This Eunuch Was Keeper Of The
Imperial Treasury, And Presumed So Much On The Favour And Confidence Which
He Enjoyed With His Master, That He Took His Choice Of All The Goods He
Wanted From The Merchant By Force, Regardless Of Every Thing That The
Merchant Could Say.
The merchant went privately from Canfu to Cumdan, the
residence of the emperor, which is two months journey; and immediately went
to the string of the bell, mentioned in the former section, which he
pulled.
According to the custom of the country, he was conveyed to a place
at the distance of ten days journey, where he was committed to prison for
two months; after which he was brought before the viceroy of the province,
who represented to him, that he had involved himself in a situation which
would tend to his utter ruin, and even the loss of his life, if he did not
speak out the real truth: Because there were ministers and governors
appointed to distribute justice to all strangers, who were ready to see him
righted; and if the nature of the wrongs, which he had to represent, did
not appear such as to entitle him to this application to the emperor, he
would assuredly be put to death, as a warning to others not to follow his
example. The viceroy, therefore, advised him to withdraw his appeal, and to
return immediately to Canfu. The rule on such occasions was, that, if the
party should endeavour to recede after this exhortation, he would have
received fifty blows of a bamboo, and have been immediately sent out of the
country: but if he persisted in his appeal, he was immediately admitted to
an audience of the emperor. The merchant strenuously persisted in his
demand for justice, and was at length admitted to the presence of the
emperor, to whom he related the injustice of the eunuch, in taking away his
goods by force. Upon this, the merchant was thrown, into prison, and the
emperor ordered his prime minister to write to the governor of Canfu, to
make strict inquiry into the complaints which he had exhibited against the
eunuch, and to make a faithful report of all the circumstances; and he, at
the same time, gave similar orders to three other principal officers, to
make the same inquiry, all separate and unknown to each other.
These officers, who are called of the right, of the left, and of the
centre, according to their ranks, have the command of the imperial forces,
under the prime minister; they are entrusted with the guard of the emperors
person: and when, he takes the field, on any military enterprise, or on any
other account, these officers are stationed near him, each according to his
rank. All of these made accordingly the strictest inquiries into the
allegations of the merchant, and all separately gave in their reports,
assuring the emperor that these complaints were just and well-founded: and
these were followed and confirmed by many other informations. The eunuch
was in consequence deprived of his office of treasurer, find all his
effects were confiscated; on which occasion the emperor addressed him as
follows; "Death ought to have been your doom, for giving occasion of
complaint against me to this man, who hath come from Chorassan, which is on
the borders of my empire. He hath been in the country of the, Arabs, whence
he came into the kingdoms of the Indies, and thence into my empire, seeking
his advantage by trade; and you would have occasioned him to return across
all these regions, saying to all the people in his way, that he had been
abused and stripped of his substance in China. In consideration of your
former services, and the rank you have held in my household, I grant your
life; but as you have not discharged your duty in regard to the living, I
will confer upon you the charge of the dead." The eunuch was accordingly
sent to take the custody of the imperial tombs, and to remain there for the
remainder of his life.
Before the late commotions, the good order observed in the administration
of justice, and the majesty of their tribunals, were very admirable. To
fill these, the Chinese chose men who were perfectly versant in the laws;
men of sincerity, and zealous in the cause of justice, who were not to be
biassed by the interference of the great, and who always administered the
laws with impartiality, neither oppressing the poor, nor accepting bribes
from the rich. When any one was to be promoted to the office of principal
judge, he was previously sent to all the chief cities of the empire, to
remain a month or two in each, inquiring minutely into the various customs
and affairs of the people, and informing himself of all such persons as
were worthy of being credited in their testimony, that his judgment might
be regulated in the future discharge of his high office by this preliminary
knowledge. After going through all the cities in this manner, and making
some stay in those which are most considerable, he repaired to the imperial
court, and was invested with the dignity of supreme judge. To him the
nomination of all the other judges was confided, after acquainting the
emperor with the names of all who, in his estimation, were most worthy of
exercising jurisdiction in the various cities and provinces. Every day, the
supreme judge causes proclamation to be made, that of any man has been
wronged by the viceroy or governor, or by any of his relations or officers,
or any other person, he shall receive ample justice. A viceroy or governor
is never degraded, except by letters issued from the council, or divan of
kings, and this is done only for some flagrant malversation, or for the
refusal or delay of justice. The posts of judicature being conferred upon
none but men of probity and justice, good order is efectually maintained.
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