Chapter Summaries

After Meng Ziyi received a death sentence with reprieve and no possibility of commutation, Su Bai challenged the verdict and helped draw public attention to the missing evidence and disputed confession. The Supreme People's Court rejected the sentence and ordered the Kun City High Court to supplement the evidence and retry the case.

• Su Bai and Li Xuezhen submitted a complaint against Law Enforcement and prepared to challenge the court's handling of Meng Ziyi's case.
• Meng Tang asked Su Bai about the chances of acquittal, but Su Bai said they would have to wait for the court's decision.
• Guan Dongfeng finalized a death sentence with reprieve for Meng Ziyi, with no commutation allowed, and the Kun City High Court announced that verdict.
• Su Bai asked Li Xuezhen to notify Luo Daxiang and prepare litigation materials to challenge the judgment.
• Su Bai and Luo Daxiang publicized the case, and online discussion shifted toward criticizing the verdict's lack of physical evidence and Meng Ziyi's retracted confession.
• The Supreme People's Court rejected the death sentence with reprieve and ordered the Kun City High Court to supplement the evidence and issue a new verdict.

At Meng Ziyi’s retrial, Su Bai expected an acquittal after investigators’ procedural violations invalidated the earlier evidence, but the prosecution suddenly presented a murder weapon bearing alleged traces of Meng Ziyi. The new evidence threatened to make him the scapegoat, leaving Su Bai to challenge its source and prevent a conviction.

• Guan Dongfeng, Old Zhang, and Old Xu discussed delaying the retrial, while Old Xu remained uneasy about their plan.
• Su Bai told Meng Ziyi that the death sentence with reprieve had been rejected and a retrial ordered; a supervisory review later confirmed serious interrogation violations and two investigators were charged.
• Fang Yilong ordered someone to find physical evidence, insisting the Gu Qiao and Xie Wei case could not remain unsolved.
• Despite Su Bai’s expectation that Meng Ziyi would be released or acquitted, the High Court scheduled a retrial and Guan Dongfeng presided.
• Bai Haojie presented a knife allegedly used to kill Gu Qiao and Xie Wei, and Guan Dongfeng said it bore authenticated traces left by Meng Ziyi.
• Meng Ziyi denied killing anyone, while Su Bai suspected he was being framed and realized he needed to challenge the evidence’s source.

Su Bai challenged the prosecution to verify the origins and legality of the evidence against Meng Ziyi, prompting Bai Haojie to request an adjournment and investigate. The review confirmed that the murder weapon evidence had been falsified, while the Supervisory Review Department formed a team to investigate, leaving Fang Yilong panicked about the consequences.

• Su Bai questioned Bai Haojie about the evidence’s sources and argued that Meng Ziyi might have been framed, urging the prosecution to investigate rather than pursue a conviction.
• Bai Haojie requested an adjournment to investigate the evidence, and Guan Dongfeng adjourned the hearing.
• Su Bai and Li Xuezhen reported the evidence and the High Court collegial panel’s conduct to the Supervisory Review Department.
• Bai Haojie’s review found the murder weapon’s provenance questionable and the forensic findings falsified, so the prosecution rejected Law Enforcement’s case unless it provided more evidence.
• The Supervisory Review Department formed a team to investigate the falsified evidence, and Fang Yilong panicked when he learned of the inquiry.

Su Bai secured Meng Ziyi’s release on bail after exposing the fabricated evidence that had led to his wrongful conviction. The investigation implicated dozens of officials, and Su Bai, Li Xuezhen, and Meng Ziyi attended the public prosecution trial in Bao City, where Guan Dongfeng was among the defendants.

• Meng Ziyi left the detention center on bail, broke down in tears, and thanked Su Bai and his father, Meng Tang.
• Su Bai told Meng Ziyi that investigators were pursuing those involved in fabricating evidence and advised him to wait before seeking compensation.
• The Supervisory Review Department identified Fang Yilong as a person responsible for the fabrication, arrested him, and took Guan Dongfeng and Old Zhang away for investigation.
• Authorities selected as many as 34 people for public prosecution, imposed disciplinary penalties including one on prosecutor Bai Haojie, and transferred the case to the Bao City Intermediate People's Court.
• Su Bai, Li Xuezhen, and Meng Ziyi attended the trial, where Guan Dongfeng was among the defendants.

