Di Ming

Chapter 161 The Flood of Jinshan Temple
When Wang Ruifang saw that woman, she was struck dumb.

She was his father Wang Shijun's concubine, and also his stepmother, Lady Cai!

But how dare she sue herself? How dare she? How dare she!
Thousands of people turned around and saw a woman dressed in white, with disheveled hair and bare feet, kneeling on the ground, surrounded by two men, holding a petition high with both hands, wailing loudly.

"I, your humble servant, plead with you in tears! I beg the spirit of Prince Su to uphold justice!"

"Your Highness, the Grand Minister of Rites is here today! The Grand Minister of Justice is here today! The County Magistrate is here today! The Prefect is here today! I can only dare to offend you and expose Wang Ruifang's crime of incest with his mother and sister-in-law! To purge this scourge from the literati!"

The yamen runners and soldiers maintaining order around the square looked at each other in bewilderment, unable to take action against the complainant without orders.

Among those who also participated in the Ding sacrifice, two others also showed a dramatic change in expression.

One of them was Wang Shizhen, the Vice Minister of War in Nanjing.

The Ding sacrifice was a major ceremony, and Wang Shizhen naturally had to attend today. He never expected that Cai, the concubine of his second son Wang Shijun, would dare to take this opportunity to accuse his beloved grandson of having an affair with his mother and then betraying his sister-in-law!

The other person is, of course, Wang Ruifang's father, Wang Shijun!
Wang Shijun was the second son of Wang Shizhen. He was already forty years old, but because of his indulgence in sensual pleasures, he failed to pass the imperial examination and only became a student of the Imperial Academy. Although it was not a proper path, he could still gain experience as a provincial governor through the power of the Wang family.

He was indeed a spoiled brat, a playboy. But he never expected that his concubine, Cai Qiangwei, would sue his beloved son!

The crime is still incest with one's mother and revenge on one's sister-in-law!

How can this be? !
Lady Cai was a concubine who had given birth to children. According to the laws of the Ming Dynasty, a concubine who had given birth to a child was considered the stepmother of the child, even if the child was a legitimate son or daughter.

Even a stepmother is still a mother. When a stepmother dies, even legitimate sons and daughters must observe the same mourning rites for a year.

Therefore, even a spoiled old man like Wang Shijun was furious and terrified upon hearing the words "seduce one's mother and report to one's sister-in-law."

They couldn't believe it was true, and were shocked that Cai dared to file a complaint!
Even if it were true, how could she dare?
Did she not want to go back to the Wang family? How could Ruifang dare?
When everyone saw Madam Cai, their gazes then turned to the three members of the Wang family.

The three members of the family immediately became the center of attention.

Other members of the Wang clan present, such as Wang Shiqi and Wang Shisu, all looked horrified.

The Wang family of Taicang is a prominent family in Jiangnan with generations of high-ranking officials, including four generations of prominent figures. Wang Shizhen is a leading figure in the literary world today and is highly respected both domestically and internationally.

Therefore, many of Wang's former students and acquaintances were present, and they were usually closely connected with the Wang family. They were also shocked to see this scene.

At this moment, it all depends on whether Wang Honghui, the Minister of Rites with the highest status present, will help the Wang family or not.

Currently, Wang Honghui, the Minister of Rites, holds the most prestigious position in the Confucius Temple sacrificial rites.

If this Grand Minister of Rites were to expel Lady Cai under the pretext of interfering with the sacrificial rites, ignore her complaints, or allow her to file a lawsuit in the government, then Lady Cai would be finished.

Because she will no longer have the opportunity to file a complaint with the authorities.

Even if she leaves here, she will be controlled by others.

However, this would subject the Minister of Rites to criticism, and he might even be impeached for protecting the Wang family and condoning their illegal activities.

This involves the horrific crime of "stealing one's mother to repay one's sister-in-law," and it takes place in the majestic Confucius Temple, in front of a large audience. We cannot let this go unpunished; we must investigate it thoroughly!
Otherwise, not only would it be difficult to win over the people, but even the spirit of the uncrowned king would be disgraced!
Then how could the thousands of scholars who participated in the sacrifice still have the face to call themselves disciples of Confucius?

