Chapter Summaries

Su Bai and his colleagues concluded Zhang Cui’s case, with Wu Ye sentenced to four years and Geng Hao receiving a reduced sentence for cooperating. The case strengthened White Jun Law Firm’s Northern Capital branch, while Feng Lijian hinted to Old Li that something was going on with Su Bai.

• Su Bai left the remaining appeal and compensation work to Xu Xiang as Wang Kexin and Li Xuezhen prepared for the next steps in Zhang Cui’s case.
• A public trial found Geng Hao guilty and sentenced him to one year and six months, while Wu Ye received four years and the other defendants received sentences ranging from six months to one year and six months.
• Duan Liang told Su Bai that the verdict had helped White Jun Law Firm’s Northern Capital branch attract clients from Changfeng Law Firm, whose partner An Feng had previously tried to undermine them.
• Old Li told Feng Lijian that he had bought a building in the Southern Capital and planned to stay there, then grew suspicious when Feng Lijian asked what he thought of Su Bai.

Old Li realized that Li Xuezhen might have feelings for Su Bai, while Su Bai heard unofficial news that a people’s assessor system might be introduced. After finding no promising cases, Li Xuezhen discovered a potentially explosive case among the firm’s recent inquiries and hurried to bring it to Su Bai.

• Feng Lijian told Old Li that Li Xuezhen and Su Bai had been spending a lot of time together, and Old Li grew alarmed when Xuezhen said Su Bai was too busy to join them for dinner.
• Su Bai asked Li Xuezhen to process trainee lawyers’ paperwork, while she insisted she still needed to work alongside him and did not want him to hire an assistant.
• Xiao Haibo told Su Bai that courts might introduce a people’s assessor system, and Su Bai welcomed the prospect of reduced judicial authority and fewer wrongful convictions.
• Wang Kexin told Li Xuezhen that the firm had recorded several cases from prospective clients, so Xuezhen asked Han Chen to show her the files.
• Han Chen gave Li Xuezhen the materials for a difficult case, and she decided it could be more explosive than the previous class action before rushing to Su Bai’s office.

Su Bai agreed to represent Jiang Wei, who claimed he had been wrongfully convicted of robbery, rape, and murder and had served thirteen years in prison. After traveling to Zhongyuan Province to review the case files, Su Bai and Li Xuezhen found evidence that contradicted Jiang Wei’s account, leaving the case in doubt.

• Li Xuezhen brought Su Bai Jiang Wei’s case materials, and Su Bai agreed to take the case.
• Li Xuezhen contacted Jiang Wei, who traveled to White Jun Law Firm and explained that he had maintained his innocence and sought to clear his name after prison.
• Su Bai agreed to represent Jiang Wei but said he needed to examine the original case files before assessing whether the verdict could be overturned.
• Su Bai told Li Xuezhen to prepare for a business trip to Zhongyuan Province, where he retrieved the case files from Kai City Intermediate Court.
• While organizing the files, Li Xuezhen noticed something was wrong and showed Su Bai evidence that did not match Jiang Wei’s account.

Su Bai investigated discrepancies in Jiang Wei’s old case and obtained a handwriting report showing that the signature on Jiang Wei’s confession had been forged. He submitted appeal materials to the Pingyuan Provincial Procuratorate, where Old Xu pushed back against the appeal and insisted the case had no problems.

• Su Bai questioned Jiang Wei about witness statements and a written admission of guilt, and Jiang Wei said he had visited the victim’s home days before her death but did not knowingly confess.
• Su Bai consulted Lawyer Chen Bin about handwriting examination procedures and submitted materials to have Jiang Wei’s confession examined.
• Eighteen days later, the examination report found that the signature on the confession was not written by Jiang Wei.
• Su Bai and Li Xuezhen brought the report and appeal materials to the Pingyuan Provincial Procuratorate.
• The Procuratorate official contacted Old Xu, who denied that the case involved unlawful evidence and urged him to set the appeal aside.

