Chapter 219 - A Different Status

The woman didn’t cry when he didn’t mention it, but as soon as he did, tears rolled down her cheeks. She choked back sobs for a long time before finally speaking:

“I used to have three sons,” she said, wiping her eyes with her tattered sleeve. “The eldest was drafted as a laborer two years ago and worked on the Wenlan River. He was killed by a falling rock while repairing a bridge. The second one also found work in Bopu, stoking a furnace. I heard that in the spring, the furnace exploded and he died too. There wasn’t even a body, just a jar of ashes sent back.” At this point, she could no longer hold back and fell to the ground, wailing.

Xu Ke couldn’t help but be moved. He knew that accidents and deaths often occurred on construction sites and in factories, but to him, it had always been just a piece of news, a set of numbers. Now, seeing the deceased’s mother wailing before him had a great impact on his soul.

The thought that he would have to send this woman’s youngest son, her only remaining hope, to prison made Xu Ke’s heart heavy.

“Don’t cry,” Xu Ke said in a gentler tone. “Was there no compensation?” His eyes swept over to Fu Bu’er, stern and severe.

Fu Bu’er was startled and quickly said, “Chief! I wasn’t the village chief two years ago, just a liaison. But I know about her eldest son’s case. When the body was sent back, the Chief gave a coffin and a sum of money as compensation, and it was all given to her, not a penny less. As for her second son, there was also compensation—I handled it myself. There are receipts and proof…” He hurriedly said to the woman in a kind tone, “Third Sister-in-law! I gave you all the compensation money, not a penny less. You have to speak with your conscience…”

“The compensation was given,” the woman said slowly after crying for a long time. “The village has also taken care of my son and me, but… two living children are just gone like that…”

She cried so miserably that the people around her couldn’t help but sob, and some sighed secretly. Xu Ke knew that apart from the lifelong pension for families of those who died in military combat or training, the compensation given by enterprises to ordinary workers and laborers was not generous. Besides paying for funeral expenses, a monthly pension was paid according to the original salary, but only for 36 months. Only when the deceased had family members who needed support did they enjoy some extra welfare policies: the old, weak, sick, and disabled would be arranged some work by the transmigrator group to make a living, and children could attend school for free, with room and board included.

Clearly, the suspect’s family did not fall into either of these categories. What would happen to a family that had lost two laborers in succession was obvious in the countryside. Not to mention that this family was originally a poor household without its own land. No wonder the house was so dilapidated.

Xu Ke felt a little sympathy for this family. Without land and having lost their strong laborers, and now, with their last son about to be convicted, this family was finished.

He then questioned other neighbors and villagers. The focus was on the sailor’s marital relationship. According to everyone, before the sailor joined the army, he had made a living as a hired hand. He was usually quiet and just worked. The couple was also considered harmonious. Of course, there were quarrels and wife-beating—which family didn’t have them? The village chief, Fu Bu’er, beating his wife was a common occurrence. In this time and place, it certainly couldn’t be considered “domestic violence.”

“So the couple was considered loving?” This greatly reassured Xu Ke. Obviously, by the standards of this time and place, the sailor was not “forced into marriage.” At most, his wife had an affair; it didn’t necessarily mean she wanted to leave him. If she did, the subsequent handling would be more troublesome.

“Yes, yes, quarrels are always inevitable,” a neighboring aunt said. “It’s just that this family had several children, but none of them survived. If she had children, how could she go out to be a shop assistant? A woman without restraint…” she said, shaking her head.

Xu Ke quickly collected enough testimony from the talkative neighbors and villagers—the villagers were so enthusiastic that he had to forcibly announce that the investigation was over. Many villagers who had not been able to speak left resentfully.

The villagers provided a large amount of testimony. In addition to the evidence of the crime, there was also enough evidence to show that the suspect and the party concerned were both “good people” in the village. This could probably be considered an “accidental misstep” during the trial.

Xu Ke had everyone who spoke put their thumbprint on their statement. This action made the villagers, who had been speaking enthusiastically just now, a little scared.

“Chief… you’re not going to… take us to… court, are you?” Country folk were most afraid of going to court and seeing an official. When common people went to court, whether as plaintiff, defendant, or witness, a slight mistake could earn them a beating. They would also have to waste half a day or a whole day’s work.

Xu Ke said, “Don’t be afraid, our court doesn’t beat people during trials. It’s just for questioning and judging the case—there’s no torture. Those of you who have been to East Gate Market and seen a court hearing know this.”

Indeed, some people had gone to see the summary court’s interrogations. Although the common people of this time and place didn’t like to go to court themselves, they were very interested in watching others get beaten on the buttocks. So when the summary court in East Gate Market opened, many people went to watch the Australians try cases. Some even eagerly hoped that the Australians would bring out some novel Australian torture instruments to torture the prisoners. In the end, everyone found that the Australian trials were not as interesting as the old yamen trials. Not to mention Australian torture instruments, even common instruments like the cangue, whip, ankle press, and finger press were not used. It was all just a few questions and answers followed by a verdict.

