“So he really agreed?”
“Yes. At first he locked me and Xiaoxue up. After two days, he agreed. Otherwise, how could the two of us have gotten out? Now he’s allowing me to go back and buy things, saying that a good date will be chosen in the second month for her to enter the household.”
Listening to Du Youyan report back, Wei Hongming was surprised that Du Heng had agreed, yet it also seemed reasonable.
In the end, they were all men. He had put on airs of integrity before, refusing people sent to him, but it was nothing more than a matter of insufficient beauty.
With Duan Xue’s looks and figure, what man could refuse? Especially when there had once been some youthful affection between them.
Still, seeing Du Heng take Duan Xue as a concubine left Wei Hongming displeased. Although having a future informant by his side would be useful and could disgust Du Heng, thinking about such a flower‑like girl never making it into his own hands but being passed on instead felt like a waste.
He lifted his eyes. “If that’s the case, then go ahead and handle it.”
Du Youyan responded softly.
Wei Hongming suddenly grabbed her. “You’d better behave, the two of you. If you dare harbor any other intentions, I’ll slaughter Duan Xue’s lover.”
“And as for you—”
“—you shameless thing.”
As he spoke, he squeezed her body hard.
Though a flash of humiliation crossed Du Youyan’s face, she ultimately didn’t dare resist.
After a long while, Du Youyan finally left Wei Hongming’s house.
“Who was that woman? A newly hired servant?”
Yun Qingwen, perched atop the high platform he had been building in the side garden, was using the Western telescope his elder brother had brought back from business trips to enjoy the spring scenery. From his vantage point, he clearly saw a woman in her thirties walking briskly along the garden wall toward the outside, head lowered, being led by a servant.
The Wei estate was large—a four‑compound garden with dozens of servants—but no matter how many people there were, the master generally recognized familiar faces.
This woman, however, was sneaky and unfamiliar. He put down the telescope and asked the nanny attending him nearby.
“Besides the girl newly hired a month ago, the household hasn’t brought in any new servants these past few days.”
Yun Qingwen raised an eyebrow. “But I saw that it was Master’s little Liù from the garden leading her.”
He recalled that although the woman was in her thirties, her figure was still quite appealing, and her features were striking. Something felt off, and he was irritated. “Go ask immediately.”
Soon the nanny returned.
“She’s said to have come to see Master,” she reported. After a pause, she added, “She just came out of Master’s house.”
With a loud crash, Yun Qingwen startled as he smashed a teacup onto the ground.
“Wei Hongming is shameless!”
Though Yun Qingwen had some suspicions beforehand, hearing the servant’s report still enraged him. He knew Wei Hongming was lecherous, constantly bringing people into the household. Usually they were young and clean, but now he dared to entangle with a middle-aged woman!
A few days ago, he had already clashed fiercely with Wei Hongming. His anger hadn’t subsided, and seeing this just made him feel utterly disgusted.
“Divorce! I’ll go and confront him right now!”
The nanny hurried to stop him.
“Master, calm down. If you go now, all you can do is make a scene. The gentleman will never agree to a divorce; it will only increase animosity between you two.”
Hearing this, Yun Qingwen’s frustration deepened. He slammed another teacup to the floor. “Do you want me dead or what!”
In recent years, Wei Hongming had increasingly disregarded him. He had long thought of divorce, but Wei Hongming could never bear to lose the support that the Yun family provided.
Even though their discord had reduced the Yun family’s assistance to the Weis, Wei Hongming couldn’t entirely ignore the importance of maintaining appearances. After a divorce, finding a new principal wife would be easy for him, but finding someone of Yun Qingwen’s family standing would not.
Over the years, whenever Yun Qingwen pushed the issue this far, Wei Hongming, as a scholar-official, would refuse to relent, keeping the marriage intact. The Yun family, being merchants, ultimately lacked authority.
