Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

There is nothing interesting about the county government trial.

Because the county-level governments in the Northern Song Dynasty only had final adjudication power for cases below the level of cane punishment. Once a prison sentence is involved, it needs to be transferred to a state-level agency. County officials threaten people and say they will raid their homes. They are basically bullying ordinary people because they don't understand the law.

Of course, since the county government has the power to punish the magistrate, if the county magistrate is angered, it is still possible to accidentally kill him.

The Sun family was a wealthy family in the county, so it was inconvenient for them to be beaten to death, or even beaten to death.

"Prefect, please give me two months to complete the investigation and make preparations for the prefectural court to impose punishment." Wang Tianli issued a military order.

The so-called investigation and conclusion is to collect all the evidence, determine the nature of the case, and then transfer it to the state-level judicial department for trial.

If the same prisoner commits multiple crimes, he must register the case multiple times.

This is called "examination based on the complaint". Once a complaint is determined, it can only be tried within the scope of the charges in the complaint to prevent unjust, false, and wrongful convictions caused by false accusations.

When dealing with ordinary people, you can come as you like, but when dealing with people like the Sun family who have people above you, no step can be ignored.

It was impossible for Ju Ming to wait for two or three months in Leize County, and said: "I will leave someone at your disposal, and he will be incorporated as an archer. Deng Chun, you are here to listen to the orders of the Wang County Magistrate."

"Yes!" Deng Chun accepted the order.

Wang Tian said: "It just so happens that the capital of this county has been arrested. This strong man Deng can be the capital."

Ju Ming shook his head: "It's better to let the locals do the job. You have been in this county for a long time, so there should be suitable candidates."

Wang Tian smiled and said: "There are not many others on Jingdong Road, but there are many heroes. Just choose a hero who has a grudge against the Sun family."

The number of permanent archers in Xixiang County is basically only one or twenty, and they are only expanded when suppressing bandits.

Counties along Jingdong Road often have hundreds of archers on hand because there are too many thieves. The imperial court even issued a special order for the archers on Jingdong Road to each be equipped with a crossbow, as well as knives, guns and other melee weapons.

It can be said that the police here in Shandong are more effective than the regular army in Hanzhong!

There is only one company in the country, no other semicolon.

They were all forced out by thieves. Since the Wang Lun Uprising in the Qingli Period (the prototype of Wang Lun in "Water Margin"), it has become common for thieves in Shandong to kill officials. When the turmoil was at its worst, the prefects and governors did not dare to leave the city, and the county magistrates even needed the prime minister to personally arrange suitable candidates.

"Wang County Magistrate, someone is surrounding the county government office and causing trouble!" Geng Dingchen, the chief clerk, hurriedly came in to report.

Wang Tian asked: "You are also the county captain. Why don't you deal with someone who is causing trouble? Don't you dare to do it? Or is it inconvenient for you to do it?"

Geng Dingchen shrank and said: "The archers in the county government are all Sun Zongzhen's old friends. Sun Zongzhen, the head of the capital, was arrested. I really can't order those archers to do anything."

Ju Ming said: "You are also the county captain, but you can't even command the archers. You are so stupid and incompetent. From now on, don't worry about the county captain's affairs. Let the magistrate Wang take charge of the county captain's affairs."

Geng Dingchen opened his mouth. He was afraid of offending the magistrate, but was unwilling to give up his rights. He could only bite the bullet and said: "There is a vacancy for the county captain. If the chief clerk is there, the chief clerk will also take charge of the county captain. Let the county magistrate take charge of the county captain and the director. This is inconsistent with the system.”

Ju Ming smiled and said: "Then you go and deal with the troublemaker. If you don't handle it well, I will write it down."

Geng Dingchen almost cried with grievance. In order to climb up the ladder, he chose to marry the Sun family. He just wanted to use the uncle of the Sun brothers to get in touch with Cai Dang, but when he met a tough magistrate, he was almost put on the fire.

After thinking about it, Geng Dingchen said: "The matter involves the Sun family, and I request to recuse myself."

In other words, it is impossible for him to hand over the power of the county captain, but because of his kinship relationship, he will temporarily avoid it, and he must regain control of the county captain afterwards. At the same time, if he did not participate in dealing with the Sun family, he could also pretend to be forced to do so, and write letters to the capital to cry out and complain about his grievances, which might lead to him being promoted by the Cai Party.

Zhu Ming and Wang Tian went out hand in hand and found that the county magistrate Cao Yuangui was already dealing with it.

At the gate of the county government, two to three hundred people gathered to make noise.

At least half of the county's civil servants and officials were watching the fun, and the archers even tried to stop it. They were more or less related to the Sun family.

Zhu Ming came out with his sword, and Cao Yuangui shouted: "The prefect is here, no more noise!"

It’s no use, those guys are still making noise.

Ju Ming asked: "Who is the deputy chief?"

An archer replied: "The deputy chief is sick and did not come to the county office today."

Ju Ming scolded: "Are you dead? If not, bring him here!"

Wang Tian had served in Leize County longer and was more aware of various situations. He immediately called for an archer general: "Go and find Deputy Liang."

But the ten generals said: "The front is blocked and we can't get out."

Ju Ming said: "I'll give you two choices, either rush out, or be dismissed on the spot."

General Ten hesitated for a few seconds, and could only rush out with his knife, shouting: "Get out of the way, get out of the way quickly!"

The troublemakers deliberately squeezed in without leaving any gaps.

After a while, General Shi came back disheveled and said, "Prefect, I can't get out."

"Why don't you bring your crossbow with you?" Ju Ming asked.

The ten generals said: "Generally they don't carry crossbows in the city."

