Are You Crazy? He’s only an Intern Lawyer?
Chapter 183 - 181: Mo Yuzhu Goes to Court? The Confrontation with Lan Gaojian

Chapter 183: Chapter 181: Mo Yuzhu Goes to Court? The Confrontation with Lan Gaojian

Courtroom scene.

As Lan Zhengye made his opening statement clearly and forcefully, the direction of the courtroom naturally inclined toward the prosecution.

It was a clever stratagem of Lan Gaojian.

If they allowed witnesses to testify, then the defense would have the opportunity to cross-examine and refute the prosecution’s claims.

But if the prosecutor himself made the statement, then the defense would have no chance to speak.

That’s because cross-examination is only aimed at the prosecution’s witnesses, not the prosecution itself.

This was the tactic Zhang Wei applied when he let Lin Yumeng take on Professor Mo during the Harper Cigar case.

Lin Yumeng’s opening statement had nearly blocked all of Professor Mo’s moves, but the latter could do nothing but watch helplessly.

And now, Zhang Wei found himself on the receiving end of this treatment, attacked by Lan Zhengye’s opening statement, but unable to counterattack.

After Lan Gaojian concluded his statement, he didn’t immediately call witnesses but glanced at Zhang Wei.

"This head-on blow should put some pressure on the lad, right?"

Unfortunately for him, the response he anticipated did not manifest.

Zhang Wei was also looking at him, smiling.

The corners of his mouth lifted ever so slightly, a "friendly" smile.

"Is he feigning composure, or is he truly unfazed?"

Lan Zhengye couldn’t be sure. Zhang Wei’s expression was ambiguous.

But that did not prevent him from maintaining the upper hand.

Didn’t he see that even those among the jurors who had reservations now all stood on his side?

Now, again in our favor!

From the gallery.

"What should we do? Master is at a disadvantage!"

Lin Yumeng was the first to sense the problem.

"Don’t panic, young Zhang Wei has plenty of tricks up his sleeve. We must remain calm!"

Tie Ruyun shook his head, trying to reassure her, but his face betrayed a hint of uncertainty.

After all, their opponent this time was a senior prosecutor from the Procuratorate Headquarters, and they too were capable.

"Indeed, Lan Gaojian has pinned down Zhang Wei!"

Zhao Chunming, watching the changes in the court, couldn’t help nodding in approval.

He was a person arranged by the district attorney, far more effective than those under him in the past.

For that opening statement alone, he was tempted to give a score of nine out of ten, withholding one to prevent arrogance.

The rookies around him and behind him were all taking notes word by word, and some were even silently mouthing the words as if repeating the recent statement.

The gallery was abuzz, and many reporters were visibly excited.

"Heh, looks like Zhang Wei is going to lose face today!"

"Exactly, he’s got a grudge against us media folks. Can’t wait to see how he goes down today!"

"Once he loses, we’ll see how we play him!"

This bunch of journalists naturally loved chaos, and the prospect of seeing their nemesis Zhang Wei in trouble was as exciting as a festival for them.

In the entire gallery, probably only Zhao Qingyan remained silent.

Without uttering a word, he watched the proceedings intently.

On the defense bench.

"Lawyer Zhang, why do I feel that something is not right?"

After all, Fang Yunshu was a woman, and after the incidents of her ex-husband’s stalking and tracking, she became extra sensitive.

Any slight commotion in the courtroom immediately triggered her alarm.

"Don’t worry, it’s just the beginning. We have plenty of chances to change all this!"

Zhang Wei quickly reassured her and gestured for Fang Yunshu to remain calm.

This had only just begun. If you were already panicking now, what would you do when the prosecution presents its evidence and conducts cross-examination later?

"Thank you, Prosecutor Lan, for your statement. Now I would like to ask, are you going to summon a witness?"

Judge Chen seemed quite unfazed and leisurely asked a question.

"Of course, Your Honor!"

With a nod, Lan Zhengye announced, "The prosecution calls Mo Yuzhu, a trainee coroner from the Investigative Science Medical Examiner’s Office, to testify in court!"

Upon hearing the name of the first witness, Zhang Wei was slightly startled.

Good grief!

Of all people to summon, it had to be Mo Yuzhu.

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Mo Yuzhu walked to the witness stand in a black suit.

Although her complexion was somewhat unhealthily pale and her hair tips were disordered, showing signs of sleep deprivation,

she still left a good impression when dressed formally.

