October ninth, morning.
Upon receiving notification from the police station, Yang Jian, along with his grandmother and Aunt Guihua from next door, went to identify Baoguo.
The station arranged for four men to stand with Baoguo, allowing them to identify him through glass.
The two young men arranged by Wu Wangchun recognized Baoguo and identified him immediately upon entering.
However, his grandmother, being elderly and having had some time pass, had forgotten what the perpetrator looked like and did not identify anyone.
When it was Aunt Guihua's turn, she observed for a few minutes and finally identified Baoguo accurately.
Thus, Baoguo's criminal act of trespassing and vandalizing was confirmed.
The police officer handling the case, surnamed Liu, called Yang Jian into a small conference room.
"Xiao Yang, after interrogation, Baoguo has confessed to the crime of trespassing and vandalism. However, the damage caused was minimal. We surveyed your home at the time, and only some old tables and chairs were broken, valued at less than two thousand yuan. How much do you think he should compensate?"
Officer Liu intended to handle the case simply and close it quickly.
Yang Jian asked, "Officer Liu, let's put compensation aside for now. I'd like to ask about the motive for his vandalism at my home. I don't know him at all. Who instructed him to do it?"
"He claims he was instructed by Old Gui and Wu Laizi to retaliate against you. But Old Gui is dead, and Wu Laizi is wanted. This responsibility cannot be pursued."
Shifting the blame to Old Gui and Wu Laizi was completely unexpected for Yang Jian. He had hoped to implicate Brother Mao through this incident, but it seemed that was not possible; they had already prepared for such a scenario.
"Then how do you plan to punish Baoguo? Just compensation is not enough; I don't lack a few thousand yuan."
"Xiao Yang, this matter is not that significant, as the losses were not substantial, not exceeding five thousand yuan. It's not insignificant either, as trespassing with more than three people into a private residence can lead to prosecution. I think it would be more practical to have him pay more compensation, and we can detain him for another half a month to settle this case."
Yang Jian sneered, "Officer Liu, I specifically consulted legal books last night. As you said, according to Article 245 of the Criminal Law and the Provisions on Standards for Filing and Prosecuting Criminal Cases, he has violated at least three clauses.
First, illegal intrusion into a private residence to commit vandalism.
Second, illegal intrusion by more than three people.
Third, he threatened and intimidated my grandfather and grandmother, causing my grandfather to faint on the spot and ultimately die. This one clause alone is enough for a sentence of five years or more."
Officer Liu shook his head, "Xiao Yang, although your grandfather's death is indirectly related to this matter, they did not physically touch your grandfather. Your grandmother also testified at the time, so legally, Baoguo cannot be held responsible for your grandfather's death, and he cannot be sentenced to five years."
"Alright, we won't discuss this matter. Lawyers and judges will make that judgment. But the threat and intimidation of my grandparents is a fact, isn't it? The illegal intrusion by more than three people is a fact, isn't it? Based on these two points alone, he can be sentenced to under three years or detention, am I correct?"
"Xiao Yang, I didn't expect you to be so well-informed. I wanted you to ask for more money for your benefit. Based on my experience, in his situation, even through the court, he would likely only be sentenced to six months of detention."
"I don't want money; I want him to go to jail, and I will hire the best lawyer for this case."
"In that case, I will not attempt mediation."
Officer Liu knew Yang Jian was wealthy and a prominent figure in Xinqiao, seeking respect rather than mediation.
It was nearly noon when they left the police station. Yang Jian sent his grandmother and Aunt Guihua home, had lunch, and then headed to Chengguan with Jing Yongli.
The two withdrew thirty thousand yuan from the bank and then went to a law firm named Hongtu, where they met a middle-aged lawyer named Cao Rui.
"Hello, Lawyer Cao. I am Yang Jian, and this is my cousin Jing Yongli. Sister Feng introduced us."
Before coming, Yang Jian had called Yu Feng. This law firm was the legal counsel for Dong Sheng Group, and Cao Rui was a seasoned lawyer specializing in criminal cases.
"Hello, Mr. Yang. President Yu has already called me. I was expecting you. Let's discuss the case."
Cao Rui was around forty years old, of medium build, wore glasses, and spoke politely and directly to the point.
Yang Jian recounted the entire incident, from the occurrence of the case to the situation at the police station that morning.
Cao Rui took notes as he listened and then asked with confusion, "Mr. Yang, this case isn't that significant. Even if you don't accept mediation, the prosecution will still file charges. You don't need to hire a lawyer."
"Lawyer Cao, to tell you the truth, Baoguo has people behind him with a large network of connections. I don't trust anyone else. I need you to follow through completely. Baoguo caused the death of my grandfather, and I want to send him to prison."
"The normal judgment for this case might not be very severe."
"The purpose of hiring a lawyer is to hold Baoguo responsible for my grandfather's death. How you operate is up to your abilities. Name your price for the legal fees."
"I understand. Let's proceed with the paperwork. Please provide your ID for photocopying, and then you can sign these two power of attorney forms. The initial fee is twenty-eight thousand. Please pay at the finance department."
Cao Rui asked no further questions, handed the power of attorney forms to Yang Jian, while Jing Yongli went to the finance department to pay.
After leaving the law firm, Yang Jian checked the time; it was past three o'clock. He decided to visit Chunfeng Lou and then asked Jing Yongli to drive the car back, as he had a dinner date with Lu Yao that evening. He was planning to go to Nanhai the next day and would likely be there for some time.
As they got into the car, Yang Jian's phone rang. Seeing an unknown number, he assumed it was a spam call and casually hung up.
He started the car to leave, and the phone rang again, the same number.
Yang Jian had no choice but to pull over the handbrake and answer. It was Lu Hao's voice.
"Xiao Yang, don't speak, just listen. Your car and phone are being tracked, and someone is coming to arrest you immediately. You need to drop your phone right now, abandon the car, and get out of the city as quickly as possible. Then, find a way to leave the province. Do not take trains or planes, and do not stay in hotels. After you leave, do not contact anyone for a period of time, especially relatives. I will take care of your family. Go quickly."
As soon as Lu Hao finished speaking, the call ended.
Yang Jian's scalp tingled with fear. He knew that the casino business had gotten him into trouble. Lu Hao was using a different phone number to relay information, possibly to avoid implicating his father. This message was undoubtedly from Lu Jinsong, so it was reliable.
"Yongli, someone is coming to arrest me immediately. Take out my SIM card and throw it away. You drive the car back and tell my parents not to worry. Immediately call Biao Biao and tell them to run quickly."
With no time to spare, Yang Jian quickly threw his phone and car keys to Jing Yongli, opened the car door, and jumped out.
Jing Yongli was bewildered, holding the phone and car keys, unsure of what was happening.
Outside the law firm, there were what were commonly known as "rabbit-pulling" black motorcycle taxis that could take you from the south of the city to the north for ten yuan.
Yang Jian hopped onto a motorcycle taxi, "Let's go to the north of the city. Here's twenty yuan."
"Alright, hold on tight."
The motorcycle taxi driver hit the accelerator, and the motorcycle sped away like lightning, disappearing quickly down the street, leaving a trail of smoke.