novelraw Chapter 434 - 0415: Such Punishment (1)
Chapter 434 - 0415: Such Punishment (1)
The sky wasn’t fully bright, and it was still dim. Tian Sanbao sat on the ground with disheveled hair, he couldn’t be recognized for a moment.
"Sanbao, what... happened?" Song Lizheng was surprised, took the rag out of Tian Sanbao’s mouth, and hurriedly asked.
Tian Sanbao started crying loudly. He wanted to complain, but Li Xing’an spoke first, "What are you crying for? You came to harass Miss Song in the middle of the night and got tied up by us, and you still have the face to cry?"
Li Xing’an was always good with words, and in a few sentences, he told everyone what Tian Sanbao had done.
Song Jinxiu lowered her head, her face pale, and with a thud, knelt down in front of the Pavilion Chief, "Please, Pavilion Chief, seek justice for this girl. My grandfather fell ill due to anger, and is still unconscious, all because of Tian Sanbao."
The villagers’ eyes lit up; so it was Tian Sanbao harassing Song Jinxiu, not Song Jinxiu enticing Tian Sanbao?
Song Lizheng, furious, his face alternating between blue and white, angrily questioned Tian Sanbao if it was true.
Tian Sanbao mumbled hesitantly, unable to explain, only denying continuously.
Song Jinxiu trembled with anger, shouting fiercely, "You’re lying, Uncle Niu saw it!"
Coincidentally, the cattle herder brought by Li Xing’an was none other than Niu Lao’er from the nearby Niu Family.
After speaking, Song Jinxiu looked at the man and called, "Uncle Niu."
The honest man didn’t want to get involved, but with the Pavilion Chief and others watching him, he had to nod, "Ah, it was like this on the fifth of last month. We had guests at our place; I went into the mountains searching for game and saw Tian Sanbao pulling at Jinxiu, tearing her sleeve."
"Well, Tian Sanbao, still refusing to admit?" Li Xing’an sneered.
Others also started talking about Tian Sanbao.
Tian Sanbao shrank his neck, even more afraid to make a sound.
"Song Lizheng, how could such a thing happen in your village?" The Pavilion Chief asked sternly, staring at Song Lizheng without blinking.
Song Lizheng was troubled.
The Pavilion Chief could go into the county town and report village matters to the County Magistrate anytime; he couldn’t.
Song Lizheng had no choice but to lower his head in front of the Pavilion Chief.
"Pavilion Chief, well... uh... Jinxiu never told me. If I’d known, how could I have let Tian Sanbao bully Jinxiu?" Song Lizheng sweated on his forehead, thinking how Tian Sanbao sneaked over to find Jinxiu at night and got caught by the Li Family members?
How could he still cover up?
If Li Family members got involved, how could he resolve the matter? The County Magistrate backs the Li Family!
Look, the Pavilion Chief personally came to investigate, and overnight!
This was the first time the Pavilion Chief took such an interest in a common villager’s matter!
It was clear even the Pavilion Chief feared the Li Family.
Song Lizheng sighed inwardly, glaring fiercely at Tian Sanbao.
Tian Sanbao was even more frightened.
The Pavilion Chief snorted lightly, "Song Lizheng, you said you didn’t know before, but would surely intervene if you knew. Now, you’re aware, aren’t you?"
Song Lizheng’s headache grew, "I know today."
"Then handle things impartially." The Pavilion Chief looked at Song Lizheng, "This is a matter of your village, you handle it, I’m just here to observe."
That meant supervision.
Song Lizheng realized he couldn’t avoid it, so he said, "Tian Sanbao repeatedly harassed Tian Jinxiu, he should be punished."
Tian Sanbao was dumbfounded, crying out, "Uncle, you can’t not help me. I’m your real nephew."
Song Lizheng thought, you’re his real enemy, not a nephew!
Could he help his kin at such a time?
If the Pavilion Chief got unhappy and removed him from his village chief position, he would lose that five taels of silver benefit for the year!
Being village chief in the village was merely about posting government notices sent by the county government, receiving higher-ups visiting the village, and otherwise attending to his own matters.
With the Pavilion Chief or County Magistrate coming to the village only a handful of times a year, posting notices twice a year for tax collection was all.
Almost nothing to do, earning five taels of silver a year comfortably?
He didn’t want to lose this easy five-tael silver job.
Song Lizheng ignored Tian Sanbao, urging him to apologize to Song Jinxiu.
Tian Sanbao refused, Song Lizheng searched around the yard, found a stick in his hand, and swung it in front of Tian Sanbao, "Apologize or not?"
The stick was just used by Song Jinxiu to hit Tian Sanbao.
Seeing the familiar stick, Tian Sanbao instinctively shrank his neck, his body trembling.
"Apologize, apologize, apologize." Tian Sanbao had no choice but to start apologizing, "Song Jinxiu, I won’t do this again, please forgive me?"
