Chapter 368: Chapter 255: Unlucky Guy! The Eve of the Trial!
To be honest.
Usually, a name is like one’s brand.
Huang Liang lacks a conscience, so he’s named Liang, meaning to emphasize what he lacks.
Xu Liang is different, he has morals and a conscience, so he’s named Liang to highlight his virtues, not deficiencies!
As for double standards... talk to the judge about it in court!
That night.
Xu Liang woke up Feng Nan, and asked Wang Chao to transport the body out of the hospital. First, they circled around the crematorium to avoid surveillance, then went to the forensics institute for an autopsy.
The autopsy takes time, but that’s fine.
They can afford to wait for now!
...
May 10th.
Only 7 days until the trial resumes on the 17th.
The public outcry over the moral brinkmanship of Superstar Pharmaceutical is gradually calming down.
Blue Shield Law Firm finally took action, planning to use local resources to limit Xu Liang, and Chai Shiring even wanted the hospital to evict Mutual Aid Association members like Feng Nan who couldn’t pay the fees.
After all, if the defendant dies, they naturally cannot attend court to defend themselves.
If they can’t attend court, the plaintiff naturally wins!
But unfortunately.
Liu Hui’s side was very firm, unwilling to do so no matter what, leaving Chai Shiring feeling inexplicably baffled and eventually had to give up.
Then they wanted to surveil Xu Liang, but...
The people they sent reported that Xu Liang hadn’t even left the hospital.
Not even on May 13th!
With only four days left before the trial, Xu Liang still hadn’t done anything, bouncing between the hospital, eating places routinely!
This left Chai Shiring deep in thought.
He began to wonder if Xu Liang was using some empty-town ploy.
But in reality...
...
May 13th.
Seven thirty in the morning.
"Another bowl!"
In the hospital cafeteria, Wang Chao yelled again, earning a slap on the back of the head from Xu Liang.
"Smack!"
"This is a hospital; everyone is eating, keep it down!"
Xu Liang scolded.
Wang Chao felt a bit wronged, honestly, he had already lowered his voice, but it’s just that loud, he couldn’t help it.
Ultimately, he had to go buy food even more softly.
In hospitals, there are special cafeterias; even if there’s no cafeteria, there are fixed people selling breakfast at fixed times.
Tianshan Hospital is a private hospital, naturally, they wouldn’t miss out on the money-making cafeteria.
"Slurp~!"
Wang Chao took a sip of the soup in his bowl, feeling the warmth spreading from his throat to his chest, he instantly looked satisfied.
Then he glanced at Xu Liang beside him and whispered:
"Brother Liang, we’ve been resting for a week now..."
After coming back from the pharmaceutical company, besides sending the body to the forensics institute, he and Xu Liang hadn’t done anything, just eating and playing, showing no lawyer-like conduct.
Regarding the case...
It goes to trial on the 17th!
They have to organize all info by the 16th, meaning they can only investigate until the 15th, leaving just three days for investigation...
Yet, they hadn’t done anything, leaving Wang Chao feeling uneasy.
Just as Xu Liang was about to tell him the autopsy report was enough to nail the first trial...
Murmurs suddenly arose beside him.
Xu Liang perked up his ears, listening discreetly.
"Sigh, that case is going to trial again. I wonder if it will be concluded this time..."
"Which case? Are you talking about that fake drug smuggling case!?"
"Well, it’s not fake drugs, honestly I think it’s just generic drugs....
"If generics are effective, how come they’re banned from smuggling, it’s probably fake drugs, I think they should be severely punished!"
"Indeed, nine thousand a bottle... even caused deaths, sigh, those smugglers deserve a thousand cuts!"
"..."
Words of indignation arose from nearby.
Xu Liang glanced to his side and saw a few people eating and chatting together.
These were either patients or family members of patients.
Because the case happened at Tianshan Hospital, they were very concerned.
But unfortunately...
The general public’s understanding isn’t that complete.
Like, if generics work, why are they banned....
Many assume generics are fake drugs, and fake drugs are arsenic.
But in fact, generics can’t be sold because of patent issues, fake drugs are ’fake’ not ’poison’.
"Brother Liang, should we explain?" Wang Chao, hearing the increasingly vile curses from passersby, started getting peeved.
Seeing this, Xu Liang found it amusing, "It’s not you being cursed, why are you getting angry!?"
Thinking this way, Wang Chao realized it made sense.
Though still a bit annoyed, it didn’t stop him from eating.
Until...
"You sure have a good attitude, listening to people curse you while you eat."
A teasing voice sounded.
This voice...
Why did it sound so familiar!?
Xu Liang paused, then turned his head, breaking into a smile.
"Judge Zhao!? Why are you eating at the hospital?"
Seeing the middle-aged man eating beside him, Xu Liang felt a burst of joy.
The person seemed in their forties or fifties, exuding a stern, no-nonsense aura, it was none other than...
Zhao Yi!
Zhao Yi was just sitting at the next table, eating tofu pudding. Seeing Xu Liang, he rolled his eyes.
"I’ve seen you for the last few days; I just didn’t bother to acknowledge you."
He’s been in the hospital for a week and saw Xu Liang almost every day.
