"So may I ask Mr. Wei, on which day did you sign the contract with my client?" Ye Jinghuai asked.
"Isn't it written on the contract? March 14," Wei Daguo said.
"What time?" Ye Jinghuai pressed.
"It was so long ago, how could I still remember the exact time," Wei Daguo said irritably.
"It was just last year. How could you not remember at least the time period when you signed it?"
"I think it was around 3 or 4 o'clock in the afternoon," Wei Daguo randomly picked a time.
"From 3 to 4 pm, even 2 to 5 pm, my client's schedule was completely booked with meetings. He could not have possibly met with anyone," Ye Jinghuai took out a list of meetings and voluntarily handed it to the jury, "This is An's Group's meeting schedule on March 14, as well as the minutes from one of the meetings my client attended during that time slot."
The jury proceeded to verify it.
"Maybe it was in the morning," Wei Daguo hurriedly changed his words, "I don't have a good memory. I don't even know if it was morning or afternoon. In any case, it was March 14."
"But according to An's Group Chairman's Secretary Office, there is no record of anyone coming to see the Chairman from morning to afternoon on March 14. However, An's Group has clear rules that anyone who wants to see the Chairman needs to make an appointment," Ye Jinghuai said.
"Who said we signed the contract at An's Group?" Wei Daguo quickly rebutted, "This kind of contract would certainly not be signed at the company."
"So you mean my client signed it with you outside somewhere?"
"Yes," Wei Daguo asserted.
"Where exactly?"
"In the western restaurant next to An's Group," Wei Daguo responded.
Ye Jinghuai's eyes narrowed slightly.
It seems the opposing side did come well prepared.
He suddenly fell silent.
Making everyone in the courtroom think that he was finally stumped.
That he couldn't find any more flaws with the case and was about to give up.
As expected.
A complete outsider just doesn't have what it takes.
After asking a few questions, he can't follow up anymore.
There were even some mocking sounds in the courtroom.
Led mainly by Gu Yan Sheng.
An Nuan looked back seeing Gu Yan Sheng laughing so openly.
Feeling An Nuan's gaze, Gu Yan Sheng also turned to look at her.
His eyes filled with smugness.
An Nuan turned her head back to look at Ye Jinghuai in the courtroom, involuntarily worrying for him.
"If the defendant's lawyer has no more questions, please return to your seat," the Judge suddenly spoke.
"I do have more questions," Ye Jinghuai stated plainly.
The Judge had a solemn expression, "If you need to continue questioning, please don't waste time."
"Yes, Your Honor," Ye Jinghuai said respectfully. Then looking at Wei Daguo, "May I ask, Mr. Wei, do you know a contract that is only signed but not stamped holds no legal power?"
"I don't know," Wei Daguo said.
"You don't know?" Ye Jinghuai raised his brows, "You've signed so many contracts. I see every one has a company seal on it. Even the guarantee letter between you and Zhang Wenzhen has your fingerprint. And you're saying you don't know?"
"Alright, I admit I do know," Wei Daguo changed his words suddenly. "Because even if I wanted to revoke this contract, the only one at a loss would be An Yanyuan. Not stamping it works in my favor, so why would I remind them?"
"So Mr. Wei knows a contract needs fingerprints to be valid. My client, as An's Group's Chairman, wouldn't know something this basic?!" Ye Jinghuai threw the question back.
Wei Daguo was stunned.
"Why would my client sign this unreliable private agreement with you?! Firstly it holds no legal power. Secondly, if anything goes wrong, my client would be digging his own grave. Why would my client put in so much effort into something that does him no good?" Ye Jinghuai asked Wei Daguo.
He was also asking everyone present.
"He probably thought I wouldn't know. So he wanted to threaten me this way," Wei Daguo hurriedly found an excuse.
Ye Jinghuai no longer bothered debating with Wei Daguo. He turned to face the Judge, "Your Honor, from my dialogue with Wei Daguo, it is evident that there are major credibility issues with his testimony. The reasons are as follows. First, Wei Daguo vaguely stated that he signed a private cooperative agreement in person with my client on March 14. But for ordinary people like us, we don't usually forget things that have happened recently, even if we forget the exact time, we wouldn't forget the general time frame. Second, Wei Daguo contradicts himself by first claiming he knows a contract without fingerprints has no legal power, then claiming he doesn't know. He can flip flop so easily even in court. I have reason to suspect him of being a habitual liar, even making up facts!"
"I did not!" Wei Daguo agitatedly yelled.
"Quiet!" The Judge pounded his gavel, "Witness, mind your words. Everything you say in this court has legal implications!"
"Yes, Your Honor," Wei Daguo now looked utterly obedient.
So.
The Judge is on their side too.
That was just a warning to Wei Daguo, without affirming Ye Jinghuai's viewpoint at all.
Yet Ye Jinghuai remained composed.
Not a hint of panic could be detected.
He continued, "Your Honor, may I ask the witness a few more questions?"
"Defense counsel, please keep your questions focused on the crux of this case. Please do not waste the court's time," the Judge was clearly singling out Ye Jinghuai.
Ye Jinghuai was neither humble nor arrogant, he slightly nodded, then faced Wei Daguo again, "Mr. Wei, you just said you came back to turn yourself in and reported my client because you felt uneasy after taking the money?"
"Yes," Wei Daguo said.
"I would like to ask, out of the 830 million you embezzled, how much is left?"
"Objection!" Prosecutor Jiang Xingfan suddenly stood up, "Your Honor, this is irrelevant to the case. I object to the defense counsel asking such private questions. This concerns the informant's personal rights. He can choose not to answer!"
"Objection sustained."
Ye Jinghuai pressed his lips. He directly stated, "How Wei Daguo spent the money is hugely relevant to this case, because his expenditures can fully demonstrate that he did not take 830 million. He only took 230 million. The remaining 600 million were never his to begin with. In other words, Wei Daguo did not abscond with the money alone. It was premeditated with others."
"I object!" Jiang Xingfan stood up again, "I object to the defense counsel making baseless accusations!"
"I have evidence," Ye Jinghuai enunciated word for word.
His tone was very firm.
Jiang Xingfan said, "If the defense has evidence, present it directly instead of grandstanding."
"Alright," Ye Jinghuai instantly agreed.
Jiang Xingfan was clearly a little stunned.
He was merely trying to provoke Ye Jinghuai.
He did not actually believe there was any evidence.
"I have three contracts here," Ye Jinghuai took out three documents, "These are the building material contracts signed between An's Group second largest shareholder Chang Deyue and Yuanyang Building Materials. The total amount is 105 million. 50 million of that is tax. The remaining 100 million were under the table payments used to purchase land at the time!"
