Chapter 644 Enmity
The case in Chengdong City, Hami is not complicated. The daughter-in-law accidentally killed her mother-in-law, which is an already foregone conclusion.

However, the process was not simple. The mother-in-law treated her daughter-in-law very badly and often beat and scolded her. Because the son was more filial, he naturally helped his mother, so the daughter-in-law spent every day being humiliated and beaten.

Once, when the mother-in-law was beating her daughter-in-law with a bamboo stick, the daughter-in-law accidentally raised her hand to block it, and the bamboo stick broke. The mother-in-law stumbled and fell down, and the bamboo stick happened to pierce her eye. The medical level in Hami was not enough, and the mother-in-law eventually died from excessive blood loss.

This was the case, and Wen Zhengming already knew how it would be judged.

In his opinion, the mother-in-law was old and already an elderly person, so the daughter-in-law should not raise her hands to block when she was beating her.

In this case, the mother-in-law would not have died because of this incident, so the culprit was undoubtedly the daughter-in-law who raised her hand and caused the death of the mother-in-law.

The punishment Wen Zhengming gave was to let the daughter-in-law pay with her mother-in-law’s life.

That’s what he thought, and of course that’s how he made the penalty.

However, his verdict immediately aroused strong dissatisfaction among the people of Hami. Many educated and non-educated people accused the Hami government of unfair judgment.

Wen Zhengming did not care about this. After all, he was judging according to the law and there was nothing unfair about it.

However, since Wen Zhengming was sentenced, some of his colleagues in the law department spread Wen Zhengming’s name.

They don’t want to take the blame for Wen Zhengming. Since you, Wen Zhengming, dare to make such a judgment, you should bear the endless abuse from the people.

When Wen Zhengming’s name became known, he was immediately criticized by the people of Hami.

Wen Zhengming was very angry because these colleagues in the legal department were disloyal. He immediately found Zhu Zhishan and wanted to hold all of these colleagues in the legal department accountable!
After Zhu Zhishan learned the result, he asked Wen Zhengming: “Zhengming, your judgment not only made the people complain, but also made your colleagues dissatisfied with you, and even betrayed you and spread your name.”

“So is your judgment really okay?”

Wen Zhengming thought Zhu Zhishan would stand beside him, and said unhappily: “Why not? All the sentences are based on the provisions of the Ming Dynasty!”

Zhu Zhishan said: “Yes, but legal principles are nothing more than human feelings. You said you want to be a county magistrate. The county magistrate manages the people. Only when the people are convinced, you can be considered a qualified official.”

“But have you satisfied the people now? Have you ever thought about why the people criticize you and why your colleagues betray you?”

“If you become a county magistrate in the future and encounter something like this again, what will be the consequences?”

“Your conflict of interest with your colleagues is not that great right now. They can only do such a small thing behind your back to ruin your reputation.”

“If you become an official in the future, someone will use these handles to kill you directly. How will you deal with it?”

Wen Zhengming still refused to accept it, and asked Zhu Zhishan: “Killing someone means paying for one’s life, and debts mean paying for one’s money. This is only natural.”

Zhu Zhishan said: “Have you considered the cause and effect of this case? Have you ever thought about why the people are so angry?”

“There is no place where people would have such a big impact on public opinion because of an unfair judgment, right?”

“What crime did the daughter-in-law commit? She just instinctively raised her hand to block it. If it wasn’t for the evil mother-in-law beating her daughter-in-law, how could she end up like this?”

“You sentenced your daughter-in-law to pay her own life. Isn’t that putting a good person to death? What was the original intention of setting up the laws of the Ming Dynasty? It was to provide restraint and fairness to the people of the world.” “You made the wrong judgment in this case. You don’t need to punish her again.”

“You may not be able to continue your position as a military officer in the law department. Not only are people resentful of you, but your colleagues are also resentful of you. If you continue to serve as a military officer in the law department, they will not obey you.”

Wen Zhengming’s eyes lit up and he asked, “Then you want to transfer me to the position of county magistrate?”

Zhu Zhishan shook his head and said, “Zhengming, let’s do it step by step. I’ll let you go to the third shift and be a record clerk first.”

what?
Hearing this, Wen Zhengming was displeased and said, “A third-class clerk? Isn’t that the same level as a coroner? Not even as good as a soldier!”

“Yunming! We are good friends, how could you do this?”

Zhu Zhishan shook his head and said, “It is precisely because we are good friends that I can keep you in the government office. Otherwise, you might not even be in the government office.”

“That’s not how you become an official. You’re just a lowly official, and you’ve already displeased many people. If you really want to enter the officialdom in the future, there will be many more dangerous things than this.”

“You need to reflect on yourself. Being an official is different from before. You need to adapt to the rules of officialdom.”

“I say these things to you because I consider you my friend. Otherwise, I wouldn’t say them. I hope you won’t be angry.”

Wen Zhengming’s face flushed red, his fists clenched tightly in his sleeves, and he snorted, “I don’t want to be an official like this!”

“Since I came to Hami, you have been treating me like a snake. You asked me to start from the grassroots and I did it. After working for so long, you said I would be promoted to county magistrate. I have been waiting for it, but now I am demoted instead of promoted?”

“It’s already a great honor for me to be a lawyer in the government office. Which of those people has the title of a juren?”

“Zhu Zhishan, our friendship is over!”

Zhu Zhishan opened his mouth to say something, but finally sighed helplessly and said to Wen Zhengming earnestly: “From the beginning, Bo Hu said that he didn’t want you to enter the officialdom, and wanted you to pass the exam with your own ability.”

“In the end, Bo Hu went against the teacher’s wishes and sent you to Hami to serve under me. I was actually unwilling to do so. Why? Because your arrogance is different from Bo Hu’s. Bo Hu at least knows how to reflect on his own problems.”

“What about you? You always think that no one in the world is better than you, that you are the only one sober while everyone else is drunk. We have given you so much help, but instead of being grateful, you criticize us.”

“Friends like you are really scary. In fact, even if you don’t say it today, I still want to tell you that our friendship is over. You should leave and don’t stay in Hami any longer.”

“There will be no place for you in Hami. I will give you a final piece of advice. If you don’t change your mind, you will definitely face life and death disasters in the future. This is my final advice to you. You better take care of yourself!”

Wen Zhengming sneered: “Do you really think I can’t survive without you hypocritical friends?”

“The next year, when I take the imperial examination and enter the officialdom, we will compete again to see who will get the highest position in the end!”

Zhu Zhishan: “…You became an official just for promotion, you only wanted your own interests… We are destined not to be on the same path, so let it be.”

Wen Zhengming laughed and said, “Don’t be hypocritical! I’m putting this down today. I, Wen Zhengming, don’t need you. I will achieve something in the future!”

(End of this chapter)