RWNEFE -Chapter 499 If You Have a Grievance, I Will Seek Justice for You

Wei Jie said, “That is possible. The law should not ignore human sentiment. In the newly revised marriage laws, we can add a clause allowing the woman to decide the punishment—but she cannot directly grant a pardon; at most, the offenders can be exiled and conscripted.”

Shen Lanxi nodded in satisfaction and turned to the other officials. “What do you think of adding this new clause?”

Ministry of Revenue officials replied, “Excellent. It couldn’t be better.”

Shen Lanxi smiled. “All property that was illegally seized shall be fully returned to the victim. As compensation, all property belonging to those involved in the crime shall also be transferred to the victim. Is this acceptable?”

Wei Jie: “Acceptable.”

Ministry of Revenue: “Acceptable—very acceptable.”

Shen Lanxi said, “The judgment has already been made. Once the Court of Judicial Review verifies that the facts are as the woman stated, the Ministry of Justice will arrest the culprits.”

Ministry of Justice: “Yes!”

After the woman kowtowed in gratitude to Shen Lanxi, she followed the officials from the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review to handle the case.

Just as Shen Lanxi was about to speak again, another person rushed forward and knelt.

“Your Highness the Regent, please uphold justice for this common woman…”

Shen Lanxi laughed lightly. “Just now there wasn’t a single one, and now they keep coming.”

“Speak. If you have a grievance, I will surely seek justice for you!”

The woman began to cry and rolled up her sleeves. “Your Highness, I cannot go on living in my husband’s household. Everyone there beats me, saying I cannot bear a son. Because I learned how to make tofu at my parents’ home, my husband’s family depends on me to support them, so they haven’t broken my legs. Now that my daughter has grown up, that entire family of beasts actually wants to sell her to a wealthy man as a concubine. Even if I must risk my life, I will protect my daughter!”

Shen Lanxi asked, “Beating one’s wife—tell me, do they also beat your daughter?”

The woman nodded repeatedly. “Yes. My daughter and I are beaten almost every day. Sometimes three or four times a day.”

Shen Lanxi asked, “Is there any clause in the marriage laws about beating one’s wife or daughter?”

Wei Jie replied, “No.”

Shen Lanxi said, “Good. Then add one here: anyone who beats his wife or daughter shall have his left hand cut off and be exiled into conscript labor. Everyone in the household who participated—whether they encouraged it or carried it out—shall receive the same punishment!”

An official objected, “Isn’t that too severe?”

A Ministry of Revenue official said, “Not severe at all.”

(There was still plenty of uncultivated land in the north.)

Shen Lanxi continued, “All property of the husband’s family shall belong to the victim. I am also a woman—I know that once a woman is married, returning to her natal home to live can be very difficult. So I think exiling the husband’s family and leaving the house to the victim is only reasonable.”

“If the husband’s clan refuses, causes trouble, or verbally humiliates her, every one of them will be conscripted as well!”

The Assistant Minister of War said with a dark expression, “Your Highness the Regent seems excessively lenient toward women.”

Shen Lanxi immediately replied, “Then add another clause: the same applies to men! If a man marries a fierce wife whose brothers bully him, beat him, or verbally humiliate him, the punishment shall be the same as in cases where women are beaten.”

Many officials and commoners twitched awkwardly.

A man beaten by a woman—could he still be called a man?

Suddenly, a wail arose from the crowd, and a thin, frail-looking man rushed forward and fell to his knees with a thud.

Everyone widened their eyes, sensing something strange.

“Your Highness the Regent, please seek justice for this humble man… I truly can’t go on living…” the man cried, pinching his fingers in a delicate gesture as he pulled a handkerchief from his sleeve to wipe his tears and nose.

Shen Lanxi’s eyelid twitched, then she said, “Quick, Court of Judicial Review, verify the case. Ministry of Justice, arrest the culprits!”

The officials from both departments stepped forward, struggling to suppress their laughter.

Shen Lanxi said, “See? The newly revised law is already being put to use!”

The assembled officials: “…”

Shen Lanxi sighed with emotion. “Just look at how many good deeds we’ve done today…”

The officials pressed their lips tightly, not even knowing how to refute her.

Normally nothing happened, yet the moment Shen Lanxi went out, so many chaotic incidents appeared all at once for her to encounter.

Could it be that she had arranged them in advance?

Madam Song’s husband’s family? The Assistant Minister of War’s nephew? And those two just now—were they all staged?

Even if Shen Lanxi were extraordinarily clever, it would be impossible to gather so many real events together at once… wouldn’t it?

In truth, they had guessed half correctly.

The scholarly-looking man and the effeminate man had indeed been arranged by Shen Lanxi. The others had not.

No sooner had the effeminate man left than three more people rushed forward and knelt one after another, like dumplings dropping into a pot, begging Shen Lanxi for justice.

After that, Shen Lanxi handled cases one by one, revising the laws as she went, extending the changes from the marriage laws to the broader laws of Great Zhou—case after case—until at last the examination results of the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices’ niece’s body were reported.

Night had already fallen completely. Torches blazed everywhere, as if they cost nothing, lighting up half the capital as bright as day.

“Reporting to Your Highness the Regent: after examination, Tan Yuer was poisoned to death.”

The Assistant Minister of War’s sister’s legs gave way, and she collapsed to the ground.

The Court of Judicial Review also presented new findings in the case.

“According to the testimony of servants in Tan Yuer’s husband’s household, Tan Yuer was murdered by the entire family in a conspiracy to seize her dowry and cover their financial losses. Investigation has also revealed that her husband frequently visited brothels, kept a mistress, gambled in betting houses, and incurred enormous gambling debts.”

Wei Jie handed over the written testimony.

Shen Lanxi said, “The evidence is conclusive. Punish them according to the new marriage laws!”

The Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices approached his younger brother and said a few words, but his brother angrily rebuked him.

Crying, the brother shouted, “Your Highness the Regent, I want them to pay with their lives for my daughter. I am already old—who knows how long I have left? I want to see with my own eyes that they receive the punishment they deserve!”

Shen Lanxi replied, “That is acceptable. Handle it according to the new marriage laws. The dowry shall be returned, and all property shall belong to you.”

The man said, “This humble man does not want the money, nor my daughter’s dowry. I want to donate all of it to the women’s academy. If the women’s academy had existed a few years earlier, perhaps my daughter would not have died!”

“I want women like my daughter, all across the world, to be able to study, to understand reason, and to learn how to protect themselves!”

Shen Lanxi ordered, “Ministry of Revenue, handle this matter.”

“You are a good father who loved his daughter deeply. From now on, a list of how your donated funds are used will be sent to you each month.”

“And on the merit wall of the women’s academy, there will be a place for your name.”

Tears streaming down his face, the man staggered to his feet. The Vice Minister hurried to support him; the first time he was shaken off, the second time as well, but on the third attempt he finally managed to hold his brother’s arm.

Shen Lanxi stood up and stretched, watching the two brothers walk away, and sighed.

“The hearts of parents everywhere are pitiable. Every parent wants to give the best to their children. Even if a child cuts a single finger, they worry so much they cannot sleep. The pain of losing a daughter—it must feel like one’s heart being carved out, one’s bones scraped clean.”

Many in the crowd who had children felt the words deeply.

“Your Highness the Regent is a great and good person!”

“Your Highness the Regent is wise and mighty!”

“Long live the Regent…”

Amid the rising cheers, the Assistant Minister of War’s face grew darker and darker.

If he pleaded for his sister’s family at this moment, he would certainly provoke public outrage.