Chapter 16 The Price of Milk

  "The flogging punishment is divided into five grades, namely ten, twenty, thirty, forty and fifty; those who are allowed to redeem their punishment can use one to five kilograms of copper. The stick punishment is also divided into five grades, from sixty to one hundred, and the redemption punishment is six to ten kilograms of copper. The penal servitude is divided into five grades, namely one year, one and a half years, two years, two and a half years and three years, and the redemption punishment is twenty to sixty kilograms of copper. The exile punishment is divided into three grades, namely two thousand li, two thousand five hundred li and three thousand li, and the redemption punishment is eighty kilograms, ninety kilograms and one hundred kilograms. There are only two kinds of death penalty, hanging and beheading, and those who are allowed to redeem their punishment can use one hundred and twenty kilograms of copper."

  Deng Quansheng was slightly surprised, glanced at Xiao Jiading and said: "Very good, let me ask you another question. If you answer this one correctly, then you pass!"

  "Alright." Xiao Jiading perked up his ears and listened.

  "What is the Eightfold Path?"

  Xiao Jia Ding almost laughed out loud, this question is even simpler than the five punishments. Where does it count as an exam? However, he respectfully replied: "Relatives, friends, virtuous people, able people, meritorious officials, diligent officials, guests, and nobles, these eight types of people who commit crimes, except for serious crimes punishable by ten evils, if they are sentenced to exile or below, their punishment should be reduced by one degree. If it is a capital offense, the ministers will collectively discuss and decide in the main hall of the Ministry of Works, and then report to the Emperor for approval."

  Deng Quansheng's surprised expression deepened, his small green bean eyes narrowing into a slit as he gazed at Xiao Jiading and nodded. "You've passed! However, I'd like to ask you one more question about the case of Xun Tang, consider it extra, okay?"

  "Of course, no problem, let the county lieutenant set the questions."

  "Hmm... Tell me, what is Wu Ci Ting Xuan?"

  "This question is not difficult either," said Xiao Jiading. "There are five ways to listen, first is to listen to the words, if they are contradictory and confusing, it means he is lying; second is to observe his expression, if his face turns red with shame, it indicates that he is lying; third is to observe his breathing, if it is always intermittent and gasping for air, it means he is lying; fourth is to observe his hearing, if he is lying, he will pretend not to hear clearly and ask repeatedly, so as to have time to think about how to fabricate a lie; fifth is to observe his eyes, if he is lying, his eyes will be restless and evasive, and he dare not look straight. By observing these five aspects, we can determine whether the other person is lying or not, and thus judge the authenticity of the case."

  Deng Quansheng laughed and clapped his hands, saying: "Good! Very good! I didn't expect that at such a young age, not only are you proficient in poetry and literature, but also in criminal law. You have a bright future ahead of you! Haha. Alright, tomorrow morning I will report this to the county magistrate, with your talent, I'm sure he won't refuse. Come to the yamen tomorrow afternoon, I'll arrange a position for you."

  Xiao Jiading was overjoyed and quickly stood up, clasped his hands together in gratitude and said: "Thank you, County Magistrate Deng! I will definitely work hard and not disappoint your expectations!"

  Du Da secretly heard that Deng Quansheng actually agreed, and was somewhat unexpected. He opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

  Xiao Jiading looked towards Du Daliang and said: "Du Lao, the county lieutenant is very busy, let's not disturb him?"

  Du Da hurriedly said: "Right, right!" He stood up and said: "I'm leaving!"

  "Wait!" Deng Quansheng shouted to stop them, picked up the two boxes on the table and put them in Xiao Jiading's hands: "Take these things back!"

  "No, no, this..."

  "Listen to me!" Deng Quansheng said with a serious face: "I have always been honest and dedicated, with clean sleeves. Du Shuli knows that anyone who tries to bribe me will be flatly rejected. The reason I agreed to let you work in the government is because of your talent, not your gifts. Those without talent are useless, even if they bring a mountain of gold! Isn't that right, Du Shuli?" Deng Quansheng looked at Du Daliang.

  Du Da hurriedly smiled and said: "That's that. However, this is a little bit of Xiao brother's intention, Deng County Lieutenant..."

  Deng Quansheng immediately put on a stern face and said, "Du Shuli, you're also an old hand in the yamen, how did you learn to be so petty and vulgar after just leaving for a few days? What's with these shady dealings? Take this stuff back! Otherwise, tomorrow you won't need to come to the yamen anymore!"

  Duan Quansheng saw him blowing his beard and staring, Du Dali was somewhat unexpected, and he hastily gave a signal to Xiao Jiading to take it back.

  Xiao Jiading was somewhat perplexed, so he took over the thing and looked at Deng Quansheng.

  They didn't know that Deng Quansheng had already made up his mind to deal with Xiao Jiading, and naturally wouldn't accept his money. It wasn't that he couldn't swallow his pride, but rather that he was afraid of causing unnecessary trouble later on.

  Deng Quansheng saw Xiao Jiading take the money back, and then changed his expression to a smiling face. He patted Xiao Jiading's shoulder and said: "This official is upright and honest, you will understand this after working in the government office for a long time. Alright, come to the government office tomorrow afternoon. I'm looking forward to someone like you helping me out." Haha!

  "Yes! Thank you, County Magistrate."