Therefore, the Grand Minister of Rites could not prevent Lady Cai from publicly appealing her case, which would have completely destroyed the Wang family's reputation.

As expected, Wang Honghui, standing in front of the altar, looked at Cai Shi kneeling on the ground more than ten feet away, but did not order her to be driven away. Instead, he watched coldly from the sidelines.

He is the chief priest. Without his order, no one can expel Lady Cai.

Zhu Yin, standing on the Eight-Row Dance stage, couldn't help but smirk upon seeing this scene.

The plan is going smoothly. This time, not only will Wang Ruifang be utterly ruined, but the Wang family will also be utterly disgraced.

The most ingenious aspect of this tactic is that if Wang Ruifang is not prosecuted, the outside world will assume that the government is protecting the Wang family, which would severely damage the credibility of the government.

Even if Wang Ruifang denies it to the death, she will still be found guilty under the principle of "presumption of guilt".

A calculated scheme, but ultimately a dead end.

Haha, Wang Ruifang, you want to play the "bow on a precipice" against me? I'll give you a "flood of Jinshan Temple" in return.

At this moment, Wang Shizhen swayed and almost fainted.

"Shut up!" Wang Shijun couldn't help but shout, "Cai Shi! You've gone mad! Get back here!"

He stepped out from the crowd, walked up to Cai, and slapped her hard across the face.

"You're going crazy! You're spouting nonsense, ruining Ruifang's reputation, and damaging the Wang family's honor! You're possessed by a ghost!"

Before Wang Shijun could strike again, Cai's two brothers from her maternal family immediately stepped forward to stop him, staring coldly at him.

"Am I crazy?" Madam Cai wiped the blood from her nose. "Your good son raped me and violated his sister-in-law. Do you know how Ruiyun's wife died? She committed suicide out of shame and indignation!"

“Ruiyun’s illness could have been cured, but he died because he learned about this. He was actually angered to death by your eldest son.”

"It's a pity that he was worried about the Wang family's reputation and your face as his father, so he was so angry that he couldn't tell the truth even if he died! My poor son."

"Your legitimate son is not human; he's been a beast since he was a child!"

Cai's face was covered in blood, she looked like a madwoman, and her voice was as shrill as a ghost.

"Your eldest son was peeping at me while I was bathing when he was only ten! Even if he's naturally lustful, what kind of pretty maids doesn't the Wang family have? Yet he still set his sights on me!"

“I am his stepmother, who is twenty years older than him! His mother died when he was young, and I raised him as my own son! But when he was twelve, he actually took advantage of me being drunk and sneaked into my room to do that beastly thing!”

Wang Shijun was struck dumb, his face turned deathly pale, and he stood there dumbfounded.

At this moment, how could he not see that Cai was not lying?
Upon hearing this, Wang Shizhen suddenly felt dizzy and his body went limp.

"Your Highness!" Several people helped him up.

"Hahaha!" Cai laughed until tears streamed down her face, and continued:

"When I woke up, I found him kneeling down and begging me, saying that he was immature and that he made a big mistake because he wanted to get close to me too much, and begged me to forgive him."

"For the sake of the Wang family's reputation, for your reputation, and for Ruiyun's future, I had no choice but to agree. What else could I do? Family scandals shouldn't be aired in public! The Wang family has so many shameful secrets and filth hidden away; how much could outsiders possibly know?"

But who knew, he was a precocious child and showed no remorse whatsoever!

"Last February, Ruiyun got married, and her daughter-in-law joined the family. That little beast Wang Ruifang, who was only thirteen years old at the time, already had her eye on her new sister-in-law..."

“Wang Ruifang also threatened me with Yun’er’s life and my family, saying that if I reported him, Yun’er would not survive and my family would also suffer. I only have one daughter left, Yun’er, who is only eight years old. I can’t let my family be implicated. I can only endure it!”

"You raped your mother to avenge your sister-in-law, angered your brother to death, and threatened your sister! This is your legitimate son! A member of your Wang family!"

