Chapter 33: Court Opens
“He Yun, what about you?”
“I do have some trouble here.”
He Yun still had a gentle demeanor: “There are two problems right in front of us now, one is the money issue.
Bowen and I don’t have much money left, and there are always people following us, so we can’t ask you for money, and even if we got it, we couldn’t spend it, otherwise we couldn’t explain the source.
This means that if we continue like this, we should leave Shanghai by reason, we can’t make it here.
The other is the grain business that Bowen mentioned.
To get grain, we need to hire staff and go out of the concession from Shanghai to Northern Jiangsu.
But with that No. 67 person following behind us now, we’re afraid that once we leave the concession, we’ll be caught before we even leave Shanghai.
Now it feels to me like whatever we do is wrong, and it seems we can only wait for No. 67’s suspicion of us to be lifted before we can operate, but we don’t know how long that will take.
And during this time, we have another concern. Although the organization hasn’t made explicit demands on us to earn a specific amount of money, the organization did say at the time that when needed, we have to be able to provide it.
Now we’re just sitting and eating away our savings, it’s actually quite urgent, afraid that it will affect the organization’s mission at that time.
Bowen’s idea is, if it really doesn’t work, the two of us will each find a job first, he’ll check the trading company, and I’ll check the bank or chamber of commerce to see if there are any accountant positions.
Those people can’t follow us forever, we’ll survive first, and if it really doesn’t work, we’ll do two jobs, spend frugally, and should still be able to save some money for the organization for emergencies.”
“That’s a problem.”
Gu Yansheng nodded slightly and fell into thought. Time was also a precious thing. They were making money in Shanghai, and they had to seize every minute.
Now No. 67’s people still don’t believe these 14 people, so conversely, to make No. 67’s people believe these 14 people, besides the variable of time, the only way is for someone to step forward voluntarily and take on the contact slot.
Create a disappearance case, for example, tie up that car dealership’s manager, throw him in a suitcase, send him with the suitcase to Nanyang to cut sugarcane, then kill the No. 67 personnel staking out at the wharf, making No. 67 think this person is the one hidden among the 14 people, and now he has fled together with that underground party member.
Tsk tsk, the method is a bit dark, organizational discipline doesn’t allow it.
Gu Yansheng thought for a moment and said: “For now, it’s still safer to wait. You not doing anything now is good, no flaws, it would be too bad to dirty such a clean identity with any trouble.
Give me some time, you find jobs to survive first, I still have some money here temporarily, if the organization needs it urgently, it should hold out for a while.
Things have come to this point, the best timing is still to wait for me to enter the government department, then if anything really happens, I can still lend a hand.
And by then, there will actually be many usable methods, we can contact openly without any issue, you work for me and become my people.”
Lu Bowen and He Yun both nodded. At this stage, that’s all they could do. “Okay, we’ll listen to you. We’re fine now, tell us about yours.”
“Good.”
Then they chatted idly for a bit. Gu Yansheng mentioned his situation, and when they heard he got over ten thousand US Dollars for one case, their eyes bulged in shock.
And hearing that Wu Sibao extorted 5000 US Dollars from him, they gritted their teeth in hatred.
Without power, you really can’t hold onto wealth. In this Shanghai surrounded by wolves, wanting a share of the pie, a rootless duckweed can only end up on the table.
But speaking of this, Gu Yansheng paused: “I’ve thought of a way to ease your money shortage. Whether it works depends on your luck.
The opposing law firm is likely to find some of the people who were arrested at that time to testify in court, but didn’t you sign a confidentiality agreement with me?
So if they want you to speak, they have to resolve your concerns.
That is, no risk of being prosecuted by the French Concession, or bear all your losses, and additionally, they have to give a benefit fee, add money.
Before today, he didn’t know where you live, but as long as someone among those people has tipped him off, then the people going out will definitely tell him, and you might very well be approached, or even now at the law firm entrance, someone is already waiting.
They give money, you take the conditions, it has to be cash, cash that can be obtained before the trial.
Asking for five hundred or a thousand silver dollars won’t be a problem, enough to cover your expenses for a while.”
“There’s such a good thing?” The two looked at each other and smiled. “Real or fake?”
Gu Yansheng leaned back and smiled faintly: “The bigger the law firm, the more sensitive the instincts. The concession isn’t big, we as opponents talked to so many people, the news spreads like wind.”
“Then we’ll wait for the money to come to our door?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Yansheng, the finances for the next period will probably rely on you, thanks for the hard work.” He Yun said.
Gu Yansheng smiled. “Work isn’t about hard work. My situation is much more comfortable than yours.”
“That’s what you earned through your own efforts.” He Yun said.
