Lawyer: Start with legal retaliation against infidelity!

Chapter 309 They should thank me! [Two chapters combined!]

The court hearing was scheduled for September 9th. There was still plenty of time, and Xu De didn't have anything he wanted to do, so he began to relax.

He and Lin Yue found a roadside shop and started eating.

They then returned to the hotel to rest, and spent the night strolling around various famous attractions in Haicheng. Occasionally, they would see people arguing on the main road, and the two of them would squat down and watch with great interest.

of course.

This does not mean that the two of them were just strolling around and having fun.

……

8 month 28 day.

There are 10 days left before the court hearing on September 9th.

Haicheng.

Inside a self-built house in the suburbs or countryside.

"Hey, I'm a great chef too!"

"You're a pig."

"Negative review! Negative review! I cooked today's dishes, you have no right to ask me to!"

In Laowu Village, a rather narrow, one-story, unfinished cement house stands in the courtyard, where bursts of playful noise rise like chirping birds.

This is a rural area of ​​Haicheng.

Yes.

Haicheng does have rural areas, but as the saying goes, Haicheng is wealthy, so even the rural areas are developing much better than other places.

Places like Laowu Village will gradually become popular tourist destinations for online influencers in twenty years, thanks to the rise of the internet.

But in any case.

It's 2003 now, and we're still poor.

As for why I'm here... it's simple, this is the home of the defendant, Li Jie.

"Alright, stop choking."

In the simple kitchen, Xu De looked at Lin Yue, who was burning firewood in front of him, and a teasing smile appeared on his face.

He looked around.

The kitchen facilities were very basic.

There was an earthen kang (heated brick bed), a kitchen table covered with a layer of greasy black grime, and in the corner piled up firewood and some honeycomb briquettes.

"I can't choke, I can't choke."

Lin Yue was squatting in front of the kang (heated brick bed) when she took some dry firewood and threw it into the pit.

The flames, imprisoned in the earthen bed, were like a thirsty fire serpent, instantly devouring the dry firewood and growing stronger.

"Sizzle!"

The intense heat made Lin Yue squint; she felt a burning pain as her skin cracked and burned.

After a while.

"It's ripe!"

Lin Yue exclaimed in surprise, then hurriedly took out all the bowls and chopsticks from the cupboard next to her, and then presented the contents of the pot.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be braised pork ribs!

The braised pork ribs are brightly colored, with a rich sauce and tender meat. They are garnished with a sprinkle of green scallions, making them very appetizing.

"sure."

Xu De was somewhat surprised. He looked up at Lin Yue, who was standing beside him with her head held high and her arms crossed, waiting for praise.

To be honest, even if it's just a pig girl, after spending a year in the kitchen with him, she'll have picked up some 'delicious food' from his cooking skills.

but.

Xu De still stubbornly insisted:

"It's alright, just so-so, but we'll make do with it."

Lin Yuecai didn't believe his assessment, pretended not to hear, and crossed her arms to direct the other person to take the dishes out.

"Hmph, I'm the one cooking today, so if you want to eat it, you're a pig's head!"

I've been a pig for a year now, so I have to make sure the other person does it too.

Xu De paused, and before leaving the kitchen with the dishes, he glanced back at her and said disdainfully:

"childish."

After saying that, he took the dishes and left.

Lin Yue:?

No...that's not right.

"No, no! That's not how the rules are! I've been calling myself 'Piggy Girl' all along."

"Why don't you call yourself a pig's head... No, you have to call yourself that before you can eat."

Lin Yue was a little anxious and quickly chased after him.

But as soon as he stepped out of the kitchen, he saw several figures sitting around a square table in the shade of a tree, with Xu De placing plates on the table.

Wang Chao and Qian Hao were also nearby.

Apart from that.

There was also an elderly person and a child.

The old man was about sixty years old. His face looked a little blank. He sat under the shade of a tree, his eyes fixed and motionless.

The child was a 10-year-old boy, very thin... thin and dark-skinned, like a monkey, sitting beside the old man; although this was his own home, it felt somewhat cramped at this moment, as if he were a guest visiting.

See here.

