Everyone knows that the ancient laws were harsh, and escorting prisoners was a chore. However, in that era when men were inferior to women, there was a special escort task that made the officials rush to it. This is the escort of female prisoners.
As the saying goes, men don't flick when they have tears, but why do those iron-faced and selfless officials scramble to be the first to escort female prisoners? Is it compassion? Or is there something else going on? What is even more interesting is why the families of female prisoners are not only not worried, but happy to see it?
In that era of scarcity of materials, the life of the officials was not rich. However, some of the servants were able to live a prosperous life for a few months after escorting a female prisoner once. What's the mystery here? Is escorting female prisoners really a shortcut to wealth?
Let's travel back in time and space into that smoky era to uncover this long-sealed historical mystery. What kind of story is hidden behind the officials scrambling to escort female prisoners?
1. The hardships of escorting prisoners in ancient times
Speaking of the general trend of the world, it will be together for a long time, and it will be divided for a long time. Since the unification of the Six Kingdoms by Qin, successive dynasties have continued to improve the legal system. It can be said that lawlessness does not lead to a country, and lawlessness does not govern the country. However, the enactment of the law is only the first step, and more importantly how it is enforced. Among them, escorting prisoners is a crucial task.
To talk about this errand of escorting prisoners is really miserable. Let's listen to the old man.
It is said that one year, a newly appointed official came to the yamen of Huai'an Mansion, named Wang Dagou. When this Wang Dagou first arrived, he didn't know the hardships of escorting prisoners, so he took the initiative to ask Ying to escort a prisoner to the capital for trial. When the prefect heard this, he couldn't help laughing and said, "Okay, since you are so motivated, then this errand will be handed over to you." "
Wang Dagou was overjoyed and thought that he had made a great achievement. Who knows, the journey of escorting the prisoner is a hundred times more difficult than he imagined.
The first is the hardship of the long journey. From Huai'an to the capital, there are thousands of miles away. In those days, there were no cars and trains, and they all walked on two legs. Wang Dagou and the prisoners had to walk for more than a dozen hours a day, exposed to the sun and rain, hungry and cold. As he walked, Wang Dagou's feet were blistered with blood, but he had to grit his teeth and persevere.
One day, they passed by a small town, and Wang Dagou couldn't walk anymore, so he wanted to find a place to rest. However, as soon as the inns in the town heard that they were escorting prisoners, they closed their doors one after another, for fear of getting into trouble. In desperation, Wang Dagou had no choice but to take the prisoner to spend the night under the tree on the side of the road.
This is not the end, what makes Wang Dagou even more headache is the test of the harsh environment. Once, they encountered a storm and had to take shelter in a cave. But the cave was cold and damp, and from time to time there were snakes, insects, rats and ants crawling around. Wang Dagou didn't close his eyes all night, not only to prevent the prisoner from escaping, but also to beware of poisonous snakes and beasts. By the time dawn came, his eyes were red.
What made Wang Dagou most exhausted was the pressure to prevent the prisoners from escaping. Although the prisoner was chained, he always tried to escape. Once, while Wang Dagou was napping, the prisoner secretly untied his shackles and almost ran away. Fortunately, Wang Dagou found out in time, so it didn't cause a big disaster. Since then, Wang Dagou has been even more restless, for fear that one of them will let the prisoner slip away by accident.
After more than a month of arduous trekking, Wang Dagou finally escorted the prisoner to the capital. When he returned to the Yamen of Huai'an Mansion, he had already lost weight, his face was sallow, and his spirit was listless. Seeing this, the prefect patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Now you know how difficult it is to escort prisoners, right?" "
Wang Dagou smiled bitterly and nodded, thinking that he didn't want to do this errand a second time in his life. But at this moment, the prefect said again: "There is a female prisoner to escort next month, do you want to go?" "
Unexpectedly, when Wang Dagou heard the words "female prisoner", his eyes lit up, and he took the initiative to ask for help. Why is that? Let's listen to the next breakdown.
2. The peculiarities of escorting female prisoners
It is said that Wang Dagou heard about the errand of escorting the female prisoner, and even took the initiative to ask for help. What's the mystery here? Let's listen to the old man.
