The county had about 1,700 households and approximately 60,000 acres of farmland, requiring immense patience to verify.
For the next few days, the three of them pored over the household and land records.
Magistrate Zheng of the government office, unsure of their intentions, privately convened a meeting with the local gentry to discuss countermeasures.
During this time, Xu Zhao also sent trusted men to gather information on the local notables, regardless of their reputation.
Chen Jiao had initially planned to target the gentry to make a breakthrough.
Little did she know that before she could act, her own men had already caused trouble.
The soldiers of this era were incomparable to the modern People’s Liberation Army.
They were even more detested than bandits and robbers.
Not only were they undisciplined, but looting during marches was common.
Despite Xu Zhao’s strict enforcement of discipline, they still managed to cause a mess.
The incident began when a few soldiers sneaked off to Baitang for entertainment.
On the way, they took a fancy to a respectable woman and abducted her for their amusement.
After the incident, the woman attempted suicide but was rescued in time.
Her elder brother, a rash man, couldn’t swallow his resentment and went all out to lodge a complaint at the official residence.
The matter was suppressed by Hu Yan, who gave some money to settle it.
Unexpectedly, the man was a tough and stubborn character, and he managed to bring the issue to Chen Jiao.
At that time, she was out on business, and the man knelt in the middle of the road, pleading for justice, loudly calling her a “Bodhisattva,” which attracted the attention of many passersby.
Chen Jiao’s carriage was forced to stop, and Ma Chun frowned and asked, “Who are you to make such a fuss here?”
The man, bruised and battered, hurriedly replied in official language, “This humble citizen is Zhang Yuanbin, and I earnestly beg the Ninth Lady to uphold justice and seek redress for my sister, Zhang Yun!”
Ma Chun impatiently said, “If you have grievances, go to the yamen. Our Ninth Lady does not adjudicate cases.”
Zhang Yuanbin exclaimed, “The yamen can’t handle the soldiers from the prefecture. My sister was violated by them and attempted suicide.”
Our Zhang family has nowhere to turn for help.
“Ninth Lady, you are the Bodhisattva of Huizhou. This humble citizen risks his life to beg you to intervene!”
Hearing his plea, the surrounding onlookers stopped and whispered among themselves.
Chen Jiao lifted the carriage curtain and asked impatiently, “Deputy Xu, is there any truth to this?”
Xu Zhao, accustomed to such matters, replied, “I haven’t heard of it yet.”
Chen Jiao, unwilling to let her subordinates tarnish her reputation, instructed Ma Chun to take the man to Wu Yingzhong and wait for her return to inquire further.
Ma Chun acknowledged and stepped forward, saying, “Don’t block the road, come with me.”
Zhang Yuanbin, kneeling on the ground, quickly got up to make way, and the carriage continued on its way.
The commoners on the side whispered among themselves, all thinking he was courting death, as the lower-class citizens were always trampled upon, and it was better to endure and keep things quiet.
Now that he had made a scene, it was likely that his family would never have peace again, which was really unwise.
Moreover, he had provoked the soldiers, and the outcome was predictable.
Indeed, Ma Chun also thought Zhang Yuanbin was foolish.
As she led him to the official residence, she said, “Are you out of your mind to dare cause trouble for the officials?”
Zhang Yuanbin remained silent.
Ma Chun, seeing his bruised face, had already guessed something and asked, “Were you beaten?”
Zhang Yuanbin, holding back his anger, said, “No, I fell.”
Ma Chun didn’t believe him at all.
She thought the man was not very bright but admired his courage to stand up to the officials.
This was a fight to the death.
She led him to Wu Yingzhong and explained the situation in detail.
Wu Yingzhong, who still had some conscience, asked, “Is Mr. Zhang’s sister alright now?”
Zhang Yuanbin replied, “She survived, but she’s traumatized and goes mad at the sight of people. Those soldiers were ruthless; she’s covered in injuries, and my parents weep at the sight. I couldn’t swallow this injustice and risked my life to seek justice, but I was beaten by them.”
Wu Yingzhong was silent for a while, then instructed a servant, “Go and invite Captain Hu.”
