Chapter 216 Court
"By the way, Huang Tian's case is going to trial the day after tomorrow. Judge Wang must be under a lot of pressure these days. Have you decided on the verdict yet?"
Wang Deming downed a small glass of wine, his greasy cheeks flushed. "This case is simple. Nian'an committed murder intentionally."
Puzzlement flashed across Li Qiren's eyes. "That's impossible! I saw lawyers' analyses online, all of which were very logical. They all said the woman was acting in self-defense, or at least excessive self-defense."
Wang Deming scoffed. "What do those internet idiots know? With all my years of experience solving cases, I can tell at a glance that woman has ulterior motives. She even broke free from the zip ties, yet she still tried to kill Qiao Yanzhi. What else could this be but intentional homicide?"
Li Qiren hurriedly forced a smile, his face wrinkled as he flattered, "Teacher Wang, you have a sharp eye! I told you no one else could handle this case. Maybe they were just duped by that woman. Come, let me toast you."
Wang Deming raised his glass, and after drinking another glass of horse urine, his face became even redder, and he became more and more elated, and he could not hold back his words.
"I think that woman Shi Nian'an is crazy! Being favored by Qiao Yanzhi is a blessing that many people can't ask for. If he wants to play, then just play with him. The dignified Crown Prince can't treat her badly, right? But she refuses to do that. She insists on causing a death and making it known to everyone, and getting herself involved. Why bother?"
"You're right. That woman is too ungrateful."
After Wang Deming's lecture, and the praise he received, he felt very comfortable. Thinking about his new luxury car and house, he felt that life was more beautiful and that he had a future.
A true winner in life!
He wanted to say something else when he suddenly felt the urge to urinate. He quickly grabbed the waistband of his pants, got up, walked out of the private room and went to the toilet.
Just at this moment, a figure came towards him and blocked his way.
He frowned and looked up, only to see a strange woman in black. He shouted irritably, "Get out of the way! Don't block me from peeing!"
The woman curled her lips slightly and looked at him with a half-smile. "Justice Wang has been so prosperous recently, why is he still so angry?"
Wang Deming sobered up a bit and squinted his eyes, looking the man up and down. "Who are you? What nonsense are you talking about?"
The woman chuckled softly, "I've come to discuss a business matter with you. Judge Wang has been a judge for so many years, would you consider stepping down and letting someone more capable take over?"
Her tone was gentle, yet subtly threatening.
Wang Deming had never been humiliated like this before, and he was instantly furious. Just as he was about to take action, he didn't expect the other party to suddenly take out something from his hand. When he looked closely, he found that it was a pistol!
The black muzzle of the gun was aimed at him.
The woman said slowly, "I guess Judge Wang doesn't want to cause a death, make it public, and get himself involved, right?"
Wang Deming shuddered, his drunkenness completely gone. Wasn't this exactly what he had just said to Shi Nian'an in the box? What was the origin of this woman?
He raised his hands fearfully, "Don't be impulsive. Let's talk it over. Everything can be discussed!"
The next moment, he was hit hard on the back of his head, his eyes went black, and he fell into darkness.
Only one thought flashed through his mind - she was from Shi Nian'an's side!
————
Soon, the day of the trial arrived.
There was a crowd of people in front of the court, and reporters and internet celebrities were holding up their phones to broadcast the event live.
Chaebol, wealthy family, technology newcomer, kidnapping, sexual assault, counterattack... These eye-catching keywords have attracted the attention of the whole nation since the case was exposed.
Therefore, even though the live broadcast room couldn't see the actual trial, the popularity of the video soared, and within a few minutes, it topped the platform's charts. The online judges also flocked to the scene, eagerly starting the trial in the barrage of comments.
[Is this case still in court? Just go ahead and sentence him to death, thank you!]
[Now women dare to claim innocence after murdering someone? In the past, being thrown into a pig cage was considered a light punishment.]
What's with all the bragging about this female entrepreneur? She's clearly trying to seduce the prince into power, and yet she's playing the victim. I'm sick of it.
Someone leaked a five-minute surveillance video of that night. The woman was the one who took the initiative the entire time. If you want, please contact me privately.
Whether it was against the woman's will is a matter of personal conviction. It makes sense to play SM, but the evidence of murder with a knife is irrefutable. Don't use self-defense as an excuse. It's simply not an excuse.
[Anyway, Tianqiong is suffering from heavy losses this time. Many male compatriots are boycotting her new products, and they are suffering heavy losses.]
When will God release a material machine? Although the lab exploded last time, scientific research is always full of failures. Even Edison failed thousands of times before inventing the light bulb. If it comes out, I'll be the first to support it.
The overwhelming barrage of comments all blamed the woman. No one cared what the truth was. They just wanted to see the result they wanted.
Suddenly, a black car stopped in front of the court, the door opened, and Qiao Zhizhang, chairman of Huangtian Group, stepped out with a serious expression.
Reporters immediately rushed forward, their cameras pointed at Qiao Zhizhang, and questions rained down on him.