Lin Yue paused slightly, gradually adopting a ladylike and elegant demeanor, and slowed her pace.

After everyone had taken their seats next to Xu De, they began to eat.

Xu De was still eating, but he felt unwell all over.

He instinctively turned his head to look.

But then he saw Lin Yue looking at him with a somewhat resentful gaze.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Xu De raised an eyebrow, puzzled.

"I'm angry," Lin Yue muttered softly.

Xu De asked in surprise, "Why are you angry?"

Lin Yue got even angrier, rolled her eyes, and muttered:

"I'm going to make myself furious, and then you'll regret it when you realize you've lost a valuable asset!"

"That doesn't make sense."

Xu De was even more surprised.

"You are the 'Nine Heavens Flying Dragon, Jade Face, Thunderous Essence, Universal Transformation of All Beings, Subduing Demons, and Longevity True Lord,' which King Yama would dare to take you?"

Lin Yue: .......

Xu De probed a couple of times, "Are you still angry?"

"gas."

"Do you want some?"

Under the table, Xu De hooked the other person's fair and smooth hand with his little finger.

Lin Yue looked down and saw Xu De open his hand, with two White Rabbit milk candies in his palm.

"eat."

Are you still angry now?

"I'm not angry anymore."

"Aww."

The two ate while whispering to each other.

opposite.

Ten-year-old Li Guo held a bowl in both hands, her bright eyes blinking as she looked at Xu Delin Yue with curiosity, her small eyes filled with great confusion.

Li Guo tilted her head and subconsciously looked at Qian Hao beside her.

Qian Hao looked at the child, rubbed his head, and whispered:

Shh, just treat it like a TV show.

"If you expose me, you'll have nothing to watch while eating from now on!"

Wang Chao, who was standing to the side, nodded in deep agreement.

Li Guo nodded blankly, then ate some rice in silence before standing up, stepping onto a stool, and starting to feed the elderly.

Wang Chao and Qian Hao did not help the other side.

This is part of the other person's growth; forcing them to grow too quickly will only harm them.

At this moment, he only spoke up when the other person was feeding him:

"Is this how you usually take care of Grandma?"

"Mmm!"

Li Guo hummed in response without turning her head.

"What about hygiene and cleaning?"

Wang Chao spoke up.

Qian Hao asked again, puzzled, "Are you at school? You're ten years old, you should be in elementary school by now. How can you take care of the elderly while you're at school? Where's your mother? Will she come?"

A series of questions left the ten-year-old child bewildered.

Li Guo was at a loss, and in the end, she simply lowered her head and remained silent.

Seeing this scene.

Wang Chao was furious and had lost his appetite. He put down his chopsticks and said irritably:

"Ugh, this damn bank!"

To be honest, although Li Jie's mother was old, she was actually perfectly capable of taking care of herself before the incident.

The elderly can still cook, shop for groceries, look after children, and pick them up from school.

Unfortunately, the acute illness led to long-term complications, becoming a burden on the family.

Instead, they want a ten-year-old child to take care of them!

The cause of all this...

This is the Huimin Ankang Insurance Company, which has been exploiting us to extract every last penny of profit!

"Heh heh, a bunch of savages, lurking in human society like wolves in sheep's clothing."

Qian Hao shook his head and sneered coldly.

He then looked at Xu De and said:

"What should we do about the child? Should we tell Li Jie about the situation?"

"After all, Li Guo has to go to school, and if she goes to school, she won't be able to take care of the elderly..."

Upon hearing this...

Xu De put down his chopsticks and slowly said:

"Li Jie only broke his leg, he's not paralyzed. If he can get out, he can naturally take Li Guo's place."

Qian Hao crossed his arms, frowned, and fell into deep thought before finally saying:

Is there any way to get some compensation?

"After all, the reasons that led to this situation are inextricably linked to the insurance company and the bank."

"Li Jie killing someone is one thing, but demanding compensation is another."

Yes.

In theory, compensation can be claimed in this situation, and the compensation is not low.

just.

Li Guo is still young, and the elderly person is unable to take care of themselves. How can they expect to receive compensation?

After all, to demand compensation, one must at least use the verb "demand".