"Ruiyun is a son born out of wedlock, and Yun'er is a daughter born out of wedlock, but they are still members of the Wang family! Why are they treated so badly? Aren't they human?"

"Today, I can't take it anymore. If this continues, neither Yun'er nor I will live much longer..."

For the sake of her daughter and her family, Cai Qiangwei was originally going to endure it.

The Wang family has a lot of scandals. Actually, this kind of thing is not unusual; it has happened before, but it was all covered up and not spread.

Besides Wang Ruifang and herself, only a few of their trusted pageboys and maids knew this secret.

But a few months ago, someone found me and had a conversation with me.

The man didn't know how he learned this secret. He told himself that as long as he boldly exposed Wang Ruifang, he could not only avenge himself but also ensure the safety of her and her daughter, as well as her family.

Behind that man was a mysterious figure, a rival of the Wang family. That man guaranteed that his master could protect himself, his daughter, and her family.

She grasped at this straw and agreed without much hesitation.

She knew very well that this might be her only chance. In the Wang family, she was merely an aging, faded concubine with no status; how could she possibly contend with Wang Ruifang, the legitimate son?
She has always been meek and submissive, and has endured it for too long; she no longer wants to endure it.

"Wang Ruifang!" Cai Qiangwei shouted angrily, "You beast! You were born evil! I'll never let you go, even if it kills me!"

She repeated exactly what the man had taught her, word for word:

"My lords! My gentlemen! Every word I have spoken is true, every word is written in blood! If I dare to utter a single falsehood, may I be struck by lightning!"

"In front of the Prince Su, I demand justice!"

"As long as this world still belongs to the Ming Dynasty, I believe justice will be served! The mausoleum of Emperor Taizu is right outside the city, and my great-grandfather is watching! I do not believe it! My grievances will not be redressed today!"

Wang Ruifang's legs went weak and her whole body trembled.

He suddenly recalled the scene of his half-brother Wang Ruijun vomiting blood in a fit of rage before his death.

Suddenly, I recalled the scene of my newlywed sister-in-law hanging herself in her room, her eyes wide open in death.

All eyes turned to Wang Ruifang, mostly with disdain, indifference, and anger.

It's not uncommon for wealthy and powerful families to be corrupt and rife with filth and depravity. But keeping it hidden is one thing, exposing it is quite another.

Those scions of powerful families, whose own reputations were not entirely clean, now looked at Wang Ruifang with utter contempt.

They must be despised.

Even Dong Shi, Xu Jinyuan, and others, who had always been close friends with Wang Ruihua and shared the same bad tastes, now wished they could disappear.

"Nonsense!" Wang Ruifang screamed hysterically, "Cai, you're talking nonsense! You're spouting lies! You're making false accusations! Father! Grandfather! Everyone! Don't believe her nonsense, she's gone mad!"

"I'm talking nonsense?" Madam Cai's face was full of hatred. Following the method that person had taught her, she gritted her teeth and said, "Fine! I'll just smash my head against this archway and die! Let's see if you can turn black into white in this world!"

After saying that, he rammed his head into a pillar of the archway not far away.

"Sister!" Her two brothers were shocked and quickly grabbed her. "Sister! Confucius is above, and all the gentlemen are here. Justice will surely be served today. Sister, please don't seek death..."

Lady Cai burst into tears, crying, "Heavens! Grandfather Su! Grandfather Taizu! Look at this!"

By now, everyone knew that Cai was incapable of lying. A woman's reputation was of utmost importance; she wouldn't have resorted to such a desperate measure unless absolutely necessary.
"Enough!" Suddenly, an official dressed in ceremonial robes stepped forward and said sternly:

"Grand Minister of Rites! Grand Minister of Justice! Grand Minister of Works! Yingtian Prefecture! Jiangning County! Are you going to handle this matter or not? If you are not going to, then I will!"

It was none other than the Imperial Inspector, Qiao Bixing.

He already had a bad impression of Wang Ruifang and others because he had previously discovered their improper behavior at the brothel, including visiting prostitutes before the exam.

