Unglaublich

Kapitel 9

"I was robbed in Zihe County. The bandits killed and robbed me..."

Zhang Wentao suddenly felt a strange sense of unease. The most crucial witness had been silenced so suddenly. This unexpected and terrible situation left him in a state of utter confusion. He interrupted Qian Botang in a low voice and said, "Let's go to the Jiang family."

The funeral music drew closer. The high-ceilinged mourning tent, the lanterns covered with white paper, the elegiac couplets, the layers of white curtains, and the wailing of relatives and friends filled the courtyard with an atmosphere of sorrow. Within a month, she had lost her husband and son, father and son both. Zhang Wentao couldn't bear to inquire about Jiang Chengshi any longer. He went straight to Jiang Deyun's coffin, pointed at it, and said, "Open the coffin lid."

When the Jiang family saw that a high-ranking official of the fourth rank had arrived, they dared not disobey, and four people came over and slowly moved the coffin lid open.

"Move the body out; I need to perform an autopsy."

“Anyone who dares to move my son’s body, I will fight them to the death!” Jiang Chengshi cried as she rushed out. Several people pulled her back, and she struggled and cried, “Sir, can’t you let my son leave in peace? This woman has already suffered enough.”

“Your son’s death was too strange. I’m determined to find the murderer to comfort his soul! I don’t want your son to die unjustly.” After saying this, Zhang Wentao turned around and shouted, “Move the body out of the coffin.”

Two constables arrived early, one lifting the body and the other the feet, and carried Jiang Deyun's corpse out. Zhang Wentao saw that Jiang Deyun had been dressed in brand-new burial clothes and couldn't help but shake his head. He ordered his men to strip Jiang Deyun of all his clothes, revealing that his body had already been washed. Zhang Wentao was furious and shouted, "Who did this? Qian Botang! The body hasn't even been examined yet! How could you let them change his clothes and wash him so casually, destroying all the evidence?!"

Qian Botang panicked upon hearing this and explained, "After Officer Wang was injured, he developed a fever. I went to the county town to get medicine for him, but I didn't expect him to be in this state when I returned."

Zhang Wentao glared at him fiercely, his imposing gaze forcing Qian Botang to keep his head down. Zhang Wentao walked to the corpse, squatted down, and carefully examined it, saying, "A sword wound, one wound, one and three-tenths of an inch wide. The blade was sharp, and it struck the heart with a single blow. Although there are few traces left, it can still be determined that it was not the work of bandits."

Chen Wenwei nodded and said, "Yes. If it were the work of bandits, they wouldn't kill him with a single blow. They would have to take him piecemeal and force him to hand over all his valuables. Besides, very few bandits use swords."

"Furthermore, the sword pierced through the back. There was no need for the bandit to attack an unarmed scholar from behind so cleanly and efficiently."

“Well said. Your Excellency’s judgment is truly divine; I have finally witnessed it.”

Zhang Wentao turned around and saw that Chang Zhesong had entered. Chang Zhesong bowed to Zhang Wentao and Chen Wenwei, and then asked, "May I ask, Lord Zhang and Brother Chen, if it was not the work of bandits, then who wanted to kill Jiang Deyun?"

Chen Wenwei said, "The matter is very clear. Someone must have known that Jiang Deyun was coming back to testify, and that he might reveal more secrets, so they killed him to silence him before we could."

"Only Lord Zhang, Brother Qian, and I know about Jiang Deyun's testimony. Who leaked it?" Chang Zhesong said, looking at Qian Botang suspiciously.

But then Zhang asked Tao, "It's none other than myself!"

Chang Zhesong turned around abruptly, his eyes wide with disbelief as he looked at Zhang Wentao and asked, "How could it be you?"

"After I returned to Laizhou Prefecture, I received a letter from Governor Su Jiying inquiring about the case. He said that he and Chang Lianxian were close friends, and since something had happened to the Chang family, he could not ignore it. He asked me to report the details of the case. So I wrote down the whole story in the case file and sent it to the province."

"So, Lord Su also knows that Jiang Deyun is coming back to testify?"

Zhang Wentao nodded with a gloomy expression.

