Justifiable Defence Recap, Plot, Synopsis
Justifiable Defence Synopsis
Duan Hongshan, a seasoned prosecutor at the city procuratorate, is assigned to handle a case where an abused woman kills her husband in self-defense. He is joined by Fang Lingyuan, a young prosecutor from the provincial procuratorate, who is dispatched to assist in the investigation.
As they delve deeper, the two discover that the case is closely linked to a school excessive self-defense case from fourteen years ago—one that Duan himself had handled, involving defendants Li Mufeng, Mei Zheng, and Jiang Ting.
Guided by facts and the law, while balancing justice, human compassion, and legal principles, the prosecutors ultimately arrive at a fair and precise legal judgment.
Justifiable Defence Recap
Episode 1 Recap
A man named Duan Hongshan, covered in blood, arrived at the Duanke Town Police Station on the morning of April 28, 2023, and announced he was turning himself in for murder. He identified himself as a prosecutor. Days before this, Prosecutor Duan Hongshan was leading the investigation into the death of Zhang Yuan, a 32-year-old man. The suspect was Zhang Yuan's 31-year-old estranged wife, Jiang Ting, who had sought a divorce citing domestic violence.
Zhang Yuan, armed with a boning knife, had come to Jiang Ting's residence on April 17th after dinner. The forensic report placed his time of death around 10:40 PM, consistent with the time Jiang Ting spent doing laundry afterward. Both Zhang Yuan and Jiang Ting were alumni of Wuyan Third High School. Duan and his colleagues, including Ding Yi, worked on the case. Duan even took possession of Jiang Ting's fish tank, as it was her only concern.
Duan visited Jiang Ting in the detention center. She was questioned about the multiple stab wounds. Jiang Ting couldn't fully explain why she stabbed Zhang Yuan seven times, particularly the six subsequent stabs after the first, stating she wished she had only stabbed him once for it to be justifiable defense, but feared he would have killed her if he survived.
She described her life as having "derailed" during the 28 minutes she spent hanging laundry after the incident, longing for her life to return to normal. She recounted Zhang Yuan's extreme paranoia and how he used trivial matters, such as her not peeling asparagus when cooking, as pretexts for abuse and violence.
During a flashback, she described how Zhang Yuan, wielding a knife, attacked her, cornered her on the balcony, and threatened to kill her, forcing her to instinctively defend herself. Jiang Ting expressed confusion about the legal definitions of her actions, feeling lost about her future, but her primary concern was the welfare of her fish, pleading with Duan to care for them.
Recognizing the case's complexity, Chief Prosecutor Gong proposed a joint meeting to gather perspectives and balance legal principles with public sentiment to reach the best judgment. During the meeting, opinions varied. Some argued for excessive defense, seeing the initial stab as potentially defensive but subsequent ones as exceeding necessary force due to the timing, means, intensity, and resulting harm. Others leaned towards intentional homicide, focusing on the motive and the severity of the injuries.
Duan argued that under stress, actions within seconds are instinctive, not deliberate, supporting excessive defense, or even justifiable defense. He emphasized that the danger Jiang Ting faced was not isolated to that night but was a persistent threat throughout their three-year marriage, escalating after their separation. He presented a hypothetical to his male colleagues, asking what choice they would make if cornered with a knife, reaffirming his inclination towards classifying the case as justifiable defense based on the current information.
While discussing the case, new information arrived about a potential eyewitness, Mei Zheng, who worked at an aquarium. Mei Zheng claimed she saw the incident from her apartment across the street. She stated she saw Zhang Yuan with a knife, about to stab Jiang Ting, and instinctively shone a flashlight beam into his eyes, causing him to momentarily stop. In that moment, Jiang Ting stabbed him.
Mei Zheng explained she delayed reporting because she feared her intervention with the flashlight would implicate her in the case, coming forward only after learning about Jiang Ting's story through the media and feeling sympathy for her. The effectiveness of her flashlight across the 60-meter distance between the buildings was questioned until it was suggested she used a powerful diving flashlight, capable of illuminating nearly 100 meters underwater.