The servant acknowledged.
Hu Yan held the rank of centurion, and he must have known about the actions of his soldiers.
Before long, Hu Yan arrived, and Zhang Yuanbin, upon seeing him, was visibly frightened and involuntarily stepped back.
Wu Yingzhong noticed this and asked Hu Yan if he knew about the soldiers raping a decent woman.
Hu Yan didn’t hide it and nodded, “I know.”
Wu Yingzhong frowned and had Zhang Yuanbin taken away to avoid further confrontation, then asked Hu Yan for the details.
Hu Yan knew the matter had escalated and couldn’t be concealed, so he downplayed it: “Those scoundrels got drunk at Baitang and indeed harassed a decent woman. They gave her money afterward to hush it up.”
Wu Yingzhong was well aware of the soldiers’ behavior and asked, “Why wasn’t the matter suppressed?”
Hu Yan frowned, “It was suppressed.”
Wu Yingzhong: “Then why did it reach the attention of Lady Ninth?”
Hu Yan remained silent.
Wu Yingzhong, exasperated, asked, “Does Commandant Xu know about this?”
Hu Yan shook his head, “He doesn’t.”
Wu Yingzhong said irritably, “A bunch of brutes. You must not have handled it properly, which is why Zhang Yuanbin went all out to bring it here.”
Hu Yan was indifferent, “No one died.”
This attitude made Wu Yingzhong’s head ache.
He scolded, “Use your brain. Lady Ninth is a woman. Now that Zhang Yuanbin is risking his life for his sister’s justice and has come to her, how do you think she will handle it?”
This question stunned Hu Yan, who belatedly realized, “What will she do?”
Wu Yingzhong was truly fed up with these soldiers and said disdainfully, “The common folk call Lady Ninth a bodhisattva. You’ve tarnished her reputation. Those men will either die or be severely punished.”
Hearing this, Hu Yan finally grasped the severity of the situation.
Wu Yingzhong continued, “If it were an ordinary person, they might turn a blind eye. But Lady Ninth, being a woman, what attitude would she have towards such a vile act?”
“Moreover, Zhang Yuanbin has publicly accused them, surely stirring public discussion. If Lady Ninth ignores it, her reputation will suffer. Can she tolerate that?”
“You’d better tell your soldiers to stay out of trouble. Lady Ninth is capable of anything.”
Hu Yan remained silent.
He knew Chen Jiao’s background-she dared to kill and bury bodies, and even injured herself to recruit soldiers.
She was indeed a formidable figure.
As Wu Yingzhong predicted, at noon, Chen Jiao returned from her duties and inquired about the matter.
Wu Yingzhong dared not hide anything and recounted everything he knew in detail.
Chen Jiao had Ma Chun summon Zhang Yuanbin for questioning.
With no way out, Zhang Yuanbin recounted the incident truthfully.
Chen Jiao showed no anger but pondered for a moment before saying,
“Ma Chun, take some men and bring Zhang Yun here to identify them.”
Ma Chun acknowledged the order.
After she and Zhang Yuanbin left, Chen Jiao rubbed her temples and looked at Xu Zhao, “Commandant Xu, how do you think we should handle this?”
Xu Zhao, favoring a lenient approach, replied, “They could be punished with military caning.”
Chen Jiao then turned to Wu Yingzhong, “And you, Chief Clerk Wu?”
Wu Yingzhong: “It depends on Lady Ninth’s decision.”
Chen Jiao slowly stood up and said,
“Have Hu Yan gather all the soldiers at the training ground. I will address them and deal with those scoundrels.”
Wu Yingzhong’s eyelids twitched wildly, and Xu Zhao frowned, “Lady Ninth, why go to such lengths?”
Chen Jiao raised an eyebrow and lifted her chin, saying, “The military cane can be deadly if not handled carefully. I’m not beating anyone, so why is Commandant Xu so concerned?”
Xu Zhao patiently advised, “This matter could be significant or trivial. Why must Ninth Lady…”
Before he could finish, Chen Jiao posed a soul-searing question, “Since Commandant Xu is so magnanimous, would you be willing if I rewarded your wife and daughter to the soldiers for their amusement?”