"Witness, please tell us your role in this case!"

Lan Zhengye approached the witness stand and smiled at Mo Yuzhu.

Mo Yuzhu answered with a cold face, mechanically, "I am the autopsy officer for this case, responsible for examining the body of the deceased, Zeng Xiang, and a member of the Procuratorate Headquarters’ Forensic Office!"

"Thank you for your answer. Then, may I ask, you should be very clear about the injuries on the deceased, Zeng Xiang, right?"

"Of course!"

"Have you read the scene investigation report from the forensic science division?"

"I have!"

"Then please tell us, what kind of pain did the deceased Zeng Xiang suffer before his death?"

Upon hearing this question, Mo Yuzhu thought for a moment and then summarized, "He was shot in the knee in the kitchen and then, enduring severe pain in the leg, crawled over a distance of 30 meters to the staircase of the house. During this period, he was hit by four arrows. The first two only grazed him and weren’t much of an issue, but the last two penetrated the subcutaneous flesh and caused heavy bleeding. His body, briefly dehydrated from the severe traumatic stimulus, was already collapsing, it was the desire to survive that sparked his potential."

As Mo Yuzhu spoke, she glanced at Zhang Wei in the defense bench and sighed, "But the most fatal was the last arrow, which pierced the temple and severed the ’superficial temporal artery,’ leading to extensive intracranial bleeding!"

"Witness, was the victim in a lot of pain when he was hit by the last arrow?"

"After the superficial temporal artery was severed, the victim didn’t die immediately but fell into a brief unconsciousness before dying due to excessive blood loss. However, the moment the arrow penetrated the temple, the pain would have been intense. One could imagine the agony akin to a steel needle piercing the brain—it was that sort of pain!"

Hearing what Mo Yuzhu said, several women in the jury showed signs of distress, and a few men shook their heads.

Just the thought of such pain was uncomfortable, let alone what the victim had gone through.

Lan Zhengye was very pleased with this effect and immediately raised his voice, "In that case, the defendant could be considered to have tortured the victim, her conduct is equivalent to that of an abuser!"

"Objection, Your Honor!"

Zhang Wei also reacted promptly, standing up, "The prosecution is leading the witness to speculate. My client is not an abuser!"

"Objection sustained!"

Judge Chen nodded, somewhat approving of Zhang Wei’s response.

Facing Lan Zhengye’s sudden move, Zhang Wei not only objected promptly but also specifically reiterated the position, which could be considered the best solution.

If it were an average lawyer, they might only shout "objection" and fail to immediately refute the suggestion that their client was an abuser. This could cause the jury to associate the words "client" and "abuser."

"A good reaction!"

Lan Zhengye muttered to himself and quickly apologized, "I apologize, Your Honor. I retract my previous statement!"

"Prosecutor Lan, do you have any further questions?"

"Your Honor, I have no more questions for this witness at the moment. However, I would like to make one point clear, is that permissible?"

Seeing that Lan Zhengye was about to finish questioning, but still had a request,

Judge Chen hesitated but still showed favor to the Procuratorate Headquarters and nodded in agreement.

"Thank you!"

After expressing his gratitude, Prosecutor Lan approached Mo Yuzhu and explained, "Mo Yuzhu is the prosecution’s first witness, but her professionalism is beyond doubt. There’s a saying that great teachers produce great students, and the witness’s mother happens to be Madam Yang Chunyuan, the foremost forensic expert of Dongfang Capital!"

"If the defense wishes to challenge our witness’s professionalism, then I can clearly state to everyone that as a member of the Forensic Office, Mo Yuzhu’s knowledge and professional expertise are unassailable!"

Once Lan Zhengye had finished speaking, he nodded to the judge and jury, confidently returned to the prosecution bench.

"Good grief, this is another precaution against me!"

Seeing Lan Zhengye’s confident smile, Zhang Wei knew the opponent’s intent.

Generally speaking, if the defense wants to attack the prosecution’s witnesses when the evidence and testimony don’t have significant issues, the only options are to question the witness’s character or their professionalism.

The final move by Lan Zhengye effectively eliminated the possibility for Zhang Wei to attack the witness’s professionalism.

If you attack Mo Yuzhu’s professionalism, it’s like questioning the authority of Ms. Yang, the city’s top forensic expert.

It must be said, Lan Zhengye’s move was like setting a trap for Zhang Wei.

