Are You Crazy? He’s only an Intern Lawyer?
Chapter 289 - 287: Midwife Asks for Help, Old Guo Comes in Person?

Chapter 289: Chapter 287: Midwife Asks for Help, Old Guo Comes in Person?

(Starting today, returning to two updates daily!)

...

Thursday, a workday.

For the Procuratorate Headquarters, it was yet another busy day.

"Yes, yes, yes, Procurator-General, I understand, I understand..."

"Right, right, right, as you said, as you said... Next time for sure, next time definitely, ha..."

After hanging up the leader’s call, Zhao Chunming instantly transformed from a servile, tail-wagging dog into a loathsome, vicious beast.

"Fuck!"

His right fist clenched tight, he nearly slammed it onto his desk.

But considering it would look bad and might be overheard by people outside the office, he restrained himself.

"In the end, we still lost!"

Zhao Chunming gritted his teeth, able only to swallow the bitter pill in private.

The Procurator-General’s call had been undoubtedly about the current situation in the Serious Crime Division Office.

But the situation was... not optimistic.

Especially with the recent high-profile case about a retrial from ten years ago, the final outcome was a defeat against the defense, resulting in the defendant’s acquittal.

As for the real murderer...

Sorry, the person’s long gone; you can’t catch them now unless you hire a Taoist priest for a séance.

In the end, the victim was dead, and the killer was already dead too, unable to provide closure for the victim’s parents.

Even the accompanying civil lawsuit ran into trouble.

The plaintiff was the defendant in the criminal case, while the defendant was Dongfang Capital’s most famous host, who also passed away before the trial began.

All these factors combined gave both cases massive exposure.

Once the exposure increased, didn’t both cases become the talk of the town?

Similarly, everyone in Dongfang Capital knew that their Procuratorate Headquarters had been defeated again.

The case could be said to bring shame to their office while greatly boosting the reputation of the defense attorney.

"Zhang Wei!"

Muttering this name, Zhao Chunming felt a deep resentment.

This guy had become a nightmare for the Procuratorate Headquarters, repeatedly slapping their faces.

The problem was, they could do nothing about him.

First it was the prosecutors, then the senior prosecutors, and even the high-ranking Prosecutor Lan Zhengye and the ace prosecutor Xiao Baihe were defeated; did he and Guo Wufeng have to take the field personally?

"Isn’t there a case that can definitively put that kid in his place?"

Zhao Chunming muttered to himself, feeling somewhat speechless.

If there were such a case, defense lawyers wouldn’t be fools; they wouldn’t really defend a lost cause.

No one is a fool!

"No, the Procurator-General has called, there must be some action taken!"

With that thought, Zhao Chunming hastily sent a message to Guo Wufeng in the next office.

Soon, Guo Wufeng arrived, but he was in the middle of a phone call as he walked.

"Ah, Xiao Chen, how did you think of consulting me? Isn’t this your case? You want to pass it to our Procuratorate Headquarters?"

"Oh, oh, oh, I get it, that does need consideration, but this is an easy case to handle. The defendant is definitely going in, you just relax!"

Guo Wufeng walked into the office.

"Old Zhao next door needs me; I’ll hang up first..."

Upon seeing Zhao Chunming’s somewhat gloomy face, he quickly ended the call.

"Who was that just now?"

"Oh, that was Xiao Chen from the Office of Minor Crimes. He’s got a case that’s tough to judge locally, so he entrusted me to find someone to deal with it. It just so happens I was looking for you, too. This case is a sure conviction, shall we arrange for someone to take over?"

Hearing Guo Wufeng say this, Zhao Chunming suddenly took an interest.

"What case is it, tell me about it, you’re sure it’s 100% convictable?"

"Of course, because the defendant did indeed commit a crime, and Xiao Chen has verified all the paperwork and procedures, absolutely no issues there."

Guo Wufeng spoke and then suddenly laughed: "Xiao Chen has informed the defendant about the change in the trial venue, and it seems she has come to Dongfang Capital, heard she’s even looking for a top-notch lawyer!"

"But in such cases, what lawyer would dare to take it on, knowing it’s a guaranteed loss, and probably only the state-appointed defense attorneys would accept it, right?"

"That’s not necessarily true!"

But as Zhao Chunming rotated his eyes, a meaningful smile crossed his face.

"Old Zhao, what do you mean?"