Su Bai argued that Guan Dongfeng had neglected his judicial duties by ignoring evidence and denying Meng Ziyi a fair trial. The court convicted Guan Dongfeng and the other defendants, sentencing Guan to one year and six months in prison.

• At the public trial, most defendants pleaded guilty, while Guan Dongfeng and Old Zhang argued that their conduct did not constitute crimes.
• Guan Dongfeng defended his rulings in Meng Ziyi’s case, and Su Bai argued that he had ignored reasonable doubts, violated the defendant’s rights, and imposed a death sentence without properly considering the evidence.
• The court adjourned until afternoon, and Li Xuezhen glared at Guan Dongfeng as he left the courtroom.
• When the trial resumed, Meng Ziyi delivered a statement about his experience of being wronged and powerless in court.
• The presiding judge convicted Fang Yilong, Zhang Ming, Guan Dongfeng, and the other defendants, sentencing them to terms ranging from one to four years; Guan received one year and six months.
• Guan Dongfeng protested his sentence, and the presiding judge told him that he would have to challenge the verdict through the proper higher-court process.

After Guan Dongfeng was sentenced, Su Bai secured Meng Ziyi’s state compensation case and entrusted it to Li Xuezhen, who won the requested compensation. Li Xuezhen later told Su Bai that authorities had found the real suspect in Gu Qiao and Xie Wei’s murders, while Su Bai also agreed to review a difficult death-penalty case at Luo Daxiang’s request.

• Su Bai submitted a 300,000 compensation claim for Meng Ziyi and gave Li Xuezhen responsibility for handling the case independently.
• Online discussion questioned where the real suspect in Gu Qiao and Xie Wei’s murders had gone, prompting authorities to order a renewed search.
• Li Xuezhen won Meng Ziyi’s state compensation case and received praise from Su Bai.
• Luo Daxiang asked Su Bai to review a vendor’s case involving the death of an urban management officer, and Su Bai agreed to examine the details.
• Li Xuezhen told Su Bai that authorities had found the suspect in Gu Qiao and Xie Wei’s murders but were keeping the discovery confidential while they confirmed the evidence.

Su Bai learned how three thieves had accidentally killed Gu Qiao and Xie Wei, further clearing Meng Ziyi, then traveled with Li Xuezhen to Northern Capital to take on Xiao Hong’s husband’s appeal from a death sentence. After hearing Xiao Hong’s account, Su Bai promised to protect her husband’s legal and litigation rights and planned to review the trial files.

• Li Xuezhen told Su Bai that three thieves killed Gu Qiao and Xie Wei after stumbling upon their affair, and that one thief’s arrest eventually exposed the case and strengthened the evidence of Meng Ziyi’s innocence.
• Su Bai assigned Li Xuezhen to organize information about a new case, and she celebrated her successful work on Meng Ziyi’s compensation claim with Wang Kexin, who hinted that Xu Xiang might join their circle of people eager to prosecute offenders.
• Su Bai rejected Li Xuezhen’s offer to arrange their Northern Capital accommodations, booked two separate rooms, and took her to meet professor Luo Daxiang and client Xiao Hong at CUPL.
• Su Bai questioned Xiao Hong about her husband’s case and heard her plead for him to be spared the death penalty, explaining that their family depended on his income.
• Xiao Hong signed a retainer agreement with White Jun Law Firm, and Su Bai told Li Xuezhen they would copy and review the trial files to safeguard his client’s legal rights.

Su Bai and Li Xuezhen investigated Zhou Li’s case and appealed his death sentence, arguing that the circumstances warranted a lighter punishment. At the second-instance trial, Su Bai asked the court to impose fixed-term imprisonment, leaving prosecutor Cai Wanqiang stunned.

• Su Bai and Li Xuezhen reviewed Zhou Li’s case files and learned that a dispute over fines and the cost of relocating his stall had led to a fatal clash with urban management personnel.
• Su Bai visited Zhou Li in detention, reassured him that his family was well, and questioned him about the events that led to the confrontation.
• Su Bai prepared the second-instance appeal, and the Northern Capital High Court agreed to hear the case; meanwhile, He Ping’s widow demanded that the urban management department help her oppose the appeal.
• Lin Youping presided over Zhou Li’s second-instance trial, where prosecutor Cai Wanqiang argued that Zhou Li should receive the death penalty for causing He Ping’s death.
• Su Bai argued that both Zhou Li and He Ping bore responsibility and asked the court to sentence Zhou Li to fixed-term imprisonment, shocking Cai Wanqiang.

