Chapter 235 - 137: Choice! Desolate Heaven-Imprisoning Finger

Nothing to do with the judiciary?

"How could this..."

Zhang Bingxin started to speak instinctively, but then he suddenly froze.

Beside him, Huang Shi also paused.

The two exchanged a look, both seeing the surprise in the other’s eyes.

’It seems...’

’It really doesn’t have anything to do with it!’

"Judge Zhang, you’re from the Lusen City Intermediate People’s Court. You should understand what I mean."

Xu De spoke slowly as Zhang Bingxin furrowed his brow, lost in thought.

"First, the Bar Association and the government are two separate things."

"Second, Feng Ji of the Bar Association maliciously manipulated the scores out of personal interest, and he didn’t involve any government officials."

"This also means that no government officials will be innocently implicated."

Xu De continued slowly.

He was purely firing a shot at the legal circles of Qingwu Province.

As for people like Song Xuejiang and Lu Guohua... even if they got angry, they wouldn’t be angry at him.

They would only be furious with Feng Ji and his ilk!

Trying to steer the judicial direction of Qingwu Province for personal gain—even if it was within the scope of the rules—was something they would never tolerate!

The judicial system would not be provoked.

"But I’m not the one provoking the judicial system."

"Feng Ji is!"

Xu De’s speech quickened. He was breaking the matter down into the shortest, most direct, and unambiguous terms, spoon-feeding it to them.

"He’s the one who’s truly provoking the Qingwu Province judicial system!"

At his words, Zhang Bingxin and Huang Shi’s brows furrowed.

He was right.

Xu De had never been the one to provoke the judiciary. On the contrary, the man was quite law-abiding.

Although his surprise tactics in court and some of his investigative methods were a bit unscrupulous, from a legal and regulatory standpoint, you couldn’t find a single fault with him. He did everything by the book and never skirted the lines for personal gain.

Feng Ji, on the other hand...

"This..."

Zhang Bingxin hesitated, caught in a dilemma.

Even though this matter wouldn’t involve the judicial system, but...

it was still somewhat worrying.

It was just...

"Judge Zhang, are you content with this?"

Xu De suddenly spoke, staring at Zhang Bingxin before him. His voice was solemn, his tone low as he said:

"Are you really content to sit in this position for the rest of your life, until you retire!?"

"The Li Family Village case is a rare case nationwide. Once it’s selected as a classic case... its significance won’t be limited to just being a classic case!"

Classic cases are used to guide judicial direction.

The Li Family Village case was about acquittal plus justifiable self-defense.

In other words, as long as this case is selected, then here in Qingwu Province... the dormant clause will be activated.

The "Brother Long case" of a later era would appear more than ten years early in Qingwu Province, and countless victims in similar cases would be saved because of him.

And with a classic case to his name, plus his seniority...

He might not get a big promotion, but he definitely wouldn’t be stuck in this same position.

The benefits, both psychological and material, would be maxed out!

"Judge Zhang, you endured so much pressure when you delivered the verdict, and you’ve worked so hard to get to this point..."

Xu De’s words were like a devil’s whisper, lingering in Zhang Bingxin’s ears.

"Are you... really content with this!?"

With that one sentence, Zhang Bingxin’s heart instantly tightened. He clenched his fists, his brows knitted together, and he fell deep into thought.

"If you’re not willing, I won’t force you."

Xu De’s tone suddenly relaxed. He leaned back on the sofa, took the bank card back into his hand, and said:

"Before the review, I’ll return the card and reject Lanhua’s proposal."

This bank card was a double-edged sword.

It could become a great axe to cut down Feng Ji.

But it could also become an iron sword and pierce Xu De through.

If Xu De was still holding the money during the review... then after the review, Lanhua Law Firm would have leverage to blackmail him, namely: ’Xu De took money to manipulate the review.’

Therefore, he could either proactively destroy the evidence before the review.

If he did, Feng Ji would be furious and would very likely try something with the Li Family Village case. Since the official mindset was already conservative, if the score was too low... they wouldn’t go out of their way to ensure it was selected.

Or, during the review, he could use it to launch a direct assault on Feng Ji. There was no third option to protect himself!

As for Zhang Bingxin...

"This..."

A thousand thoughts raced through Zhang Bingxin’s mind.

He mentally simulated several times what would happen if Xu De did this during the review, and how everyone else would react.