It is said that in the winter of that year, a special prisoner came to the yamen of Huai'an Mansion, who was Li Yuhuan, the daughter of Li Yuanwai, a wealthy local businessman. This Li Yuhuan was born as beautiful as a flower, but he was accused of fornication with a servant in the family, and according to the laws of the Qing Dynasty, he committed adultery. After hearing the case, the prefect sentenced Li Yuhuan to exile for 3,000 li.
When the news came out of the yamen that Li Yuhuan was going to be escorted, the officials who had avoided escorting the prisoners actually rushed to ask for help one by one. Even Wang Dagou, who was half tired last time, squeezed his head and wanted to take over this errand.
Why is this errand for escorting female prisoners so popular? The reason for this can be said to be difficult to explain in three words.
First of all, let's talk about the physiological characteristics of female prisoners. It is well known that women are not as physically strong as men. This Li Yuhuan has been pampered since he was a child, where can he endure the pain of a long journey? After only a few days of walking, her feet were already blistered with blood, and she was limping when she walked. Seeing this, Wang Dagou had to slow down and stop to rest from time to time. This came and went, and the trip that was originally expected to be a month was stunned for more than two months.
Interestingly, because of the extension of the trip, Wang Dagou enjoyed it. He only needs to walk thirty or fifty miles a day, which is a world of difference from the 100 miles he used to escort male prisoners. What's even better is that because they have to take care of Li Yuhuan, they often stop at roadside teahouses and inns. This is simply a pleasure for Wang Dagou, who is not full of food and clothing on weekdays.
Secondly, to talk about society's attitude towards women. The ancients often said that "a woman is virtuous if she is not talented", and the attitude towards female prisoners was also relatively relaxed. When the people along the way saw Wang Dagou escorting Li Yuhuan, instead of avoiding them like they did with male prisoners, they often cast sympathetic glances. Some well-wishers will also send some food and drink, and they will pity this weak woman in the name of beauty.
Wang Dagou secretly rejoiced, thinking that this errand of escorting female prisoners was not only easy, but also won the favor of the people, which was really a double win.
Finally, I would like to talk about the special requirements of the families. Although Li Yuhuan has committed a crime, her father Li Yuanwai is a big businessman on the rich side. Li Yuanwai couldn't bear to suffer his beloved daughter, so he asked someone to send a large sum of silver taels and asked Wang Dagou to take care of him on the road.
Wang Dagou accepted the money, and naturally he was very grateful. He not only took care of Li Yuhuan everywhere on the road, but also bought some pastries and fruits from time to time to satisfy her hunger. Although Li Yuhuan is a prisoner, he has lived more comfortably than at home along the way.
One day, they pass by a small town and happen to meet a lame fortune teller. This fortune teller claims to be a closed disciple of Zhang Tianshi of Longhu Mountain, and he can pinch and calculate. Li Yuhuan was curious, so he asked Wang Dagou to take her to calculate a hexagram.
After the fortune teller touched each other's bones, he said mysteriously: "The girl has a fate, although it is dangerous, but if she can survive it safely, she will be rich and prosperous in the future." "
Li Yuhuan couldn't help but be overjoyed when he heard this. She turned to Wang Dagou and said, "Brother Wang, if you can protect me thoroughly, I will be grateful in the future." "
Wang Dagou nodded again and again, thinking that this errand of escorting the female prisoner was really getting more and more interesting.
In this way, Wang Dagou's journey to escort Li Yuhuan turned out to be a leisurely and comfortable trip. They stop and go, enjoy the scenery along the way, taste the food of various places, and look like a pair of young ladies on a trip.
Two months later, when they finally arrived at their destination, Li Yuhuan not only did not suffer, but his face was ruddy, and his complexion was even better than when he set off. Wang Dagou returned with a full load, not only with a bulging pocket, but also appreciated by Li Yuanwai, saying that he would help him in business in the future.
After this back and forth, the reputation of escorting female prisoners spread among the officials. From then on, whenever there was an errand to escort female prisoners, the officials in the yamen rushed to sign up.
However, what is the secret behind this? Is this errand for escorting female prisoners really just as good as it seems? Let's listen to the next breakdown.
3. The chain of interests behind escorting female prisoners
It is said that the errand of escorting female prisoners is a beautiful talk among the officials, but what is the secret in this? Let's listen to the old man.
