Zhu Yuanzhang tried the Spring Festival couplets case.

It is said that before the Spring Festival, when Zhu Yuanzhang made Nanjing his capital, he ordered every household to write Spring Festival couplets to welcome the New Year. But when everyone is busy with the holidays, it is gone. I don't want to go to court because of the Spring Festival couplets. When the news reached Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Yuanzhang flew into a rage and said: It is my wish to write Spring Festival couplets to welcome the new year. Today, there is a lawsuit. How can it be? Pass the decree quickly. I'm-I'm going to see the sheriff, listen to it in person at the yamen, and see if there's anything else.

At that time, Nanjing had Yingtianfu, but Zhu Yuanzhang didn't. Don't disturb others. He sneaked into the county magistrate's office, put on the county magistrate's robe, sat in the court and knocked loudly on the gavel and said, Wow! Take the plaintiff and the defendant away!

After a while, the director brought two people up.

Zhu Yuanzhang asked: Who is the plaintiff and who is the defendant?

Your honor, I am the plaintiff and he is the defendant. Two people on their knees pointed at each other and answered at the same time.

When Zhu Yuanzhang heard this, he was puzzled: it seems that this case is quite difficult. Since it is only a case of Spring Festival couplets, we might as well start with Spring Festival couplets. At this time, he pointed to a scholar-like person in the hall and said, listen, I have a couplet here. Don't blame the officials for being punished if you can. Listen to this Mount Lianyun Suo, which peak stands out?

A scholar's heart is alive. When he saw a ray of sunshine coming in from the light leakage on one side of the hall, he immediately said that it was difficult for him to find a bachelor.

Zhu Yuanzhang believes that there is something in words, and everything has a reason. He knocked on the gavel again and said. You all call yourselves plaintiffs. How can you be confused in court? Today, in full view, whoever is right is the plaintiff. What are you telling us, scholar? Come along.

The scholar said, Mr. Qingtian, I I want to set up a stall nearby and write the emperor correctly according to today's imperial edict. There is a special emphasis on lowercase, and there is no solution. What the victim thinks, says and wants, the villain writes what he wants, and a penny is worth a penny.

The scholar's words made Zhu Yuanzhang feel a little interesting, so he asked, Tell me quickly, what did you write?

The scholar pointed to the crowd outside the hall and said that there was no evidence. All the witnesses are outside. Adults can summon them.

I saw several witnesses come in one after another. The first one said, my Lord, the young man opened a teahouse and a hotel, and wanted the scholar to write a couplet to invite people to tea. Showing is just a stroke of a pen, writing, busy becoming famous, busy making money, busy relaxing and drinking tea; Work hard, work hard, have fun in pain, and pour another glass of wine

The second said, my Lord, after my son married his daughter-in-law, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law always quarreled. What about my son? When couples breathe a sigh of relief, they often turn against their mothers. I want scholars to write an adverb to persuade them to have a happy anniversary. Thoughtful, I immediately wrote a pair, saying: women love, daughter-in-law hates. I implore women all over the world to love their daughters less and their daughters-in-law. Why does the wife obey and why does the mother resist? May your son of man listen to his mother and obey his wife a little.

The third man dressed a bit like a farmer said. My grandfather, the youngest surnamed Li, and his wife surnamed Gong gave birth to a son. According to the fortune-teller, he was surnamed Song since he was a child. Married a daughter-in-law, surnamed Pang. I want to write two couplets, one reflecting the benefits of the emperor to the people and the other explaining my four surnames. The first pair written by the scholar is that the sun is in the east, the moon is in the west, and the sky generates bright words; Children are on the right, women are on the left, and the world is destined to be a good person. The second pair is teacher Li Songer, with wooden feet; Gong's two Harlem, dragon head and dragon body only cost me two pence, which is great!

Zhu Yuanzhang was very happy to see that every couplet praised the dignity of the emperor.

