Are You Crazy? He’s only an Intern Lawyer?
Chapter 452 - 448: Li Qingmu Gives Up, Then Look for Zhang Wei!

Chapter 452: Chapter 448: Li Qingmu Gives Up, Then Look for Zhang Wei!

Financial Bureau, Investigation Department.

The Financial Investigation Department is not under the jurisdiction of the Martial Association; their office is within the Financial Bureau.

The scope of their investigations does not include criminal cases; they only handle financial crimes such as money laundering, financial fraud, and insider trading.

At this moment, Zhan Qingze was being escorted here and was currently undergoing interrogation by the Financial Investigation Department.

The person in charge of the interrogation was none other than Leader Chen Weitian.

"Zhan Qingze," said Chen Weitian, "according to our intelligence, the financial project you are responsible for and leading is ostensibly using the guise of stock recommendations to attract investors, but in reality, it’s an illegal fundraising and fraud scheme!"

"Our investigation has revealed that this project promises returns several times higher than the market average under the pretense of investment exchange, illegally tempting investors to significantly increase their funds to buy high-risk stocks. The current financial flow report shows that you have already swindled tens of billions!"

"And you, Zhan Qingze!"

Chen Weitian slammed the table, speaking sternly: "You are the project leader, and all the clues we’ve traced, including all documents and leads, eventually point to you."

Chen Weitian continued, shaking his head with a sigh, "It’s unimaginable that at less than thirty years old, you’ve done what some financial practitioners won’t achieve in their entire lifetime. I must admit, you’ve got quite the nerve."

"Unfortunately, now that the secret is out, we’ve caught you, and you will pay the price for this!"

"However, you also have some clever tactics. Before getting caught, you had already transferred that sum of money. By now, that money is in offshore accounts, probably having been transferred through countless hands. The likelihood of getting it back is really quite slim!"

"You consider yourself a financial practitioner with unlimited potential, how could you have the audacity to do something like this?"

A tinge of regret showed on Chen Weitian’s face, as this was the vexing aspect of financial crimes.

Once money has been swindled by criminals, it’s often funneled through various channels abroad, making it incredibly difficult to trace the flow of funds.

As a result, the money from many financial fraud cases is never recovered.

After listening to his statement, Zhan Qingze was utterly dumbfounded.

What have I done?

Truthfully, if you hadn’t informed me, I wouldn’t have known I was so audacious.

However, he was also aware of the Investigative Department’s tactics and knew that speaking too much at this point could be detrimental, as any response might become evidence for the Investigative Department.

So, his response was just one.

"I won’t say anything until my lawyer arrives!"

"Hmph, a lawyer, is that what you want?"

Chen Weitian wasn’t surprised by this response.

Financial criminals often have a lot of money and know some legally savvy friends.

To deal with these people, one must be even more cautious and wary of their using their rights within the legal boundaries.

"All right then, do you want to specify your own, or shall we contact the court to appoint a defense attorney for you?"

Zhan Qingze snorted disdainfully.

If it’s appointed by the court, then it would be a public defense lawyer.

The caliber of public defense lawyers is well-known to all.

"I will contact my own lawyer!"

Zhan Qingze said this with considerable confidence.

As for why, it’s quite simple!

Although my family has no connections in Dongfang Capital, my fiancée is a different story.

The fiancée I’m engaged to today is from the Li Family of the Chengbei District.

Li Qingmu, the head of the Li Family, is also the founder of Qingmu Law Firm, quite a prominent figure in the Chengbei District.

So, I, Zhan Qingze, can definitely bask in the light of my fiancée’s family.

"Fine, bring his phone here!"

Chen Weitian commanded one of his subordinates.

After the assistant left, he looked at Zhan Qingze with scorn.

You think I don’t know what you’re planning; what if your fiancée’s family is Li Qingmu? Do you really think I’m afraid of this guy?

A lawyer from a medium-sized law firm in the Chengbei District, what can they possibly do?

It took less than 2 minutes for the assistant to return, and after handing the phone to Zhan Qingze, he whispered a few words in Chen Weitian’s ear.

"Oh? There’s actually such a thing?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Weitian showed a look of astonishment, and his gaze towards Zhan Qingze carried a mix of pity and irony.

Zhan Qingze did not notice this gaze; his attention was fully on his phone.