Moreover, Yun Qingwen’s temper and impulsiveness often led him to return to his maternal home, neglecting household affairs. Even if the Yun family had abundant connections and wealth, it couldn’t counter the influence of a wayward young man. His reckless nature alone gave Wei Hongming leverage.
Thus, these years of bickering had dragged on, unresolved.
“This life of mine is ruined here! Even seeing Wei Hongming one more time makes me sick. If only I could divorce him—even if I never remarried, it would still be better than suffering this filth!”
Unable to contain himself, Yun Qingwen collapsed onto the table, crying and cursing until exhaustion forced the nanny to help him back inside.
With spring’s arrival, the county would hold the annual “Wild Spring Banquet,” where restaurants purchased fresh wild vegetables from the countryside—things like Chinese toon shoots, bamboo shoots, shepherd’s purse, dandelion greens, and more. The variety was abundant.
These wild vegetables were fresh and tender, and local vendors sold them in colorful, bustling market stalls.
Residents of the county enjoyed buying some to welcome the season and change flavors. Qin Xiaoman, having eaten these wild vegetables frequently in the village, had grown bored of them. But after a few years in town without regular access, he found himself nostalgic upon seeing the first spring vegetables.
A few days ago, he bought some fresh shepherd’s purse to make soup. Hoping to cook for the children himself, he found that even the usually unpicky Danze held his breath just to finish the soup.
Aware that his cooking skills weren’t as good as Du Heng’s, and with Du Heng busy these past two days, Qin Xiaoman took the two little ones to a local restaurant.
“Isn’t that the county magistrate’s husband? Today he’s out with the two kids.”
“The magistrate is handsome, and the children are so well-behaved.”
“How strange! It’s rare to see Du Heng at the restaurant. Today he’s alone with the kids; usually it’s the whole family out together.”
“Don’t you know? I heard the magistrate is taking a new young wife, his childhood cousin. Recently, they were betrothed at the county office and taken into the household. I hear the cousin is beautiful and talented, and now preparations are underway for her to enter the family.”
“Is that true? I’ve always heard that the magistrate and his husband are very close and haven’t taken a new wife in years. Since he is a son-in-law and needs the Qin family’s consent, can this even happen?”
“Even with this connection, these two are quarrelsome. Look, he’s out alone with the children.”
A man stepping down from a carriage overheard the chatter, craned his neck, and indeed saw Qin Xiaoman along with the now noticeably taller Qin Chengyi and Qin Danze.
Yun Qingwen, having vented at home for two days, eyes swollen and nearly blind, had recovered his appearance after applying medicine. Today he went out for a stroll—and unexpectedly ran into Qin Xiaoman.
When he first learned that Du Heng was the new magistrate of the county, he had been both regretful and angry, almost furious, thinking that his past behavior might have already offended someone.
Thus, he had avoided any banquet or gathering where he might encounter Qin Xiaoman, and indeed, he hadn’t really seen him around the county in all this time.
Although his temper was a bit spoiled, he had never done anything criminal. In truth, he was not afraid of Qin Xiaoman; he was only afraid that Qin Xiaoman would mock him.
After hearing the idle gossip, he could not help curling his lips. It seemed that even the so-called model couple of marital harmony in Luoxia County was nothing extraordinary after all. Men were all the same by nature—only some were more intense, others more restrained.
He strode straight over.
“Father, it is Uncle Yun.”
Chengyi spotted Yun Qingwen first. He instinctively leaned closer to Qin Xiaoman and hurriedly tugged at his hand.
“Well now, is this not Young Master Chengyi? You have grown taller!”
Yun Qingwen looked at Chengyi, whose brows were lightly knit, still as fair as when he had seen him at home before, yet even more adorable now. He reached out, intending to pinch the child’s cheek, when something suddenly pressed against his waist.
“You are not allowed to touch my brother!”
Yun Qingwen looked down at the little boy who had rushed over to stand in front of Qin Chengyi. The child’s brows were raised fiercely. Who knew where he had pulled it from, but he was brandishing a wooden Guan Yu saber, poking it into Yun Qingwen’s waist.
