Chapter 216: Court

Chapter 216 The Courtroom

“Speaking of which, the Huangtian case goes to trial the day after tomorrow. Judge Wang, you must be under a lot of pressure these days, right? Have you decided how to rule?”

Wang Deming knocked back a small glass of liquor, his greasy cheeks flushing crimson. “This case is simple. That Shi Nianan clearly committed intentional murder.”

A flicker of doubt crossed Li Qiren’s eyes. “That can’t be, can it? I’ve seen lawyers online analyzing it thoroughly, all saying the woman acted in self-defense. At worst, it might be excessive self-defense.”

Wang Deming snorted dismissively. “What do those common folk online know? With my years of experience presiding over cases, I could tell at a glance that woman had ill intentions. She’d already broken free of the zip ties, yet she still went for Qiao Yanzhi with lethal force. If that’s not intentional murder, what is?”

Li Qiren hastily put on a flattering smile, his face creased with wrinkles. “It truly takes someone of your caliber, Professor Wang, to have such sharp insight! I knew no one else could handle this case—they’d probably be fooled by that woman. Here, let me raise a glass to you.”

Wang Deming raised his glass and downed another glass of what he considered swill. His face grew redder, his head began to swim, and his tongue loosened.

“That Shi Nianan must be insane! To be noticed by Qiao Yanzhi—how many people dream of such fortune? If he wanted to play, she should’ve just played along. He’s the crown prince of the Huangtian empire, after all—he wouldn’t have treated her poorly, right? But no, she had to make a scene, take a life, turn it into a public spectacle, and drag herself down with it. What was the point?”

“You’re absolutely right. That woman simply doesn’t know what’s good for her.”

Having lectured on the matter and basked in the flattery, Wang Deming felt supremely satisfied. Thinking of the luxury cars and mansions he’d recently acquired, he felt even more that life was beautiful and full of promise.

What a total life winner!

He was about to say more when a sudden urge to urinate struck him. Hitching up his pants, he hurriedly stood up and left the private room, heading for the restroom.

Just then, a figure approached from the opposite direction, blocking his path.

Frowning, he looked up and saw a stranger—a woman dressed in black. Irritated, he barked, “Get out of my damn way! Don’t block me—I need to piss!”

The woman curled her lips slightly, looking at him with a faint, mocking smile. “Judge Wang, you’ve been raking in money lately. Why are you still so irritable?”

Wang Deming sobered up immediately. Squinting, he scrutinized her from head to toe. “Who are you? What nonsense are you spouting?”

The woman chuckled softly. “I’m here to discuss a business proposal with you. Judge Wang, after all these years on the bench, have you considered… stepping down and making way for someone more deserving?”

Her tone was gentle, but it carried a subtle threat.

Wang Deming, unaccustomed to such disrespect, saw red. But just as he was about to react, the woman suddenly produced an object. His eyes focused—it was a handgun!

The dark muzzle was pointed directly at him.

The woman spoke slowly, deliberately. “I suppose Judge Wang wouldn’t want to cause a death, turn it into a public spectacle, and drag himself down with it, would you?”

Wang Deming shuddered, his drunkenness evaporating completely. Wasn’t that exactly what he’d said about Shi Nianan back in the private room? Who was this woman?

Trembling with fear, he raised his hands. “Don’t be rash! We can talk this through properly. Everything is negotiable!”

The next moment, a heavy blow struck the back of his head. His vision went black, and he blacked out.

One last thought flashed through his mind—"She’s with Shi Nianan!"

————

Soon, the day of the trial arrived.

The entrance to the courthouse was swarming with people. Reporters and influencers held up their phones, broadcasting live.

Tycoons, wealthy families, tech rising stars, kidnapping, sexual assault, deadly resistance… These sensational keywords had captured public attention the moment the case broke.

Even though the live streams couldn’t show the courtroom proceedings, their popularity soared, topping the platform charts within minutes. Armchair judges flooded the chat, eagerly delivering their verdicts.

“Does this case even need a trial? Just give her the death penalty, thanks!”

“Since when do women get to kill people and shout about being innocent? In the old days, being dunked in a pig cage would’ve been too light a punishment.”

“What’s all this hype about a female entrepreneur? She was clearly trying to seduce the crown prince to climb the ladder, and now she’s playing the victim. Disgusting.”

“Someone leaked a five-minute surveillance video from that night. The woman was proactive the whole time. DM me if you want it.”

“Whether it was against the woman’s will is a matter of interpretation. You could even argue it was BDSM. But killing with a knife is ironclad evidence. Stop trying to wash it away with self-defense—it won’t work.”

“Sky Technology is getting killed this time. Lots of men are boycotting their new products. The losses are massive.”

“When is Huangtian planning to release the Material Machine? Even though their lab exploded last time, failure is part of research. Thomas Edison also failed thousands of times before inventing the lightbulb. I’ll be the first to support it when it comes out.”

Overwhelmingly, the comments condemned the woman. No one cared about the truth; they only wanted to see the outcome they desired.