"Mr. Qiao, your son kidnapped and attempted to rape a woman, but was ultimately killed. Do you think the court will find her guilty?"
"It's understood that your son previously plagiarized Sky Dome Technology's patents, causing a major incident, and was dismissed from the board of directors for misappropriating funds. Were these failures the reason he took such desperate risks and ultimately caused this tragedy?"
"You publicly accused the woman on social media, but if you were kidnapped and assaulted, would you still insist that this was not self-defense?"
Qiao Zhizhang glanced at the reporter who asked the last question and his face darkened.
The bodyguard quickly pushed the reporter away. Qiao Zhizhang withdrew his gaze and walked straight forward.
But just before entering the courthouse, he suddenly stopped, turned around and looked at everyone, his voice extremely cold, "What do you unscrupulous media people know? My son is dead, and this is the result. If you don't even understand the principle of life for life, you'd better change your career as soon as possible!"
He raised his voice, a fierce glint in his eyes. "I'm putting this out there. Just wait and see. There will only be one outcome for Shi Nian'an in today's trial, and that is the death penalty! As for you, you'd better think carefully before reporting. Is this matter worth risking your future... and safety?"
As soon as the words fell, there was a commotion in the crowd. The reporters who had spoken sharply just now fell silent, with fear on their faces.
Just at this moment, several exclamations came from behind, "It's Shi Nian'an! She's here!"
Reporters immediately turned their cameras, intent on capturing the victim's haggard, fragile, and helpless appearance. A good shot of this kind would surely ignite social media buzz and generate a significant amount of traffic.
They even had a headline ready: "Shocking! Photos of the female defendant in the Huangtian case appearing in court without makeup have been released. Her face is haggard and her eyes are evasive, a stark contrast to her past work photos."
But when the camera swept over, everyone was stunned.
Shi Nian'an, escorted by her lawyer and bailiffs, slowly approached with the rising sun at her back, her figure gilded in a soft golden glow by the hazy sunset. She wore plain casual clothing, her neatly cropped raven-black hair accentuating her round face's resoluteness. Her eyes were clear and bright as she calmly scanned the crowd. Her face was devoid of any trace of dejection or panic, instead displaying a more composed composure than usual, a mellower expression after enduring setbacks.
The noisy crowd suddenly became quiet, and then the sounds of shutter clicks rang out one after another.
Qiao Zhizhang's expression froze, and then his whole face became gloomy at a speed visible to the naked eye, with a sinister cold light flashing in his triangular eyes.
Realizing that there was a camera, he quickly restrained his expression, but there was still a barely perceptible sneer at the corner of his lips.
What’s the point of pretending to be calm now? You will cry when you are sentenced to death!
At this time, Shi Nian'an's gaze swept over, and when the two looked at each other, they saw the cold murderous intent reflected in each other's eyes.
One wanted the other dead, while the other wanted to get away with killing someone. The situation was tense before the trial even started.
Qiao Zhizhang turned around first, walked into the courtroom, and sat down in the plaintiff's seat.
Then, Shi Nian'an calmly walked towards the dock, raised his hand to push back the loose hair on his forehead. This casual movement caused his sleeves to slide down half an inch, revealing a circle of thin blue-red bruises - obviously the marks of being strangled by a cable tie.
Whispers immediately broke out in the audience. Some people cast hateful glances at Shi Nian'an, while others made gestures of support to her.
Shi Nian'an had long anticipated these people's attitudes, but she was still quite moved to see so many people supporting her.
She glanced around the gallery but didn't see the familiar face, and a hint of disappointment flashed across her eyes.
Mom, she didn’t come?
Yes, today is the day of the company's new product launch conference. She probably doesn't have time to attend this case, right?
Now that she thought about it, it was all her own fault. She knew Qiao Yanzhi was eyeing her, yet she was so arrogant as to go out alone. If she hadn't been so self-righteous, she wouldn't have been involved in this murder.
Lawyer Du Xiao noticed her lost look and thought she was worried about the upcoming trial, so he whispered to her, "Don't worry, I promised Mr. Zhou that I would do my best to defend you."
Although the probability of winning is very small from a rational analysis, emotionally, she still holds a glimmer of hope. What if there is a turning point?
Even if the chances of winning are slim, she will try her best and be prepared to win the case!
Shi Nian'an's eyes flickered slightly. It wasn't that she wasn't worried, but she had already prepared for the worst. Even if it was deemed excessive self-defense, no matter what the verdict was, the consequences wouldn't be too serious.
But she was still very grateful for Du Xiao's comfort. Just as she was about to speak, she caught a glimpse of Du Xiao's assistant rushing in from the side door, leaning over and whispering a few words in her ear.
"What?" Du Xiao lowered his voice, but still couldn't hide his surprise.
Shi Nian'an asked in a low voice: "What's wrong?"