Su Bai argued that Zhou Li should receive a fixed-term sentence rather than the death penalty, contending that Zhou Li had acted in self-defense after Urban Management officers attacked him. The prosecution insisted the officers had been enforcing the law, but Su Bai challenged the legal basis for their actions, leaving Cai Wanqiang unable to answer.

• Public Prosecutor Cai Wanqiang argued that Zhou Li had intentionally stabbed He Ping while He Ping was enforcing the law and deserved the death penalty.
• Lin Youping allowed Zhou Li to describe the incident, and Su Bai guided him through questions about the dispute, the fruit knife, and the officers beating him.
• Zhou Li testified that several officers had surrounded and attacked him, and that he grabbed his stall's fruit knife to fight back.
• Su Bai argued that Zhou Li's actions constituted self-defense, but Cai Wanqiang countered that He Ping and the others had been exercising lawful authority.
• Su Bai asked what law authorized Urban Management officers to shove, beat, or verbally abuse Zhou Li, and Cai Wanqiang could not answer.

At Zhou Li’s trial, Su Bai argued that He Ping and the other urban management officers’ shoving and beating were unlawful acts, not violations committed while exercising enforcement authority. Presiding Judge Lin Youping pressed prosecutor Cai Wanqiang to say whether He Ping had acted as an officer or as a participant in a fight, leaving Cai unable to answer.

• Cai Wanqiang argued that the incident occurred during law enforcement and that Zhou Li’s actions therefore constituted intentional injury.
• Su Bai challenged Cai to explain whether beating citizens was part of law enforcement, and Judge Lin summarized the dispute over whether the officers’ conduct was unlawful infringement.
• Su Bai argued that the law granted the officers no right to shove or beat Zhou Li, so their actions were criminal rather than mere regulatory violations.
• Cai maintained that He Ping and the others had jurisdiction over Zhou Li’s stall, making their conduct a violation during law enforcement.
• Su Bai insisted that law enforcement authority did not grant immunity from crime, and Judge Lin asked whether He Ping had acted as an officer or as a participant in a fight.
• Cai froze, unable to answer because his response would affect the court’s assessment of both sides’ arguments.

At Zhou Li’s second-instance trial, the collegial panel ruled that He Ping’s beating of Zhou Li did not constitute an exercise of law enforcement authority. The ruling removed the basis for treating Zhou Li’s actions as resistance to law enforcement, but left the panel to determine whether his conduct was intentional injury or defensive conduct.

• Presiding Judge Lin Youping questioned prosecutor Cai Wanqiang about whether He Ping had been acting as a law enforcement officer, and Cai gave an ambiguous answer before the court recessed.
• During the recess, Luo Daxiang explained in his livestream that the key issue was whether He Ping’s conduct could be identified as law enforcement, while Xia Ningjing asked whether she could challenge the ruling.
• In the judges’ discussion, Zhang Bo and Feng Yuan agreed with Su Bai that He Ping’s use of force was outside his legal authority, and Lin Youping said the panel would rule after court resumed.
• After the hearing resumed, Lin Youping ruled that although He Ping had been on duty, his beating of Zhou Li violated legal provisions and did not constitute an exercise of law enforcement authority.
• Xia Ningjing objected aloud to the ruling and demanded that Zhou Li pay with his life, but Lin Youping warned her to remain quiet and her lawyer pulled her back into her seat.

Lin Youping summarized the remaining trial arguments, and the prosecution and defense disputed whether Zhou Li had acted with intent or in self-defense. The chapter ended with Su Bai awaiting the collegial panel’s decision, uncertain what sentence Zhou Li would receive.

