Chapter 346: Chang Shide and Dugu Qiuhun

The original accusation against Chang Shide was very severe. Shan Liang and others believed that Chang Shide’s behavior constituted “embezzlement of public funds,” but this proposal was rejected at the Senate Standing Committee meeting. The majority, including the members of the Executive Committee, disagreed with this statement. A portion of the people—represented by Ji Tui Si—believed that Chang Shide’s behavior was not illegal. Because when the Executive Committee dispatched him to Leizhou, there were no restrictions on how he could use the funds. Under this premise, as long as he could complete the task, how he used the public funds was his freedom. At most, it could only be considered that the Executive Committee’s authorization was flawed.

Some people even questioned whether the motives of Shan Liang and others were out of “jealousy.” Chang Shide and others risked their lives in Leizhou, seized the sugar resources of Leizhou, opened up trade with Vietnam, obtained a stable source of finance and food for the Transmigration Group, and even found the Hongji Coal Mine. With his achievements, it was not an exaggeration for him to spend a few dozen taels of silver from public funds to buy a few women for his own enjoyment. If they insisted on making an issue of this, it would only dishearten the dispatched personnel.

Shan Liang and others insisted on “judging merits and demerits separately, rewarding merits and punishing faults,” and “nipping corruption in the bud.” However, at several meetings of the Standing Committee, the number of people who agreed with him became fewer and fewer. Some even proposed to simply exempt Chang Shide from the hearing, and the new Executive Committee also clearly showed no interest in it. Shan Liang had no choice but to finally propose to question him for “misappropriation of public funds.”

Ji Xin felt that, judging from the current situation, Chang Shide’s acquittal was inevitable. Not to mention anything else, the value of this case was too low—a mere ten taels of silver. Even in the Ming Dynasty, it was not enough to be considered a crime.

Before the hearing, Ji Xin, following Ma Jia’s instructions, had already distributed background materials on the Chang Shide case to the jury of elders. The content was the operating status of the Leizhou station, the personnel files of the five female slaves, and their current work arrangements. Distributing background materials was a proper procedure, but this material, with its detailed data and sufficient facts, explained the great contribution of the Leizhou station to the Transmigration Group, which could not fail to leave a deep impression on the elders.

Everyone knew that merits and demerits could not be simply offset, and a great merit could not cover up a small fault. But seeing such huge achievements, the elders would naturally understand that Chang Shide did not get all this without working for it.

Sure enough, when Mu Quan read out the letter of inquiry, some of the elders present already showed an impatient look. When he read “unauthorized misappropriation of public funds amounting to the huge sum of ten taels of silver,” someone actually laughed out loud.

After the letter of inquiry was read, Ma Jia asked Chang Shide if he had anything to say.

Chang Shide stood up unhurriedly and said, “I want to defend myself.”

“Defense granted,” Ma Jia banged his gavel.

Chang Shide’s defense was simple. First, he admitted that the purchase of women had a component of satisfying his personal needs, but the women were not just for his personal service. After these five women were bought, they also shouldered a large amount of the daily miscellaneous work of the Leizhou station. This work also required manpower. In other words, women were a necessary item for the Leizhou station, and his acquisition of the sexual services of these few women was just a side “development of added value.”

“These female slaves serving the Transmigration Group is primary, and serving me personally is secondary,” Chang Shide listed the excellent performance of Ah Xiu and others at the Leizhou station. “At the most critical moment for our Leizhou station, when thousands of rioters outside could kill their way in at any time to destroy the machines, burn down the sugar factory, and chop us all into pieces, the native employees in the sugar factory were restless, and many wanted to flee for their lives. Only these few female slaves showed the most unwavering determination, expressing their willingness to follow the Transmigration Group through life and death. Why is that? Has anyone ever considered it?”

A look of incomprehension appeared on the faces of the elders. Chang Shide raised his voice an octave: “It is precisely because I fucked—uh, took them in!”

The crowd burst into laughter.

Chang Shide said with a straight face, “Facts have proven that trust built on physical relationships is the most stable among all master-servant relationships in this time and space. A female slave regards being taken in by her master as the greatest trust and appreciation from her master. After that, they will follow their master wholeheartedly. This point, everyone probably has not considered, but we should adapt to the customs of this time and space and find a way for the natives and the transmigrators to live in harmony.”

An elder shouted, “So you also fucked the Wen brothers? The materials say they are also loyal!” The whole place burst into laughter again.

Chang Shide’s face did not change color. “I don’t have such a hobby. If anyone present does, you can try it in the future.”

Ma Jia had to remind everyone that they had to raise their hands before questioning and not to interrupt at will.

Then he rambled on for a long time, some of which was almost nonsensical, which made the elders laugh continuously, and the atmosphere of the venue became very pleasant. Shan Liang was secretly anxious, thinking that with his sophistry and performance, he had won the goodwill of the elders. But Ma Jia had stipulated that no one could interrupt during a speech, so he could only be anxious.

