Judging Cases in Court

Judging Cases in Court

Although the final verdict had not changed, it had helped Li Nuo understand the rules of the Code of Law.

The lifespan remaining in the Code of Law could be changed.

As far as imprisonment sentences were concerned, within the limits prescribed by law, every year a criminal was sentenced to gave him one more day to live.

He had asked the Magistrate of Chang'an about it. Besides imprisonment sentences, Great Xia had lighter punishments such as caning and flogging, and heavier ones such as penal exile and the death penalty. Li Nuo did not yet know how much lifespan these punishments could bring him. For one thing, the Female Assassin's sentence had an upper limit; for another, he could hardly keep tormenting the honest Magistrate of Chang'an.

But one thing, Li Nuo could be sure of.

For the Code of Law to add lifespan, the criminal probably had to be connected to him personally. Take the Female Assassin who had tried to kill him—if just any case worked, with the Government Office judging so many cases every day, would he not become immortal?

By that logic, the more people who tried to assassinate him, the better?

If you wanted his life, then trade your own for it...

That was far too miserable. Who would be so full and bored that they would spend every day trying to assassinate a fool?

The Magistrate of Chang'an feared that if he stayed any longer, he would not be able to stop himself from striking this wastrel. Of course, he feared even more that he would be angered to death. After cupping his hands to Li Nuo, he said, "Young Master, this official is still trying a case in the Court Hall. How about..."

At the mention of a case, an idea suddenly flashed through Li Nuo's mind.

If a case had nothing to do with him, but he tried it personally, could it increase his lifespan?

Time waited for no one. Even though he had just gained two days of life, he only had five days left to live. He had to seize every opportunity. With that thought, he immediately said to the Magistrate of Chang'an, "Lord Pei, I have another presumptuous request. May I try this case?"

The Magistrate of Chang'an froze. "What? Young Master wishes to try a case?"

Li Nuo asked, "Is that possible?"

Without an Official Position, one was naturally not allowed to preside over a case in court.

But your father was the Minister of Justice. Your word was the principle—who would dare say otherwise?

The Magistrate of Chang'an drew a deep breath and said, "Of course. This way, Young Master..."

Steward Wu asked Li Nuo curiously, "Young Master, why are you trying a case?"

Li Nuo merely smiled. "I have nothing better to do. I'm just trying one for fun..."

Steward Wu said nothing more. The Young Master had probably simply taken a fancy to it, but since he liked it, then let him play.

In the middle of the hearing, the magistrate hurried away. Though the yamen runners standing on either side of the Court Hall were curious, none dared speak out of turn. As for the two suspects kneeling below, even though their knees had gone numb, they did not dare move recklessly.

It was a long while before the magistrate returned, with an extravagantly dressed young gentleman beside him.

A Magistrate of Chang'an of Principal Fifth Rank had actually yielded the chief seat to this young gentleman and treated him with immense respect. Everyone present trembled inwardly, even slowing their breathing.

Li Nuo had already learned the details outside. The Magistrate of Chang'an had been trying an ordinary theft case. Two suspects had been identified, and they were undergoing routine questioning.

Li Nuo first took the case file and looked it over. Great Xia's writing resembled the traditional characters of later generations. Because he had often studied ancient documents while writing papers, Li Nuo knew quite a few traditional characters. Though there were still some he did not recognize, he could infer eight or nine out of ten from the context.

However, his former self had been a fool who could not even do addition or subtraction within ten. He most likely did not know many characters.

Li Nuo handed the case file to the Magistrate of Chang'an and said, "Lord Pei, there are many characters here that I do not recognize. Please read them for me..."

The Magistrate of Chang'an sneered inwardly. He could not even recognize basic characters, yet he wanted to imitate others in trying cases. In a fit of whimsy, he had forgotten his own measure. After grumbling to himself for a moment, he smiled and said, "No trouble, no trouble. This case is actually very simple. Madam Wang of Chang'an Street lost several dozen taels of silver and suspects that one of her two neighbors stole it..."

Before long, Li Nuo looked down at those below.

This was an ordinary theft case. Madam Wang's two neighbors were both suspects, but there was insufficient evidence to convict either of them.

Li Nuo pondered for a moment, then looked at the thin man with the goatee and asked, "Starting from when you woke up yesterday, what did you do? Tell me every single thing truthfully. Do not omit anything."

The thin man coughed twice and said, "My lord, I got up around the hour of the Snake that morning. First, I ate three buns and drank a bowl of congee at a bun shop by the roadside. Then I wandered around the streets. Around noon, I went to the gambling house and played a couple of rounds. At about the hour of the Goat, I ate at Fragrant Full Tower, then went home for a nap. At the hour of the Monkey, I went out and greeted Madam Wang, then went to Phoenix Perch Tower to enjoy myself... After enjoying myself, I went to the pleasure quarter to listen to music, watch monkey shows and dancing girls. Then I drank with friends and returned home before the hour of the Pig. Once home, I went straight to sleep. This humble one truly had no time to steal anything."

Li Nuo then looked at the other, plump man.

Before he could speak, the man immediately said, "My lord, I have been wronged! This humble one got up at the hour of the Rabbit to make flatbread. Before the hour of the Dragon, I went out to sell it. At the hour of the Snake, I finished selling and went home. First I fetched water, then chopped firewood. After finishing those chores, it was about half an hour past noon. I greeted Madam Wang and went home to cook... Around the hour of the Rooster, I went out to buy rice. I ate a bowl of noodles at the Liu Family Noodle House at the eastern end of the alley. After buying the rice and returning home, I washed clothes and also took a bath. Then I enjoyed myself with my wife. First the top position, then the side position, the bottom position, and finally the rear position..."