Since the news spread that Wang Dagou escorted Li Yuhuan, the officials in the yamen of Huai'an Mansion have been looking forward to receiving such a beautiful mission. But how can good things come so easily? The doorway can be described as intricate.
It is said that one year, another female prisoner came to Huai'an Mansion named Zhao Jinlian. Although this Zhao Jinlian is not as wealthy as Li Yuhuan, she is also a widow with a bit of beauty. She was denounced by Wang Erlang's main room for fornicating with her neighbor Wang Erlang and committed adultery.
As soon as the news spread, the officials in the yamen began to gear up again, wanting to take over the errand of escorting Zhao Jinlian. But this time, the prefect did not immediately appoint candidates, but called several leaders to the back hall to discuss secretly.
It turned out that behind this errand of escorting female prisoners, a chain of interests had already been formed. From the prefect to the officials at all levels, even the jailers want a piece of the pie.
First of all, the prefect. Although he is in a high position, he is not squandering enough. If you can draw some oil and water from this errand of escorting the female prisoner, you will naturally not be able to ask for it. So, he secretly set the rule that whoever wanted to take this errand must first honor him with a generous gift.
The second is the leaders of the government at all levels. Although they do not have the power to assign errands, they can say good things in front of the prefect. Whoever wants to take on this errand must first curry favor with these leaders, or give them money, or invite them to eat and drink.
Jailers again. Although they had a humble status, they controlled the living and eating of the prisoners. If the jailer said a few kind words in front of the prisoner, implying that the escort officer would treat her kindly, the prisoner's family would inevitably be more generous.
In this way, a complete chain of interests is formed. Each link wants to get a piece of the pie, which can be described as intricate and intertwined interests.
Having said that, this Zhao Jinlian's escort errand finally fell to a servant named Zhang San. Although this Zhang San is not as clever as Wang Dagou, he has a lot of experience in slapping horses. He not only gave the prefect a generous gift, but also invited the leaders to eat a few good meals, which was his wish.
After Zhang San received the errand, he immediately went to see Zhao Jinlian in prison. He said to Zhao Jinlian: "Zhao, if you want to suffer less on the road, hurry up and ask your family to send some silver taels." Otherwise, you will have something to suffer along the way. "
Although Zhao Jinlian is not a rich girl, she also knows the doorway. She hurriedly asked someone to bring a letter to her family and asked them to find a way to raise some silver taels.
Unexpectedly, Zhao Jinlian's family did not move for a long time. Zhang San was anxious, for fear that he would not make any money on this errand. So, he came up with a bad idea.
One day, Zhang San deliberately complained in front of Zhao Jinlian: "This errand of escorting prisoners is really bitter!" Not only do you have to be exposed to the sun and rain, but you also have to watch out for prisoners to escape. If the prisoner escapes, I won't be able to save my head. "
Zhao Jinlian couldn't help but have a plan in her heart after hearing this. She said to Zhang San: "Master Zhang, if you can let me go halfway, I will be very grateful." "
Zhang San pretended to be embarrassed and said, "This is the sin of killing the head!" Unless you can come up with five hundred taels of silver, I will never dare. "
Zhao Jinlian couldn't help but gasp when she heard this number. How could she have so much silver in her house? But for the sake of freedom, she gritted her teeth and agreed.
In this way, Zhang San and Zhao Jinlian reached a secret agreement. Zhang San secretly let Zhao Jinlian go, and then lied to the yamen that Zhao Jinlian was sick and died on the road. Just in case, he also found an unknown female corpse to pretend to be Zhao Jinlian, and fooled the autopsy procedure.
This time, Zhang San not only got the five hundred taels of silver promised by Zhao Jinlian, but also received the funeral fee from the Yamen. What's even better is that he also has a reputation for treating prisoners well, saying that he took care of Zhao Jinlian who was sick along the way.
However, although Zhang San's wishful thinking was loud, he didn't expect that there were even greater hidden dangers. What are the consequences of what he did? What kind of changes will this errand of escorting female prisoners bring to the yamen of Huai'an Mansion? Let's listen to the next breakdown.