Suddenly, a black car pulled up in front of the courthouse. The door opened, and Qiao Zhizhang, chairman of Huangtian Group, stepped out with a stern expression.

Reporters immediately surged forward, training their cameras on him and pelting him with questions.

“Mr. Qiao, your son kidnapped and attempted to assault the woman, and was ultimately killed in self-defense. Do you think the court will rule her guilty?”

“It’s reported that your son previously caused a major accident by plagiarizing Sky Technology’s patents and was removed from the board for embezzlement. Were these failures the reason he took such a desperate risk, leading to this tragedy?”

“You’ve publicly criticized the woman on social media, but if you were the one kidnapped and assaulted, would you still insist this wasn’t self-defense?”

Qiao Zhizhang glanced at the last reporter who spoke, his face darkening.

Bodyguards quickly shoved the reporter aside. Qiao Zhizhang averted his gaze and strode forward.

But just before entering the courthouse, he suddenly stopped, turned to the crowd, and spoke in an icy tone, “What do you sleazy media outlets know? My son is dead—that’s the outcome. If you don’t even understand the principle of ‘a life for a life,’ you should change careers now!”

Raising his voice, a flicker of menace flashed in his eyes. “Mark my words: you’ll see for yourselves. Today’s trial will have only one outcome for Shi Nianan—the death penalty! As for all of you, think carefully when reporting this. Consider whether it’s worth risking your livelihoods… and your safety.”

His words caused an immediate stir in the crowd. The reporters who had been sharp-tongued moments earlier fell silent, fear evident on their faces.

Just then, several exclamations came from the back. “It’s Shi Nianan! She’s here!”

The reporters immediately swiveled their cameras, hoping to capture the defendant looking haggard, vulnerable, and helpless. Such footage would surely ignite social media and generate massive traffic.

They had even prepared headlines: “Shocking! Defendant in Huangtian Case Appears in Court Makeup-Free—Haggard and Evasive, a World Apart Compared to Former Professional Photos.”

But when their lenses focused on her, everyone froze.

Shi Nianan, escorted by her lawyer and bailiffs, walked slowly under the early morning sun, her silhouette softened by the hazy golden light of dawn. Dressed in plain casual clothes, her neatly trimmed jet-black short hair made her round face look even more determined. Her eyes were clear and calm as she swept her gaze over the crowd. There was no trace of despair or panic on her face—instead, she seemed more composed than ever, tempered by adversity.

The noisy crowd fell silent for a moment, followed by a flurry of camera shutters.

Qiao Zhizhang’s expression stiffened, then darkened visibly. A sinister glint flickered in his beady eyes.

Aware of the cameras, he quickly composed himself, though a faint, cold smile still lingered at the corners of his lips.

What good does it do to act composed now? Just wait until the death sentence is announced—then we’ll see you cry!

At that moment, Shi Nianan’s gaze swept over and met his. In each other’s eyes, they saw a reflection of cold, murderous intent.

One wanted the other dead; the other, having killed, sought to walk away unscathed. Even before the trial began, the two sides were already at daggers drawn.

Qiao Zhizhang turned away first and entered the courthouse, taking his seat at the plaintiff’s table.

Next, Shi Nianan walked calmly to the defendant's seat, raising her hand to tuck the stray hairs away from her forehead. The offhand movement caused her sleeve to slip down by half an inch, revealing a thin, bluish-red bruise—clearly left by a zip tie.

Whispers immediately rose from the spectator seats. Some cast hateful glances at Shi Nianan, while others showed gestures of support toward her.

Shi Nianan had anticipated these reactions, but seeing so many people supporting her still touched her deeply.

She scanned the spectator seats but didn’t see the familiar face she was hoping for, a flicker of disappointment flashing in her eyes.

Mom… she really didn’t come, did she?

Then again, today was the company’s new product launch. She probably didn’t have time to attend the trial.

Thinking back, it was all her own fault. She knew Qiao Yanzhi had his eyes on her, yet she overconfidently went out alone. If she hadn’t been so overconfident, she wouldn’t have gotten entangled in this homicide case.

Lawyer Du Xiao noticed her despondent expression and thought she was worried about the upcoming trial. He leaned in and whispered reassuringly, “Don’t worry. I promised President Zhou I’d do my best to argue for your acquittal.”

Logically, the chances of winning were slim, but emotionally, she still held onto a glimmer of hope. What if there was a turnaround?

No matter how small the odds, she had to give it her all and prepare to win this case!

Shi Nianan’s eyes flickered. It wasn’t that she wasn’t worried—she had simply already prepared herself for the worst outcome. Even if she were found guilty of excessive self-defense, the sentence wouldn’t be too severe.

Still, she was grateful for Du Xiao’s reassurance. Just as she was about to speak, she noticed Du Xiao’s assistant hurrying in through a side door, leaning in to whisper something in his ear.

“What?” Du Xiao lowered his voice but couldn’t hide his surprise.

Shi Nianan asked softly, “What’s wrong?”

