Chapter 73: The Trembling Lü Guangjun! |
Outside the courtroom, by the main entrance.
"What''s going on in there? Why does it sound like they''re arguing!?"
"There''s bound to be arguing in this kind of case. The fiercer the better; otherwise, who will defend the rights of the deceased..."
"But an intense argument means the defense also has a solid basis..."
In the corridor.
The crowd of reporters gazed at the tightly shut doors of the Second Courtroom.
A restless murmur rippled through them; they simply couldn''t hold back their questions any longer.
After a long moment, the few reporters standing at the very front suddenly widened their eyes and blurted out, "I heard it! The defense is claiming legitimate self-defense!"
Following those words, the corridor fell silent for a few seconds before erupting into an uproar.
"Damn it... Come to think of it, legitimate self-defense is impossible, but excessive defense is highly likely!"
"Are you joking? If it''s really ruled as excessive defense, do you know what the maximum sentence is!?"
"Three years... and a fucking suspended sentence at that! The kind where they just brush themselves off and go right back to school!"
The crowd was stunned.
They were reporters. They usually followed cases for their performance quotas, so in theory, they should act as mere recording devices.
But then again...
Reporters were human too!
As long as they were human, they had beating hearts—not to mention that most reporters in 2002 still possessed a sense of justice. The modern trend of doing whatever it took for traffic and marketing had not yet taken hold.
Therefore, even though they were only here to record the case...
They couldn''t help but feel enraged by the details!
If they could cast aside their identities as reporters, they would love nothing more than to curse out Liu Jingqi, Jiang Yu, and Qiao Wang to their faces and demand the judge sentence them to death!
Unfortunately, they weren''t judges, and they couldn''t just cast aside their identities.
The crowd fell into a grim silence until an abrupt voice rang out, interrupting their thoughts.
"Make way, please don''t interfere with the order of the trial."
Everyone instinctively moved to the sides of the corridor.
Looking up, they saw two bailiffs escorting a middle-aged man toward the courtroom.
As he passed through the crowd, the middle-aged man lowered his head, his heart pounding with panic.
It wasn''t until he entered the courtroom that the crowd finally snapped back to their senses.
That person was...
"A witness?"
A reporter frowned, muttering under his breath. If he was a witness... whose side was he testifying for?
Inside the Second Courtroom.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, Lü Guangjun was led by the bailiffs to the witness stand, standing right at the center of attention.
Feeling the intense gaze of the three judges from the high bench, Lü Guangjun swallowed hard, feeling a mountain of pressure bearing down on his shoulders...
"Presiding Judge, the witness has arrived in court!"
At the defense bench, Zhang Wei looked at Zhang Bingxin and said, "Regarding any doubts about our claims, you may question the witness normally."
Everyone''s gaze locked onto Lü Guangjun.
The prosecution frowned slightly. Wang Mang and Huang Shi thought back to their interrogation of the man just a few days ago.
As the teacher of the deceased, Lü Guangjun had naturally been interviewed by the police and prosecutors more than once.
But during those previous sessions...
He had never brought up any of the issues the defense was now raising!
What... what was going on?
The judge, however, had no idea what was going through their minds.
Zhang Bingxin didn''t waste time. Seeing the man at the witness stand, he directly held up the notebook in his hand.
"Witness, do you know who owns the notebook in my hand?"
Notebook?
Hearing this, Lü Guangjun looked up. He stared at the familiar notebook for a long moment before finally saying, "I know. It belongs to Yang Jiale."
It really was Yang Jiale''s!
At the prosecution bench, Huang Shi''s heart skipped a beat.
Presiding Judge Zhang Bingxin continued, "Please tell the court, from where was this notebook collected? And how did you confirm it belongs to the deceased, Yang Jiale?"
Lü Guangjun replied, "I personally confiscated it in September."
"It was during the monthly exams, but student Yang wasn''t answering the questions. When I got closer, I saw her continuously venting her emotions in the notebook..."
"I was alarmed, so I confiscated it."
"I originally intended to return it to her after graduation, but who would have thought... she would have an accident on the 17th."
As he spoke, there was a noticeable tremor in Lü Guangjun''s voice.
If one didn''t listen closely, it sounded very much like sorrow.
"From September. Emotions that surfaced a month before the incident..."
On the bench, the three judges frowned and exchanged quiet words.
After a moment of thought, Zhang Bingxin looked at Lü Guangjun again and asked.
"Witness, please answer this."
"How much do you know about the relationship between the deceased, Yang Jiale, and the defendant, Liu Jingqi?"
The moment that question dropped, the eyes of everyone in the room instantly zeroed in on Lü Guangjun.
Even the reporters outside the doors, who could only faintly hear what was going on, put on serious expressions and strained their ears to listen.
Lü Guangjun took a deep breath, then spoke in a low, heavy voice. "They..."
"The conflict was initially started by student Yang. I remember it very clearly."
"It was a Monday shortly after they started their senior year. Student Yang claimed she was sick and didn''t go to watch the flag-raising ceremony. After the class was dismissed, student Liu Jingqi found that the pocket money she had left in her desk had completely disappeared."
