novelraw Chapter 227 Testifying in Court
Chapter 227 Testifying in Court
The beast of public opinion had completely broken free. It roared and tore at Gu Yanshen and Lu Xiran, unleashing all its malice and suspicion upon them. No one bothered to seek evidence—Su Lanzhi's tears were evidence, Lian Bichen's trembling was evidence, and the seemingly innocent old woman standing in the dock like a victim was the best evidence.
What the truth is is no longer important.
Gu Yanxu sat in the audience and glanced at Attorney Liu slightly. Attorney Liu nodded almost imperceptibly—like a needle dropping into cotton, silent and unnoticed.
It was all meticulously planned. The pieces moved with precision, and the script was flawless.
Lian Bichen sat back down in the defendant's seat, her hands clasped together, her eyes lowered as if in devout prayer. Her tears were still flowing silently, each drop landing on the back of her hand. Anyone who saw her would feel heartbroken.
Some people in the audience had already started wiping away tears.
Amidst the sympathy and anger filling the room, the prosecutor slowly opened the folder in front of him. His movements were so slow that the sound of each page being rustled was clearly audible. The rustling sound was like some kind of countdown, each beat striking the heart of everyone present.
Then he stood up.
"Judge, I have a few questions for the witness."
The voice wasn't loud, but it was like a knife, silently cutting through the thick emotions in the courtroom. Attorney Liu's eyebrows twitched slightly, then returned to normal. He glanced back at Su Lanzhi and nodded—his composed demeanor seemed to tell everyone: we have a clear conscience.
Su Lanzhi took a deep breath and straightened her back again.
They certainly couldn't be unfamiliar with the procedure. Every question, every answer, had been rehearsed countless times. She could answer them with her eyes closed.
"You said you saw Lu Xiran drug your mother-in-law," the prosecutor said in a measured tone, "When was that? What was the exact time? Who else was present at the time?"
Su Lanzhi spoke almost the instant he finished speaking, as fluently as reciting a text: "Three and a half years ago, I don't quite remember the exact time... it should have been a midweek afternoon, around four o'clock. Lu Xiran was delivering meals to her mother-in-law as usual. When she was pouring the food from her own box onto her mother-in-law's special tableware, I saw her putting something inside."
The prosecutor didn't pause, his voice carrying a nonchalant sharpness: "A little after four? Dinner at a little after four in the afternoon?"
Su Lanzhi paused for a moment, but quickly continued, "My mother-in-law is old and has poor digestion, so she eats dinner very early every day."
"Oh—" the prosecutor trailed off meaningfully, "So how many dishes did she prepare that day?"
"I can't remember."
"Then why do you only remember the one thing she 'added something'? Three and a half years ago, around four in the afternoon, you can't remember the dishes, but you specifically remember the action of 'adding something'?"
Su Lanzhi's breathing quickened for a moment, but she gritted her teeth: "Because I was too shocked. You can't forget something like that once you see it."
The prosecutor narrowed his eyes slightly, like an eagle eyeing its prey. He gave her no chance to breathe, bombarding her with questions: "After your shock, who did you tell?"
"I..." A sudden blankness flashed through Su Lanzhi's mind. During rehearsals, the question wasn't asked like that. She instinctively gripped the witness stand railing. "I didn't dare say it."
"Why didn't you dare say?" The prosecutor stepped closer. "Were Lu Xiran and Gu Yanshen married at that time?"
Su Lanzhi hurriedly raised her head, her voice tinged with uncertainty: "You...you're married, aren't you?"
"What does 'ba' mean?" The prosecutor's voice suddenly rose an octave. "You're a witness, you're testifying in court, and you use 'ba' to answer questions?"
"Your Honor! I object—" Attorney Liu sprang up from his chair like a spring, "The prosecutor is using leading questions on the witness, and his tone is threatening!"
"Prosecutor, please be mindful of your questioning style," the presiding judge said calmly.
The prosecutor nodded compliantly, then changed to a gentler, yet more lethal, tone: "Let me rephrase the question—when you witnessed the 'drug administration,' were Gu Yanshen and Lu Xiran already married?"
"I'm married." This time, Su Lanzhi said it with absolute certainty.
"Alright." The prosecutor nodded. "Then, as your granddaughter-in-law—you're family—why are you afraid to speak out? What did she do that terrified you so much?"
"Because we're all afraid of Gu Yanshen." Su Lanzhi's voice trembled slightly. "That day, she took a small bottle and poured the liquid inside into the dish. The action was quick, but I saw it clearly."
"How do you know what she poured in?" The prosecutor's voice suddenly softened, as light as a feather, yet it sent chills down one's spine. "Did you see the label on the bottle with your own eyes? Or did you have it tested afterwards?"
"I...I don't know." Fine beads of sweat appeared on Su Lanzhi's forehead. This question wasn't in the script.
"Your Honor!" Attorney Liu stood up again, his voice urgent and forceful. "I object! The prosecutor's questions are irrelevant to this case—this case concerns Lian Bicheng's alleged attempted murder, and witness Su Lanzhi's testimony was to prove that Lu Xiran and Gu Yanshen had a motive to frame her. The prosecutor's current focus on the details of the drugging is not directly related to this case!"
A low murmur arose from the audience.
The presiding judge hesitated for a moment.
The prosecutor calmly turned to face the judge's bench, his voice clear as if striking glass: "Your Honor, quite the opposite—it was the defense that first brought up 'Lu Xiran drugging Lian Bicheng' as the motive for framing her. Since the defense uses this 'motive' to exonerate Lian Bicheng, then as the prosecutor, I have the right and the obligation to investigate whether this 'motive' itself is valid. Why can't I question the 'facts' presented by the defense?"
His voice wasn't loud, but every word was like a nail, driven into the air of the courtroom.
The presiding judge remained silent for two seconds.
"Objection overruled. The prosecutor will continue with further questions."
Attorney Liu's expression didn't change, but his knuckles turned slightly white when he sat down.
The prosecutor turned around and faced Su Lanzhi again. His gaze was as calm as a stagnant pool, yet Su Lanzhi felt as if she were being swallowed up inch by inch by something.
"So, witness," his voice was slow, so slow that each word felt like it was grinding against her bones, "so much time has passed, and you haven't seen the label on the bottle with your own eyes, nor have you tested the food—what makes you so sure that Lu Xiran added 'medicine' to the food?"