• Lin Youping set out two points for argument: whether Zhou Li’s conduct was intentional injury or self-defense, and what his decision to retrieve a knife showed.
• Cai Wanqiang argued that Zhou Li had no need to use a knife, knew a stab to the heart could kill, and had shown an intent to attack by smashing his stall.
• Zhou Li acknowledged that he knew the heart was important and that stabbing it could cause death.
• Su Bai argued that knowing the risk did not prove Zhou Li desired He Ping’s death, and said Zhou Li smashed his stall out of despair rather than criminal intent.
• Su Bai maintained that Zhou Li had taken the knife to protect himself and only fought back after He Ping attacked him.
• Su Bai expected the first-instance death sentence to be overturned but did not know what sentence Lin Youping and the other judges would impose.

The Collegial Panel ruled that Zhou Li’s stabbing of He Ping constituted defensive conduct rather than intentional injury, then rejected Xia Ningjing’s demand for two million in compensation. The chapter ended with Zhou Li’s sentence still undecided, pending the parties’ court statements.

• Li Xiong argued that the court should consider the Law Enforcement Personnel’s actions, while Xia Ningjing demanded the death penalty for Zhou Li.
• In the discussion room, Zhang Bo favored finding intentional injury, but Feng Yuan argued that Zhou Li had acted defensively after He Ping attacked him first.
• Lin Youping ruled that Zhou Li’s conduct did not constitute intentional injury, prompting Xia Ningjing to protest before the judge warned her.
• The court rejected Xia Ningjing’s two-million compensation demand and asked whether she would grant forgiveness; she agreed after Li Xiong explained the possible effect on Zhou Li’s sentence.
• Lin Youping considered the remaining sentencing factors and awaited the parties’ court statements before deciding Zhou Li’s prison term.

Su Bai argued for leniency for Zhou Li, and the court later sentenced Zhou Li to four years and six months in prison, suspended for one year. Xia Ningjing refused a compensation agreement and then accused the presiding judge of taking bribes.

• Cai Wanqiang and Li Xiong gave statements emphasizing He Ping's death and its effect on his family.
• Su Bai argued that Zhou Li had been vulnerable and had acted in self-defense, then the court adjourned the trial and set the verdict for a week later.
• Su Bai told Xiao Hong that civil compensation negotiations remained unresolved and that the court would mediate before issuing its judgment.
• Xia Ningjing demanded 700,000 yuan for forgiveness, refused to lower her demand, and left the case without a forgiveness agreement.
• The written judgment found Zhou Li guilty of excessive self-defense resulting in death and sentenced him to four years and six months, suspended for one year.
• Xia Ningjing told Li Xiong she suspected Lin Youping had taken a bribe and urged him to report the judge.

After Zhou Li received a suspended sentence, Xia Ningjing sought a supervisory review against Su Bai and the other people involved in the case. Su Bai accepted Zhou Li and Xiao Hong’s legal fee, arranged to explore opening a Northern Capital branch, and learned that Xia Ningjing had reported him to the supervisory department.

• Xia Ningjing accused the presiding judge and Su Bai of wrongdoing and submitted a supervisory review request, while Li Xiong declined to take further part in her complaint.
• Zhou Li and Xiao Hong thanked Su Bai and Li Xuezhen, gave Su Bai 5,000 yuan, and told him their stall’s business had improved after the case drew attention online.
• Li Xuezhen invited Su Bai to dinner with her father, Old Li, who thanked Su Bai for mentoring her and offered financial support for a Northern Capital branch.
• After dinner, Su Bai discussed opening a branch with Xiao Haibo, who agreed to help establish it in Northern Capital.
• The Northern Capital Supervisory Department contacted Su Bai, and he learned Xia Ningjing had reported him for supervisory review.

Su Bai traveled to the Northern Capital for a supervisory review after Xia Ningjing accused him and other judicial personnel of misconduct using fabricated evidence. The review cleared Su Bai, Xia Ningjing was detained, and Su Bai returned to arranging White Jun Law Firm’s Northern Capital branch.

• Su Bai brought Li Xuezhen to the Northern Capital after the Supervisory Review Department summoned him for questioning.
• Su Bai learned that Xia Ningjing had fabricated evidence and accused him, the judges, and others of bribery and wrongful judgment.
• The Supervisory Review Department cleared Su Bai and confronted Xia Ningjing, who protested as staff took her in for investigation.
• Su Bai reassured Li Xuezhen that the review had found no wrongdoing.
• Su Bai assigned Duan Liang to oversee the Northern Capital branch of White Jun Law Firm.
• The Supervisory Review Department told Su Bai that Xia Ningjing had been transferred to the Law Enforcement Department and detained for half a month.