You can't expect a ten-year-old to haggle with the cunning old foxes at banks and insurance companies; that's not ideal.

Unless Li Jie goes to ask for it himself!

But he himself was in danger.

As for having Xu De and others offer assistance... you're overthinking it. The relationship between a lawyer and their client is one of 'clientship and employment,' not the other way around—the lawyer controlling the puppeteers like a puppeteer!

This violates lawyers' ethics.

Just as everyone fell silent.

In a daze.

"Knock knock knock~"

Suddenly, a knocking sound rang out on the door.

Xu De snapped out of his daze, looked at the door, then stood up and walked towards it, asking as he went:

Who is it?

He was a little puzzled.

To be honest, Li Jie doesn't have many relatives, so theoretically no one should be coming at this time.

that's the truth.

The people who came had no relation to the family members.

But...

"Squeak~"

The door opened.

Outside the door, seven or eight people in formal attire appeared. They were carrying microphones, wearing blue name tags around their necks, and several men behind them were carrying cameras.

"Hello, we are reporters from Haicheng Evening News."

Seeing the door open, the leading female reporter quickly handed her employee badge to Xu De and said:

"Excuse me, is this the hometown of Li, the suspect in the shooting at Haicheng Commercial Center on May 1, 2003?"

"This time, we'd like to conduct an interview with the families."

"Look..."

reporter?

Xu De paused slightly, looked at the people in front of him, and understood.

Yes.

reporter!

This is a major case resulting from the convergence of three significant factors: the bank case, the insurance policy case, and the shooting case. How could it possibly go unnoticed by reporters?

Back then, on May 1st, Li Jie shot and killed Wei Tian.

The entire media in Haicheng was in an uproar, flocking to the police station, forcing the Haicheng Police Chief to personally respond.

Good guy.

This is the director of the Haicheng Municipal Public Security Bureau, not some local official!

In addition, public opinion surrounding this case has even spread to other provinces.

In places like Green Forest City, not to mention senior legal professionals like Chen Jingshan and Lin Guodong, even homeless rats are talking about this case with great interest.

It's not obvious what will happen in 2026.

But now it's 2003, a year when information exchange was extremely underdeveloped!

That's it.

The case was reported hundreds of kilometers away, and the municipal bureau chief personally intervened...

This clearly demonstrates just how intense the public outcry surrounding this case is in society!

The second trial is imminent...

All eyes were on them.

The reporters will definitely come again!!!

"Would you mind telling me about your relationship with Mr. Li?"

The female reporter looked at Xu De tentatively, raising an eyebrow and revealing a hint of doubt.

After all, she didn't remember the defendant having such a "relative".

"Me? I'm the defendant's defense attorney in the second instance."

"My surname is Xu, you can just call me Attorney Xu."

Xu De spoke slowly.

He wasn't really interested in the reporter and was about to ask him to come back after dinner when he paused slightly, and another idea popped into his head.

Wait, reporters...public opinion...

If we say...

In this world, in the East, what non-standard gun can kill people, kill whomever it wants? Then... it must be the gun of 'public opinion'!

In a daze, Xu De narrowed his eyes, a glint of shrewdness flashing within them.

The reporter in front of her seemed somewhat suspicious, glancing at Xu De with surprise.

Second-instance defense lawyer?

So young!?

Although she thought this to herself, the female reporter was very professional. She didn't show any sign of understanding the other person on her face. Instead, she pushed the microphone in front of the other person, opened her mouth, and was about to speak.

"Mr. Xu, you..."

She hadn't finished speaking.

In a daze.

"Bang!"

The door in front of me was suddenly slammed shut, followed by a hissing sound of the latch being pulled, clearly indicating that the door had been closed.

Reporters: ???

Everyone froze, staring at the tightly closed door in front of them.

inside the house.

"Who is this person?" Lin Yue asked under the shade of a tree.

Xu De, without changing his expression, said, "The reporter is from Haicheng Evening News, which is probably a state media outlet, so they have a lot of influence."

"A reporter?" Lin Yue paused slightly.

next second.