Lu Bowen teased, “If I’d known you could make so much money, the organization should have had you make money from the start, and sent me to the government department.”
“You might not get in, and even if you did, you might not be put to good use.”
He Yun smiled without politeness and mocked lightly, “He’s a Peking University graduate with a clean background. You, running around doing business, even getting a Good Citizen Certificate would cost you an extra two hundred bucks.”
Lu Bowen smiled bitterly and shook his head helplessly: “Sigh, don’t say it, don’t say it, too harsh, a total loser.”
“Haha.” Gu Yansheng laughed: “Lawyers earn based on more work more pay. Don’t think I earn a lot per case, that’s accidental. There are so many idle lawyers in the concession with no work, examples are right there.
To really make money to subsidize the organization, it has to be doing business, relying on capital. Have you ever seen a lawyer out-earn a top businessman?
Bowen, the organization’s future depends on you, the burden on you is heavy.”
“Look at that, a lawyer’s eloquence is different. Yansheng, you speak nicely. You accountant only know calculating numbers, too narrow in viewing problems.”
After saying that, He Yun straightened her face. Lu Bowen put on a serious face: “Comrade Yansheng, I have to criticize you. The organization’s future relies on everyone’s collective efforts. We have three people, not just me. Collective power is what makes us strong.”
“I accept the team leader comrade’s criticism.”
Time together is always short. In this short time, they gave each other some psychological massage behind enemy lines.
After seeing off the two, Gu Yansheng continued the talks. Except for four who weren’t free in the evening, the rest were all settled that night.
The next day, he continued working. During this time, Gu Yansheng disguised himself and went to a newspaper company to send out the message.
Yan’an side will definitely pay attention. At the latest the day after tomorrow, Minister Chen should see their safe notice.
Two days later, 10 a.m., trial begins.
When Wen Yan drove Gu Yansheng to the court entrance, it was bustling with noise.
This case had spread all over the city in the past two days. The court entrance was packed with onlookers, and just the reporters stood in a crowd, snapping photos with cameras.
Danwen Law Firm’s Mercedes-Benz, Buick, while Smithfield Law Firm’s vehicles were equally impressive, BMW, Mercedes-Benz.
But the opponent had far more vehicles than Gu Yansheng’s side.
Because the opponent had many defendants, with so many newspaper companies, theoretically the defense side has nearly thirty lawyers.
Of course, most are just fillers. The leaders are just two.
Both sides seemed about to collide, stopping face-to-face at the court entrance, immediately at daggers drawn, neither willing to yield an inch.
“Wolf, it’s been a while.”
A British man around fifty got out of the main BMW and greeted Wolf proactively.
Dignified and poised, he stopped and smiled: “Is Danwen Firm about to go bankrupt? Even taking such a sure-loss lawsuit? If bankrupt, you can come to us for bankruptcy proceedings, I’ll give you a discount.”
Wolf’s face didn’t change at the mockery, countering: “You can’t even see this is a sure-win case. Smith, have you entered the late stage of Alzheimer’s?”
“Hahahaha.” Smith laughed heartily, pointing at the reporters. “Heaven, earth, and man all favor us. Public opinion is on our side, morality is on our side, even the court is on our side. I really can’t see how we lose this case.”
“Court is about evidence, and evidence is on our side.” Wolf replied politely and elegantly.
Smith raised an eyebrow and smiled faintly. “Perjury? Looking at the lawyer list, you represent Japan, letting a rookie handle the French side. Wolf, you’re cunning. This way, if we lose, someone takes the blame, even perjury responsibility has someone to bear for you.”
After saying that, Smith looked at Gu Yansheng nearby. “Young lawyer, some people’s methods aren’t glorious. This business is complicated, be careful. Sometimes not just the parties get sentenced at trial, lawyers can get sent in too. Let’s go.”
A large group followed clattering away, reporters snapping photos nonstop, quite the spectacle.
Entering the changing room to don lawyer robes, Wolf asked Gu Yansheng’s feelings.
“What do you think of Smith?”
“Judging a person, especially a big lawyer, with a few words is too superficial. Everything will be clear once we’re in court.”
“Good, then let’s go to trial, fight your first battle in the concession.”
Donning lawyer robes and wigs, pushing open the changing room door, Gu Yansheng and Wolf strode out.
Entering the courtroom, the scene was quite spectacular.
Two against thirty.
Only trial lawyers can wear robes and wigs. Helpers like Wen Yan wear suits and sit aside organizing documents.
The spectator seats had almost all the consuls present, the editor-in-chiefs of major newspaper companies naturally wouldn’t be absent, and the rest were probably some social elites watching the fun.
As the judge entered from the side door, the case officially entered the trial stage.
“Japan-France versus major newspaper companies defamation case, court is now in session!”
