Chapter 483: Clearing Up Litigation (Part 1)
Ouch~
Zhang Cheng tightened the reins and waited for the horse pulling the cart to slowly stop by the roadside . Then he turned around and said respectfully, "Second Master, we have arrived at the government office."
Then Sun Shaozong asked in a daze in the carriage: "Which government office are we at?"
"Shuntianfu Yamen!"
Zhang Cheng was somewhat speechless, and hurriedly asked, "Didn't you say that you were going to deal with the outstanding lawsuits today?"
Sun Shaozong responded vaguely from inside, and after a long while he poked his head out sleepily, yawning and slowly getting off the carriage.
Yesterday he had only intended to spend some time with Ruan Rong to reconnect with her, but due to coincidences, he had to play two extra games with You Erjie and Xiu Ju. Even a man as vigorous and energetic as him could not avoid entering the sage time.
After making up for it in the gatehouse, he walked to the main hall of the Criminal Law Division, rubbing his face with a wet towel. Only then did he feel better.
Alas~
Having too many women is indeed a big hassle!
As for Xiuju, it was fine. But ever since Jia Yingchun became pregnant, she had been a vegetarian for several months and really needed some comfort.
But the matter with You Erjie was caused by Sun Shaozong's carelessness at the moment - he originally just wanted to give her some pocket money in private so that she could help You Sanjie buy some dowry to avoid the wedding being too shabby.
Who would have thought that when You Erjie saw the yellow and white things, she couldn't help but become lustful. She wrapped her delicate body around him and displayed all kinds of seductive gestures. Not to mention Sun Shaozong, who was made of flesh and blood, even a clay or wooden statue would probably not be able to control himself.
I had no choice but to use those ingots of silver to get some dew and some money...
Just as I was thinking about random things, Sun Chengye came into the inner room with a pile of case files, and spread them out on the desk from east to west according to their urgency.
Sun Shaozong cheered up and carefully read the case files on the table twice. He first eliminated those with insufficient evidence or doubtful cases, and threw them back to Sun Chengye, saying, "Let Qiu Yunfei and Zhao Wuwei investigate these cases carefully. Since you want to get promoted, why are you so careless in your work?"
According to common sense, even if Wei Ruolan lost her official position, it would not be the turn of a low-ranking inspector to take her place. But who can blame Qiu Yunfei for not being an ordinary inspector?
This fellow also holds the honorary title of fifth-rank Yunqiwei, and as Sun Shaozong and Wei Ruolan both switched from military to civil service positions and became the criminal judge of Shuntian Prefecture, his promotion this time can be considered to have a traceable cause.
Of course, the most important thing is that this guy has a father who is a general to support him.
Once Qiu Yunfei is successfully promoted to Tongpan, the position of Jianxiu he left behind will, as expected, be given to Zhao Wuwei. Therefore, now is the time for both of them to work hard.
When Sun Chengye was busy sorting out the pending cases and preparing to hand them over to Qiu and Zhao later, Sun Shaozong had already found a few cases and pushed them in front of him, saying, "Let's try these cases first today. Send someone to call all the victims and defendants to the government office. Whichever case has the relevant people arrive first will be tried first."
Sun Chengye nodded quickly and went outside to arrange the two things one by one.
About half an hour later, he heard the sound of "dong dong dong" drums outside. Sun Shaozong immediately changed into his official robe and hat, walked out of the Criminal Law Department leisurely, and went straight to the lobby in the front yard.
In the hall, three groups of yamen runners had already lined up on both sides. The juror, Sun Chengye, had also been waiting in the back hall for a long time. As soon as Sun Shaozong arrived, he lifted the curtain and went outside, shouting familiarly, "Master, please come to court!"
"mighty!"
After stepping on the majesty of the court and coming to the case, Sun Shaozong lifted the hem of his official robe, sat down solemnly on the chair, picked up the gavel and slammed it on the table lightly: "Bring the plaintiff and the defendant to the court."
As he spoke, he picked up the complaint on the table and glanced at it. It turned out that this first lawsuit was a case in which the owner of Ruyi Spice Shop in Xinglongfang sued the shop assistant Lu San for assault and injury.
The owner of this spice shop is truly a maverick. His full name is Bu Shiren, and I wonder how gave him the name.
Soon, the plaintiff and the defendant both knelt down in the hall. Bu Shiren had a pointed face and a monkey-like hairstyle, with a scarf on his head like an Indian. There was a dot of cinnabar on the middle of his forehead, which did not look like it came from inside, but rather was painted on later.
As for the defendant Lu San, he seemed to be an honest and decent man.
After a quick glance, Sun Shaozong asked in an official tone, "Bu Shiren, you are suing Lu San for assault and injury, do you have any evidence?"
"Reply to the words of the great master Qingtian."
Bu Shiren knelt on the ground, raised his head and laughed, "Lu San smashed my head with a vase in broad daylight. The other guys in my shop can testify to this!"
Hearing this, Lu San's honest face suddenly became furious. He knocked his head heavily on the ground and said loudly, "Master, I didn't commit the crime intentionally. It was Bu Shiren who went too far. Not only did he owe me half a year's wages, but he also insulted my parents. That's why I attacked him out of anger!"
This person is simple and honest, but he is quite articulate.
But it's normal if you think about it. After all, you are the one responsible for greeting customers in the shop. How can you do that if you can't speak well?
"Bah!"
Bu Shiren spat fiercely and said angrily, "You are always sneaky and cunning. I don't know how many of my businesses have been ruined. I will not punish you out of kindness. How dare you ask for your wages!"
