Are You Crazy? He’s only an Intern Lawyer?
Chapter 225 - 224: Making the eldest uncle compromise, Zhang Wei won’t agree!

Chapter 225: Chapter 224: Making the eldest uncle compromise, Zhang Wei won’t agree!

Wednesday, the day of the court hearing.

It was now May, and the weather had turned a bit warmer.

At the entrance of the city court, the gathering crowd made the atmosphere rather heated today.

When Zhang Wei arrived at the courthouse entrance, he saw that quite a number of people had gathered here.

"Well, a simple civil case wouldn’t draw this much attention, would it?"

Zhang Wei had thought that the case of Ji Guoguo suing Xia Qianjun wouldn’t have much impact, but he clearly had miscalculated.

Just as Li Qingmu had said, William International would love for the whole world to know about this case.

Though the whole world was an exaggeration, with the energy of their law firm, making the entire Dongfang Capital aware of this matter wasn’t hard.

Thus, at the court’s entrance, a considerable number of onlookers had gathered, buzzing with discussions, all revolving around the names of Xia Qianjun and Ji Guoguo.

"I heard this Xia Qianjun just came out of the War Department and then joined the Martial Association Special Combat Team, he’s definitely an official organization member!"

"You think these people, will they use their old methods of dealing with their own people, like saying what? ’penalize with three cups of liquor, no further instances’?"

"Who knows, but I heard that the girl originally wanted to charge him with indecency, but it seems like the court wouldn’t accept it!"

"That’s exactly it, a man harasses a woman, a solid sexual crime, yet the prosecution doesn’t charge, surely they’re considering the man’s background!"

"That’s why we must stand on the side of justice, help the girl defend her interests, and fight to the end even in the face of impregnable obstacles!"

"Right, to defend the interests of victims, we must fight to the very end!"

The murmurs amongst the crowd gradually became unfavorable for Xia Qianjun.

Walking among them, Zhang Wei, without even thinking, knew that someone was guiding public opinion.

They planned to package Ji Guoguo as the victim, to garner the sympathy of the public.

"Why doesn’t anyone care about the crux of this matter, why are they all attacking my cousin?"

Indeed, at this point, public opinion no longer cared about the truth of the matter.

Whether it’s online or among the onlookers, they had convicted Xia Qianjun as the "bad guy" and Ji Guoguo as the victim.

Xia Qianjun, backed by the Martial Association and the War Department, was the powerful party, with a significant background.

And Ji Guoguo was just a frail woman with no background in Dongfang Capital, helpless and the vulnerable party.

The crowd only cared about what punishment the powerful party would receive and what benefits the vulnerable party could obtain, which matched their expectations.

The direction of online public opinion would never be true, but it would certainly gravitate towards the expectations of netizens.

They would put themselves in the place of the weaker party, thus hoping for the powerful party to suffer, which also aligned with the public’s mentality.

As for whether the powerful party was innocent, that had long ceased to be important.

The truth of the matter was never as interesting as speculating.

They just need to type a few words on their keyboards online, and they can stand at the moral high ground to pontificate and issue orders to those they see as powerful, inciting countless others to follow suit.

Why bother seeking the real truth, when it’s a thankless task?

The truth should naturally be unearthed by the investigation departments, while they only need to focus on the outcomes as soon as they’re available.

Moreover, even if they were wrong, all they needed to do was close the news page, and in a few days, they could continue gossiping as before.

As for their previous actions?

Please, isn’t the internet the place for us to vent?

We just posted a few posts, made a few comments, what’s the problem?

You want us to apologize? To delete our comments?

Give me a break, would I really throw away the traffic, the clicks, and the follows I gained?

Probably, that’s the mindset of many on the internet...

Zhang Wei took out his phone and saw on some self-media sites, some popular social community apps, everything was about reports on this case.

And among them, the posts with the highest clicks were all condemning Xia Qianjun, and many also condemned the Martial Association and the War Department.

Some of these posts had even dug up Xia Qianjun’s family background.

"No wonder this kid is so confident, his mother works at the court, his father is from the Martial Association, he has an impressive background indeed!"

"Look at this, this kid must have been causing trouble since he was young, but every time his parents would clean up after him, that’s how he developed such an arrogant character!"

