Chapter 1471 - Interview
Though judgment wasn't pronounced in court, the Jurisprudence Society had roughly reached a consensus on sentencing: guilty, sentenced to seven years' fixed-term imprisonment. Because she was pregnant, she would be given a three-year suspended sentence. Additionally, she would compensate the Administrative Office a certain amount in circulation notes. Following the Administrative Office's guidance, Yang Jihong and Lin Xiaoya's status as slaves was not highlighted, so Yang Jihong's master Yang Xinwu was not made to bear civil compensation liability; instead, she bore it herself. The item of compensation was termed "training fees" rather than "body price."
As for arrangements during the suspension period and afterward, Majia had already delegated the specific research to Jurisprudence Society members. They strove to draft relevant regulations, aiming not only to satisfy Yang Xinwu—who had harassed the Jurisprudence Society many times with a sorrowful face, earning him the nickname "Yang Bailao"—but also to ensure everything happened "according to law."
All legal documents were already locked in the safe in this judge's office, waiting to go through the motions tomorrow. In a sense, this was a carefully rehearsed "performance," but Majia believed such a performance was necessary. Naturalized citizens and natives could understand the Senate's legal concepts through this model trial.
"Chief, have some tea." A naturalized staffer from the East Gate Court brought in a cup.
"Good." Majia accepted it and took a sip. The tea was neither cool nor hot—lukewarm and palatable. Just as he exhaled comfortably, a staffer knocked and entered:
"Chief, Chief Panpan from the Lingao Times is here. She wants to interview you."
"Please let her in." Majia raised his eyebrows slightly. This Western mare had been very active lately, publishing many veiled articles in Lingao Times and Weekly Bulletin—and was very close with Cheng Yongxin. Someone had even reported that Panpan had leaked some confidential materials to her.
Panpan walked in. Majia noticed her complexion was gray, her eyelids puffy, her once-shining blonde hair dull. And her figure, once curvaceous enough to make male transmigrators drool, now showed signs of thickening. Time was indeed a butcher's knife: in a blink, this lively young American student was nearing thirty.
However, looking so mentally and physically exhausted indicated her recent state of mind was very troubled. Majia knew that in the web woven by that "Cheng-Cheng darling," Panpan occupied an important position.
"Welcome." Majia stood up, raising both hands in greeting. "I knew you would come."
"Of course. The significance of this trial is different." Panpan shook his hand perfunctorily. "Even if Ding Ding hadn't told me to come, I would have."
Panpan took a seat opposite him, declining tea.
"I'm here to interview—"
"I know. For which media outlet?"
"Lingao Times, Weekly Bulletin, and Venus."
"Good heavens, the full trifecta." Majia smiled, retrieving several sheets of paper from a drawer. "This is the draft material our Jurisprudence Society prepared for this case. You can use it directly in Lingao Times. It's an excellent legal education case."
Panpan took it and glanced over briefly. "Must it be published as is, or is it just for reference in writing?"
"Preferably published as is. The purpose of the article is to propagate the Senate's new legal concepts through reporting this case. Of course, I don't object to you doing some polishing and editing."
"OK." Panpan nodded, placing the article into her bag. Then she took out a voice recorder. "Next, I want to interview for Weekly Bulletin—you don't object to me recording, do you?"
"Of course not."
Panpan began with several routine questions—all within Majia's expectations—and he answered them one by one according to prior preparation.
"Actually, within the Senate, including the suspect's master Yang Xinwu, there is a school of thought believing that maidservants are slaves and could be tried entirely under the principle of intentional damage to property. This way she could be charged with property damage rather than intentional injury or homicide. What is the legal circle's view on this?"
Majia coughed lightly. "It's true that maidservants are transmigrators' private property. But in jurisprudence, private property is divided into inanimate objects like real estate and tools, and living creatures like poultry and livestock. The two cannot be equated in law. Secondly, the concept that 'slaves are talking tools' only existed in early slavery systems. In subsequent historical periods, including the one we are in now, both East and West acknowledge slaves as 'persons'—just persons with different civil rights. As the representatives of advanced productive forces in this spacetime, our Senate is bound to abolish slavery, so it is inappropriate to introduce such legal concepts in this case's trial."
"So you're saying that whether Yang Jihong or Lin Xiaoya, both are equal in status to naturalized citizens."