"I know someone who, even if they know they’ll definitely lose a case, would still take it on, and moreover, he fits the defendant’s request for a ’formidable lawyer.’ Do you think that guy might accept this case?"

Zhao Chunming said, his face revealing a sly smirk.

"Old Zhao, you’re not thinking of..."

Although sometimes impulsive, Guo Wufeng had nonetheless made it to the position of head of the Office of Minor Crimes.

With just a bit of thought on what Zhao Chunming had said, he guessed what the other was planning to do.

"Old Guo, arrange for two newcomers to go to the court and do this and that as I described..."

"Understood!"

Guo Wufeng immediately accepted the order, returned to the Office of Minor Crimes, and called upon two new recruits, instructing them to head straight to the court.

...

That same afternoon.

Jincheng Law Firm, Criminal Department office.

Tie Ruyun, while walking, was leading more than twenty neatly dressed young people through the criminal department, showing them around.

"Here is our Criminal Department’s working area!"

He pointed to the office space that took up almost half the floor on the 25th level and introduced it with pride.

There was no helping it, having moved to a bigger place, he naturally wanted to show off.

The previous criminal group’s office was just an inconspicuous corner of the litigation department, not very large at all.

Now, having the whole 25th floor, a space even larger than the entire original litigation department, he’d be remiss not to feel a bit proud, considering what he had to put up with there before.

"Big Boss Tie, this workspace is huge!"

"Wow, so many offices, maybe I could even score one in the future!"

"The Criminal Department’s workspace is really nice, much better than the neighborhood law firm where I interned before."

"Isn’t that obvious? This is Jincheng Law Firm we’re talking about. How can you even compare it to some neighborhood office?"

The twenty-plus newcomers, upon seeing the Criminal Department office, naturally had exaggerated reactions.

"Keep calm, everyone, keep calm; you all will be working here in the future, and it’s not impossible to apply for an office space!"

Seeing these reactions, Tie Ruyun felt even happier inside.

Especially the way the girls called out "Big Boss Tie," it made him feel particularly pleased.

Indeed, the feeling of being a leader was just so good~

"Old Tie, are these the new recruits you hired?"

Just at that moment, a discordant voice suddenly sounded.

Tie Ruyun felt that the term "Old Tie" was a bit grating to the ears.

"Zhang Wei, what are you shouting for? Didn’t you see I’m showing the new recruits around?"

Tie Ruyun quickly complained, unsatisfied.

"Oh, then carry on, good luck with that, I’m busy!"

Zhang Wei gestured with his hand and chuckled.

"Wow, is that Lawyer Zhang Wei?"

"The legendary Homicide Lawyer, who drove the number one host in Dongfang Capital to death!"

"My goodness, is that really the infamous Lawyer Zhang himself?"

"I’d really love to get Lawyer Zhang’s autograph; they say his signature wards off evil spirits!"

But as Zhang Wei prepared to return to his seat in the office, he heard an even more intense buzz of conversation behind him.

"Goodness, I’ve become a Homicide Lawyer now?"

Hearing these murmurs, Zhang Wei inwardly cried foul.

It was Cheng Lisha who wanted to jump, what did it have to do with her?

And whether she did jump on her own, that was still in question, so don’t mistakenly accuse the innocent!

The death of Cheng Lisha had nothing to do with him, Zhang Someone... well, maybe just a little!

Muttering to himself, Zhang Wei then sat back down at his desk, ready to get back to work (or slack off).

Outside the office, Tie Ruyun was leading the interns who had passed the initial and follow-up interviews around the Criminal Department.

As the place was too large, they couldn’t finish the tour all at once.

After finishing the tour, he started assigning tasks, and in an instant, the twenty-plus newcomers had their own work areas.

Tie Cuilan began distributing employee handbooks, and the group of employees whispered to each other while browsing through the pages, their faces full of eagerness.

Zhang Wei, having nothing else to do, took the time to observe the new recruits.

Though all of them were green, they had the advantages of youth and enormous potential for growth.

All in all, the future looked promising!

"Excuse me, is Lawyer Zhang Wei in?"

But suddenly, a woman’s voice rang out within the criminal department.

This one voice drew the attention of everyone in the criminal department.

Zhang Wei also took the opportunity to walk out of the office, looking in the direction of the voice.

He saw a woman in her forties or fifties, dressed in a floral shirt, with a cloth bag in hand standing at the entrance of the criminal department office area.

Next to the woman was a receptionist from Jincheng Law Firm.

She pointed inside, then at Zhang Wei, introducing the latter to the woman.

