Me! A disgraced celebrity! Starting by seeking justice for impoverished students.

As soon as the presiding judge finished speaking, the arbitration panel fell silent.

All eyes were fixed on the applicant's seat.

Jiang Chen slowly stood up, his gaze sweeping across the judge's bench.

He then looked at the twelve worker representatives in the audience, his gaze becoming increasingly resolute.

"Presiding Judge, Judges, the applicant maintains all of its arbitration claims!"

"These twelve workers earned their money through hard work. Lin Jianguo was injured on the job, and both legally and morally, he deserves full compensation and payment!"

"The respondent's malicious withholding of wages and refusal to assume responsibility violates both the law and the company's basic obligations."

"We request the arbitration tribunal to adjudicate in accordance with the law and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the workers."

In just a few words, without any unnecessary embellishment, every word is substantial.

His goal was simple.

Make the Pei Group lose the case and pay the price they deserve!

The workers in the audience nodded, their eyes full of trust.

Asking Jiang Chen to represent them in court was truly the best decision they ever made!

"The respondent makes a final statement."

The presiding judge nodded and turned his gaze to the other side.

Zheng Kun also stood up, his expression calm.

"The respondent maintains its position in its response."

"This case should be based on the written contract and objective facts, and the law should be strictly applied."

"The applicant's claims that exceed the scope of the contract and the law should not be supported!"

"We request the arbitral tribunal to dismiss all of the applicant's arbitration claims in accordance with the law!"

After both sides finished their final statements, one attacking and the other defending, their positions were clearly distinct.

Zheng Kun wants to reject all of Jiang Chen's arbitration requests.

Simply put, they don't want to take responsibility!

He doesn't want to suffer even the slightest loss in this case!

The presiding judge closed the court transcript and looked around at both parties.

According to the Labor Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Law, an arbitration tribunal may conduct mediation before making a ruling.

Do both parties agree to mediation?

If they can reach a settlement, then they won't need to discuss the subsequent judgment.

after all……

For a conglomerate as large as the Pei Group, problems that can be solved with money are not problems at all!

He paused, then added, "If both parties agree to mediation, this court may preside over the negotiation in court to determine the amount to be paid and the time limit for performance. If an agreement is reached, an arbitration mediation document will be issued in court."

"A mediation agreement and a court ruling have the same legal effect. They take effect immediately upon signing, cannot be appealed, and the case is closed!"

In other words, if a letter of understanding can be signed, then this matter will be over.

As soon as he finished speaking, Pei Zhenbang, sitting in the respondent's seat, immediately turned his head and exchanged a quick glance with Zheng Kun.

Zheng Kun nodded slightly, and Pei Zhenbang coughed lightly before saying, "The respondent agrees to mediation!"

He had a good plan in mind.

Mediation is about settling the money on the spot; the migrant worker on the other end is in urgent need of money, so he'll definitely be willing to compromise.

We'll cut the price by three to five hundred thousand and settle it all at once!

This avoids both the need for appeals to prolong the process and prevents further online controversy.

Pay up to avoid trouble, and get it over with quickly!

In his view, the other party had no reason to disagree.

Lawsuits are time-consuming and exhausting; who wouldn't want to get their money back as soon as possible?

The workers in the gallery shifted, exchanged glances, and showed some interest in each other.

To be honest, after dragging it out for so long, of course they want to get the money as soon as possible.

I'm afraid that if the lawsuit is won, there will be an appeal, which could drag on for another year or two.

Lin Xiaoyu hesitated for a moment, then turned to look at Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen's expression remained unchanged. He first looked at Lin Jianguo beside him and asked in a low voice, "Uncle Lin, do you have any objections?"

Lin Jianguo rubbed his hands together: "Attorney Jiang, it would be good to get the money sooner rather than later... but if they cut the price too much, that definitely won't work."

"This is our hard-earned money; we can't just give you less than what you deserve."

Jiang Chen nodded, then turned to the judge's bench, his voice clear and without the slightest hesitation.

"The applicant does not agree to mediation!"

The moment those words were spoken, everyone in the room was stunned.

Pei Zhenbang looked up abruptly, his face filled with disbelief, as if he hadn't heard clearly.

"What did you say?"

Zheng Kun frowned, clearly not expecting the other party to refuse mediation.

In labor disputes, workers rarely refuse mediation.

After all, mediation is a quick way to get money without having to go through any follow-up procedures, making it a more convenient option.

The presiding judge seemed slightly surprised and confirmed, "Is the applicant sure they don't agree to mediation? Won't they reconsider?"

"Not considering it."

Jiang Chen spoke calmly, yet with remarkable certainty.

"Since the beginning of the wage arrears, the respondent has been using the contract as an excuse to shirk responsibility. After the workplace injury, they reversed the truth and accused the worker of violating regulations. To this day, they have shown no remorse and no sincerity in negotiating!"

"Every sum of money we are claiming is clearly stipulated by law and is a legitimate right that workers are entitled to."

"Mediation means that workers have to give up some of their legal rights in exchange for the other party's performance, which is unreasonable and unfair!"

"We request the arbitration tribunal to make a ruling in accordance with the law, awarding the full amount due in compensation!"

These words were spoken with great conviction.

The workers were stunned for a moment, then straightened their backs.

Yes, it's all money I'm entitled to, why should I get a discount?

Lin Xiaoyu clenched her fists, and the hesitation in her eyes turned into determination.

Pei Zhenbang's face darkened instantly as he stared at Jiang Chen, his eyes filled with anger.

He originally wanted to use mediation to lower the price and settle the matter, but the other party refused outright, making it clear that they were determined to fight him to the end.

"Good, very good."

He gritted his teeth and muttered something under his breath.

Zheng Kun's expression darkened slightly, and he gently shook his head.

Refusing mediation means you can only wait for a ruling.

The current evidentiary situation is not optimistic for them.

Upon seeing this, the presiding judge nodded slightly.

"Since one party does not agree to mediation and mediation is unsuccessful, this court will no longer preside over mediation."

"The trial of this case has concluded, and the panel of judges will now deliberate on the case."

He picked up the gavel and brought it down heavily.

Boom!

Court is now adjourned.

"An hour later, the case was reopened, and the arbitration award was publicly announced."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone stood up.

As the arbitrators left the courtroom, murmurs gradually arose from the audience.

The workers quickly surrounded Jiang Chen, chattering amongst themselves.

"Attorney Jiang, isn't there a risk in refusing mediation?"

"Yeah, what if the verdict isn't that high?"

"I thought they would agree to mediation and I could get the money as soon as possible..."

Jiang Chen smiled and reassured him, "Don't worry, the evidence and the law are on our side, the verdict won't be wrong."

"Instead of offering discounts for quick money, we should seek a fair and just judgment."

"This isn't just about your money; it's also about ensuring that workers on more construction sites won't be exploited by this kind of contractual trickery!"

On the other side, Pei Zhenbang, his face dark, strode out.

Zheng Kun quickly followed.

"President Pei, what should we do now?"

"What do we do?" Pei Zhenbang sneered. "Wait for the verdict!"

"I refuse to believe that Jiang Chen can really win everything!"

Despite saying that, he felt a little heavy-hearted.

They are at a disadvantage in terms of evidence, and no one can say for sure what the final outcome will be.