Two Concubines Fighting (Folk Tales)

First, small cases are tried for three years

As the saying goes: It is difficult for a clean official to break the family affairs. The day after Zheng Yuanzhuo, the prefect of Jianchang, took over, he received a case of contention. The complaint was filed by two concubines, whose husband's family name was Huang. When the two concubines filed their appeals, they each carried a silver ticket of 500 taels. Brother and sister-in-law come in the morning, and uncles come in the afternoon. After reading the complaint, Zheng Yuanzhuo felt very strange: This matter should have been managed by Jianchang County, how did the two concubines sue the government? I think I must have been wronged, otherwise I would not have crossed the level to sue. Zheng Yuanzhuan was determined to personally try this family affair, so he summoned his master and asked him if he knew about the Jianchangcheng dispute. Master Ye obediently replied, "I know, I know." Then he introduced the origin of this dispute to Zheng Yuanzhuo from beginning to end:

There are 12 counties under jianchang province, and the prefecture is located in Jianchang county. There are a pair of brothers in the county seat of Dongguan, the older brother is called Lü Wang, and the younger brother is called Lü Qi. Perhaps the heavens deliberately tricked the rich, and the Lu family was rich and thin. Lü Wang was nearly fifty years old, childless under his knees, and Lü Qi was just standing at the age of standing, with only a 7-year-old young son, Lü Chang. Lü Wangyuan expected his brother to have another son to continue the incense for himself. Who knew that before the younger brother had another son, this thin man actually suffered from an incurable disease. Before dying, Lü Wang summoned his brother to the bedside, pointed to the IOU on the desk and told him: "Brother is about to die, the silver in the family is enough for your sister-in-law to use for a lifetime, these fat field beautiful house brothers are useless." You hurry up and summon someone to write a contract and pass these things on to your name. The brother had nothing else to ask for, only a small wish: in the future, when the brother died, the brother and Chang'er burned some paper money for the brother. ”

As the saying goes: The eldest brother is like the father, and the eldest sister-in-law is like the mother. Lü Qi lost his father at the age of three and lost his mother at the age of five, and it was his brother and sister-in-law who single-handedly pulled him up. When marrying relatives and dividing the family, the family property is also picked by him first. Such a brother is hard to find in the world! After listening to his brother's heartfelt words, his brother's heart was broken. He hugged his brother and whispered, "Brother, your sister-in-law is still young and will be reborn." We had already discussed it and immediately passed Lü Chang over to my brother. If the brother is gone, the sister-in-law will also have a care. When all was said and done, Lü Qi ordered his family to set up two tables of thin wine, invited the elders of the clan, wrote the son's succession contract in person, and sent Lü Chang to his brother's house the next day. Two days later, Lü Wang returned to heaven, and Lü Chang wore filial piety to send Lü Wang to his death.

There is a way that people are not as good as heaven. Five years passed, and I didn't see Lu Qi's wife let out another fart. That year's Chongyang Festival, Lü Qi went out in a boat to collect debts, and when the boat was in the middle of the river, he suddenly encountered a tornado, and even the boat people sank to the bottom of the river. This Lu family is miserable, a double widow. Even more tragic is Lü Qi, who originally had a son, but he fell without heirs, buried in the belly of a fish, and even the ghost did not return home.

Speaking of Lü Qi's wife Lin Shi, she originally thought that she was less than 30 years old, and she would pass Lü Chang over to her uncle, and she could also have another son to inherit her father's business, so that Lü Men's two family properties were under his son's name. Who knows the opposite of what he wants, this is good, the chicken and the egg are beaten, not only is the son gone, but even his share of the family business will sooner or later go to the name of the uncle. Listening to his son shouting "Mother" around his brother and sister-in-law, Lin Shi was devastated. This is all to blame for his own dead ghost, if he had not passed his son out, he would not be so lonely now. The more Lin Shi thought about it, the more sad he became, and the more he thought about it, the less it tasted. In the end, she decided to find her brother and sister-in-law Zhang Shi to get her son back.

On the day of the winter solstice, Lin Shi came to the home of his brother-in-law Zhang Shi and said that his husband had passed on Lü Chang to his uncle without consulting with himself, and now he was alone and did not feel miserable, and asked his brother and sister-in-law to return his son to himself. Zhang Shi naturally refused, saying that he had passed his son over to me on three to six sides, and now he was willing to go back? After a few words, the concubines began to move their hands and feet, but fortunately they were dissuaded by the clan.

Lin Clan was angry but went to the patriarch again, and as a result, he was scolded by the patriarch fiercely, saying that the son of the successor could turn back! Lin Shi was also born with a stubborn temper, and a paper complaint sued his brother and sister-in-law in court.

Knowing the original reason, Zheng Yuanzhuo felt very strange: How could a small case of contention actually be fought for three years? Then he asked, "Is there any cat in here?" ”

The master should be very sleek: "This has to be asked of the person concerned." ”

Zheng Yuanzhuan waved his hand decisively: "Chuanyuan, defendant!" ”

Second, how to have two mothers in one child

The two concubines soon arrived at court.

