In ancient times, going to jail and eating lawsuits was a big trouble that ordinary people avoided. Not to mention the darkness of the cell, and the physical damage of physical injuries such as killing the stick, even if the lawsuit is won, it is often necessary to shed a layer of skin. Therefore, the ancients easily refused to step into the yamen to fight a lawsuit.
Jail time will also have a huge impact on the lives and future of the ancients, and family innocence is the primary condition for many industries to employ people, let alone become officials. So, if someone goes to jail three times and commits a capital offense three times, what hope can there be in such a life? Let's be the middle one.
Chen Liang, the leader of the Southern Song Dynasty, had such a bizarre experience, his body stepped into the ghost door three times and was half closed, and he was pulled back by someone.
First time in jail: intent to rebel
The first time he went to jail, he was the most guilty, and he ran to raid his home and destroy the door. Chen Liang killed villains, and they were two villains. One was the plaintiff, who accused him of being disobedient and plotting against him; the other was Shangshu of the Punishment Department, who sentenced him to death.
The cause was that Chen Liang and two friends were partying, and when they were drunk, one of the friends compared the singer to a concubine, and also called Chen Liang as the left minister, and the other friend as the right friend, and the three of them made a fool of themselves.
This kind of private nonsense would have been nothing, but the friend who was the right minister actually reported the other two to the Punishment Department. And the Punishment Department Shangshu He Tong happened to have an old grudge with Chen Liang.
After Chen Liang was 24 years old, he entered Taixue to study. Because he opposed the policy of discussion and peace left by Qin Ju, he often wrote to the imperial court to cheer up. How could the Court of the Southern Song Dynasty, which was single-mindedly at ease, listen to it and blame Taixue for its poor management.
Taixue's immediate superior was None other than He Yuan, who was serving as the Overseer of the State Son. Ping Bai was counted down by the imperial court for no reason, and He Huan naturally became jealous of Chen Liang, who was causing trouble. Later, he found a fork, saying that Chen Liang failed the exam and drove him out of Taixue. Of course, Chen Liang was not convinced, and bluntly said that He Tong was a villain. These words reached He Yuan's ears, making He Huan even more annoyed.
Someone accused Chen Liang of plotting rebellion, and He Huan could have caught the handle, and without saying a word, he arrested the two people in prison. Chen Liang was beaten to the point of no end, and had to confess that he intended to rebel.
He Tang succeeded in his treacherous plan and quickly sentenced them to death, and only needed the emperor's approval to be beheaded after the autumn. Fortunately, Song Xiaozong was a benevolent monarch, and after carefully reading the case, he thought that they were drunk and foolish, and could not be convicted. Chen Liang turned back from the ghost gate.
Second time in jail: instigating murder
The servants of Chen Liang's family killed people, and the deceased once insulted Chen Liang's father. So Chen Liang became the mastermind behind the scenes and was imprisoned.
This time, Chen Liang relied on the great poet Xin to abandon the sin of illness. They had been friends for many years, and Xin Abandoned Disease helped Chen Liang clear his name through the doorway of Prime Minister Wang Huai, and once again rubbed shoulders with the god of death.
Third imprisonment: poisoning and murder
This time it was purely a person sitting at home, and the pot came down. There was a rich man in his hometown who invited Chen Liang to a banquet, and nothing happened at the banquet, but half a month later, a scholar surnamed Lu suddenly died. The family actually sued Chen Liang to the officials, saying that they were poisoned by Chen Liang.
Chen Liang and the surname Lu had no revenge, why did they poison him? It turned out that the surname Lu and Chen Liang were at the same table that day, and someone saw that there was medicine powder on Chen Liang's table, and the surname Lu also said that there was a peculiar smell at the banquet. These details are linked together to become evidence of poisoning.
The case is actually very simple, Chen Liang asked the owner for a pack of pepper that day, he likes to eat spicy, and added a lot of pepper to his own dish. Most southerners have a light taste, and pepper was still rare in the Song Dynasty, and the price was very expensive. The surname Lu probably has not eaten pepper, and he will feel the odor.
This time in the poisoning case, Chen Liang easily proved his innocence, although Dali Temple could not find a trace of his incriminating evidence, but everyone could not help but think, this person was accused of capital crimes three times, it will not be an accident three times.
Just when the people who tried the case were still hesitating, Zheng Ruhuan, the young secretary of the Dali Temple, spoke: "Chen Liang, the world's strange materials are also." If the state kills a soldier if it is innocent, it will go up to heaven and earth, and it will hurt the national pulse. As a result, Chen Liang was acquitted.
The experience of three capital crimes and imprisonment did not make Chen Liang depressed, he read books to prepare for the exam, and at the same time wrote books and works, and finally in Shao Xi's four years, he was appointed as the crown prince. He was awarded the title of Judge of Jiankang Province by the Imperial Court, in charge of criminal litigation and other matters. Probably the court thought that he had been in prison three times, and he must be more familiar with the law than others, and he was more qualified for this position.
Unfortunately, in the second year of Zhongzhuangyuan, Chen Liang died before he arrived. Being able to win the title proves that his knowledge is undoubtedly outstanding. In fact, his academic achievements are higher and more respectable than his status.
Chen Liang, the founder of the Yongkang School, advocated the study of utilitarianism, believing that righteousness cannot be separated from profit and should be both righteous and profitable. He opposed the theoretical concepts represented by Zhu Xi and regarded them as corrupt.
Chen Liang's teachings focus on the importance of practice, the Tao exists in things, and pays attention to practical functions and effects. It is quite similar to "practice is the only criterion for testing truth" and "development is the last word".
References: "Twenty-Four Histories of the Song Dynasty", "Longchuan Anthology"