In ancient China’s governance system, local officials could only exercise authority within their territories. Once they crossed the boundaries of their jurisdiction, they had no permission to handle cases beyond their region.
An exemplary official in Jiangyin
When Emperor Luzong of the Tang Dynasty had just ascended the throne, Zhao He served as the county official in Jiangyin, Tianshui Prefecture. He was renowned as a discerning and benevolent officer, always attentive to the needs of the people. His fair rulings, especially in dubious cases that absolved the wrongly accused, earned him widespread acclaim in the locality.
The land dispute in Huaiyin
Nearby in Huaiyin, there was a village where a family from the eastern part had cultivated several hundred acres of prime farmland. However, facing financial constraints, they mortgaged their land to another family from the western part of the village, borrowing 1 million taels of silver. The agreement explicitly stated that they must repay the debt, including interest, by the following year; failure to do so would transfer ownership of the land to the lender.
When harvest time came the following year, the eastern family experienced a bountiful yield and made a considerable profit selling their crops. Ready to redeem their contract, they initially repaid 800,000 taels of silver to the lender, intending to settle the outstanding 200,000 taels the next day after collecting some money owed to them by another party. Given the longstanding trust between the two families, the debtor did not seek a receipt for the 800,000 taels already paid.
However, their trust was betrayed the next day. When they approached the lender with the remaining 200,000 taels, the lender denied having received the initial 800,000 taels the day before. Without any witnesses or a receipt, the eastern family found themselves in a predicament. Despite their pleas, the lender remained steadfast in his denial.
Desperate for justice, the landowner sought the intervention of the county court. Still, without concrete evidence, the case was quickly dismissed. Undeterred, he escalated the matter to the prefecture level, but once again met with disappointment. Feeling defeated and wronged, he returned home.
It was then that he heard of Zhao He, the magistrate of the nearby Jiangyin County, renowned for his prowess in solving intricate cases. Seeking his assistance, he journeyed to Jiangyin and recounted his plight to Zhao He.
Zhao He’s ingenious plan
On meeting, Zhao He pointed out his limitation, saying that as a county official, his authority was restricted to Jiangyin. Still, seeing the man’s desperation, he asked him to stay in Huaiyin a bit longer while he devised a plan.
The next night, Zhao He dispatched competent officers to Huaiyin armed with official documents. They claimed to have captured members of a criminal gang, with one of the arrested confessing about another accomplice residing in Huaiyin. This description conveniently matched the lender. The officers sought the extradition of this “criminal” to Jiangyin for trial.
Under the Tang Dynasty’s laws, while each county managed its own jurisdiction, officials could arrest criminals involved in armed robberies across boundaries. Moreover, neighboring counties were not allowed to interfere and had to hand over criminals within their jurisdiction. Following the procedures, the officers managed to arrest the lender, who remained confident of his innocence.
In court, Zhao He confronted the lender about an alleged robbery. The lender vehemently denied any wrongdoing, only to be met with Zhao He’s stern warning of dire consequences should he remain uncooperative. Intimidated, the lender detailed all his assets, which, crucially, included the disputed 800,000 taels from the eastern family, complete with details.
Seizing the opportunity, Zhao He summoned the landowner for testimony and challenged the lender: “If you claim innocence from robbery, why then did you deny the receipt of the 800,000 taels intended for the contract’s redemption?”
Realization dawned upon the lender. Faced with undeniable facts, he was overwhelmed with guilt and shame. With no avenue for denial, he confessed to his deception.
Translated article