As for questioning character, Lan Zhengye had done his homework in advance. Mo Yuzhu had almost no social interactions with outsiders, except for a good relationship with a female colleague from the Martial Association. She had always been in the forensic office, maintaining a clean record.

Moreover, her father is a council member of Dongfang Capital City. If Zhang Wei really wanted to attack Mo Yuzhu’s character, he would likely make an enemy of Councilor Mo.

So, when Lan Zhengye summoned Mo Yuzhu, it was like planting two landmines for Zhang Wei.

He couldn’t wait to watch Zhang Wei step on them.

"Alright, now it’s your turn. Let’s see what you’ll do, whether you attack the witness’s character or her professionalism, whether you offend Councilor Mo or Forensic Yang..."

In the midst of Lan Zhengye’s anticipation, Zhang Wei stood up and walked to the witness stand.

He was about to start his cross-examination.

"Hello, Dr. Mo Yuzhu, we meet again!"

"Hello, Zhang Wei!"

Although Mo Yuzhu’s expression remained unchanged, her tone was slightly warmer than the one she used when speaking with Lan Zhengye earlier.

"Hm, they know each other?" Lan Zhengye’s gaze flickered as he watched the two in the courtroom.

Mo Yuzhu and Zhang Wei know each other? How was he unaware of this?

From the public records of the Martial Association, there was no information about their previous collaboration.

Of course he didn’t know because the connection between Mo Yuzhu and Zhang Wei was through Xia Qianyue—an intimate relationship that wouldn’t appear in public records.

"Prosecutor Lan just now suggested that I would attack your professionalism. Do you think I would do that?"

"I’m not you, how would I know?"

Although Mo Yuzhu responded, a warning flashed in her eyes.

If you dare ask, don’t force me to speak carelessly. If I say something wrong, you bear the consequences!

Zhang Wei certainly wasn’t going to attack Mo Yuzhu. Instead, he asked, "Since Dr. Mo is a professional from the medical examiner’s office, can you tell me if a person would feel severe pain if struck in the knee by an arrow?"

"Of course, if the arrow pierces the bone, it would cause unbearable pain!"

"Then, under the stimulus of severe pain, is it possible for a person to behave irrationally?"

"Yes, quite a lot!"

Mo Yuzhu answered Zhang Wei’s question with professional candor, "Under the stimulus of severe pain, a person can lose their moral compass and even their reason. They are unable to distinguish right from wrong and can act without thought."

"Because, at that time, their brain is only processing the severe pain reaching it. The body only cares about the pain in the knee, unable to make rational judgments about anything else!"

Zhang Wei nodded in satisfaction, then asked, "Then is it also possible that the severe pain didn’t render Zeng Xiang immobile, but instead triggered his aggressive instinct?"

"Yes, severe pain can even stimulate the body’s potential, unleashing multiple times the strength!" Mo Yuzhu affirmed with a nod.

"Oh, I see. So, are you saying that if my client shot the first arrow and hit Zeng Xiang, there is a high likelihood he would have posed a significant threat, which is why my client had no choice but to fire the second arrow, the third arrow, and even the subsequent fourth, fifth, and sixth arrows..."

"Objection, leading the witness to speculate!"

Seeing Zhang Wei steer the courtroom atmosphere with his questioning, Lan Zhengye immediately objected.

"Your Honor, the defense firmly believes there was no leading element in my previous question. It was merely a logical inference based on Dr. Mo Yuzhu’s professional response," Zhang Wei defended.

"Moreover, Prosecutor Lan has just pointed out that Dr. Mo Yuzhu is the daughter of the city’s top forensic expert. Her professional credibility is beyond doubt. I haven’t questioned her professionalism, have I?"

After hesitating for a moment, Judge Chen nodded to Zhang Wei, "Objection overruled, the defense may continue questioning."

Lan Zhengye frowned slightly but quickly sat down.

Although this brief skirmish put him at a disadvantage.

But Zhang Wei was only speculating, and the likelihood of the jurors believing his speculation was not high.

Lan Zhengye clearly felt that even with the objection overruled, it was not a major issue.

In the courtroom, Zhang Wei continued his questioning.

"Dr. Mo, please tell me, how are Zeng Xiang’s physical stats?"

"Zeng Xiang is 174cm tall, weighs 61kg, and has well-proportioned muscles. He likely exercises regularly!"

"And what about my client, Ms. Fang Yunshu?"