“Dance, do not be rude.”
Qin Xiaoman looked at the visitor. “So it is Husband Wei. It has been a long time.”
Yun Qingwen found the words “Husband Wei” rather grating. He replied, “The Magistrate’s husband is busy with noble affairs. It is only natural that meetings are rare.”
“We are old acquaintances after all. Why not dine together today?”
Yun Qingwen arched a brow. These days, who was worse off than whom? What did he have to fear?
“Since you are so gracious, I shall accompany you.”
A server led them upstairs to a private room.
Seeing that Yun Qingwen was joining them for the meal, Dance snorted like an angry little calf and, holding Chengyi’s hand, hurried ahead.
…
At the beginning of the second month, the matter of the magistrate’s inner household remained unsettled despite all the county’s tea-time gossip. People kept their eyes on the magistrate’s residence, waiting to see on which day the magistrate’s cousin would enter the household. Yet before any result appeared, that very cousin—who was supposed to be entering the magistrate’s inner quarters—suddenly submitted a formal complaint and sued the wealthy local notable Wei Juren.
It was truly fresh news. One party was the person everyone had been gossiping about; the other was a prominent gentry family of the county. It was bound to be a great spectacle.
Whether busy or idle, people flocked outside the county yamen to see what was happening.
When Wei Hongming received the summons, he was reclining on a cushioned couch at home, being served peeled fruit by his watery-eyed concubine.
Hearing the steward hurry in with the report, he sprang upright. “You say Duan Xue has filed a complaint against me? Was she not preparing to become Du Heng’s concubine? Du Youyan came just days ago to set the date. Instead of entering the household on the appointed day, she submits a petition to the county office?”
The steward was equally stunned. They had been preparing for Duan Xue to enter the magistrate’s residence and make that young magistrate suffer. Who would have thought the situation would suddenly reverse?
“That woman dares to drag up old accounts and seek justice at the yamen!”
“Has she gone mad, relying on her magistrate cousin to back her up? Does she not care about that lover of hers?”
Wei Hongming slapped the corner of the table in fury and immediately rose to throw on an outer robe.
“That whore will not shed tears until she sees the coffin. Send word at once to those watching the He family to make their move. Since she dotes so much on her lover, send her a finger or an ear—something to remember him by.”
The steward hastily agreed and followed after him. “Master, are you going to the county yamen to respond?”
Wei Hongming flicked his sleeve. “I am a juren. If there is a lawsuit, I can send a litigation master in my place and need not appear in court myself. Du Heng is only a juren as well. He thinks he can interrogate me face-to-face? What a joke!”
In earlier years, before securing connections in the authorities, Wei Hongming had faced his share of lawsuits. His litigation masters were seasoned veterans; handling a case below was no difficulty for them.
During the adjournment for evidence gathering, the Wei family could settle the matter privately.
Sure enough, after the litigation master appeared on his behalf, the first round of proceedings was swiftly handled. Wei Hongming did not even show up, yet he had already put on airs before the magistrate—an early show of dominance.
However, he was unable to remain pleased for more than two days. While waiting for the next hearing, he prepared to deal with Duan Xue once and for all, only to discover that the men sent to the He family had been detained.
Unable to obtain information, Wei Hongming felt his heart sink.
Only then did he realize that Duan Xue must have colluded with Du Heng from the very beginning, waiting for him to make a move against the He family.
Wei Hongming knew he had acted rashly. Originally, the scant evidence in Duan Xue’s hands had not been sufficient to matter. But by sending men to threaten others, he had added another charge to his own record.
Before he could devise a countermeasure, the county office received several more petitions accusing the Wei family.
Some charged the Wei family with seizing grain fields and forcing the innocent into prostitution; others accused them of abusing their power to bully commoners and beat civilians.
“Outrageous! The Wei family has not fallen yet, and these wretches already wish to push a wall that leans! Do they take me, Wei Hongming, for dead?”
