Chapter Three: First Steps into Officialdom and Entanglement in Litigation

The sky above Great Qi was a brilliant blue, as if freshly washed. Sunlight poured over the bustling streets and alleys of the capital, highlighting the city’s prosperity and ceaseless activity. Xiao Yan rode a fine brown steed, slowly making his way through Vermilion Bird Avenue toward the Capital Prefecture. His posture was upright, clad in a deep blue official robe that fluttered in the breeze, his brows and eyes sharp with a trace of youthful spirit. Yet, as a newcomer to the bureaucracy, his gaze still carried a hint of innocence and unease.

“Sir, just ahead lies the Capital Prefecture,” his attendant reminded him softly.

Xiao Yan looked up, beholding a grand residence with imposing architecture. The vermilion doors were tightly shut, and the stone lions beside them exuded an air of majesty, as if proclaiming the Prefecture’s authority and responsibility. He took a deep breath to steady himself, dismounted, and strode toward the gate.

Inside, officials had already gathered in the main hall to welcome the new appointee. Xiao Yan entered, his eyes sweeping over the assembly, and offered a slight bow. “I am Xiao Yan, newly arrived. I hope to receive your guidance and support.” The officials returned his salute, their faces outwardly respectful, but their eyes revealed a mix of curiosity, scrutiny, and some disdain.

In the days that followed, Xiao Yan immersed himself in the demanding affairs of office. The Capital Prefecture, as the city’s administrative and judicial hub, was beset by endless paperwork and a steady stream of cases. Xiao Yan understood the gravity of his responsibilities and dared not slacken, studying case files and familiarizing himself with procedures day and night. Yet the political waters were far deeper than he had imagined, and soon he found himself embroiled in an unexpected legal dispute.

One morning, a report arrived: a murder had occurred in an estate in the eastern city. The victim, a wealthy merchant named Li Fu, had died a brutal death—his chest pierced by a sharp blade, blood soaking the entire bed. Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan immediately led the coroner and bailiffs to the scene.

Crowds of onlookers had gathered outside, and the bailiffs struggled to maintain order. Xiao Yan entered, greeted by the thick stench of blood. He frowned and carefully examined the room. There were no signs of struggle, nor were any valuables missing—it did not seem a robbery. The coroner inspected the body and reported, “Sir, the fatal wound is in the chest, likely inflicted by a sharp dagger. Time of death was around midnight last night.”

Xiao Yan nodded and searched the room. He soon noticed an unfinished letter on the bedside table, the handwriting hurried and chaotic, as if the victim had written it in haste. He picked it up and read: “If I die today, it must be that…” The words stopped abruptly, indicating Li Fu had not finished before disaster struck. Xiao Yan sensed a hidden story and carefully tucked the letter away.

Just then, a servant named Wang Er rushed in and knelt before Xiao Yan. “Sir, I have an important clue to report.” Xiao Yan gestured for him to rise. Wang Er, trembling, recounted, “Last night, I got up and passed by the master’s room. I heard arguing inside. Curious, I listened at the door and heard the master say, ‘You actually did such a thing—I will never let you go!’ Then there were sounds of fighting. I was terrified and hurried back to my room.”

Xiao Yan pressed him, “Did you hear another voice or see what the person looked like?” Wang Er shook his head. “It was late, and there was no light. I only heard a man’s voice—unfamiliar. I couldn’t see anything.”

Xiao Yan pondered. Wang Er’s testimony suggested the killer was someone known to Li Fu, and there was deep conflict between them. But who was it, and why commit murder? This case became a puzzle haunting Xiao Yan.

Back at the Prefecture, Xiao Yan convened his bailiffs and discussed the case, sharing the letter and Wang Er’s account. The officials debated.

“Sir, I believe the killer must have had business disputes with Li Fu. As a wealthy merchant, he surely made many enemies,” said an older bailiff.

“Or perhaps it’s a crime of passion. Li Fu had many wives and concubines—maybe it was a jealous lover,” another suggested.

Xiao Yan listened, finding merit in each theory, but with limited clues, the murderer’s identity remained elusive. He resolved to investigate Li Fu’s business dealings and relationships.

Over the next few days, bailiffs gathered extensive information about Li Fu. He owned a prominent silk shop, was notoriously stingy, and had made many enemies in the marketplace. Recently, he had a heated dispute with a merchant named Zhao Qian, which escalated to official mediation.

Learning this, Xiao Yan summoned Zhao Qian. When Zhao Qian arrived at the Prefecture, he was anxious and sweating. Xiao Yan’s gaze was piercing. “Zhao Qian, what was the nature of your dispute with Li Fu? Where were you the night of the crime?”

