Chapter 760 Luo's Modern Extra: A bloody murder caused by a hit-and-run
I was riding my bike across the road, carrying a shoulder bag and humming a little tune.
Suddenly an old man fell in front of my car.
He was an old man who looked a bit mean, with wrinkles all over his face, just like the lines on an old tree.
I was worried that something might have happened to her, so I quickly went forward to help her up.
But she blackmailed me, saying that I knocked her down and wanted compensation.
————
01
My name is Luo Jiaojiao, and I’m a senior student at Jinling University.
The days approaching graduation are always busy and tight. I found an internship company outside the school. Fortunately, the college still agreed to let me live on campus, which saved me the rent.
Yes.
My financial situation is not good. My parents died in a car accident when I was a child.
But I didn't have a hard life since my childhood because my grades were relatively good. Excellent students like me were awarded a series of scholarships such as the "Royal Scholarship", "Imperial Talent Scholarship", and "Qingyun Award" which freed us from the worries of life.
Although I am an orphan, I have never experienced the fickleness of human nature or the cruelty of the world since I was a child. This is a very normal and friendly world.
Until that day.
02
I finished my makeup and dressing as usual and stood in front of the mirror looking left and right.
I wore a plain Song-style embroidered narrow coat which is very popular this year on the upper body, and a horse-faced skirt with a tight waist on the lower body. I tied my hair up and inserted a hairpin, which made me look dignified, elegant, graceful and graceful.
"Jiaojiao is so beautiful."
A burst of laughter came from the room. Several youthful girls huddled together, making faces and laughing without caring about their image at all.
"My princess, you have some of the legendary royal beauty."
After I finished speaking, there was another burst of laughter. I rushed over like a hungry tiger and squeezed them hard.
Although my last name is Luo, I have nothing to do with the royal family. To put it in common terms, we were probably one family eight hundred years ago.
I went out and went to the company as usual.
“Boom!”
I saw an old woman with white hair and beard lying on the ground. Her clothes looked a little old. Such clothes were rare in Luo State today.
The place where she fell was open and there was no danger. There were a few pedestrians in the distance who probably hadn't seen this scene. I was worried that something might have happened to her, so I quickly stopped the car, walked to her side and called out, "Grandma, are you okay?"
She suddenly opened her eyes, with a flash of ferocity in her eyes. I even thought it was an illusion. A strange smile appeared on her wrinkled face. I have been good at observing people's expressions since I was a child. I suddenly felt a chill and wanted to get up and leave.
A hand grabbed me tightly!
That hand was like a dry branch, just like the zombies and ghosts in a horror movie, which made people feel scared. My heart was full of alarm bells, and I knew something was wrong.
I struggled to leave, but even though she was old, her hands were very strong and I couldn't get away for a moment.
"You want to leave after you hit someone, are you still a human being?"
When this shrill scream resounded all around, my heart sank completely and my whole body felt cold, as if I had fallen into an ice river.
03
The pedestrians around were finally attracted by the shrill sound.
People in ancient and modern times, both in China and abroad, like to watch the excitement, and Luo State is no exception.
The old lady's voice became more miserable, as if she had really suffered a great injustice, and she shouted loudly, "Someone has been hit to death, please help, no one cares when someone is hit."
I just felt a buzzing in my head, and her voice was like an electric drill bit rubbing against glass, drilling into my head, making my face turn pale.
Passersby looked at this scene with curiosity. No one spoke for the dead old lady, and no one spoke for me.
This is not because they are numb, but because these people are more qualified.
I once took law as an elective course and I know that the laws of Luo State are very different from those of other civilized countries. They are mainly based on customary law and moral law.
When formulating laws, great emphasis was placed on the guiding role of laws on social trends, and great rewards and severe punishments were the hallmarks of Luo State's laws.
The moral rules passed down since ancient times, and most importantly the support given by the law, have made most Luo people eager to do public good, willing to act bravely and lend a helping hand.
Without knowing the full story, no comment.
So they kept silent.
I finally came back to my senses from the buzzing noise, shook off the old lady's hand, and shouted, "What nonsense are you talking about?
I didn't bump into you at all. I saw you fall and went to help you up. Why did you frame me?"
I saw a look of "I see" on the face of the passerby, who must have known what had happened from what we said.
I just feel it's quite unlucky. Is it not suitable to go out today according to the lunar calendar?
I still feel a little heartbroken that my kindness and good intentions were taken advantage of by this vicious old lady.
I took out a piece of paper and wiped my wrist that was touched by the old lady. Just as I was about to ride away, passers-by who had been watching stopped me. They smiled, but their words were cold, "Little girl, this matter is not over yet, you can't leave."
I was stunned for a moment and said, "I'm in a hurry to go to work. When the police arrive, they will check the surveillance and know the truth. I don't have to stay here, right?"
