Chapter 25: Ye Fei: Have I Become an Accomplice?
This uneasy feeling passed in an instant.
"It must be an illusion. There should not be any unexpected developments in this case."
"No, there will absolutely not be any unexpected developments!"
Ye Fei repeated silently to herself.
Although the reason for filing this case was fraud, in fact it was simply a marital dispute.
In marital litigation, she had almost never lost, and this time would be no exception.
How could she possibly lose?
She must have been overthinking.
Ye Fei reassured herself inwardly.
At this moment.
The attention of everyone present in the courtroom was focused on Su Bai, waiting to see what key questions and evidence he would produce.
After all.
Although the court had accepted the case, no one believed that the plaintiff's side would be able to win.
In general cases of fraudulent marriage prosecuted as fraud, the definition requires that the purpose be to deceive the other party into providing money or property and then to abscond without entering into marriage.
In this case, the plaintiff and the defendant had already been married for three years, so the probability of success could not be described as high and could only be described as extremely slim.
It was very likely that even key arguments could not be presented.
In the courtroom.
Su Bai's gaze fell upon Xie Jing.
He posed his first question.
"I would like to ask the defendant, Xie Jing, what your purpose was when you originally married my client."
Xie Jing hesitated and looked toward Ye Fei.
Ye Fei was also somewhat confused by Su Bai's question, but regardless of his purpose in asking it, it was certainly unfavorable to their side, so she immediately interrupted.
"Presiding Judge, I request termination of the questioning."
"The question raised by counsel for the plaintiff has no connection with the present case and cannot contribute to the adjudication of the matter, and it is likely that the subsequent questions will be the same, so I request that the presiding judge terminate counsel's questioning of our client."
'Bang bang bang.'
Yang Yu looked toward Ye Fei at the defendant's counsel table and struck the gavel.
"Counsel for the defendant shall not interrupt questioning during the hearing."
"This constitutes one warning."
Yang Yu directed his gaze toward Su Bai.
"Counsel for the plaintiff, please explain the purpose of this question and its relevance to the present case."
Upon hearing the presiding judge question Su Bai, Ye Fei felt greatly relieved.
She had already anticipated the warning sanction.
Enduring this warning in order to interrupt Su Bai's questioning and remind Xie Jing had been her objective.
Su Bai's gaze fell upon Ye Fei at the defendant's table, and he slightly revealed two rows of white teeth in a faint smile.
That she had interrupted his questioning even at the cost of receiving a warning demonstrated that she was anxious.
Anxiety was precisely what he wanted.
The more fearful the opposing side became, the more advantageous the hearing would be for him.
Regaining his composure.
"Presiding Judge, the question I raised has a significant connection with the present case. The purpose of the question is to determine the defendant's subjective intent at the time."
"I am asking whether, when the defendant Xie Jing married my client Zhang Tongwei, she harbored fraudulent intent."
After Su Bai finished speaking.
'Bang bang.'
Yang Yu struck the gavel.
"The question complies with the requirements of courtroom procedure. The questioning may continue."
At the same time, Yang Yu issued a warning to Ye Fei. "Counsel for the defendant shall not interrupt questioning again, otherwise a severe warning will be imposed."
"Yes, Presiding Judge."
Her objective having been achieved, Ye Fei could not continue interrupting the questioning.
This time, after Ye Fei's reminder, Xie Jing was mentally prepared and answered.
"It was because of our mutual affection. We married because we loved each other."
Su Bai continued his questioning.
"According to my client's description, before marrying my client, you had two boyfriends."
"At the time you encountered my client, you were in a relationship with one of them."
"After learning that my client was a resident of Nandu whose property had increased significantly due to urban redevelopment, you quickly abandoned your then boyfriend and entered into a relationship with my client."
"Was this because of love? Was it not because of my client's property?"
Xie Jing became somewhat flustered and did not know how to answer.
Ye Fei gave her a reassuring look, indicating that she should answer as she thought appropriate.
Xie Jing steadied herself and spoke immediately. "How can you determine that I was not with Tongwei because of love?"
"I would like to ask the defendant. Since you claim that it was because of love, why did you abandon the boyfriend with whom you were previously in a relationship? Was there not even the slightest reason related to the fact that my client was a resident of Nandu whose property had increased significantly due to urban redevelopment?"
"Furthermore, according to our understanding, you very much wished to settle in Nandu, but unfortunately you did not have the ability to do so, and your former boyfriend also lacked such ability. Was this not the reason you chose my client at that time?"
"No. The reason I chose to be with Tongwei at that time was because of love!"
Xie Jing's attitude was very firm.
These words almost caused Zhang Tongwei, as a party to the case, to vomit.
Love?
Love my foot.
It was utterly disgusting.
Zhang Tongwei nearly lost control in the courtroom and almost vomited what he had eaten the previous day.
If Su Bai had not restrained him, he might have erupted on the spot.
At this moment, Ye Fei raised her hand.
'Bang.'
The gavel struck.
Yang Yu looked toward the defendant's table.
"Counsel for the defendant, what is your question?"
Ye Fei arranged her materials. "Presiding Judge, counsel for the plaintiff has already asked our client several questions. If this continues indefinitely, it will simply delay the hearing. I request termination of further questioning by counsel for the plaintiff."
'Bang bang bang.'
Yang Yu struck the gavel.
"Counsel for the plaintiff, do you have anything to say?"
"Presiding Judge, our side has no further questions."
After hearing Su Bai's response, Yang Yu said:
"Now counsel for the plaintiff shall present factual or legal grounds regarding the defendant's alleged fraudulent conduct."
"Yes, Presiding Judge."
From among the organized materials, Su Bai produced a stack of consumption record vouchers.
"These materials contain consumption records relating to the period during which my client Zhang Tongwei and the defendant Xie Jing were together and after their marriage."
"The consumption records indicate that before the marriage, financial interactions between the defendant and my client followed an equal sharing arrangement."
"However, after the marriage, the defendant adopted an entirely extractive attitude."
"Furthermore, she provided financial assistance to her two younger brothers and her parents, thereby infringing upon the marital common property of my client."
Su Bai handed the consumption vouchers to the staff member beside him.
The staff member then passed them to Presiding Judge Yang Yu.
Yang Yu briefly examined the consumption vouchers, and as a man, after seeing these large expenditure records, he slightly frowned.
Although he sympathized with Zhang Tongwei as a fellow man, these records did not constitute legal evidence sufficient to prove that Xie Jing had committed fraud.
"These are only consumption record vouchers and do not constitute evidence proving that the defendant committed fraudulent conduct against the plaintiff."
"Counsel for the plaintiff, do you have direct evidence demonstrating the defendant's fraudulent conduct?"
"Yes, Presiding Judge."
Su Bai had already arranged in advance for Li Xuezhen to print out the chat records from Ye Fei's fan group, the video content from the short video account, and the comments beneath those videos, organize them, and submit them through the staff member beside him.
"Presiding Judge, these constitute the evidence that Xie Jing committed fraud against my client."
"Xie Jing, together with her entrusted lawyer Ye Fei, committed fraud against my client."
Ye Fei: ????
'Have I become an accomplice to fraud?'
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