The moment he got his phone, he decided to call Li Feifei, his nominal fiancée.

"Beep—Beep—Beep—"

"I’m sorry, the number you have dialed is currently unavailable. Please try again later, Sorry..."

Hearing the engaged tone, Zhan Qingze paused.

He dialed the number again; the same ringing followed, then the call was once more disconnected.

"I’m sorry, the number you have...

"How is that possible!" Zhan Qingze was baffled.

Li Feifei hung up the phone on me—what does this mean?

"Mother-in-law!"

Then, he quickly made a second call, dialing the number belonging to his mother-in-law, Li Qinghe.

"I’m sorry, the number you have dialed is busy. Please try again later, Sorry..."

Hearing yet another busy signal, Zhan Qingze’s face grew slightly strained.

It wasn’t even late at night. As a lawyer, his mother-in-law shouldn’t be resting this early, should she?

But why, why wouldn’t she answer my call?

"Uncle, Uncle Li Qingmu, he must be there!"

Zhan Qingze hurriedly dialed Li Qingmu’s number, only to be greeted by another waiting tone.

"I’m sorry, the number you have dialed is currently in use..."

Zhan Qingze looked astonished, incredulous.

He couldn’t believe that all three members of the Li family had hung up on him, one after another.

"What, you can’t get through?"

Chen Weitian had a mocking look on his face, eyeing Zhan Qingze as if he were looking at a clown.

"They must be having a meeting, discussing how to rescue me!"

Zhan Qingze hastily came up with an excuse, though it sounded far-fetched even to his own ears.

Chen Weitian laughed; the subordinates behind him joined in the laughter.

It seemed that the man before them was not yet aware of the situation.

"Right, Lawyer Zhuo and the others!"

Zhan Qingze, as if he had just remembered someone, hurriedly dialed another number.

"Beep beep beep..."

The line was once again busy, and the call ended without being put through.

As Zhan Qingze scrolled through his contact list from memory, not a single attorney from Qingmu Law Firm whose number he had saved answered the phone.

No matter how many times he called, the line remained unavailable.

Unknowingly, he had reached the last entry in the contact list—the number of his father-in-law, Wang Dayang.

But his father-in-law was not a lawyer!

Grinding his teeth, Zhan Qingze nevertheless pressed the number.

"Beep—"

It started with that familiar ringing tone.

"Hello, Zhan? Why are you calling me?"

With the call connected, Wang Dayang’s voice on the other end took Zhan Qingze by surprise.

He never expected the call to go through; he thought all lines were blocked.

But now that it was connected, how could Zhan Qingze let go of this sole lifeline?

"Father-in-law, what on earth is going on? Why didn’t my mother-in-law and uncle answer their phones when I called?"

"Ah Zhan, let me tell you a secret—they all purposely didn’t answer!"

Through the phone, Wang Dayang, upon hearing Zhan Qingze’s anxious voice, eventually let out a sigh, "Haven’t you seen the latest evening news?"

"Evening news, what evening news?"

Zhan Qingze paused for a moment.

I’m here in the interrogation office of the Financial Bureau; how could I possibly have seen the evening news?

Fortunately, Chen Weitian, upon hearing Zhan Qingze’s confusion, nodded at one of his subordinates.

The latter pulled out a smartphone, searched for a news item from the evening, and then showed the screen to Zhan Qingze.

"Hello, I am Li Qingmu from Qingmu Law Firm. Today was supposed to be my niece’s engagement party, but unexpectedly, my future nephew-in-law Zhan Qingze has done such a thing—he actually took part in a major financial fraud!"

"On behalf of the Li family, my sister Li Qinghe, and my niece Li Feifei, I solemnly announce that from this day forth, we have no further ties with Zhan Qingze!"

"As of my announcement now, Zhan Qingze will no longer be my niece’s fiancé, nor my sister Li Qinghe’s son-in-law. He will be nothing to us!"

"We at Qingmu Law Firm have always been dedicated to providing the most comprehensive and effective legal advice and services, decisively cutting ties with illegal criminal activities. Our firm will also continue...this is the stance of both our firm and myself!"

The video ended.

The declaration Li Qingmu made on the evening news was undeniably swift; he even managed to plug an advertisement at the end.

After all, since they had paid for it, it would be a waste not to advertise.

But after watching this news clip and statement, Zhan Qingze’s face turned exceedingly grim.