If her testimony about the blinding light was accurate, it would lend significant support to Duan's view of justifiable defense. Chief Prosecutor Gong reminded Duan of a case he handled 14 years prior concerning excessive defense—the case of Li Mufeng, who was convicted of intentional assault resulting in death and sentenced to four years. Gong suggested Duan might compare the cases.
Ding Yi later examined the Li Mufeng case file, discovering that Mei Zheng had also been a witness in that case. Further complicating matters, the Procuratorial Supervision Office received an anonymous report alleging that Duan Hongshan had maintained a close, long-standing relationship with Mei Zheng, who was a party involved in his case from 14 years ago.
The report claimed Duan was now conspiring with Mei Zheng and Jiang Ting to commit murder and intended to abuse his position to ensure Jiang Ting's acquittal under the pretense of justifiable defense. Amidst a heavy rain, Duan and Ding Yi went to the building opposite the crime scene to test the visibility and the flashlight's range.
While Ding Yi was ascending the building towards the floor Mei Zheng claimed to be on, an unexpected light beam flashed towards them from the opposite building before Ding Yi had reached the intended spot. The following day, Duan met with Chief Prosecutor Gong and the new Deputy Chief Prosecutor, Fang Lingyuan, who had arrived from the Provincial Procuratorate.
Fang Lingyuan revealed that "she" had been the one who shone the light from the 15th-floor hallway the previous night, confirming Mei Zheng's account about the diving flashlight's reach across the distance, even in the rain. Deputy Chief Prosecutor Fang Lingyuan immediately questioned whether classifying Jiang Ting's case as justifiable defense was hasty, given the provincial office's attention to the case.
She challenged Duan's assessment of the entire act as a whole, particularly regarding the stabs inflicted after Zhang Yuan was incapacitated, arguing it should be considered harm to life rather than a continuous defensive action. Duan maintained that Jiang Ting was in a state of crisis and unable to make rational judgments, viewing the subsequent stabs as part of the overall instinctive reaction to prevent further harm.
Deputy Chief Prosecutor Fang Lingyuan then presented a significant hypothesis: she suspected a third party, knowledgeable in law, had intervened and potentially orchestrated the murder by exploiting the justifiable defense clause. She connected this suspicion to Jiang Ting and Mei Zheng's possible knowledge of the justifiable defense law, which they could have gained from being witnesses in the 2009 Li Mufeng case, a case that Duan Hongshan himself had prosecuted.
It was then revealed that Deputy Chief Prosecutor Fang Lingyuan's line of questioning and hypothesis were based on the allegations contained in the anonymous report received by the Procuratorial Supervision Office.
Episode 2 Recap
Duan Hongshan was taken to the police station for questioning. Regarding the incident at the East Suburb Fishery where he reported accidentally killing someone, Duan Hongshan remained silent and did not speak a word. He confirmed his personal details, including his name, date of birth, address in Xingfuli Complex, and occupation as a prosecutor.
The officers confirmed the report he made at 6:30 AM on the 28th, arriving at Duanke Town Police Station covered in blood, stating he had accidentally killed someone at the East Suburb Fishery. They asked for the victim's identity, his relationship with the victim, and why he was at the remote fishery, but he offered no response, his silence noted as being quite practiced.
The day before the incident, at Prosecutor Gong's office, Fang Lingyuan saw a fish tank that belonged to Jiang Ting, which had been entrusted to Duan Hongshan to raise and then moved to Gong's office by Duan Hongshan. Later, Duan Hongshan accompanied Fang Lingyuan to the detention center to verify details with Jiang Ting. On the way, Duan Hongshan mentioned Fang Lingyuan being a graduate of Wuyan Third High School and asked if she knew Jiang Ting.
Fang Lingyuan hesitated before saying she wasn't familiar with her. During the meeting, Fang Lingyuan asked Jiang Ting why she was so certain she would be acquitted, given there were no records of her consulting a lawyer. Jiang Ting replied that she was told there was an eyewitness. Fang Lingyuan warned her that the witness's testimony could potentially harm her case.
Jiang Ting became agitated, insisting it was impossible and that she was innocent and had committed no crime, thus could go home. Fang Lingyuan then brought up the fish in the tank, identifying them as blue gourami and mentioning their sensitive nature to light and oxygen levels, which could lead to stress-induced death. She noted that Jiang Ting kept them on the balcony in direct sunlight and asked if she wasn't afraid they would die.