"What use are you for?" Zhu Ming said to Wang Tian, ​​"This person is not qualified for the job. You will deal with it, County Magistrate Wang."

Wang Tian said: "Since we can't accomplish anything, we will remove you from the post of Ten Archers. Hand over your sword!"

The tenth general did not expect that he was really being fucked. He took off his saber and threw it directly on the ground. He did not take the magistrate, magistrate, and county magistrate seriously at all.

Whether it is tax collection or plunder, these subordinates and archers need to cooperate, and they also need the support of the Sun family, otherwise nothing will be done in the future. They boast that Wang Keshu is working as a doctor in the capital, and Wang Keshu has Cai Jing above him. What the heck is a small magistrate?

Seeing that the ten generals had thrown away their sabers, the other archers no longer stopped the troublemakers and all took a few steps back.

The two to three hundred troublemakers took the opportunity to take a few steps forward and occupied the steps in front of the government office.

Ju Ming smiled: "Go back to the gate."

The magistrate, county magistrate, chief registrar, civil servants, and subordinate officials all followed Ju Ming and returned to the gate of the county government office.

The troublemakers really didn't dare to follow. They were not thieves, but organized "good people". Making noise at the gate of the county government office is completely different from rushing into the county government office to make noise.

The two sides faced each other across an open door, and they reached a stalemate.

Zhu Ming lamented: “The folk customs of Jingdong Road are indeed well-deserved.”

The saying "Two thousand stones will not be bullied" means that there are few magistrates on Jingdong Road who are not bullied by local powerful people.

Ju Ming only arrested the Sun brothers. He ordered the arrests yesterday, but today they were blocked in the county government office.

Ju Ming asked: "Do you know who the leader of the noise is?"

Cao Yuangui said: "Most of them are members of the Xianyi Club."

"The underworld," Ju Ming muttered in a low voice and asked, "Does Magistrate Wang dare to go to the countryside to recruit archers?"

"At this time?" Wang Tian hesitated.

Ju Ming pointed forward: "Just go out from there."

Wang Tian felt guilty. There were more than one or two cases of powerful counties in Shandong killing county magistrates. But when Zhizhou spoke, he could only muster up the courage to say, "Why don't you dare?"

Ju Ming said: "Li Bao, Bai Sheng, you escort Wang County Magistrate out of the city. Deng Chun, you lead people to guard the gate. Who can give me a senior position?"

Cao Yuangui personally moved the chair and invited Ju Ming to sit down and watch the show.

Wang Tian took Bai Sheng and Li Bao to the backyard of the county government office to fetch three horses. They could have left through the back door, but instead deliberately used the main door to force their way through the troublemakers.

Bai Sheng usually uses a gun, but it is better to use a knife in a crowd.

He picked up the saber thrown away by the ten generals, and escorted Wang Tian through with Li Bao on his left and right.

The leader of today's trouble is Gao Huaguang, the leader of Xianyi Club, who is also the underworld boss in Leize County.

In Shandong in the Northern Song Dynasty, there were many thieves in the countryside and underworld in the city.

There is also a saying that "Cao Pu people are only thieves." It talks about Puzhou where Zhu Ming worked, and Xingren Mansion next door where Wang Jie worked. The people in these two places especially like to be thieves. The situation in Xingren Prefecture is even more serious. "Cao is a bandit, and strict laws cannot stop him."

The thieves outside the city are mostly composed of ordinary people who cannot survive.

The underworld in the city often colludes with wealthy families and establishes various associations. For example, the famous minister Zeng Gong punished the "Bawang Society" in Zhangqiu. The Bawang Society alone had 31 leaders, and most of its members came from powerful local families.

The Xianyi Club in front of me is of the same nature as the Bawang Club.

Several leaders of the society are all powerful children, who are attached to the Sun family and do evil.

"Get out of the way!" Wang Tian scolded.

Gao Huaguang, the boss of the club, sneered with his nostrils pointing to the sky: "No."

Wang Tian said: "Give me the knife."

Bai Sheng handed over the saber.

Wang Tian approached Gao Huaguang and said, "I am the magistrate of Leize County and an official of the imperial court. If you don't get out of the way today, there are only two results, either I will kill you or you will kill me!"

"You try to kill me!" Gao Huaguang didn't care.

Without saying a word, Wang Tian raised his sword and struck forward.

Gao Huaguang didn't dare to make a fuss at the county government with a weapon. He only had a stick in his hand. He quickly blocked it with a horizontal stick and said angrily: "You official, you really dare to use a knife!"

Wang Tian didn't know martial arts at all, he just slashed with his sword.

Gao Huaguang blocked left and right, and the people behind him also gave in. This guy was forced to have no choice but to shout: "Let this bird officer out!"

The three of them led the horse and rushed out of the crowd. Wang Tian tried several times but could not get on the horse. He collapsed and said: "Hurry up and help me get on the horse."

Bai Sheng and Li Bao quickly helped him ride a horse.

Although he looked very majestic just now, Wang Tian was so frightened that his whole body became weak, half lying on his horse and he rode out of the city.

Gao Huaguang called a member of the society and whispered in a low voice: "Inform Xu Er and ask him to set up an ambush in the suburbs. When the county magistrate comes back, he will be killed directly! A person from Niao Zhizhou dares to come to Leize County to show off. It's really annoying. If he kills me, he will also kill his magistrate."

The underworld did not dare to kill the county magistrate in the city, but they dared to contact thieves in the countryside to take action.

Xu Er is a famous horse bandit in Leize County. The bandits under his command are all small and medium-sized landowners who were forced to go bankrupt by Ma Zheng.

It is common to kill officials and rebel. At worst, they hide to avoid the limelight and recruit people through the government afterwards.