He never imagined that right after he was taken away by the Financial Bureau, the Li family would be so quick to disassociate themselves from him.

Burning bridges after crossing, denying recognition—doesn’t the Li family have any humanity? I am their son-in-law, after all!

If this weren’t the Financial Bureau’s office, Zhan Qingze would have found it hard to resist the urge to smash the desk and throw chairs—what kind of behavior is this?

Li Qingmu, the people of the Li family...

I’ll curse your ancestors for eighteen generations!

Zhan Qingze looked despondent; afterward, he didn’t even know how he had hung up the call with Wang Dayang.

He sat there in a daze, his face expressionless, his demeanor and expressions completely stiff.

"Mr. Zhan, how are you feeling now? Doesn’t it feel great to be betrayed by the Li family?"

Chen Weitian also took this moment to fan the flames, sneering, "Since even your mother-in-law’s family has abandoned you, you might as well be at ease and confess everything. No more hiding."

"If you’re not ready to give up, we could arrange a public defender for you, but I believe you’re well aware of their capabilities, aren’t you?"

Chen Weitian knew that Zhan Qingze was severely struck at the moment, probably on the verge of a psychological breakdown.

If he pushed a little harder, the other party would definitely confess.

He even had to thank the Li family; if they hadn’t issued that statement so promptly, the coercion process might not have been this smooth.

Seeing Zhan Qingze still stunned in place, not answering for a long time, Chen Weitian was not in a hurry at all.

After all, a person in despair will eventually not be able to withstand the pressure.

"Mr. Zhan, don’t hesitate."

"Mr. Zhan, you should be aware of your current situation."

"Mr. Zhan..."

Under the verbal onslaught, Zhan Qingze finally snapped back to reality.

"No, I haven’t done anything, why should I confess!"

Zhan Qingze ignored Chen Weitian’s "suggestion," a flicker of hatred flashing in his eyes.

He hated the Li family’s actions.

Whenever he thought of the Li family, he remembered Zhang Wei. Had it not been for Zhang Wei’s exceptional performance before, he wouldn’t have been so driven, and had he not been so driven...

Wait!

Zhang Wei?

Zhan Qingze’s expression changed several times in an instant, from pain to despair, then from despair to shock, and finally, a glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes.

Chen Weitian thought he had seen many people before, but never someone who could display such a rich range of expressions in just a few seconds.

"Mr. Zhan, have you made your decision?"

"I have decided!"

"Good, hurry up and confess, you..."

"I want to find a lawyer!"

Chen Weitian thought Zhan Qingze was about to admit guilt, opting for leniency through confession. He didn’t expect the next sentence to leave him speechless.

If you want to find a lawyer, just say so. Why didn’t you speak earlier so we could have helped you apply to the court sooner?

Since you want a public defender, we won’t stop you.

After all, hiring a public defender is almost like having one foot in prison already.

"Fine, Mr. Zhan, we’ll contact the court later, and you just wait here..."

"No, I have someone in mind!"

This time, Zhan Qingze interrupted Chen Weitian.

"I want Zhang Wei to defend me!"

"Zhang Wei?"

Chen Weitian was from the Financial Bureau and didn’t deal with criminal cases, nor was he particularly current on news about Dongfang Capital.

So he looked towards his colleague, "Who is this Zhang Wei?"

"Leader Chen, Zhang Wei is..."

The colleague was about to report, but then he remembered that there was someone in their own department with that name, and there were many people with the same name and surname outside.

"Is this Zhang Wei you’re talking about any good?"

"It’s not about whether he’s good or not; he’s just that kind of incredulous person..."

"Is he a criminal defense lawyer?"

"Why else would I look for him?"

"Is he from Jincheng Law Firm?"

"Yes, that’s him!"

Upon hearing Zhan Qingze’s affirmative answer, the colleague had an idea.

However, his expression then slightly changed, turning a bit uneasy.

"Leader Chen, this Zhang Wei is incredible. He’s known as the ’Homicide Lawyer,’ the nemesis of the Procuratorate Headquarters, undefeated since the beginning of his career, and he has even defeated Lan Gaojian of Procuratorate Headquarters and Senior Procuratorate Qin from Longdu. Is it really as exaggerated as that?"

Honestly, upon hearing this record, Chen Weitian’s first reaction was disbelief.