"After all this, it turns out to be another case of a rich second generation, let’s see how the judge decides, if Xia Qianjun is acquitted, I’ll be the first to protest!"

"Exactly, if such a person is acquitted, it must be the organization’s connivance and protection, there must be some underhanded dealings!"

The script in the minds of the public was pretty much as follows.

They only wanted to see influential people fall and the powerless stand up, gaining enough benefits for themselves.

Because most of them were people without any background, and moreover, moving a finger on the internet didn’t take much effort.

Posting a comment, liking some news report was their way of supporting their own expectations, completely oblivious that they were fueling lies and the violence of public opinion.

"That man is here!"

All of a sudden, someone in the crowd shouted, and the flow of people surged in a certain direction.

Without a doubt, Xia Qianjun had arrived.

Only the arrival of one of the parties involved could cause such a commotion.

Zhang Wei no longer had the chance to greet his uncle, and quickly moved in the opposite direction of the crowd towards the entrance of the courthouse.

Ignoring the tumult behind him, he went straight into the courthouse’s preparation room, which was absolutely safe and where no one would disturb him.

Sitting in the preparation room and waiting for a while, Li Qingmu arrived with Xia Qianjun.

Arriving simultaneously were Li Qinghua, Xia Donghai, and Xia Qianyue, all four family members were present.

"I’m so furious, I’m going to die of rage!"

"Are those people outside insane, pointing at me and cursing!"

"They’re also calling my son a spoiled heir, a second-generation rich kid, what do they know?"

Right after sitting down, Li Qinghua couldn’t take it anymore and began to mutter non-stop.

Regrettably, though she was fuming, cursing wasn’t her forte, and after much talking, it was only somewhat grating complaining.

It was also fortunate that she didn’t go online, or else she might have exploded with anger at seeing those negative comments on social media.

"Wife, cool it, this matter will soon be over!"

Xia Donghai was a simple man, only able to offer slight consolation.

"Xia Qianjun, I know you’re under pressure, but we won’t lose this time!"

Li Qingmu also displayed the attitude of an elder, at least he was standing by Xia Qianjun’s side.

But the latter sat there without a word.

"Let’s get ready, the court session is about to start!"

Li Qingmu glanced at the time and urged.

At that moment, however, the door of the preparation room was pushed open, and a middle-aged woman in a black suit walked in.

She was carrying a briefcase, her expression was stern, her gaze sharp, and she was not one to smile lightly.

"Guider Zhou!"

Upon seeing the woman, Xia Qianjun announced her identity.

"Oh, she must be from the Special Combat Team or the military!"

Zhang Wei could tell the identity of the person at a glance, and Xia Qianjun’s words further confirmed it.

"My name is Zhou Xiaoli, I am a media spokesperson for the Martial Association, a news instructor for the Special Combat Team, and a specialist in handling emergency PR issues!"

After walking in, she introduced herself and then placed the briefcase on the table.

"Xia Qianjun, this matter has created a huge impact on public opinion, and there are many media outlets focusing on the Special Combat Team. The higher-ups’ requirement for you is to resolve your personal issues as quickly as possible and not cause even more of a stir!"

Zhou Xiaoli looked at Xia Qianjun, her tone carrying a hint of undeniable firmness.

"Madam Zhou, do you mean we should reach a settlement agreement as quickly as possible?"

"Otherwise, do you have a faster way to end this case?"

Zhou Xiaoli stood tall with an air of inevitability.

Li Qingmu’s face darkened, and Xia Qianjun’s expression grew ugly.

Even Xia Donghai, Xia Qianyue, and Li Qinghua showed stunned faces.

How could the Special Combat Team’s person not support their own, but rather seem to be assisting the other party?

Only Zhang Wei sat calmly in his place, unfazed.

He had even anticipated this scene, wondering in his mind why the person dispatched by the Martial Association had only arrived now, instead of earlier?

As for the attitude of the person, he could guess that too.

Seeing the fierce public opinion, the higher-ups wanted to calm things down as quickly as possible. As for Xia Qianjun...

"Guider Zhou, but I didn’t do it. Why do you want me to reconcile with them?"

"Yes, our Xia Qianjun is innocent. If he admits to something he didn’t do this time, how will he be able to live his life?"

