As the golden sun had just risen over the treetops, Yuzhou City was already bustling with life. The townsfolk had begun their day’s work: the sizzling of scallion pancakes, the clanging of blacksmiths forging iron, vegetable vendors shouting out prices at the top of their lungs. Though autumn had officially begun, the weather was still hot. Along Jinling Street, which bordered the Yushui River, groups of wild children splashed about naked in the water, diving and riding floating logs, raising an uproar.
Qian Jiaoniang walked down Jinling Street to its end, where the Yuzhou Magistrate’s Office stood. Two stone lions flanked the steps, mouths wide open in ferocity, though they didn’t seem nearly as imposing as the two smaller lions in front of the Marquis’s residence. Two bailiffs, swords at their waists, stood guard at the red lacquered main gate, full of authority. A large drum stood on the right side of the steps—for the common people to beat if they sought justice. Unless there was a truly grave injustice, no ordinary citizen dared strike that drum, for doing so usually meant going up against the powerful.
Qian Jiaoniang paused at the bottom of the steps, then climbed them directly, heading to the right. She picked up the drumstick and struck the big drum hard.
The heavy drumbeats drew a curious crowd. People gathered at the foot of the steps, pointing and whispering among themselves.
One bailiff stepped forward and asked, “Madam, whom do you wish to accuse?”
Qian Jiaoniang answered loud and clear, word by word: “I want to accuse Dingxi Marquis—Xing Muzheng!”
A wave of astonishment swept through the crowd. A plainly dressed young woman dared accuse the Marquis? General Xing?
The bailiff clearly hadn’t expected this and barked, “Where did this madwoman come from? Be off with you!”
“I’m not leaving, and I’m not mad or foolish. This drum is for the people to seek justice—why are you chasing me off?” Qian Jiaoniang stood tall, chest puffed.
The two bailiffs looked at each other, uncertain. One of them gave a subtle signal, and the other nodded and turned to enter the office. A short while later, he came hurrying back and called for Qian Jiaoniang to follow him inside.
She lifted her head high and stepped into the magistrate’s office. The bailiff led her straight to the main courtroom and told her to wait there before turning and leaving. The hall was empty. Above the judge’s seat hung a large plaque—Qian Jiaoniang only recognized the characters ming and gao. On both sides were couplets. She slowly read them, one word at a time.
After a short while, there was a sound behind the right curtain. Qian Jiaoniang looked over and saw a tall, thin man in his forties, bearded, wearing official robes embroidered with cranes, walking in. Judging by appearance, he must be the Magistrate of Yuzhou, Xie Zhang. She had heard he was a good official—one not afraid to stand up to the domineering Marquis.
Qian Jiaoniang watched as Xie Zhang entered the courtroom, expecting him to ascend the bench and begin the hearing. But to her surprise, instead of heading up, he turned aside and personally lifted the curtain in a respectful gesture of invitation. Immediately after, a tall, handsome man stepped out from behind the curtain. When Qian Jiaoniang saw him clearly, she froze like wood, her lips twitching.
Xie Zhang invited the man to sit at the judge’s seat, but the man waved his hand and pointed to the lower right side of the hall. The assistant magistrate who had followed quickly ordered a chair with a mandarin’s hat backrest to be brought over and placed where the man indicated. The man lifted his robe and sat down with legs apart, entirely at ease as if it were his own home, his dark eyes fixed straight on Qian Jiaoniang.
Xie Zhang adjusted his official hat, ascended to the bench, and sat down. He glanced at the plainly dressed woman standing below, then glanced at Dingxi Marquis, whose face had turned dark the moment he heard the report. For a moment, Xie Zhang didn’t know if he should strike the gavel. The bailiffs, seeing the magistrate had taken the bench, rushed in to shout, “All rise—!”
Xie Zhang’s face turned black—this group of tall, brainless fools, no sense at all! Was this the time to shout “All rise”?
The assistant hurried in and waved the bailiffs away. The noisy courtroom fell silent again.
Qian Jiaoniang’s stiff face twitched slightly before she managed to force a fake smile. “Marquis, what a coincidence. You came to the yamen for a stroll too?”
Xie Zhang’s hand slipped—what nonsense was this woman spouting? Who takes a stroll in the yamen?
Xing Muzheng said, “I came to discuss official matters with Magistrate Xie. What are you here for?”
How had she even left the marquis’s manor?
Qian Jiaoniang replied, “I had nothing better to do, so I went out for a walk.”
Xing Muzheng narrowed his eyes. “You were just walking, and ended up at the yamen? Then decided to bang the grievance drum?”