Fourth, the corruption storm caused by escorting female prisoners
said that Zhang San let go of Zhao Jinlian, although he was confused for a while, but Skynet was restored, and he was negligent but not leaked. After all, this pile of corrupt deeds and one piece of corruption cannot be hidden. Let's listen to the old man's detailed account of how this errand of escorting female prisoners caused an earth-shattering corruption storm.
In the winter of that year, a minister came to Huai'an Mansion. This lord is named Liu Mingyuan, and he was sent by the imperial court to inspect various government offices. After Liu Mingyuan arrived, he began to secretly investigate the government affairs of Huai'an Mansion.
One day, Liu Mingyuan paid a private visit and overheard a conversation between two drinkers in a restaurant. The two men were discussing the corruption in the yamen, and one of them said, "Have you heard? The female prisoner Zhao Jinlian who was escorted last month is said to have never arrived at the penal colony, and disappeared halfway through. "
Another person answered, "What's so strange about this? Which of these errands in the yamen is not full of oil and water? Escorting female prisoners is even more beautiful and poor, who doesn't want to touch it? "
Liu Mingyuan couldn't help but prick up his ears when he heard this. He secretly jotted down these words and decided to investigate further.
The next day, Liu Mingyuan came to the prefect of Huai'an and asked him to hand over all the files of the female prisoners he had escorted in recent years. Seeing this, the prefect immediately panicked, and said that the files had been destroyed. Liu Mingyuan saw that he looked flustered, and he was even more convinced that there was something strange about this matter.
So, Liu Mingyuan began to investigate secretly. He first found several officials who had escorted female prisoners and interrogated them individually. At first, these officials wanted to quibble, but under severe torture, they finally told the truth.
It turned out that this errand of escorting female prisoners had already become a cash cow in the yamen. From the prefect to the officials, everyone wants a piece of the pie. Some took bribes and let go of female prisoners; Some are filling their pockets and deducting road expenses; There are also fake public and private interests, taking the opportunity to extort money.
What shocked Liu Mingyuan even more was that these corrupt behaviors had formed a complete set of "rules". For example, there is a clear proportion of how much filial piety fee the escort servant has to pay and how much the prefect has to take. Even those officials who are not directly involved can get some "hardship money".
The more Liu Mingyuan investigated, the more frightened he became. He found that the corruption of the female prisoners was not confined to Huai'an Province, but had spread to several surrounding prefectures and counties. Officials in various localities colluded with each other to form a vast network of interests.
In the course of the investigation, Liu Mingyuan also discovered an even more appalling thing. In order to create more "opportunities," some local officials have gone so far as to deliberately frame innocent women, accuse them of trumped-up charges, and then take advantage of the escorts to enrich themselves.
All these discoveries made Liu Mingyuan furious. He immediately sent a letter to the imperial court, giving a detailed report on the corruption in Huai'an Province and the surrounding areas. When the imperial court learned of this, it was furious and immediately ordered a thorough investigation.
For a time, there was a lot of noise in the yamen of Huai'an Mansion. The prefect was dismissed from his post and investigated, and several officials who were mainly involved in the case were arrested and imprisoned. Even those yamen leaders who are usually arrogant are all silent, for fear of being implicated.
Zhang San was heavily scolded for letting Zhao Jinlian go, and was fined and confiscated all his family property. Although Wang Dagou was not directly involved in corruption, he was also dismissed from his errand because he accepted benefits from Li Yuanwai.
This corruption storm not only caused an uproar in Huai'an Prefecture, but also caused strong repercussions in the entire Jiangnan region. The imperial court sent a large number of officials to carry out a comprehensive rectification of the judicial system in various places.
However, after this turmoil, did the errand of escorting the female prisoner change his mind? What will happen to those officials who have been dismissed and investigated? How will the judicial system of Huai'an Province be reformed? Let's listen to the next breakdown.
5. Reform of the system of escorting female prisoners
It is said that after Liu Mingyuan investigated and dealt with the corruption case in Huai'an Mansion, the imperial court was furious and ordered a comprehensive rectification of the judicial system in various places. This massive reform not only affected the system of escorting female prisoners, but also set off a sea change in the entire judicial system. Let's listen to the old man's detailed account of how the system of escorting female prisoners has changed step by step.
