MWC – Chapter 34 I Just Watch Quietly

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

After waiting for a while in the tea restaurant on the first floor of the Jincheng Building, Xiaocui finally arrived. Just like the last time they met, she was wearing a floral blouse, but she looked even more haggard.

“Xiaocui, on the day Second Lady Li was murdered, she asked you to give something to Li Si, but you didn’t give it to him, right?”

At the first question, Xiaocui, who had just sat down, instantly turned pale.

Lu Ming nodded, confirming his suspicion.

“What was the item that Second Lady Li wanted you to give to Li Si?” Lu Ming’s gaze turned stern. “If you don’t tell me, it could lead to Li Si’s death. Do you understand?”

“It was… it was Second Lady’s… her underwear…” Xiaocui’s eyes were filled with tears. After speaking, she covered her face and sobbed quietly. “I… I didn’t understand why it was like this. I didn’t want to give such a thing to Brother Li Si, so I threw it in the trash and just told him that Second Lady was looking for him, but I didn’t give him the item…”

Lu Ming slowly leaned back in his chair. This made sense now. Li Xiaoyan had indeed given Li Mingxuan a heads-up, suggesting that when he saw her underwear and then came to see her, it was a tacit agreement to engage intimately with her. She didn’t anticipate Li Mingxuan would reject her advances.

However, Lu Ming looked at the sobbing Xiaocui. It seemed he didn’t need to ask her more; Xiaocui probably had some affection for Li Mingxuan. After all, at that time, although Li Mingxuan was crippled, he was still very handsome. Hence, in a moment of impulsiveness, Xiaocui threw away the underwear.

“Is there any chance of finding that underwear now?” Lu Ming asked.

Xiaocui shook her head. “I… I don’t know. It’s been more than half a month, and the trash in the back alley has been cleared away…”

Lu Ming checked his watch. There was less than half an hour before the trial started, and there was no time to search.

“Xiaocui, would you be willing to testify in court and tell the truth?” Lu Ming asked.

Xiaocui hesitated, her eyes showing fear.

“Don’t worry. I can’t give you money or anything else right now, but I can promise you that during the trial, I will ensure your safety. You can stay at the Husky Hotel, and after the case is over, I’ll also arrange for you to live in a safe place.”

“I… I don’t know…” Xiaocui shook her head, clearly in a state of confusion.

“Come on, let’s go!” Lu Ming knew that if he didn’t seize the moment to get her on the witness stand, she might calm down later and be even less likely to reveal the truth she knew.

Fortunately, as the waiter who informed Li Mingxuan to go upstairs, she was already on his witness list.

Both the prosecution and defense had dozens of witnesses on their lists, but not all of them would necessarily be called to testify. Some witnesses might not even know they were on the list until they were summoned to court, where they could still refuse to testify.

For both the prosecution and defense, having a thick list of witnesses was a strategy to keep the other side guessing about what key evidence they had and what their strategies might be.

Moreover, if you don’t know what your witness will say in court, never put them on the witness stand.

This was a golden rule for lawyers.

As for Xiaocui, at the very least, she wouldn’t provide testimony harmful to Li Mingxuan.

Even if she regretted it in court and only said that she was following Second Lady’s instructions to call Li Mingxuan upstairs, it wouldn’t matter. This was already the prosecution’s initial determination of the case.

Originally, he planned to call Xiaocui to create some favorable conditions for Li Mingxuan. Now, he was even more confident in achieving this, even if the underwear incident had never happened.

…

The judge presiding over the court was named Cao Dahua, one of the most important judges in the Ninth Circuit Court, second only to Judge Li Guan in status.

He was in his fifties, with a square face, thick eyebrows, and big eyes, exuding an aura of righteousness.

The old saying, “A person’s face reflects their inner character,” sometimes holds true.

In terms of reputation, Cao Dahua was even better than Li Guan. After all, Li Guan, the eccentric old lady, often did shocking things.

Under Cao Dahua’s presiding,

First, the prosecution’s opening statement was delivered by Liu Hanming. He eloquently narrated the prosecution’s determination of the entire case process and the related chain of evidence.