Enraged and humiliated, Wei Hongming could no longer remain seated at home. After making arrangements, he went to court with his litigation master.
“Defendant Wei Hongming, do you know your crimes?”
Standing boldly in the courtroom, Wei Hongming radiated an imposing presence, especially before the plaintiffs who were kneeling and kowtowing to the magistrate.
“I have lived in Qiuyang County for decades, studied diligently, and managed my affairs carefully to secure a place among the county’s gentry. As the saying goes, a tall tree catches the wind. Over the years, there have been many who resent and falsely accuse me. I ask Your Honor to discern the truth.”
Du Heng sat at the bench. “You mean to say that you are innocent, and that those who accuse you act out of jealousy?”
“Your Honor is wise. I may have my faults, but as a scholar, how could I knowingly break the law?”
Seeing that he was still pretending ignorance, Du Heng did not bother arguing further. With a wave of his hand, two trained men were brought in under guard.
“Since you deny ever oppressing the Duan family, why then did you send men to harm the He family, who were on good terms with the Weis? Confessions and signed statements are all here. How do you deny this?”
Wei Hongming had long expected that the men sent to the He family, once seized and interrogated by the county authorities, would confess. Thick-skinned, he replied:
“The Wei family did indeed lend money to the Duan family. In those years, when disaster struck the county, both commoners and landlords struggled to survive. My household still had modest means and, mindful of Qiuyang County’s nurturing, could not bear to see the people suffer. So we extended loans to help them through hard times. The Duan family were landholders; the sum they borrowed was considerable. I do have some recollection of the matter.”
“There are countless matters to attend to in a household and in study. As for business affairs, I mostly left them to subordinates. I truly did not know that their methods of collecting the Duan family’s debt were somewhat excessive. It was indeed my failure to restrain and discipline those under me that allowed the Duan family to suffer injustice.”
He wore an expression of utter sincerity. “Regarding the Duan family’s matter, I am willing to compensate them three times the amount of their original debt.”
Duan Xue said coldly, “My father died bearing humiliation at your hands, consumed by resentment. And you think you can settle it with a few paltry coins?”
“Miss Duan, please accept my condolences. But Master Duan was neither beaten nor poisoned to death by anyone from the Wei family. If he passed from illness, one can only blame his own health. How can that be laid at the Wei family’s door?”
Wei Hongming bowed to Du Heng. “Your Honor can see that although those under me were somewhat overzealous in pressing for repayment, there are also those who look at the Wei family’s prosperity and seek to extort more. When borrowing money, they are all gratitude and good will; when repaying, they delay and resist at every turn. Debt collection is truly not easy. That is what led to harsher measures. I ask Your Honor to discern the truth.”
“Silence!”
Du Heng struck the sounding block. “So what you mean is that the accusations may indeed have some basis, but that they were not done by you personally—rather, that your subordinates acted on their own initiative, and you merely failed to supervise them properly?”
Wei Hongming replied, “Reporting to Your Honor, that is precisely so. Had no one come forward to lodge complaints this time, I would never have known that those under me were acting in such a manner and tarnishing the Wei family’s reputation, rendering my years of study meaningless. To spare Your Honor trouble, I have already brought forth the chief culprit.”
Du Heng cast only a cursory glance at the man being dragged forward in chains. He was likely someone who had long served Wei Hongming loyally, but now he was nothing more than a scapegoat.
Du Heng did not even need to interrogate him. The man began confessing on his own—speaking of the difficulties of collecting debts, of debtors refusing repayment, and how he had resorted to some force that accidentally crippled someone. He took all responsibility upon himself.
“You say that all matters concerning the loans and collections were carried out at your command, and that Wei Hongming knew nothing of it?”
“Yes. The master is benevolent and had no knowledge that the money he lent in kindness was being withheld by these households, who repaid his good will with ingratitude.”