A middle-aged man with a full beard smiled and said, "Unfortunately, the surveillance camera on this street was broken yesterday, so you can't leave, little girl."
I turned my head to look at the old lady who was still lying on the ground wailing. On her face, pretending to be in pain, there was a sly smile that seemed to show that she was sure of me.
This was premeditated!
04
Surveillance is one of the greatest inventions of a society ruled by law. The pursuit of impartial law enforcement and the caution against false and wrongful convictions over thousands of years are not as good as monitoring a single hair.
It is the source of all my confidence, but now surveillance can no longer protect me.
"mom!"
"Mom, what's wrong with you? Mom!"
It turned out to be just as I expected.
A figure rushed out from the side. It was a rather sturdy middle-aged man with a face full of flesh and a fierce look. He rushed over and shook the old woman vigorously, then looked directly at me fiercely and shouted, "Did you knock my mother down?
Don't even think about leaving!
Pay the money! "
At this point, I already knew that today's matter would not end well. Having just encountered this incident before, I was unprepared for the old lady's shamelessness and was unable to recover for a while.
But now——
I shouted, "Do you think I will be so scared and give in to you?
In broad daylight, the world is clear and bright.
Could it be possible that the sky of Luo Kingdom could be tarnished by two shameless people like you?
I'll just sit here and watch today to see how you two are going to frame me.
I want to see whether you or I end up in jail."
My words were very effective. I saw avoidance and fear in the old lady's eyes, and she pulled her son's sleeve implicitly.
The sturdy man pointed at me and threatened me, and wanted to leave, but was stopped again by the passers-by who had stopped me before. They were smiling at me just now, but now their faces were stern, "You can't leave either. The right and wrong will be determined by the police."
The sturdy man seemed to be enraged and said, "You bastards, just because this woman is pretty, you prefer her, right?
I will slap you in the face with facts this time."
I looked at him with fierce eyes, red neck, and even bulging veins on his forehead. He looked like he was ready to kill anyone. I couldn't help but feel a little scared, but I finally mustered up the courage to continue confronting him.
As a citizen of Luo State, we must have the courage to stand up to injustice. This is the first lesson when we enter elementary school.
Moreover, looking at the encouraging eyes of the passers-by around me, I felt at ease.
05
As a law-abiding citizen, this was my first time at the Ministry of Justice. However, I was not taken to the interrogation room. The female detective accompanying me saw that I was a little uneasy and brought me a cup of hot tea, which made me feel a little relieved.
However, the interrogation still had to proceed as usual. I roughly told the detectives what happened. I saw that their expressions did not change. They just took notes. Then the female detective said to me in a gentle voice: "The old lady said she was dizzy and is now in the hospital. She is too old to be interrogated.
There is no surveillance at the scene of the incident. If we cannot conclude who is right and who is wrong through questioning and cannot reach a settlement, we will report it to the Tongcheng District Inspection Office, and you may have to go to the Tongcheng District Dali Temple to sue the mother and son.
I will inform you of the general situation in advance and ask you whether you are willing to reach a settlement. "
The female detective spoke clearly and analyzed the current situation for me. I had already made up my mind, and now I said firmly: "I will never compromise and will never give in to the blackmailing criminals."
The female detective gave me a case acceptance letter and told me to go back and wait for further notice.
When I walked out of the bathroom and passed the office, I suddenly heard a few detectives discussing my case.
A slightly younger male voice said, "This little girl is really unlucky. I see that the sturdy man has a face full of flesh and the old lady has a mean face. They are not good people."
Another male voice with a slightly deeper voice laughed and said, “I think you just like the girl because she’s fair-skinned and pretty.
Luo Jiaojiao, what a nice name.
But this is not how you handle cases. Have you forgotten the female prisoner who defrauded tens of millions of dollars a few months ago?
She looked innocent, but I didn't expect she was the leader of a fraud group. You can't judge a person by his appearance."
A burst of laughter rang out in the office, and the deep male voice continued: "But based on my experience in handling cases, this girl is really unlucky. She is a student at Jinling University with a bright future, and she is both good in character and in academics. Unfortunately, she met a rogue. I don't know how the Dali Temple will judge her.
The Dali Temple in Jinling has been a little...”
"Shh, be careful what you say, this is not something we can discuss!"
There was a sudden laugh in the office and the noise became lower. I was a little curious about what they were talking about, but when I looked at the time, I hurriedly left the Ministry of Justice.
06
The company where I interned was opened by a senior of mine, who was three years older than me and an outstanding alumnus of Jinling University. He started from scratch and has now built a well-known company in the industry, and has also received investments from several major funds.