At these words, Xu Zhao’s veins bulged on his forehead, and he exclaimed in frustration, “Ninth Lady, please choose your words carefully!”
Chen Jiao sternly asked, “You’re not willing?”
Wu Yingzhong, fearing the two would escalate into an argument, hurriedly urged Xu Zhao to remain silent.
Xu Zhao’s face turned livid, his eyes blazing with anger, clearly infuriated.
Chen Jiao’s expression darkened, her eyes filled with a sinister, murderous intent.
Xu Zhao wanted to say more, but Wu Yingzhong pushed him out, advising, “Commandant Xu, don’t add fuel to the fire.”
Xu Zhao retorted indignantly, “This is utterly unreasonable! Does she even care about fairness?”
Wu Yingzhong, overwhelmed, pulled him to the doorway, “Say less. Those few individuals can’t be protected anymore. You can’t save them.”
“But look at her arrogance…”
“Say less. People outside are already discussing this. If we don’t quell the public’s resentment, it will eventually blow up.”
Xu Zhao, still resentful, grumbled, “It’s such a small matter, no lives were lost. Why all this fuss?”
Wu Yingzhong, exasperated, said, “The matter itself isn’t significant, but if it’s mishandled and stirs public resentment, tarnishing Ninth Lady’s reputation, it can’t be downplayed.”
“Brother Xu, why can’t you see? Those few individuals have walked into the line of fire today. They’re destined to be scapegoats.”
Xu Zhao hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back.
Wu Yingzhong, being astute, had already understood why Chen Jiao was targeting the gentry-it was all to win over the people’s hearts.
Now that those soldiers had messed up, they were likely doomed, and no one could save them.
Meanwhile, Ma Chun personally visited the Zhang family.
The Zhangs lived in an alley, and when the carriage stopped at the entrance, many curious neighbors peeked out.
Zhang Yuanbin led Ma Chun to his home.
The Zhang elders had finally calmed Zhang Yun down.
Upon learning that Ma Chun had been sent to invite Zhang Yun to identify her assailants, Old Zhang became agitated, “At this point, our Zhang family can’t afford to lose face!”
Madam Zhang, fearing her daughter would be hurt again, tearfully pleaded,
“My daughter has suffered enough. Please let her be.”
Zhang Yuanbin, unwilling to let the matter rest, said bitterly,
“Mother, how can we let Sister’s matter go? As her elder brother, I would risk my life to seek justice for her!”
Old Zhang angrily retorted, “You unfilial son! Do you think the matter isn’t big enough already?”
As the family was on the verge of arguing, Ma Chun interjected,
“Young Master Zhang, please step out for a moment. I need to speak with your parents.”
Zhang Yuanbin hesitated, but Ma Chun waved him off, and he reluctantly left.
Ma Chun patiently explained, “Elders, Ninth Lady is deeply sympathetic to Sister Zhang’s plight and has sent me to invite her to identify her assailants.”
“Rest assured, since Ninth Lady has taken charge, she will surely seek justice for the Zhang family, making Young Master Zhang’s efforts worthwhile.”
“If you choose to avoid this today, Sister Zhang will have suffered in vain. To punish her assailants, her identification is necessary.”
Old Man Zhang remained silent for a long time before finally saying, “Our Zhang family cannot afford to lose face like this.”
Ma Chun: “Zhang Yun is not at fault.”
After a pause she added, “Young Master Zhang is indeed a man of courage, though a bit rash. In the end, he was seeking justice for Zhang Yun.”
Mother Zhang cautiously probed, “Is the Ninth Lady truly willing to make the decision for my daughter?”
Ma Chun nodded, “Since she has spoken, she will definitely give you an explanation.”
Now that things have gotten out of hand ther is no turning back.
The family was still hesitant at first, but Ma Chun sympathized with Zhang Yun’s situation and gave them advise that,
“This matter has gotten too serious. You will probably not be able to stay in this County in the future. In my opinion, its better to leave, even if it is to seek refuge with relatives”
“Afterwards I will ask Ninth Lady for a sum of money to help you settle down, and then forget about this matter. We must always look forward.”