The woman immediately brushed off the receptionist and walked straight toward Zhang Wei.

"You are Lawyer Zhang?"

"Correct, that’s me. Who are you?"

"My name is Gao Xiaoping, and I have a case that needs a lawyer’s help. Of course, I’m looking for the best lawyer!"

The woman was direct, stating her intentions in front of the entire criminal department.

...

A few minutes later.

The criminal department’s large conference room.

Zhang Wei and the woman sat in two nearby seats.

Tie Ruyun, accompanied by the new recruits of the criminal department as well as two capable assistants, Li Yueqin and Lin Yumeng, stood by.

"They are..."

"Madam Gao, don’t mind them. They are all new recruits to my criminal department, and since you have the department’s first case since its establishment, they are here to learn by observing," Zhang Wei explained with a smile, pointing at Old Tie and the others.

The new recruits all nodded neatly, many even took out notebooks, ready to start taking notes.

"Alright then..."

The woman nodded in acknowledgement.

She looked at Zhang Wei and began to explain her situation.

Gao Xiaoping’s profession was as a midwife.

However, this profession was not recognized by modern society, and corresponding job opportunities were gradually being replaced by local community hospitals.

Gao Xiaoping currently lived on Bei Chong Island, where she was known as a famous midwife within a ten-mile radius.

Unfortunately, since Bei Chong Island was incorporated into Dongfang Capital a few years ago, all rules and regulations had to follow those of Dongfang Capital.

The Department of Health had a regulation regarding childbirth, which mandated that women must register and await delivery at community hospitals, strictly forbidding home births with midwives.

Zhang Wei had heard about this regulation because the healthcare system in Dongfang Capital had been updated, and this was done to facilitate the registration of newborns.

While this was a good thing for many, for people like Gao Xiaoping with her profession, it was not.

Fortunately, Bei Chong Island still retained its old traditions, and the nearest community hospital was at least an hour’s drive away, so many islanders relied on her skills for childbirth.

However, a rule was still a rule.

The former prosecutor of Bei Chong Island had considered the island’s limited development and had turned a blind eye to Gao Xiaoping’s case.

But the new assistant prosecutor of Bei Chong Island, wanting to make a name for himself, had arrested Gao Xiaoping.

"Madam Gao, you’re saying you’re being prosecuted for the illegal practice of medicine, right?"

"Yes!" the woman nodded, clearly indignant.

That’s what she did, and had been doing for decades.

Now with the new rules, not only had she lost her job, but she also faced prosecution and even imprisonment. How could she not be angry?

"Then why not have the trial in a local court in Bei Chong Island? Why bring it all the way to Dongfang Capital?"

Zhang Wei continued with his questions, because such a case could be prosecuted by the local Procuratorate’s Office; there was no need to cause a commotion in Dongfang Capital.

"I also wish it could be resolved locally. If it were up to the court on Bei Chong Island, I guess I might be acquitted!"

The woman laughed sarcastically, her patience thin.

"Oh, I understand now. You’ve lived on Bei Chong Island for decades, and everyone there knows you. They would consider it normal for you to help with childbirth, which would affect the impartiality of the ruling!"

Zhang Wei nodded as if he had figured out the purpose of the new prosecutor in Bei Chong Island.

In order to prevent the island’s jury from sympathizing with the defendant, the other party had deliberately submitted the case to the Procuratorate Headquarters in Dongfang Capital.

After all, by name, since Bei Chong Island was incorporated into Dongfang Capital, all related complicated cases could be transferred to the Procuratorate Headquarters for handling.

"So that’s it. However, if I may ask," Zhang Wei looked seriously at the woman, "Madam Gao, you’ve been a midwife for nearly 30 years. Have you never had a license?"

"I have a license for prenatal, childbirth, and postnatal care, but I got it in my hometown up north!"

"Up north in your hometown?"

Zhang Wei pondered for a moment, then frowned, "I remember, after the medical system update, Dongfang Capital’s medical system doesn’t seem to recognize licenses from other regions. If you want to work within Dongfang Capital’s medical system, you must be assessed locally, right?"

"Yes, but I never expected Bei Chong Island to be incorporated into Dongfang Capital. My license used to be valid, and even after the merger, the old prosecutor had no objections to it!"

"But the old prosecutor has retired, and the newcomers all want to make a name for themselves, to establish their own authority. So he’s preparing to make an example out of you!"