Du Heng fell silent for a moment, as if considering how to rule.
Wei Hongming’s brows relaxed. “Your Honor, if the accusations prove accurate upon verification, the Wei family is willing to compensate for the losses.”
The others being tried in the hall could hardly contain themselves. They had long suffered oppression from the Wei family, barely able to breathe under its weight. Only now had they mustered the courage to stake everything on filing suit. If Wei Hongming were not brought down—if he merely produced a scapegoat and paid out some compensation to settle matters—then once they returned home, they would surely face ruin.
Should the Wei family escape again, would they not grow even more arrogant in the county? Who would dare bring grievances to court in the future, if the outcome was always the same?
But how could Du Heng be unaware of these truths? Having opened court to try the case, he had no intention of allowing Wei Hongming to walk away as he had in the past.
Before anyone else could speak, Du Heng said coldly, “A mouth full of lies, and still no repentance.”
He lifted a ledger from the desk. “Every single entry in this account book is recorded clearly. And you still claim you knew nothing, that everything was done by subordinates without your instruction? The soaring interest added to the principal year after year—are you, a juren, unable to see that something was amiss? The accumulated interest alone is two or three times the principal. What fool would drag out repayment of the principal while paying such exorbitant interest year after year?”
With that, Du Heng flung the ledger down.
Wei Hongming’s heart lurched. He hurried to pick it up, wary of a trap.
After flipping through just a few pages, his heart turned cold. The accounts recorded there were indeed his private ledger.
Shock overtook him. His hands began to tremble. For the first time, panic shattered his composure.
“You oppress others and still refuse to confess. You argue in court and produce a scapegoat. That is an added offense!”
“This—this is impossible! This ledger—this…”
Wei Hongming faltered, then suddenly tore the ledger apart in open court.
“How dare you! Wei Hongming, what are you doing!”
The constables immediately rushed forward and seized him. Still unwilling to give up, Wei Hongming clutched the book and tore it into as many fragments as he could.
“Deliberately destroying evidence—another added offense.”
Du Heng calmly drew out another ledger. “With something so crucial, how could I so carelessly return the original to your hands? The one you saw was merely a copied transcription. Wei Hongming, you have behaved outrageously in court. What more do you have to deny?”
Those being tried in the hall had never imagined that the magistrate had already secured the Wei family’s account books. A rush of heat surged through them—gratitude for the magistrate’s keen discernment, and relief that their long-held grievances might finally be cleared.
Du Youyan, kneeling among them, had been trembling in fear. Now, seeing that Wei Hongming had truly been grasped by the throat, she let out a breath of relief.
Though she herself had been caught off guard earlier—dragged into suing the Wei family by Duan Xue—her past experiences had nearly caused her to faint.
She had been living in constant fear. Who could have imagined that events would turn?
After enduring Wei Hongming’s oppression for so long, swallowing her anger in silence, she finally burst out, “Wei Hongming, you beast in human skin! You have ruined my daughter and me! If not for Magistrate Du’s clear-sighted justice, a man like you would have gone free!”
Wei Hongming still could not fathom how his ledger had fallen into Du Heng’s hands. Seeing Du Youyan grow bold, he cast aside any concern for the dignity of a local notable and spat at her. “You shameless whore! So now that your man is about to land in prison, you are laughing loud enough. Eager to find yourself a new one, are you?”
Du Youyan’s face went pale. “What nonsense are you spewing!”
“Is that not what you are!”
With so many people inside and outside the courtroom watching, even a sharp-tongued woman could hardly endure such public abuse. She lunged forward at once. “You dare slander my honor—I will fight you!”
Seeing the commotion, Du Heng struck the sounding block again and ordered the bailiffs to pull them apart.
“Wei Hongming has seized grain fields, extorted interest through fraudulent lending, and abused his power to bully others. Multiple crimes are established. He is to be immediately committed to the southern jail for detention. Once it is determined whether there are further criminal acts, punishment will be imposed on a later date!”