Su Bai and Li Xuezhen drew media attention to Jiang Wei’s case while waiting for the Provincial Procuratorate to respond to their appeal materials. The Supreme People's Procuratorate reviewed the case, identified problems with the earlier judgments, and ordered the Provincial High Court to retry it.

• Su Bai and Li Xuezhen worried that the Provincial Procuratorate was delaying its response to the appeal materials.
• Su Bai arranged for Li Xuezhen to contact media outlets and publicize Jiang Wei’s case using factual information.
• Public discussion grew, prompting the authorities to issue a notice that the case was under investigation.
• The Supreme People's Procuratorate intervened and found procedural problems and insufficient evidence supporting the earlier judgments.
• The Supreme People's Procuratorate rejected the Provincial High Court’s second-instance judgment and designated that court to retry Jiang Wei’s case.
• Xu Bo learned of the retrial order and acknowledged that the case’s problems would be difficult to handle.

At Jiang Wei’s retrial, Su Bai requested that prosecutor Xu Bo recuse himself because Xu Bo had prosecuted Jiang Wei thirteen years earlier. Presiding Judge Shen Yao denied the request and refused reconsideration, leaving Su Bai repeatedly challenging the ruling as the hearing was set to continue.

• The Pingyuan Provincial High Court began Jiang Wei’s retrial after the Supreme People’s Procuratorate intervened and the Provincial Procuratorate reviewed the case.
• Su Bai reassured Jiang Wei before the hearing that the evidence supported overturning the conviction.
• At the hearing, Su Bai recognized Xu Bo as the prosecutor who had previously brought charges against Jiang Wei.
• Su Bai requested Xu Bo’s recusal, arguing his prior role could affect the fairness of the retrial, while Xu Bo said he had approval to appear.
• Shen Yao denied the recusal request and refused reconsideration, prompting Su Bai to repeatedly object and demand an explanation.

Su Bai repeatedly challenged the collegial panel’s refusal to recuse public prosecutor Xu Bo, forcing the livestreamed trial to adjourn for deliberation. The judges rejected the request and resumed the trial, leaving Su Bai stunned by their claim that Xu Bo’s familiarity with the case justified his continued role.

• Su Bai insisted that Xu Bo recuse himself, while Shen Yao initially refused to give a definite answer and livestream viewers criticized the panel.
• Shen Yao explained that the panel believed Xu Bo’s presence would not affect its judgment, but Su Bai maintained his request under the Criminal Procedure Law.
• Shen Yao adjourned the trial to discuss recusal, and Su Bai reassured Jiang Wei that the conviction would not stand without objective evidence of a crime.
• In the discussion room, Li Xiangqian recognized procedural irregularities, while Ma Da opposed recusal and suggested removing Su Bai if he kept protesting.
• After consulting the chief procurator, Shen Yao resumed the trial and rejected recusal, saying Xu Bo’s experience with the case helped him understand whether Jiang Wei had committed a crime.
• Su Bai was stunned that the panel had treated Xu Bo’s familiarity with the case as a reason to keep him on, rather than requiring the question of guilt to be decided by evidence.

At Jiang Wei’s retrial, Su Bai challenged the Collegial Panel’s refusal to recuse Public Prosecutor Xu Bo, then argued that the case lacked objective proof and relied on fabricated evidence. Xu Bo defended the conviction by pointing to Jiang Wei’s opportunity, unexplained whereabouts, and clothing found at the scene, and Su Bai accused him of treating suspicion as proof.

• Shen Yao denied Su Bai’s recusal request against Xu Bo, warned him not to disrupt the courtroom, and continued the trial.
• Su Bai argued that witness testimony showed only motive and suspicion, while Jiang Wei’s confession and signed admission were fabricated and should be excluded.
• Xu Bo acknowledged the flaws Su Bai raised but argued that Jiang Wei was the only suspect and cited his unexplained whereabouts and clothing found at the crime scene.
• Su Bai challenged Xu Bo to explain how those circumstances proved guilt rather than suspicion, warning that this reasoning caused wrongful convictions.