Fang Lingyuan commented to Duan Hongshan that Jiang Ting's reaction to seeing her made it seem like they were not as unfamiliar as she claimed. Jiang Ting suggested Fang Lingyuan should ask her instead. As they left, Fang Lingyuan stated she had somewhere else to go. Fang Lingyuan went to a diving center to find Mei Zheng. She directly questioned Mei Zheng about knowing Jiang Ting, suggesting she was Jiang Ting's neighbor and had given her the blue gourami fish.
She also brought up Mei Zheng knowing Duan Hongshan and Li Mufeng and having a close connection with them, asking what this had to do with the case. Mei Zheng denied understanding Fang Lingyuan's implications and suggested Fang Lingyuan issue an official summons if she had more questions instead of questioning her without evidence. Fang Lingyuan then revealed that Duan Hongshan had been reported, that the allegations were unfavorable to him, and that they were closely related to Mei Zheng.
Mei Zheng insisted she had no connection to the report. Fang Lingyuan left, telling Mei Zheng she knew where to find her if she had anything more to say. That evening, Mei Zheng waited at a small bar, but the person she was expecting did not arrive. Li Mufeng gave a glass ball to Duan Hongshan's daughter, Yingying. Duan Hongshan told Yingying that if Li Mufeng ever approached her again, she must tell him.
Later, while closing a window, Duan Hongshan noticed a person standing outside in the rain, covered completely by a raincoat, staring motionless at their house. After ensuring Yingying was settled, Duan Hongshan said he was going out to meet a friend and left the house. At the bar, Mei Zheng waited until late but the person never appeared. The next morning, Yingying found that Duan Hongshan was not home and discovered another glass ball in the living room.
Yingying went to her mother, Lei Shuang, at the law office, telling her that her father was missing. Lei Shuang tried contacting him but his phone was unreachable, and he hadn't shown up at work, which was unusual for him, especially since he had promised to be at Yingying's interview that afternoon. They decided to report him missing.
Meanwhile, Mei Zheng went to see Fang Lingyuan, stating she had waited for Duan Hongshan at the bar the previous night, but he never showed up or answered his phone. Mei Zheng asked what would happen to Jiang Ting if she stopped testifying. Fang Lingyuan replied that the real question was whether Mei Zheng actually saw everything and if what she claimed was the truth.
Mei Zheng countered by asking if Jiang Ting's testimony fourteen years ago was necessarily the truth, suggesting it had caused her considerable hardship, possibly leading her to work as a diver at an aquarium. She asked if being a fish seemed preferable. Upon learning Duan Hongshan was missing, Fang Lingyuan went to the police station to retrieve surveillance footage of his movements.
The footage showed him leaving his residential complex at 8:30 PM and heading northwest, walking along a commercial street, passing through a tunnel where he paused briefly before disappearing. His last known phone call's location was also traced. Fang Lingyuan followed this lead to a building which turned out to be Li Mufeng's studio, where he creates glass products. Fang Lingyuan pretended to be interested in buying a fish tank and was shown one.
She then directly asked if it was identical to the one sold to Jiang Ting, which Li Mufeng denied, stating he would remember if Jiang Ting had bought it from him. Regarding Duan Hongshan, Li Mufeng confirmed he had visited the previous afternoon. Li Mufeng recalled Jiang Ting from school and her testifying in his past case, which Fang Lingyuan noted she was now handling as a justifiable defense claim regarding Jiang Ting killing her abusive husband.
Li Mufeng expressed gratitude for only being sentenced to four years in his case, which followed Fang Lingyuan's ruling fourteen years prior that it was excessive defense. He denied reporting Duan Hongshan and noted how their professions, glassmaking and prosecution, both involve creating something that can shape a person's life, requiring extreme care. Because Duan Hongshan had contacted Li Mufeng just before disappearing, the police brought Li Mufeng in for questioning until Duan Hongshan was found.
Li Mufeng was released after Duan Hongshan appeared, seeing him arrive at the police station covered in blood. Duan Hongshan signed his statement and was held at the Yuyan District Detention Center. Upon returning to his studio, Li Mufeng faced stares and whispers from surrounding residents, reminding him of his previous time in detention. Although Duan Hongshan had turned himself in, he remained silent about the victim's identity, the motive, and the circumstances of the incident.