"The deaths of the Jiang family father and son, followed by the attack on the old house the day before yesterday, indicate that the case of the old house is not as simple as just the two hundred and twelve gold bricks. There must be a much bigger secret hidden behind it that we have not yet discovered. And there must be someone else behind the Jiang family father and son who is manipulating this matter," Chen Wenwei analyzed.

Chang Zhesong said, "Brother Chen, after you saw the gold bricks the other day, you said that these gold bricks were just a smokescreen. Today I finally understand what you meant! But who knows this secret and is hiding behind the scenes?"

The group fell silent for a moment, but one name flashed through each of their minds—Su Jiying!

August had arrived, but the case had reached a stalemate. Although all suspicions pointed to Su Jiying, there was no evidence whatsoever. Not only was it impossible to interrogate this high-ranking official, but even expressing suspicion openly was out of the question. The mysterious old house remained under the constant watch of Chang Zhesong's servants and Zhang Wentao's constables. However, since the last attack by thieves, the place had become strangely quiet, and nothing had happened since.

On the third day of the eighth lunar month, Zhang Wentao once again traveled from Laizhou Prefecture to the Chang Family Manor in Zhaoyuan County. Upon entering the manor, he immediately headed towards the old house. Chang Zhesong and Zhang Wentao, who were there to greet him, were unaware of what had happened and hurriedly followed behind.

"Immediately withdraw all those guarding the old house!" Zhang Wentao said to Chang Zhesong, who was standing beside him, as he stood in front of the old house.

"They all left, not a single person?" Chang Zhesong asked, puzzled.

"Not a single person is allowed to remain! Evacuate immediately."

"Didn't you say that this house holds a great secret?"

“I can’t unravel this mystery myself; I can only find someone to help me,” Zhang Wentao said meaningfully.

Chang Zhesong nodded as if he understood, and said, "I understand a little." After saying that, he said to the guards who were holding knives in front of the courtyard, "You have all worked hard. From today onwards, you don't need to guard this house anymore. Go back and get some rest. Each of you can go to the accounting office to collect a reward of one tael of silver."

It was the fifth day of the eighth lunar month, night. Dark clouds covered the crescent moon, and the chirping of insects in early autumn was mournful; the wind blew, and the leaves rustled like surging waves. The night was as black as pitch, and the huge ancient house was also submerged in the deep darkness.

Suddenly, a clanging sound was heard at the gate of the old house, followed by several shouts. In the deep night, nothing could be seen. Only the sound of people running and chasing each other could be heard, followed by the sound of swords clashing.

After a short while, everything fell silent again. A little while later, several lights suddenly pierced the darkness, and Zhang Wentao, along with Constable Wang and others, appeared in the front yard of the old house. By the light of the lanterns, they saw Chen Wenwei standing in front of the old house, holding a knife to a man in black.

Several constables had already prepared ropes and stepped forward to tie the man up tightly.

Zhang asked Tao, "Who are you?"

"Don't ask who I am. Since I'm done for here today, I'll give you a quick death."

Zhang Wentao reached out and ripped off the man's mask in one swift motion. The man appeared to be around forty years old, with a dark face and piercing eyes. "You seem to be a fine man," Zhang said. "Who instructed you to do this petty theft?"

"I only have one thing to say: give me a quick answer. I don't know anything else."

Chen Wenwei kicked the man to the ground and struck his shinbone twice with the back of his knife. The man groaned in pain. Chen Wenwei sneered, "You haven't been in the underworld long, have you? If you don't tell the truth, I'll give you something even more powerful to try later."

The man in black fell silent.

Zhang Wentao said to Chen Wenwei, "Search him and see what he's carrying!"

Chen Wenwei searched the man in black, finding a few taels of silver, a water pouch, a plate of incense, a pair of flints, and finally a letter from the corner of his clothes.

Chen Wenwei handed the letter to Zhang Wentao. Zhang Wentao took it and saw that the envelope was blank. He pulled out the letter and saw lines of strong, vigorous handwriting with sharp angles, which looked very familiar. Reading the contents, the first line read: "You are instructed to act according to the circumstances..." There was no signature at the end, but a seal with four bright red characters: "Old Man of Qishan." This was Su Jiying's name; he was from Daqishan in Shanghai and called himself the Old Man of Qishan.

