Chapter 359: The Powers of Senators (Part 1)

'This is South Brighton, the most important district in Brighton. It is not only the seat of the city government, the state government and the parliament, but also the centre of the northeast recognised by the federal government. The World Trade Center and the Convention Center are here, as well as important financial institutions such as Brighton Bank and Northeast Bank. This is Brighton's most important political and economic centre.'

An American woman is pointing at the surrounding buildings and telling her child on the busy street in South Brighton.

'This is a poor man's nightmare and a rich man's paradise. Do you see that garden-like place at the foot of the council hill over there? That's the Garden Restaurant, a very luxurious restaurant and a magician's pocket, because he will steal your money. I'm afraid your father's six months' salary is only enough for one visit. Only the super rich and incredibly powerful people can afford to go here. They don't care if the magician steals their money, they just care about enjoying their food. Even the police don't dare come here openly to make arrests. It's a paradise of freedom!'

The American woman looked down at her child and said, 'That's why you have to study hard and make a lot of money, so that you can take me and Daddy here for dinner, okay?'

The American woman was very happy when her four-year-old son nodded vigorously. She then continued to educate her child: 'If you are going to work hard, then you must not play with those yellow-skinned guys who write in squares. Those guys from the East, China, are all poor and will only be able to pick up rubbish for a living. They will take advantage of you and steal your money, so you will never be able to fulfil your wish to come here for dinner.'

The child looked up at his mother with a knowing expression, then pointed at the garden restaurant and asked, 'Mommy, look, there are cars coming. Are they here for dinner too? Are they the rich people you were talking about? But they look a lot like my yellow-skinned classmates. They don't look like poor people who have to pick up trash for a living. Compared to them, we are the poor people.'

The American woman looked in the direction her child was pointing and was dumbfounded when she saw a minibus pull up outside the garden restaurant she had just praised, and a group of yellow-skinned Chinese alighted.

'No,' the American woman screamed, 'they're definitely not here to eat, they're here to wash the dishes. That's what they're doing, they're the poor ones!'

Then the truth once again hit this American mother in the face, because the waiters at the Garden Restaurant very politely invited the Chinese in. If these Chinese were also waiters, there was no reason to be polite.

The American woman didn't know what to say, and she muttered, 'Impossible, this must be a dream. The Chinese are a bunch of selfish poor people, and they would never be able to come to such a luxurious place to eat in their entire lives, but why is this happening now? Who exactly are these Chinese?'

Those who could come to the Garden Restaurant to eat were of course Zhou Ming and his classmates from the finance class.

With the investment from Deep Blue Aviation, the assets of Wharton Insurance have soared to 100 million US dollars. As a billionaire, Zhou Ming can still afford to treat his classmates to a meal, even if it is at one of Brighton's most luxurious restaurants. After all, there is a limit to how expensive a restaurant can be, and it is impossible for a meal to bankrupt a billionaire, right? If that were the case, then this restaurant would not be able to continue operating.

Zhou Ming was at the front of the line, with lawyer Alan at his side. He didn't know that he had inadvertently hit an American friend in the face. He just followed the waiters' instructions with his classmates from the finance class to the park at the foot of Parliament Hill.

It was a very spacious garden, with an open-air restaurant in the middle, surrounded by eight flower beds, a grassy area with swings and benches, and a long corridor with ivy climbing up the roof. In short, it was very characteristic of a Western courtyard and very relaxing.

Zhou Ming, Alan, and the students in the finance class all took their seats. Alan looked around and said with emotion, 'This garden restaurant is, as far as I know, a very luxurious restaurant. I have only heard about it before, but I myself would be reluctant to spend so much money to eat here even once. I never thought that I would have the honour of coming here with Mr Zhou Ming today to broaden my horizons.'

Zhou Ming waved his hand uselessly and said, 'This is actually not a big deal. If it weren't for the legal support you provided me, Alan, I would have lost far more than just this meal.'

