Chapter 100

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"I will clear your name!"

These six words made Li Dongyuan stand up from his chair behind the desk, his eyes wide open.

Li Dongyuan looked at Xu Junran and sternly shouted, "Junran, what's wrong with you? Are you crazy?"

To Li Dongyuan, his career was important, but Xu Junran was even more important. He had watched Xu Junran grow up, and now, suddenly, Xu Junran wanted to help him clear his name. Didn't he know what the word "clearing one's name" meant?

In the 1980s, the term "miscarriage of justice" was rarely thought of. In people's minds, the legal system would not make mistakes. Just like Li Dongyuan, he did not think he had been wronged. The case had solid evidence and witnesses. In his view, the reason he lost to Cheng Hongda was that he refused to use torture on suspects like Cheng Hongda did.

That was why, when Xu Junran asked him why he didn't become the county police chief, he said it was because he was not capable enough.

Now, when Li Dongyuan heard that Xu Junran wanted to clear his name, he immediately thought Xu Junran was up to something and decided to stop him.

"Junran, listen to Uncle Six. Don't get involved in this matter."

Li Dongyuan said to Xu Junran with a serious expression.

Xu Junran, however, remained calm, just looking at Li Dongyuan quietly. After Li Dongyuan finished speaking, he suddenly asked, "Uncle Six, do you think there was anything wrong with that case?"

Li Dongyuan hesitated for a moment and replied hesitantly, "It should be fine, I guess."

To be honest, he had also suspected that the case might have been problematic. After all, he had interrogated the suspects and examined the scene, and found nothing amiss. At first, he suspected that Cheng Hongda had used some tricks, but with the evidence and witnesses, he could not deny it. Gradually, he stopped thinking about it. Now, hearing Xu Junran bring it up, Li Dongyuan thought about it again but still couldn't find anything wrong.

Xu Junran sighed inwardly. If it weren't for Li Yifeng mentioning it later, no one would have been able to uncover the truth.

The truth of the case was only revealed twenty-five years later when a thief was caught in a neighboring county. By then, Li Dongyuan was already an old man.

"Uncle Six, you are too honest," Xu Junran sighed. "Although I don't know exactly what's wrong with this case, I'm sure there is a problem. With Cheng Hongda's abilities, do you think he could solve the case?"

Li Dongyuan looked at Xu Junran with doubt but shook his head. "No matter what, the case is already closed. What do you want to do?"

Xu Junran was speechless at Li Dongyuan's stubbornness. No wonder Cheng Hongda had him under his thumb. If it weren't for solving a big case later, he would have been stuck in this small county for life. It was both admirable and frustrating.

No matter what Xu Junran said, Li Dongyuan refused to let him get involved. He said the case was closed, and the criminal had been sentenced to fifteen years. What could he do?

Xu Junran looked at Li Dongyuan and said after a long pause, "What if, I mean, what if this case was Cheng Hongda's fault? What if he used unconventional means to get you off the position of county police chief? Who will speak for the poor man who was sentenced to fifteen years? Who will consider his wife and children, who are now labeled as the family of a murderer?"

Li Dongyuan fell silent. His previously firm stance began to waver.

As Xu Junran said, if the case was indeed a means for Cheng Hongda to bring him down, the man who was sentenced would be the most wronged.

If Cheng Hongda were a competent police chief, Li Dongyuan wouldn't have been convinced by Xu Junran. However, over the past three years, Cheng Hongda's actions had made Li Dongyuan doubt him and believe Xu Junran. It was like a thorn in one's heart. If no one mentioned it, it might just be uncomfortable and pass. But if someone brought it up and analyzed it in detail, it would force one to think and act.

Seeing Li Dongyuan slightly moved, Xu Junran quickly added, "Uncle Six, don't forget about the statute of limitations."

Li Dongyuan, being in the criminal investigation field, immediately understood what Xu Junran meant.

The statute of limitations is the effective period for pursuing criminal or civil liability according to the law. If the crime has exceeded the statutory period, no legal responsibility will be pursued. If legal responsibility has already been pursued, the case should be dismissed.

