Chapter 105: Chapter 105: Judgment without a Trial, Just Like That?
Before, he still hated Qin Mu. But now that he had found an outlet, all the emotions he had been suppressing these days burst forth. He cursed the eight instigators without holding back, completely merciless.
And upon being cursed like this, the eight instigators almost exploded with anger. They had kindly helped Liang Shuqi "offer suggestions," considering his feelings, only to end up in such a situation!
It was one thing for others to call them meddlesome saints, but now Liang Shuqi was cursing them too!
"You’re absolutely heartless and cold-blooded! Now I can sympathize with that customer who left a negative review; people like you deserve those bad reviews!"
"We spoke up for you out of kindness, and this is how you talk to us?"
"People like you are just a waste of food on this earth! Spitting in someone else’s food delivery? Who would dare let you deliver food again?"
"Pah! From now on, if a delivery driver is even a minute late, I’m going to slam them with negative reviews!"
"..."
The eight of them showed no weakness, instantly firing back with overwhelming advantage. Liang Shuqi, all alone, couldn’t possibly stand up against the eight of them. He was left red-faced and speechless.
For a time, the whole courtroom turned into a noisy marketplace.
Meanwhile, at the plaintiff’s bench, Qin Mu watched the "civil war" between the eight instigators and Liang Shuqi, his mouth twitching.
He hadn’t expected... that once in court, these eight people would actually turn around and "sympathize" with him. He still vividly remembered... Online, these eight people had all advocated spitting in his food delivery, giving Liang Shuqi all sorts of advice.
"SILENCE!"
Finally, Zhou Quanmin, with a stern face, banged the gavel, interrupting the escalating quarrel. In a deep voice, he said, "Disturbances and noise are prohibited in court. The defense lawyers for both parties will now continue with their statements."
Immediately after, Zhang Wei continued his defense, and Bo Xingxian also actively sought justice for his client.
And Qin Mu, at the plaintiff’s bench, watched the entire battle, admiring Zhang Wei’s tactics.
It was clear that Zhang Wei’s skill level was far superior to Bo Xingxian’s. Zhang Wei cited numerous judicial precedents and similar cases, making a highly persuasive argument. Bo Xingxian, however, kept referring to judicial interpretations and was consistently outmaneuvered by Zhang Wei on critical points.
Barring any surprises... this trial would likely conclude with the eight instigators receiving the "honor" of being designated "principal offenders."
Strictly speaking, in this incident, anyone could be deemed the principal culprit. According to common public perception, Liang Shuqi would naturally be the principal offender. However, under legal judgment, either party could be. It all depended on the lawyers’ skills and the judge’s decision.
This three-way defense lasted for five full hours. While Zhang Wei and Bo Xingxian defended against each other, the public prosecutor also actively intervened to correct both parties. The trial continued, even skipping the lunch break.
At five o’clock in the afternoon, BANG—
Zhou Quanmin, presiding from the Judgment Chief’s seat, struck the gavel and said in a deep voice, "Due to the complexity of this case, the court is adjourned for today. The hearing will continue at ten o’clock tomorrow morning."
After speaking, he had the bailiffs collect all the defense materials, evidence, and arguments from the three legal teams and declared the court session over.
"That’s it? Ending without a verdict?" In the public gallery, Zhang Qingyuan’s eyes widened in dissatisfaction.
"What? It’s over?" Li Weiguo, who had dozed off all afternoon, jerked awake.
Song Tiancheng waved his hand dismissively and complained, "Let’s go, let’s go. I’m not coming tomorrow; this case isn’t satisfying at all."
The seniors from the nursing home all stood up one after another, stretching their bodies. They had thought they would witness an exciting and stimulating sentencing. Instead, they had endured a tedious day of wrangling... Crucially, they couldn’t understand what was going on, and several of them had fallen asleep during the trial.
Qin Mu observed the seniors’ reactions, his face lined with frustration.
Litigation was inherently like this. If one encountered a contentious case, it required meticulous scrutiny. The Yang Minghui case they had watched before was different. Yang Minghui and the others hadn’t shown up, thereby forfeiting their right to a defense. Additionally, the case facts were clear and the evidence was sufficient. Thus, the verdict was announced in court in less than half an hour.
Afterward, he took the seniors and Wang Dachui back to the nursing home.
「Meanwhile.」
In the court’s detention room, Liu Qiang, Lin Lan, and the six others were placed there after the trial ended. This would be their residence during the trial proceedings. Before the trial, they had stayed in the detention center. During the trial, they would spend their time in the court’s detention room. Until their sentencing was complete... they would be transferred to an official prison—the only institution legally authorized to detain them. There, they could "enjoy" such "benefits" as a healthy routine, daily labor, security patrols, and making new friends.
Bo Xingxian looked at his eight clients and said earnestly, "Rest well here. I will fight for your maximum rights."
However, a trace of worry clouded his features. Zhang Wei’s reputation in Jin City was not insignificant; his defense skills were certainly no less than his own. He had to search for documents overnight, striving to find new defense arguments to protect his clients’ interests.
As for Liu Qiang, Lin Lan, and the others... after a day in court, they all seemed rather dejected and disheartened.
Especially after seeing Liang Shuqi’s true colors, their hearts grew cold. They had always prided themselves on treating people genuinely and empathizing with the delivery driver. Yet the delivery driver had repeatedly called them "meddlesome saints."
"People like that really don’t deserve sympathy. I shouldn’t have commented online..." Seventeen-year-old Lin Lan squatted on the ground, hugging her knees, curled into a ball. Sobs choked her.
When the police found her, she still felt she hadn’t done anything wrong. But after being in court... she realized that matters were far more complex than she had imagined. The "truth" she had seen in the video had omitted many details. Liang Shuqi was over an hour late and hadn’t explained the reason to the customer. But these details... were never mentioned in the video. And she, ignorant of the actual situation, had foolishly joined the online commentary, directly violating criminal law! Liang Shuqi’s behavior in court had deeply stung her, leaving her filled with immense regret. But there’s no medicine for regret in this world.
Bo Xingxian looked at the sobbing Lin Lan and couldn’t help but console her, "Young lady, try not to worry too much. Your legal position is quite clear; you won’t have to go to prison."
At the same time, he also looked at the other seven. Lin Lan was the only minor among his clients and was eligible for the special consideration given to minors, one of the statutory grounds for a lighter sentence. But the other seven... were not so lucky. If they were deemed principal offenders, then Liu Qiang, who first suggested spitting, would undoubtedly bear the primary responsibility. According to criminal law, instigators are treated as accomplices and punished based on their role as either a principal offender or an accessory. They were all accomplices in the crime of poisoning. A sentence of three to ten years is the mandatory provision under criminal law for this.