewitching the masses.

If they should be sentenced to death merely for causing unrest, then Wang Anshi should also be sentenced to death, Sima Guang should be sentenced to death, Zhang San should be sentenced to death, and I, Fan Chunren, should be sentenced to death.

Because the unrest that our courtroom statements could cause would certainly exceed that of a simple pamphlet.”

“Excellent!”

“Well said!”

“Truly well said!”

The scholars outside the gate seemed greatly moved, excitedly raising their arms and cheering.

Zhao Bian did not stop the scholars’ cheering but sat there with furrowed brows, deep in thought. Only after the courtyard and surroundings had quieted down did he seem to come to his senses. He looked around, pondered for a long while, then suddenly declared in a clear voice: “Actually, I also participated in that meeting to restrict publications and agreed with Academician Wang’s concerns at the time. Moreover, as Academician Wang serves as State Counsellor, this was within his responsibilities.

But he clearly underestimated the significance of newspapers and failed to make more thorough considerations, leading to even greater unrest. This also violates our dynasty’s ancestral laws: ‘comprehensive order as precaution against malfeasance.’ Therefore, this official declares Song Minqiu and Li Dalin not guilty.”

Su Shi couldn’t help but sigh inwardly, “Even when rendering the verdict, he won’t mention my name. He truly shows no respect for me as a defendant.”

Having said this, he angrily rose and left.