Finally, Chang Shide stated that since everyone believed that his use of female slaves was suspected of private use of public property, he was willing to pay for all these female slaves himself. “After buying them, these female slaves will continue to serve the great cause of the Transmigration Group at the Leizhou station, and not just provide services to me personally—of course, certain services can only be provided to me, and I’m afraid I can’t serve the public.” The elders laughed.

“This is also a small contribution to the Transmigration Group. My speech is over. Thank you all.” After Chang Shide finished speaking, he returned to his seat.

Although Shan Liang and others then questioned and refuted his speech, insisting that no matter how great the merit, it could not be a protective umbrella for breaking the law, and demanding severe punishment for such behavior, Chang Shide did not make any more defense. After fully expressing his language ability just now, he very humbly stated that he would unconditionally accept the verdict of the elders and would no longer defend himself.

The more Ji Xin watched, the more surprised he became. This Chang Shide looked rough, but he had a lot of tricks up his sleeve. The technical means he had originally prepared were completely useless.

Seeing that both sides had finished speaking, Ma Jia asked everyone to vote on whether Chang Shide was guilty of misappropriating public funds.

The 25 elders conducted a secret ballot. The votes were counted on the spot, and Chang Shide was declared not guilty by a vote of 19:6. Ma Jia then announced that the charge of misappropriation of public funds against Chang Shide was not established.

However, his private use of public property did exist, so Ma Jia ruled that Chang Shide must pay the full price of the four female slaves within fifteen days. Calculated at 2 taels per person, a total of 8 taels of silver would be converted into circulation coupons and paid to the special financial account of the Delong Grain Bank. He was originally supposed to pay the price of 5 female slaves, but since Chang Shide should also enjoy the “maid welfare” this time, one person was deducted.

Chang Shide stated in court that he unconditionally accepted this ruling. Ma Jia then announced that the hearing for Chang Shide was over. After a 30-minute recess, the case of Dugu Qiuhun would be heard. Chang Shide expressed his gratitude to everyone present and then shook hands with the people who had accompanied him to congratulate them. Ma Jia thought that his demeanor at this moment was a classic scene from some American movie.

During the recess, Ji Xin went outside and lit a cigarette. He saw Ma Jia also drinking water outside the screening room.

“This Chang Shide can really talk! He moved everyone at once,” Ji Xin said.

Ma Jia smiled mysteriously. “Eloquence is indeed very important, but isn’t such a good response a bit too much?”

Ji Xin thought that this result was undoubtedly related to the active lobbying of the people from the Guangzhou and Leizhou stations. He said in a low voice with some concern, “Although Chang Shide’s matter was a bit of a fuss, the issue of the influence of interest groups…”

Ma Jia nodded. “There is indeed such a tendency, but you also know that it is inevitable.” He poured the water in his cup under a tree. “Only balance is the key.”

Ji Xin was a little confused about how to achieve this so-called “balance,” but seeing Ma Jia’s confident look, and thinking about the means he used to get to his position—it seemed that the head of the Law Club had a set of tricks.

Then began the trial of Dugu Qiuhun’s case. The hearing for Dugu Qiuhun was not so polite. The accusations against him were extremely severe. At first, they wanted to charge him with “rebellion,” but this proposal was strongly opposed by the police and political system and the army. Many elders also believed that although Dugu Qiuhun had made a serious organizational mistake in this matter, to say that he was a traitor was suspected of being a trumped-up charge.

The final charges were “unauthorized mobilization of armed forces,” “intent to cause bodily harm to transmigrators,” and “intent to destroy public property.” This last charge was based on his attempt to occupy the telecommunications building.

After Ji Xin finished reading the inquiry, it was Dugu Qiuhun’s turn to defend himself against these inquiries.

Dugu Qiuhun stated that the reason he mobilized the police force into Bairen City was to “maintain order and prevent the situation from escalating.”

“Besides being the director of the East Gate Market police station, I am also the security commander of Bairen City. I have the right to deal with all kinds of emergencies inside and outside Bairen City. There was a demonstration in the city. Of course, I have the obligation and the right to enter the city to maintain order and prevent extreme acts such as vandalism, looting, and arson from occurring during the demonstration. Therefore, I cannot accept the charge of unauthorized mobilization of armed forces.”

Shan Liang then questioned, “On what basis do you believe that the demonstration would engage in vandalism and looting? Is this not a kind of unauthorized ‘presumption of guilt’? Do you have so little faith in the political consciousness of the transmigrators?”

Dugu Qiuhun was not to be outdone. “All demonstrations in this world must be approved and escorted by the police. Why do you think the consciousness of the transmigrators is higher than that of anyone else in the world?”