The story of Yang Naiwu and Xiao Cabbage is known as one of the "Four Strange Cases of the Late Qing Dynasty" and is a household name in China. Recently, more than 140 years ago, the true appearance of Yang Naiwu and Xiao Cabbage was exposed, and a French reporter took a precious photo of the two wearing shackles together at that time.
The origin of this photo is roughly as follows: In May 2004, Yu Jinsheng, a literary and historical expert in Hangzhou's Yuhang District, got an important clue by chance: an old photo of Yang Naiwu from France wearing shackles and being tortured together with Xiao Cabbage. Yu Ru won the treasure and finally obtained this precious photo through many efforts.
In the photo, Yang Naiwu has a clear eyebrow, is not tall, and is half a head shorter than a small cabbage. In the photo, Yang Naiwu holds a heavy shackle with two hands in order to reduce the pressure of the shackle on the shoulders of the two people. The little cabbage has drooping eyelids and her hands are tucked into her sleeves, and she doesn't seem to like facing the camera very much.
According to historical records, the cabbage is "beautiful and colorful", "subjected to capital punishment, and the color has not faded", but it seems that the description is not very accurate when looking at the photos. In the photo, as a child of a poor family, Xiao Cabbage did not wrap her feet, which is considered to be a big foot.
Why is this old photo in France? According to the 1963 dictation of Yang Naiwu's daughter Yang Mao (who died in December 1967), according to Yang Naiwu's account before his death, the autopsy site of Haihui Temple was full of onlookers, including a French journalist. When the coroner declared the body non-toxic
The French reporter excitedly ran to Yang Naiwu and Xiao Cabbage, shouting loudly with Chinese "No poison!" innocuity! ”。 This photo was taken at the autopsy site at Kaikaiji Temple.
The tragic encounter between Yang Naiwu and Xiao Cabbage is lamentable, and for more than 100 years, this unjust case has been adapted into operas, movies, TV series, novels, etc., and is widely known.
At this time, this case has become known to the world. At this time, we also have to mention the modern Shanghai newspaper "Declaration". The declaration was initially reported as anecdote, but soon began to question the case, raising several major doubts. From January 6, 1874 to May 7, 1877, for more than three years, the "Declaration" published a total of 44 messages, 18 expositions, 8 comments, 15 exhortations, 1 statement, and 1 advertisement.
Some scholars with conscience and those who knew Yang Naiwu as a person not only accused officials of protecting each other, bending the law for personal gain, and taking people's lives, but also strongly demanded that the case should be transferred to the capital for trial.
Xia Tongshan and Weng Tonggong, seeing that public opinion was difficult to calm down, had to report the case to the empress dowager of the two palaces, and pleaded that Yang Naiwu and Bi Xiugu be sent to the capital for final trial.
Empress Dowager Cixi was indignant at the commoners and referred the case to the Ministry of Punishment for trial.
As a result, after the Re-examination of Ge Xiaoda's body, the Punishment Department found that Ge Xiaoda was not poisoned and died, but died caused by illness. As a result, the truth of the case was revealed, and the grievances of Yang Naiwu and Bi Xiugu were also lifted.
That being the case, of course, the officials involved in this case are not immune to dereliction of duty. Therefore, under cixi's instructions, after investigating and interrogating the officials involved, more than 140 officials were dismissed from posts according to the law and never used again.