Recaps

Su Bai presented chat logs and profile content as evidence that Xie Jing and Ye Fei had conspired to defraud the client, while deliberately provoking Ye Fei in court. After the judge confirmed the evidence came from Li Xuezhen’s lawful entry into Ye Fei’s fan group, Ye Fei struggled to control her anger as the fraud allegation became the trial’s central issue.

• Ye Fei objected to Su Bai’s fraud accusations, but Presiding Judge Yang Yu warned her to observe courtroom discipline.
• Su Bai told Li Xuezhen that provoking opposing counsel through legitimate actions could improve their chances of winning.
• Yang Yu reviewed the plaintiff’s evidence and gave it to Ye Fei, who questioned its source and legality.
• Su Bai showed that Li Xuezhen had joined Ye Fei’s fan group and asked the judge to let Ye Fei verify the evidence on her phone.
• Ye Fei found Li Xuezhen’s mocking message in the group and accused Su Bai of using false information to gain entry.
• Su Bai argued that Ye Fei had invited Li Xuezhen herself and offered to present their earlier chat history, leaving Ye Fei worried she would lose the case.

Su Bai argued that Xie Jing and her lawyer, Ye Fei, had colluded to defraud Zhang Tongwei of his premarital property, and Zhang described how Xie Jing had pressured him into signing guarantees. Ye Fei invoked Xie Jing’s depression, but Su Bai challenged its relevance, leaving Ye Fei struggling to respond.

• Ye Fei argued that Xie Jing could not be accused of fraud for seeking a share of marital property, but Su Bai clarified that he alleged Xie Jing and Ye Fei had conspired to obtain Zhang Tongwei’s premarital assets through improper means.
• Su Bai presented evidence that Ye Fei had advised followers to get their husbands to sign guarantees or gift declarations, and that Xie Jing relied on such a guarantee to claim Zhang’s property.
• The judge allowed Zhang Tongwei to supplement the argument, and Zhang testified that Xie Jing had pressured him to sign documents and had mistreated him while benefiting from his income and property.
• Ye Fei claimed Xie Jing’s depression explained her conduct, but Su Bai questioned whether it had any connection to the alleged fraud, leaving Ye Fei unable to answer effectively.

During Xie Jing’s fraud trial, Presiding Judge Yang Yu ruled that her depression was unrelated to the case, leaving Ye Fei without her main argument. As court recessed before closing statements, Su Bai prepared his final appeal while Li Xuezhen asked whether Ye Fei could be sent to prison.

• Ye Fei struggled to answer Su Bai’s questions as the case shifted from a marital dispute toward a criminal fraud prosecution, and Xie Jing nervously asked what they should do.
• Yang Yu asked whether Xie Jing’s depression was connected to the alleged fraud, and Su Bai warned Ye Fei against giving false testimony.
• Ye Fei denied that Xie Jing had committed fraud and asked the court to consider her depression, but Yang Yu ruled that it was unrelated to the case and rejected the defense’s request.
• Both sides said they had no further objections, and Yang Yu recessed court for an hour before closing statements and the judgment.
• Su Bai told Li Xuezhen that the opposing side would likely face punishment, while she asked whether the case could get Ye Fei locked up.

During the recess, the judges debated whether Xie Jing’s attempt to obtain Zhang Tongwei’s premarital property through legal proceedings constituted fraud, and presiding judge Yang Yu formed a tentative view. Court then resumed, with Su Bai confident and Ye Fei and Xie Jing anxiously awaiting the ruling.

• Xie Jing worried that she and Ye Fei might face prison, while Ye Fei tried to reassure her before court resumed.
• Yang Yu asked Jiang Hao and Liu Hongmei to assess the fraud allegations and the appropriate ruling.
• Jiang Hao supported finding fraud, while Liu Hongmei argued that Xie Jing had not completed the offense and that the alleged unlawful conduct was difficult to prove.
• Yang Yu listened to both jurors and decided to wait for the parties’ statements before making his final decision.
• After an hour, Yang Yu, Jiang Hao, and Liu Hongmei returned to the courtroom, and the hearing resumed.
• Su Bai remained confident, while Zhang Tongwei, Ye Fei, and Xie Jing waited tensely for the ruling.

Su Bai argued that Xie Jing had committed fraud and accused her lawyer, Ye Fei, of encouraging unlawful attempts to take spouses’ premarital assets. After both sides gave their closing statements, Yang Yu prepared to announce the court’s verdict.