But unfortunately, Old Zhao has a strong filter when it comes to Xu Liang.
Just like you wouldn’t poke a hornet’s nest for no reason.
"Judge Zhao, you’re being too formal!"
Xu Liang felt a bit anguished, then carried his meal over to the other’s table.
"How many cases have we worked on together? Saying we’re friends beyond years wouldn’t be an exaggeration!"
Zhao Yi quickly waved his hand, "No, no, no, I can’t handle such words from you!"
Is it fighting a lawsuit?
It’s torture!
Zhao Yi felt like his nerves got sensitive last year...
"By the way, the Qingshi City case... you might find it difficult."
Zhao Yi suddenly remembered something, looked at Xu Liang, and said with a smack of his lips:
"These smuggling cases prioritize public opinion."
It involves public safety and counterfeit drugs, the issue of smuggling.
In court, public opinion holds certain influence over sentencing!
For example, a movie ’Dying to Survive,’ its case prototype was addressed with lighter penalties due to public opinion.
There was even a case before.
The wife was sick, husband had no money for treatment, so he came up with an idea.
That was to carve the hospital’s stamp using a radish, then pretend he’d paid the fees to get the hospital to treat his wife.
In such a case involving substantial amounts of money, fraud charges could completely be applied!
But because of public opinion, how was it judged?
Three years.
Sentenced three, suspended three!
Yes, the other side could indeed have used fraud charges but didn’t, it was processed as a suspended sentence, barely entering the detention center.
That’s the influence of public opinion on cases!
"My case’s public opinion is quite favorable, isn’t it?"
Xu Liang smiled indifferently, "Currently, public opinion is neutral, unbiased, speaking for both defendant and plaintiff."
"I think it’s quite good."
Zhao Yi smacked his lips, disdainfully saying: "Ha."
For this kind of counterfeit drug smuggling... public opinion not progressing is equivalent to regressing!
As long as it doesn’t overwhelmingly lean towards the defendant, even just staying neutral is a disadvantage to them!
This is also why Chai Shiring hasn’t further manipulated public opinion in this situation.
The last moral hijacking incident was a backlash of public opinion, he doesn’t want to endure a second round, and neutrality is sufficient.
"By the way, why are you here?"
Xu Liang suspiciously questioned, then joked:
"You wouldn’t have been demoted, and now responsible for my case at the Middle Court, right?"
Hearing this.
Zhao Yi’s lip twitched, swallowed the egg soup in his bowl, and said:
"My grandson’s transferring schools, needs a medical examination, but during it they found a small issue, here to rest and recover."
"The High Court isn’t as busy as the Middle Court, I have plenty of time to take care of the kid."
Grandson?
Zhao Yi has a grandson!?
Xu Liang was somewhat taken aback, but what he cared more about was...
"A minor issue in the medical checkup!?" Xu Liang’s lip twitched, glancing at Tianshan Hospital.
Goodness gracious.
Tianshan Hospital’s checkups won’t come cheap....
He hesitated for a moment, finally speaking:
"Mediterranean anemia?"
Zhao Yi exclaimed: "Kid, how did you know!?"
Mediterranean anemia is quite a common illness, high probability, representing a broad market, hence why pharmaceutical companies risk seeking people for illegal drug tests.
If they succeed in developing and patenting it first, it would be akin to owning a gold mine!
Only...
"Old Zhao, I’ll give you a suggestion."
Xu Liang remarked thoughtfully, "You better transfer hospitals, Tianshan Hospital’s shady!"
Huang Liang said personally that the checkup has reverted to normal, so he’s not too worried about the grandson’s safety.
But still, Liu Hui’s side isn’t something good, we need to guard against the hospital staff causing trouble.
Shady?
Zhao Yi was surprised, "They wouldn’t even scam me, would they."
Then he raised his eyebrows, as if realizing something, said:
"Did you find something, kid?"
"No, nothing, nothing."
Xu Liang waved his hand quickly.
Then laughed: "Actually, there’s a little something."
"Of course, if you were the judge responsible for this case, I’d definitely tell you."
"How about it? Would you try handling the trial?"
Hearing this.
Zhao Yi laughed, very heartily, and said:
"Your case is handled by the Criminal Second Division."
"Even if a second instance appeal goes to the High Court, it’s still the Criminal Second Division, I’m in the Criminal First Division, what does this have to do with me!?"
Then, he stealthily took pleasure in saying:
"And I don’t know which unlucky soul will be responsible for your second instance at the High Court."
Thinking of the folks at the Middle Court’s anxious faces, Zhao Yi found his appetite greatly improved.
Busy, all are busy.
Busy is good!
It’d be best if it were as busy as my year!
This is....
"Come on, people change over time, cases evolve over time."
"Who knows, this case might suddenly discover something and switch from the Criminal Second to the Criminal First Division."
Xu Liang chuckled as he said.
Zhao Yi was unconcerned, saying: "Talking as if it’s easy, it’s not that simple..."
After speaking.
He looked at the time, said:
"Alright, kid, just busy yourself investigating the case."
"Counting the days; once court recess ends, your trial is about to begin."
"I’m waiting to see you finish the first trial, then see which unlucky guy takes over your case at the second trial, for a good laugh."
