MWC – Chapter 177 Thriving

I AM DROPPING THIS NOVEL. IF ANYONE WANTS TO CONTINUE THEY CAN. IF POSSIBLE PLEASE SHARE THE LINK SO I CAN BINGE READ TOO.

The conference room on the top floor of the Newscat Grand Hotel.

On Lu Ming’s side, it was still him and his three disciples, accompanied by Bi Xiaoting.

Across from them sat a row of people.

Zheng Zhongshi was a short, stocky man with a dark complexion and a fierce air about him. He was uneducated and exuded a natural intimidation, typical of the rough-and-tumble world of horse stables. Training horses often required a harsh demeanor—not just toward the animals but also toward apprentices, who were often subjected to both verbal and physical abuse. This was the culture of stables, where sabotage from rival stables, such as poisoning competitors’ horses, was once commonplace.

His representative lawyer had been replaced by a high-ranking attorney, Manila, a man in his fifties with graying brown hair, a hooked nose, and piercing hawk-like eyes. Like Silva, Manila was from the prestigious Johnson-Smith-Stewart law firm and had brought along a team of junior lawyers as his assistants.

Lu Ming, who had previously sparred with top lawyers from both Reid & Co. and Johnson-Smith-Stewart in economic cases, was meeting Manila for the first time. Manila, however, was renowned as an outstanding criminal defense attorney, and Lu Ming was well aware of his reputation.

At this moment, Zheng Zhongshi’s eyelid twitched as he stared at the settlement agreement handed over by the imposing woman on the other side of the table.

The settlement had three main terms:

1. Compensation of 300,000 yuan to Bi Xiaoting for the emotional trauma and related damages she had suffered.
2. Compensation of 100,000 yuan for the abuse of Miss Jennifer’s racehorse, to account for the harm caused to her.
3. A public apology, including an acknowledgment that Zheng Zhongshi was unfit to be a trainer, and the transfer of his stable to a successor designated by Miss Jennifer.

“The stable—who do you want me to transfer it to?” Zheng Zhongshi gritted his teeth, glaring at Lu Ming.

Lu Ming didn’t respond, seemingly engrossed in reviewing the pile of documents on the table. He wasn’t merely posturing; it was as if he truly didn’t consider this negotiation to be a priority and was just there to make an appearance.

“Mr. Zheng, I believe you’ve misunderstood our position,” Tong Xiao’e spoke calmly, quickly deducing what was going through Zheng Zhongshi’s mind. “We haven’t reached any private agreements with other trainers, nor have we held any secret discussions. We will respect Miss Jennifer’s decision on the matter. Allowing her to select your successor is part of the apology owed to her.”

Her tone was gentle but firm, her words calculated to dispel suspicion.

Zheng Zhongshi, upon hearing this, snorted in disbelief. His first thought upon seeing the agreement was that some rival had colluded with the other party to utterly crush him.

Manila, meanwhile, frowned as he reviewed the settlement document. “If this case goes to court, my client may not necessarily be convicted of kidnapping. Therefore, compensation for Ms. Bi can be set at around 10,000 yuan, which would save everyone the trouble of litigation. The amount can be negotiated further, but there’s room for discussion. As for Miss Jennifer’s horse, if there’s any liability for compensation, isn’t that covered by Golden Peace Insurance? And the third condition is simply absurd.”

At this, Tie Xiaojia pushed a document across the table. “This is a draft proposal my mentor is about to submit to the Northgate Council. You should already be aware that my mentor is one of the five city council members in Northgate and wields significant influence in the council. A proposal that is apolitical in nature, like this one, is very likely to pass without opposition.”

Manila picked up the document and shook his head. It outlined provisions related to animal cruelty legislation, which was beginning to take root in some parts of the empire.

One satellite town in Donghai had already enacted such legislation.

Seeing Manila shake his head, Tie Xiaojia quickly added, “While new laws are generally not retroactive, exceptions can be made. Furthermore, you might want to look at this.”

She slid a few more pages across the table.

Manila glanced at them and immediately furrowed his brows, stealing a look at Zheng Zhongshi.

The pages contained a copy of testimony from one of Zheng Zhongshi’s stable hands. The testimony revealed that in Zheng’s stables, there had been an unwritten rule: for horses that struggled to perform, Zheng would instruct stable hands to deliberately manipulate their diet and care, hastening their demise. In some cases, they were even given slow-acting poisons to weaken them quickly.

This was done to free up space, as each stable was limited to 80 slots. Owners who paid standard fees per the contract but had horses that Zheng deemed unpromising were quietly dealt with to maintain the stable’s success rate and revenue. By eliminating low-performing horses, Zheng ensured his stable’s overall quality remained high.

Tie Xiaojia scoffed, “I doubt Golden Peace Insurance would consider itself obligated to cover any damages once it reviews this testimony.” She added, “Even if your client avoids conviction for animal cruelty, public opinion has already turned against him. We will also collaborate with all the horse owners who have suffered losses to file a class-action lawsuit. These horses are private property, and their combined value is substantial. Your client won’t just face charges for property damage but likely aggravated destruction of property as well!”

“Originally, this testimony was solely related to Miss Jennifer’s case. We could have easily reached a settlement with you for Miss Bi’s case first and then addressed this new one afterward…”

Manila’s expression changed. Indeed, such a move wouldn’t violate any rules, but it would trap both him and his client in a dangerous predicament. They could barely negotiate the compensation for Bi Xiaoting’s case down to a tolerable limit, only for the other side to suddenly unleash this new case, leaving them defenseless.

Tie Xiaojia continued, “That’s why, Attorney Manila, my mentor is extending the greatest goodwill and sincerity to you and your client, hoping to resolve these issues as quickly as possible.”

Manila fell silent. In a way, the young woman was right. If he were handling the two cases, he would certainly address them one at a time, using the opportunity to strike an overwhelming blow against the opposition.

However, Lu Qianxing’s attitude was insufferable. He barely even acknowledged Manila or his client, as if they weren’t worth his time. Yet, it was clear that his disciples were operating under meticulous instructions—everything they said and every step they took had been planned with precision.

“Attorney Manila, I think you now need time to have a thorough discussion with your client,” Tie Xiaojia said, standing up. “There’s a quiet room nearby. I’ll take you and your team there.”

At that moment, Lu Ming, who was busy signing documents, glanced up and smiled. “Attorney Manila, I’m sorry, one of my companies is experiencing some issues. By the way, I’ve always admired your expertise in evidence presentation. It’s something I’ve struggled with. Once this case is over, perhaps we can have a chat?”

“Sure, I hope we’ll have the chance,” Manila replied, nodding. For some reason, despite Lu Ming not even getting up from his seat, Manila felt a bit more at ease.

Human psychology is peculiar that way. When someone who had been treating you like air suddenly acknowledges you, even if it’s just empty pleasantries, it feels like respect—especially when that someone carries significant weight themselves.