Outside the prosecutor's office, families involved in his past cases gathered, expressing doubts and demanding answers. Lei Shuang visited Duan Hongshan and he asked her to take care of Yingying, which Lei Shuang accepted, acknowledging her as their daughter. Lei Shuang then offered to serve as his defense attorney on the condition that he sign over custody of their daughter. Duan Hongshan refused the condition but stated that he acted in justifiable defense.
Lei Shuang detailed a possible scenario for his defense: being knocked unconscious and abducted on the night of April 27th, waking up tied to a platform fifty meters above the sea at the East Suburb Fishery, being repeatedly tortured, and finally fighting back for his life when the captor discovered his escape attempt and tried to kill him.
She instructed him to emphasize that the injuries were inflicted by the other party and that their DNA would be found on the knife due to a fierce struggle. She told him to present this account to the police and leave the rest to her in court, warning him to say only what he needed to say during interrogation and avoid causing trouble.
She threatened that if he didn't sign the custody agreement, Yingying would be the daughter of a murderer. Duan Hongshan maintained he would not sign, insisting he acted in justifiable defense. A prosecutor discussed the challenging nature of Duan Hongshan's case, particularly because of his profession, acknowledging the public's expectation of prosecutors being flawless and the potential for his crime to erode public trust in the legal system.
Episode 3 Recap
When questioned by the police, Duan Hongshan requested water and stated he did not know the deceased, claiming the man had kidnapped him and intended to kill him. Recounting the night, Duan said that after dinner, around 8:30 PM, he went out to meet an old friend but declined to reveal the friend's name citing privacy.
He described passing a ring toss stall, winning a Rainbow Dash doll he intended to take home for his daughter, who loved Twilight Sparkle and slept with a doll of that character nightly. He then turned into a dark alley where he was hit on the back of the head. He woke up the next morning tied up at the East Suburb Fishery, unable to move.
Duan recounted that his captor called the place a "maritime court" and himself the "judge" who would push Duan overboard if found guilty. The captor emphasized that no one knew Duan was missing, noting Duan had missed work and his daughter's school interview. Duan then deliberately hit a pillar to leave his DNA at the scene.
He offered his captor two choices: either the captor would eventually be found if he continued, or he could release Duan, and Duan would help create a plausible story to cover the incident. At this point, the captor reacted angrily, calling Duan a liar. He then presented a live stream, identifying himself as Zhou Delong and Duan Hongshan as the Director of the First Procuratorial Department of the Wuyan Procuratorate.
He read comments from viewers calling Duan corrupt and suggesting he should be killed, accusing the law of protecting the rich over ordinary people. Zhou Delong identified himself as the father of his son Lin, stating Lin had died on the 28th, referencing the Case 6. 28 from 14 years prior. Duan managed to break free from his restraints during a struggle and obtain a dagger. Zhou Delong told him to run, but Duan was struck and fell.
As Zhou Delong approached with a pickaxe, Duan, fighting back, stabbed Zhou Delong. When asked why he killed Zhou instead of simply escaping after freeing himself, Duan stated that Zhou Delong had been trying to kill him.
Asked if he remembered the case involving Zhou Delong's son, given Zhou Delong mentioned his son's death was due to him, Duan said he had handled 4370 cases and interrogated thousands of suspects over his 20-year career and maintained a clear conscience in every one. Police informed Duan that their crime scene investigation contradicted his account: they found no bloodstains on the railings or metal plates, and no signs of a struggle at the scene.
Furthermore, they confirmed with the streaming platform that there was no livestream on the date Duan mentioned, despite his insistence that over 5000 people were watching. Police also reported that neither the deceased's phone nor Duan's phone was found at the scene, and even if recovered from the water, data restoration would be difficult. They pressed Duan on the consequences of concealing information, but he insisted his actions were justifiable defense.
Mei Zheng contacted the police to provide information, identifying the deceased as Zhou Delong, the father of Zhou Lin, the student who had died 14 years prior. News reports stated that Prosecutor Duan from Wuyan City had voluntarily surrendered to police at the Duanke Town Police Station, admitting to killing someone, drawing significant attention. The body found at the East Suburb Fishery was confirmed to be an East Suburb Fishery truck driver.
