Chapter 102: Chapter 102 They Just Love to Join in on the Fun
In everyday judicial trials and prosecutions, one often encounters various preposterous cases that exceed the imagination of ordinary people. When faced with these cases, one cannot simply generalize but must interpret each law correspondingly. When he previously encountered unscrupulous intermediaries, the legal interpretation he used was one such example: the tripartite imputation contract. Breach of contract isn’t simply about determining the violator’s responsibility; it involves tripartite imputation to ascertain who bears the greatest fault in the event. The same principle applies to the crime of poisoning. The expanded interpretation clarifies that pathogens of infectious diseases, anything capable of spreading an epidemic, can be categorized under poisoning. Such judicial interpretations are numerous, over ten times more abundant than the Criminal Law. Qin Mu was in no rush anyway. He would just read them slowly in his spare time from work.
Time slowly passed.
「Four plain yet fulfilling days went by, and the day of the trial officially arrived.」
At nine o’clock in the morning, Qin Mu and Wang Dachui had arranged to meet at the retirement home. Together, they headed to the Jin City Court. The court session was scheduled for ten in the morning.
Upon hearing that Qin Mu was going to court again, Old Zhang and the others became restless. They all wanted to attend the hearing.
"Xiao Qin, considering I introduced you to so many potential partners, take us along to broaden our horizons. Xiao Wang mentioned this time it’s quite a big scene," one said.
"We’re free anyway! We’ll go and bolster your presence. This way, you’ll surely win the case on the spot!" another added.
"We’ll be in the observers’ seats cheering you on. Last time, I didn’t quite get my fill watching Mr. Li’s case!" exclaimed a third.
"I’ve been watching Legal Forum every day lately, and now I understand a lot more about criminal law..." a fourth boasted.
Zhang Qingyuan, Li Weiguo, Song Tiancheng, and other seniors gathered around Qin Mu, looking at him expectantly.
Qin Mu’s mouth twitched slightly; he was somewhat speechless. Goddamn cheering.
Public trials generally allow for observers. The number of observer seats is limited and is usually allocated first to relatives of the plaintiff and defendant, and those with an interest in the case.
"I can take you, but remember not to get too excited. Just watch the trial quietly," Qin Mu considered briefly and then admonished the group. He particularly glared at Old Song. During Mr. Li’s trial, Old Song had repeatedly exclaimed, "What the fuck!" He had been warned several times by the court police maintaining order. If it weren’t for his age, he probably would have been escorted out.
Song Tiancheng offered an embarrassed smile. He firmly promised that this time he wouldn’t hold everyone back, and the group set off for the court in a grand, boisterous procession.
「...」
「At nine thirty. Jin City Court.」
Following the staff’s directions, Qin Mu and Wang Dachui led Zhang Qingyuan and the others to the Second Criminal Court. Every court has multiple courtrooms, each responsible for different types of cases, such as civil or criminal matters. Jin City’s Second Criminal Court was the one designated for criminal trials.
After entering the courtroom, Qin Mu once again saw Zhang Wei, a familiar face—the opposing party’s defense attorney. Upon seeing Qin Mu, Zhang Wei even took the initiative to smile and gesture, as if they were well acquainted.
In the defendant’s dock, Liang Shuqi was also staring at Qin Mu, his expression exceedingly complex. There was regret, but even more so, there was resentment.
This was the third time he had seen Qin Mu. The first time was when his takeout delivery was late, and Qin Mu had come looking for him. The second time was when he accepted an order to deliver braised chicken and rice to Qin Mu. After delivering the takeout contaminated with his spit, he had thought he would never see Qin Mu again in his life. He could never have imagined... that their third meeting would be in a courtroom!
Furthermore, those who had incited him online to spit had also been apprehended. They were currently queuing outside the courtroom, awaiting the next trial. And because of Qin Mu... yesterday, Xiao Fang, his girlfriend since university, had chosen to break up with him. Love had collapsed with a resounding crash. Now, he also faced the prospect of imprisonment. To say he didn’t hate Qin Mu would be a lie.
"Remember what I told you. Don’t mess things up again, or you’ll only end up with a harsher sentence!" Zhang Wei, noticing Liang Shuqi’s expression, solemnly cautioned him.
Liang Shuqi gave a bitter smile and nodded. After entering the courtroom, he had realized the severity of the issue—a sentence was inevitable. All he could do now was follow his lawyer’s advice... and aim for a reduced term.
Meanwhile, Shen Dao, seated at the plaintiff’s bench, watched Qin Mu enter the courthouse with a group of elderly people. He couldn’t help feeling puzzled. This case was a public prosecution by the prosecuting authority; his own presence in court was mainly to assist with the trial.
"They’re just old folks who enjoy the excitement. Hearing I was involved in a lawsuit, they all clamored to come along," Qin Mu explained, somewhat helplessly.
Shen Dao’s mouth twitched, his face lined with exasperation. Other people’s seniors enjoyed group activities like square dancing. But with Qin Mu, it was a different story... their idea of excitement was watching a court case.
He then took a deep breath, looked at Qin Mu, and said solemnly, "This trial process is a bit complicated and might take quite a while."
Qin Mu was taken aback.
Shen Dao continued, "In this trial, we first need to address Liang Shuqi’s poisoning charge and the instigation charges against eight others. Your defamation suit will come last."
"This gentleman," he said, pointing to a prosecutor seated at the plaintiff’s bench, "is the public prosecutor from the Procuratorate. He’s in charge of this case, and all the evidence has been collected."
This was a necessary procedure for criminal proceedings, so for the first two charges, Qin Mu would only need to testify as the plaintiff.
"I understand," Qin Mu nodded. This was a good opportunity to observe the opposing counsel’s maneuvers.
Soon after, the bailiff stepped forward, signaling the plaintiff, the defendant, and the onlookers to take their respective seats.
BANG!
The solemn sound of the gavel echoed. The entire courtroom suddenly became deathly quiet.
The judge announced gravely, "Today, the Jin City Court’s Second Criminal Court will conduct a public hearing on the food delivery poisoning dispute. I, Zhou Quanmin, will serve as the Judgment Chief."
At this point, he paused, once again glancing at Qin Mu, who was seated with the prosecutor at the plaintiff’s bench. The corners of his mouth twitched involuntarily. Qin Mu again... And coincidentally, he was the one presiding over this particular case. He couldn’t even remember how many times he had seen Qin Mu at the plaintiff’s bench.
Taking a deep breath, Zhou Quanmin continued solemnly, "I now declare this court in session!"
What followed was the standard criminal trial procedure. First, the bailiff read out the court rules and regulations, prohibiting any disruptive behavior or disturbance of the trial proceedings.
Immediately afterward, the public prosecutor stood up and read out the indictment. On behalf of Qin Mu, he charged the defendant, Liang Shuqi, with poisoning the takeout, thereby committing the crime of poisoning—specifically, the crime of distributing hazardous substances.
"Defendant Liang Shuqi, please respond to these charges," Zhou Quanmin said, looking at Liang Shuqi in the defendant’s dock after the public prosecutor had finished reading the indictment.
Following the prosecutor’s indictment, the next step was the defendant’s plea and self-defense.