Before she could say anything, Xu De quickly took away the brightly colored braised pork ribs from the table, then placed them in the cupboard and locked them.

Then they brought out some nearly spoiled leftovers and placed them on the table.

Then, Xu De looked at ten-year-old Li Guo.

Li Guo was a little shy, and when he noticed Xu De staring at him, he shrank back.

Xu De frowned, looking at the other man's brand-new clothes, and asked, "Where are his clothes?"

Lin Yue replied instinctively, "They're too dirty. I left the old clothes in the main room; I'm going to throw them away later. Besides..."

Lin Yue didn't finish her sentence.

next second.

Then Xu Dexian went to the kitchen, wiped some soot from the bottom of the pot, and then came back and smeared it on the child's face.

Lin Yue's face, which had been cleaned up, was now pitch black.

The dirty old clothes were also found. Xu De thought for a moment, tore a few holes in them, and then gave them to the child.

Lin Yue was stunned and quickly asked:

"No, what are you going to do?"

"What are you doing? You're definitely trying to gain sympathy!"

Xu Dedao said, "Why not make use of the existing public opinion?"

The judiciary is impartial, but ultimately it is built on the foundation of "trust," and what is trust? It is, of course, the feedback from society!

Therefore, in addition to looking at the evidence, a typical case will also consider public opinion surrounding the case!

If public opinion on a case reaches a certain level...

In order to appease public opinion, presiding judges often use their "free will" to skew the verdict in the direction of public opinion.

"Playing the victim's sympathy?"

Lin Yue was taken aback, then immediately understood what the other person meant, and said in surprise:

"Do you want to create a public opinion atmosphere that we're going to pursue reduced sentences?"

"No, absolutely not!"

"We're here to build a good reputation and earn positive word-of-mouth; we can't deceive the residents or manipulate public opinion!"

"They'll get burned if they play with fire!"

to be frank.

The prosecutors have begun to suspect that Xu De has ulterior motives, and the plaintiff, Du Teng, will certainly find it difficult to believe that Xu De only wants a reduced sentence.

But this is in the case where there aren't enough factors to make them trust!

If we say...

Dozens of people believe that Xu De is trying to get a reduced sentence?

in case.

Hundreds of people believe that Xu De is trying to get a reduced sentence.

Even tens of thousands, millions, or even tens of millions of people!

When the entire city of Haicheng, and even several provinces outside, believed that Xu De should receive a reduced sentence, then Du Teng would only become more and more insecure in this environment.

Why?

Because every instance of trust represents a rejection of Du Teng's "doubtful Xu De" mindset!

Even if you're as wise as Zhuge Liang, after tens of millions of denials, you'll probably start to doubt yourself to the extreme!

Even more so.

Because the only option is a reduced sentence...

Public opinion will inevitably force local authorities to make all the necessary arrangements for Li Guo and Li Jie's mother, including substantial donations.

Not to mention...

"They could even shoot the courthouse!"

"Attorney Lin, the court holding the second trial is the High Court, specifically the Haicheng High Court. The court's status is indeed too high. If we continue with our previous plan, it would be like playing with fire."

"But it's different when there's public support."

"No matter how outrageous the actions, as long as public opinion is on our side, the court can only follow the procedures. We'll have to swallow our bitterness and accept it without being able to speak out!"

A three-pronged idea instantly flashed into Xu De's mind. His eyes gleamed as he suppressed his excitement.

But then a problem arises.

"Aren't you just playing with fire and getting burned?!"

Lin Yue was startled by this idea.

What do you mean by forcing the High Court to accept the ruling by manipulating public opinion?!

But what if public opinion reacts?

What if Xu De thinks that only offering "sentence reduction" is just a ploy to gain their sympathy and then use it to seek "personal gain" for himself?

Nobody likes to be played.

But the words came back again.

"If the court can accept it, then the residents who are shaping public opinion will definitely accept it too, even if they have to grit their teeth!"

Xu De's face showed surprise, and he said with great dissatisfaction:

"After all, public opinion tends to be more sympathetic to the defendant."

"We've achieved results that 'exceeded expectations'... If you were a resident and saw this, would you curse me and urge the court to sentence Li Jie to death, or would you seize the opportunity to put pressure on the High Court a second time?"

