1876 yang and little cabbage 楊乃武與小白菜

Two shackled together in Hangzhou China. Picture taken by a French photograph of Yang Naiwu and little Chinese cabbage 楊乃武 小白菜 who were involved in a famous murder case.

Yang Naiwu and little Chinese cabbage 楊乃武 小白菜 were involved in a famous murder case in the Qing dynasty. "little Chinese cabbage" was the nickname for the woman involved as she liked to dress in white jacket and green pants. Little cabbage and her husband rented a unit in Yang's house. The husband worked in a tofu shop. Yang's family and Little cabbage became close as Yang taught her to read and write. One day the husband died suddenly with blood coming out of his nose and mouth. It happened the local magistrate Lau held a grudge against Yang who previouly had filed a complaint against him. Therefore Lau decided to frame Little cabbage as the murderer and Yang as conspirator. He decided the two were involved in a extra marital affair. It resulted in a  verdict of death. Luckily Yang had connections. This case got the attention of Empress Dowager who ordered a retrial.
 The 1876 picture here was taken by a French photographer at  a temple where the coffin was opened and the body examined. They found the cause of death was a disease instead of poison. Lau and other higher officials who previously tried this case lost their jobs as a result. Here the shackle is around the neck instead of around the ankles which seems to be more common in Hong Kong.