The news of Li Jingfu’s alleged collaboration with the Tartars threw all of Huizhou into chaos overnight.
Thus, early the next morning, many people gathered at the magistrate’s office, waiting to hear the trial.
At exactly eight in the morning, the yamen gates opened. Several groups of runners lined up on either side of the entrance.
The Li family contingent, accompanying Old Madam Li, appeared at the yamen gates. As soon as the doors opened, they entered with heads held high.
“Bring forth Feng Daniu and Li Jingfu,” the magistrate commanded, striking his gavel. The crowd outside immediately fell silent, and several runners went to fetch the prisoners. Shortly after, Feng Daniu and Li Jingfu were brought in.
The spectators outside couldn’t help but whisper among themselves upon seeing the two men. Feng Daniu’s face was ashen, while Li Jingfu appeared remarkably composed.
“Feng Daniu, Li Jingfu, confess at once about your collaboration with the Tartars in the merchant caravan massacre!” The magistrate struck his gavel again upon seeing the two men before him.
“Your Honor, this is a false accusation! I was the victim back then, fortunate to have my life saved by the Qin family who happened to pass by. I cannot bear this false charge of collaborating with Tartars to massacre the caravan. Please investigate thoroughly, Your Honor, and don’t fall for this malicious frame-up,” Li Jingfu kowtowed, his face earnest.
“Quibbling! Surveillance Commissioner Cai of Suzhou has already confirmed that Feng Daniu was indeed involved in the caravan massacre and collaboration with Tartars. A warrant was issued for his arrest, and he was found in your home. This clearly shows your prior association. Confess quickly, or you’ll face physical punishment!” The magistrate’s face darkened as he struck his gavel.
“I beg Your Honor to see clearly. I’m not quibbling. This Feng Daniu was a horse bandit in the northern territories—I’ve had no prior dealings with him. To be honest, I was also puzzled by his appearance at my home yesterday. The arrest warrant from the Suzhou Surveillance Office has been out for over a month, yet Feng Daniu suddenly appeared at my home yesterday, and within just half an hour, Your Honor’s men surrounded my house and caught him in the act. Doesn’t Your Honor find this too coincidental?” Li Jingfu spoke according to their previously agreed strategy.
Hearing Li Jingfu’s words, the magistrate furrowed his brow. Indeed, he hadn’t thought much of it before Li Jingfu pointed it out, but now it did seem suspiciously convenient.
At this moment, Clerk Wu from the side handed over several papers. The magistrate’s frown deepened as he read them.
He then addressed Feng Daniu: “Feng Daniu, these are the confessions you gave to Clerk Wu during last night’s questioning. You claimed that Luo Wenqian and Li Jingfu conspired together, then bribed you to pass information to the Tartars, ultimately leading to the caravan robbery and murders. Do you have any evidence for these allegations?”
Feng Daniu remained kneeling, his expression wooden. His eyes kept darting toward the curtained side door of the court.
He was extremely anxious. During last night’s questioning by Clerk Wu, he had spoken according to the plan. The plan required him to repeat these statements in court today, but now, remembering yesterday’s words from Li Jingfu and Luo Wenqian, he felt uncertain.
Meanwhile, Wang Decai and Third Master Qin, sitting behind the side curtain, were growing uneasy.
They hadn’t planned to appear in court today, having bribed Clerk Wu to sit behind the curtain just as a precaution.
Third Master Qin had already bribed a Tartar named Ji Han, and as long as Feng Daniu followed the plan, they would then call Ji Han to present the evidence.
This would cement the case against Luo Wenqian and Li Jingfu for collaborating with Tartars. However, Feng Daniu was now clearly hesitating, causing the two men great anxiety.
“Confess quickly, or face torture!” Seeing Feng Daniu’s continued silence, the magistrate struck his gavel hard while the runners shouted to maintain court order.
“Announcing Surveillance Commissioner Cai of Suzhou, Nanking Circuit!” At this moment, the court crier’s voice rang out.
“Wow, even the Surveillance Commissioner has arrived…” The crowd outside quickly made way, realizing how significant this case had become.
Upon hearing of Commissioner Cai’s arrival, the magistrate immediately rose to welcome him. He had a chair brought for Commissioner Cai, then reported: “Your Excellency’s timing is perfect. Yesterday, we apprehended the fugitive Feng Daniu, which led to the discovery of Li Jingfu’s involvement in the northern merchant caravan massacre case from Suzhou. I am currently investigating the details.”
“Indeed. I recently received intelligence that Feng Daniu had arrived in Huizhou, so I came to discuss his capture with you. I didn’t expect that upon reaching Huizhou today, I’d hear you had already apprehended him. Therefore, I came straight here. Since the key suspect has been caught in your jurisdiction and the case now involves residents, please proceed with the detailed investigation—I’ll observe from the side,” Commissioner Cai said with clasped hands.
“Very well, as you say.” The magistrate agreed, and both men took their seats as the trial continued.
“Confess now!” The magistrate barked at Feng Daniu again.