Song Xuejiang, Lu Guohua, and the others...

They would absolutely sweep the legal circles of Wutong City clean.

But here was the question.

A clean-up before the new year—would that count as offending people?

The government offending lawyers?

Even the legal community itself wouldn’t dare say such a thing!

Then it wouldn’t count. Besides, Xu De was only targeting Feng Ji, so he wouldn’t implicate his colleagues in Wutong City. They might even thank him.

Taking down a judicial parasite, the Provincial Bar Association lawyer Feng Ji, before the new year could even be considered a meritorious deed. Who wouldn’t be happy to get credit for a job well done and have a good new year?

Most importantly...

When he acquitted Wang Qiang, Zhang Bingxin had been under real pressure!

Everyone else was giving suspended sentences, but he was the one to acquit. Going against the current alone not only got him labeled, but if the case had been sent back on appeal, he would have had to take the fall. He had barely managed to withstand the pressure and pull through.

’And now you’re telling me all that effort was for nothing?’

"Let’s be clear first."

As if coming out of a daze, Zhang Bingxin took a deep breath and looked at Xu De seriously.

"You are not to involve any innocent people!"

"Also, I know nothing about this matter with the review."

Hearing this, a smile spread across Xu De’s face, and he immediately replied.

"Ha, I’d love to involve others, but Feng Ji isn’t even giving me the chance!"

No matter how you spun it, this was just about the Bar Association president’s influence plus Lanhua Law Firm’s recruitment offer. How could it possibly involve anyone else?

As for the review...

"I get it, I get it," Xu De said, winking conspiratorially at Zhang Bingxin.

Zhang Bingxin rolled his eyes, not bothering to respond.

’Even so, by saying he knows nothing, he’s basically taking a side. If this fails, it will definitely affect me,’ he thought.

"Just handle it yourself."

With that, Zhang Bingxin stopped hesitating. He stood up and walked toward the elevator, clearly heading back to his room.

Huang Shi followed close behind.

Just before reaching the elevator,

Zhang Bingxin suddenly remembered something. He turned around, extended his hand, and pointed a "Desolate Heaven-Imprisoning Finger" at Xu De, jabbing it emphatically. He glared, then turned and left with a flick of his sleeve.

But right before he left,

he paused for a moment and added:

"Oh, right. I suggest you... try calling your family later. That way, if something really happens, they can protect you."

In the waiting lounge,

Xu De, who had been about to leave, suddenly paused. He turned back and looked at the elevator in surprise, but the space was already empty.

Xu De scratched his head.

’Call my family?’

He was lost in thought.

After a moment of contemplation, Xu De came to a conclusion.

’I’m an orphan.’

He furrowed his brow, sinking into thought.

’I’m an orphan, how could I have a family? At most, I had a teacher who always helped me out.’

’But my teacher passed away from leukemia a few years ago, and his wife is gone too. He only left behind a son who’s still in school, and I’ve been the one paying for his expenses and taking care of him all these years.’

’Am I supposed to ask a child for protection?’

’How is that possible!’

"Is it you?"

Xu De suddenly turned his head to look at Lin Yue, thinking, "I remember your dad is a professor, right?"

Lin Guodong was a university professor... one who could even advance further!

With his connections, protecting a few people wouldn’t be a problem.

"I... think so?"

Lin Yue hesitated. Her dad had a ’free-range’ attitude toward her life out in the world; he usually wouldn’t get involved in this kind of thing.

"Then is it the abbot?"

Xu De suddenly thought of someone else. He’d long felt that there was something off about that little old man.

’What kind of normal old man gets a personal invitation for tea from the Municipal Party Secretary!?’

"Does Master Guanxin have a significant background?" Xu De asked.

Lin Yue shook her head.

"I don’t know."

After she spoke, the two of them decided not to think about it anymore.

What Xu De planned to do at the review meeting wouldn’t involve anyone else at all; it was purely aimed at Feng Ji.

He was as sharp as a tack; if there were any risks, he would have discovered them long ago. So, there was no need for such extra measures.

The two of them walked out of the reception building.

CREAK~

The door opened.

The snow was still falling outside, a vast expanse of gray. It felt ice-cold as it landed on them.

Lin Yue began her super-assembly, piling on a heap of fleece-lined, extra-thick clothing. She then blew a puff of hot air into her palms, finally feeling a bit of warmth.