  Xiao Jiading followed Du Dali out the door, and after they had walked a long way, he chuckled and said to Du Dali: "Fortunately, County Magistrate Deng's questions were all very simple, otherwise it would have been troublesome."

  Du Da couldn't help but let out a soft laugh: "He's already done well to ask so many questions. He doesn't understand criminal law at all, it's all thanks to his assistant Xing Xu Zhong that he can handle things. Now this is someone who truly understands criminal law."

  This is similar to some units in modern society, where outsiders lead insiders. This person is now the leader's secretary. Xiao Jiading carefully remembered this person's name. He looked at the gift in his arms and asked strangely: "Why doesn't the county lieutenant accept gifts?"

  Duda also shook his head, saying: "I'm not clear either, I've accompanied people to their homes to give gifts many times before, and there's never been a time when they didn't accept. I don't know what's going on this time. Could it be..."

  "What's wrong?" Xiao Jiading felt something was off.

  Deng Quansheng looked down and said, "Since Er Niang let me help you, I'll tell you the truth. That Zhong Wenbo, the number one scholar of Yizhou who you defeated in the essay contest yesterday, do you know who his father is?"

  Xiao Jiading's heart skipped a beat, and he shook his head: "Who is it?"

  "Zhong Shiren, the judicial officer of Yi Prefecture!"

  The Yizhou Prefecture government office, also known as the Recorder of Military Affairs, was a seventh-grade official. Because during the Tang Dynasty, local governments only had counties and prefectures, the prefecture government was equivalent to today's provincial level. This law department was the head of the high court criminal tribunal at the provincial level, and county-level cadres were not considered very powerful officials. Moreover, he was not in his own county government office, which made Xiao Jiading slightly relieved. However, Du Da's words behind him made his heart hang again.

  Du Dali continued: "This Zhong Shi Rong was the county lieutenant in our Shaodao County government office, and later he was promoted to the prefectural government office."

  The county lieutenant is the deputy county head, and the law department of the prefectural government is only a high court judge. Modern people may not think this is a promotion, but in the Tang Dynasty official ranks, the county lieutenant was only from the eighth rank down, at most considered a regular section-level position, while the law department was from the seventh rank up, at the county level, and was considered a deputy county-level position, which of course counts as a promotion.

  Du Dali said, "This Deng Quansheng was just like me back then, only a clerk in the county government office. Later, he fawned on Zhong Fazao and was promoted all the way to county captain through his recommendation. You say you offended Zhong Fazao's son, wouldn't this County Captain Deng be anxious about it?"

  "Right, then why did he still let me enter the yamen? Could it be that he wants to invite me into a trap? Catching a turtle in a jar?"

  Grandma, this is not good at all! Although these two officials are only county-level and departmental level, a local official is more powerful than a current one. If he wants to get rid of me, it's just a matter of minutes!

  Not good! Really not good!

  Du Da's expression changed, and he sighed, saying: "Sorry, it was my fault for forgetting this matter. If I had remembered earlier, I should have taken you to see Wen Zhu Bo."

  "It's useless, as long as it enters the county government office, everything is done under his control, can't escape."

  Xiao Jiading sighed, grandma's, I went to participate in that poetry contest just to make money and build connections for a job, who would have thought that by coincidence, I ran into the son of Zhong Facao, and his father happened to be the one who promoted Deng County Wei, who is my future boss. This world is really too small!

  Du Da nodded slightly: "That's also true. Fortunately, he didn't accept the gift either, and you didn't throw your money away, or else this matter would have been settled."

  Xiao Jiading is not a person who easily admits defeat. Aren't they just two county-level and department-level cadres? I won't find a backer who can suppress you, will I? He rolled his eyes a few times and said: "In this Yizhou city, are there any officials that they dare not provoke?"

  Du Dali immediately understood, looking at him with a smile: "There are many officials who cover them up, and the Grand Governor's Mansion, Governor Li Ke, doesn't need to be said. There are not a few officials in the state and county government offices who cover him up. For example, the state and county governments' deputy governor, long history, and county magistrate, plus the protectorate's Zhonglang general and other officials, are all higher-ranking than them. However, these characters are not something that ordinary people like us can curry favor with."

  That's not necessarily true! Xiao Jiading thought, ordinary people also have a lot of connections with high-level leaders, such as big bosses and celebrities. In modern society, he works as a lawyer and often has to deal with some corporate bigwigs, drinking tea and bragging with them, and also gets to know some high-level leaders through them. The inside story is also very clear, those big bosses are not ordinary people, what do they rely on to interact with high-level leaders? Isn't it still the renminbi (RMB)?

  Those big stars, also the leaders' favorites, rely on what? Rely on their looks and bodies. Damn it, I don't have much money, but this big star is right in front of me! - Yanni from Cuixiulou! He's the number one in Yizhou! Can be considered a big star, right? Why not go try your luck with her? If it doesn't work out, you can always retreat. Coincidentally, that fat scholar Zhu Haisheng is hosting a dinner party at Cuixiulou, and I was going to attend anyway.

  Thinking of this, he whispered to Du Da: "This matter is of great importance, let me think carefully."

  Du Da nodded slightly: "That's fine, if there's anything, you can find me in the apricot alley behind the government office. My home is under a big silver apricot tree."

  "Okay, thank you grandpa!"