Chapter 219: The status is different
It was a good thing that the woman didn't listen to him mention it. When he mentioned it, tears rolled down her cheeks. She held back her sobs for a long time before she said:
"A civilian woman did have three sons in the past." She wiped her eyes with her tattered sleeves. "The eldest one worked as a river worker on the Wenlan River when we were recruiting civilian husbands the year before last. He was killed by a falling rock while building the bridge. Chapter 1 The two of them also hired workers at the Bopu, specializing in burning stoves. When they were turned on, they heard that the stove exploded and they also died. There was not even a body, so they sent back a can of ashes." At this point she couldn't hold it back any longer, and immediately threw herself to the ground and burst into tears.
Xuancheng couldn't help but be moved by it. He knew that there were frequent fatalities and injuries in construction sites and factories, but to him this was just a piece of news, a set of numbers. Now, seeing the deceased mother crying in front of him, he was deeply shocked.
Thinking that he had to send this woman's youngest son, her only sustenance, to prison, Liang Li's heart suddenly became very heavy.
"Don't cry." Xu Xu softened his tone, "Is there no compensation?" His eyes glanced at Fu Buer, very sternly.
Fu Buer was frightened and said quickly: "Chief! I was not the village chief the year before last, just a liaison officer. But I know about her eldest son. When he brought the body back, the chief rewarded the coffin and a sum of money. Every penny of the money was given to her as a pension. As for her second son, there was also a pension at that time - even a villain can do it. There are written documents to prove it..." He was anxious to be nice to the woman. He said, "Third sister-in-law! I gave you every penny of your pension. You must speak with your conscience..."
"The pension is a given," the woman cried for a while before she said slowly, "The village also took care of us and my mother, but these two living children are just gone..."
She cried miserably, and the people around her couldn't help but cry, and some sighed secretly. Xu Xu knew that in addition to lifelong pensions for family members of those killed in military combat training, the pensions given by the company to ordinary workers and laborers were not generous. In addition to paying funeral expenses, pensions were given monthly based on the original wages, but only 36 moon. Only when the deceased has family members to support will he enjoy some additional welfare policies: the old, weak, sick and disabled will be responsible for arranging some work for living by the crossing group, and children can go to school for free, with all food and accommodation included.
Obviously, the suspect's family does not fall into these two categories. What will happen to a family that has lost two laborers one after another? This is obvious in rural areas. Not to mention that this family is a poor family that does not own land. No wonder the house is so dilapidated.
Xu Xu felt a little sympathetic to this family. There is no land and no strong labor force. Now, even the last son has to be convicted, and this family is finished.
Then he asked other neighbors living nearby and villagers in the village. The focus is on the relationship between sailors and husband and wife. According to what everyone said, before he was a soldier, this sailor made a living by carrying work for others. He was silent on weekdays and just worked. The couple is relatively harmonious. Of course there is merit in quarreling and beating one's wife - who doesn't? It is common for village chief Fu Bu'er to hit his wife, and of course this cannot be counted as "domestic violence" in this time and space.
"So this couple is still in love?" This reassured Xu Xu. Obviously according to the standards of this time and space, this sailor was not considered a "forced marriage." At best, this wife is cheating, and she doesn't necessarily have any intention of changing the family. If so, subsequent processing will be more troublesome.
"Yes, yes, noisy is always inevitable." The neighbor's aunt said, "It's just that this family has raised several children, but none of them have any money left. If they have children, how can they go out to work as a waiter? The wife is gone. Restraint..." He just shook his head.
Xu Xu soon collected enough testimonies from chatty neighbors and villagers - the villagers were so enthusiastic that he had to forcefully declare that the investigation was over. There were also many villagers who had nothing to say and returned home in despair.
The villagers provided a large amount of testimony, and in addition to the evidence of guilt, there was enough evidence to show that the suspect and the person involved were both "good people" in the village. This can be regarded as an "accidental mistake" during the trial.
Xu allowed everyone who spoke to have their fingerprints stamped on their dictation. This move frightened the villagers who had been talking enthusiastically just now.
"...The chief...won't...have we been to...the court?" Countryside people are most afraid of going to court to see officials: when ordinary people go to court, whether they are the accuser, defendant, or circumstantial evidence, they will be punished if they are not careful. It will take half a day and a whole day in vain.
Xu Xu said: "Don't be afraid, everyone. We don't beat people when we interrogate cases in court. We just ask and judge cases - there is no torture. All of you who have been to Dongmen City and watched the court sessions know this."
It is true that some people have gone to watch the interrogation in the summary court - although the people of this time and space do not like going to court themselves, they are very interested in watching others go to court and be beaten. Therefore, as soon as the summary court in Dongmen City opened, many people came to watch the Australians try the cases. Some people even expected the Australians to come up with some novel Australian torture instruments to torture the prisoners. In the end, everyone found that the Australians had no basis for trying the cases. It's not as interesting as going to the county government to try a case. Not to mention the Australian torture, even common torture tools such as boards, whips, clamps, and finger sticks are not used. It's all about a few questions and answers and a verdict.
