In everyday judicial trials and prosecutions, one often encounters various preposterous cases that exceed the imagination of ordinary people. When faced with these cases, one cannot simply generalize but must interpret each law correspondingly. When he previously encountered unscrupulous intermediaries, the legal interpretation he used was one such example: the tripartite imputation contract. Breach of contract isnât simply about determining the violatorâs responsibility; it involves tripartite imputation to ascertain who bears the greatest fault in the event. The same principle applies to the crime of poisoning. The expanded interpretation clarifies that pathogens of infectious diseases, anything capable of spreading an epidemic, can be categorized under poisoning. Such judicial interpretations are numerous, over ten times more abundant than the Criminal Law. Qin Mu was in no rush anyway. He would just read them slowly in his spare time from work.
Time slowly passed.
ăFour plain yet fulfilling days went by, and the day of the trial officially arrived.ă
At nine oâclock in the morning, Qin Mu and Wang Dachui had arranged to meet at the retirement home. Together, they headed to the Jin City Court. The court session was scheduled for ten in the morning.
Upon hearing that Qin Mu was going to court again, Old Zhang and the others became restless. They all wanted to attend the hearing.
"Xiao Qin, considering I introduced you to so many potential partners, take us along to broaden our horizons. Xiao Wang mentioned this time itâs quite a big scene," one said.
"Weâre free anyway! Weâll go and bolster your presence. This way, youâll surely win the case on the spot!" another added.
"Weâll be in the observersâ seats cheering you on. Last time, I didnât quite get my fill watching Mr. Liâs case!" exclaimed a third.
"Iâve been watching Legal Forum every day lately, and now I understand a lot more about criminal law..." a fourth boasted.
Zhang Qingyuan, Li Weiguo, Song Tiancheng, and other seniors gathered around Qin Mu, looking at him expectantly.
Qin Muâs mouth twitched slightly; he was somewhat speechless.
Goddamn cheering.
Public trials generally allow for observers. The number of observer seats is limited and is usually allocated first to relatives of the plaintiff and defendant, and those with an interest in the case.
"I can take you, but remember not to get too excited. Just watch the trial quietly," Qin Mu considered briefly and then admonished the group. He particularly glared at Old Song. During Mr. Liâs trial, Old Song had repeatedly exclaimed, "What the fuck!" He had been warned several times by the court police maintaining order. If it werenât for his age, he probably would have been escorted out.
Song Tiancheng offered an embarrassed smile. He firmly promised that this time he wouldnât hold everyone back, and the group set off for the court in a grand, boisterous procession.
ă...ă
ăAt nine thirty. Jin City Court.ă
Following the staffâs directions, Qin Mu and Wang Dachui led Zhang Qingyuan and the others to the Second Criminal Court. Every court has multiple courtrooms, each responsible for different types of cases, such as civil or criminal matters. Jin Cityâs Second Criminal Court was the one designated for criminal trials.
After entering the courtroom, Qin Mu once again saw Zhang Wei, a familiar faceâthe opposing partyâs defense attorney. Upon seeing Qin Mu, Zhang Wei even took the initiative to smile and gesture, as if they were well acquainted.
In the defendantâs dock, Liang Shuqi was also staring at Qin Mu, his expression exceedingly complex. There was regret, but even more so, there was resentment.
This was the third time he had seen Qin Mu. The first time was when his takeout delivery was late, and Qin Mu had come looking for him. The second time was when he accepted an order to deliver braised chicken and rice to Qin Mu. After delivering the takeout contaminated with his spit, he had thought he would never see Qin Mu again in his life. He could never have imagined... that their third meeting would be in a courtroom!
Furthermore, those who had incited him online to spit had also been apprehended. They were currently queuing outside the courtroom, awaiting the next trial. And because of Qin Mu... yesterday, Xiao Fang, his girlfriend since university, had chosen to break up with him. Love had collapsed with a resounding crash. Now, he also faced the prospect of imprisonment. To say he didnât hate Qin Mu would be a lie.
"Remember what I told you. Donât mess things up again, or youâll only end up with a harsher sentence!" Zhang Wei, noticing Liang Shuqiâs expression, solemnly cautioned him.
Liang Shuqi gave a bitter smile and nodded.
After entering the courtroom, he had realized the severity of the issueâa sentence was inevitable. All he could do now was follow his lawyerâs advice... and aim for a reduced term.
Meanwhile, Shen Dao, seated at the plaintiffâs bench, watched Qin Mu enter the courthouse with a group of elderly people.
He couldnât help feeling puzzled. This case was a public prosecution by the prosecuting authority; his own presence in court was mainly to assist with the trial.
"Theyâre just old folks who enjoy the excitement. Hearing I was involved in a lawsuit, they all clamored to come along," Qin Mu explained, somewhat helplessly.
Shen Daoâs mouth twitched, his face lined with exasperation.
Other peopleâs seniors enjoyed group activities like square dancing. But with Qin Mu, it was a different story... their idea of excitement was watching a court case.
He then took a deep breath, looked at Qin Mu, and said solemnly, "This trial process is a bit complicated and might take quite a while."
Qin Mu was taken aback.
Shen Dao continued, "In this trial, we first need to address Liang Shuqiâs poisoning charge and the instigation charges against eight others. Your defamation suit will come last."
"This gentleman," he said, pointing to a prosecutor seated at the plaintiffâs bench, "is the public prosecutor from the Procuratorate. Heâs in charge of this case, and all the evidence has been collected."
This was a necessary procedure for criminal proceedings, so for the first two charges, Qin Mu would only need to testify as the plaintiff.
"I understand," Qin Mu nodded.
This was a good opportunity to observe the opposing counselâs maneuvers.
Soon after, the bailiff stepped forward, signaling the plaintiff, the defendant, and the onlookers to take their respective seats.
BANG!
The solemn sound of the gavel echoed. The entire courtroom suddenly became deathly quiet.
The judge announced gravely, "Today, the Jin City Courtâs Second Criminal Court will conduct a public hearing on the food delivery poisoning dispute. I, Zhou Quanmin, will serve as the Judgment Chief."
At this point, he paused, once again glancing at Qin Mu, who was seated with the prosecutor at the plaintiffâs bench.
The corners of his mouth twitched involuntarily. Qin Mu again... And coincidentally, he was the one presiding over this particular case. He couldnât even remember how many times he had seen Qin Mu at the plaintiffâs bench.
Taking a deep breath, Zhou Quanmin continued solemnly, "I now declare this court in session!"
What followed was the standard criminal trial procedure. First, the bailiff read out the court rules and regulations, prohibiting any disruptive behavior or disturbance of the trial proceedings.
Immediately afterward, the public prosecutor stood up and read out the indictment. On behalf of Qin Mu, he charged the defendant, Liang Shuqi, with poisoning the takeout, thereby committing the crime of poisoningâspecifically, the crime of distributing hazardous substances.
"Defendant Liang Shuqi, please respond to these charges," Zhou Quanmin said, looking at Liang Shuqi in the defendantâs dock after the public prosecutor had finished reading the indictment.
Following the prosecutorâs indictment, the next step was the defendantâs plea and self-defense.