Chapter 1590: You Can Remain Silent
“It’s not your fault. Your father, Gu Xiangwen, a lunatic. He would do anything…”
Jin Wanyi said scornfully again.
Her gaze and words thoroughly infuriated Gu Nianzhi.
Gu Nianzhi opened her eyes abruptly and looked over emotionlessly.
Her gaze was cold, like an icicle with thorns that could pierce through the air.
However, no matter how angry she was, she would not be disturbed.
It was like the heaven giving her a meal. The more angry Gu Nianzhi was in court, the calmer she became.
This was because she knew that if she really wanted to attack the other party, she would have to defeat him in court.
There was no use in trying to talk her way out.
Gu Nianzhi took a deep breath and tried to control herself. She did not want to turn around and look at Lu Jin, who was sitting in the gallery.
She did not know how Lu Jin would feel if he heard someone say that about him…
Jin Wanyi’s fingers tapped on the mouse on her laptop, her emotions boiling.
“At the time, the plaintiff was also worried that the He family would not let her go. Therefore after a discussion with my client, Gu Nianzhi quickly escaped while the lights were off. My client only made way for her so that she could leave through the back door.”
“After the plaintiff left the He family, she immediately met with Gu Xiangwen, who was standing guard outside.”
“Gu Xiangwen was very good at hypnosis. He led the plaintiff and hypnotized the soldiers on sentry duty along the way. Just like that, he brought Gu Nianzhi out of the He family mansion.”
“When they got into the car on the street, not only was my client, Wen Shouyi, able to see them with her own eyes, but two pa.s.sers-by also saw them.”
As Jin Wanyi spoke, she played the testimonies provided by the two pa.s.sers-by.
These two pa.s.sers-by really looked like ordinary pa.s.sers-by.
A man in his thirties and an old woman in her sixties happened to pa.s.s by the roadside and saw a tall and thin man holding the hand of a chubby little girl getting into a car parked by the roadside.
“We’re all familiar with that tall and thin man. He’s the great scientist we used to see on TV. He was wanted for murder after that, wasn’t he?”
“The little girl is about eleven or twelve years old, right? She’s fair and chubby. She has black hair and wears a princess dress. She’s very cute.”
They then identified from the video the photos of Gu Xiangwen and Gu Nianzhi when she was twelve years old.
Jin Wanyi’s eyes sparkled with pride. She glanced at Gu Nianzhi and continued, “There’s one last piece of direct evidence that countless people saw at the time.”
She played a news video from that year.
She saw a tall, skinny man laughing maniacally in the blazing flames. A burning car could be vaguely seen in the flames behind him. There was also a little girl in the car, who was screaming in fear as she leaned against the window.
The camera zoomed in to reveal the face of the little girl. It was the 12-year-old Gu Nianzhi.
“This last piece of evidence occurred one month after the 12-year-old Gu Nianzhi disappeared from the He family’s birthday party. “This proves that the person who took the minor Gu Nianzhi from the He family was her biological father!” This has nothing to do with my clients, Wen Dayou and Liang Meili!”
“It also proves that my client, Ms. Wen Shouyi, did not give false evidence at all!”
“As stated above, I believe that all three of my clients are innocent in this case. I hope the court will consider it carefully and do my clients justice!”
Jin Wanyi ended her defense forcefully and looked at Gu Nianzhi provocatively.
In the courtroom, the judge and the two jurors seemed to have been persuaded by Jin Wanyi. They b.u.mped their heads and discussed for a while. They looked at Gu Nianzhi and said in an unfriendly tone, “The plaintiff, Gu Nianzhi, do you have anything else to say?”
The atmosphere in the courtroom suddenly became tense.
The receptionist, Xiao Zhang, couldn’t help biting her fingernails. She was worried to death about Gu Nianzhi.
She was a very clear-cut person. She was only trying to help her family, not reason. Gu Nianzhi was her friend, and the other party meant nothing to her. Therefore, of course she was only worried about Gu Nianzhi.
From the looks of it, Gu Nianzhi’s situation was really at a disadvantage.
Jin Dazhuang, who was sitting next to her, was a little more composed. Although, based on his professionalism, Gu Nianzhi’s chance of winning this case was indeed very low. However, it wasn’t completely impossible. It all depended on how far she wanted to go.
Bai Shuang was also worried to death. She covered her ears with her hands and didn’t dare to listen anymore.
Zhao Liangze glanced at her and chuckled. “You can’t take it anymore?”
Lu Yuan didn’t say a word. He knew it was time to test Gu Nianzhi. His eyes only swept between Wen Dayou and Liang Meili.