The report noted that Duan had driven a fishery delivery truck to the police station to surrender and was now in lawful detention. Prosecutor Gong informed Fang Lingyuan that Duan Hongshan had begun to confess and that Zhou Delong died from a single stab wound to the chest. Fang Lingyuan visited Zhou Delong's former rented residence as part of the investigation, finding it messy with various materials about Duan Hongshan posted on the walls.
Later, while Fang was dropping off her daughter, Duan Yingying, she learned from Ding Yi that police were investigating the house next door, which Fang realized was Zhou Delong's residence. A police officer confirmed to Fang that Zhou Delong was also the source of the anonymous report against Duan Hongshan, prompting Fang to note the striking coincidence of the reported person killing the reporter.
The situation at the Procuratorate was tense, with many people from cases Duan Hongshan had previously handled gathered there, highlighting the principle that prosecutors are accountable for their cases for life. Colleagues discussed the difficulty of the case involving a chief prosecutor claiming justifiable defense after killing his accuser, noting the high public scrutiny and public opinion challenges. Meanwhile, Duan's daughter, Yingying, faced ostracism from classmates aware of her father's situation and appeared distressed after seeing news about him.
Fang Lingyuan met with Duan Hongshan in the detention center. She asked about his initial silence. Duan explained that, as a prosecutor, he understood the significance of a suspect's first statement as the key to their "maze," but when in the position himself, he was unsure what to say, feeling like he was in a self-imposed dilemma or playing a chess game against himself. Fang suggested his silence was deliberate.
Duan maintained his actions were justifiable defense based on his prosecutorial experience and argued he should not be charged with excessive defense, predicting a court would rule it justifiable defense. When Fang asked who kidnapped him, Duan claimed he hadn't figured it out yet. Fang provided a hint, mentioning the Case 6. 28 from 14 years ago, which Duan had handled, involving the deceased Zhou Lin and suspect Li Mufeng.
Duan didn't recall anyone from that case matching his kidnapper's age. Fang revealed the kidnapper was Zhou Lin's father, Zhou Delong. Duan expressed surprise, recalling only meeting Zhou Lin's mother and later learning the parents were divorced. Fang stated that Duan's killing of Zhou Delong could be interpreted as justifiable defense or intentional homicide disguised as such.
Duan then clarified that Zhou Delong orchestrated the kidnapping with the intent to either destroy Duan's present by killing him or destroy his past by being killed by Duan. Duan asserted that Zhou Delong used the Case 6. 28 from 14 years ago as leverage, like a fulcrum, to challenge all his previously settled cases, aiming to ruin his reputation and undermine public trust in the justice system. Lei Shuang, Duan Hongshan's lawyer, visited him.
She told him the case was complicated and his identity special, advising him to provide a truthful account, suggesting his actions constituted justifiable defense. She presented agreements for the transfer of custody of his daughter, Duan Yingying, and a real estate transfer agreement, noting she had adjusted the visitation schedule on the custody agreement to once a week.
Duan questioned why, and Lei Shuang stated she no longer acts impulsively and prepares backup plans, mentioning the apartment is old but meant for Yingying. She asked about his confidence in winning and offered alternative representation if he wasn't sure. Duan then revealed the kidnapper was Zhou Delong, Zhou Lin's father. Lei Shuang stated she didn't care who it was, but the proximity of the crime scene to Duan's house indicated a deliberate, premeditated kidnapping.
She offered to waive her fee and said the agreements could be signed after he was released, taking his silence as acceptance. Lei Shuang later met with Li Mufeng, whose case she and Duan Hongshan handled 14 years prior. She asked if he harbored any resentment towards Duan. Li Mufeng replied that without Duan, his situation might have been worse, acknowledging Duan had tried to assist him after his release.
When Lei Shuang asked if Zhou Lin's family hated Duan, Li Mufeng was unsure. Lei Shuang then revealed that Zhou Delong, Zhou Lin's father, had kidnapped Duan and was killed by him in defense. She noted the apparent contradiction in Zhou Delong hating Duan more than Li Mufeng.