Today, even more shocking news has emerged: her stepmother has accused Wang Ruifang of having an affair with her mother and then with her sister-in-law!
Qiao Bixing said sternly, "This is an internal rebellion, an unforgivable crime! His Majesty has appointed me to inspect Yingtian, a weighty responsibility, and I dare not break the law!"

"If none of you care, then I will take this case! Whether Wang Sheng is innocent or not, we'll decide after the trial!"

"How can we ignore this?!" the Grand Master of Ceremonies roared. "Master Qiao, please take charge of this case!"

"Come here! Obey the Taoist priest's orders!"

"Yes!" A group of yamen soldiers maintaining order at the sacrificial site immediately stepped forward and approached the imperial inspector. "Please give your instructions, Taoist priest!"

Inspector Qiao shouted, "Seize Wang Ruifang!"

"Understood!" A group of soldiers immediately stepped forward and seized Wang Ruifang.

As the Minister of Rites, Wang Honghui naturally abhorred this matter. Even if Wang Ruifang was innocent, the case should be opened and investigated immediately.

As for Wang Shizhen's reputation, who cares about that now? Stealing from one's mother and avenging one's sister-in-law are both acts of internal strife, heinous crimes beyond redemption.

Who dares to speak up for the Wang family?
Many people know that Wang Ruifang is finished. Even if he is innocent, it's too late.

"No!" Wang Ruifang was terrified. "Daoist Master, I'm innocent! She seduced me! She seduced me!" Although he was young and cunning, he had never encountered anything like this before.

In a panic, he felt a heat in his crotch and lost control of his bladder.

Qiao Bixing then said to Cai, "Cai, step forward! I will receive your petition!"

Madam Cai knelt down, tears streaming down her face, "Thank you, Master Dao!"

I thought to myself that the person hadn't lied to me; someone would definitely take care of this matter.

Actually, even if Qiao Bixing didn't care, others would still accept her complaint.

Huang Fengxiang, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, also shouted: "Wang Ruifang is a student of the Imperial Academy. I hereby announce his expulsion from the academy. He will be interrogated and brought to trial to determine the verdict! This is to uphold the laws of education!"

Huang Fengxiang was the second-highest scorer in the imperial examinations of the second year of the Longqing reign, a very senior figure. With just a word from him, Wang Ruifang was expelled from the Imperial Academy.

Since he was no longer a student of the Imperial Academy, he was naturally no longer qualified to participate in the provincial examination.

At present, high-ranking officials such as Qiu Shun, Minister of Personnel, Fang Jiugong, Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review, and Yin Wuqing, Minister of Works, have all expressed their determination to conduct a strict investigation and show no leniency.

"You unfilial son!" Wang Shijun was furious and ashamed. He could no longer contain himself and rushed towards his son, slapping Wang Ruifang hard across the face.

With a "slap!", a clear handprint appeared on Wang Ruifang's handsome face.

"Pfft—" Wang Ruifang spat out a tooth, completely stunned by the blow.

He stared blankly at his father, then suddenly remembered.

He remembered that when he was very young, he found many erotic pictures in his father's study.

I thought of the erotic folding screens my father collected, of the foreign monk he treated with the utmost respect, and of my father with courtesans and maids right in front of him…

Too much.

Father, isn't it your fault that I've become like this? You gave birth to me, and you raised me.

Wang Ruifang wanted to laugh out loud, but also wanted to cry. Her mind was in a daze, her legs felt weak and unsteady, and she felt as if she were in a nightmare.

Suddenly, he saw a familiar figure.

Zhu Yin, Zhu Zhihu!

Zhu Yin stood on the eight-row stage, holding a long pheasant feather, looking down at him with a smile on his small face.

He's laughing at me!

He's laughing at me!

"Ah—" Wang Ruifang suddenly screamed wildly, as if she were insane.

Unfortunately, even at this point, he was still unaware that this matter was related to Zhu Yin, and was still kept in the dark, thinking that Cai Shi was unusually determined to perish together with him.

It wasn't that he was stupid. It was because he couldn't have imagined that Zhu Yin would know this secret.

It's hard to imagine the extent of Zhu Yin's knowledge of his intelligence.

