Chapter 7: The Corruption of Law
第七章：法律的腐败
Law should be a tool for upholding justice, but in the late years of the Qing Dynasty, law became a means of oppressing the people. Lao Can saw the corruption of law during his journey.
法律本应是维护正义的工具，但在清朝末年，法律却成为了压迫人民的手段。老残在旅途中看到了法律的腐败。
Many judges and officials utilized law to seek private interests. They accepted bribes, perverted justice for private ends, allowing those with reason to lose lawsuits and those without reason to win lawsuits. This situation made the people completely lose confidence in law.
许多法官和官员利用法律谋取私利。他们接受贿赂，徇私枉法，让有理的人败诉，让无理的人胜诉。这种状况让人民对法律完全失去了信心。
The conditions of prisons were also shocking. Many innocent people were detained in prisons, suffering various kinds of abuse. The management of prisons was chaotic, and the living conditions of prisoners were extremely harsh.
监狱的状况也令人震惊。许多无辜的人被关押在监狱中，遭受着各种虐待。监狱的管理混乱，囚犯的生存条件极其恶劣。
Lao Can also saw the inequality of law. The wealthy and the powerful could escape legal sanctions through money and connections, while the poor often became the victims of law.
老残还看到了法律的不平等。富人和权贵可以通过金钱和关系逃避法律的制裁，而穷人则往往成为法律的牺牲品。
Lao Can recorded all these situations. He believed that legal reform was necessary. Only by establishing a just and effective legal system could the rights of the people be truly protected and social justice be maintained.
老残将这些情况都记录了下来。他认为，法律改革是必要的。只有建立一个公正而有效的法律制度，才能真正保护人民的权利，维护社会的正义。