"Guider Zhou, you are also from the Martial Association. Can’t you..."

The brother-in-law and Xia Qianjun’s parents-in-law spoke out at the same time, but Zhou Xiaoli simply raised her hand to cut them off.

"Do you have a surefire way to win, if you had, then I would leave right away!"

"This..."

"It seems you are not confident, have you considered the impact this case losing in court would bring to public opinion?"

Zhou Xiaoli rose slowly from her seat, her voice cold, "Our public relations team has over a dozen outstanding media specialists. After our overnight meeting last night, we unanimously agreed that reaching a settlement is the quickest way to resolve the issue."

"The current online public opinion is not friendly to the Martial Association, the Special Combat Team, or even the War Department. If this continues, it would pose a massive threat to the reputation that the Martial Association has built over the years."

"Moreover, we have received information that numerous media outlets are eager and ready to pounce, should this matter take a turn for the worse... Can you handle these consequences?"

Although she didn’t finish her last sentence, Zhou Xiaoli’s expression had already conveyed the outcome to everyone present.

Bullying by power, the threat is at its peak!

The atmosphere in the preparation room progressively grew tense.

"Um, may I ask a question?"

Yet, suddenly, a discordant voice sounded.

Zhang Wei raised his hand and walked over to Zhou Xiaoli, smiling as he asked, "Guider Zhou, I would like to ask if you care about the truth of the matter?"

"The truth?" She raised an eyebrow, eyes narrowing.

"Yes, the truth!"

Zhang Wei’s face was serious as he took out his phone from his pocket and, in front of Zhou Xiaoli, he played a recording.

"Guider Zhou, I now solemnly ask you, do you or the public relations department you represent, in fact, prioritize quelling this matter quickly over seeking the truth of the facts?"

"Of course!"

"Even if it means sacrificing Xia Qianjun’s rights, his rightful fair treatment, it doesn’t matter?"

"You..."

Zhou Xiaoli had not expected Zhang Wei to pose such a question.

"Guider Zhou, although I may not stand as high as you, I do know one thing, and that is everybody has a right, a sacred right granted by the law of Dragon Country, to be treated fairly and justly. You wouldn’t deny that, would you?"

Zhou Xiaoli lowered her head to glance at the phone on the table, the recording feature was on.

This question, she couldn’t answer!

"I also know something else, that the current public opinion is fierce, but that is merely public opinion, just a bunch of internet opportunists, trying to profit from the heat and traffic to add to their own benefits. So, they trample over moral boundaries, directing their arrows at Xia Qianjun, attempting to sacrifice his rightful rights to plot for their massive gains!"

"Simply put, these people are like a swarm of bloodsucking mosquitoes, vile scum with no moral bottom line. I believe Guider Zhou and those behind you wouldn’t stoop so low as to associate with these sorts of people, right?"

Zhou Xiaoli’s eyes narrowed, her voice turned icy, "Watch your tone. Do you know who you’re speaking to?"

"Guider Zhou, I have my rights. Within this preparation room provided by the court of Dragon Country, I can say anything that does not violate Dragon Country’s laws, and I believe that everything I have said so far hasn’t breached any laws, right?"

Seeing Zhang Wei talk back, Zhou Xiaoli was completely speechless.

She could only size up Zhang Wei, feeling that, compared to the rest in the room, this young man seemed the most difficult to deal with.

"Guider Zhou, you haven’t answered my question. Don’t answer a question with another question, just tell me straight. Compared to seeking the truth of the facts and helping Xia Qianjun get fair treatment, would you or those behind you prefer to sacrifice him, to fulfill the ambitions of these internet opportunists?"

Of course, Zhou Xiaoli couldn’t respond, nor did she dare to reply to this question.

"I can’t believe I’ve been cornered by a kid!"

"No, no, no, I’m just standing on the side of justice. That’s why you have no way to deal with me, Guider Zhou. Nothing more, nothing less!"

Zhang Wei smiled and put his phone back into his pocket.

"Alright, Guider Zhou, it’s getting late, and we have justice to fight for on behalf of Xia Qianjun. It’s time you went back to where you came from!"