"Humph, just a little brat!" the woman said with a face full of dissatisfaction when Zhang Wei mentioned the new prosecutor.

"This matter of yours, it’s not easy to handle~" Zhang Wei’s brow furrowed, sensing the complexity of the situation.

Because according to the procedure, the woman’s case would definitely constitute illegal medical practice.

Even though she has a license, Dongfang Capital doesn’t recognize it.

"Madam Gao, may I ask one more thing, have you considered getting a license in Dongfang Capital?"

"To get a license in Dongfang Capital, I need to attend a specific training institution, and it costs a big sum of money. You don’t know the conditions in Bei Chong Island. It takes over an hour by car just to reach the local hospital. I also need to leave the island to go to the institution, imagine how much time I would spend commuting each day. Where would I find the time for that?"

Hearing the woman’s impatient response, Zhang Wei’s frown deepened.

"Have they given you any notice?"

"The old prosecutor mentioned something about it before, but I didn’t take it seriously!"

"So, the prosecution and concerned parties did actually notify you, but you chose to ignore the regulations?"

"What’s with you, lawyer? I need your help, and it feels like you’re just picking on me?"

The woman felt annoyed as she saw Zhang Wei nitpicking and her displeasure showed.

"Madam Gao, don’t take it to heart. We haven’t signed a contract yet, so I’m not your defense lawyer. You’re just seeking advice right now, and I’m merely offering some appropriate legal suggestions for free."

Zhang Wei waved his hand, seeming indifferent.

We haven’t even signed a contract yet; your agitation doesn’t really affect me.

Anyway, he thought the case was hard to win. Whether to take it or not was another matter.

"Can my case be fought, I really don’t want to go to prison!"

"I understand, no one wants to go to prison, but your actions have indeed been illegal!"

Zhang Wei spread his hands, indicating helplessness.

"What’s with you, lawyer? I’ve inquired at the court, and they all say you’re the most formidable defense lawyer in Dongfang Capital, but now you’re telling me you can’t take the case?"

"Madam Gao, you’ve misunderstood. I didn’t say it can’t be fought, only that it’s difficult."

Zhang Wei gestured with his hand, reassuring her, "I could take your case, but as you’ve said, I’m the most formidable defense lawyer in Dongfang Capital, and Jincheng is the top-ranked law firm here. Our fees are not low, you know!"

"As long as you can keep me out of jail, I’ll give you everything I own!"

The woman said, reaching into her pocket and placing a set of keys on the office desk.

"I have a house on Bei Chong Island, a car, a large stretch of grassland next to the house, and a yard. All these..."

The woman hesitated for a moment, and then with resolve declared, "As long as you can help me, they’re... they’re all yours!"

Zhang Wei looked at the woman, thinking, So this really is her entire fortune?

A country house and car on Bei Chong Island were not appealing to Zhang Wei.

But seeing the woman’s willingness to give up her entire fortune, he eventually nodded and agreed to help her.

After all, she was staking her everything, and he felt he should lend a hand.

"I need to find out who’s in charge of this at the Procuratorate Headquarters, maybe we could talk to them!"

After sending the woman away from the law firm, Zhang Wei didn’t bother with the onlooking Tie Ruyun and others. Instead, he pulled out his phone and opened a WeChat conversation window.

[Zhang Wei: Dear Old Xiao, please reply when you see this/smile]

[Xiao Baihe: Zhang Wei, are you looking for trouble? You’re pestering me during working hours. And don’t call me Old Xiao/angry]

[Zhang Wei: Okay, Old Xiao, got it, Old Xiao!]

[Xiao Baihe: Forget it, I can’t be bothered to argue with you. Talk about the serious stuff!/gnash teeth]

[Zhang Wei: Then, about Gao Xiaoping’s case, which prosecutor from the Procuratorate Headquarters is in charge?]

[Xiao Baihe: The case transferred from Bei Chong Island?]

[Zhang Wei: Yes~]

[Xiao Baihe: Oh, Old Guo is responsible for it!]

[Zhang Wei: Which Old Guo?]

[Xiao Baihe: Who else could it be besides that Old Guo/mischievous]

[Zhang Wei: You’ve got to be kidding, it’s not that Old Guo, right?/shocked]

[Xiao Baihe: Congratulations, you got it right!]

[Zhang Wei: Damn!!!]

Seeing the words "Old Guo" on the chat screen, Zhang Wei mechanically put down his phone.

This case, it’s not going to be easy!