Too Bad I Take Things Seriously

And the crime of picking quarrels and provoking trouble is also rather unique.

Because it serves as a catch-all legal provision.

The maximum penalty is under five years—not too severe, not too lenient.

This prevents serious crimes from being punished too lightly, or minor crimes too severely.

For example, gathering in a public place to assault someone might be suspected as intentional injury.

However, if the injuries are assessed as minor, it doesn't constitute intentional injury, and the accused might even be acquitted.

To prevent such outcomes, the law can hold the perpetrator accountable for 'picking quarrels and provoking trouble,' ensuring they don't evade responsibility, with a sentence of less than five years.

Likewise, if someone were to beat another person to the point of serious injury, the crimes of 'picking quarrels and provoking trouble' and 'intentional injury' could be considered together, with the offender sentenced for the more serious crime.

Intentional injury leading to serious harm carries a penalty of three to ten years.

The maximum sentence could be up to ten years.

Furthermore, in judicial interpretations and supplementary clauses for 'picking quarrels and provoking trouble,' it's established that provocative acts are not confined to real-world physical violence.

It also includes property damage, disrupting online order, malicious targeting of others, and so on.

When determining an act of provocation, the emphasis is on the subjective intent, categorized as either 'provoking trouble without cause' or 'provoking trouble with a pretext.'

'Provoking trouble without cause' is straightforward: deliberately starting trouble.

For instance, if someone is eating in a restaurant and you tap her on the back simply because you find her attractive, that falls into this category.

'Provoking trouble with a pretext,' for example, involves going to a restaurant to eat.

After eating, not wanting to pay, you might deliberately put a fly in your food.

Then, you try to blackmail the owner for compensation.

This too constitutes picking quarrels and provoking trouble.

All in all, the scope of 'picking quarrels and provoking trouble' is very broad. Essentially, anyone who deliberately starts trouble or maliciously targets someone can be charged with this offense!

And this time, Xia Qingqing, in her video, specifically targeted the four of them and published their personal information. She cannot escape a charge of 'picking quarrels and provoking trouble.'

Crimes of infringing on citizens' personal information, inciting public opinion, picking quarrels and provoking trouble...

Qin Mu took a deep breath.

He quickly took screenshots and compiled data from the videos Xia Qingqing had posted on various platforms.

After preparing the evidentiary materials, he refocused his attention on the video's comment section.

He planned to look for some "new faces."

Since they insisted on surfacing, he wouldn't play favorites; no one would miss out on the 'package' they so richly deserved.

...

「The next day.」

Qin Mu once again arrived at the court's case filing center with two hundred lawsuits.

One of them, naturally, was the lawsuit against Yuan Cui Lian and her daughter Xia Qingqing.

"Adding another two hundred people?"

Zhou Lin looked at the two hundred lawsuits before her with a complicated expression.

Recently, she had heard that the staff at the procuratorate were swamped, working overtime day and night.

They'd been at it for several days, yet the issues with the three thousand lawsuits remained unresolved.

And now Qin Mu had brought in a group of "fresh" defendants.

These people, of all individuals to provoke, just had to cross Qin Mu.

"I can't help it; being in the limelight attracts trouble, and I've offended too many people."

Qin Mu, feigning innocence, said helplessly, "Well, I can't make everyone like me, so I guess I'll just have to send those who don't to jail."

Zhou Lin: "..."

Afterward, she reviewed all the defamation lawsuits to ensure they met the required standards and then accepted them.

She also reminded him, "Oh, by the way, the hearing for those three thousand defendants you sued previously is in eight days. The case acceptance notices should have been issued, so don't forget to go to the bank and pay the fees."

Litigation and other fees are not collected directly by the court.

They must be paid at designated banks.

Speaking of this, her expression became even more complicated.

In all her years of handling lawsuits, this was the first time she had witnessed the "grand feat" of three thousand defendants.

Although defamation is a criminal offense, it also involves civil litigation.

According to the litigation laws of Jin City, there was also a substantial fee.

It was provisionally set at 8,000 yuan per lawsuit, totaling roughly 24 million yuan. This had to be paid upfront, with the understanding that any overpayment would be refunded and any shortfall would need to be covered.

"Alright, I'll go pay it in a bit," Qin Mu nodded, agreeing readily.

As long as he won the lawsuits, the litigation fees would be reimbursed. Plus, with civil damages, he couldn't possibly come out losing.

...

「At the same time.」

In Jin City, at the Public Security Detention Center.

Yuan Cui Lian sat on the bed, staring blankly at the wall-mounted television. I can't believe I have to stay here for another seven days... She felt utterly bored.

Across from her sat Xia Qingqing and a few others also under administrative detention.

This was their second day at the detention center.

Upon arrival, they were assigned to a shared room.

In the morning, they rose at the designated time, tidied their personal effects, brushed their teeth, washed their faces, cleaned their room, and then waited for mealtime.

Meals at the detention center weren't served in a cafeteria.

Instead, they would line up their food bowls at the entrance of their cell, and staff members would come by to distribute the food.

The treatment was rather good.

After eating, they would just sit in the room, waiting for lunchtime.

Lunch was the same as breakfast: plain cabbage and steamed buns.

They endured this until dinner, which consisted of steamed buns and pickled vegetables.

That was a typical day in detention: apart from meals, it was watching TV and waiting for the next meal. A truly "fulfilling" existence.

However, cell phones were forbidden. All personal belongings had been confiscated by the detention center upon entry and were inaccessible.

The guards had also announced their detention period: eight days.

Counting the first day, they still had seven more days to endure here.

The conditions here are awful, and the food is terrible—no meat at all... Xia Qingqing sighed, her face etched with disdain for her surroundings.

After arriving, she'd had some time to think and had somewhat come to terms with it; this was just temporary. Once these eight days were over, they could get out and continue to fight for justice. They would appeal what needed appealing and continue to assert their rights. Fortunately, the appeal period was fifteen days, so there was still plenty of time. Even though she had slipped up this time and ended up in administrative detention... she swore to herself that she would never, ever set foot in a place like this again!

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PS: I've run out of stockpiled chapters and hit a bit of writer's block today, so there's only one update. I'll make up for it with three updates tomorrow.