Chapter 40 - 33: Counterattack! Counterattack! And Counterattack

Just as Li Li was about to speak, Li Sheng, at her side, suddenly pulled her back.

But Li Li shot him a fierce glare, wrenched her hand free, and trotted over to Xu De’s side. She put on a somewhat fawning expression and said:

"That’s right, that’s right. My Ma said so last year, right before she died."

"Back then, they even got someone in the village who could read to teach ’em how to write their own names. After they signed, they put down their thumbprints too."

"Those two motherfuckers, they’ve owed us for ten years and still haven’t paid it back!"

Li Li rambled on, cursing, then her voice trailed off. She looked back at Xu De and asked cautiously:

"Sir, for an illegal matter like refusing to pay a debt... is that something the police handle?"

Refusing to pay back a debt was a minor issue, useless to Xu De on its own.

But an IOU that Li Youcai and Liu Cui had personally signed and thumb-printed, one that detailed what the money was for... now *that* would be incredibly useful!

At eleven o’clock at night, Xu De stood at the village entrance, which was shrouded in darkness. He swallowed hard, and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

’I’ve hooked a big one...’

He knew that a fellow villager like Li Li could absolutely provide *some* evidence if she wanted to...

But he never expected her to pull out something like *this*!

An IOU! She actually had an IOU signed and thumb-printed by Li Youcai and Liu Cui, one that detailed exactly what the money was for!

’Is this thing useful?’

On its own, it wasn’t actually very useful. In fact, its utility was minimal. Why?

Because it was isolated evidence. As long as Li Youcai and Liu Cui claimed they never bought anyone, or came up with some other excuse, the prosecutor and judge would never accept it.

It was just like with Wang Mei. Even though she accused Li Youcai and Liu Cui, she still couldn’t touch them. The reason was that her testimony was also ’isolated evidence’.

But then came the question...

Separately, they were indeed just pieces of isolated evidence. But if you put them together... that would be a whole different ball game!

"Are you sure?"

Xu De’s gaze was sharp as he stared straight at her, but he deliberately softened his tone, careful not to reveal any intense emotion.

"An IOU from ten years ago, from before Wang Mei was sold? Are you sure both of them put their thumbprints on it?"

"And it stated the purpose of the loan?"

Li Li, however, wasn’t dwelling on the fact that they borrowed money to buy a wife.

She was more concerned with the ’illegality’ of them not paying back their debt. She nodded and said:

"Yep. Three days after they borrowed the money, they brought the woman back."

"A little while back, Li Youcai even told us that if the police came asking if they were involved in buying a wife, we should say no..."

’So it’s true!’

A fire lit within Xu De’s heart, and a flood of ideas instantly surfaced in his mind.

If the victim Wang Mei’s own testimony and accusation were considered isolated evidence, lacking corroboration...

...then with the appearance of this IOU...

...that isolated evidence would instantly become part of an unbreakable evidence chain!

An evidence chain.

An ironclad chain of evidence!

Some people might not have a clear concept of what that means, so let me put it this way.

Many people believe that after committing a crime, as long as you don’t confess and refuse to plead guilty in court, the judge can’t convict you.

In reality, that idea is completely and utterly wrong.

As long as the evidence chain is solid enough, the presiding judge can issue a guilty verdict and sentence you, even if you refuse to confess!

That is the credibility and power of an evidence chain in a court of law!

’The reason Li Youcai and Liu Cui have been able to evade justice, even daring to fight for custody and make an exorbitant demand of 230,000 yuan in the supplementary civil suit...’

’...is simply because the police couldn’t establish an evidence chain!’

The expression in Xu De’s eyes flickered, and countless ideas surfaced in his mind.

’Now that I have this evidence chain, their so-called 230,000 yuan demand is a joke!’

In a civil lawsuit, you have to be a complete victim to receive a large settlement. Those two are no victims.

They are ’accomplices’ to the perpetrator, Li Erniu, in the ’human trafficking’ case!

In that case...

Never mind justifiable self-defense.

Even if Wang Qiang were convicted of excessive self-defense, if Xu De let that compensation payment exceed 10,000 yuan, it would mean all his years of studying law had gone to waste!

Of course, the money wasn’t the main point. The real point was...

’This can prove that Li Youcai and Liu Cui participated in the human trafficking, which ultimately led to Li Erniu’s death!’

’If Li Li and the others are willing to come forward, we could even charge them with "abuse," "aiding and abetting attempted rape," "intentional injury," "unlawful imprisonment"...’

Xu De’s mind raced, making a quick calculation.

The next moment, a number materialized in his mind.

