When Master Xiao arrived, Madam Kou was wailing on the ground, her body limp. The Kou clansmen stood around in twos and threes. Seven or eight women were either comforting Madam Kou, pointing at Zhan Feiyu and cursing her, or crying out their grievances to the onlookers.
"You still say you didn't kill him? Our Yuanxing was destined to become a Zhuangyuan! Everyone in Huaixian County said Yuanxing was the reincarnation of the God of Literature!" The eldest aunt of the Kou family, a sturdy woman with a loud voice.
"Eldest sister is right! She was afraid Yuanxing would retaliate after becoming a Zhuangyuan, so she struck first and killed Yuanxing!" Another woman, wiping away tears, glared fiercely at Zhan Feiyu. "What a vicious heart you have!"
"My son died so tragically!" Madam Kou wailed again, slapping her thighs. "Just for saying a few wrong words, you took my son's life! How can there be such cruel people in this world!"
A bystander asked in a low voice, "Is Kou Yuanxing really dead?"
"My seventh uncle's youngest son's cousin works at the yamen. I heard he treated the imperial examinations as a game, which is why he was thrown into prison." A knowledgeable bystander glanced around before revealing a bit of inside information.
Other examinees who had heard Kou Yuanxing's words that day also spread the news, but it was only circulated among scholars; ordinary people didn't know much.
"Then what happened? Even if he was beaten a few times, it wouldn't be a capital offense!" Looking at the grief-stricken Madam Kou, bystander C's words clearly carried dissatisfaction. Was human life so cheap?
Seeing everyone gathering around, bystander B no longer concealed anything and continued, "I heard that Prefect Zhang wanted to severely punish Kou Yuanxing, apparently forbidding him from participating in the imperial examinations in the future. Think about it, he was just a boy of ten or so, with only a widowed mother left. He studied diligently all these years just to achieve something one day. Now that he's forbidden to take the exams, he couldn't bear it and smashed his head against the wall, killing himself."
Bystander D shook his head and couldn't help but sigh, "His death is a release for him, but it's a pity for his mother to send off a black-haired son with white hair."
According to the accusations of Madam Kou and the Kou clansmen, Kou Yuanxing was openly forced to death by Prefect Zhang, but the real reason was still Zhan Feiyu. She was jealous of Kou Yuanxing's talent and feared retaliation if he succeeded in his studies, so she decided to go all the way, colluding with Prefect Zhang to force Kou Yuanxing to death.
"Enough!" Master Xiao pushed through the crowd, looking at the Kou clansmen with disappointment. It was they who had forcibly seized property, forcing Yuanxing to study desperately, all to avoid being bullied by them.
And now, before Yuanxing's bones were even cold, these people were shouting and killing in his name. Even Master Xiao, who taught and nurtured, knew there was something fishy going on. The Kou clansmen had likely been bribed and were being manipulated.
Ignoring the Kou clansmen with their hateful faces, Master Xiao looked at Madam Kou, who was crying on the ground, and said in a low voice, "Madam Kou, the government will investigate Yuanxing's death. If you continue to make such a scene, you will not let Yuanxing rest in peace in the netherworld."
Didn't Kou Yuanxing study desperately despite his poor health precisely because of Madam Kou's repeated strict demands?
Master Xiao had also tried to persuade her, but Madam Kou was stubborn. She believed that only when Kou Yuanxing became an official could they hold their heads high and no longer be bullied as a widowed mother and son.
"Master Xiao, you are Yuanxing's teacher, but listening to you, you are clearly siding with the murderer!" The eldest aunt of the Kou family stepped forward, her scrutinizing gaze filled with suspicion. She curled her lips and said, "Master Xiao, you wouldn't have taken money from Zhan Feiyu, would you?"
A young man from the Kou family quickly spoke up, "I asked the neighbors. She went to see Master Xiao yesterday and stayed for half a day."
Well, this was like dropping a drop of water into a pot of boiling oil, and the Kou clansmen erupted.