Watching her, Xu De rubbed his chin and said:

"True Monarch, are you not feeling well?"

Lin Yue, who was in the middle of tying her scarf, paused and tilted her head at him.

Xu De explained, "Generally, people who are sensitive to the cold have somewhat weak kidneys."

"Does the True Monarch have weak kidneys too?"

Lin Yue: "..."

Lin Yue put on her hat and finished tying her scarf. She looked at Xu De with a deadpan expression and said, word by word:

"Xu De."

"Hm?" Xu De raised an eyebrow.

"One day..."

"I’m going to beat you to death!"

"Uh-huh."

The two of them strode forward, leaving two trails of worm-like footprints in the vast, white expanse of snow.

Meanwhile.

...

...

"I’m gonna fall to my death, I’m really gonna fall to my death!"

"Don’t move, just don’t move."

「Qingwu Province.」

Lusen City, Nanshan District. Outside the entrance to White Cloud Temple.

Two children in tattered sackcloth were stacked together. One stood straight, bracing himself against the wall, while the other stood on his shoulders, peering over the wall into the temple grounds.

"If you move again, I’m gonna fall to my death!"

Zhang Da, standing on Zhang Er’s shoulders, yelled at the boy below.

Zhang Er said, "It’s too cold, and there’s snow under my feet. I’m going to slip."

"Just hold on for a few more minutes."

Zhang Da whispered, then continued to watch the courtyard.

Zhang Er was about to say something else, but unexpectedly...

a voice suddenly came from above his head.

"Shh~!"

"Someone’s coming. Don’t talk."

...

In the stone pavilion, by the brazier.

"Whew~ The first snow of the year."

"A timely snow promises a prosperous year. Next year should have a good harvest."

Lin Guodong stood in the stone pavilion, watching the snowflakes drift down around him, a hint of melancholy on his face.

Beside him, Master Guanxin was still silently warming himself by the brazier.

After a long while, he finally spoke.

"Has there been any news from Wutong City?" Master Guanxin asked.

"Yes, it came last night."

Lin Guodong took a deep breath. Unable to bear the biting cold, he turned and walked back to the brazier. As he felt the warmth spread through him, it was as if the ice crystals in his blood were melting. Color gradually returned to his face as he said:

"The No. 18 Middle School case wasn’t selected."

’The No. 18 Middle School case wasn’t selected...’

Master Guanxin paused. This didn’t surprise him.

Or rather, no one in all of Lusen City had expected a classic case to emerge this year.

"The No. 18 Middle School case was ultimately won through the lawyer’s personal skill. It’s a ’superior’ case, but not quite a ’classic’," Lin Guodong said casually.

Of course, at the end of the day, this case was still easier to get chosen as a classic than the Li Family Village case.

The Li Family Village case required fighting against the entire conservative judicial system to be selected unconventionally.

The No. 18 Middle School case just needed a higher score than an ordinary case.

Now, even this case wasn’t selected. That meant the Li Family Village case...

"I’m afraid its chances are slim."

Lin Guodong lamented.

Master Guanxin didn’t speak, continuing to warm himself by the fire. After a long pause, he said:

"There should be an old friend at this review."

"Perhaps he wants to push for it too."

’An old friend?’

Lin Guodong paused and looked up at him.

’A big shot will appear on the last day of the selection?’

"As for whether it gets selected or not, it doesn’t matter..."

Master Guanxin paused, then spoke again:

"As long as the calls to unseal it don’t disappear... as long as someone is still trying, that’s enough."

Lin Guodong fell silent. Neither of them spoke.

’Maybe Xu De won’t succeed in getting it selected, but as long as he’s still in the running, as long as this voice is heard in the province from time to time, or even at higher levels, that’s enough.’

’As long as the voice exists,’

’one day, this can be accomplished.’

Just as the two were thinking this, suddenly...

THWACK!

"Ouch!"

the sound of someone falling came from the entrance of White Cloud Temple.

Immediately after, another voice cried out.

"Run!"

Lin Guodong and Chen Jingshan turned their heads just in time to see two dark figures, blue from the cold and rubbing their backsides, disappear from sight.

Chen Jingshan averted his gaze and said:

"The Daoist Temple still has a lot of incense money left over from this year."

"Take it and buy whatever you can. Go distribute it outside."

Lin Guodong nodded.

"Okay."