Du Xiao frowned, hesitating for a moment before replying, “I just received news that the judges on the collegial panel met privately with Qiao Zhizhang before the trial. He also told the media that he wants you to pay with your life for Qiao Yanzhi’s death… This is very bad. I’m afraid the outcome of this case looks grim.”

Shi Nianan’s heart sank like a stone into an abyss. Qiao Zhizhang had extensive connections, and she had killed his son. How could she naively think he would do nothing and simply wait for the court’s verdict?

She looked toward the plaintiff’s seat and happened to meet Qiao Zhizhang’s cunning, cold smile. Her body trembled violently.

That old fox—he had planned everything!

Qiao Zhizhang took in their panicked expressions with great satisfaction, a smug look appearing on his face.

Now you’re scared, huh? With her status, she wasn’t even worthy of meeting him on a normal day, yet she dared to oppose him? How naive.

He smiled faintly, his gaze sweeping over the prosecutor in the front row. The confident expression on the prosecutor’s face reassured him that everything was proceeding according to plan.

The evidence in the prosecutor’s hands was more than enough to prove that Shi Nianan was guilty of intentional homicide. No amount of defense would change that.

“Court is now in session!” The clerk’s voice suddenly rang out from the front, interrupting his thoughts.

With a soft creak, the door behind the judges’ bench opened.

Qiao Zhizhang calmly looked up at the judges’ bench. As expected, nine judges in black robes filed in and took their seats.

But when he saw the person sitting in the chief judge’s seat, his composed smile instantly froze.

Where is Wang Deming? Why is it Jin Jianmin?!

A notorious feminist who can’t even adjudicate fairly—what qualifications does she have to sit in that position?

And who are those female judges sitting beside her? Where did they come from?

Shi Nianan and her defense lawyer, Du Xiao, were also stunned.

Wasn’t it said that Qiao Zhizhang had bribed the judges? Why were they replaced? Regardless, this situation was definitely favorable for her.

Thinking this, her tense heart relaxed slightly.

Jin Jianmin expressionlessly addressed the court, “I am the newly appointed Chief Judge Jin Jianmin. The original five judges of the collegial panel have recused themselves due to sudden illness. This case will now be presided over by this court.”

With that, she struck the gavel. “Court is now in session!”

Low murmurs erupted in the quiet courtroom. Qiao Zhizhang abruptly stood up and angrily shouted, “What kind of joke is this? Can the chief judge be replaced just like that? Where are the appointment and dismissal documents? Where is the public announcement?”

“Order in the court!”

Jin Jianmin slammed the gavel forcefully, her sharp gaze fixed on Qiao Zhizhang. “Plaintiff Qiao Zhizhang, your disruptive behavior has severely disturbed court order. This court hereby issues a warning. If such behavior recurs, you will be removed from the courtroom in accordance with the law!”

Qiao Zhizhang’s face darkened like storm clouds, but he ultimately restrained himself and sat back down. So what if the judges were replaced? The fact that Shi Nianan committed intentional homicide was indisputable.

Seeing that order had been restored, Jin Jianmin immediately composed herself. As a judge, she knew she must remain absolutely neutral, not allowing any change in expression to reveal her inclinations.

After reading the indictment, she followed procedure by allowing the prosecutor to present evidence and statements regarding the charges.

The prosecutor spoke with confidence, “Your Honor, the forensic report indicates that the fatal wound to the victim’s heart was not directly caused by a triangular bayonet but rather by high-temperature burns. Although the bayonet wound overlapped the original injury, there was no internal bleeding. This clearly indicates that the victim was already dead before being stabbed—only a dead person does not bleed!”

He raised his voice as he addressed the judges’ bench, “Although the actual murder weapon has not been found, it can be inferred that the defendant first killed the victim with an electric shock weapon and then stabbed the body to conceal the true cause of death. This behavior precisely confirms that this was a premeditated, intentional murder!”

As his words fell, murmurs erupted among the spectators. Even those who had initially supported Shi Nianan began to show doubt.

Jin Jianmin struck the gavel, and the crowd quieted down.

“Does the defendant have any objections to the evidence presented by the prosecutor?”

Defense lawyer Du Xiao, who had initially appeared relaxed, turned pale. His fingers, tightly clutching the case files, began to tremble.

He had no knowledge of this autopsy report. If it were true, all the defense strategies he had prepared would be useless.

From the beginning, he had firmly believed that Shi Nianan acted in self-defense—that she had been forced to use the bayonet to kill Qiao Yanzhi while resisting assault.

But now, faced with the facts, he had no way to refute them. And Shi Nianan had not been entirely truthful with him—how was he supposed to defend her?!

Shi Nianan met Du Xiao’s accusatory gaze, despair welling up in her eyes. She had thought this secret would never be discovered.

Her memory flashed back to the night of the incident.

She had just ended a call with Chi Jing when the door was pushed open from the outside.

Looking up, she saw the cold-faced woman wearing a mask standing at the doorway—Seventeenth, the one who had kidnapped her.