’A minimum of fifteen years in prison!’

’No... their attitude has been atrocious, and they even assaulted police officers, committed perjury, and repeatedly obstructed the rescue...’

’Twenty years!’

’A minimum of twenty years. Whether it becomes a life sentence would be entirely up to the judge’s discretion!’

With consecutive sentencing for multiple offenses, the prison term for these clear-cut crimes would be at least twenty years, and more likely twenty-five.

It probably wouldn’t be a life sentence.

But... Li Youcai and Liu Cui were already in their sixties!

Forget a life sentence—even ten or twenty years would be a death sentence for them. They’d almost certainly die in prison!

At that moment.

Xu De’s ’conservative’ approach to the trial began to quietly shift. It was becoming... aggressive.

’Counterattack...’

’Counterattack, and then counterattack again!’

Xu De wanted to satisfy his client... no, he had to get his client’s satisfaction to the absolute maximum!

’Get Wang Qiang acquitted? Would he be satisfied just by avoiding prison time?’

That was a given. That was the bare minimum.

He had to make Li Youcai and Liu Cui reap what they sowed. They needed to rot in prison until they died!

"Is there anything else?"

Xu De’s eyes burned with intensity. He stared at Li Li and pressed,

"I mean, does anyone else know about this? If we could get two more people... that would be enough!"

A single accuser was still not a sure thing.

If he could get two or three financially independent neighbors to corroborate the story, then Li Youcai and Liu Cui would have no way of escaping his Five Finger Mountain!

Li Li’s first instinct was to shake her head.

’After all, if other people get involved, will I still get the whole pie myself?’

But on second thought, if she didn’t get help... she might not get a single bite. Besides, bringing in two more people would add another layer of security, preventing someone else from swooping in to claim the reward after Li Youcai was locked up.

"The Zhang Family, and Li Erniu’s second uncle."

Li Li thought for a moment and named a few people she knew.

"Zhang saw them borrow the money back then. Li Erniu’s second uncle also lent them money that year, but his IOU doesn’t mention buying a wife. They never paid him back, either."

Xu De said immediately, "That’s enough."

He thought for a moment, then added:

"Alright, here’s the plan. For the time being, don’t give that IOU to anyone but me."

"Right now, I need you to record a witness statement about the killing Wang Qiang was involved in."

"It’s crucial that you are objective, accurate, and stick to the facts. If the police come, don’t be afraid. Just tell the truth!"

’I can’t reveal the IOU just yet.’

The primary mission was to get Wang Qiang acquitted, and for that, he needed Li Youcai and Liu Cui’s cooperation in signing a ’Letter of Understanding’ and a ’Criminal Reconciliation Agreement’.

Revealing the IOU would push them into a corner, and he would lose access to these two trump cards.

Therefore...

’First, get Li Youcai to sign everything and secure Wang Qiang’s acquittal. Then, immediately use the IOU to complete the evidence chain and have those two tried and put away!’

Xu De made his decision.

He looked at Li Li, then reached into his pocket and handed her the four hundred yuan he had on him—almost all the cash he had.

"After you’ve recorded your statement, give me the IOU."

"Three hundred of this is for Li Yang’s recent living expenses."

"Use the other hundred for phone calls. Find someone with a phone and have them call me at this number."

Xu De took out a pen and paper he had on him and wrote down a phone number.

He then recorded the witness statements from Li Li and Li Sheng.

He waited for them to go home, retrieve the IOU, and return. After Xu De confirmed the IOU was authentic...

...he quietly said his goodbyes.

As they watched his retreating figure.

’Three thousand four hundred yuan... you couldn’t make that much money farming for two years!’

’Not to mention... the Lis’ house and those plots of fertile land!!!’

Li Li and Li Sheng stood at the village entrance, these thoughts running through their minds.

With warm expressions, the two of them waved goodbye, their eyes shining as if they were bidding farewell to a beloved relative.

As for Xu De.

After walking some distance away, he met up with Wang Chao, who was waiting nearby. Together, they walked back to the parked van.

Inside the van, Lin Yue, who had brought the child back earlier, breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the two men return unharmed.

She then looked at Xu De, puzzled.

"Where did you go?"

"Nothing much. Just picked something up."

A faint smile touched Xu De’s lips. He glanced back, squinting at the dark, silent Li Family Village.

This time...

’What a bountiful harvest!’

"Let’s head back the way we came!"

"When the court opens for business, we’ll submit Li Li’s recanted testimony."

"Let’s ramp up the pressure on the prosecutor. Make him lose a few nights’ sleep!"