Feng Daniu’s face grew even paler. His eyes were fixed on the two men behind Commissioner Cai. He recognized both—one was Yao Qianshan, the commissioner’s most trusted clerk, and the other, partially hidden behind Yao Qianshan and Commissioner Cai, though his face wasn’t visible, had a figure and profile that Feng Daniu knew all too well—Zhao Zhen.
Truthfully, even though Luo Wenqian and Li Jingfu had explained everything yesterday at the Li residence, he had remained skeptical, worried they might be trying to trick him.
But now, seeing Zhao Zhen standing behind Commissioner Cai, he understood that the tide had truly turned, and Wang Decai and Third Master Qin’s carefully laid plans would come to nothing.
With this realization, he glanced once more at the side curtain, then gritted his teeth and said: “Your Honor, this is a long story, and I don’t have the evidence in my possession. Please summon Third Master Qin of the Qin family, Lady Chunzhi of the Tian household, and Manager Wang Decai.”
“Very well. Summon Third Master Qin, Lady Chunzhi, and Manager Wang Decai,” the magistrate ordered upon hearing Feng Daniu’s words, and the runners departed to carry out the command.
At this moment, Wang Decai and Third Master Qin, hiding behind the side curtain, were shocked. This wasn’t according to their plan! They had agreed that Ji Han would present the evidence while they remained uninvolved, but now Feng Daniu had directly implicated them, even dragging in Concubine Chun.
Had Feng Daniu made a mistake due to nervousness?
But they had no time to ponder this, as the runners had already gone to summon them. They quickly exited through another small door to meet the runners.
“Also, since this matter involves Luo Jiu from Yihou Sheng, summon him as well,” Commissioner Cai added.
“Yes, that’s appropriate,” the magistrate agreed and sent someone to summon Luo Jiu.
Soon after, Wang Decai and Third Master Qin arrived, followed shortly by Concubine Chun.
Concubine Chun’s face showed displeasure when she arrived at court. Wang Decai had been handling this matter, and she hadn’t been involved. Now, to be summoned to court as a woman—what was this about? Despite her unhappiness, she couldn’t express it in court and could only stand aside, waiting for the magistrate’s questioning.
She was also nervous, after all, having schemed for the Tian family’s property, she had a guilty conscience.
“Third Master Qin, Manager Wang, Concubine Chun, according to Feng Daniu’s confession, you have evidence of Li Jingfu and Luo Wenqian’s collaboration with Tartars. Is this true?” the magistrate asked.
“Your Honor, I know nothing of these matters,” Chunzhi quickly denied.
Third Master Qin said, “I am from the Qin family in the northern territories. By chance, I met a Tartar named Ji Han who told me about Li Jingfu and Luo Wenqian’s collaboration with Tartars. Would Your Honor please summon Ji Han? He’s waiting outside.”
“Very well, bring in Ji Han,” the magistrate waved, and two runners went to fetch him.
Ji Han entered the court and produced a letter—the one Feng Daniu had supposedly used to pass information to the Tartars, which implicated Luo Wenqian and Li Jingfu.
The letter was a mix of truth and lies. While Feng Daniu’s communication with the Tartars was genuine, the content about Luo Wenqian and Li Jingfu had been added by Third Master Qin’s people. Thus, the letter was eighty percent truth and twenty percent fabrication, making the false parts seem true. Combined with Ji Han’s testimony, this evidence would have been enough to solidly establish Luo Wenqian and Li Jingfu’s guilt.
The spectators outside, seeing this development, burst into commotion. Could the Li family have collaborated with Tartars? After all, with a Tartar witness, Feng Daniu’s involvement, and the letter, the allegations seemed increasingly credible.
“Li Jingfu, what do you have to say now?” the magistrate asked coldly.
“Your Honor, these are all lies,” Li Jingfu said, kowtowing. On the side, Zhenniang listened, her fists clenched tight.
“Oh? Then what evidence do you have to prove they’re lying?” the magistrate asked sternly.
“Your Honor, please question Feng Daniu again. After all, he wrote the letter to the Tartars—he knows best,” Li Jingfu said, turning to Feng Daniu, who had been ignored for quite a while.
“Very well. Feng Daniu, what do you have to say?” the magistrate asked again.
“Your Honor, I did write that letter to the Tartars, but the content about Li Jingfu and Luo Jiu was added afterward,” Feng Daniu said decisively. The moment he had seen Zhao Zhen, he had made his choice.
His words caused Third Master Qin and Wang Decai to break out in cold sweat, while the spectators looked on in surprise. What was going on?
“What do you mean? Explain clearly,” the magistrate glared at Feng Daniu.
At this point, Feng Daniu had nothing left to hide. He explained everything: how Wang Decai had written to warn him that he was being watched, his subsequent arrival in Huizhou, and how Wang Decai, Third Master Qin, and others had used him as bait to set a trap for Li Jingfu and Luo Jiu.
If Feng Daniu’s earlier words had surprised people, these revelations threw the court into complete chaos.
“Nonsense! This is a frame-up by Li Jingfu and Luo Wenqian. Please investigate thoroughly, Your Honor!” Third Master Qin said fiercely.