The eldest uncle of the Kou family roughly pushed Master Xiao away and cursed, "Bah! You shameless, pedantic scholar! You took ill-gotten gains and still dare to play the good guy! Aren't you afraid my nephew Yuanxing will crawl out of his coffin at midnight to find you!"
"Just talk, try pushing me again!" Chongguang supported Master Xiao, who staggered from the push, and turned to Zhan Feiyu. "Little Yu, assaulting a scholar in the street, what is the penalty according to the law?"
Because of the imperial examinations, Zhan Feiyu had studied the laws of Daqing thoroughly. She glanced at the terrified eldest uncle of the Kou family and said, "According to the law, thirty strokes of the cane!"
As soon as Madam Kou heard that her husband was going to be beaten, she rushed forward in a rage, spitting and cursing, "You little slut whose conscience has been eaten by dogs! Not only did you harm Kou Yuanxing, but you want to harm my husband! Bah, watch me tear your mouth apart!"
Zhan Feiyu, with her cheeks puffed out, stared at the hysterical Madam Kou with her clear, cold eyes, not moving an inch.
"You..." Madam Kou, who had rushed forward, flailed her arms but dared not strike Zhan Feiyu's face.
If it were in the past, she would have thrown a tantrum without regard, but after Kou Yuanxing started studying, the Kou clansmen had caused trouble a few times, and they were severely reprimanded by the village chief and elders.
Only then did Madam Kou and the others realize the preciousness of a scholar's status. If Kou Yuanxing obtained a title, he wouldn't even need to kneel before the county magistrate.
The Kou family was still unwilling to give up. They secretly inquired in the county town. Even if they had seized Kou Yuanxing's family land, if Kou Yuanxing became a Tong Sheng or Xiu Cai one day, their entire family would be imprisoned!
Looking at the elegantly dressed Zhan Feiyu now, although she was not tall, her skin was so fair and tender that it seemed to exude moisture. She must have been pampered since childhood. Not to mention the hairpin in her hair, inlaid with sapphires that shone dazzlingly and hurt people's eyes.
Zhan Feiyu also had a dual-colored jade pendant hanging from her waist. When Madam Kou married off her daughter, she had gone to a jewelry shop in Huaixian County. That small jade pendant alone cost ten taels of silver, which scared her so much that she dared not look at it again.
Now, looking at Zhan Feiyu's attire, even if Madam Kou had the courage of a leopard, she wouldn't dare to lay a finger on Zhan Feiyu.
"Who is causing trouble?" Just as Madam Kou was unable to back down, a loud, angry shout rang out. The crowd turned their heads and parted to make way.
When the Kou clansmen, who were being boisterous and cursing, saw the constables in their official uniforms with sabers at their waists, their faces turned pale. They hunched their bodies. After all, they were farmers from the countryside and did not dare to confront the yamen runners.
Captain Geng cupped his hands towards Zhan Feiyu, his stern gaze sweeping across the entire scene, finally landing on the Kou clansmen. "Miss Zhan is a Tong Sheng and will be participating in the Yuan Shi in August. If you have grievances, you can submit a petition to the yamen. However, if you attack Tong Sheng Zhan on the street, you will have to go to the court!"
The title of Tong Sheng was not much in itself, but Zhan Feiyu was young, and she was a disciple of Scholar Gu. Tong Sheng was just the beginning; she would surely become a Xiu Cai or even a Ju Ren in the future. Not to mention that Captain Geng was willing to show favor, anyone in Nanxuan Prefecture who was not out of their mind would want to build a good relationship with Zhan Feiyu.
"We'll go to court! We can't let nephew Yuanxing die without knowing why!" The eldest uncle of the Kou family gritted his teeth and decided to take a gamble. The noble person had promised that as long as they followed orders, they would each receive one hundred taels of silver, and the leader, the eldest uncle of the Kou family, would receive five hundred taels!
