An hour later, the cart rolled through two large doors and into the prison yard that was placed behind the Yaman. Still late at night, court would not be held until seven the next morning.
After coming to a halt, a soldier swung open the door to the cage and began yanking out the family members, one by one. The servants were already funneled through the door leading to the dungeon, the maids crying softly and the men hanging their heads.
"Up you little brat!" The soldier pulled Zhanyi out and onto the ground, the dazed child slumping again.
"Zhanyi!" Mrs. Lu cried and fell to her son's side, putting his head in her lap. She brushed the bruise that had formed on his cheek lightly and then stroked his head. The moment was brief, before she was torn away from him again.
Meiwan jumped down from the cart herself and wiped her face with her sleave, drying the tear streaks. "Mother, I'll take care of him. Don't worry." She whispererd.
Her mother's gaze was grateful, as well as apologetic. She moved to her husband's side and slid her arm through his. They were then pushed towards the prison door, while Meiwan crouched down by Zhanyi. Though small, the older sister managed to lift her brother to his feet and lean his weight all onto her.
"Come on, we won't have to walk far." She encouraged.
Zhanyi groaned but nodded his head, and the two allowed the men to shove them in the direction their parents had just gone. Upon entering, they were led down a dark staircase lit by small torches. The stone beneath their feet was wet and slick, causing the girl to slip more than once. After descending what seemed to be around twelve feet, they arrived at the beginning of a long row of cells on both the left and the right.
Being on a lower level, there weren't many prisoners. Meiwan guessed that the more important offenders were placed down underground, while the lesser were above. Now, the first two cells on the left held the male and female servants separately. Further down, she could see her parents already inside their own cell, a soldier slamming the barred door, locking them in. The man that held her and her brother's arms led them to the next cell and shoved them in.
"In you go." And then their own door slammed shut.
After setting Zhanyi down on the straw covererd floor and checking his wound, Meiwan rushed to the bars that seperated her from her parents' cell. Her fingers curled around the cold steel and her face leaned against them, as she called to them.
"Father, what happened." She felt calmer now.
Five feet away though, her father sighed before turning and banging his fists against the bars. He let out a fierce yell, his knuckles bleeding but he didn't stop.
"Shouxia! Don't do this, you'll only bring harm to yourself!" Her mother pleaded with her father, pulling his long sleeves in attempt to stop him.
After a moment, he stopped and took a deep breath. His wife clung to him and wept, while using her fist to beat against her own chest. The couple looked disparingly towards the stone floor, their eyes filled with regret.
Meiwan almost couldn't believe what she was seeing. Her parents had always been the most proper and upright people, but here they were... expressing their grief and fear, all the while, they held an attitude of guilt. The girl's heart constricted and she let the two have a moment, but after several long moments, spoke again.
"Mother, what has happened? What will become of our family?" Her soft voice broke the silence, and finally her father turned to face her.
"A'wan, I'm sorry. So sorry."
Meiwan drew away from the bars with a jolt. Whatever had happened, whatever the accusation was... it was true! How could it be true? Could her father really have committed a crime?
A memory from her childhood resurfaced. It was the time when she was a small child, her brother not yet born. It was a sunny afternoon and she'd been playing with the servants' children, but then a problem arose. Little Meiwan, jealous of a sibling pair, pushed the younger one down a well. Her greatest desire had always been to have her own little sister or brother, and it had created an obsession. So she pushed the girl down into the deep well, and when she'd been brought back up, her legs had been broken.
Her father had beaten her many times over the course of several weeks after the incident, forced her to repent in temples, and ended up using a year's worth of her spending money to resolve the matter with the girl's mother. The lesson she'd learned, was doing bad things were done by bad people, and they had punishments.
Though a simple lesson every child must learn, and every father must teach, Meiwan had always held that memory dear. From that day forward she'd done her utmost best to do good and be kind to others.
Now looking through the bars at her father's downcast expression, a feeling akin to betrayal struck her heart. Her eyes wandered to her mother, who's face was twisted in a similar way. She knew too.
"A'wan, I had no choice," Her father whispered, almost as if to himself. "There was no other way."
No other way? What did that mean?
"Sister." Zhanyi's lips moved, sound just barely escaping.
Whatever matters her parents had involved themselves, it would be up to them to solve them. Her dearest brother now lay with a purple bruise on his face, making his mouth swollen. He was the most important one to take care of right now.
...
