In ancient times, there was a bad habit called nail-rolling board. A wooden board covered with iron nails was specially prepared for unscrupulous people who liked to go beyond the level to petition. It was about five feet wide and about one foot long. Any unscrupulous people who dared to sue the officials would submit a complaint.
This nail board had to be rolled over before.
Regardless of whether the official is at fault or not, it is a crime for ordinary people to sue their parents and officials. If everyone has nothing to do and files a complaint to go to the higher level to appeal, stop the sedan chair and complain about injustice, then the Yamen will not be able to operate? So in order to discourage those who are sincerely making trouble.
Citizens, anyone who appeals through abnormal channels will be subjected to severe tests. For example, people who block the sedan chair to complain are often beaten to death with sticks before they reach the adult's sedan chair.
After all, if you don't even have the determination to roll a nail board, it only means that you have no grievance at all.
It stands to reason that rolling nail boards may not necessarily lead to death. The nail boards are very particular. Regardless of the dense rows, in fact, when applied to the human body, it cannot form enough pressure, so although it will cause bloody holes all over the body, it will not be fatal.
, but there is still a mystery here. The Ministry of Punishment and the concierge of Dali Temple have prepared two specifications of nail boards, one is the conventional version with 380 steel nails, and the other is a simplified version with only 81 steel nails.
Nails, these steel nails can kill people if they are too long. The nails penetrate into the flesh. Not to mention rolling over, just lying on it will kill you. This kind of nail board is specially designed to deal with those who look malicious at first sight.
Those who petition for trouble will die if they leave, and if they don’t, they will leave.
The father of the girl who sold her body to bury her father must have rolled this simplified version of the nail board and died. This shows that people risked their lives. There is indeed a huge injustice, but according to the girl, as long as her father is buried, he will never die again.
Not daring to file a complaint means that even though the person is dead, the complaint has not been handed in yet.
After listening to Peng Jingrong's question, the girl replied: "My father died on a nail board. I had no choice but to sell myself to send him to my father. I have fulfilled my filial duty. I hope the ladies will take pity on me, so they bought me."
"The dog officials of the Ministry of Punishment are too arrogant. They actually care so little about human life. Even if they file a complaint, they will risk their lives. Is this Ministry of Punishment a yamen that redresses the grievances of the people?" Zhao Wen said angrily. Their judicial institution in Song Dynasty had been abolished long ago.
For similar cruel laws, people have their own channels to sue officials, so they are extremely angry about the Ministry of Punishment rolling a nail board. Sister Peng Jingrong has lived in this social reality for a long time, so she doesn’t have much objection to people suing officials and rolling a nail board. It’s just that
It is a bit excessive for the Ministry of Punishment to deliberately use sparse and simplified nail boards to kill people.
"Don't worry, we paid for your father's shipping costs. If you have any grievances, you can tell us and we will see if we can help you." Peng Jingrong said.
Seeing that these noble people in front of her really wanted to help her, the woman shook her head feebly and said: "It's useless. The world is as dark as crows. From Honghu County to Yueyang Mansion, then to the provincial capital, until today in the lobby of the Ministry of Justice, which one is there?"
Officials are not colluding with each other, we will not fight this lawsuit..."
"Don't be afraid, we have our own way to help you. No matter what level of officials are involved, it doesn't matter. Just say it." Peng Jingwei is an emotional person. Seeing this girl so aggrieved and desperate, she naturally stepped in to fight against the injustice.
"I really don't want to fight anymore. My mother is dead, my sister-in-law and my unborn nephew are also dead, my brother has been sentenced to beheading, and now my father is also dead. I am the only one left who is really unmoved by this lawsuit. You guys again
Who can shake those high-ranking officials and dignitaries?" The woman still shook her head slowly, her face pale and in a daze, as if she had lost confidence in the whole world.
"We are all just princesses."
Liu Maotao, who had never spoken to him, suddenly said such a sentence, which shocked the woman's eyes with sparks, and the onlookers were also shocked. The common people did not know how many sisters and aunts the emperor had, and the beautiful appearance and temperament of the four women in front of them.
Extraordinary, the guards are all big and round, wearing official boots and carrying official swords. Maybe they are really golden princesses.
Liu Maomao couldn't tell the difference between queen, princess and princess at all. He just said it casually. You must know that although they all have titles given by Zhao Wen, they are just empty titles like child's play. Can they be used by travelers?
It was only a matter of the Song Dynasty court's approval, so how could it be used to bluff people? However, Liu Maotai's nonsense made the girl see a glimmer of light in her despair. She immediately threw herself to the ground and said: "Your Highness, the daughter of the people has been wronged."
Ah." He said, taking out a bloody picture and holding it to his head tremblingly.
Peng Jinrong took the lawsuit, and the four girls came together to watch. Of course, Liu Xiaomao was just joining in the fun. She didn't know how to read at all. This bloody lawsuit was obviously written by someone else. The narrative was concise and to the point, and the calligraphy was beautiful.
The anger of the person who wrote the petition can be vaguely seen between the lines.
