maidservant

Chapter 135 The Lack of Law

“Wang Mazi brought a group of thugs to my door, not only smashing my furniture but also beating me so badly that I’m bedridden. How are my family supposed to survive?” Li Er said, his eyes reddening.

Yunshan patiently persuaded Li Er to stand up and testify: "Li Er, don't worry, as long as you stand up, I will definitely protect you and your family's safety. We can't let this kind of bully, Wang Mazi, get away with it any longer."

Li Er hesitated for a long time, his face full of struggle: "Sister, I also want to get revenge, but I'm afraid of Wang Mazi's revenge. He's ruthless and capable of anything."

“There are many people like you who have been bullied. I have gathered a lot of evidence against him, and this time I will definitely bring him to justice.”

After some persuasion, Li Er finally gritted his teeth and said, "Okay, sister, I believe you. I'm willing to tell you what happened in court."

Yunshan was still not at ease, so she found a peddler.

Just as the peddler was carrying his load and preparing to leave, Yunshan hurriedly stepped forward to stop him: "Brother, excuse me, I'd like to ask you something."

The peddler looked at Yun Shan warily: "What do you want to know?"

Yun Shan quickly explained, "Brother, did you see Wang Mazi leading people to beat people here before? I'm collecting evidence against him so I can take him to court and seek justice for the victims."

Upon hearing this, the peddler's expression changed slightly, and his voice trembled: "I...I saw it, but that Wang Mazi is not someone to be trifled with. If I testify, he definitely won't let me off the hook."

Yun Shan looked at the peddler with a determined gaze: "Brother, if you don't stand up, he will continue to do evil. I heard that your second brother was even led to a gambling den by him and has become corrupted?"

The peddler remained silent for a long time before finally nodding: "Alright, I'm willing to testify. We can't let that wicked man bully people anymore."

With the ledgers, victim testimonies, and eyewitness accounts in hand, Yun Shan strode confidently into the courtroom. Sunlight bathed her, highlighting her resolute features, and the battle between justice and evil was about to begin.

The atmosphere in the courtroom was tense. Yun Shan, dressed in plain clothes, remained calm and methodically presented the overwhelming evidence.

She unfolded the ledger, pointed to the records, and said aloud:
"Your Honor, this ledger records in detail the accounts of Wang Mazi's participation in the underground gambling den's profit sharing. The time and amount are clear, which is enough to prove that he built an illegal gambling den, disturbed public order, and harmed the people." Her voice was clear and firm, echoing in the courtroom.

Li Er, dragging his frail body, took a few difficult steps forward, then knelt down with a thud, tears streaming down his face:

"My lord, I beg you to do justice for me! Wang Mazi lent me money at exorbitant interest rates, and when I couldn't pay it back, he brought a bunch of thugs to smash up my house and beat me so badly I'm bedridden. Now my whole family is destitute and we're all left to die. How are we supposed to live like this?" Li Er sobbed uncontrollably as he spoke of his heartbreak.

The peddler stepped forward, trembling slightly with nervousness, but still mustered his courage and said, "Sir, I saw it with my own eyes. That day, Wang Mazi led a group of people, armed with sticks, and beat Li Er. They were ruthless and showed no mercy. The people were so frightened that they hid in their homes, daring not to speak out."

Wang Mazi stood to the side, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, his face ashen, yet he still feigned composure, shouting his defenses:

"Sir, they are deliberately framing me! I'm innocent! I've been running a small business honestly and have never done anything illegal. They must be after my money and trying to extort me!"

Lord Mei sat behind his desk, dressed in official robes, his expression shifting uncomfortably. His gaze darted between Yun Shan and the others, and Wang Mazi, his hands unconsciously clenching under the desk.

Previously, Wang Mazi had bribed him with a large sum of money, and he originally intended to find any excuse to cover up for Wang Mazi.

Just as he was thinking about how to speak up in favor of him, the clerk hurriedly stepped forward, leaned close to Lord Mei's ear, and whispered urgently, "My lord, something terrible has happened! The yamen gate is packed with people, three layers deep, all demanding that Wang Mazi be severely punished and that justice be served. The crowd is now in a frenzy, you must be careful!"

Upon hearing this, Lord Mei's face turned deathly pale, and he instinctively looked towards the outside of the hall, where a large crowd of people stood shoulder to shoulder.

The commotion was like a heavy hammer blow. He knew that the special envoy in charge of inspecting the plague-avoiding pills was often seen on the streets. If he did not handle the matter impartially, the public anger would erupt, and he would be in danger of losing his official position. It might even cause a greater disaster.

At this moment, everyone in the courtroom stared intently at Lord Mei, awaiting his verdict. Outside the court, the shouts of the people grew louder and louder, "Severely punish the tyrant!" "Give us justice!" echoed one after another.

Lord Mei took a deep breath, slowly sat up straight, and after much deliberation, finally slammed his gavel down, the sound echoing loudly in the silent courtroom.

"Silence!" Lord Mei shouted sternly. "Wang Mazi, the evidence is now irrefutable, and you cannot deny it! You have run a gambling den, engaged in usury, and used violence to collect debts and injure people—each and every one of your crimes is heinous, severely disrupting local peace and harming the interests of the people!"

He glanced at the crowd below, cleared his throat, and loudly proclaimed the verdict: "In accordance with the law, Wang Mazi is sentenced to ten years in prison and ordered to compensate the victims for all their losses, as a warning to others!"

Upon hearing this, the people cheered, "Your Excellency is wise!"

"Thank you, Your Excellency, for upholding justice for the people!" The cheers were deafening, spreading in wave after wave.

Wang Mazi collapsed to the ground, his face ashen. He knew that his evil deeds had finally been punished.

Looking at this scene, Yun Shan smiled with relief, but there was a hint of bitterness in her smile.

In this outdated and corrupt world, the injustices suffered by women are truly chilling. Domestic violence alone is a shackle that is difficult to break free from.

Even when faced with a good official who is fair and dedicated to serving the people, it is often difficult to deliver a severe sentence in cases of domestic violence.

The reason for this is that traditional ideas are like a thick, high wall, blocking the path to fair judgment.

People often hold the outdated belief that "even an upright official finds it hard to settle family disputes," thinking that family conflicts are private matters that outsiders should not interfere with, much less meddle excessively.

Under this mindset, domestic violence seems to be protected by an invisible "shield," making it difficult to receive the severe punishment it deserves.

Unlike crimes such as theft and robbery, where the evidence is clear and the legal standards for sentencing are very explicit, this crime is a different matter.

When a homeowner discovers their belongings have been stolen, they can clearly identify the missing items; when robbed in broad daylight, the victim can accurately describe the robber's features and the crime. These cases demonstrate clear facts, and sentencing according to the law is reasonable, well-founded, and convincing. The same applies to usury: the loan amount, interest calculation, and repayment period are all clearly written down, and any violation is met with unequivocal punishment.

But what about domestic violence? It often happens inside a closed home, and apart from the victim and the abuser, it's rare for anyone else to witness it.

The victims are mostly women who, due to fear, shame, or economic dependence, dare not speak out or resist. Even when they muster the courage to stand up, the perpetrators often escape severe punishment due to a lack of strong evidence.

As a result, the shadow of domestic violence continues to loom over countless women, leaving them struggling in pain and unable to find true protection.