Will I be under pressure from the Supreme Court?

Definitely!

After all, although Xu De's defense angle was different from the "promise," it was still reasonable and fully in line with the law.

At this point, if the High Court could adopt this recommendation, then the case could take two different turns.

First, the judge announced that he would not adopt the original verdict and would uphold the original sentence, sentencing Li Jie to death, and his family collapsed instantly.

Second, the judge accepted the verdict, declaring Li Jie innocent. After being released from prison, he returned home and his family was happily reunited.

If you are a resident.

When he sees a glimmer of hope, he might curse Xu De a couple of times, and then angrily tell Li Jie to die.

It is still like...

Could someone who saw hope in a desperate situation force the court to adopt the second outcome?

"Adding fuel to the fire of public opinion will definitely make it easy for the fire to get out of control, burn more and more fiercely, and cause trouble."

"But if something happens, it won't affect us."

Xu De glanced at the doorway, then excitedly shared his thoughts with Lin Yue.

"Although we were the ones playing with fire, it's the High Court that's getting burned!"

"At that time, the High Court will be in a difficult position, and it will look like we're in a bad situation... but we will actually benefit and win the case!"

"We can't just throw away a victory for the sake of our conscience!"

"As for trouble?"

Xu De paused, gave Lin Yue a serious look, and nodded slightly:

"You know that."

"Haicheng is the most economically developed and commercially prosperous first-tier city in the People's Republic of Dongguo!"

"The officials who managed to govern this place so well are absolutely capable!"

"so."

"Just public opinion."

"We must have trust in the judges of the Haicheng Higher People's Court; we must believe they can withstand the pressure!"

The words were spoken.

Xu De made a gesture of encouragement to Lin Yue.

Lin Yue stood there, her lips moving for a moment, but she couldn't utter a single word.

What does it mean...?

You're the one playing with fire.

But it was the courthouse that got burned?

So you're saying you can play as long as you don't burn yourself, right?

well.……

"It seems...it doesn't seem like it's not impossible." Lin Yue thought about it. Although she was initially frightened by the other party's idea, the more she thought about it, the less of a problem it seemed.

In particular, Xu De's "lie" was not deception in essence, but rather a way to offer something better and bring hope to public opinion from despair.

How could public opinion possibly turn against such a "good lawyer"?

to be frank.

If we can win the case.

The residents of Haicheng should thank Xu De!

so.……

"Da da da!"

Xu De withdrew his gaze from the filthy Li Guo and strode towards the main entrance.

"Clang!"

He pulled off the wooden bolt on the door, and the door was reopened.

Outside.

Several reporters were somewhat confused, and when they saw Xu De reappear, they had no idea what kind of trick he was up to.

Xu De then spoke first:

"I've spoken with the family, you can come in for the interview now."

"We're having lunch at home... It's a bit meager, please forgive us."

Xu De's tone revealed a hint of fatigue. He stepped aside and forced a smile as he let the other person in.

Once the reporters were allowed to enter, they simply stopped thinking about Xu De's past.

The crowd filed in.

As soon as she entered, the female reporter happened to see Li Guo, a ten-year-old child with a blackened face, holding spoiled food, who looked like she was about to feed an elderly person.

Li Guo was dressed in tattered clothes so dirty that calling them a rag would be an understatement. His face was black, and his body was covered in filth. At this moment, his eyes gleamed with a wary light.

I saw the child.

The female reporter paused slightly, her mind drifting back to the case, her expression gradually becoming complicated.

She forced a smile, about to ask something, but as she got closer, she happened to see the food on the table and in Li Guo's bowl.

Even from several meters away, she could smell the sour stench!

"Attorney Xu, have these things gone bad?!"

The female reporter turned around and looked at Xu De in shock.

Xu De looked somewhat wry and said with a bitter smile:

"It's spoiled."

"But there's nothing we can do. The child's father is in a detention center, and there's no one else at home. They rely on the neighbors for help on a daily basis."

"This little bit of spoiled rice... well, it's hard-earned."

Even spoiled rice is hard to come by!