Mo Yuzhu hurriedly glanced at the defendant’s dock and made a judgment, "The defendant appears to be between 155-160 cm in height and definitely weighs less than 100 kg, relatively slender and weak!"

"Then Dr. Mo, in your judgment, if two people of such stature encountered each other in a relatively closed environment, may I ask who poses a greater threat to whom?"

"Of course, the male poses a greater threat to the female. In any physical conflict, the male almost always has the advantage, while the female is at a disadvantage!"

"Thank you for your response. Now, if you will permit me to digress for a moment, you also reviewed the records of the Forensic Science department. Based on what you saw, was there any evidence of a third person present at my client’s home?"

"No!" Mo Yuzhu shook her head.

Zhang Wei smiled with satisfaction and then addressed the jury,"Doesn’t this mean that my client’s home qualifies as a closed environment and, in such an environment, if my client encountered Zeng Xiang, then she would be absolutely at a disadvantage? She just happened to return home from work, so if threatened by Zeng Xiang, wouldn’t she be completely unprepared!"

"This..."

Upon hearing Zhang Wei’s question, Mo Yuzhu was slightly startled.

"Objection, leading the witness to speculate!"

Fortunately, Lan Zhengye "timely" rose to his feet, righteously protesting.

"Objection sustained!"

This time, Judge Chen did not indulge Zhang Wei; the objection was indeed valid.

"I apologize, Your Honor, I retract my previous question, although what I said may be true, it was still speculation, my mistake!"

Zhang Wei apologized openly, but in reality, he was reminding the jury that what he had just said could be true.

Lan Zhengye’s eyes flickered slightly, annoyed that Zhang Wei was overstepping the mark.

Judge Chen cast a warning glance but did not say much more.

However, he then looked at Li Qinghua with a glance that seemed to say: "Your son-in-law is rather bold, isn’t he!"

Li Qinghua’s mouth turned bitter. She really wanted to grab the recording equipment in front of her and smash it on Zhang Wei’s face, but unfortunately, she couldn’t.

"Thank you, Dr. Mo, for your answers. The defense has no further questions!"

Zhang Wei also finished his questioning. The effect was nebulous at best, but at least there had been some shift in perspective.

Mo Yuzhu carefully stepped down from the witness stand, but her heart felt warm.

Because only Zhang Wei, from beginning to end, addressed her as Dr. Mo, which was the greatest recognition for her.

She nodded at Zhang Wei, and after their eyes met, she mouthed the words "good luck."

Zhang Wei smiled; this encouragement from a teammate was so unexpected and yet so comforting.

After Mo Yuzhu left, Zhang Wei began to observe the jury.

Although most jurors still held hostility towards the defendant, Fang Yunshu, a few carefully selected by him showed a hint of doubt.

Clearly, Zhang Wei’s declaration had had an effect.

Had Fang Yunshu encountered Zeng Xiang in the closed kitchen because Zeng Xiang was attempting to assault her, forcing Fang Yunshu to resist and, out of necessity, kill him?

And after being hit by the first arrow, could Zeng Xiang’s intense pain have caused him to make an even more dangerous move, prompting Fang Yunshu to shoot the second and third arrows?

Furthermore, it’s possible that Zeng Xiang’s struggle to crawl out of the house was because Fang Yunshu was still not sure she was out of danger, leading her to shoot the last arrow.

After all, a woman of frail stature has likely been frightened as well and could not make an accurate judgment.

The seed of doubt had been planted...

At the prosecution’s table, Lan Zhengye also noticed a slight change in the jury.

"The first witness didn’t have much of an impact, which is a pity because she is the daughter of Councilor Mo and Forensic Yang. I can’t rashly question her!"

Although bringing in Mo Yuzhu was a trap Lan Zhengye set for Zhang Wei, it also limited his own performance.

Seeing that the first witness wasn’t effective, Lan Zhengye immediately stood up.

"Your Honor, the prosecution requests the summoning of the second witness to the stand!"

Judge Chen naturally had no objections.

Following Lan Zhengye’s call, the second witness appeared—a middle-aged woman wearing a field service uniform.

"What’s going on here, another forensic pathologist, another field operative? Why not call other witnesses?"

Zhang Wei was slightly surprised to see that the witnesses taking the stand were related to the Martial Association.

But he knew that Lan Zhengye’s tactics weren’t just that simple.

What he had to do today was to counter each move as it came!