• Yang Yu resumed the hearing and invited Su Bai to deliver the plaintiff’s closing statement.
• Su Bai argued that Xie Jing had defrauded Zhang Tongwei and accused Ye Fei of promoting conduct that violated the law and her professional ethics.
• Ye Fei asked the court to strike Su Bai’s personal accusations, but Yang Yu denied her request and required her to give her statement.
• Ye Fei appealed to marital harmony and women’s rights, while Xie Jing declined to say anything further.
• Yang Yu announced that the arguments had concluded and prepared to deliver the judgment.

Presiding Judge Yang Yu announced a sweeping verdict that sent Xie Jing to prison for six months and her lawyer Ye Fei to prison for a year, revoked Ye Fei’s license, and granted Zhang Tongwei a divorce. Su Bai celebrated the victory with Zhang Tongwei and Li Xuezhen as Ye Fei and Xie Jing protested.

• Yang Yu ruled that Xie Jing had committed fraud by trying to seize Zhang Tongwei’s premarital assets, sentenced her to six months in prison, granted the divorce, and ordered the return of property transferred without Zhang’s consent.
• Yang Yu found that Ye Fei had instigated Xie Jing’s fraud, sentenced her to one year in prison, revoked her law license, and said the court would notify the Procuratorate.
• Ye Fei protested the verdict, while Xie Jing confronted her and was restrained by a bailiff.
• Zhang Tongwei praised Su Bai for winning the case and promised to pay his remaining legal fees.
• Li Xuezhen celebrated Ye Fei’s prison sentence, and Su Bai admitted that Yang Yu’s unusually severe ruling had exceeded his expectations.

After Su Bai won Xie Jing’s case, Ye Fei declared that she would appeal, while Xie Jing begged Zhang Tongwei to withdraw the case. Su Bai and Zhang Tongwei left the courthouse as Wang Li celebrated Su Bai’s victory.

• Li Xuezhen praised Su Bai’s legal skill and packed up their documents after the hearing.
• Ye Fei told Su Bai she would appeal and overturn the judgment, but he ignored her and explained that an appeal would be difficult and could lead to a heavier sentence.
• Xie Jing blamed Ye Fei for her loss, then pleaded with Zhang Tongwei to withdraw the case; Zhang Tongwei refused and followed Su Bai out.
• Wang Li enthusiastically praised Su Bai outside the courthouse and admitted Zhang Tongwei had been right to trust him.

After winning Wang Li and Zhang Tongwei’s case, Su Bai reassured them about an appeal and agreed to let Zhang pay his legal fees later. Ye Fei decided against appealing after Jiang Min warned that it could lead to harsher charges, and news of her prison sentence made White Jun Law Firm famous across the Southern Capital legal community.

• Su Bai told Wang Li and Zhang Tongwei that an appeal was unlikely to affect their divorce or property ruling, and Zhang agreed to pay the firm when he collected the judgment.
• Li Xuezhen urged Su Bai to advertise for more clients, and he agreed.
• Jiang Min warned Ye Fei that an appeal could expose her to more serious charges, so Ye Fei abandoned the idea and faced the consequences of her conduct.
• News of Ye Fei’s prison sentence spread through the Southern Capital legal community, drawing attention to White Jun Law Firm and Su Bai.
• Several firms invited Su Bai to join them, but he declined because he preferred working independently.

Legal commentator Luo Daxiang learned that White Jun Law Firm had handled another sensational case and considered recommending the firm for a difficult Northern Capital prosecution. At the firm, Li Xuezhen proposed livestreaming legal education to attract clients, and Su Bai questioned whether viewers would care about the law or her looks.

• Su Bai checked his system panel and saw that he had earned an S victory rating for his completed case.
• Xiao Haibo told Luo Daxiang about White Jun Law Firm’s marriage fraud case, where the plaintiff’s lawyer had been jailed.
• Luo Daxiang recognized White Jun Law Firm from its frequent advertisements under his videos and considered the firm for a difficult Northern Capital prosecution.
• Li Xuezhen worried that her advertising had brought no consultations, and her roommate suggested livestreaming legal education.
• Li Xuezhen proposed livestreaming to Su Bai, who teased that viewers might watch for her appearance rather than her explanations.

Su Bai considered whether White Jun Law Firm should make legal education content, but Li Xuezhen instead brought him a death penalty case referred by Luo Daxiang. After Zhang Tongwei paid the firm’s legal fees, Su Bai advised him on recovering marital assets from Xie Jing’s family.