His hands and feet were bound, and he bowed his head as a form of apology.
Song Jinxiu turned her head away in disgust.
Li Xing’an let out a cold laugh, "It’s really easy to spread rumors and hard to dispel them. You slandered Song Jinxiu by saying she seduced you, ruining her reputation and driving her to nearly drown herself in anger. Now everyone in the village thinks she lacks decorum and she’ll have to explain to many people to restore her name. The whole village is gossiping about her, and it’s probably spread to other villages. Her future prospects for marriage are uncertain, and you think a simple apology suffices?"
Tian Sanbao was stunned, "Then... what should be done?"
Li Xing’an replied, "According to the laws of Zhao Country posted by the county government, those who slander and damage others’ reputations, causing them trouble, must compensate financially and apologize publicly." He looked at the Pavilion Chief, "What do you think, Pavilion Chief?"
The Pavilion Chief stroked his beard and nodded in agreement, "Third Young Master Li is quite right. All being citizens of the county, the village should judge as the county does. Song Lizheng, what’s your opinion?" He looked towards Song Lizheng.
Could Song Lizheng disagree?
"I have no objections." He nodded and said.
"So, how exactly should Tian Sanbao be punished?" The Pavilion Chief asked again.
Song Lizheng had a terrible headache.
If the punishment was too harsh, his third sister would make a fuss; if too light, the Song Family and the Pavilion Chief wouldn’t agree.
Hmm, the Li Family wouldn’t agree either.
Song Lizheng thought of a compromise punishment, "Then... Tian Sanbao should be sentenced to compensate ten taels of silver to Song Jinxiu as a consolation, and he must kneel daily at the Song Family’s door at 7:30 AM, holding a sign with an apology, until 5 PM for one month."
The Pavilion Chief nodded and asked Li Xing’an, "Third Young Master Li, what do you think of this ruling?"
Li Xing’an asked Song Jinxiu, "Miss Song, what’s your opinion?"
Song Jinxiu bit her lip; her opinion? She wished Tian Sanbao were dead!
But she knew that what Tian Sanbao did wasn’t enough to warrant death.
If punished too harshly, Tian Sanbao would surely seek revenge against her and her grandfather in the future.
Moreover, it would make Song Lizheng hate her family for not saving his face.
Thinking of this, Song Jinxiu bowed to the Pavilion Chief and Song Lizheng, "Jinxiu has no objections."
The Pavilion Chief nodded, "Song Lizheng, then let it be ruled as such."
Tian Sanbao breathed a sigh of relief, good, good, only fined ten taels of silver. As for kneeling for a month, hmph, he’d see Song Jinxiu every day, he’d insult her every day.
Tian Sanbao glared at Song Jinxiu.
Song Jinxiu’s face went white with anger.
"Wait a moment." Li Xing’an thought of something and waved his hand, saying, "The purpose of him holding a sign and kneeling is for the villagers to know his wrongdoings and to clear Song Jinxiu’s name, but what if he kneels carelessly, holds the sign half-heartedly, and after a month, the villagers still misunderstand Song Jinxiu, what then?"
He looked at the Pavilion Chief and Song Lizheng.
Song Lizheng was troubled, he couldn’t impose more punishment; any more would cause him greater problems.
His sister would overturn his house.
"This... this punishment of a month’s kneeling is already very heavy." Song Lizheng looked distressed.
Tian Sanbao also pleaded with Song Lizheng.
The Pavilion Chief frowned and asked Li Xing’an, "Third Young Master Li, do you have a good suggestion?"
Li Xing’an hadn’t thought it through, only realizing the method wasn’t perfect.
He quietly asked Mu Yuanxiu for help, "Hey, Mu Yuanxiu, do you have a good idea?"
Mu Yuanxiu observed everyone’s expressions and said, "Of course, just let him kneel until the whole village knows Song Jinxiu is wronged. If villagers know in advance, let him return home earlier."
He didn’t speak quietly, everyone heard.
Let Tian Sanbao return home earlier? What was Mu Yuanxiu thinking? Li Xing’an looked at Mu Yuanxiu with confusion.
Mu Yuanxiu winked at him.
Li Xing’an figured he must be up to something, so he agreed, "That’s best."
Song Lizheng was pleased, "Great, great, let’s do it this way." He also said to Tian Sanbao, "You must make sure the villagers know quickly, then you wouldn’t need to kneel for a whole month."
The Pavilion Chief saw Li Xing’an had no objections and restated the judgment.
Tian Sanbao thought it over, if he could let the villagers know soon, he could go home earlier, then he’d only need to kneel for one day.
Great!
Hehe, he thought Song Jinxiu’s people had a good plan, turns out it was just like this.
Song Lizheng dismissed Tian Sanbao, telling him to quickly fetch the silver and end this matter.