"Eventually, it was found on Yang Jiale..."
"From then on, a conflict arose between the two."
In other words...
Theft!?
Everyone''s expressions changed, showing varying degrees of shock and concern.
The prosecution looked grave, the three prosecutors breathing heavily.
If the conflict had truly started like this, it indirectly suggested that Yang Jiale''s character was flawed.
What could this prove?
It proved nothing on its own.
But it could serve as corroborating evidence for the notebook and the claim of "subjective intent to kill" that followed!
"This..."
A trace of hesitation flashed through Zhang Bingxin''s eyes. He couldn''t quite make up his mind.
Until...
"Objection!"
It was from the representative''s seat again!
Xu De suddenly spoke up loudly once more, drawing everyone''s gaze. Once he had their full attention, he stated, "Presiding Judge, my side has some doubts regarding the witness and requests to cross-examine him!"
At the defense bench, the lawyers exchanged glances. A hint of solemnity appeared between their brows, but they said nothing.
The three prosecutors suppressed their urge to raise their hands for cross-examination, waiting to see what he would do.
Zhang Bingxin and Lu Guowei exchanged a glance, then nodded.
"Allowed."
As the word fell, Lü Guangjun looked toward the representative''s seat, only to see Xu De in his black suit staring straight at him.
Those eyes made his heart race with panic, forcing him to instinctively avert his gaze in sudden nervousness.
"Witness!"
"I have three questions for you."
"First, regarding the notebook... when you confiscated it in September, are you certain that the aforementioned text was already written inside!?"
Xu De suddenly threw out a question that left the people in the room somewhat bewildered.
What text?
Naturally, the emotional venting telling Liu Jingqi to go die.
But... what was there to doubt about this? Everyone knew the judicial authorities could verify if the handwriting belonged to the person and determine the timeframe of the writing.
Furthermore...
What did he mean by having three questions to ask!?
The judge had only asked Lü Guangjun two questions, and it hadn''t even been two minutes since his replies, yet this guy could already pick out three different angles to question him on!?
The seven lawyers on the defense team were cursing under their breath.
At the same time, they finally understood why someone had evaluated the "court trial" ability on Xu De''s six-dimensional chart as maxed out.
But cursing aside, the defense decided to wait and see what would happen.
At the witness stand.
Lü Guangjun''s heart rate began to accelerate. His throat bobbed as he swallowed his saliva, and he replied, "I am certain."
Almost the instant he uttered those words, Xu De''s voice rang out again.
"Good!"
He furrowed his brows, his gaze growing even sharper, as if he had been waiting specifically for this answer.
Immediately after, Xu De pressed his counter-question.
"Then let me ask you..."
"From the monthly exams in September until Yang Jiale''s death on November 17th, nearly three months had passed."
"And you, as the homeroom teacher of Yang Jiale''s class at the 18th Academy, knowing that there was a deep and irreconcilable conflict between the two parties..."
"What did you do?"
"For nearly three months, please tell me, why did you do absolutely nothing!?"
The moment those words dropped, it was as if Lü Guangjun had been struck where it hurt most.
His pupils shrank drastically, and his chest tightened violently, as if a large, invisible hand had seized his heart.
Exactly.
If this notebook was confiscated in September... then there were nearly three months leading up to her death.
This was a full three months of blank time. Any normal teacher, upon seeing a student in such a state, would absolutely sit down and patiently communicate with both sides.
If that failed, they would contact the parents.
At the very least, they would discuss changing classes or transferring schools.
Not do absolutely nothing!!!
"I..."
"I..."
Lü Guangjun was at a loss for words. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and he clutched the hem of his shirt, his palms slick with sweat.
Xu De had changed...
In his eyes, the lawyer questioning him had turned into a man-eating beast. His aura was entirely unlike anything a normal human could exude!
Although the pressure he''d placed on him last time was also immense, right now... it could only be described as sheer oppression!
"Please tell the court, why!?" Xu De''s gaze grew ever sharper, piercing like a cold blade.
At the defense bench.
Zhang Wei and Sun Bing instantly realized this was a loophole caused by failing to properly align their testimonies, and they immediately moved to patch it.
"Presiding Judge!"
"The representative is asking about matters unrelated to the case and is causing emotional distress to the witness. This is greatly affecting the progress of the trial!"
"My side requests that representative Xu De recuse himself from this case!"
Zhang Wei spoke forcefully, using recusal as grounds to cover for Lü Guangjun.
Sun Bing supplemented from the side, adding the legal basis.
"Whether the witness committed a dereliction of duty, or whether he failed to fulfill his responsibilities, has absolutely nothing to do with this case!"
After speaking, Sun Bing glared at him with a dark expression.
Xu De''s angle was tricky, shifting everyone''s perspective away from Liu Jingqi and Yang Jiale, and redirecting it onto Lü Guangjun.
What would this cause?
It would destroy Lü Guangjun''s credibility!
The very foundation of their excessive defense plea was built entirely around Lü Guangjun!
If his credibility plummeted, would the judge still accept his testimony and the notebook?
Zhang Bingxin realized this as well.