“A few people will be selected to be witnesses then,” Xu Ke said. “Those who are interested in listening to the trial can also go.”

Fu Fu received a few words of praise from Xu Ke for helping to record the testimony. Xu Ke casually gave him a pack of white-packaged special supply cigarettes. These were carefully manufactured by the Ministry of Light Industry for the Elders, using the best imported tobacco leaves. Having helped the Chief with a major task and receiving cigarettes that only the Chiefs could smoke, Fu Fu felt that his status in the Chief’s eyes was different. He couldn’t help but feel secretly happy and hummed a little tune on his way home.

That evening, the Fu family extravagantly prepared a table of good food to welcome the triumphant soldier. Of course, the Fu family’s mistress was completely against spending money to entertain Fu Fu, who no longer had any personal relationship with their family. The result was, of course, that she received a beating from Fu Bu’er. The difference from the past was that the Fu family mistress’s verbal counterattacks were getting weaker and weaker, because almost every time, it proved that Fu Bu’er had more foresight than her, and the benefits gained were much greater than what she had insisted on.

“You stupid woman!” Fu Bu’er threw down the firewood stick and cursed. “What’s killing a chicken? Xiao Fu is now highly regarded by the Chiefs. Didn’t you see the Chief who came to investigate today even gave Xiao Fu a pack of cigarettes? He’s bound to become an officer in the future! And you’re still complaining about him eating at our house and wasting money? In the future, you’ll be on your knees begging him to come and eat, and he won’t even bother with you!”

“He’s a poor boy, a bare-assed thing…” The Fu family’s mistress could never shake the impression of Fu Fu arriving at her house almost naked, like a mud monkey.

“He’s different now, he’s with the Australians. Look at this, after the New Year, he’ll be an officer, tsk tsk. If we don’t act now, we won’t even be able to get close to him later.”

Although the Fu family’s mistress was not convinced, she had to admit that her husband had a point. She had no choice but to go and prepare the meal as her husband had requested.

At the table, Fu Bu’er deliberately tried to win him over. Not only did he personally toast him, but he also had his own children and the household servants toast “Big Brother.” He said a cartload of nice things. Fu Fu also distributed his gifts to everyone. Fu Bu’er received a new army satchel. He was overjoyed. He had long wanted to get one of these status symbols. Although they were now sold in East Gate Market, they were imitations, and the color, logo, and accessories were different from the genuine military issue.

Everyone received different gifts. Even the Fu family’s mistress, whom no one liked, received a bolt of cloth. When Fu Bu’er and his wife saw that the most expensive gift was for Fu Yijin, they already had a vague idea of Fu Fu’s intentions. That night, the couple discussed it in bed.

Fu Yijin was their biological daughter and had the status of a “young lady.” Because their family was now the richest in the village, many families had their eyes on her, and several matchmakers had come to propose. They were all rejected by the Fu family’s mistress without any discussion. The reason was simple: no matter how much betrothal gift they could receive by marrying her off locally, marrying off a daughter was always a losing business. Not to mention anything else, losing a laborer for nothing was a huge loss—the Fu family’s land had increased, and they were already short of hands.

“We can’t delay Yijin’s marriage,” Fu Bu’er said, lighting a cigarette that Fu Fu had given him. “She’ll be seventeen after the New Year. A girl can’t afford to wait…”

“Seventeen is seventeen. Even old women in their forties have young men who want them,” the Fu family’s mistress said nonchalantly. “Are you afraid you won’t be able to marry off your daughter? Besides, if you marry her off, who will do the work? You were foolish enough to send that little girl Fu Xi to school. Good, now she’s addicted to studying and won’t be allowed to drop out! A perfectly good laborer only comes back to help during the busy season. If Yijin leaves too, are we going to farm the land or not?!”

Fu Bu’er smoked his cigarette and said nothing. He did regret sending Fu Xi to school a little. He had originally wanted Fu Xi to study for a few months, learn to keep accounts, read, and use the abacus, and then come back. He didn’t expect her to excel in her studies. The Chief had even sent a letter saying that Fu Xi was “a talent worth cultivating” and insisted that she finish the junior agricultural course. Not only could she not come back to work for a few years, but their family also had to pay for her living expenses—the Fu family clearly did not meet the specific regulations of the People’s Committee for Education for exemption from tuition and living expenses.

“Although it costs a lot for Xiao Xi to go to school, she has learned a lot. Didn’t she teach us many tricks in the fields during this busy season? Chief Wan even praised her for her ability. Her studies weren’t in vain.”

“What’s the use! Isn’t it just benefiting outsiders? You old man, all you do all day is benefit outsiders,” the woman complained again.