As he spoke, Zhang Wei stood up to leave the preparation room. But just before stepping out, he didn’t forget to add:

"But let me tell you something, ’justice triumphs’ is not without reason. No matter what public opinion says, justice should not be swayed by these external forces. Justice is absolute fairness and equity, it will not let any villain go unpunished, nor will it wrong an innocent person!"

"Why should Xia Qianjun pay the price for something he hasn’t done? That, in itself, is unfair. And the existence of the Martial Association, the Special Combat Team, and us legal professionals, is it not for justice and fairness?"

After finishing his word, Zhang Wei left the preparation room and headed straight for the courtroom.

His words left everyone else in the preparation room immersed in contemplation.

"Fairness and justice!" Zhou Xiaoli muttered, frowning deeply.

"Guider Zhou, I didn’t do it; I will absolutely not compromise!"

Though Xia Qianjun had only this one sentence, his attitude was clear.

Subsequently, everyone in the preparation room left, walking out swiftly and decisively.

Zhou Xiaoli watched everyone leave and stayed motionless for a long time.

"Wait, who was that young man just now? He doesn’t seem to be Xia Qianjun’s defense attorney, does he?"

Zhou Xiaoli suddenly realized something—who was that?

He obviously did not recognize Zhang Wei, and this person was not found in the background investigation of Xia Qianjun either.

Zhou Xiaoli took out her cell phone and immediately made a call.

After the call connected, she spoke in a cold voice, "The negotiation failed, initiate the second plan. Try to control public opinion, and don’t let those online cross the line!"

"Also, help me investigate someone..."

...

The courtroom scene.

Zhang Wei and Xia Qianyue came to the front row of the hearing seats.

Unfortunately, Zhang Wei had hoped to sit with Silly, but Li Qinghua, pulling her daughter aside, left Xia Donghai to sit with Zhang Wei on the other side.

The hope to sit side by side with Silly had been dashed, and Zhang Wei was very disappointed.

"You boy, what you said just now was quite imposing!"

However, Xia Donghai quietly talked to Zhang Wei and could not help but give a thumbs up.

The words spoken back in the preparation room were indeed very uplifting, especially for Xia Donghai, a long-serving officer. They resonated with him.

He was on duty every day outside, maintaining local law and order, wasn’t it all for that bit of justice?

If his own son could not enjoy justice, could not enjoy fairness, then what was the point of his exhausting daily work?

"Father-in-law, you flatter me; I was merely speaking from the heart!"

Zhang Wei waved his hand in a composed manner, showing humility.

After all, facing an elder, it was appropriate to be polite.

"Speaking from the heart!" Xia Donghai couldn’t help but nod, looking at Zhang Wei with eyes full of approval.

This son-in-law was capable, a man who rose to the occasion!

But Zhang Wei didn’t care about his father-in-law’s thoughts; his attention now turned to the courtroom scene.

Li Qingmu and Xia Qianjun took their seats in the defendant’s dock.

They, regrettably, had arrived late.

Chen Baoluo, together with Ji Guoguo’s family, also entered the courtroom.

Their gaze towards the defendant’s dock had not changed, still as guarded as they had been a few days earlier.

William International’s big crew was also there; the woman named Laura, surrounded by a throng of bodyguards, sat in the most central position of the hearing seats.

This woman’s nostrils were flared so much it was frightening; with her head held high, you could barely see her face.

At the entrance, Zhang Wei noticed many media personnel holding notepads.

Since electronic devices were not allowed inside the courtroom, they had to take out pen and paper to jot down notes for drafting their news articles.

But those who came here were seasoned media professionals and journalists. Drafting initial reports with pen and paper was second nature to them.

"This is a formidable presence!"

Zhang Wei thought to himself as he looked at these reporters.

Ninety-nine percent of them must have been hired by William International; otherwise, such a minor civil dispute case would not necessitate this many journalists.

This lower courtroom was almost full; the scene was beginning to rival that of a criminal court.

As everyone in the courtroom waited, the Court Guard finally spoke up to announce.

"Please welcome the honorable Judge Ni to the court!"

Ni Qiuping walked solemnly to the judge’s bench, step by step.

And with her arrival, the trial began!

Zhang Wei’s gaze gradually became somber because the real battle was finally about to start.