He hesitated for a moment, looked at Xu De, and said, "Representative, please do not ask questions unrelated to the case."
If this were a normal court, this kind of questioning—suspected of interfering with the witness''s emotions—would typically get a lawyer kicked out on the spot!
Yet he hadn''t even issued a formal warning, which was exceptionally lenient. After all, the circumstances of this case were unique. If the representative was removed... it would only make things worse for Yang Huan.
But Xu De did not appreciate the leniency at all.
He looked at the judge, frowned, shook his head, and said bluntly, "Judge!"
"My side is conducting a standard line of questioning. While the bench has the right to question my approach, please wait until I have finished my questions before making a judgment!"
"Defense, please do not interrupt the rhythm of my questioning."
"That includes the judge!"
These words hit the room like a bomb.
Never mind the judge and the defense; even prosecutors Huang Shi, Zhang Qing, and Wang Mang couldn''t help but turn their heads, their eyes wide as they stared at this "teammate" beside them.
It was their first time seeing something like this in decades... No, they had never even heard of such a thing!
In a criminal court, a representative lawyer was actually lecturing the presiding judge!
Arrogant... far too arrogant!!!
Xu De, however, just took a deep breath, turned back to Lü Guangjun with a cold sneer, and continued, "Second."
"Regarding the alleged theft by Yang Jiale, is there any objective evidence, such as surveillance footage, to support it?"
"And..."
"What was the exact amount stolen!?"
The moment the words fell.
At the defense bench.
Alarm bells blared in the minds of Zhang Wei and Sun Bing. This question was obviously much sharper than the last.
But as if anticipating their move, Xu De didn''t give anyone a chance to speak. He cut them off immediately. "Do not answer verbally!"
As he spoke, he reached out to the notebook on the desk in front of him, tore out two sheets of paper with a crisp rip, and pulled out two black pens.
He then asked the court clerk to distribute the paper and pens to Lü Guangjun and Liu Jingqi.
Finally, Xu De stared straight at Lü Guangjun and the defendant, Liu Jingqi.
"I ask both parties to write down the exact amount on the paper!"
The amount...
Yes.
For a conflict point as easy to remember as theft, people would usually remember the amount involved. This wasn''t a matter of good or bad memory; the human brain simply picked out the "key details" to remember.
If this theft truly occurred, then...
"Please do not communicate. Write the amount on the paper," Xu De repeated.
Hearing this, the judge did not stop him, but instead shifted his gaze to the two of them.
But unfortunately...
"I..."
Lü Guangjun held the black pen. He stared at the blank piece of paper in front of him, his face flushed red, entirely unable to write anything down.
Theft?
This was a piece of perjury fabricated entirely on the assumption that since Yang Jiale was dead, she couldn''t deny it, making it an "irrefutable" claim.
They hadn''t even thought to align the exact amount!
Now that he had to write it... how could he possibly write anything?
Just make up a number?
Lü Guangjun turned his head and looked at the defendant, Liu Jingqi.
Heaven knew what number she would write!
If he wrote one hundred and Liu Jingqi wrote ten thousand, the massive discrepancy would prove there was a problem even to the biggest fool in the room. The defendant, Liu Jingqi, realized this as well.
Her face was currently dark, her eyes glaring gloomily at Xu De. Her hand gripped the pen so tightly her knuckles turned white, looking as if she wanted to eat him alive.
Unfortunately, the only thing she received in return was...
A harsh reprimand.
"Please do not look around," Xu De ordered coldly. "Please write down the approximate amount!"
Lü Guangjun''s hand trembled around the pen. Drops of sweat rolled down his cheeks and splashed onto the paper, but he didn''t write a single digit.
Until...
"This was a year ago! How could I possibly still remember!?"
In a sudden outburst.
At the defendant''s seat, Liu Jingqi abruptly slammed her pen and paper onto the floor and shouted angrily, "You''re clearly just nitpicking and trying to find fault! Yang Jiale did steal my money back then!"
Seeing this.
The atmosphere in the entire courtroom suddenly sank.
"This..."
On the bench, the three judges exchanged thoughtful glances.
Her reaction... was a bit extreme.
The defense lawyers clenched their hands into fists, suppressing their inner anger without saying a word. They knew Liu Jingqi''s attitude wasn''t perfect, but the excuse she gave was reasonable enough, so there was no need to argue.
"Forgot?"
"That''s fine too."
Xu De smiled, completely unbothered by whether she could write down the amount or not.
Immediately after.
"Third question!!!"
Xu De''s expression suddenly tightened, his eyes narrowing, exuding an unprecedented level of aggression.
He stared at Lü Guangjun on the witness stand for a long moment before finally saying, "Witness, before the trial, on December 5th, my side visited the 18th Academy and asked you similar questions. However, the answers you gave then were completely different from what you are saying now."
"Let me ask you..."
As he spoke.
Xu De narrowed his eyes, his hand reaching beneath the desk to grip a bulging briefcase.
When was evidence most effective?
Naturally, it was when the opposing side gave a completely contradictory testimony, and you whipped it out!
Xu De demanded sternly, "Why did you change your testimony right before the trial!?"