Besides, he didn't know that Zhu Yin had already learned of his conspiracy, and he always thought that Zhu Yin was kept in the dark.

Since they believed Zhu Yin was unaware of their conspiracy, how could they have imagined that Zhu Yin would retaliate against them?
His idea was also something Zhu Yin had considered.

Therefore, Zhu Yin was not afraid of the Wang family's retaliation at this time. Even Wang Shizhen would probably never have imagined that this matter was related to him.

The Wang family has many political enemies. Anyone could be one. It's not up to a mere boy like him.

Zhu Yin felt little pleasure looking at Wang Ruifang's miserable state.

Because Wang Ruifang was no match for him at all, there was no thrill in winning.

Zhu Yin looked at Wang Shizhen, only to find him still unconscious.

Haha, no wonder he is a leader in the literary world, the head of the Wang family, and the Vice Minister of War.

Pretending to be unconscious would defuse the awkward situation and is indeed the best solution at the moment.

The old fox remained "unconscious," pretending not to know anything.

The Imperial Inspector Qiao Bixing glanced at Wang Shizhen, who was being carried away, with an indifferent expression.

Hmph, what literary leader, what famous minister of the dynasty, he's nothing special.

Given such a family tradition, could Wang Shizhen himself truly be a gentleman?

Qiao Bixing was a serious and earnest man from Shanxi. Deciding to go all the way and use this opportunity to severely crack down on the decadent academic atmosphere in Nanjing, he immediately said:

"Two days ago, I overheard that some scholars from Nanyong were spending the Dragon Boat Festival in brothels! In the year of the imperial examination, to be so dissolute and violate the law by patronizing prostitutes!"

"At such a young age, he behaves improperly and frequents brothels, which shows how depraved he is! If such a person were to become an official in the future, what kind of heart would he have?"

"Among these people, the leader is Wang Ruifang! This shows that the accusation of incest with one's mother and betrayal to one's sister-in-law had been brewing for some time."

"Besides Wang Ruifang, there are eight others including Xu Jinyuan and Dong Shi! What's even more ridiculous is that these nine people call themselves the Nine Heroes of the Chrysanthemum Society, yet they use public funds to frequent prostitutes!"

What? Using public funds from the Chrysanthemum Society to frequent prostitutes? Everyone was speechless upon hearing this.

For a young student to visit prostitutes before a major exam is already illegal. Not to mention he squandered company funds.

This is not just a violation of regulations, but a moral failing. If someone can embezzle money even when running a small company, what would happen if they became an official?

These so-called nine champions of the Chrysanthemum Society are actually lacking in righteousness and have an abundance of evil.

Qiao Bixing continued:

"As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. Wang Ruifang is the head of the Chrysanthemum Society, yet she is suspected of committing heinous crimes. If Xu Jinyuan, Wang Shu, Dong Shi, and others are in cahoots, spreading poison to Nanyong and polluting the academic atmosphere, how can they not be punished?"

"In my opinion, Xu Jinyuan, Dong Shi, and the other eight should all be expelled!"

Upon hearing this, Dong Shi and the other eight turned ashen-faced. They were actually going to be expelled from school and dismissed!

Huang Fengxiang, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, immediately said, "Indeed! We should take this opportunity to rectify the academic atmosphere! I wholeheartedly agree with what you have said, Daoist Master!"

"While illegal prostitution may be somewhat forgivable, the use of public funds for prostitution is absolutely intolerable!"

"Prisoner Shengzhen!"

"Your humble servant is here!" The Supervisor of the Punishment and Supervision Office of Nanyong stepped forward. "Please give your instructions, Grand Master of Ceremonies!"

Huang Fengxiang said, "According to the regulations of the Imperial Academy, Dong Shi, Xu Jinyuan, Wang Shu, and others should be expelled from the academy as a warning to others!"

"Your humble servant obeys!" said Supervisor Shengqian.

At a command, Dong Shi and the others were dragged out, their sacrificial robes and crowns were removed, their ivory tokens were taken away, and they were expelled from the sacrificial procession.

Originally, if it weren't for Wang Ruifang's incident, they might not have been punished. Qiao Bixing didn't intend to kill them outright and still gave them room to maneuver.

