For multiple crimes, the defendant was sentenced to twenty years imprisonment and fined RMB 180 million. The defendant, Gu Yanting, was also ordered to compensate the victims for their economic losses.
This judgment is a first-instance judgment. If you disagree with this judgment, you may file an appeal with this court or directly with the Higher People's Court within ten days from the second day after receiving the judgment.
The sound of the gavel falling echoed in the courtroom like a long sigh.
Gu Yanting seemed to have all his strength drained away, collapsing limply in the defendant's dock. His eyes were vacant, his face ashen, and he murmured, "Twenty years...twenty years..."
Zhang Heng silently packed up the documents, his face expressionless. He had lost this lawsuit utterly.
A low murmur arose in the gallery, then quickly subsided. All eyes were on Ah Yu, Zhong Hua, and Lin Wanqing.
Ah Yu felt Zhong Hua's body gently leaning closer. He reached out and pulled her and Lin Wanqing into his arms at the same time. The three of them huddled together tightly, without cheers or shouts, only silent tears and the trembling of survivors.
Justice may be delayed, but it will never be absent.
The courtroom doors slowly opened, letting in a flood of sunlight that illuminated the three figures emerging from the courtroom. The outside world remained noisy, with reporters' flashes going off incessantly, but this time, the expressions on their faces were no longer anxious and fearful, but rather a weary calm and hope for the future.
As Gu Yanting was being led away by the bailiffs, he suddenly turned around and stared at Ah Yu with a venomous look: "I won't let you get away with this! Even in prison, I'll make sure you never have a moment's peace!"
Ah Yu ignored his shouts, and simply held Zhong Hua and Lin Wanqing's hands tightly, walking step by step towards the sunlight outside.
A twenty-year prison sentence is enough for an ambitious man to waste his youth behind bars. But Ah Yu knows that Gu Yanting's threat won't disappear; the forces behind him may still be lurking in the shadows. The end of this war is only the beginning of another protracted struggle.
But at this moment, he didn't want to think about those distant threats anymore. He looked at Zhong Hua beside him; her face was streaked with tears, yet she wore a long-lost, relaxed smile. He then looked at Lin Wanqing; her eyes were no longer lost, but filled with determination and anticipation for the future.
The sunlight shone on them, warm and bright.
The judgment of justice has been delivered, but their story has only just begun. After weathering so many storms, they cherish the peace they have now even more, and they have even greater courage to face all the challenges ahead.
In the square outside the courthouse, pigeons fluttered into the air, tracing graceful arcs. Ah Yu took a deep breath, savoring the air of freedom, with only one thought in her mind:
No matter how many thorns lie ahead, as long as they walk hand in hand, they will surely usher in the true dawn.
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