• Su Bai explained to Li Xuezhen why online legal education content would bring the firm unhelpful attention, and told her to wait for the fees from Zhang Tongwei’s case before advertising.
• Luo Daxiang messaged Li Xuezhen and offered to refer a Northern Capital public prosecution case to White Jun Law Firm.
• Li Xuezhen told Su Bai about the death penalty case, and he decided to wait until Zhang Tongwei’s written judgment arrived before considering it.
• Fourteen days after the hearing, Ye Fei’s and Xie Jing’s sentences were finalized, and the court mailed the written judgment to White Jun Law Firm.
• Zhang Tongwei transferred 550,000 in legal fees to Su Bai and asked how to recover marital assets Xie Jing had given her family.
• Su Bai advised Zhang Tongwei to keep asking Xie Jing’s family to return the money and to apply for court enforcement with the written judgment if they refused.

After Zhang Tongwei’s divorce case ended, Su Bai abandoned handing out flyers when Li Xuezhen revealed that Teacher Luo could connect them with clients and law firms through a Northern Capital death penalty case. Su Bai and Li Xuezhen traveled to the Northern Capital to take the case and expand the White Jun Law Firm’s business.

• Su Bai finished Zhang Tongwei’s case, and Wang Li joked that he would return when he decided to divorce.
• Su Bai and Li Xuezhen handed out flyers for three days, but attracted no promising clients.
• Li Xuezhen told Su Bai that Teacher Luo had offered to promote the firm and introduce them to Northern Capital law firms and corporate clients after the death penalty case.
• Su Bai stopped the flyer campaign, accepted the case, and decided to expand the White Jun Law Firm into the Northern Capital.
• Li Xuezhen got permission from her adviser to leave campus and packed for the business trip.
• Three days after accepting the case, Su Bai and Li Xuezhen arrived in the Northern Capital by high-speed train.

Su Bai and Li Xuezhen traveled to Northern Capital to take on a university student’s death penalty appeal, and Su Bai began shaping a defense strategy after consulting Luo Daxiang. After signing the representation agreement with the client’s parents, Su Bai prepared to review the first-trial files and teach Li Xuezhen to adapt to local circumstances.

• Su Bai and Li Xuezhen met Luo Daxiang, who explained the case and warned that the retrial would be livestreamed and prosecuted by a capable opponent.
• Luo Daxiang described how a student killed two men during a confrontation in a shopping mall, fled the scene, and received a death sentence at the first trial.
• Su Bai told Luo Daxiang he was unsure the court would find lawful self-defense but was confident the case would not end in a death sentence.
• Su Bai and Li Xuezhen met the client’s parents, signed a modestly priced representation agreement, and heard the parents entrust their son’s case to him.
• Su Bai told Li Xuezhen they would review the prosecution’s existing evidence and relevant law rather than collect new evidence, then taught her to adapt to Northern Capital’s procedures.

Su Bai and Li Xuezhen traveled to the Northern Capital to review Qi Feng’s death penalty case and prepare his appeal. When detention center staff delayed their meeting with Qi Feng, Li Xuezhen used her connections to secure an immediate visit.

• Su Bai and Li Xuezhen obtained copies of the first-trial case file from the Northern Capital Intermediate Court.
• Su Bai reviewed the prosecution and defense arguments and concluded that the appellate court would not uphold the original verdict.
• Su Bai and Li Xuezhen applied to visit Qi Feng at Bright Street Detention Center, but an officer initially told them they would have to wait about two days.
• Li Xuezhen contacted someone she knew, and the officer soon returned to approve their visit with Qi Feng.

Su Bai met Qi Feng to prepare his appeal, then asked Li Xuezhen to investigate the presiding judge’s preferences and personality. Li Xuezhen agreed, and Su Bai felt more confident about the upcoming case.

• Su Bai learned that Li Xuezhen had contacted an acquaintance to help them at the detention center.
• Su Bai told Qi Feng that Luo Daxiang had asked him to handle the appeal, restoring Qi Feng’s hope, and reviewed the first-trial evidence with him.
• Su Bai concluded that the appeal depended on how the judges interpreted the law, not on overturning the evidence.
• Su Bai drafted and submitted Qi Feng’s appeal petition, and the Northern Capital Higher People's Court accepted it and scheduled a hearing.
• Su Bai persuaded Li Xuezhen to investigate the presiding judge, who had ties to her teacher.

Li Xuezhen gathered information about presiding judge Lin Youping for Su Bai and learned about him from her professor, Feng Lijian. As Qi Feng’s hearing approached, public debate over self-defense intensified, and Su Bai’s comment became the most-liked response online.