At Jiang Wei’s retrial, the prosecutor admitted there was no direct evidence, while the presiding judge questioned both the evidence and Jiang Wei’s inability to account for his whereabouts. The collegial panel adjourned to discuss whether to overturn the conviction, and Shen Yao said she knew where to draw the line.

• Xu Bo objected to Su Bai’s questioning, and Shen Yao cautioned Su Bai for raising matters she deemed unrelated to the trial.
• Shen Yao summarized the defense’s grounds for acquittal and the prosecution’s position, then established that no direct evidence proved Jiang Wei committed the crime.
• Jiang Wei confirmed he could not explain why his clothing was found at the victim’s home or account for his whereabouts that night.
• Shen Yao adjourned court so she, Li Xiangqian, and Ma Da could discuss the ruling.
• Ma Da emphasized that Jiang Wei had not proved he did not commit the crime, while Li Xiangqian argued the conviction should be overturned because the evidence could not establish guilt.
• Shen Yao said she needed to consider the case further, then reassured Li Xiangqian that she knew where to draw the line.

Presiding Judge Shen Yao postponed Jiang Wei's retrial, saying the panel could neither prove his guilt nor establish his innocence, despite the lack of evidence supporting the charges. Su Bai's protests were overruled, and he left determined to challenge the delay after Shen Yao gave no date for the next hearing.

• Shen Yao announced that the collegial panel found no evidence proving Jiang Wei committed the crimes but postponed proceedings because it could not rule out the possibility that he had.
• Su Bai argued that the presumption of innocence required Jiang Wei's acquittal and that the retrial did not meet the legal conditions for postponement.
• Shen Yao rejected Su Bai's objections, overruled his protest, and adjourned the trial without setting a date for the next hearing.
• After court adjourned, Shen Yao told Su Bai that the Supreme People's Procuratorate's involvement did not require an acquittal and instructed him to wait for notification.
• Li Xuezhen told Su Bai she had found a department to report the matter to, and Su Bai agreed to try that route rather than let the case drag on.

After Presiding Judge Shen Yao adjourned Jiang Wei’s retrial despite the evidence and official guidance, Su Bai filed a complaint and sought help through Feng Lijian. Public outrage grew, and the Provincial High Court president removed Shen Yao from the case as supervisory investigators began looking into possible misconduct.

• Su Bai reassured Jiang Wei that the court would reconvene soon, then asked Li Xuezhen to report the collegial panel.
• Online viewers criticized Shen Yao’s refusal to recuse herself and her decision to adjourn the retrial.
• Su Bai filed a complaint against Shen Yao and asked Li Xuezhen to find contacts at the High Court, Provincial Procuratorate, or supervisory investigators.
• Feng Lijian contacted a former senior schoolmate in supervisory investigations after Li Xuezhen asked him for help.
• The Provincial High Court president reprimanded Shen Yao, ordered her to stay out of Jiang Wei’s case, and said the court had received complaints while supervisory investigators examined possible illicit benefits.
• Shen Yao wondered whether Su Bai had influential backing and questioned why the president had removed her from the case.

Jiang Wei’s conviction was overturned, and he received 2.93 million yuan in state compensation for the thirteen years he spent imprisoned. As investigators struggled to establish Xu Bo’s liability, authorities found the real murderer.

• Supervisory personnel questioned Xu Bo over his use of illegal evidence in Jiang Wei’s case.
• The Pingyuan Provincial High Court replaced the collegial panel and public prosecutor, then resumed the livestreamed trial.
• The court acquitted Jiang Wei and revoked his earlier judgments.
• Su Bai helped Jiang Wei pursue state compensation, and the court awarded him 2.93 million yuan.
• Su Bai pressured investigators to examine possible deliberate framing, and Law Enforcement Department personnel found the real murderer.