Li Mufeng confirmed Zhou Delong hated him and had threatened him after he was released but declined to provide details, suggesting she share the information with investigators instead, as she was Duan's lawyer. At the East Suburb Fishery, police requested assistance from local divers to search underwater for critical evidence like phones, keys, or knives, citing a lack of skilled divers and challenging conditions due to rain. Mei Zheng volunteered to dive despite the weather.
While searching underwater, she located an item, implied to be a phone, but concealed it before surfacing, reporting to the officer that she found nothing. Meanwhile, in the detention center, prosecutor colleagues discussed Duan Hongshan's state, noting he appeared like any other new suspect despite his two decades as a prosecutor and former directorial position. They recalled his past statements emphasizing that prosecutors should always remain calm, rational, and objective, questioning if his current demeanor was feigned.
Episode 4 Recap
On the night Duan Hongshan was abducted by Zhou Delong, there was a full moon. A fisherman explained that this meant no one was present at the East Suburb Fishery because the farm-raised yellow croakers kept there cannot be exposed to light, not even moonlight, or they turn silver and lose value. This absence of people made the fishery a suitable location for Zhou Delong to bring Duan Hongshan.
Deputy Chief Prosecutor Fang Lingyuan received news that one phone had been found, believed to be the one Zhou Delong used for livestreaming, based on Duan Hongshan's description. Recovery of data from the seawater-damaged phone was difficult, but the technical team was working on it. Fang Lingyuan asked who found the phone and was told it was a pretty female diver brought in from the aquarium.
Later, Fang Lingyuan questioned Duan Hongshan again about the time it took him to drive from the fishery to the police station, which he stated was forty-three minutes in the victim's car, precisely measured by the duration of a song playing on the music player. She noted that fishermen at the site claimed the drive took at most thirty minutes and that they hadn't heard any calls for help.
Fang Lingyuan questioned if he had taken a detour to delay help for a severely injured person, suggesting he might have intended to temporize. Duan Hongshan denied delaying, stating he had just survived a life-or-death struggle, was injured and it was dark and raining; taking a little longer was reasonable, and he clearly understood the conditions for justifiable defense, wouldn't intentionally put himself at a disadvantage. Fang Lingyuan pressed him on whether he knew Zhou Delong.
Duan Hongshan reiterated that he only knew Zhou Lin's mother from the original case and did not know Zhou Delong before the kidnapping. Fang Lingyuan then told him Zhou Delong lived right next door, listening in and spying on him, suggesting Duan Hongshan might have acted first to protect his daughter.
Duan Hongshan insisted he had never met Zhou Delong before the abduction and stated he couldn't prove this, just as he couldn't prove he didn't bring the knife into the library. Fang Lingyuan informed Duan Hongshan that photos found at Zhou Delong's home showed frequent contact between Duan Hongshan and Mei Zheng recently. Duan Hongshan did not respond to this. Fang Lingyuan concluded the case had many suspicious points that needed time to sort out.
She also informed him that families from over twenty cases he had handled previously had come back to the procuratorate, calling him a murderer and demanding appeals and retrials, leading to an investigation by the Provincial Procuratorate. She noted his family, including his daughter Duan Yingying, were now regarded as the suspect's family and were likely having a difficult time at school. After facing difficulties at school, Duan Yingying went to Li Mufeng.
She asked him to take her to see her father at the detention center. Standing outside, she asked Li Mufeng if her father had really killed someone. He told her he believed Director Duan only acted to protect himself and it was an accidental killing.
When she mentioned others calling her father a murderer and a bad person, Li Mufeng explained that killing someone doesn't necessarily lead to conviction, and even if convicted, it doesn't automatically mean a person is bad. Duan Yingying commented that she used to think distinguishing good from bad was easy, but no longer felt that way.
Fang Lingyuan went to Mei Zheng and showed her the photos found at Zhou Delong's house showing her frequent contact with Duan Hongshan, asking for an explanation. Mei Zheng stated she had answered everything fourteen years ago and this wasn't the place for such questions, pointing out that the photo wasn't from fourteen years ago.
Mei Zheng commented that in Wuyan, if you want to avoid someone, they'll never find you, but if you want to see someone, you can do so within a day. She questioned what a single photo could prove. Fang Lingyuan countered that one encounter might be a coincidence, but not multiple encounters, including those not photographed. Mei Zheng was then called away.