Zhang’s mother wiped her tears and said, “My son has a miserable life. “
Ma Chun was also helpless but she reassured Zhang’s mother that,
“Ninth Lady didn’t know about this matter. Now after knowing she is willing to take charge and give justice to the matter”
Ma Chun persuaded the family with both cruel and realistic word.
Finally after weighing the pros and cons Zhang Yun was willing to come forward to identify the person.
Zhang’s mother accompanied her.
At that time Chen Jiao was already on the parade ground.
The officers and soldiers stood in the parade ground under the scorching sun, while Chen Jiao stood under the umbrella.
Chen Jiao pointed at Hu Yan and asked him to take out the officers and soldiers who had committed the crime.
Hu Yan quickly tried to appease her with a smile, “Ninth Miss, whatever you command, this subordinate will not dare to disobey in the slightest.”
Chen Jiao responded with a cold expression, “Commander Hu, you exaggerate. I, Chen Jiao, am merely a woman from the inner chambers. How could I possibly command you gentlemen?”
Hu Yan, though rebuked, dared not utter a word.
Chen Jiao scanned the crowd with disdain, “You bunch of motherless beasts, bullying a defenseless woman-what kind of heroes are you?”
“If you’re so capable, why did you flee south like stray dogs back then?”
“If you have any courage, go challenge the northern barbarians instead of cowering here and tormenting innocent women. I’m ashamed for you!”
Her voice, though not loud, pierced everyone’s hearts like a steel needle, leaving them filled with resentment.
The entire hall fell silent, and Wu Yingzhong’s face turned solemn.
Chen Jiao returned to the shelter of her green umbrella, her petite frame radiating immense strength.
She surveyed the room once more and spoke again, “Each person is responsible for their own actions. If you have any guts, step forward and take your punishment. If not, everyone will suffer together.”
The crowd below exchanged glances and ultimately chose to stick together.
Chen Jiao laughed in frustration.
Xu Zhao, fearing the situation would spiral out of control, signaled to Hu Yan with his eyes.
Hu Yan had no choice but to step into the crowd and kick out the four culprits.
The four men, thinking they could endure a military beating, remained defiant.
Little did they know, Chen Jiao’s methods were ruthless and aimed to destroy both body and spirit.
When the Zhang mother and daughter arrived, Zhang Yun, unwilling to show her face, hid behind a veil and identified the four men.
Chen Jiao asked, “Are there any others?”
Zhang Yun timidly shook her head.
Chen Jiao gestured, and the mother and daughter were escorted away.
She then turned to the four culprits and said,
“I, Chen Jiao, despise acts of rape and plunder above all else. I won’t stop you from visiting brothels, but to rape an innocent woman in broad daylight, flouting our laws this is unforgivable.”
She then looked at Xu Zhao, “Commander Xu, what punishment do you suggest?”
Xu Zhao repeated his earlier stance, “Thirty lashes with the military rod as a warning.”
But Chen Jiao countered, “I won’t beat them. I’ll simply confiscate their tools of crime.”
At this, Xu Zhao’s face stiffened, and the four men’s expressions turned to disbelief.
Wu Yingzhong twitched his lips, wanting to speak but holding back.
One of the men couldn’t take it anymore and angrily shouted, “A scholar would rather die than be humiliated!”
Chen Jiao retorted sharply, “Well said a scholar would rather die than be humiliated!”
“But tell me, when you raped that innocent woman, did you think of her humiliation?!”
“You scoundrels, living off the taxes paid by the people, instead of defending the country, you commit such heinous acts shouldn’t you be executed?!”
Her questions were deafening and thought-provoking.
For a moment, Wu Yingzhong’s heart was deeply stirred.
Xu Zhao opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but ultimately chose silence out of shame.
The guilty soldiers finally began to show fear.
Chen Jiao coldly ordered, “Guards, take them away and carry out the punishment!”
The guard lowered their heads, unwilling to move.
Chen Jiao glared fiercely, “Bring me a knife. I’ll castrate them myself!”
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