• Li Xuezhen reviewed Lin Youping’s background and called Feng Lijian to ask about his personality and preferences.
• Feng Lijian told Li Xuezhen what he knew about Lin Youping, then realized she had called to help Su Bai rather than herself.
• Li Xuezhen gave Su Bai the information on Lin Youping, and Su Bai promised her internship pay and a permanent position if she met the requirements.
• As Qi Feng’s hearing neared, online discussion about whether his actions were self-defense or homicide drew widespread support for him.
• Su Bai watched his comment about ordinary people’s right to fight back gain likes and remain at the top of the discussion.

Su Bai and Li Xuezhen prepared to defend Qi Feng at his appeal hearing as public debate over the case intensified. Before the trial began, Su Bai reminded Li Xuezhen that their duty was to fight for their client, and he left her ready to proceed.

• Su Bai finished preparing for Qi Feng’s trial and waited for the hearing day to arrive.
• Lü Wei told reporters that Qi Feng’s actions constituted intentional homicide and that the law would decide the case.
• Su Bai told reporters to mention the White Jun Law Firm in their coverage of the trial.
• Li Xuezhen asked Su Bai what he thought of Lü Wei’s remarks, and Su Bai taught her that lawyers had to stay true to their convictions and fight to win for their clients.

At Qi Feng’s appeal hearing, Su Bai argued that Qi Feng had acted in lawful self-defense and sought not only his acquittal but also compensation and a public clarification from the Prosecution. The hearing had just begun, leaving the court to consider Su Bai’s striking demands.

• Court staff brought both sides into the courtroom, and Presiding Judge Lin Youping opened the hearing.
• Luo Daxiang livestreamed the proceedings and explained the roles of the judges, lawyers, and parties while viewers debated Qi Feng’s chances.
• Lin Youping confirmed Qi Feng’s grounds for appeal, and Su Bai affirmed them.
• Su Bai requested that Qi Feng be acquitted because he had acted in lawful self-defense.
• Su Bai also demanded 55,864.75 yuan in compensation from the Prosecution, a public written clarification, and other compensatory measures for Qi Feng.

Su Bai challenged Lü Wei’s claim that Qi Feng intended to kill and argued that Qi Feng’s actions constituted lawful self-defense. The chapter ended with Su Bai asking the court to reject the intentional homicide charge.

• Lü Wei argued that Qi Feng’s use of a knife to kill two people showed intent to harm, and asked the court to dismiss the appeal and compensation claim.
• Su Bai asked Lü Wei how he had established Qi Feng’s subjective intent, but the judge granted Lü Wei’s request to decline the question and terminated the questioning.
• Su Bai recounted the prosecution’s version of the events, and Lü Wei confirmed the sequence while objecting to its characterization as lawful self-defense.
• Su Bai questioned Qi Feng, who said he had taken the knife to scare the men and had felt fear after killing them.
• Su Bai cited criminal law and the case circumstances to argue that Qi Feng lacked intent to kill or evade accountability and had acted in lawful self-defense.

During Qi Feng’s appeal, Su Bai argued that Qi Feng acted in self-defense while frightened and panicked, and challenged the prosecution to refute law enforcement’s report. Lü Wei struggled to answer, leaving the courtroom dispute unresolved.

• Luo Daxiang explained that establishing a stress-induced offense could lead to lawful self-defense or a lighter sentence for Qi Feng rather than the death penalty.
• Presiding Judge Lin Youping invited Lü Wei to respond to Su Bai’s defense.
• Lü Wei argued that Qi Feng had a knife, faced no serious threat, and intentionally swung it at both attackers.
• Su Bai cited law enforcement’s report about the attackers’ histories and Qi Feng’s fear, then challenged Lü Wei to produce evidence refuting its findings.
• Lü Wei was caught off guard by Su Bai’s challenge and struggled to keep his composure.

Su Bai used law enforcement’s findings to establish that Qi Feng’s crime was not intentional, putting a death sentence out of reach and leaving excessive self-defense as a likely outcome. Lü Wei lost the argument and had no new evidence or arguments, while Su Bai’s trainee Li Xuezhen accepted his explanation for why opposing lawyers stared at him.

• Su Bai trapped Lü Wei into acknowledging that Qi Feng’s crime was not intentional, making a death sentence unlikely.
• Presiding Judge Lin Youping granted the applicant’s request and asked the prosecution for new evidence or grounds for rebuttal.
• Lü Wei said the prosecution had no new evidence, but Su Bai interrupted before he could present his planned argument.
• Lin Youping warned Su Bai to observe courtroom discipline, then asked Lü Wei whether he had any new arguments.
• Lü Wei said he had no further arguments and glared at Su Bai.
• Li Xuezhen told Su Bai that opposing lawyers stared at him, and he explained that they were jealous because his side never lost.

