The "Sea Palace" Case: Entrusted with a Heavy Responsibility — The Ultimate Revelation of the "Sea Palace" Case (Episode 19)
Part Two: Chivalrous Lawyer: Legal Rescue of the "Sea Palace"
5. Entrusting with an Important Task
A few days after their first meeting, Guo summoned lawyer Wang Tengfeng to his villa home in Yantian, Shenzhen's East OCT. The two communicated again and delved into issues related to the "Sea Palace" dispute case. As they became more familiar with each other, and in the leisurely and comfortable home decorated by Guo with his artistic, unconventional, and spontaneous style, they set aside worldly constraints and delved into an in-depth discussion of all aspects of the "Sea Palace" case. Lawyer Wang Tengfeng also provided a more detailed analysis of the issues that Guo was particularly concerned about. This meeting further strengthened Guo's confidence. Over the past few months, the government's actions had been utterly ruthless. Even when Guo proposed donating the "Sea Palace" to the nation as a research and exploration base for marine development, there was no positive response from the government. At this point, Guo had no choice but to go all out and seek justice from the government in court. With his artistic temperament, Guo was always free-spirited, while Wang Tengfeng, who was passionate about handling difficult cases and particularly enjoyed speaking out for justice and challenging authority, was often informal. The two quickly agreed on the terms of cooperation. Guo immediately instructed Zhang Guangbin to arrange for Shenzhen Sea Elite Entertainment Co., Ltd. to complete the entrustment procedures with Lawyer Wang Tengfeng. After accepting the entrustment, Lawyer Wang Tengfeng, as the agent, handled two matters for Guo: first, applying to the court on behalf of Shenzhen Sea Elite Entertainment Co., Ltd. to stop the enforcement of the demolition; second, attending the court hearing on June 15 regarding this application. Subsequently, Lawyer Wang Tengfeng fully immersed himself in preparing for the formal court session on June 21. This was less than a week before the court date notified by the Longgang District People's Court.
Figure 80: A casual photo of Guo in his study.
It was during the second meeting to finalize the entrustment relationship that Lawyer Wang Tengfeng, at Guo's home, sorted through a complete set of materials in Zhang Guangbin's hands, especially the full historical records of the "Sea Palace." Mastering the complete set of materials according to the inherent logic of the matter in the shortest time, then reorganizing them according to legal logic, accurately grasping the "disputed points" and "key issues" of the case, and determining the strategy for winning the lawsuit—this was the unique skill and specialty that Lawyer Wang Tengfeng had honed through decades of litigation art practice. The legal crux of the "Sea Palace" case was already clear to him, and he had previously articulated it incisively in media interviews. Now, with his first exposure to the primary materials of the "Sea Palace," it largely confirmed his original legal judgment, boosting his confidence in winning the lawsuit. However, the "Sea Palace" case was a nationally influential and difficult major case that could not be taken lightly. Lawyer Wang Tengfeng immediately made a somewhat surprising request to Guo and Zhang Guangbin: to visit the "Sea Palace" site.
For difficult major cases, emphasizing on-site investigation and evidence collection was a habit Lawyer Wang Tengfeng had developed since his early days practicing law in his hometown of Tongling City. Seeing Lawyer Wang Tengfeng's meticulous and rigorous work, Guo was very pleased: "This is very close to Nan'ao Dongshan Bay. If you're interested, we can go there right now!"
"That would be best. Time is tight, and there are only six days until the court session. Since we are preparing, we must go all out and strive to win this lawsuit beautifully!" Wang Tengfeng said resolutely.
Since the forced demolition of the offshore floating island on April 9, Guo has never returned, only occasionally catching glimpses of his sea home, into which he had poured countless efforts, through news footage. Returning to the old place today, he felt a mix of emotions, inevitably stirring up a wave of sentiment. As soon as Wang Tengfeng set foot on the floating island, he became intensely focused and busy. He observed very carefully, thoroughly understanding the surrounding conditions, leaving no detail on the island unchecked, and frequently asking questions. His demeanor and appearance were exactly like a great detective fully engaged in solving a case. Seeing Wang Tengfeng's focused spirit and solid work attitude, Guo had to set aside his melancholy and, together with Secretary Zhang Guangbin, fully cooperate with Lawyer Wang's investigation and evidence collection.
Figure 81: The superstructure of the offshore floating island during the forced demolition (Image source: Internet)
Figure 82: Partial remnants of the offshore floating island after the forced removal of the superstructure (Image source: Internet)
Comparing the beautiful photos of the "Sea Palace" in its intact state with the current sight of the floating island remnants, like a plucked phoenix, Lawyer Wang Tengfeng could hardly contain his grief and indignation. Feeling the heavy burden on his shoulders, he silently resolved to fight for a fair verdict in court for the tragic plight of the floating island. With the firsthand perceptual knowledge gained from the on-site inspection and the spontaneous sense of responsibility, along with the complete set of written materials from Zhang Guangbin, Lawyer Wang Tengfeng hurriedly bid farewell to Guo and rushed back to the law firm. Setting aside all distractions, he immersed himself in preparing for the court session.
Lawyer Wang Tengfeng's family has this assessment of him: "He's a genius when handling cases, but often seems quite inept in daily life." This evaluation is both praise and pity, meaning that no matter how complex or difficult the case, once it lands in Lawyer Wang Tengfeng's hands, it is smoothly resolved. The more challenging and puzzling the case, the more it ignites his fighting spirit and inspiration. And when he works on a case, he loses track of day and night, forgets to eat and sleep, and neglects everything else. On the other hand, when not working on cases and returning to ordinary life, Lawyer Wang often makes mistakes in handling trivial matters and frequently runs into difficulties in social interactions.
In fact, Lawyer Wang Tengfeng's "genius" is largely the result of thirty years of hard work and struggle. Now, faced with a nationally influential case like the "Sea Palace," with less than a week to prepare, Lawyer Wang naturally had to fully unleash his relentless, workaholic spirit. He reviewed all relevant laws and regulations, carefully studied and verified each piece of evidence, and repeatedly refined and revised the outline of his representation arguments. His entire mind was like a motor humming at high speed, constantly pondering every detail of the "Sea Palace" case. After several days of this, Lawyer Wang visibly lost weight. When Guo saw Lawyer Wang Tengfeng again the day before the trial, he was startled by Wang's haggard face and bloodshot eyes. But Lawyer Wang Tengfeng told him in a low but firm tone: "I'm fine. Everything is ready. Let's see what happens in court tomorrow!"
(待续)