"At that time, a few people will be called as witnesses." Xu Xu said, "Those who are interested in hearing the trial can also go."
Fu Fu got a few compliments from Xu Xu because he helped record the testimony, and Xu Xu casually gave him a pack of special white cigarettes. This is specially made by the Ministry of Light Industry for veterans, and the best imported tobacco leaves are selected. Fu Fu helped the elder to do a big thing, and found out that only the elder could get cigarettes. He felt that his status in the elder's mind was not the same, so he couldn't help but be secretly happy. He went home humming a little tune.
That night the Fu family was extravagant and cooked a table of delicious food to welcome the returning victorious soldiers. Of course, the Fu family's wife was opposed to spending money to entertain Fu Fu, who had no personal relationship with her family. As a result, she was punched by Fu Bu'er as a matter of course. Different from the past, the Fu family's wife's verbal counterattacks became weaker and weaker, because almost every time it was proved that Fu Fuji was more far-sighted than her, and the benefits gained were much greater than the ideas she insisted on.
"You stupid bitch!" Fu Bu'er threw down the firewood stick and cursed, "What does it mean to kill a chicken? The little rich son is now highly regarded by the elders - you didn't see that the chief who came to ask the case today gave the little rich son a packet Smoking? He will definitely be an official in the future! Do you still think he spends money on eating at our house? From now on, if you kneel on the ground and beg him to come and eat, he won’t even bother to pay attention to you!"
"He is a poor boy, a naked thing..." The Fu family's wife could never get rid of the impression that Fu Fu was almost naked and looked like a mud monkey when he came to her house.
"People are getting along differently now, and they have caught up with the Australians. Look at this attitude, you will be an officer after the Chinese New Year, tsk tsk. If we don't hurry up now, we won't be able to touch the mén even if we try to get close to him in the future."
Although the Fu family's wife was not convinced, she had to admit that her husband was right. She had no choice but to cook according to her husband's request.
Fu Buer deliberately tried to win over him at the table. Not only did he toast in person, but he also asked his sons, daughters, and other children to toast to his "eldest brother." He said a lot of good things. Fu Fu also distributed the gifts he had with him to everyone, and Fu Buer got a new satchel from the Army. He was overjoyed, he had wanted to get this status symbol for a long time. Although they are now sold in Dongmen City, they are imitations. They are different in color, logo, and accessories. They cannot be compared with genuine military products.
Everyone got different gifts, and even Madam Fu, a woman whom everyone disliked, got a cloth ruler. Fu Buer and the Fu family's wife saw that the gift given to Fu Yijin was the most luxurious, and they already had a vague idea of Fu Fu's thoughts. That night the couple got together in bed.
Fu Yijin is their biological daughter, who can be regarded as a "young lady". Because his family is now rich in the village, many people are interested in this daughter's child, and several people have come to propose marriage. They were all rejected by the Fu family's wife without any discussion. The reason is simple: no matter how much gift you can get from marrying a girl locally, marrying a girl is always a losing business. Not to mention, losing a labor force in vain will cause you to suffer a lot - the Fu family has a lot of land, and they are already short of manpower.
"We can't waste a single gold." Fu Buer lit the cigarette Fu Fu gave him, "She will be seventeen during the Chinese New Year. A daughter can't afford to waste it..."
"Seventeen is seventeen. Every old woman in her forties wants a young man." Mrs. Fu's wife said nonchalantly, "Are you afraid that you won't be able to marry your daughter? Besides, if you marry her off, who will do the work? Are you confused? Send this little girl Fu Xi to study, okay, now that she is addicted to reading, she is not allowed to drop out of school! A good laborer comes back to help when the farm is busy. If you want to leave for another one gold, the land will not be planted?!"
Fu Buyer smoked and said nothing. He regretted Fu Xi's incident a little - he originally wanted Fu Xi to study for a few months and come back after learning how to keep accounts, read and write, and have an abacus. Unexpectedly, she became famous in her studies. When she arrived, the principal sent a letter to her husband saying that Fu Xi was a "talent that could be made" and that she must complete elementary agricultural studies. Not only will they not be able to come back to work for a few years, but they will also have to pay for their living expenses - the Fu family obviously does not meet the specific regulations of the People's Committee on Education for exempting tuition and living expenses.
"Although it cost more for Xiao Xi to go to school, she came back with a lot of knowledge. Didn't she teach her many tricks in the field during this busy farming period? Wan Chang also praised her for her great ability, and her reading was not in vain."
"It's useless! Aren't you taking advantage of outsiders? You old man will take advantage of outsiders all day long." The woman complained again.