But the solemn expression on his subordinate’s face, and the earnestness in his statement, compelled him to believe.

"Humph, exaggerated!" However, Chen Weitian quickly snorted disdainfully again.

"If this Zhang Wei is really so impressive, then let him come on, the case has conclusive evidence, irrefutable, he won’t be able to create any waves!"

Having said this, Chen Weitian turned his gaze towards Zhan Qingze.

"Mr. Zhan, if you want to find this Zhang Wei, then you should contact him. We’d like to see, when did a criminal defense attorney from Dongfang Capital become this capable!"

Zhan Qingze immediately picked up the phone, ready to make the call.

But then, he froze.

He didn’t have Zhang Wei’s number!

Although both were sons-in-law of the Li Family, Zhan Qingze considered himself not to be the same kind of man as Zhang Wei. Although they had met at the engagement banquet, he hadn’t saved Zhang’s number.

Now, this was embarrassing.

"What, not making the call?"

"That... I don’t have his number..."

Chen Weitian was speechless, and the subordinates couldn’t help but smirk.

We thought you were about to call in a formidable person, yet you don’t even have his number.

Are you trying to give us a heart attack?

To tell the truth, you really had us scared for a moment.

"Wait, maybe my father-in-law knows his number. I heard they got involved in a case before, and Zhang Wei was the one who helped!"

In a moment of crisis, Zhan Qingze finally remembered that his father-in-law was most important.

He dialed the number once again.

"Xiao Zhan, haven’t I told you already, about Qinghe..."

"Father-in-law, I’m not looking for mother-in-law, I need to find Zhang Wei!"

"Zhang Wei?"

"Yes, Zhang Wei, only he can help me now!"

On the other end of the phone, Wang Dayang, hearing Zhan Qingze’s firm tone, didn’t say much else.

"Alright, I’ll contact Xiao Zhang for you, but I can’t guarantee whether he’ll take your case or not!"

"Thank you, father-in-law, you..."

"Sigh, Xiao Zhan, I’m not your father-in-law anymore, Qinghe and Feifei, they no longer acknowledge you!"

Wang Dayang sighed again.

If he were honest, he looked down upon the Li family members.

Just when Zhan Qingze was taken away, they distanced themselves, such blatant self-interest. If this gets out, it won’t do any good for their reputation.

"Father-in-law, as long as you’re willing to help me, even if Feifei doesn’t recognize me, you will always be my father-in-law!"

"Fine, Xiao Zhan, I’ll go and contact Zhang Wei for you, just wait..."

Wang Dayang hung up the phone rather swiftly.

After speaking with Wang Dayang, Zhan Qingze clearly breathed a sigh of relief.

Having found a powerful defense attorney to help him, he felt more secure.

"Leader Chen, I can tell you now, until my lawyer arrives, I won’t tell you anything!"

Zhan Qingze, now speaking with more confidence, looked calmly at Chen Weitian.

"Fine, then I’m eager to see just what kind of a person this Lawyer Zhang is, and if he’ll come to help you!"

Chen Weitian wasn’t in a hurry either; after a cold snort, he left the interrogation room with his subordinates.

At the same time.

Inside Zhang Wei’s room at Lin Mansion.

"Auntie’s husband, no way, did auntie and uncle really abandon their own kind after crossing the river?"

"That’s true, they have done this before, but I didn’t expect that they would dispose of such a good son-in-law this easily!"

"Well, I don’t have many cases on my hands recently, so I could take this case. I’ll call the Financial Bureau later, and I’ll go see him tomorrow!"

"Mhm, uncle, you go get some rest. I need to start understanding the details of this case."

Zhang Wei said, hanging up the phone and then turning on the evening news.

In the news video, the moment where Li Qingmu, representing Qingmu Law Firm and the Li Family, made his statement was being aired.

Watching his uncle speak these words as a representative, Zhang Wei couldn’t help but shake his head.

Belonging to the Li family, the uncle and aunt perfectly demonstrated what it means to be finely self-serving.

Then you look at auntie’s husband, then at my own in-laws and Silly, they instead seemed to have a touch more human warmth.

"Uncle, I hope you won’t regret this when the time comes. From what I can see, your nephew-in-law is innocent!"

Zhang Wei murmured to himself, then opened up Baidu search to start looking up relevant information.

Since he was taking the case, what he needed to think about next was how to win!