Tang Dynasty Prison Administration

067: The Lianhua Case in Qingzhou

Several constables led out several carriages, but these carriages did not have sedan chairs. Instead, ropes were tied to the back of the carriages and bound to the sergeant's hands, feet, and neck.

When Su Wen saw this scene, he was shocked and thought, "How come this is different from the dismemberment by chariot that I imagined?"

He thought that being torn apart by chariots meant being tied around the neck with a rope and dragged to death!

In the end, this was no different from being torn apart by five horses, the only difference being the addition of a cart? Then how is this different from the earlier practice of being torn apart by five oxen?

At this moment, an executioner stepped forward and asked, "Young Master Su, shall we bleed the murderer to death before carrying out the execution?"

Upon hearing this, Su Wen frowned, and a sense of unease arose in his heart. Good heavens, dismemberment by chariot actually involves bleeding the prisoner to death, and then dismembering the body by chariot after death?

Su Wen took a deep breath and said, "This murderer is extremely wicked. He knowingly broke the law and, together with three others, gang-raped a woman before murdering her. I wonder what inhuman torture she suffered before her death. Such a vicious person doesn't deserve to be human. There's no need to bleed him; let him experience the pain while he's alive to comfort the victim's soul in heaven!"

Su Wen frowned and said, "Execute them!"

Although Su Wen is a modern person, he has been in contact with criminals and the dead for a long time. He doesn't even know if his heart is twisted. But he only remembers that someone once said: For the most vicious and heinous people, the death penalty should be used. Otherwise, how can the victims rest in peace!

Thinking of this, Su Wen simply watched quietly.

With the sound of a gong.

The men driving the carriage brandished their whips, and in an instant, the ropes tightened, pulling the men off the ground. The corporal let out a series of screams.

The key point is that the force of the carriage was not enough to tear a person into pieces instantly. Instead, after a stalemate of about one or two minutes, it finally tore off one of his arms. Once it was torn off, the rest of the horse started to gallop wildly, dragging the person along the ground while other parts of his body were torn off.

In the end, they couldn't tear off the head, but the whole body was torn to pieces and covered in wounds.

Seeing this, the people showed no fear whatsoever; instead, they cheered, with many even shouting, "Well done!"

Seeing this, Su Wen didn't pay much attention and slowly left the place, returning to the county office.

Before long, Su Wen arrived at the prison. The prison environment in ancient times was extremely poor. It was not only dark and sunless, but also had an extremely strong smell of excrement and urine, like a dry toilet in summer. The temperature in the prison was extremely low because most of the cells were built underground, so it was extremely cold and damp.

Very few people who go to prison actually get out alive. Some people are even half-dead just from being detained in prison. Although the prison provides food, the prisoner's family has to pay for it. If they don't pay, the government will pay for it first. If they don't pay for a period of time, the government will stop providing food and let them starve to death in prison.

Su Wen carefully examined and questioned many of the people Xia Wenyu had arrested. No one seemed suspicious. In fact, several monks were arrested and tortured simply because they were passing by a house begging for alms.

More importantly, almost everyone who was arrested was beaten with a cane. According to the interrogation records, only two people were not beaten: one was a dwarf who was over three feet tall, and the other was a female prisoner. The record says she was a female clerk!

In an instant, Su Wen thought of someone: the female swordswoman he had met in Youzhou. Although she was dressed as a man, she was incredibly dashing and clearly a master. He wondered who this female swordswoman was!

After Su Wen finished questioning all the male prisoners, he ordered them all to be released.

Su Wen stretched and went to the women's prison. The women's prison was much quieter than the men's prison, with only a few scattered female prisoners.

Su Wen was somewhat surprised when he saw the female prisoners' cells, because almost all of them had wooden plank beds. Although they weren't very luxurious, they were still much better than sleeping on the floor. Moreover, each of the female prisoners had her own wooden bucket for using the toilet. Although the male prisoners also had buckets, they would urinate everywhere.

Therefore, its cleanliness is not as good as that of a female prisoner.

However, Su Wen had read the Tang Dynasty Code and wasn't too surprised.

The Tang Dynasty law stipulated that female prisoners could enjoy special treatment, and even allowed men to take their place in prison. These men would not be imprisoned but would instead work outside, which was equivalent to labor reform.

As for why the female prisoners had wooden plank beds, it was because of money. The prison was very fair; you could pay money to get anything, including meat and alcohol. As long as you paid, it was all done!

When Su Wen arrived at the cell door of the female swordswoman, he glanced at her and frowned, saying, "What, it's you? Weren't you in Youzhou? What are you doing in Qingzhou?"

The female ghostwriter glanced at him, then snorted coldly, saying with an annoyed expression, "Who do we have here? Oh, it's... eh?" She strode towards Su Wen and said, "It's you, you're that...that...that...the Chief Secretary, right?"

Su Wen nodded: "Su Wen, Chief Justice of the Criminal Investigation Department!"

The female assistant chuckled and said, "I heard you were demoted? What brings you to Qingzhou? Are you here to investigate the Lotus Case?"

Su Wen smiled and nodded: "May I ask what the female knight-errant's name is?"

The female ghostwriter smiled slightly and said, "Cheng Nianci!"

Su Wendao asked, "Weren't you in Youzhou? How did you end up in Qingzhou?"

Cheng Nianci looked at Su Wen, then glanced around, before lowering her voice and saying, "I know you were called here to investigate the Lotus Case. This matter is far more complicated than you imagine, involving a powerful figure you wouldn't even dare to dream of!"

Upon hearing this, Su Wen immediately became alert and asked softly, "Do you have any leads?"

Cheng Nianci smiled and said, "Of course there are, but even if I told you, you might not dare to investigate. The big shots involved behind this are beyond your imagination, and the murderer isn't alone!"

Cheng Nianci's words made Su Wen frown immediately. Hearing her say this, it seemed that the guess that Su Wen feared most deep down might really be true!

Su Wen said with a serious expression, "Could you tell me some clues? I'm a stubborn person, and I'm determined to solve this case!"

Upon hearing this, Cheng Nianci scoffed and said, "What rank is your so-called Chief Justice of the Ministry of Justice? How dare you be so arrogant?"

At this moment, the constable who accompanied Su Wen in said, "How dare you! This man is personally appointed by the Emperor, the acting governor of Qingzhou, the vice minister of the Ministry of Justice's Criminal Justice Department, and holds the same rank as the vice minister of the Court of Judicial Review!"

Upon hearing this, Cheng Nianci immediately stopped teasing him earlier and instead carefully examined Su Wen. After thinking for a moment, she said softly, "I can tell you a clue, but you have to promise to do me a favor after this case is over!"

Su Wen asked, "What kind of busyness?"

Cheng Nianci said, "If you can become an imperial envoy, a provincial inspector, a military governor of Lingnan, or a prefect of Lingnan, then I will tell you, and you will have to help me. If you cannot achieve these official positions, I will not tell you, nor will I ask for your help, how about that?"

Su Wen frowned in thought, and Cheng Nianci continued, "This is a sure thing for you, no risk whatsoever. What do you think, is it feasible?"

After thinking for a moment, Su Wen said, "As long as it doesn't involve me breaking the law or committing a crime, then it's acceptable!"

Cheng Nianci said, "Alright, let's keep our word!"

Su Wendao said, "A promise made in heaven cannot be kept!"