Regarding Li Mingxuan, he directly described him as a “fugitive from another region, an ingrate who raped and murdered his benefactor.”

Although Lu Ming raised a strong objection, which Cao Dahua upheld, undoubtedly, these negative labels had already been implanted in the minds of the jury by Liu Hanming.

The prosecution accused Li Mingxuan of “robbery,” “rape,” and “premeditated murder.”

Premeditated murder, similar to intentional homicide, is a planned and deliberate killing.

Hearing these three charges, Lu Ming instead breathed a sigh of relief. Li Mingxuan should have a chance to be acquitted.

After Liu Hanming took his seat, Cao Dahua nodded to Lu Ming, who then slowly stood up and approached the bench, bowing slightly to the jury and the judge.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the court, members of the jury, there is no doubt that what happened to Ms. Li Xiaoyan is a tragedy. I too hope that the perpetrator will be severely punished. However, Mr. Li Haoran is not the person who should be punished. He was merely at the wrong place at the wrong time, and I will demonstrate this to you step by step. I will prove my client’s innocence.”

“Li Si,” a name that immediately gives the impression of an unscrupulous person. Therefore, Lu Ming created the more respectable name “Li Haoran” for Li Mingxuan, who was also dressed impeccably in a suit.

From his name to the first impression, all of these would influence the jury’s judgment.

“My client comes from the barbaric Northern Territory, but he is not a fugitive; he is a victim of persecution. During my conversations with him, he showed honesty and kindness. He even told me about the persecution he suffered. He said he wanted to tell you all what kind of person he is, but for his safety, I advised against it. In that dark and hopeless world, he struggled to survive, longing for the light. But he never expected that tragedy would find him again. Handsome and dashing as he was, seeking light, he was crippled by his persecutors. Yet when he finally reached the land of light, his face was disfigured. Sometimes, when I look at him, I wonder if God has abandoned him or if God wants to save him through you…”

The jury members looked at Li Mingxuan, visibly moved.

Many of them were new immigrants, specifically chosen by Liu Hanming because new immigrants tend to be more xenophobic, especially against foreign vagrants, feeling that such people tarnish the reputation of their community.

However, if they were refugees persecuted by warlords and various rulers in the Northern Territory, it would be a different story.

Especially someone who came to Donghai, crippled a leg while fleeing, and then was disfigured upon arrival, would remind many of their own hardships when they first set foot on this land, eliciting empathy.

Cao Dahua quietly watched Lu Ming, who seemed genuinely heartbroken for his client. There was an indescribable look in his eyes.

Lu Ming’s sadness was for the jury’s sake, and it was clear to Cao Dahua that he was putting on an act.

Lu Ming did not deliberately avoid Cao Dahua’s scrutiny.

Prosecutor Liu Hanming’s brow furrowed deeply. Although he hadn’t underestimated this rookie lawyer, he didn’t expect this young man to be such a good actor with such a thick skin. This was truly unexpected.

He had initially thought the rookie lawyer would use the suspect’s abuse in custody as a weapon, but that would only reinforce the perception of Li Si as a criminal in the jury’s eyes. This would only harm his case.

However, this rookie lawyer packaged his client as a symbol of resilience and a seeker of light, albeit a tragic one. This was completely different. Many new immigrants had experienced setbacks. At this moment, the most miserable representative stood before them, easily eliciting their empathy and sympathy.

Liu Hanming’s gaze towards Lu Ming grew more solemn.

At this point, Lu Ming sighed, “To each charge, I must say, my client is innocent, innocent, innocent!”

“My defense strategy is to pursue the truth and demonstrate his innocence to you all!”

“Thank you!”

Lu Ming bowed to the judge and jury, then slowly returned to his seat.

His opening statement was short and seemed to say nothing, but the effect…

Liu Hanming watched the jury’s reaction, his brow furrowing tightly.

This bastard was quite skilled at character building. His late mentor had once said that the most brilliant lawyers design the most suitable persona for their clients. Liu Hanming understood this principle, but it wasn’t until he saw this young lawyer, Lu Qianxing, that he truly grasped the meaning of those words.

This case wasn’t going to be as straightforward as he had initially thought.