A Noble Family’s Dark Secret

In the summer of 1078 during Emperor Shenzong’s Yuanfeng era, what appeared to be a routine bureaucratic procedure—Chen Shiren’s request for mourning leave following his mother’s death—unraveled into one of the Northern Song Dynasty’s most scandalous criminal investigations. As a newly appointed magistrate in Taihu County, Chen’s petition to observe the traditional three-year filial mourning period (“Dingyou”) initially drew no suspicion.

The shocking truth emerged when an abused maidservant fled the Chen household and reported to Kaifeng Prefecture authorities that Lady Zhang had not died naturally, but was murdered. Forensic examination confirmed the unthinkable: traces of poison and, more horrifyingly, a large iron nail driven into her skull. The subsequent investigation would expose a web of family dysfunction, judicial corruption, and political maneuvering that captivated the imperial court.

The Twisted Household Dynamics

According to testimonies extracted from household servants, the murder plot originated with Chen’s wife, Lady Li, who allegedly told maidservants: “If our master enters mourning, you’ll gain freedom or money.” This veiled instruction prompted servants to first attempt poisoning, then brutally finish the deed with the fatal nail.

Lady Zhang’s own violent history—including allegedly torturing a servant to death in her youth—created longstanding tensions with her daughter-in-law. Investigators discovered Chen Shiren had been raised separately after his father’s death, when Lady Zhang became a Buddhist nun, resulting in a strained mother-son relationship that may have facilitated the crime.

Judicial Turmoil in Kaifeng

The initial investigation by Kaifeng Prefecture, led by Prefect Su Song, concluded that while the servants committed the physical murder, Lady Li’s indirect instigation didn’t merit execution, and Chen Shiren remained unaware. This lenient judgment faced repeated rejections from the central judicial ministries, fueling rumors of preferential treatment for the powerful family.

Chen and Li’s aristocratic connections indeed cast suspicion:
– Chen’s father Chen Zhizhong had been a trusted chancellor under two emperors
– Lady Li descended from the prominent Lü clan—her uncle Lü Gongzhu served as Deputy Military Commissioner
– Multiple relatives held high-ranking positions, creating potential for interference

When Lady Li begged her mother to seek Lü Gongzhu’s intervention, the principled statesman refused, citing ongoing anti-corruption investigations. However, the case’s prolonged stagnation prompted Emperor Shenzong to transfer it to the Supreme Court (Dali Temple) in 1079.

Political Shadows Over Justice

The Dali Temple’s reinvestigation uncovered disturbing new dimensions:
1. Chen Shiren likely knew of the plot, dissatisfied with his provincial posting
2. Original investigators had altered case details to protect the couple
3. Judge Jia Zhongmin fabricated evidence implicating Lü Gongzhu in obstruction

This last development revealed the case’s politicization—Jia, allied with reformist leader Cai Que, sought to damage conservative faction leader Lü Gongzhu. Historical accounts suggest personal vengeance motives; Cai’s father had been forced into retirement by Chen’s father decades earlier.

Final Reckoning and Legacy

After exhaustive reviews involving:
– Multiple judicial bodies
– Three appeals invoking the “Fan Yi Bie Kan” retrial system
– Direct imperial oversight

The final 1079 verdict imposed brutal punishments:
– Chen Shiren, Lady Li, and 17 servants sentenced to execution
– Key conspirators received lingchi (death by slicing)
– Seven accomplices faced exile after corporal punishment

The aftermath saw:
– Su Song demoted for procedural violations
– Judge Jia Zhongmin punished for evidence tampering
– Lü Gongzhu temporarily withdrew from court until fully exonerated

Reflections on Song Dynasty Justice

This sensational case illuminates several aspects of Northern Song governance:

1. Evolving Legal Standards
Compared to a similar case involving Chen’s father in 1054—where high-ranking immunity applied—the 1070s showed increased judicial rigor toward officials, reflecting Shenzong’s legal reforms.

2. Institutional Checks
The multilayered review process, including:
– Local prefecture courts
– Central judicial ministries
– Special imperial commissions
demonstrated sophisticated (if slow-moving) accountability mechanisms.

3. Political Instrumentalization
While factional rivalries (Reformists vs. Conservatives) influenced proceedings, the system ultimately corrected gross abuses like Jia’s fabricated charges, showing resilience against complete politicization.

4. Social Dimensions
The case exposed:
– Aristocratic household brutality
– Servant vulnerability
– Complex filial piety expectations
making it a microcosm of late Northern Song tensions.

Centuries later, the Chen Shiren case remains a compelling study of how legal systems navigate the intersection of crime, power, and politics—a timeless dilemma with distinctly Song Dynasty contours. The meticulous records preserved in sources like the Kaifeng Prefecture Memorial Stele and officials’ memoirs continue offering scholars invaluable insights into China’s medieval judicial evolution.