A moment later, in the courtroom, even though Prefect Zhang and Scholar Chen had to recuse themselves from presiding over the case, they could still sit in the courtroom and observe. The one responsible for hearing the case was the coerced Vice Prefect Qian.
As the aggrieved party, Madam Kou knelt in the courtroom and presented her petition, not only accusing Prefect Zhang but also Zhan Feiyu.
"Accusing the Prefect of Nanxuan, according to the law, warrants thirty strokes of the cane." Vice Prefect Qian struck the gavel and said something that made the Kou clansmen kneeling below turn pale, secretly congratulating themselves that it wasn't them who would be beaten.
"As long as I can get justice for my son, this commoner is willing." Madam Kou's sinister and venomous gaze was fixed on Zhan Feiyu. She dared not accuse Prefect Zhang, who was in official attire, so she could only direct her hatred for her deceased son towards Zhan Feiyu.
Why was she young? Why was she also from a humble background? Madam Kou's hatred could burn everything. Why should her son die while this lowly girl lived well? Why should she have future wealth and honor! All of this should have belonged to her, and this lowly girl had ruined everything for her. She deserved to die!
"Vice Prefect Qian, considering Madam Kou's frail health and the loss of her beloved son, please waive the punishment." Prefect Zhang, who was observing, interjected.
Madam Kou, like Kou Yuanxing, both mother and son were as thin as famine refugees, their faces truly skin and bones. If Madam Kou were beaten to death with thirty strokes, Prefect Zhang would likely have another charge against him.
Scholar Chen stroked his beard and remained silent. Zhang Chengli merely wanted to show kindness and gain a good reputation.
Seeing that the two superiors agreed, Vice Prefect Qian waived Madam Kou's punishment and first summoned the coroner.
Meanwhile, Master Xiao, who had gone to the latrine, was bumped into, and a piece of paper appeared in his hand. Upon seeing what was written on it, Master Xiao staggered, and after a long while, he turned his pale face towards the prefectural yamen.
"Kou Yuanxing died by smashing his head against the wall, and his blood-written confession is insufficient to prove that Lord Zhang forced him." After the prison guards retreated, Vice Prefect Qian spoke again. "Kou Yuanxing was young, and due to his inappropriate remarks, his qualification for the prefectural examination was canceled. He couldn't bear it and killed himself. This is his own fault."
Even if Prefect Zhang had indeed forbidden Kou Yuanxing from participating in the imperial examinations, he could have appealed if he disagreed. However, he chose to smash his head against the wall and die, saying he was forced to death was also due to his own inability to think things through.
Of course, Kou Yuanxing was also imprisoned before his death. Prefect Zhang had not yet presided over the court. The statement that he was forbidden from the imperial examinations was also Kou Yuanxing's one-sided account, with no other evidence besides the blood-written confession.
"I have previously discussed with Vice Prefect Qian and Investigator Han that we gave Kou Yuanxing a minor punishment, canceling his qualification for this prefectural examination, which was the penalty. There was nothing else," Prefect Zhang said coldly, directly denying Kou Yuanxing's accusation in the blood-written confession.
Madam Kou, kneeling in the courtroom, suddenly raised her head and said sternly, "You are lying! If Yuanxing could still participate in the imperial examinations next year, why would he smash his head against the wall and commit suicide? You are just colluding with each other. It's a pity that my son's life was lost like this. Heaven is unfair..."
Madam Kou wailed, suddenly stood up, and was about to smash her head against the nearby wall. Fortunately, the constables in the courtroom quickly stopped Madam Kou from attempting suicide.
After a commotion that made onlookers sad and listeners weep, Scholar Chen stood up, his face stern. "Madam Kou, you don't need to seek death. Since you believe that the officials of Nanxuan Prefecture are colluding with each other, why don't I report this case to Lord Cao, and let Lord Cao send someone to be responsible for this case? We will definitely give you and your son justice!"
Vice Prefect Qian dared not retort and glanced uneasily at Prefect Zhang. If Lord Cao, the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Jiangnan, were to send officials, it was likely that Scholar Chen had arranged them beforehand, and they would be unfavorable to Prefect Zhang.