The Magistrate of Chang'an discreetly scratched his crotch and interrupted him. "Enough. There is no need to go into such detail about those matters..."

Madam Wang's home had been burgled, and several dozen taels of silver had been stolen. She suspected one of her two neighbors, so he had summoned them both to court. Yet both denied the theft and both had alibis.

Several dozen taels of silver was no small sum for ordinary people. As the local magistrate, he naturally had to take it seriously. But he could not be bothered to verify every detail himself. Since this wastrel wanted to investigate the case, he would let him do so.

He wanted to see whether this wastrel had any of his father's ability.

After hearing both testimonies, Li Nuo said nothing. Instead, he casually began making small talk with the Magistrate of Chang'an, asking with a smile, "Where is Lord Pei's hometown?"

The Magistrate of Chang'an was taken aback, then said, "Longnan."

"What a coincidence..."

"You are from Longnan too? Aren't you a native of Chang'an?"

"One of my friends has ancestral roots in Longnan... By the way, Lord Pei, how many people are in your household?"

"I have an elderly mother, and my wife and I have one son."

"Lord Pei is so handsome and dashing, yet you have no concubine at home?"

"Alas, this official would like one too, but my wife will not allow it..."

The two chatted idly, seeming to have forgotten all about the case. Not only were the yamen runners on both sides listening in confusion, even the two suspects below were engrossed in the gossip.

Just as the Magistrate of Chang'an wondered what medicine this wastrel was selling in his gourd, Li Nuo suddenly looked down and shifted the subject. He said to the fat man, "You. Tell me what you did that day again, but in reverse order."

Though the fat man did not know why, he honestly recalled as he spoke. "This humble one enjoyed myself with my wife. We used the rear position, the bottom position, the side position, and the top position. Before that, I took a bath, washed clothes, bought rice, and ate noodles at the Liu Family Noodle House... Then I cooked, chopped firewood, fetched water, sold flatbread, made flatbread, and got up..."

Li Nuo nodded slightly.

Though he spoke more slowly than before, every event still matched up.

Then Li Nuo turned his gaze to the skinny man with the goatee. "Your turn."

The skinny man trembled as he said, "This humble one got up at the hour of the Snake..."

Li Nuo waved a hand to interrupt him. "I did not ask you to say it in order. Start from going to sleep at night and tell it in reverse..."

Sweat began to bead on the skinny man's forehead. "Sleep. Before sleeping, I drank with friends. At the pleasure quarter, I watched monkey shows and dancing girls, and listened to music..."

Li Nuo waved again. "Wait. Did you not just say you listened to music first, then watched the monkey show, and finally the dancing girls? Why has it become muddled?"

The skinny man with the goatee shuddered, sweat pouring down his body. He said in a trembling voice, "I-I remembered wrong..."

"Continue."

"Yes. Listened to music. Listened to music. Before listening to music, I took a nap at home..."

"Did you not enjoy yourself at Phoenix Perch Tower?"

"Oh, oh, I forgot, I forgot. First I took a nap, then went to Phoenix Perch Tower..."

"What came before the nap?"

"I-I ate at Fragrant Full Tower, went gambling, and before that wandered around. Wandered around. Before wandering around, I ate three buns and a bowl of congee..."

"Did you not say two buns just now?"

"It was two, two."

"My apologies, I remember now. You said three just now."

Smack!

As if he had returned to the courtroom, Li Nuo slammed the Court Rapper and shouted angrily, "That man can remember perfectly clearly how many positions he used with his wife and in what order, yet you cannot remember whether you ate two buns or three in the morning. You must have fabricated your earlier words! Speak! Why did you lie? Did you steal Madam Wang's silver?"

The skinny man with the goatee jumped in fright and immediately replied, "In reply to my lord, this humble one has a poor memory..."

At this point, the experienced Magistrate of Chang'an had already understood.

"Poor memory, is that so..."

There was no need for Li Nuo to ask more. The Magistrate of Chang'an smiled and waved to the constables on either side. "Go. Take him away and let him think carefully. This official believes he will remember..."

He was unwilling to use punishment because he did not want to punish the innocent.

Anyone who was not blind could see that something was wrong with this skinny man with the goatee. At a time like this, they simply needed to help restore his memory properly.

Actually, he had found the fellow displeasing from the start.

Phoenix Perch Tower... What status did you have, what standing, that you dared go to the same brothel as this official?

Hearing the Magistrate of Chang'an's words, the skinny man with the goatee shuddered. Even if he had never experienced the county yamen's "Great Memory Restoration Technique," he had heard his peers talk about it. It truly left one unable to live or die. He immediately said, "My lord, this humble one confesses! I stole the silver. There is no need to trouble these officers!"

"Court dismissed!"

After slamming the Court Rapper, the Magistrate of Chang'an cupped his hands to Li Nuo and said, "Young Master's wisdom is beyond this subordinate's reach. How did Young Master think to have them recount their testimonies in reverse?"

Li Nuo smiled. "It was nothing. If they had personally experienced something, then even recalling it backward, they would generally not make mistakes. But if it was a story they made up on the spur of the moment, it would be difficult to repeat it backward. What is more, our conversation distracted him in the meantime, making it even harder for him to remember..."

These were merely a few little techniques of modern interrogation. Though Li Nuo was not a criminal investigator, he often dealt with them and had picked up a few tricks.

The Magistrate of Chang'an cupped his hands again. "This subordinate has been taught..."

As he spoke, he could not help looking at the young man before him a few more times.

Rumors truly could not be trusted.

Who said the Minister of Justice's son was a fool?

If this was a fool, then would Pei Zhe not be inferior even to a fool?

Outside the Court Hall, Steward Wu was stunned, yet filled with emotion. Since when could the words "wisdom and strategy" be used to describe his foolish young master...?