Looking back at the writing, it was clearly Su Jiying's handwriting!

"It's Su Jiying again! This time I have the evidence, he won't be able to escape the law this time!"

The next day, at the first light of dawn, a swift horse galloped off from Zhaoyuan County in Laizhou Prefecture, heading west, raising a cloud of dust.

The Great Qing Divine Judgment Thirty-Nine

October 8th was Su Jiying's 60th birthday. Officials from all over Shandong were eager to curry favor and offer their congratulations. Even those who couldn't attend in person sent trusted confidants with gifts. That morning, the gates of the Jinan Governor's Office were bustling with activity. Various types of official sedan chairs—blue and green, carried by four or two men—along with leather, wooden, and deer-drawn carriages, stretched for several rows, extending for two miles. The crackling of firecrackers filled the air, smoke billowed, and the carriages and horses made a racket.

Around noon, the steward announced the start of the banquet. The more than one hundred tables, stretching from the main hall to the side rooms, immediately became lively, filled with the clinking of glasses and constant laughter. Su Jiying, beaming, sat at the head table, chatting animatedly with his colleagues and friends who had come to offer their birthday wishes: "After lunch, we'll watch a play. The first performance is 'The Gathering of Heroes.' Listen to the lead actor's singing today—'A great man should establish fame and merit in this world; establishing fame and merit will comfort his life; comforting his life, I will get drunk; I will get drunk and sing wildly.' Those lines are truly captivating..."

Just as Su Jiying was getting into his story, someone outside suddenly shouted, "Send Shandong Governor Su Jiying to receive the imperial decree."

Normally, news of an imperial decree should have been reported to Su Jiying by his spies in the capital long ago. This time, the decree arrived suddenly and without warning, causing Su Jiying to feel a sense of unease, a premonition that nothing good could come of it. He uttered, "Quickly open the central gate and set up the incense table." A fourth-rank official, dressed in a robe with eight pythons and five claws, and a snow-goose-patterned ceremonial cap, entered. His lapis lazuli roof gleamed in the sunlight, flanked by attendants, exuding an air of authority. The official stood facing south and said, "Everyone, do not move. Step back. Su Jiying, step forward to receive the decree."

Su Jiying knelt forward and said, "Your subject Su Jiying is hereby granted an imperial edict."

The official proclaiming the imperial edict opened the yellow silk box, took out the edict, slowly unfurled it, and then read aloud: "By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Su Jiying, the Governor of Shandong, is suspended from his post as Governor, effective immediately. His duties shall be assumed by Li Qian, the Provincial Treasurer of Shandong."

According to a secret report from Zhang Wentao, the Prefect of Laizhou Prefecture, Shandong Province, the governor has committed robbery and murder, disregarding the law. There is solid evidence proving his involvement in the murder of Jiang Deyun in Zhaoyuan County, Laizhou Prefecture, and the case of the hidden gold in the Jiang family's ancestral home. Therefore, Ji Ruchuan (the second son of Ji Xiaolan), a censor in the Sixth Department of the Censorate, is hereby ordered to jointly investigate this case with Prefect Zhang Wentao. Both men must investigate impartially and without favoritism; Su Jiying must cooperate and must not conceal anything. The matter will be reconsidered after the investigation is completed! This is the imperial decree!

"Your Majesty, I thank you!"

Upon hearing this, Su Jiying broke out in a cold sweat, and when he stood up, his mind was reeling. He couldn't understand how such a bolt from the blue had suddenly struck. What was even more terrifying was that the culprit was none other than his nemesis, Zhang Wentao.

After Ji Ruchuan finished reading the imperial decree, he said to Su Jiying, "Lord Su, the case has not yet been decided. Brother Zhang and I are handling the case under imperial orders, so please don't make things difficult for us."

Su Jiying said with a gloomy face, "I just hope you two gentlemen won't make things difficult for me. How could I dare to oppose the Imperial Envoy?"

Ji Ruchuan smiled slightly and said, "The side courtyard has been reserved for you. Please come in."