Su Bai and Li Xuezhen attended Xu Bo’s trial after the real culprit confessed to murdering Jiang Wei’s wife, clearing Jiang Wei of suspicion. Xu Bo accepted a 18-month prison sentence and apologized to Jiang Wei, while Li Xuezhen later asked Su Bai to dinner on behalf of her teacher.

• Prosecutor Wang told Su Bai that the real culprit had been reported by his wife, arrested, and confessed, fully clearing Jiang Wei.
• Xu Bo confessed to his failings at trial, apologized to Jiang Wei for his thirteen years in prison, and received one year and six months of imprisonment.
• The Provincial High Court warned Shen Yao and Ma Da over their handling of Jiang Wei’s case.
• Li Xuezhen returned to the Rental Apartment and told Wang Kexin that five people had been sent to prison in the case.
• Old Li asked Li Xuezhen to invite Su Bai to a meal, and she messaged Su Bai saying her teacher wanted to treat him.

Su Bai agreed to represent Lin Wenhui after learning that a foreign student had sexually assaulted her and her university was threatening to expel her unless she settled quietly. He assured her the school could not lawfully expel her and began preparing to pursue the case directly; the chapter ended with him reviewing how administrators had pressured the victim.

• Li Xuezhen secretly arranged a dinner with Su Bai, Feng Lijian, and Old Li, and Feng later prompted Old Li to realize that Li Xuezhen had feelings for Su Bai.
• Su Bai assigned Li Xuezhen to recruit trainees from Southern Law University, where she brought several promising candidates to White Jun Law Firm.
• Wang Kexin told Li Xuezhen that Zhang Yujuan's cousin, Lin Wenhui, had been sexually assaulted by a foreign student and was being pressured by her university to settle.
• Lin Wenhui told Su Bai that the university had threatened to expel her if she reported the assault, and he agreed to represent her.
• Su Bai explained that foreign offenders could face criminal liability and that the university had no grounds to expel Lin Wenhui, so she authorized his firm to pursue the case.

Su Bai helped Lin Wenhui report a foreign student's attempted rape after her college tried to suppress the case and pressure her into withdrawing it. Lin refused to back down, and Su Bai began investigating the school's role in shielding the student as the criminal case moved toward prosecution.

• Su Bai took Lin Wenhui and Li Xuezhen to report the foreign student's assault, and police treated it as attempted rape and detained him for investigation.
• Vice President Zhang Tao failed to persuade Director Xiao to return the suspect to the school and contacted lawyer Jiang Min about getting Lin to withdraw her complaint.
• Su Bai accompanied Lin to Zhang Tao's office, where Zhang and Jiang Min tried to minimize the assault and pressure her by raising the school's reputation and her graduation; Lin refused to withdraw the case.
• Lin told Su Bai that the school had repeatedly suppressed reports of harassment and prevented students from posting about foreign students, and she identified other potential victims.
• Su Bai learned that the case was moving toward prosecution and filed an additional complaint asking investigators to examine whether the school had shielded the foreign student.

Su Bai represented Lin Wenhui at the closed trial of Masku, a foreign student accused of attempted rape, while the school’s vice president Zhang Tao faced questioning over allegedly shielding him. The prosecution sought a three-year sentence, and the chapter ended with Su Bai challenging the defense’s claim that Masku’s conduct amounted only to molestation.

• After Su Bai submitted evidence and leads, authorities questioned Zhang Tao about the school’s suppression of reports against Masku, and the case against Masku went to trial.
• Rumors about Masku and Zhang Tao spread through the university and online, drawing public criticism of the school.
• Reporters surrounded Su Bai outside the courthouse, and he said the law should punish criminals regardless of who they were and that he would protect the victim’s rights.
• At the closed hearing before presiding judge Yu Yue, prosecutor Wang Xiong described Masku’s assault on Lin Wenhui and recommended three years in prison for attempted rape.
• Jiang Min argued that Masku had committed only molestation while intoxicated, and Su Bai challenged the defense’s explanation that Masku’s foreign-student status and unfamiliarity with local etiquette accounted for his actions.