Du Xiao frowned and hesitated for a moment before saying, "I just got word that the judges on the panel had private contact with Qiao Zhizhang before the court session. He even told the media that he wants you to pay for Qiao Yanzhi's life... This situation is not good. I'm afraid the outcome of this case is very grim."
Shi Nian'an's heart sank, as if she were falling into an abyss. Qiao Zhizhang was a man of great power, and since she had killed his son, how could she naively believe that he would do nothing and wait patiently for the court's verdict?
She raised her eyes to look at the plaintiff's seat, and happened to meet Qiao Zhizhang's shrewd sneer, and her body trembled violently.
This old guy has planned everything!
Qiao Zhizhang took in their panicked expressions, feeling very happy in his heart, and a hint of pride appeared on his face.
Now you know you're scared, right? With her status, she's not even worthy of seeing him on a normal day, and she dares to go against him? She's a bit too naive.
He smiled and glanced at the prosecutor in the front row. The confident expression on the other's face made him more convinced that everything was going according to his plan.
The evidence in the prosecutor's hands was sufficient to prove that Shi Nian'an was guilty of intentional homicide, and no amount of defense would avail.
"The court will be in session immediately!" The voice of the clerk suddenly came from above, interrupting his thoughts.
With a slight creak, the door behind the judge's seat opened.
Qiao Zhizhang calmly raised his head and looked towards the judges' seats. As he expected, nine judges in black uniforms entered the courtroom and took their seats one after another.
But when he saw the person sitting in the Chief Justice's seat, the calm smile on his face froze instantly.
Where's Wang Deming? How could it be Jin Jianmin?!
How can a notorious feminist who can't even make a fair judgment have the qualifications to sit in that position?
And where did those female judges next to her come from?
Shi Nian'an and her defense lawyer Du Xiao were also stunned.
Wasn't it said that Qiao Zhizhang bribed the judge? Why was the judge replaced? But no matter what, this situation was definitely beneficial to her.
Thinking of this, her tense heart relaxed a little.
Jin Jianmin said to the audience with a deadpan expression, "I am the new Chief Justice Jin Jianmin. Five judges of the original panel have recused themselves due to sudden illnesses. This case will now be heard by this court."
After she finished speaking, she banged the gavel and said, "Court is now in session!"
A murmur suddenly erupted in the quiet courtroom. Qiao Zhizhang stood up abruptly and shouted angrily, "Are you kidding me? Can the Chief Justice be replaced just like that? Where are the appointment documents? Where is the public notice of the results?"
"quiet!"
Jin Jianmin slammed the gavel, his sharp eyes fixed on Qiao Zhizhang. "Plaintiff Qiao Zhizhang, your shouting and making a scene has seriously disrupted court order. This court now issues you a warning. If you engage in similar behavior again, you will be removed from the courtroom in accordance with the law!"
Qiao Zhizhang's face was as gloomy as water, but he finally controlled his emotions and sat back down. Even if the judge was changed, what would it matter? Shi Nian'an's intentional homicide was an indisputable fact.
Seeing the courtroom return to solemnity, Jin Jianmin immediately restrained her expression. As a judge, she knew she had to remain absolutely neutral and not let any change in her expression reveal her bias.
After she read the indictment, she followed the procedure and asked the prosecutor to present evidence for the alleged facts.
The prosecutor spoke confidently, "Your Honor, the forensic report shows that the penetrating wound to the deceased's heart was not caused directly by the triangular thorn, but rather by high-temperature burns. Although the wound from the triangular thorn covered the original wound, there was no bleeding inside. This is sufficient to prove that the deceased was already dead before the stabbing. Only dead people cannot bleed!"
He looked up at the judges and raised his voice. "Although the actual murder weapon hasn't been found yet, it can be inferred that the defendant first killed the victim with some kind of electric shock weapon, and then stabbed him to cover up the real fatal wound. This behavior just proves that this was a carefully planned and premeditated murder!"
As soon as the words fell, there was a commotion in the audience, and even those who had chosen to support Shi Nian'an began to waver.
Jin Jianmin struck the gavel and everyone quieted down.
"Could you please tell me, defendant, whether you have any objection to the evidence presented by the prosecutor?"
Defense attorney Du Xiao's originally relaxed face turned extremely pale in an instant, and his fingers, which were tightly gripping the case file, began to tremble.
She didn't even know about the autopsy report. If everything was true, then all her previous defense strategies would be useless.
From the very beginning, she firmly believed that Shi Nian'an was acting in self-defense, and she also firmly believed that she was forced to kill Qiao Yanzhi with a bayonet in order to resist the infringement.
But now, the facts were before her, and she had no way to refute them. And Shi Nian'an hadn't told her the whole truth, so how could she defend her?!
Shi Nian'an met Du Xiao's questioning gaze, and despair suddenly emerged in her eyes. She thought that this secret would not be discovered.
Memories flash back to the night of the crime.
At that time, she had just hung up the call with Chi Lan when the door was pushed open from the outside.
Looking up, she saw the stern-faced woman in the mask standing at the door—Seventeen, who had kidnapped her.
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