Under the glory of the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, the legal system and morality were intertwined into a complex and delicate social picture. And in this picture, a special case of murder of a minor has become a focus of attention.
It not only touched the sensitive nerves of the society at that time, but also left a deep imprint in the long river of history. By digging deeper into the causes and consequences of this case, we can gain insight into the subtleties of the legal system during the Qianlong period, as well as the wisdom and determination of the Qianlong Emperor himself in adjudicating the case.
1. Foreword: The dissonant sound under the prosperous age
The 51st year of Qianlong was the heyday of the Qing Dynasty, with strong national strength and social stability.
In the midst of this prosperous and peaceful scene, a shocking murder of a minor occurred. This case broke the tranquility of the village and caused an uproar in the legal community and social opinion at that time. What kind of truth is hidden behind the case, and how will Emperor Qianlong adjudicate this thorny case?
2. Case background and character introduction
At that time, a group of innocent children lived in a small village in Qizhou, Sichuan (now Qichun County, Hubei). Among them, Cao Shouer, Xu Guier and Li Dasheng have a particularly close relationship. A dispute over candy pushes them into the abyss from which they will never recover.
Cao Shou'er, only 10 years old, is introverted and timid. Xu Gui'er, 13 years old, although a few years older, is quite scheming, and often takes Cao Shouer to play together. Li Dasheng, 9 years old, has a slightly better family background and often has rare candy in his hands. In that era of material scarcity, candy was undoubtedly a rare luxury for children.
On the day of the crime, Cao Shou'er and Xu Gui'er met Li Dasheng when they were digging wild vegetables by the river. Seeing the candy in Li Dasheng's hand, the two were envious. Xu Gui'er proposes to snatch the candy, but Cao Shou'er hesitates because she is afraid. In the end, at the instigation of Xu Gui'er, the two launched an attack on Li Dasheng together. During the fight, Xu Gui'er hit Li Dasheng on the head with a stone, causing him to fall unconscious, while Cao Shou'er, in a panic, strangled Li Dasheng's neck with a cloth belt, causing him to suffocate to death. In order to cover up the crime, the two disfigured Li Dasheng's body and threw it into the river.
III. Case Investigation and Trial Process
Shortly after the incident, Li Dasheng's body was found by villagers. Local officials in Qizhou immediately launched an investigation and quickly zeroed in on the suspects, Cao Shou'er and Xu Gui'er. During the interrogation, Xu Gui'er took the lead in confessing to Cao Shou'er because of her weak psychological capacity. However, Cao Shouer blindly defended Xu Guier and insisted that he was the main culprit. This made the truth of the case confusing for a while.
After an in-depth investigation and multiple interrogations, the officials finally found out the truth of the case. However, how to convict the two juvenile offenders has become a difficult problem in front of them. According to the law at the time, there were no clear provisions for juvenile delinquency. As a result, serious divisions arose among officials.
Some officials believe that severe punishment should be carried out in accordance with the law in order to maintain social justice and order. Other officials advocate that the offenders should be given a chance to turn over a new leaf, taking into account the young age of the offenders. Both sides have their own opinions and argue endlessly.
4. Qianlong's ruling and its implications
This case of murder of a minor was finally reported to Emperor Qianlong. After reviewing the case materials and listening to the opinions of officials, the Qianlong Emperor made a surprising verdict: Cao Shou'er and Xu Gui'er were sentenced to death.
This ruling of Emperor Qianlong was undoubtedly a subversion of the tradition of "pardoning children" at that time. Traditionally, minors are often tolerated and forgiven by society because they are not yet mentally mature. However, the Qianlong Emperor sentenced two juvenile offenders to death with an iron fist. This undoubtedly sends a clear signal to the whole society that everyone is equal before the law and that juvenile crimes must also be severely punished.
Emperor Qianlong's ruling caused great repercussions at the time. On the one hand, people cheered for his justice and wisdom, believing that he maintained justice and order in society. On the other hand, there are also those who question his harshness, believing that he is too harsh on minors and lacks benevolence.
History has proved that Emperor Qianlong's ruling played a positive role in maintaining social stability and cracking down on juvenile crimes. His ruling not only demonstrated the majesty and fairness of the law, but also curbed the momentum of juvenile crime to a certain extent and maintained social harmony and stability.
5. Modern Reflection and Enlightenment
Emperor Qianlong's verdict on the murder of a juvenile may seem harsh, but in fact it reflects his wisdom and determination in maintaining social stability and justice.
In today's society, we should draw inspiration from this and continuously improve the juvenile crime handling system, so as to better protect the rights and interests of juveniles and maintain social harmony and stability.