By chance, I helped him once, so when I graduated, he took the initiative to invite me to intern at his company to gain experience. This was a great opportunity to gild my resume and I couldn't refuse.
Since I joined the company, I have only met him once, because after that meeting he went abroad to discuss business and did not come back for three whole months. He is really a very busy man.
He was not shy about the relationship between him and me, and because of this relationship, my supervisor did not blame me. After hearing the reason why I was late, he even comforted me with a few words.
About three days later, I became the most noticed person in the company.
The old lady's son eventually killed me and said that I was the one who knocked down his mother. His mother has been receiving treatment in the hospital and only complained of dizziness. Of course, today's medical technology cannot detect the cause of the problem.
The Ministry of Justice then transferred the case to the Supervisory Department, which, after checking to make sure it was correct, transferred it to the Dali Temple. This was not a very complicated case and it was filed very quickly.
Under the gaze of everyone in the company, I calmly signed my name, and I firmly believed that I would be cleared of all charges in court.
Live a clean and honest life in this world.
There were many people in the company looking at me with strange eyes. After all, the Dali Temple was quite far away from ordinary people, and some people had never dealt with the Three Laws Courts in their entire lives.
As soon as the people from the Dali Temple left, many people who had a good relationship with me came up to me and asked me what happened. So I repeated my story again, and immediately some people stood up for me.
I glanced around and saw some women showing a hint of gloating smiles. They believed what I said, but the jealousy in their hearts made them unable to help but feel happy.
I always understood where all this jealousy came from.
Because I am beautiful and never lack suitors, this will inevitably attract some jealousy.
Moreover, in the company, in the eyes of others, the seniors are particularly close to me, because I am the only intern brought in by the seniors themselves. I don’t bother to explain anything, because time and ability will prove everything.
My senior is an outstanding student at Jinling University, and so will I be.
07
The architecture of the Dali Temple in Tongcheng District is very solemn and magnificent. It is a building with a very long history. In the city of Jinling, it is second only to the Dali Temple of Jinling.
This is the third batch of stone buildings after the great development of ancient Chinese architectural technology. After continuous repair and maintenance, although there are inevitable traces of modern renovation, it is still full of ancient and solemn flavor.
At the top of the building there is a phoenix spreading its wings as if about to fly, and below the phoenix there are six large characters: justice, openness, and fairness.
I followed the Dali Temple constable into the courtroom from the main gate. The world today is certainly not like the ancient times where officials sat at the top and the common people either kneeled or stood below. I walked to the dock.
Sitting in the plaintiff's seat was a burly man with a face full of flesh. Until now, I still don't know his name, but it doesn't matter. It's not something I should know. Next to the burly man sat a lawyer wearing gold-rimmed glasses, who had a bit of a gentlemanly vibe.
I was surprised that he actually called a lawyer, and then I saw a lawyer sitting next to me. I immediately understood that this was the standard legal aid.
When the chief judge and officials from the Dali Temple Court arrived, the trial officially began.
"The case in which the plaintiffs Zhao Chengcai and Chen Xiuyun sued the defendant Luo Jiaojiao for driving a non-motor vehicle on a pedestrian crossing and causing the defendant Chen Xiuyun to fall to the ground has officially begun."
This is a confusing case. The most crucial point of this case is that, except for the parties involved, no one knows what happened at that time. This case should have been presumed innocent. Since it cannot be proved that Luo Jiaojiao is guilty, she should be directly declared not guilty.
But the other party in the case is an old man, and is still receiving treatment in the hospital. In Luozhong, which is deeply influenced by Mengru and advocates respecting the elderly and loving the young, the judge has to consider the social impact of the case.
What if it was really Luo Jiaojiao who touched it?
If criminals cannot receive the punishment they deserve, won't social morality deteriorate?
When the Dali Temple was first established, when it was given judicial power and when laws were being formulated, the emperor once said these words.
"For thousands of years, laws have always been designed to protect the stable rule of rulers, who may be cruel or wise, but their essence has never changed.
Luo's world does not need to rely on laws to maintain stability, so we have to change the laws that were made for the purpose of ruling.
Every trial and every law must follow the trend of historical development, change the unjust and uphold the just. Our laws must be the defenders of morality, the pioneers of history, and the guardians of the happiness of our people. "
When the trial of the case shifted to the lawyers' debate, I became a little restless. I had understood some of the procedures, and this didn't make sense.
The lawyer next to me was also a little confused. In his opinion, there was nothing worth debating in this case and he could just declare his client not guilty.
I raised my eyes to look at the chief judge of the court, only to see that he was staring at me straightly. There were things in his eyes that I couldn't understand. Those things flashed by and made me think they were illusions.
The gavel slammed heavily on the trial table, waking everyone up.
08
I lost the case.