Zhao Qian fell to his knees, crying, “Sir, I am innocent! I did have business disagreements with Li Fu, but I did not kill him. I was home with my family all night—they can vouch for me.”

Xiao Yan had Zhao Qian’s family brought in, and their testimony confirmed his account. Zhao Qian was not the murderer, and the trail went cold. Disheartened, Xiao Yan pressed on.

One day, a bailiff investigating Li Fu’s wives and concubines found something suspicious. One of Li Fu’s concubines had been acting strangely, often going out alone and returning in haste. The bailiff, sensing intrigue, followed her secretly.

He tracked her to a ruined temple outside the city, where she met a man. They spoke furtively, but as the bailiff crept closer to eavesdrop, he accidentally snapped a dry twig. The man, alarmed, fled with the concubine through a back exit.

The bailiff reported this to Xiao Yan, who realized this man might be involved in the murder. He ordered a citywide search, had a portrait drawn and posted everywhere.

Days passed, but the man remained elusive, as if vanished. As Xiao Yan worried, another report arrived: an official named Sun Fu’s home was robbed, with much property stolen. Astonishingly, a dagger identical to the one used in Li Fu’s murder was found at the scene.

Xiao Yan sensed the cases were linked. He began investigating Sun Fu’s robbery, and discovered Sun Fu knew Li Fu and had conflicts with him.

A foreboding grew in Xiao Yan’s heart—he suspected a powerful force manipulating events. As he prepared to investigate further, pressure mounted. Officials questioned his competence, some even accused him in court of causing disorder in the city.

Xiao Yan felt aggrieved and furious, but knew he could not retreat. He resolved to uncover the truth and deliver justice for the victim—and himself. Yet, as he dug deeper, he found himself stymied at every turn—each clue seemed deliberately severed, every approach to the truth met with invisible resistance. He began to doubt whether he could truly pierce the mists and find the real killer.

In his darkest moment, a mysterious elder sought him out. Claiming to be a wandering physician, the elder had heard of the murder and suspected foul play, offering new information.

He revealed that days before the murder, he saw a suspicious figure lingering near Li Fu’s estate—dressed in black, face covered, identity unclear. The elder had also seen this person later at an inn outside the city, arguing with a woman.

Xiao Yan’s hope rekindled. “Do you recall what the woman looked like? Did you hear any of their conversation?”

The elder recalled, “She was delicate and pretty, but anxious. I only heard fragments—something about ‘the plan has failed, what should we do?’”

Xiao Yan seized on this lead, investigated the inn, and learned the woman was Cui’er, a maid in Li Fu’s household. Her companion was Liu Er, a local ruffian.

Xiao Yan ordered their arrest, and after a tense pursuit, bailiffs captured them. In the Prefecture hall, Cui’er and Liu Er denied everything, but under Xiao Yan’s stern interrogation, they confessed.

Li Fu had always been cruel to his maids; Cui’er harbored resentment. Liu Er was her lover. Together, they conspired to kill Li Fu, seeking freedom and his wealth. On the night of the murder, Liu Er snuck into Li Fu’s room and stabbed him as he slept. The robbery at Sun Fu’s home was staged by Liu Er to distract the authorities.

The truth left Xiao Yan with mixed emotions. The case, seemingly convoluted, turned out to have a simple motive. He promptly reported the findings to the court and received imperial commendation.

Through this case, Xiao Yan began to establish himself in the bureaucracy. He realized that the official path was fraught with hardship and challenge, but as long as he remained steadfast and just, he could carve out his own way. Yet, he did not know this was only the beginning of his career—the future held greater storms.

With Li Fu’s murder resolved, Xiao Yan’s prestige in the Capital Prefecture soared. The people praised the young, upright official, and Xiao Yan, bathed in the joy of serving the people, devoted himself to his duties with renewed vigor.

But calm did not last. One day, as Xiao Yan reviewed documents, he received an anonymous letter. The letter accused a high court minister named Zhou Yuan of corruption, bribery, and forming cliques, attaching supposed evidence—correspondence with merchants and detailed accounts.

Xiao Yan frowned. Zhou Yuan held great power, close to the emperor. If the letter was true, it would spark a major scandal with dire consequences. Yet, he doubted its authenticity; anonymous letters were often traps, possibly intended to frame Zhou Yuan.

Xiao Yan was caught between two paths. If he ignored it and the claims proved true, he would be blamed for negligence. If he investigated rashly, he risked offending Zhou Yuan and his powerful allies. After careful thought, Xiao Yan decided to discreetly investigate Zhou Yuan’s dealings.

