Courtroom Showdown
Chapter One: Undercurrents Beneath the Silence
The late autumn sunlight streamed through the massive stained-glass windows of the High Court, casting dappled patterns of light on the dark oak floors. The air was thick with the scent of old paper, wooden furniture, and an indescribable solemnity; each fall of the gavel struck like a heavy blow to everyone's nerves. Gu Yanting sat in the defendant's dock, dressed in a perfectly tailored dark gray suit and a meticulously tied tie, looking not like a defendant facing multiple serious charges, but rather an elite attending a business summit. He slightly turned his head, his gaze sweeping across the gallery, where a few reporters from various media outlets sat scattered, and—when his eyes landed on the figures of Ah Yu, Zhong Hua, and Lin Wanqing sitting side by side, a faint, almost mocking smile curved his lips.
"Silence!" The bailiff's voice echoed in the courtroom, and everyone stood up in response. The presiding judge—an elderly man with gray hair and a stern face—walked to the bench amidst the rustling of his robes, his gaze calmly sweeping across the room. "The First Criminal Division of the Shanghai Higher People's Court is now in session."
The court clerk read out the charges: "Defendant Gu Yanting is accused of commercial fraud, malicious manipulation of the securities market, false accusation, illegal detention, kidnapping, intentional injury..." The long list of charges was read out one by one, each word like a block of ice hitting the audience. Gu Yanting maintained his upright posture throughout, only the bulging veins on his clenched fists betrayed that he was not as calm as he appeared.
The prosecutor, a middle-aged woman wearing gold-rimmed glasses, spoke in a clear and sharp voice: "Your Honor, judges, the evidence in this case is conclusive. To satisfy his personal desires and business ambitions, the defendant, Gu Yanting, has long used illegal means to suppress competitors, manipulate public opinion, and even violated criminal law by persecuting multiple witnesses. We will present the evidence one by one and apply to summon key witnesses to testify in court."
Gu Yanting's defense lawyer was the renowned "sharp-tongued" Attorney Zhang. As he stood up, he bowed slightly and spoke calmly: "Your Honor, judges, my client, Mr. Gu Yanting, denies all charges. The so-called 'evidence' is nothing but a malicious frame-up by the opposing side, and the witness testimonies also contain serious subjective bias. We will prove that this is a meticulously planned false accusation, intended to cover up the misconduct of certain individuals."
Chapter Two: Ah Yu: Scars and Testimony
"Summon witness Ah Yu to the court."
As the bailiffs summoned him, Ah Yu rose from the gallery. He wore a simple white shirt today, the cuffs rolled up, revealing bruises on his forearms that hadn't completely faded—marks left from the struggle with the kidnappers during the rescue of Zhong Hua. His steps were steady, his gaze fixed straight ahead. As he passed the defendant's dock, his eyes briefly met Gu Yanting's. In that instant, the air seemed to freeze; the surging anger in Ah Yu's eyes clashed fiercely with the cold indifference in Gu Yanting's.
"Witness, please state your name and occupation, and swear to provide truthful testimony."
Ah Yu stood in the witness stand, her hand on the Constitution of the People's Republic of China, her voice clear and firm: "My name is Ah Yu, and I am an architectural designer. I swear that all the testimony I have given is true and without any falsehood."
The prosecutor stepped forward, his tone gentle yet carrying an undeniable force: "Mr. Yu, please state your relationship with the defendant, Gu Yanting, and the details of his commercial persecution of you."
Ah Yu took a deep breath and began to recount: "I originally had no grudge against Gu Yanting, but because of Lin Wanqing..." He paused, glancing at Lin Wanqing in the audience, "...it was because we discovered some clues about my background, and these clues might have touched upon some of Gu Yanting's interests, so he began to target me. First, there was the industry blacklist; my design works were rejected without cause, and my partners broke their contracts one after another. Later, I learned that it was Gu Yanting who was putting pressure on me behind the scenes, spreading rumors that I was of bad character and that my designs had major flaws."
His voice gradually trembled slightly: "The worst time was when he set a trap, fabricated evidence, and tried to get me imprisoned for 'trade secrets'. Fortunately, with the help of Lin Wanqing and Zhong Hua, we found a key witness and were temporarily cleared of suspicion. But he never stopped retaliating. Even during my bail period, he used the media to maliciously smear me, putting me and my family under tremendous pressure."
“Objection!” Attorney Zhang immediately stood up. “The witness’s statement is full of subjective conjecture, and there is no substantial evidence to prove that these so-called ‘suppressions’ were committed by my client. It seems more like he is trying to shift the blame to my client because of his own mismanagement.”
The presiding judge gestured for Ah Yu to continue: "Witness, please provide specific evidence or witnesses to prove your statement."
“I have it.” Ah Yu took out a document from her pocket. “This is some of the evidence I obtained by hiring a private investigator. It shows that Gu Yanting pressured my partners through several shell companies. There is a screenshot of an email, which is a threatening letter sent directly by his assistant to a developer, demanding that they terminate their cooperation with me.” The document was passed to the presiding judge and jurors by the bailiffs.
Gu Yanting sat in the defendant's seat, his face still expressionless, but the fingers gripping the armrest suddenly tightened.
The prosecutor continued, "Mr. Yu, regarding the incident of '175. Gu Yanting sending people to kidnap Zhong Hua,' were you present and do you know the details?"
Ah Yu's eyes sharpened instantly: "Yes. I personally witnessed Gu Yanting's men forcibly taking Zhong Hua away. His purpose in kidnapping Zhong Hua was to threaten me into handing over crucial evidence that could prove his commercial crimes. During the rescue of Zhong Hua, I clashed with the kidnappers, and the injuries I sustained were from that time." He lifted his shirt sleeve, revealing more clearly visible scars. "These injuries can serve as physical evidence, and the kidnappers, after being arrested, have confessed that their employer is none other than Gu Yanting."
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