When the chief judge said that, "If you didn't hit me, why are you helping me?", time seemed to be stopped from flowing.
My lawyer was stunned. I watched him open and close his mouth, trying to understand his feelings, but I was the most confused one.
I don't know how I walked out of Dali Temple.
I was ordered to compensate the defendant for all expenses, including medical expenses, and even faced several months in prison. My courage exploded in court, and I stated that I did not accept the verdict and would appeal to the Jinling Dali Temple.
What I want to know now is why I lost the case. This is something I can’t figure out. What was the judge trying to do?
After I left the Dali Temple, I actually met the female detective. She didn't seem surprised by my defeat and there was deep sympathy in her eyes. She believed in me.
I recalled what I had heard in the Ministry of Justice, and asked her if she knew anything. She hesitated for a moment, and then said to me: "There is something wrong with the Dali Temple in Jinling.
They seem to be mentally ill and are a new force in the judicial community. Their judicial theories are different from the mainstream.
So sometimes some bizarre judgments are made, and you are not the first victim.”
I see.
I know something about law. Basically, most universities offer this major. The Law Department of Jinling University is one of the best law majors in the country.
This is a rather regional subject. After studying at the Law Department of Jinling University, one will basically work in the Jiangnan Province where Jinling is located.
But this is not the reason why the presiding judge ruled that I lost the case, because this was not a typical major case, and there was no need for him to target me. What was the real reason?
I narrowed my eyes slightly. Things were becoming tricky. Now it was no longer a matter between me and that scoundrel, but a conflict between the Dali Temple in Tongcheng District and even Jinling City.
There is an ancient saying that goes, "The people should not fight against the officials."
But this is not true in modern times, because there is a Luo above the official, which is a blue sky and a warm sun, shining on everything and sweeping away evil spirits and monsters.
09
The senior has returned from abroad.
On the night I came back, he invited me to dinner. I was busy proving my innocence, so I gladly accepted the invitation. The senior looked at me with sparkling eyes and smiled, "I thought you would avoid suspicion and not come to the dinner, but you came. You are really excellent."
I just smiled and said, "What's there to be ashamed of?
It’s not the middle of the night and we are alone in a room.
Besides, I need your help, so how can I not come?"
The senior laughed out loud at what I said. I knew he had no romantic feelings for me, he just admired my character and abilities.
As for asking seniors for help, I don't feel any psychological pressure. Knowing seniors is my opportunity. If someone can help but I don't use it, and insist on solving it myself to prove myself, that is what only a fool would do.
Apparently I wasn't stupid, everyone told me I was great.
I told my senior everything that happened to me, including that rather ridiculous sentence, which I described vividly.
Because I know this is my way to turn things around.
Sure enough, the senior listened carefully at first, and then a look of surprise appeared on his face.
The outrageous thing about this sentence is that everyone who heard it felt something was wrong. He could actually say it so openly in such a solemn occasion as a courtroom.
After listening to my story, the senior student hesitated for a few seconds and then said with a smile: "Junior sister, it is not difficult to solve this problem, as long as we make it known.
I once studied with a great scholar for a period of time. During that period, I deeply understood the roots of our country and the bottom lines that must never be touched.
My business has grown rapidly in recent years, which is not unrelated to this.
It doesn't matter what the judge in your case thinks.
When he said those words in such an official setting as a court of trial, he touched the bottom line of our ancient country.
He is trampling on the moral bottom line of our society.
His one word caused more damage to society than the killing of ten thousand people.
Leave this matter to me. It will only take one night for the entire Luo country to know about this confusing case."
I smiled slightly, applauding my senior's reasoning and also applauding myself.
10
The government needs evidence to arrest people, but the royal family does not.
The emperor did not participate in the discussion and formation of laws, but he signed them, so he was naturally above the law.
His Majesty the Emperor, who had not been seen for a long time, made a rare speech in person on TV, in which he passionately refuted the extremely absurd statement, and then once again reiterated to the people of the entire Luo Kingdom that the country firmly upholds traditional morality and the interests of the people.
This statement caused the Luo Kingdom to fall into jubilation again.
The old woman and her son were convicted of "immorality", a crime that could only be pronounced by the royal family. The penalty was life imprisonment and they would be confined to a small island in the Pacific for life.
The sun shines in and it’s really warm.
————
postscript:
After I graduated and officially started working in my senior's company, I finally understood what qualities he valued in me, which were insight and execution. He said I was a natural executive.
He said that he wanted to build a huge business empire in the future. He had outstanding foresight and wild imagination, but lacked execution ability. Managing the current company had exhausted him.
I think what he said is right. When faced with those tedious tasks, I can always handle them with ease.
Looking at the clear sky above, I smiled slightly.
I am lucky to be born in Luoguo!
(End of this chapter)
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