He sent trusted bailiffs to approach Zhou Yuan’s estate and business contacts under various pretexts, seeking evidence. The investigation proved difficult. Zhou Yuan seemed aware, guarding his movements and affairs closely, and the bailiffs found no solid proof.

As Xiao Yan struggled, rumors about him spread in the capital. Some claimed he accepted bribes from Zhou Yuan and deliberately ignored his corruption; others said he sought to advance his career by currying favor with Zhou Yuan, even at the expense of other officials. The gossip spread rapidly, making Xiao Yan the talk of the city and damaging his reputation.

Xiao Yan realized someone was deliberately undermining him, aiming to sabotage his investigation and ruin his standing. He felt angry and helpless, but refused to be defeated by rumor. He resolved to accelerate his inquiry and clear his name.

Under mounting pressure, Xiao Yan did not waver, but became more determined. He changed his approach, delving into Zhou Yuan’s personal network and searching for subtle clues.

After arduous investigation, Xiao Yan discovered Zhou Yuan maintained a close relationship with a merchant named Qian Fu, whose business had grown suspiciously in recent years, apparently backed by powerful forces. Qian Fu’s accounts matched those described in the anonymous letter with remarkable similarity.

Xiao Yan identified Qian Fu as the key and quickly moved to interrogate him. At the Prefecture hall, Qian Fu initially denied everything, but confronted with a stack of evidence, his defenses collapsed, and he confessed.

Zhou Yuan, it turned out, was indeed corrupt—using his position to facilitate merchants like Qian Fu in return for substantial bribes. The anonymous letter had been written by Qian Fu’s rival to undermine Zhou Yuan and weaken Qian Fu’s influence, hoping to use Xiao Yan as a pawn, but instead triggering a storm.

Upon learning the truth, Xiao Yan felt both satisfaction and a deeper understanding of the darkness and complexity of officialdom. He knew that as an official, he must uphold justice and fairness without being swayed by any faction.

He promptly compiled a detailed report and submitted it to the court. The emperor, upon learning the facts, was furious and ordered severe punishment for Zhou Yuan and all involved. A wave of anti-corruption swept the government, and Xiao Yan was praised and promoted for his outstanding ability and unwavering sense of justice.

Yet Xiao Yan did not become complacent. He knew the road ahead would be long, with more challenges awaiting him. He took this incident as motivation to hold himself to the highest standards, determined to contribute to the prosperity and stability of Great Qi. In his heart, he carried a single conviction: no matter how great the difficulty or obstacle, he would uphold justice and be a true and virtuous official.

With Zhou Yuan’s case resolved, Xiao Yan’s reputation soared and his career flourished. He was promoted to Assistant Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, responsible for reviewing criminal cases nationwide—a position of greater power and responsibility.

But the new post did not bring ease. The Court of Judicial Review was a crucial judicial institution, handling myriad complex cases daily, many involving influential figures. Xiao Yan understood that any misstep could drag him into the vortex of political intrigue, but he remained steadfast in his principles, treating every case with diligence and integrity.

One day, a particularly unusual case arrived. A woman named Lin accused her husband, Zhang Sheng, of colluding with others to harm her and seize her property. Lin claimed Zhang Sheng, having found new affection outside their marriage, sought to rid himself of her for both love and her substantial dowry, devising a malicious scheme.

Xiao Yan examined the case file and sensed complexity. Zhang Sheng was a scion of a powerful family with considerable influence at court. Lin, though a woman, was earnest, and her evidence appeared credible. Xiao Yan decided to personally interrogate the parties to uncover the truth.

At the hall, Zhang Sheng and Lin each insisted on their story. Zhang Sheng vehemently denied any intent to harm his wife, asserting that Lin, jealous of his friendship with another woman, fabricated the allegations to frame him. He produced letters as proof that his relationship with this confidante was purely platonic.

Xiao Yan weighed the evidence, but felt something deeper was hidden. He resolved to investigate the backgrounds and relationships of both parties.

After several days, Xiao Yan uncovered suspicious details. Zhang Sheng’s confidante was not an ordinary woman, but one closely linked to a powerful courtier. Moreover, Zhang Sheng’s family appeared to be plotting a major venture requiring substantial funds. Xiao Yan suspected the case might involve family interests and struggles.

Just as he prepared to probe further, pressure returned from all sides. Zhang Sheng’s family used their connections to interfere with proceedings. Officials appeared to plead for leniency, hinting that Xiao Yan should not pursue the matter too zealously, lest he offend the powerful.

Xiao Yan felt unprecedented pressure, yet he did not waver. He knew that as a judicial official, impartial judgment was his duty. To forsake truth for external pressure would betray the court and the people’s trust. He resolved to press on, determined to uncover the truth behind the case.