"This commoner thanks you, my lord." Madam Kou, who was emotionally agitated and seeking death, kowtowed her thanks. She kowtowed so hard that three thuds were heard, making people feel the pain.
At this moment, a jailer suddenly walked forward with trembling legs and knelt down with a thud. "My lords, this subordinate deserves to die!"
Vice Prefect Qian's heart sank, and an ominous premonition arose in his mind. He glanced at Prefect Zhang and then at the nonchalant Scholar Chen, and could only ask sternly, "Xu Hai, what do you have to say?"
Jailer Xu Hai raised his head, his lips trembling, and finally said, "This subordinate dares not conceal anything. The night before last, at the first watch of the night, Lord Zhang brought people to the prison to visit Kou Yuanxing. My fellow jailers were all sent away by Wang Shan. In the latter half of the night, Kou Yuanxing smashed his head against the wall and died. This subordinate should not have concealed it; this subordinate knows his guilt!"
As soon as Xu Hai said this, a group of people gathered outside the courtroom, including the Kou clansmen, exclaimed in surprise. After listening to Vice Prefect Qian's hearing of the case, if one were to say that Prefect Zhang forced Kou Yuanxing to death, there was no other evidence besides his blood-written confession.
According to Vice Prefect Qian, Kou Yuanxing was young, imprisoned, and his qualification for the prefectural examination was canceled. He couldn't bear it and committed suicide, leaving a blood-written confession accusing Prefect Zhang.
But Xu Hai's words immediately pushed Prefect Zhang to the forefront. Prefect Zhang met Kou Yuanxing late at night, and then he died. Wasn't it Prefect Zhang who forced him to death?
Wang Shan was summoned to the courtroom again. He coldly glanced at Xu Hai, who was kneeling beside him. He had originally intended to take all the blame, but seeing Prefect Zhang shake his head subtly, Wang Shan told the truth.
Scholar Chen's thin face finally revealed a malicious cold smile. "Lord Zhang, now that there is clear evidence, please explain why you went to the prison to see Kou Yuanxing in the middle of the night and dismissed the jailers?"
"I was entrusted by Master Xiao. Master Xiao could not bear to see Kou Yuanxing suffer in prison and worried that Kou Yuanxing, being young, would act impulsively when brought to court. Therefore, I made an exception and allowed Master Xiao to privately persuade Kou Yuanxing." Prefect Zhang had nothing to hide.
Given Kou Yuanxing's impulsive and stubborn nature, if he had truly gone to court, he would have likely stuck to his guns and gone all the way! He could only persuade him privately first.
As for why it was in the middle of the night, it was to show Kou Yuanxing the case file of Madam Lin. This was a violation of regulations and could only be done privately.
Hearing Prefect Zhang's defense, the commoners outside the courtroom nodded in understanding. Prefect Zhang valued talent and did not want the young Kou Yuanxing to ruin his future, so he sent Master Xiao to the prison to persuade him, which was reasonable.
Master Xiao, who was summoned to the hall, was exempted from kneeling because he had the title of Xiu Cai and only needed to stand aside and answer.
"Reporting to your lord." Lowering his head, Master Xiao's voice trembled slightly. Thinking of the note he had received earlier, Master Xiao finally said, "The night before last..."
Prefect Zhang's expression suddenly changed. He never expected Master Xiao to give false testimony in court and directly deny Prefect Zhang's previous words.
"Did Lord Zhang really forbid Kou Yuanxing from further imperial examinations?"
"Yes, this punishment is too much. Kou Yuanxing is young after all. Even if he said the wrong thing in the Gong Yuan, he shouldn't have been punished so severely!"
"For a scholar to be forbidden from further imperial examinations, let alone Kou Yuanxing, even other scholars would not be able to bear it."
"No wonder Kou Yuanxing wrote a blood-written confession and smashed his head against the wall to die. He was truly forced to death. It's a pity he was only thirteen years old."