Following Song Zhe, Li Xian and his mother were in a good mood.
Ever since being humiliated at Li Yao’s house last time, Lu Shi hadn’t been able to sleep well after returning home, racking her brain for a long time before finally coming up with a clever plan.
She would say that Wang Er had stolen the jade hairpin she had brought from her maiden family, and demand that Li Yao return it. If she didn’t, Lu Shi would ask for money as compensation.
She had already decided that 50 taels of silver would be about right.
To be more convincing, she had also found two witnesses, promising them one tael of silver each for their trouble after the deed was done. She had also called up all the young and middle-aged men of the Li clan in Li Jia village.
Originally, given Li Yao’s temperament, Lu Shi thought it would take some trouble today. She didn’t expect to run into the county magistrate’s son near He Wan village, who seemed to be on good terms with Li Xian.
With the county magistrate’s son backing them up, Lu Shi felt her clever plan couldn’t possibly fail!
Today she would get at least those 50 taels of silver...no, now it would be at least 100 taels for sure!
Just as she was happily thinking this, a group of people led by Song Zhe arrived swaggeringly at Li Yao's front door.
Seeing her mother-in-law arrive so aggressively with a crowd, the Li brothers sensed trouble. The old lady must be here to stir up trouble again!
Song Zhe strode in arrogantly, not bothered by the worn benches and tables in the yard, and sat right at the head of the table. He slammed the table loudly and shouted, "Bring the criminal Wang Er here!"
Wang Er, who had been studying in the bamboo shed, came out when he heard this.
"Still daring to stand? Kneel down!"
Wang Er was confused, but since the other was the county magistrate's son and Zhang County Captain was also present, he obediently knelt down.
"Let me ask you, did you steal your grandmother's jade hairpin?"
"What jade hairpin?"
"And you still want to equivocate when there are witnesses here?" Song Zhe said coldly.
Although Wang Er was timid by nature, there was no way he would admit to such a trumped up charge.
"I don't know anything about a jade hairpin."
Seeing his lack of cooperation, Song Zhe slammed the table heavily again. "Come, give me twenty lashes!"
Zhang County Captain's face was turning dark.
Although Song Zhe was the county magistrate's son, it was understandable for him to uphold justice for the common people. But to resort to corporal punishment without investigating the rights and wrongs of the matter... this was going too far.
"Young master, you can't do that."
"What do you mean I can't?" Song Zhe was baffled that Zhang County Captain would dare disobey him. "Zhang County Captain, if you won't do it, then let Liu Kun administer the lashes!"
"That won't do either."
"You...you all dare to disobey me?" Song Zhe said furiously, his face flushed. "Fine! I'll do it myself! Today I'm going to beat a confession out of him no matter what!"
Seeing this, Zhang County Captain felt his head would split open.
Although Song Zhe was the county magistrate's son, his father still had to come resolve this matter. He hurriedly said to Li Dazhuang, "Go quickly and ask your father to return!"
Li Xiaoya nodded heavily and rushed up the hill to find Li Yao.
Zhang County Captain pretended to look for a wooden rod, while the crowd from the Li family had already been noticed by other villagers. Soon a crowd of onlookers surrounded the Li house.
But upon seeing the county magistrate's son present, no one dared speak up, only whispering quietly about what was happening.
After searching for a while, Zhang County Captain couldn't find a suitable rod. Song Zhe was impatient from the wait and randomly pointed at a bamboo pole.
"Use this to beat him."
"This won't do..."
"If you can't do it, I can!"
In his impatience to "dispense justice," Song Zhe picked up the bamboo pole and went before Wang Er, shouting harshly, "Wang Er, I'm giving you one last chance. If you confess honestly, you can avoid the pain and suffering!"
Facing Song Zhe's threats, Wang Er was completely unintimidated. He lifted his head and replied firmly, "I don't know anything about a jade hairpin."
"I'll make you talk!"
As Song Zhe was about to strike, he heard County Magistrate Song bellow, "Wretched boy! Stop what you're doing!"
Hearing it was the old man, Song Zhe quickly said, "Father, this man stole a jade hairpin and refuses to admit it honestly, so I was..."
"Shut your mouth!"
County Magistrate Song was so angry that his lips were trembling.
This wretched boy had no idea the amount of trouble he had caused!
"Kneel down!"
Song Zhe was taken aback. "Why do you want me to kneel? I'm not the criminal..."
"I said kneel down!"
"I won't kneel!"
"You..." County Magistrate Song was so angry he almost ground his teeth into powder. He turned to Zhang County Captain and said, "Zhang County Captain, make him kneel!"
"Yes sir!"
With Zhang County Captain's shove, Song Zhe was immediately forced to the ground.
Faced with this sudden reversal, the villagers and Li family members were stunned. What was going on with the county magistrate? How could he force his own son down?
"On what grounds are you making me kneel?" Song Zhe still refused to back down. "I didn't do anything wrong!"
County Magistrate Song calmed himself and sat down at the table. "You want to know what you did wrong? I'll tell you now. As a commoner, you privately held court and abused corporal punishment, which are major crimes! You shall be punished with exile!"
Exile...?
Song Zhe was suddenly frightened.
He had merely been upholding justice for others, so how could he be exiled for it?
The county magistrate's wife was also anxious. She knew her husband had a stubborn temperament, and would surely follow through on his words.
But Song Zhe was their child! If he really was exiled...
"Old master, Zhe'er is still young and ignorant..." the county magistrate's wife pleaded.
"He's already thirteen and still ignorant? How old does he need to be before he wises up?" County Magistrate Song said. "Although I am reluctant, the law is the law and cannot be bent for personal reasons! I have declared exile as the punishment, so he must be exiled!"
The county magistrate's wife was on the verge of tears. They only had this one son!
"Sister Li Yao, please persuade him for me."
Li Yao also hadn't expected County Magistrate Song to be so uncompromising.
To be honest, this whole matter could be dealt with leniently or harshly. As long as she as the aggrieved party's mother didn't push the issue, no one else could say anything.
But she wanted to see just how sincere the county magistrate was about his reputation for being strict and impartial, or if he was deliberately putting on a show before the villagers.
So she replied, "Madam, this is the master's official business. We shouldn't interfere."
The county magistrate's wife didn't get to finish her sentence before she fainted from anxiety. Li Yao quickly had Li Xiaoya take her inside the house.
Seeing how things had suddenly taken such a turn, Li Xian strode forward from the yard.
He felt this was an even better opportunity than asking Sister for 100 taels of silver!
"County Magistrate, this all started because of me," said Li Xian. "If someone needs to be punished, please punish me instead."
"Who are you?"
"I'm the victim who accused Wang Er of stealing the jade hairpin," Li Xian explained. "Wang Er stole first, which led to Young Master upholding justice for me. So if you want to deal with the young master, please settle the theft case against Wang Er first."
"Alright. Since this is the case, I shall try this case on the spot," County Magistrate Song sat at the table with an imposing demeanor. "Zhang County Captain, begin the proceedings!"
"Begin—proceedings—!"
While Song Zhe had been messing around earlier, this was now a formal county magistrate presiding over a case. The villagers watching knelt down in awe of his authority.