Lu Jin closed his eyes and crossed his arms. He was like an old monk meditating. No one could tell what he was thinking.
Wen Shouyi’s gaze swept past Gu Nianzhi’s group of friends and relatives. She couldn’t help feeling a little smug when she saw their anxious expressions.
Jin Wanyi’s speech today had all been written by her.
Jin Wanyi had only recited it on the spot.
It turned out that Gu Nianzhi was no match for her.
She shook her parents’ hands and gestured with her eyes to rea.s.sure them.
Wen Dayou and Liang Meili finally breathed a sigh of relief. They looked at each other and smiled. They slowly sat up straight.
Gu Nianzhi’s face was dark, and she did not speak for a moment.
She knew that everyone’s eyes were on her.
Gu Nianzhi narrowed her eyes. If her father, Gu Xiangwen, was really dead, then the other party’s testimony and chain of evidence would go together seamlessly…
However, just as she had said to Xiao Zhang before she went to court, heaven’s vengeance is slow but sure.
There was no such thing as flawless.
Therefore, flawless testimony did not exist.
Gu Nianzhi slowly stood up and nodded slightly at the judge and the two jurors in the courtroom. “Your Honor, please allow me to interrogate the defendant.”
“Lawyer Gu, are you still not giving up? My client can remain silent. If you have anything to say, you can ask me.” Jin Wanyi smiled as she closed her laptop, planning to leave.
“Really?” Gu Nianzhi glanced at her casually. “Are you saying that you can fully represent your client? If you can, then I’ll interrogate you.”
Jin Wanyi froze.
She was the defendant’s lawyer, but she couldn’t guarantee that she would be able to fully represent the defendant.
Wen Shouyi pursed her lips, folded her arms, and looked over calmly.
This Gu Nianzhi was really persistent. She wanted to see how she would be able to dig out the truth from a string of ironclad evidence.
According to the law, the defendant could remain silent all the time, and not say a word from the beginning to the end.
She was worried about her parents, so she had devised a strategy early in the morning to keep them silent throughout the trial.
Gu Nianzhi waited for a while, and when she saw that the defendant lawyer and the suspect had stopped talking, she said with a smile, “Why are you so afraid of my interrogation? Are you feeling guilty? Or are you afraid of making more mistakes by saying more?”
Jin Wanyi rolled her eyes and said sarcastically, “Objection! The plaintiff’s lawyer is slandering my client with speculative words.”
“Sustained.” The judge looked at Gu Nianzhi with a straight face. “Please get to the point as soon as possible, plaintiff’s lawyer.”
Gu Nianzhi spread her hands and her gaze swept past Wen Dayou and Liang Meili, she smiled and said, “Actually, you don’t have to be afraid of my interrogation. If you tell too many lies, they will become the truth. If you don’t speak, the lies won’t have a chance to become the truth. How about it? Just accept my interrogation.”
Her eyes were very big, and her pupils were extremely black. The whites of her eyes were so white that they were blue. When she looked at people, they were clear and bright, like a mountain spring that could be seen through with a single glance.
In front of such a pair of clear black and white eyes, there were not many people who could continue lying.
Wen Dayou and Liang Meili did not dare to look her in the eye again. They lowered their heads and mumbled to themselves.
Gu Nianzhi admired their embarra.s.sment for a while before clapping her hands and saying, “Alright, I won’t make things difficult for you. Actually, I don’t have to interrogate you.”
“According to Article 53 of the criminal law, the sentence in all cases must be based on evidence, investigation and research, and not a confession.”
“Only the confession of the defendant, If there is no other evidence, the defendant can not be found guilty and punished.”
“Without the confession of the defendant, the evidence is conclusive and sufficient. The defendant can also be found guilty and punished.”
Gu Nianzhi walked forward as she spoke. Finally, she stood in front of the dock and leaned forward slightly. She knocked on the table in the dock with a smile. “So, you can remain silent, but it won’t prevent the court from convicting you.”
“In other words, whether or not you are found guilty has nothing to do with whether or not you will answer my questions.”
Wen Dayou and Liang Meili raised their heads in shock.
“… Umm, Shouyi, is this true? ! How can we be sentenced without talking?!” Liang Meili was the first to lose her cool and tugged at Wen Shouyi’s wrist.
Wen Dayou wiped his face with his rough hand and stammered, “How can this be? Didn’t they say…”
“Didn’t they say what?” Gu Nianzhi quickly and politely continued, “Mr. Wen, what did they promise you? If you have any questions, you can ask me.”