At Masku’s trial, defense lawyer Jiang Min argued that Masku had committed forcible molestation rather than attempted rape, seeking a lighter penalty. After Masku dismissed the authority of Chinese law, Su Bai questioned Lin Wenhui and argued that the evidence showed attempted rape; the court had not yet ruled.

• Presiding Judge Yu Yue asked Masku to explain his intentions, and Masku claimed he had only wanted to make friends and would not accept Chinese law judging him.
• Jiang Min argued that Masku had intended only to molest Lin Wenhui and requested an adjournment and a reduced charge.
• Yu Yue challenged Jiang Min’s argument, explaining that Masku had stopped only because Lin kicked him and prevented him from continuing.
• Su Bai questioned Lin, who testified that she had rejected Masku, heard him tell her not to resist, and saw him move to remove his pants before she kicked him.
• Su Bai argued that Masku intended to force Lin to have sex and asked the court to reject the defense’s claim of forcible molestation.

The court rejected Jiang Min’s attempt to reclassify Masku’s offense as forcible molestation, leaving the panel to consider sentencing for attempted rape. During an adjournment, the judges debated whether Masku’s foreign nationality warranted leniency, and Old Xiao argued that even three years in prison was too light.

• Yu Yue rejected Jiang Min’s request to classify Masku’s offense as forcible molestation rather than attempted rape.
• Jiang Min accepted the established facts but requested a reduced sentence, citing the attempted offense, intoxication, limited physical harm, and Masku’s foreign nationality.
• Wang Xiong and Su Bai opposed a reduction, with Su Bai arguing that domestic law did not grant foreign nationals special immunity or leniency.
• Yu Yue adjourned the court, while Masku protested and said he wanted to contact the embassy and school to stop the trial.
• Yu Yue consulted Old Liang and Old Xiao about sentencing, and both opposed leniency for Masku.
• Old Xiao said three years’ imprisonment was too lenient and suggested considering a longer sentence.

The court sentenced Masku to three and a half years in prison for attempted rape, rejecting his claims that domestic law did not apply to him. After the verdict, Su Bai learned that the school had expelled Masku and that Zhang Tao had been dismissed and imprisoned for bribery; then Luo Daxiang offered Su Bai a case that had drawn the Supreme People's Procuratorate's attention.

• The prosecution and defense delivered brief statements, while Masku disrupted the proceedings by insisting that he could not be sentenced because he was a foreign student.
• Su Bai presented student survey results and online comments arguing that the law should apply equally, regardless of Masku's nationality.
• Yu Yue announced that Masku was sentenced to three years and six months in prison for attempted rape, six months longer than the prosecution had recommended.
• The court police removed Masku, and Lin Wenhui thanked Su Bai and Li Xuezhen after the trial ended.
• Li Xuezhen told Su Bai that the school had supported Lin Wenhui, expelled Masku, and dismissed and imprisoned Zhang Tao after an investigation found he had taken bribes.
• Luo Daxiang called Su Bai and offered him a case that had attracted the attention of the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

Su Bai took on Fang Rufeng’s appeal after learning that he had been sentenced to one year and six months for preparatory intentional homicide based on a verbal threat alone. The Intermediate People's Court refused to hear the case, so Su Bai decided to keep appealing, even to the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

• Luo Daxiang told Su Bai about a controversial case in which Fang Rufeng had been convicted of preparing to commit intentional homicide and sentenced to one year and six months.
• Su Bai learned that the conviction rested on Fang Rufeng’s threat to kill his unfaithful wife, despite his taking no steps to prepare a crime, and agreed to represent him.
• Su Bai visited Fang Rufeng at Linsha County Detention Center, heard his account, and gathered details about the case and the related divorce dispute.
• Su Bai reviewed the judgment, prepared appeal materials, and requested a second-instance hearing at the Shadu Intermediate Court.
• The Intermediate People's Court rejected the request and upheld the first-instance judgment as reasonable, prompting Su Bai to resolve to continue appealing, potentially to the Supreme People's Procuratorate.