"That is correct."
"In that case, what about slave labor in Sanya?"
"That is unrelated to this case. I can choose not to answer you. But simply put, the phenomenon in Sanya is only temporary, not an institutionalized norm. It is a temporary emergency measure we adopted during the startup period."
"Is this hypocrisy?"
"My personal view is that the Senate is not hypocritical in using slave labor. No need to deny it: slaves are 'fuel' or 'consumables' in the Senate's industrialization process. The Senate claims neither to save their souls nor that they are incompletely evolved humans."
"There's also an argument that maidservants, as transmigrators' most intimate life partners, should enjoy certain legal privileges. After all, the Senate's philosophy is 'Transmigrators are more equal.' What is the legal circle's view on this?"
"This is obviously inappropriate. 'Everyone is equal, transmigrators are more equal'—that is our philosophy."
"I'm not denying the laws you've made, but raising a realistic question. This so-called 'more equal' actually acknowledges that people are unequal. If people are unequal, then their punishments will also be graded. Transmigrator exemption from crime is explicitly written in the Common Program. Then maidservants, as the most trusted and intimate people to transmigrators—as slaves completely dependent on transmigrators—shouldn't their punishment be graded as well? Extending this, does the phrase 'everyone is equal, but transmigrators are more equal' apply only to first-generation transmigrators, or to subsequent generations as well?"
The key point is here, Majia thought. These are all sensitive questions. If she grabs a handle, she could concoct another exquisite article full of venomous fangs. Speaking of which, Panpan's Chinese writing level had "skyrocketed" recently. Majia strongly suspected someone was ghostwriting for her—or rather, someone was using her name to write articles.
There had been many such articles lately, causing Majia great concern. In his view, such pieces deliberately exaggerated "you" and "I," highlighting group differences, suspected of splitting the group.
"Regarding whether the principle of transmigrators being more equal extends to the next generation, this awaits the Senate's decision..."
"What is your own view?"
"My view is that transmigrator privileges should be gradually reduced starting from the second generation—at least reduced to not being explicitly written into law. After all, there's plenty of room for maneuver within the legal framework. As for your previous question, my view is that granting them certain privileges would be dangerous. If we give special treatment in the Yang Jihong case, it will inevitably form a 'Booi Aha class' in our new society—do you understand what Booi Aha are?"
"Like Mamluks, I suppose."
"Roughly so."
"Lingao's Booi Aha or Mamluks will inevitably become domineering, overriding all naturalized citizens—actually, there's already such a trend. Once there are initiators, are you afraid there won't be followers? Because this is acknowledging they are the number one privileged class below transmigrators..."
"An enslaved privileged class?"
"There are many who desire to be enslaved but cannot," Majia said. "Egyptian Mamluks, Turkish Janissaries, and Qing Booi Aha—though slaves, they were all privileged slaves who lorded over the masses. I think you don't know much about Booi Aha, but you should know quite clearly the roles of Mamluks and Janissaries in history. I genuinely don't think this is a good system."
"Some transmigrators might think that not giving certain special treatment to the maidservant in this case is an offense to transmigrator dignity and privilege. How do you view this?"
Majia sipped his tea with a smile. "Transmigrators are more equal—true. But the party involved is not a transmigrator; the person wasn't killed by a transmigrator nor killed on a transmigrator's instruction—leaving that aside. The key lies in the fact that transmigrator privilege belongs to the transmigrator individual. The transmigrator rights stipulated in the Common Program are the foundation of our state, a heavy instrument of the nation, and cannot be casually granted to anyone other than transmigrators. If a precedent is set with Yang Jihong's matter today, our future legalization process will be completely neutralized. A transmigrator is a social being; inevitably they must contact many people and build social relations. If a 'person close to a transmigrator' can obtain special treatment, the hole opens too wide and boundaries become impossible to set. So I personally, and the Jurisprudence Society as well, advocate that transmigrator privilege is limited to the person themselves, not those around them. Otherwise, the future is unimaginable. The more strictly we handle Yang Jihong according to law today, the easier it will be to prevent such things in the future; otherwise, how many similar 'property damage cases' are you prepared to see in the future?"
"Your insight makes a lot of sense," Panpan said. Majia realized she meant it genuinely.
"Rule of law is always our Senate's aim, and the goal our legal circle pursues."
(End of Chapter)