The female reporter didn't understand, but was greatly shocked. Her emotions were churning. Looking at the child huddled behind the tree, for some reason, a strange feeling welled up in her heart.

Yes.

indeed.

The elderly person is no longer able to take care of themselves and still needs to rely on their children for care.

Even if Li Jie wins his appeal for a reduced sentence after being detained, he will still have to go to prison. And prisons do not have a rule that allows for direct bail for "taking care of children".

In other words.

This case... unsurprisingly, can only end in this way, and the parties involved can only follow this path to the end.

After a moment of silence, the female reporter took a deep breath and began the interview.

……

About three hours later.

The group of reporters left the courtyard, leaving behind two hundred yuan before departing.

And with their departure.

The day.

In the Haicheng Evening News, a newspaper exuding the warm smell of ink gradually spread.

Everyone who received the newspaper and read the contents paused, then burst into curses. Long-lost memories and emotions surged back into their minds.

"Damn it, these swindlers... They won't even give you emergency funds, is this still a bank? They're just bandits!"

"Alas, what a pity for the child, so young, yet having to shoulder such a responsibility..."

"Isn't anyone going to do anything about this? It doesn't matter that those bastards at the bank haven't been sentenced yet, at least let these people live first!?"

"It's difficult to manage. It's hard for an elderly person to qualify for the Five Guarantees program on their own. Even if there's a child in the family, even if the child is just a toddler, they're still considered a dependent and can't qualify for the Five Guarantees. The defendant, Li Jie, could receive a disability subsidy while he was alive, but once he died, the disability subsidy had to stop..."

"【Huimin Ankang Insurance】...Are these bastards really beyond anyone's control?!"

"I think killing only Wei Tian isn't enough!"

……

……

8 month 31 day.

Public opinion surrounding the Haicheng case surged, or rather, public opinion surrounding the case never disappeared from beginning to end, but was buried after the first trial concluded.

It was only then that it was unearthed again!

……

9 month 1 day.

Huimin Ankang Insurance Company

The deceased Wei Tian's son, Wei Yuan, had just held a shareholders' meeting when he was criticized by various shareholders for being a scapegoat for the sudden surge in public opinion. Wei Yuan looked grim.

He didn't understand why public opinion had erupted so quickly, especially since the first trial was already over and the second trial hadn't even started yet, and the public was reacting so strongly...

at the same time.

Du Teng, the lawyer representing the plaintiff in the civil proceedings, hesitated slightly.

He looked at the sentence in the newspaper, "[Defense lawyer claims that this sentence reduction defense has a long way to go]", and fell silent.

For the first time, Du Teng questioned his own thoughts.

Could it be that I'm being too cautious?

Perhaps the other side is indeed just defending themselves?

Just to be on the safe side.

Du Teng decided to observe further.

……

9 month 3 day.

There are six days left until the trial.

The municipal procuratorate and the provincial high people's court in Haicheng are under unprecedented pressure regarding this case.

On one hand, the prosecutor's office, which played the role of the "bad guy," received countless abusive phone calls.

On the other hand, public opinion has placed the High Court on a pedestal, as if it were being roasted over a raging fire.

The prosecutor and presiding judge handling the case felt something was off, but they couldn't figure out why.

……

9 month 4 day.

There are five days left until the trial begins.

Du Teng stopped paying attention to Xu De, feeling that the other party was probably the same as described in the newspaper, so he withdrew his attention.

Instead, he began to take charge of the company's legal and public relations affairs.

They began to address the impact of public opinion.

……

9 month 6 day.

As the trial date approaches, public opinion in Haicheng surges again, putting immense pressure on various parties.

The court and prosecutors began finalizing the case, constantly contacting both the accused and the defense, and under the influence of public opinion, their anxiety became palpable.

of course.

Besides the defendant.

However, the defendant expressed understanding for the pressure felt by the others, since he was the one who created the pressure.

Therefore, Xu De acted very understanding.

until……

September 7th…

September 8th…

……

……

9 month 9 day.

The shooting incident occurred on the day of the second trial at the Haicheng Provincial Higher People's Court...

arrival!!!