Chapter Fifty: Reach Out and I'll Sever It

“Forgive you? How dare you say such a thing!”
The old emperor slammed the table in fury, paying no heed to the blood trickling from Wu Jianhui’s forehead as he knelt. He rebuked harshly, “You claim to be my kin, and yet you have the audacity to say these words! You all know perfectly well what I despise most!
I may possess the entire empire, but there has never been anything in this world that belongs to me alone. I established my private treasury simply to have a few things that were exclusively mine.
That was my personal sanctuary! Yet even this, you would not allow; even here, you reached in with your hands! Will you not grant me a single space to myself?
Is it that unless I am utterly laid bare before you, you cannot be satisfied?!
Speak! How did you get into the private treasury? How many people have entered? What was taken? If you dare conceal even the slightest detail, I will have you sliced to pieces!”
When the emperor raged, blood would flow for a thousand miles.
With Wu Jianhui’s terror-stricken confession, a number of parasites both inside and outside the palace were unearthed and sent to accompany Wu Jianhui to the grave.
Yet…
Because the old emperor remembered that Wu Jianhui was of the Wu clan, he ultimately ordered only Wu Jianhui’s execution, sparing the rest of his family.
As for those not of the Wu clan, they bore the brunt of His Majesty’s wrath—their entire extended families were beheaded.
Heads rolled, and yet the common people covered their mouths, grinning until deep wrinkles etched their faces.

Before this, Di Ying had presided over the public hearing of Qian Fu’s case.
“Qian Fu, you purchased poisonous rouge, which led to your daughter Qian Xin’er’s disfigurement. You were the victim. If you wished for compensation, you should have reported to the Prefecture Court.
But you did not. You sought out the shopkeeper yourself, demanding an enormous sum. The shopkeeper thus became the victim, and you, by law, became the accused.
You believed that as a wealthy merchant, no one would accuse you of extortion. You were mistaken. Whether one has, or has not, is not always the deciding factor.
Do you understand these principles now?”
Qian Fu refused to accept this.
Three years in prison had wrung every drop of suffering from him. Once robust and hearty, he was now gaunt and aged, as if the slightest breeze might snap him in two.
Every day, he hoped to encounter an upright official—someone who would see the injustice of his case and restore his freedom.
Yet no matter how many times his case was reviewed, the verdict remained unchanged. Why, then, should he submit?
He had long since tired of hearing such reasoning.

He stiffened his neck and replied, “I sought compensation from the shopkeeper, but he refused and even had me beaten. Unwilling to accept this, I went back again and again.
It’s not that I didn’t want to file a complaint. But do you think I would have succeeded? Would the shopkeeper have compensated me?
That was an imperial merchant’s shop, selling luxury goods second only to those used by His Majesty himself. You know better than I do how powerful are the forces behind them.
Do you really think a merchant like me, the lowest of the low, would be heard? Merchants are despised; who would care about a powerless commoner like me?
But was my daughter’s face to be ruined for nothing? Her entire life was destroyed! With nowhere else to turn, I had no choice but to demand justice myself. What crime is that?
If there is fault, it lies in the fact that we commoners have nowhere to bring our grievances!”
His words left Di Ying briefly speechless.
With a sigh, Di Ying addressed Qian Fu again, “Darkness is never eternal. So long as you have been wronged, someone will eventually stand up for you. I have now thoroughly reviewed your case.
I say these things not to lecture you, but so you understand: you have been wronged, but you also erred.
It is not enough to focus only on your grievance and ignore your fault.
If you wish to seek justice, you must do so by the proper path. Otherwise, you give your opponent the very weapon to turn your strength into weakness.”
Seeing the thoughtful look on Qian Fu’s face, Di Ying struck the gavel and delivered the final verdict.
“Qian Fu: Because you sought excessive compensation for your daughter’s disfigurement, you technically committed extortion, warranting fifty strokes and five years’ imprisonment.
However, you acted from just cause. Your only daughter’s future depended on her appearance; your demand for compensation was reasonable.
The shopkeeper was arrogant, destroyed evidence, assaulted you, and accused you of extortion. As a result, you suffered three years in prison.
Today, I pronounce: Qian Fu is acquitted and released! For three years of wrongful imprisonment, the court will compensate you with ten thousand taels of silver.
Furthermore, the owner of the shop that sold the poisonous cosmetics is ordered to pay Qian Xin’er one hundred thousand taels of silver in compensation!
Moreover, many profited from this case, taking bribes, causing the loss of your fortune and prolonging your injustice.
I shall recover these losses for you, and compensate you accordingly. As for your wife, who absconded with your assets, a warrant is issued for her arrest, effective immediately!”
Qian Fu was stunned.
Outside the court, Qian Xin’er, veiled and hidden, was also dumbfounded.
The people in attendance were equally astonished.

A few moments later, applause and cheers burst through the sky!
Qian Fu bowed so deeply his forehead touched the floor.
Qian Xin’er crouched down, covering her face as she wept uncontrollably.
Di Ying stepped down from the dais, helped Qian Fu to his feet, and spoke earnestly: “You have always done good, yet disaster befell you. But you must believe, the storm will pass.
In your case, the common folk of your hometown also lent their strength. In the future, I hope you will not forget your roots—support your village, uphold its foundation, and give back to the nation.”
Qian Fu nodded vigorously, wiping away tears as he looked into Lord Di’s face, pledging his promise with utmost sincerity.
Di Ying gave him a gentle smile, took his wrist, and led him outside. He then had Qian Fu take Qian Xin’er by the hand, and thus, Di Ying brought them to the execution grounds at the main gate.
There, he allowed them—and all the people who had listened outside the court—to witness with their own eyes the fate of Wu Jianhui and his ilk.
It was a sight so satisfying, so exhilarating, to see evil meet its well-deserved end!
From that day forth, Lord Di Ying’s reputation spread widely among the people.
Many began to muster the courage to seek justice from Lord Di.
For a while, Di Ying was so busy he barely touched the ground, so he simply brought his younger brother, Di Hui, to the Court of Justice to help register and organize the cases.
Di Ying had grandparents, parents, an elder brother Di Lei, a younger brother Di Hui, and a little sister Di Miao, as well as nephews and nieces.
As rural folk, his family married early. Di Lei, three years his senior, had wed at sixteen and was now the father of one son and two daughters.
The whole Di family loved farming. After moving to the capital, the fine three-courtyard residence granted by the emperor was soon transformed into vegetable patches and orchards.
While studying, Di Ying would teach his elder and younger brothers to read and write.
The older brother was honest but slow, learning little; the third brother was clever, learned easily, but refused to sit for the imperial exams.
Now short-handed, Di Ying simply roped Di Hui in to help.
In the Qian Fu case, many officials, high and low, had accepted bribes from the old steward. Rather than pursue each one individually, Di Ying simply had the steward accompany him to recover the money—door by door.
Refuse to return it?