During the recess in Qi Feng’s trial, Su Bai and his side remained confident while Lü Wei prepared for his last chance to persuade the judges. The judges leaned toward excessive self-defense but left open the possibility of lawful self-defense, and Lin Youping decided to hear the appellant’s lawyer before settling the issue.

• The court recessed for half an hour, and Su Bai felt that his side held the advantage as the final arguments approached.
• Lü Wei acknowledged to his colleague that the case was going badly and resolved to use the closing arguments as his last chance.
• Luo Daxiang told viewers that excessive self-defense was more likely than lawful self-defense, though he still hoped Qi Feng might win the latter ruling.
• In the deliberation room, Zhu Xiong and Fang Mei agreed that Qi Feng had not committed intentional injury but differed over whether his actions amounted to excessive or lawful self-defense.
• Lin Youping said the panel would hear the appellant’s lawyer’s arguments before deciding between the two rulings.

The court ruled that Qi Feng had not committed intentional injury, overturning the basis for his death sentence. Su Bai and Lü Wei then argued over whether Qi Feng’s actions qualified as lawful self-defense, leaving that question unresolved before the closing statement.

• Lin Youping found that Qi Feng had neither desired nor consciously allowed the harmful consequence and ruled that he had not committed intentional injury.
• Qi Feng realized he no longer faced the death sentence, and Su Bai signaled him to stay calm and keep listening.
• Su Bai argued that Qi Feng had acted in lawful self-defense while two attackers continued assaulting him and that he stopped when they fell.
• Lü Wei countered that the attackers had lost the ability to continue their assault after being injured, so Qi Feng’s actions exceeded the necessary limits.

The Prosecution and defense delivered closing statements in Qi Feng’s trial, with Su Bai arguing that the circumstances justified legitimate self-defense and presenting evidence about public reaction. The panel took a second recess to deliberate, and Lin Youping reached a decision before the verdict was announced.

• Lü Wei urged the court to impose a severe sentence, emphasizing that Qi Feng’s excessive self-defense had caused two deaths.
• Su Bai argued that Qi Feng’s actions should be judged in context and introduced a widely viewed online comment about the public’s expectations of justice.
• Lin Youping asked whether Su Bai had evidence supporting the comment, and Su Bai submitted prepared documents for the panel to examine.
• Lin Youping declared a thirty-minute recess before the verdict, and Su Bai suspected the defense had shifted the judge’s view.
• In the deliberation room, Zhu Xiong and Fang Mei said past rulings pointed to excessive self-defense but noted the impact of Su Bai’s closing statement.
• Lin Youping listened to the panel members and reached a decision.

After a second recess, the court ruled that Qi Feng had acted in justifiable self-defense and acquitted him, ordering his immediate release and compensation. Qi Feng reunited with his parents as Su Bai reflected on the difficult but successful case.

• Luo Daxiang explained that the court’s second recess might mean it was considering justifiable self-defense.
• After the hearing resumed, Lin Youping announced that Qi Feng’s actions met the legal requirements for justifiable self-defense and overturned the first-instance judgment.
• The court acquitted Qi Feng, ordered his immediate release, and required the relevant authorities to compensate him and repair his reputation.
• Lü Wei reacted in disbelief, while Qi Feng celebrated his freedom and thanked Su Bai.
• Su Bai urged Qi Feng to see his parents, and Qi Feng embraced them in the courtroom.

After winning Qi Feng’s case with a justifiable self-defense ruling, Su Bai paid Li Xuezhen the internship wages he had promised. Outside the courtroom, reporters waited to interview them, while Su Bai rejected Li Xuezhen’s plan to promote the firm with a banner.

• Su Bai told Li Xuezhen the trial was over, and she reminded him that he had promised to pay her internship wages.
• Su Bai transferred Li Xuezhen pay calculated at 4,500 a month and assured her that his promises about her future partnership were genuine.
• Li Xuezhen pulled out a promotional banner she had prepared, but Su Bai put it away and said the firm did not need advertising.
• Lü Wei asked whether losing meant his earlier thinking had been wrong, and Su Bai bluntly told him that it did.
• Su Bai and Li Xuezhen left the courtroom as reporters and media crews waited outside to cover Qi Feng’s acquittal.