The story goes like this: When the river embankment project was built in Honghu County, the contractor expropriated Wangjiadun's land beyond normal needs without giving any compensation. Old man Wang's family relied on those few acres of thin farmland to make a living. If it was taken away, they would have to drink.
The northwest wind blew, so they refused to give in and guarded the fields day and night. The contractor set fire to the Wang family in the middle of the night and burned the old lady and pregnant daughter-in-law of the Wang family to death. The people were filled with indignation and surrounded the contractor's station and demanded an explanation, but the contractor was
The gangsters rushed out and beat several women and children to death with sticks. That wasn't enough. People from the county and provincial capitals were sent down and arrested 72 young and strong men in the village overnight. Thirteen of them were arrested.
Sentenced to death, the Wang family's son was among them. All the young and strong people were arrested, and the people could no longer make trouble. Seeing that their relatives were about to be executed and distributed, the fertile land they had worked so hard to save was occupied by contractors, and the villagers chipped in with some expenses.
, please ask Old Man Wang and his daughter to go to Beijing to complain.
Poor old man Wang has never left this county in his life. He can't tell the difference between east, west, north and south outside the familiar area. Fortunately, there are many kind-hearted people outside who helped them buy the cheapest ferry tickets and go all the way to Nanjing. The capital is so huge and vast.
The prosperity dazzled the father and daughter from Honghu. They didn't know which yamen they should go to to file a complaint. They asked for directions while begging, and finally arrived at the gate of the Criminal Department.
There are three judicial organs in the capital: the Ministry of Punishment, Dali Temple, and the Metropolitan Procuratorate. The former is equivalent to the Ministry of Public Security, and the latter two are equivalent to the Supreme Court and the High Procuratorate. Ordinary people cannot distinguish these names. It is not easy to distinguish between the Ministry of Punishment and the Ministry of Rites.
When I saw the grievance drum at the gate of the Ministry of Punishment, I immediately pounced on it and beat it hard.
This Ministry of Punishment is not a good place to cry out grievances and play drums. Who has ever seen the Ministry of Punishments try cases all day long? The drums at the door are just symbolic decorations. When someone wants to beat the drum, the officials at the door immediately come to stop them. The Wang family and his daughter see
The people in public uniforms immediately knelt down and complained, and submitted a complaint. Of course, the official would not accept the complaint and wanted to kick them out with a stick. Old Wang finally found the door to complain, but he was not willing to give up easily. He hugged the official's legs and begged.
Unexpectedly, the official asked a few questions casually, and after learning the reason for the complaint, without saying a word, he pulled out a nail board and asked Old Man Wang to get out, saying that this was the rule of the Ministry of Punishments, and the people's complaints against the officials must be rolled on the nail board before the government will accept it.
When he saw the gloomy nail board, old man Wang thought of his wife who died tragically, his pregnant daughter-in-law, and the desperate and helpless eyes of the villagers. His heart suddenly crossed, and he handed the petition to his daughter, took off his cotton-padded jacket and said that this dress is still good.
I could use it as a few coins, but my father went away, so he threw himself on the nail board, gritted his teeth and rolled around. Before he could turn over for the second time, he was nailed to the board alive, with blood flowing all over the floor. It was shocking! The Ministry of Punishments
But the officials said that the case cannot be accepted even if the nail board is not finished! If you, a little lady, still insist on filing a lawsuit, then go ahead and get out, otherwise you will take the body and get out.
Poor Wang's daughter, she knew that this nail board must never be removed, otherwise both of them would die in front of the criminal department, and no one would send their bodies, so she held back her tears and carried her father's body, which had dried blood, step by step.
Go to this bustling street and sell your body on the street to bury your father.
After hearing this story, Zhao Wen was the first to get angry: "These corrupt officials are simply lawless! Do you really think there is no justice in the world? I have taken care of this matter. Let's go, let's go to the Ministry of Punishment!"
The Peng sisters were also furious. Not to mention the corrupt officials in Huguang, the Ministry of Punishment really bullied people so much that they simply didn't take human life seriously!
"Let's go! I want to see how difficult it is to enter the punishment department's gate!" Peng Jingwei said indignantly.
Peng Jinrong is a calm woman, but she is also a temperamental person. She also said: "Okay, let's help the Wang family sister hand in the petition today."
When the daughter of the Wang family recounted her grievances, the people around her were still chirping at first, but then they became completely silent. Many people secretly wept. It was really heartwarming and tearful for those who heard it. I heard that these women were going to the Ministry of Punishments to help.
After handing over the complaint, the people started to make a fuss again and expressed their intention to go with him.
Peng Jingrong asked the guards to carry Old Man Wang's body, and took the Wang family's daughter and a group of people towards the Ministry of Punishment.
It was already afternoon, and there were very few people in the vehicles going to and from the Punishment Department's Yamen gate. The Punishment Department's gate was tightly closed, and there was not even a yamen guard guarding the door. After the group arrived, they jumped off the carriage and saw the drum of injustice outside the Punishment Department's gate.
No matter what, he rushed up and banged wildly. The sound of the drum alerted the government servants inside the gate. The side door opened, and a tall black hat came out. He frowned and asked: "Who is playing the drum?"