Knowing he was about to be placed under house arrest, Su Jiying remained silent and walked into the side courtyard with Ji Ruchuan. Upon reaching the courtyard, they found it surrounded by Green Standard Army soldiers, and inside, several armed guards patrolled the area. Su Jiying's face darkened further, and he said to Ji Ruchuan, "Lord Ji, originally I was the host and you were the guest. This time, however, I am unable to entertain you."

Ji Ruchuan said, "You flatter me, sir." He said no more and led Su Jiying into the main hall and made sure they were seated before saying, "The innocent will remain innocent, and the guilty will remain guilty. If you have any objections, you should speak the truth; you can also write them down and have Lord Zhang and I forward them to you!"

"I'm truly innocent."

Just as Su Jiying cried out that she was wronged, another official of the fourth rank walked in through the door. He was about thirty or forty years old, hunched over, and looked like a monkey. He was Zhang Wentao, the prefect of Laizhou.

Zhang Wentao walked up to Su Jiying, bowed, and said, "Lord Su, it's been a long time."

Upon seeing Zhang Wentao, Su Jiying felt a mix of emotions, unsure of what to feel. She stood up and returned his greeting, saying, "Lord Zhang, you seem quite pleased with yourself. Now that you've stepped on my head, you're poised to climb even higher."

Zhang Wentao, unperturbed by the sarcasm, sat down in a chair next to Ji Ruchuan and said, "You are very clear about the case in Zhaoyuan County. I won't say more. Today's investigation of you is based on solid evidence."

"Where is the evidence?"

Zhang Wentao stood up and walked over, throwing a letter onto the table next to Su Jiying. He said, "Take a look for yourself. Is this your own handwritten letter? I found it on the assassin who was spying on the Chang family manor. This assassin broke into the old house of the Chang family manor twice at night and injured the yamen runners and the manor's servants."

Su Jiying looked at the letter for a while and said, "The handwriting is indeed my own. But, wouldn't someone forge my handwriting?"

"The font has been compared with the memorials you have archived in the capital; it is definitely not a forgery. Even if the font can be imitated perfectly, can this seal be forged as well? The seal has also been compared; it is indeed your own seal. Don't tell me that you have also lost your seal."

Su Jiying said, "I have studied the classics diligently since childhood. Although I dare not compare myself to Zhu Xi and Cheng Yi, I would never stoop to such petty theft. Why would I repeatedly harass the Chang and Jiang families? It's a joke!"

"I, Zhang, also hoped this matter was just a joke, but after months of investigation, I found that what Lord Su did was indeed no joke!" Zhang Wentao stared sternly at Su Jiying and said, "The former magistrate of Zhaoyuan County, Laizhou Prefecture, testified that five years ago, at your behest, he helped Chang Lianxian to force a sale, driving away Shen Wanjin, the original owner of the Chang family manor. Last year, Chang Lianxian made a will, and coincidentally, the witness was Lord Su again."

In July of this year, after the murder of Jiang Lanren at the Chang Family Manor, you eagerly posted an inquiry about the case. I reported the details, mentioning that Jiang Deyun was a key witness, but he was subsequently murdered on his way back to Zhaoyuan County. The autopsy revealed that the killer was not a bandit.

On the eighth day of the intercalary seventh month and the third day of the intercalary eighth month, the Chang family's old residence was attacked twice more. The assassins carried your handwritten letters.

"Lord Su, all the evidence points against you. Do you still intend to argue?"

Faced with Zhang Wentao's rapid-fire questions and accusations, Su Jiying turned ashen-faced and could not answer. He looked up at his subordinate, who now held his fate in his hands, and a sudden sense of terror rose within him. Personal revenge! The thought flashed through his mind, startling him. "Since I took office as the Shandong governor, I've had a falling out with Zhang Wentao and have created several difficult cases for him. Am I really going to be brought down by this man?"

As Su Jiying was pondering, Ji Ruchuan said, "Lord Su, Brother Zhang's words are all reasonable, and you cannot refute any of them. Furthermore, there are these witnesses and physical evidence; the case is ironclad. You should think this through and explain yourself as soon as possible. Only then can you avoid further punishment, and only then can we plead for your leniency."