The Criminal Law of China specifies different situations for statutory penalties. In cases with multiple sentencing ranges, the statute of limitations is determined based on the actual circumstances of the crime. If the crime falls within a certain sentencing range, the statute of limitations is based on the maximum statutory penalty for that range. There are also situations where the statute of limitations does not apply. According to Chinese law, if a suspect evades investigation or trial after a case is filed by the procuratorate, public security, or national security agencies, or after a court accepts the case, the statute of limitations does not apply. If the victim files a complaint within the statute of limitations and the court, procuratorate, or public security agency fails to file the case, the statute of limitations does not apply. Additionally, if a new crime is committed within the statute of limitations, the statute of limitations for the previous crime is recalculated from the date of the new crime. In general, the statute of limitations starts from the date of the crime, but if the crime is ongoing or continuous, the statute of limitations starts from the end of the crime.

In other words, as long as the case is within the fifteen-year statute of limitations, it can be retried.

"No, I still think it's not right," Li Dongyuan shook his head, even as Xu Junran thought there was a glimmer of hope.

"What's wrong, Uncle Six?" Xu Junran asked, puzzled.

Li Dongyuan said, "This matter should be reported to the police. It's not good to investigate it privately."

Although he didn't say it outright, Xu Junran understood his meaning. It was against the rules of the bureaucracy, and if it got out, it would have a bad impact.

After some thought, Xu Junran smiled and asked, "Uncle Six, do you have someone you trust in the police force?"

Li Dongyuan was taken aback but then nodded. "Of course."

He had been the county police chief for seven or eight years, and although he had been removed from that position, he was still the county political and legal affairs secretary. His influence in the police and legal system had diminished, but he still had many loyal subordinates. When Xu Junran went to Li Family Town Commune, Li Dongyuan had briefed the police chief. This showed that his influence in the Wu De County legal system was still strong.

Xu Junran spoke straightforwardly to Li Dongyuan. "I have no other requests. If you think a private investigation is inappropriate, then find a way to let me see the case file. I'll analyze it, and maybe I can find something. If I can't, I'll give up."

Although his words were abrupt, Li Dongyuan did not doubt him.

In the bureaucracy, even the closest relationships can sometimes lead to unnecessary suspicions. In simple terms, it's easy to overthink things. This is not only common in the bureaucracy but also in everyday life, though it is more prevalent in the bureaucracy. Officials are accustomed to planning ahead and acting with caution, which often leads them to overthink things. The benefit is that it is cautious and avoids mistakes, but the downside is that it can lead to self-imposed traps.

Xu Junran's philosophy of the bureaucracy was different. He liked a saying: "It's better to take a step forward than to pause for a moment."

By "taking a step forward," it doesn't mean moving forward in the sense of progress, but in the sense of action. The mind should be free, and the body should not be bound. Moving forward is progress, but so is moving backward. This way, one can adapt to any situation. If one is fixated on moving forward forcefully, it can lead to stagnation, which is a lower level of thinking.

In Li Dongyuan's mind, Xu Junran's enthusiasm for clearing his name was partly due to their relationship and partly because of what happened at the standing committee meeting today.

Cooking requires the right timing. If the timing is off, it's hard to satisfy everyone; if it's overcooked, it's burnt. The same applies to life.

So, after initially opposing it, Li Dongyuan thought he understood Xu Junran's motives and decided to go along with his request.

"Junran, do you know? If you get involved in this mess, you won't have a peaceful life in Wu De County!"

After a long silence, Li Dongyuan looked at Xu Junran and said slowly.

This child had grown up under his watch, from birth to adulthood, and now, after today, Li Dongyuan knew that, whether he agreed or not, Xu Junran was already part of the political turmoil in Wu De County. His actions today were a clear indication of his stance.

In the bureaucracy, there are only four words to describe it.

Victory or defeat!

Xu Junran's face was calm as he looked at Li Dongyuan. "Uncle Six, power is great, but it cannot surpass justice. No matter how thick the paper, it cannot hide the fire. In this life, there is nothing to regret. Since I've decided to get involved in this matter and entered the bureaucracy, I never intended to live a life of obscurity. On July 2nd, when I returned from the capital, I told myself that I only have the road ahead, not the past. There is no turning back."