“I saw the drum had been sitting there in the wind and rain, probably hadn’t been used in ages, so I thought I’d try if it still made noise.”
“And after it made noise, you didn’t leave?”
Qian Jiaoniang replied innocently, “The bailiff outside wouldn’t let me. He said since I’d struck the drum, I had to file a complaint.”
“So you decided to accuse me?” Xing Muzheng feigned sudden realization.
Qian Jiaoniang gave an awkward laugh. “Marquis, what are you saying? Even if you gave me a hundred guts, I wouldn’t dare mess with you. I’m not trying to get myself killed. I just wanted Magistrate Xie to advise you.”
Xie Zhang listened to their veiled back-and-forth, still unsure what kind of relationship this woman had with the Marquis. But suddenly hearing her turn the matter toward him, he puffed up his chest, trying to appear as if he understood.
This time, Qian Jiaoniang didn’t wait for Xing Muzheng. She turned directly to Xie Zhang and said, “Lord Xie, I originally had an imperial decree to dissolve the marriage with Dingxi Marquis, but the marquis has been delaying and refuses to write the separation letter. I’m just a commoner—fine. But if the Emperor hears that the Marquis is ignoring a decree, wouldn’t that be a huge problem?”
“Imperial decree… divorce?” Xie Zhang was stunned. This commoner woman… was actually the marquis’s wife?
“Exactly. The eunuch from the palace came personally and recited the oral decree word by word—how could it be fake? But the Marquis, for the sake of old feelings”—Qian Jiaoniang bit down hard on those two words—“refuses to write the separation letter. I’ve been worried sick over it. My lowly life is worth little, but to let Dingxi Marquis bear the crime of defying the emperor’s order—that would make me guilty! Isn’t that right, Lord Xie?”
Qian Jiaoniang turned sincerely to Xie Zhang, and he almost blurted out, “Yes.”
“This…” Xie Zhang stroked his beard in pretense, his eyes darting constantly toward Xing Muzheng.
This what and that what! Hadn’t she made herself clear? Xing Muzheng was disobeying a direct decree! Arrest him and question him already! Qian Jiaoniang cursed him inwardly—what was there to fear in a mere marquis? Could he be more powerful than an imperial edict?
Xing Muzheng sneered. “So this is what you’ve come to accuse me of.”
This woman really had guts—running to the yamen and banging the grievance drum, making the whole city know!
“You’re putting it wrongly. Like I said earlier—I only wanted Lord Xie to persuade you.”
“He wouldn’t dare.”
“Lord Xie is the magistrate of Yuzhou, a loyal and upright servant of His Majesty. Why wouldn’t he dare?” Qian Jiaoniang looked straight at the bench. How could he still endure this? Wasn’t he paid by the emperor’s silver? He didn’t rely on the Marquis’s household to survive!
Xing Muzheng kindly explained, “Because Yuzhou is my fief. And he—he is the official of Yuzhou.”
“Fief?” Qian Jiaoniang frowned. She knew Xing Muzheng was a marquis, some kind of high-ranking official—but a fief? What was that? Qingya had mentioned something like this once…
“Dingxi Marquis is the first non-royal marquis in this dynasty to be granted a fief,” Xie Zhang quickly added, eager to throw this hot potato away. “The entire region of Yuzhou reports only to the marquis. There’s no need to report to the court.”
Surely she understood now? With a single word from the marquis, he could remove him from office! And this woman—his own wife—didn’t even know?
“Ah?” So… wasn’t he basically a local emperor?! Qian Jiaoniang was stunned. She had only thought he held high office—she hadn’t realized he had complete control over Yuzhou!
After a moment, she probed, “Then… Fengzhou?” Fengzhou was the neighboring prefecture. Surely that was beyond Xing Muzheng’s reach?
“Fengzhou’s not under their jurisdiction either,” Xing Muzheng said coldly, standing up. “This is a household matter of the Marquis’s manor. How could the yamen have any say in it?”
Qian Jiaoniang turned her head, visibly distressed. “Marquis, how can you be so obstinate? Lord Xie, please—please advise the Marquis. If you can’t, tell me who can—I’ll go find them!”
“This…”
Was this magistrate stupid? All he could say was “this, this…” How did he manage to preside over any cases before?
Xing Muzheng said, “The Marquis’s manor is under imperial decree. Though I’ve resigned from my position as Grand General, I still hold the rank of supernumerary marquis. I need not bow to a royal prince, and the current prime minister must give me deference. You tell me—who could persuade me?”
“…The Emperor.” Qian Jiaoniang blurted out.
Xing Muzheng smiled for once. “Correct. You’ll have to file a complaint directly with the Emperor.”