But today, because of Wang Ruifang, they have all been dismissed!
The eight men were utterly dejected, their faces pale and pale, yet they dared not resist. At this moment, no one dared to speak up for them.

To be fair, a scholar's patronage of prostitutes can be a big deal or a small deal, depending on whether he takes it seriously.

How many of us haven't been there? And who has actually taken it seriously?

Dong Shi and the others simply went at the wrong time.

But what makes it even harder for people to speak up for them is the misuse of public funds for prostitution.

Many companies nowadays have public accounts. Public funds belong to the company, not the owner or head of the company.

The society needs public funds to operate for events such as gatherings, banquets, and publications. These funds are contributed by the members or subsidized by others.

How could someone use public funds to patronize prostitutes and indulge in pleasure?

This is a huge stain. Although Dong Shi and the other eight people are not suspected of the same serious crimes as Wang Ruifang, the mere fact that they used public funds to frequent prostitutes is enough to ruin their futures.

Seeing that the imperial inspector and the chief minister had been dealt with, Qiu Shun, the Minister of Personnel, was about to express his opinion.

He looked at Xu Hongji, one of the eight men, and said:

"You are the son of the Duke of Wei, aren't you? As a student of the Imperial Academy, you have violated the law by visiting prostitutes and misappropriating public funds, which shows a lack of moral integrity. Such behavior makes you unsuitable to inherit the title."

"I will send a document to the Ministry of Personnel in Beijing to inform the Duke of Wei that you are being stripped of your right to inherit the title."

Upon hearing that he would be stripped of his right to inherit the title, Xu Hongji's vision went black and he fainted.

Unlike Wang Shizhen, he didn't pretend to faint; he genuinely fainted from fear and trepidation.

Inspector Qiao Bixing did not let the Chrysanthemum Society off the hook either, and said in a cold voice:
"The so-called nine leaders of the Chrysanthemum Society squandered public funds on prostitution, behaved immorally and were utterly depraved. It is clear that their purpose in establishing the Chrysanthemum Society was to amass wealth!"

"How could such a company become the largest in Nanyong? It's simply outrageous!"

"This Chrysanthemum Society is hereby dissolved! From this day forward, it ceases to exist!"

Many members of the Chrysanthemum Society present looked bitter upon hearing this.

The Chrysanthemum Society, which had been established for less than a year, vanished without a trace.

With the founding members of the society all in trouble, the Chrysanthemum Society naturally collapsed and its members scattered.

The powerful gentry of Jiangnan, who had originally intended to use the Chrysanthemum Society to launch a massive public petition, were now filled with regret.

Alas, it truly died in the womb.

Without the Chrysanthemum Society, this matter can only be put on hold for the time being.

Cai is despicable! Qiao Bixing and the others are meddling! Wang Ruifang is utterly useless, she actually committed adultery with her mother and then betrayed her sister-in-law!
……

After dealing with these matters, Qiao Bixing left with Wang Ruifang, Cai Shi, and the others.

The crowd continued their rituals to Confucius.

The Xuanping Chapter was finally played, and the first offering began.

On the stage, sixty-four dancers and musicians, dressed in eight rows, played music and danced gracefully.

Both the dance moves and the music were extremely elegant, solemn, and ancient.

Holding a long pheasant feather, Zhu Yin walked gracefully to the music, his heart filled with righteous indignation.

With a single move, they flooded Jinshan Temple and quietly achieved a great victory.

Wang Ruifang is finished, the Chrysanthemum Society is finished, Dong Shi and others are also in trouble, and they even helped Xu Xiaobai get rid of his rival who was going to inherit the title.

Killing four birds with one stone.

From this day forward, Nanyong will belong to the Xuan Society!

P.S.: That's all for today. Thank you to all the readers who have supported me, and thank you to those who voted, subscribed, and commented. If you're reading this book and have a reading list, please subscribe automatically. If you have a book list and can recommend it, please do! Goodnight! Also, the previous chapter's title was Qiao Bixing, not Qiao Bixing; it was a typo.

(End of this chapter)