Su Jiying finally couldn't hold back any longer. His eyes had lost all their light, and he said in a hoarse, dry voice, "Chang Lianxian is a friend of mine from over twenty years ago. He enjoys studying ancient books and miscellaneous texts. Ten years ago, he acquired an ancient book called *Miscellaneous Notes on Candle Trimming*. It mentions that at the end of the Sui Dynasty, Shandong was the first province to light the flames of rebellion. Wang Boxian of Changbai Mountain in Shandong started the uprising under the name 'Zhi Shi Lang,' followed by Sun Anzu and Dou Jiande of Gaojibo in Shandong, then Liu Badao of Douzilukang in Shandong, then Zhang Jincheng of Yu County in Shandong, then Han Jinluo of Jibei in Shandong, then Meng Haigong of Jiyin in Shandong, Guo Fangyu of Beihai in Shandong, Meng Rang of Qi County (present-day Jinan, Shandong), and Hao Xiaode and Li Deyi of Pingyuan (present-day Dezhou, Shandong). The number of soldiers raised in Shandong was the largest in the country. Many people from other provinces were recruited into Shandong to fight against Emperor Yang of Sui. Where did all these soldiers come from for their provisions?"

Chang Lianxian learned from the book that this place contained a great treasure, hidden by Shi Chong, a wealthy man of the Jin Dynasty. It was later acquired by Wang Bo, known as "Zhi Shi Lang," who distributed it to righteous soldiers throughout Shandong. However, after Wang Bo's death in battle, the treasure was buried underground and lost to the world. Chang Lianxian wanted to reopen the treasure and regain Shi Chong's wealth. Therefore, he investigated this place, surveying the mountains and rivers, and determined the location of the hidden treasure. Then, with my help, he obtained the manor where the treasure was hidden and found the entrance to the treasure within a thousand-year-old mansion.

We agreed that we would each receive half of the treasure. He would slowly extract the gold bricks and other items, while I would melt the gold bricks down into gold ingots. The other treasures would be sold secretly. This arrangement continued for three years until he suddenly passed away this year.

Zhang Wentao and Ji Ruchuan, upon hearing this legendary story, were both astonished, as if they were listening to a fairy tale. Zhang Wentao asked, "Why didn't Chang Lianxian's son know this?"

"Although Chang Lianxian only had one wife and never took a concubine, he was a homosexual and treated his wife poorly, leading to her death from depression. Chang Lianxian's son became estranged from his father as a result, and after becoming an official, they had no contact for many years, only occasionally visiting him in recent years. Last year, Chang Lianxian had another major argument with his son, Chang Zhesong. Chang Lianxian then made a will, bequeathing the old house at the entrance to the treasure cave to his steward. However, he still favored his son. He entrusted me with this: if Chang Zhesong repents at his grave, I will tell him this secret and find a way to redeem the old house from Jiang Lan. If Chang Zhesong remains obstinate, the treasure will be passed on to his grandson. If Chang Zhesong is over forty and still childless, then all the wealth within the treasure will be mine to manage."

"That's not right. Chang Zhesong clearly said that his will bequeathed the old house to him, and that Jiang Lan found out about the hidden gold and secretly moved the fence to seize the old house. How can you say that passing the old house to the housekeeper Jiang Lan was Chang Lianxian's original intention?"

“There was absolutely no theft. When Chang Lianxian passed away, I went to pay my respects, and I did not see the fence moved.”

"Then why did you kill Jiang Deyun? Did he know your secret with Chang Lianxian?"

“I didn’t kill Jiang Deyun. Even his father, Jiang Lan, didn’t know about the treasure, so how could Jiang Deyun have known? Since Jiang Deyun didn’t know, why would I kill him?”

"What was the meaning of your two visits to the Chang family manor?"

"Absolutely not."

Zhang Wentao sneered, "What a silver tongue! A flawless fabrication."

Su Jiying replied firmly, "It's not fabricated, it's all true!"

"Lord Su, today's discussion is not a courtroom interrogation. If you explain yourself clearly, there is still room for negotiation. But if you remain stubborn and refuse to tell the truth, you are only adding to your own punishment! You should think this through!"

Upon hearing this, Su Jiying burst into laughter: "Since Prefect Zhang doesn't believe me, there's nothing I can do! The so-called divine judgment of the Qing Dynasty is nothing more than this. There are times when they can't distinguish right from wrong, or right from wrong!"