The Case of Xu Di's Grain Embezzlement

In the 4th year of the Jiahe era (235 AD) of Eastern Wu, Xu Di, a granary official in Linxiang Marquisate, was reported by Inspector Liao Zi for embezzling 112 hu of military rice. The case was investigated by Judicial Officer Pan Wan. Under brutal torture, Xu Di confessed but later retracted, claiming innocence and accusing officials of framing him. Repeated interrogations and beatings eventually produced a final confession. The detailed records, preserved on bamboo slips, document the full judicial process, including witness testimonies and the calculation of stolen grain. Despite the retraction and inconsistencies in the amount of grain replaced with chaff, the court upheld the confession. This rare document provides an invaluable window into the legal procedures, corruption controls, and harsh realities of wartime justice in the Three Kingdoms period.

Xu Di was convicted of embezzling military grain and sentenced to death, reflecting the severe punishment for corruption under wartime laws of Eastern Wu.

Whether the confession extracted under torture was reliable; whether the exact quantity of embezzled grain was accurately determined; whether Xu Di was guilty or had been falsely accused and coerced into admitting a crime he did not commit.

The case illustrates the strict enforcement of military supply regulations and the reliance on confessions in ancient judicial systems, often using extreme methods. The excavation of the bamboo slip records has had a profound impact on historical studies, offering direct insight into the administrative and legal practices of the Three Kingdoms period and highlighting the brutal reality of ancient interrogations.