Sister-in-law Zhang Shi is more than 50 years old, and she still has charm. The sister-in-law Lin is nearly 30 years old and is also a white lotus flower of the water spirit.

As soon as Zheng Yuanzhuan asked about the situation of the lawsuit, he asked the two concubines into tears. As the saying goes: Officials don't make money, and they don't have the money to go home. Since ancient times, when officials have been officials, they have hoped that someone will fight a lawsuit, and only by fighting a lawsuit can they earn money. After Lin's complaint was submitted, only one court was held, and it was like a stone sinking into the sea. "The door is open, and there is no money to come in." That Lin Clan is the generation of female streams, where do they understand these truths? Later, listening to her brother-in-law's instructions, she sent 300 taels of silver to Jianchang Caizhi County, and Caizhi County was too little, and dragged out the case for half a year, until Lin Shi sent another 200 taels of silver before reopening the trial and sentencing Lü Chang to his birth mother. The adoptive mother was naturally unwilling, and when Cai Zhixian's term of office expired, she also handed over a complaint to the newly appointed Huangzhi County and sent 500 taels of silver. As a result, Xinzhi County sent Lü Chang back to his adoptive mother. One after another, one loss and one win, the two played a draw, returned to the original pattern, spent three years not to say, but also in vain gave 1,000 taels of silver to two corrupt officials for travel expenses.

Looking at the pale faces of the two concubines, Zheng Yuanzhuan was also very angry in his heart: These corrupt officials are really hateful, and a small case has dragged on for three years. Fortunately, the Lu family is a big family, if the common people are not tossed away? After the trial of the case, Zheng Yuanzhuo asked the concubines to go back, and told them to come back to the palace in two days to hear about the case.

Hearing that they would come back to the mansion two days later, the two concubines were worried: Isn't it obvious that they want us to pay tribute again? In order to fight this lawsuit, it has already used a lot of money, and it is strange not to lose your family and go on like this! It is really unofficial and greedy, eating both the plaintiff and the defendant! It seems that there is only one more blood. So Zhang sent his family to send Zheng Yuanzhuo another 500 silver tickets. As soon as Zhang's people left on their front feet, Lin's people followed them into the mansion and sent 500 silver tickets to Zheng Yuanzhuo. Looking at the two silver tickets on the case, Zheng Yuanzhuo just shook his head and smiled bitterly, and his heart was very unhappy.

Two days later, Zheng Yuanzhuo sent four servants to pass on the two concubines of the Lü family and Lü Chang to the palace.

There was silence in the courtroom. Zheng Yuanzhuan tapped the shocked hall wood, and after coughing twice, he began to read the verdict in a loud voice: "The Lü family concubines are fighting, and one case drags on for three years." It is difficult for one son to complete two mothers, and in order to settle the dispute, the government has the following judgment:

From now on, the two concubines of the Zhang and Lin clans must each marry a daughter-in-law for Lü Chang. The term is three months. Those who have not been courted for more than three months are considered to have abstained.

"Two daughters-in-law married on the same day. One husband marries two wives, Lü Wang is the long house, and Lü Qi is the second room. The groom lives in Lu Wang's house on a single day and in Lü Qi's house on every double day. Each of the children and children shall return to each of them, so as to comfort the spirit of Lü Wang Lu Qi in heaven..."

Before the verdict was finished, the hall praised: "The lord is wise!" ”

The two concubines shook hands on the spot and made peace. Lu Chang called out "Niang" to the left and "Niang" to the right, and the heart of the two happy birth mothers and adoptive mothers was sweeter than drinking honey water.

Third, borrow flowers to offer to the Buddha and be praised

The Lu family is a big local household. I heard that Lü Chang was talking about kissing, and the good girls in all directions were vying to marry the Lü family. After many screenings, the Lin clan selected the daughter of Wan Heren, a wealthy merchant in Hexia Street, and the Zhang clan selected the daughter of Liu Zhuo, the richest man in Xiguan Pingzheng. Picking an auspicious day of the zodiac, the Lu family married two daughters-in-law into the door at the same time.

On this day, the Lü mansion was illuminated and held a full 200 tables of banquets, and people were appointed. Zheng Yuanzhuo personally went to the Lü family to celebrate the joy, wrapped the two thousand taels of silver sent by Zhang and Lin, wrapped two red envelopes, and gave them to the two new daughters-in-law of the Lü family as a greeting gift, in his words, this is called borrowing flowers to offer Buddha.

At this time, the whole Jianchang City was sensational.

Two thousand taels of silver, that's an astronomical amount. An ordinary person can't earn so much money in a lifetime. This Zheng Yuanzhuo is a big Qing official!

Later, the two brides were also very angry. The daughter-in-law of Lü Wang's room gave birth to four men and three daughters, and the daughter-in-law of Lü Qi's room gave birth to five men and two daughters. Ding Wang's wealth is prosperous, and since then the two incense sticks have been passed down from generation to generation.

In order to be grateful to Zheng Yuanzhuo, the Lü family changed the Lü surname to the Zheng surname, called "Siyuan Zheng", honored the County of Changle County, Guanshang Lane Longtai Zheng as the ancestor, became a branch of the Longtai Zheng clan, and was once rumored to be a good story.