First, the imperial court promulgated a new "Prisoner Escort Regulations". The regulations clearly stipulate that the escort of a female prisoner must be carried out by two or more officials, at least one of whom must be a female officer. This provision immediately caused an uproar everywhere. You must know that in that era, it was unheard of for women to be officials.
In order to implement the new regulations, the Huai'an government had to create a new position of female messenger in the yamen. The selection of the first batch of female poor soldiers can be described as difficult. Some people think that women are not suitable for official errands, while others are worried that women will be bullied by prisoners. In the end, after many maneuvers, Huai'an Mansion finally selected three female messengers, including Wang Dagou's distant cousin Wang Xiaolan.
After Wang Xiaolan took office, her first experience of escorting a female prisoner was impressive. It was a female prisoner named Li Cuihua, who was sentenced to exile for stealing. During the escort, Li Cuihua suddenly shouted that her stomach hurt, saying that she was menstruating. The male servants were at a loss, but Wang Xiaolan dealt with it in a timely manner, not only taking care of Li Cuihua's needs, but also ensuring the safety of the escort. This incident made people begin to realize the importance of female messengers in the process of escorting female prisoners.
Secondly, the imperial court also ordered the establishment of a special supervisory body. Every time a female prisoner is escorted, there must be a royal priest to follow the overseer. This imperial historian not only had to record the entire escort process, but also regularly report to the imperial court. This measure greatly increased the transparency of the escort process, and also made those officials who wanted to enrich their own pockets dare not act rashly.
On one occasion, Huai'an Mansion escorted a female prisoner named Sun Yumei. The accompanying imperial historian is called Zhao Guangming, who is known for his uprightness. On the way to escort her, Sun Yumei's family found Zhao Guangming and wanted to bribe him to open the net. Zhao Guangming not only sternly refused, but also truthfully reported the matter. This move made the imperial court more confident in this new supervision system.
In addition, the imperial court also reformed the management system of escort travel expenses. In the past, escort travel expenses were managed by the yamen in a unified manner, and the officials could take the opportunity to enrich their own pockets. The new system stipulated that travel expenses had to be paid directly by the imperial court, and detailed accounting was required. Every expense must be well documented, and any excess money must be handed over in full.
When this system was first implemented, it also encountered a lot of resistance. Some officials complained that the travel expenses were insufficient, while others deliberately misrepresented the expenses. But over time, this gradually decreased. Once, a servant named Liu Gensheng in Huai'an Prefecture overreported the expenses of ten taels of silver during the escort. After this incident was discovered, Liu Gensheng was not only dismissed from his errand, but also beaten 50 boards. This punishment deterred other officials who were lucky, and the new toll management system was successfully implemented.
Finally, the Imperial Court also promulgated the Regulations on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Female Prisoners. This regulation clearly stipulates the measures of protection for female prisoners during escort. For example, female prisoners must be fed and not abused without cause; The privacy of female prisoners must be respected and there must be no insulting behavior; If a female prisoner is sick, she must seek medical attention in a timely manner, etc.
The promulgation of this regulation not only protects the rights and interests of female prisoners, but also restricts the behavior of escorting officials to a certain extent. On one occasion, Huai'an Mansion escorted a female prisoner named Zhang Cuilian. On the way, Zhang Cuilian suddenly had a high fever that did not go away. According to the new regulations, the escort officials immediately sent her to a nearby hospital for medical treatment. This move not only saved Zhang Cuilian's life, but also won the praise of the people.
This series of reform measures has brought about earth-shaking changes in the system of escorting female prisoners. Those officials who had taken advantage of the opportunity to enrich themselves could no longer act recklessly, and the rights and interests of female prisoners were better protected.
However, no institutional reform can be achieved overnight. In the process of alternating between the old and new systems, problems of one kind or another will inevitably arise. For example, in some places, although there are women's missions, they are not actually allowed to participate in escort work; Although some officials did not dare to accept bribes in a blatant manner, they still tried by all means to reap benefits in other areas.
So, will these new systems finally be put in place? Can the corrupt practices of female prisoners be eradicated? How will the judicial reform in Huai'an affect the judicial system of the Ming Dynasty as a whole? The answers to these questions will take longer to tell.