"Smuggling, illigal trading, and fraud. Lu Shouxia, do you admit to your crimes?!" The city magistrate Fang slammed his wooden mallet on the table and tossed the paper evidence towards thr prisoner now kneeling before him.
A row of Yaman workers were on each side of the hall with long poles in their hands, ready to keep court in order. To the side, behind Lu Shouxia knelt his wife, while Meiwan and Zhanyi stood on the other.
The prisoner began nodding his head slowly, as the case had already been made and he was clearly guilty. Commoners who stood outside the door observing the court jeered and yelled at the family, only quieting when the Yaman banged their poles.
"And do you also admit to robbing the officials sent to bring disaster relief money and supplies to YanCheng?"
At this, Meiwan's father's eyes bulged and his head shook fiercly. "Your honor, I have nothing to do with this! Please demonstrate your fairness and wisdom, and find the real offender!" Lu Shouxia brought his hand to his fist and bowed his head to the floor.
Meiwan felt as if she had already died, ashamed of her father's actions. But then when the next charge was announced, she wasn't sure she could still stand. Any crime acted against an official would result in the death penalty. Till now, her father would at worst be sentanced to life.
The magistrate glanced over to a man standing to the side. His face was questioning. He turned back to the man before him and then called out.
"Is there evidence or a witness who can testify?"
There was a long silence, but then a man broke through the crowd. "Here! I am a witness to the crimes commited by Lu Shouxia!"
Meiwan glanced over her shoulder at the man as he passed the gaurds and entered the hall. A grave expression dressed his face, but his small eyes held a sort of greed.
Fang eyed the man with scrutiny, before waving him forward. "What is your testimony?"
The man turned and pointed a finger toward's Meiwan's father. "Lu Shouxia is the man who robbed the officials of the treasury money. I was there and I saw it, with my own eyes!"
"Oh?" The magestrate's brows rose and he leaned forward.
"I am Gu Ping, and while I was traveling the main road last week, I saw a commotion ahead at a fork. Worried I might run into bandits, I went off into the woods and traveled alongside. " By now the witness was worked up and sweating, his face red. "As I got closer and closer, I could see a band of men being led by him!"
He pointed his long finger towards Mr. Lu. "He led his servants, or maybe they were hired killers, to rob and kill the entire envoy! They made it away with all the money and supplies, leaving no one left alive."
Meiwan watched as the man spoke, but something was strange about his testimony. He told the whole story from his side, and when he finished, he folded his hands behind his back and stood over her father.
The magistrate sighed and shook his head. "Do you have any evidence to support your claims?"
At this Gu Ping lowered his eyes and bit his lip.
"According to the laws of this dyansty Mr. Gu, I cannot convict a man of a crime based solely on a witness' testimony. I'm sorry." The magistrate turned to the courtroom. "Is there any evidence?" He asked once more.
When there was only silence, and Gu Ping retreated further towards the back of the room, an angry expression on his face, Fang slammed the mallet down on the table again.
"Lu Shouxia, do you admit to the previously stated crimes?"
Meiwan's father dipped his head, "Yes, your honor."
The commoners standing outside once again erupted into jeering and cursing, criminals were worse than cow dung, and would forever suffer the hate and disgust of the people.
The yaman officers beat their poles down hard on the floor. Magistrate Fang spoke loud and clear. "Lu Shouxia, in the findings of this investigation, we have found that you have not committed murder or any other henious act against another human. So I will sentance you to twenty years of hard labor."
Lu Shouxia sighed, but with a smile on his face. He bowed his forehead to the floor, "Thank you, your honor."
"Lu Man, you have been found guilty of assisting your husband commit these crimes. I sentance you to ten years in prison. Accept your punishment."
With tears in her eyes, Lu Man bowed her head and spoke softly, "I accept my punishment. Thank you, your honor."
Husband and wife embraced each other on the floor of the courtroom before giving their two children a reassuring smile, before turning back to the magistrate.
"And what of our children and servants?" Meiwan's father asked.
Fang nodded thoughtfully. "I will mark them all innocent and uninvolved in your plots. The servants will be sold and your mansion will be confiscated to cover any victim's loss." He looked to Meiwan and Zhanyi. "The children shall be sent to live with your relatives. It will be arranged, worry not."
At this, both the parents thanked the magistrate before the yaman officers chained them, and sent them back to prison. Their daughter and son left watching them being pulled away.
"Send a letter to their closest family." Magistrate Fang ordered one of his men.