"Besides, it was you who made a mistake that day, and when I punished you, you got angry and committed the crime. What does this have to do with wages?"
"You...you are slandering me!"
"Who is slandering me?"
Lu San was so angry that his whole body was shaking, but Bu Shiren bowed and said, "My Lord, the other guys in the store can all testify for me!"
Sun Shaozong raised the corner of his mouth slightly and said coldly: "Since he has always been a sneaky and cunning person, you don't need to ask your friends, I'm sure the neighbors should have heard about it."
Bu Shiren's expression suddenly froze. Most of the guys in his shop were timid and cowardly, and they depended on his wages for their livelihood, so naturally what he said was what it was - but how could his neighbors be willing to help him cover up his lie?
He panicked and immediately used his trump card.
"master."
Bu Shiren stretched his neck and said stealthily, "My nephew is Jia Yun, the godson of Rongguo Mansion's Baoyu. You have also met him."
It turns out that this guy is Jia Yun's uncle.
Sun Shaozong nodded calmly and asked, "Then according to you, should Lu San be given a heavy punishment?"
"As it should be, as it should be!"
When Bu Shiren heard this, he thought that he had some connections, and he nodded like a chicken pecking at rice, saying in an angry voice: "If we give this guy a light sentence, won't those unruly people follow suit and bully the boss in every way possible?"
What a bullying!
Sun Shaozong slammed the gavel and said in a deep voice: "Criminal Lu San, you assaulted and injured our boss Bu Shiren in public. Now that the facts are out, do you have anything else to tell?"
"Master, great master!"
When Lu San heard that something was not right, he immediately became anxious, straightened his back and roared, "I have never been sneaky or cunning. It was only because I was related to Bu Shiren that I mistakenly trusted him and never rushed to ask for my wages..."
Pah~
The gavel slammed again, and Sun Shaozong scolded, "Don't mention these. I only want to ask about the beating of Bu Shiren. It was you who did it!"
"this……"
Lu San gritted his teeth and said angrily, "I did it, but..."
Pah~
The gavel slammed on the table for the third time, and Sun Shaozong said loudly: "Lu San beat up the boss in broad daylight and confessed to it. The evidence is solid. According to the law, I sentence him to two years of hard labor. Every day, he will be responsible for sweeping and scattering night incense in Xinglongfang."
"master……"
"The master's judgment is fair, the judgment is fair!"
Lu San was full of resentment and was about to protest loudly, but Bu Shiren had already kowtowed with joy and said, "No wonder everyone says you are a great judge!"
Sun Shaozong grinned and asked, "Are you satisfied with this judgment?"
"Satisfied. I am very satisfied!"
"As long as you are satisfied."
Sun Shaozong said, and slammed the gavel again, and continued: "Lu San, your case of committing murder in public is over, but it is only natural to pay back debts. After you finish pouring out the night incense every morning, you may go to the spice shop to ask for your wages. Remember to be reasonable and restrained, and don't be violent again."
Upon hearing this, the smile on Bu Shiren's face suddenly froze.
He runs a spice shop. If there is a night-sweeper blocking his door all day long to collect debts, how can he continue his business? !
"Master, I'm afraid this is..."
"The master's judgment is fair, the judgment is fair!"
This time it was Lu Sanxi's turn to kowtow with a smile on his face, and he imitated Bu Shiren's words just now and said: "No wonder everyone says you are the great judge!"
"alright."
Sun Shaozong said calmly: "Since both of you have no objection, then this case..."
"Master, Master!"
How could Bu Shiren be willing to let things go like this?
He was so anxious that he threw his head to the ground and said, "I really can't do this. I run a spice shop, how can I afford it..."
Pah~
Another gavel rang, interrupting Bu Shiren's sobbing. Then Sun Shaozong said in a deep voice, "You troublemaker, when I asked you just now, you said you were very satisfied. But now you say 'it's impossible'. Are you deliberately teasing me?"
As he spoke, he shouted, "Come here, take this troublemaker out!"
Four yamen runners immediately appeared on the left and right, and used water and fire sticks to make a makeshift "stretcher", preparing to carry Bu Shiren outside.
Bu Shiren became increasingly flustered. Thinking of the dilemma he would face in the future, he finally shouted out in a whim, "Master, please have mercy on me. I will give him the wages!"
As soon as he said this, he felt a pain in his ribs. He couldn't help but turn his head and spit at Lu San, saying angrily: "I'll take this money and exchange it for two nights of incense from you. It's worth it!"
Lu San glared at him and was about to retort, but he heard Sun Shaozong say, "You just said that this case has nothing to do with asking for wages. Now that you are willing to give him wages, I think you are forgiving Lu San. Well, I will give him a lighter sentence and allow him to use 30% of his salary as a fine."
Bu Shiren was dumbfounded again. How could he have the intention of forgiving Lu San?
Isn't this just lying with open eyes? !
He said anxiously: "Master, please don't misunderstand me. I have not forgiven Lu San..."
"how?"
Sun Shaozong frowned: "Are you not going to pay back the wages? Why are you so fickle!"
At this point, Sun Shaozong raised his voice again: "Lu San, if that's the case, then you should temporarily serve as a laborer until you get 'forgiveness' from your boss, and then you can pay the fine."
“This, this, this…”
"The master's judgment is fair, the judgment is fair!"
Lu San parroted again: "No wonder everyone says you are the great judge!"
Bu Shiren was so angry that his teeth broke, but he could only say with a sad face: "I am willing... willing to 'forgive' him, and I will pay him back when I go back!"