Su Bai agreed to represent villagers in a class action over an allegedly unlawful demolition and inadequate compensation, while also defending three protest leaders charged with picking quarrels and provoking trouble. The chapter ended with the villagers describing threats from officials, prompting Su Bai to question whether the law had been ignored.

• Su Bai reviewed White Jun Law Firm’s growing short-video accounts and told Li Xuezhen to focus on scheduled legal-education videos rather than livestreaming.
• Li Xuezhen discussed Wang Kexin’s excitement over a case that might send a plaintiff to prison, then searched for promising cases of her own.
• A dozen villagers arrived at White Jun Law Firm seeking help over a company’s demolition of their homes and the prosecution of three protest leaders.
• Su Bai agreed to take the class action, signed representation agreements with the three leaders’ wives, and began investigating the demolition and criminal charges.
• The villagers said the leaders had only held signs and banners, and that officials had threatened to detain all the adults if they protested again.

Su Bai challenged the prosecution’s claim that Li, Zhang, and Xue had disrupted public order by peacefully seeking compensation from Shun'an Real Estate Co., Ltd. The trial ended with the presiding judge’s decision still uncertain, leaving the case to hinge on his interpretation of the law.

• Su Bai investigated the villagers’ actions, sought to have the case withdrawn, and was rejected by the procuratorate.
• The court denied Su Bai’s request for a public hearing, while Wang An told his assistant that the arrangements were already in place and urged him to limit the fallout.
• Su Bai brought Li Xuezhen to An County Court, where presiding judge Hu Jun opened the trial and prosecutor Ma Hu charged Li, Zhang, and Xue with picking quarrels and provoking trouble.
• Ma Hu argued that the defendants organized dozens of people whose repeated protests disrupted Shun'an Real Estate Co., Ltd.’s business and public order.
• Su Bai argued that the defendants had peacefully defended their rights without creating a disturbance or causing public disorder, and asked Hu Jun to find them not guilty.

Su Bai challenged Presiding Judge Hu Jun’s biased handling of the defendants’ protest over their compensation, but Hu Jun ruled that they had organized people to provoke trouble and ordered Su Bai removed from court. Su Bai loudly rejected the order and insisted that defending his clients was his right.

• Hu Jun questioned the defendants’ use of a protest to seek compensation, while Old Xue explained that complaints had failed and they had been left with no other way to press their claims.
• Hu Jun adjourned the trial, and Li Xuezhen told Su Bai she had found the inspection and review department on a map.
• Hu Jun and the other judges agreed to convict the defendants under the charge of gathering a crowd to disrupt public order, with harsher terms possible if the prosecution established that they had induced others to join.
• During the resumed hearing, Hu Jun pressed the defendants with questions suggesting they had gathered a crowd to force Shun'an Real Estate Co., Ltd. to pay compensation.
• Hu Jun found that Zhang, Li, and Xue had organized people to provoke trouble, and Su Bai objected that the prosecution had presented no evidence to support that finding.
• Hu Jun overruled Su Bai’s objection and ordered court police to escort him out; Su Bai refused to accept the expulsion and loudly asserted his right to defend his clients.

Su Bai was removed from court after challenging Presiding Judge Hu Jun’s rulings, and Li Xuezhen continued the defense alone. Hu Jun convicted Zhang, Li, and Xue, so Su Bai and Li Xuezhen planned to seek supervisory review and consider an appeal.

• Su Bai questioned the other judges about Hu Jun’s rulings, but Hu Jun ordered court police to remove him from the courtroom.
• The remaining judges declined to stop Hu Jun, and Su Bai was escorted out after restating his objections.
• Li Xuezhen argued that Zhang, Li, and Xue had neither organized unlawful conduct nor disturbed public order, and warned that the defense would challenge the judgment.
• Hu Jun convicted Zhang, Li, and Xue of organizing others to pick quarrels and provoke trouble, sentencing Xue to three years and Zhang and Li to two years and six months each.
• Li Xuezhen met Su Bai outside court, and they agreed to request supervisory review before considering second-instance proceedings.