The businessman said, sir, the villain's surname is Lu Jinshan. He wanted to be rewarded by the emperor, but he took the opportunity to touch the Spring Festival couplets on holidays. A villain owns a winery, a vinegar shop and many pigs. However, the mouse at home is very big, so I invited a scholar to write couplets. Express satisfaction on the spot and offer one or two pieces of silver in your hand; If I am not interested, he will give me a silver or two. Now, his couplets are not well written, and it is reasonable to say that he should pay compensation. How can you say I blackmailed him? I want to manage my money with 10. He cursed the villain. The couplet in your hand is evidence. I hope you can observe carefully.

Zhu Yuanzhang read the couplets for a while and said to the businessman, you listen. How did he curse you?

The merchant read: raising pigs is as big as a mountain of rats, and the plague is on the head; It is not a curse that many people are sick and few people are rich. What is this? I hope the adult is the master of the villain.

Zhu Yuanzhang asked the scholar: Is that what you mean?

The scholar said it was his own fault. How can you say I cursed him?

Zhu Yuanzhang said: Then read it again and listen.

Xiu Niang said that raising pigs is like a mountain, and mice are a disaster; A good wine jar makes the vinegar jar sour. Level: more people, less illness, more money.

There are two interpretations of a pair of Spring Festival couplets. Both listening and watching are waiting for Zhu Yuanzhang to decide the case. At this time, Zhu Yuanzhang's heart churned again: Hey! They are both plaintiffs and defendants. This kind of case was never tried by Bao Gong in Song Dynasty! I am better than Bao Zheng. He is an honest official. He glanced at Lu Jinshan and asked, What can you say now?

Lu Jinshan replied that as the saying goes, the public is right, and the old woman says that the old woman is right. Now it has brought us to this point. I hope your honor can arbitrate.

This is a rare thing, and it is a public trial. There are many people watching. Someone outside said loudly that this scholar is very thoughtful. He wanted me to make shoes for nearly three years, but I didn't. I didn't make much money. I wanted to write couplets by luck, but I was stopped by boss Lu. Now he is involved in a lawsuit. Who can I ask to write it?

Zhu Yuanzhang always likes couplets, and he also writes couplets. After listening to the shoemaker's words, my heart itched for a long time. He immediately took the shoe store owner's words and said, OK, I'll write you a couplet and then review the case.

As he spoke, the ink was full, and Zhu Yuanzhang wrote in court: big end, small end, bang bang, don't pester your brother; Thick hemp thread, thin hemp thread, creak out the god of wealth, might as well look after the late students. After writing, he put the pen aside, patted the gavel again and shouted, defendant Lu Jinshan, do you know the crime?

Lu Jinshan is also reading and writing correctly. As soon as he heard the sound, he threw himself on the ground again: the adults are merciful and the innocent are small.

Zhu Yuanzhang said: The ancients said that the wind is the upper part and the custom is the lower part. Today, the emperor advocates a new generation of wind, and the people all over the world respond. Write this pair of Spring Festival couplets for good luck; If you are lucky, you will be happy; People are happy and families are harmonious; Family harmony and human happiness; Happiness and prosperity of mankind; All trades are prosperous and the world is at peace. But you, Liu Jinshan, made a mountain out of a molehill and got the wrong idea of Spring Festival couplets.

It's boring for Lu Jinshan to kowtow. He collapsed there like a pile of mud.

Zhu Yuanzhang continued: this case is in black and white, and right and wrong are clear. The plaintiff set up a stall to write Spring Festival couplets. One is to praise the emperor's kindness, the other is to bring good luck to the people, and the third is to support the family. According to common sense, there is no curse. Lu Jinshan, however, first invited the door to write the right word, followed by the promise of high compensation and the agreement of claim for breach of contract. Although he kept praising the emperor's words for kindness, it was always difficult to hide the malicious intent of blackmail in his words, and he could not even ask for help. He complained about the evils of litigation and refused to reflect on himself in court.