Fang Lingyuan visited Li Mufeng at his glassware workshop, stating she wasn't there officially but just to find him. She admired his seaweed glasswork and pointed out a bubble. Li Mufeng communicated with his master via sign language, and the master, visibly angered, took the piece and smashed it, explaining it was a work ethic of striving for perfection. Fang Lingyuan apologized to Li Mufeng for habitually suspecting him in the past.
Li Mufeng accepted her apology, saying he was used to suspicion but hadn't expected an apology, having thought "you people" never apologized. Fang Lingyuan responded that they were human, made mistakes, and should apologize when they did. Later, Fang Lingyuan spoke with Prosecutor Gong about the case. She stated that some evidence was still missing.
Prosecutor Gong asked for her thoughts, and Fang Lingyuan replied that if it was justifiable defense, Duan Hongshan should be acquitted, but if it was murder, she would prosecute. She dismissed rumors that Duan Hongshan had broken down in detention, describing him as a calm, objective, rational, and excellent prosecutor capable of enduring. She stated her sole concern was the truth, even if it wasn't easy for everyone to understand.
Prosecutor Gong noted that Duan Hongshan was similar to her fourteen years ago. Fang Lingyuan reiterated the truth's importance and that the law would provide the answer once it was found. Prosecutor Gong mentioned there were a few days left before the decision on approving the arrest and she would hold a hearing on May 8th, believing it to be the fairest approach.
Li Mufeng came to see Fang Lingyuan at the procuratorate, stating he wanted to help prove Duan Hongshan acted in justifiable defense by showing that Zhou Delong had intended to harm him. He showed Fang Lingyuan a text message from Zhou Delong saying, "I'll kill you sooner or later, just you wait." Li Mufeng explained that Zhou Delong had sought him out after his release from prison, threatening to never let him go.
Six months prior, Zhou Delong found his store and threatened to kill him, Duan Hongshan, and Mei Zheng, calling them his enemies and saying he wouldn't let them go. Li Mufeng believed Zhou Delong was resentful that Li Mufeng only received a four-year sentence and that Duan Hongshan was commended for the case. Neighbors intervened during the confrontation at the store. Li Mufeng stated that if Duan Hongshan hadn't fought back, he might have been killed.
Ding Yi submitted a recusal application to Prosecutor Gong, citing regulations that prevented his continued involvement in Duan Hongshan's case. However, Prosecutor Gong informed him that after review by the Provincial Procuratorate and the Party committee, his recusal was not required, and he should diligently assist Deputy Chief Prosecutor Fang Lingyuan. Fang Lingyuan interrogated Duan Hongshan again. She noted his previous statement that Zhou Delong desperately chased and attacked him and that he stabbed Zhou Delong in the chest.
She pointed out that the autopsy confirmed a fatal stab wound to the chest, but despite claiming a desperate struggle, Duan Hongshan only had scrapes on his body and face, with no knife wounds. She questioned how he could inflict a single fatal stab wound instinctively without knowing where he was stabbing, suggesting it might have been too coincidental or even deliberate. She asked if he would risk his career to kill someone over a complaint letter.
Duan Hongshan then proposed a hypothesis that everything, from him taking Jiang Ting's case, to the anonymous report, to his kidnapping, was orchestrated by someone connected to the fourteen-year "6. 28" case. He described this person as skilled in law and strategy, particularly knowledgeable about justifiable defense, and capable of deliberately bringing people with killing intent together like dangerous chemical reagents.
Fang Lingyuan noted this description sounded like Duan Hongshan himself, but he countered that he was the chemical, not the one who mixed them, and that he also desperately wanted to find this person to clear his name but couldn't while in detention, so he was sharing his thoughts with his prosecutor. Meanwhile, Jiang Ting was in detention, repeatedly calling for an officer and asking who was handling her case, wondering if Duan Hongshan had abandoned her.
When she was told Fang Lingyuan was now in charge, she became highly agitated, believing Fang Lingyuan was deliberately trying to harm her and prevent her from going home as revenge. Officers tried to calm her as she became increasingly distressed, crying out that she was dying and wanted to go home. She was scheduled for psychological counseling.