Zhou Ming was telling the truth. In this battle with Brock Sr., Allen's legal advice was crucial. After all, American law is supreme, and there are many different laws at the federal and state levels, as long as they do not violate the spirit of the Constitution. As a newcomer to the United States, Zhou Ming could not possibly understand so much, let alone the fact that many American legal customs are completely contrary to those in China.

Perhaps to the average person, this is just a financial plan, but in fact, there are many legal issues involved. As a capitalist country, the United States has suffered greatly from economic crises in the past, and it is very strict in cracking down on insider trading. Therefore, if you don't have a lawyer to guide you, it is easy to end up being arrested by the FBI before you even meet your opponent. You have to understand that the famous FBI in the United States is pervasive.

It can be said that it was Alan's legal support that enabled Zhou Ming to plan such a perfect plan, and it can be said that Alan was the first hero.

As for confidentiality, Zhou Ming was not worried at all, because American lawyers' self-discipline is the very basis of their survival. Once a lawyer leaks client information, whether it is for justice or anything else, he will lose trust forever, and a lawyer who is not trusted is unlikely to have any more clients. Without clients, there is no income, which would be the most fatal blow to them, so no one will leak secrets.

'Thank you very much for Mr. Zhou Ming's trust in me, but this is my duty. You paid my legal fees, and these are the services I am entitled to provide you,' said Alan.

'I know, but this is the way you Americans think. But in our Chinese way of thinking, your loyalty to your clients is most commendable!'

Zhou Ming said, raised his glass, and the other students in the finance class followed suit. Zhou Ming then said to Alan, 'In this financial battle, Lawyer Alan used his expertise to avoid many risks for us. Let's thank him in the Chinese way. Let's toast Lawyer Alan.'

Afterwards, Ming and everyone in the finance class raised their glasses to Alan. Alan also hurriedly stood up and returned the toast to Ming and the other finance class students.

'The Chinese are really enthusiastic. This is the first time I have received such hospitality after fulfilling my duties, and it makes my heart feel like it's burning!' Alan said with emotion.

'When friends come, there is good wine; when enemies come, there is a shotgun. This is the way we Chinese behave,' Ming said.

'Good and evil are clearly distinguished, which is much warmer than those damn cold laws,' Alan added.

Then Zhou Ming and Alan sat down together. Alan said to Zhou Ming, 'Since Mr. Zhou Ming is so enthusiastic, then I definitely can't repay the kindness with enmity. I must live up to your enthusiasm. There is one situation I must tell you about, and that is about Old Brock. He is a senior Massachusetts senator, so it is very likely that he will be pardoned by the Massachusetts State Council.'

'Pardon?' Zhou Ming muttered the word.

'That's right, pardon,' Alan explained. 'According to U.S. law, senators have legal immunity. Members of Congress are immune from arrest and prosecution. According to Massachusetts law, state senators do not have direct immunity, but if any senator is arrested, the state legislature can temporarily convene to discuss whether to grant immunity for the crime.'

'And Mr. Brook is a senior member of the Massachusetts legislature, having been in the state parliament for more than ten years. He has connections in all walks of life, and the parliament will definitely pardon him, right?' Zhou Ming picked up where Alan left off and asked.

Alan nodded and said, "That's right. And as far as I know, Massachusetts Speaker Anthony and Brook are still good friends.'

'This makes it even more certain that he will be released," Zhou Ming exclaimed, 'What a fucked-up law!'

Alan spread his hands and said, 'Although I am very reluctant, I still have to explain that the law is arranged in this way to prevent legislators from being forced by the power of those in power when deliberating politics and formulating laws.'

'Well, who says this is a country of democracy and freedom?'

Zhou Ming casually teased, when his bodyguard suddenly leaned over and whispered something in Zhou Ming's ear. Zhou Ming sighed and said, 'But I'm afraid it's too late for you to say anything now, Lawyer Allen.'

Allen looked at Zhou Ming suspiciously, not understanding what he meant. Zhou Ming pointed his finger outside and said, 'My friends told me that someone is spying on us. If nothing goes wrong, it must be related to Mr. Brooke's acquittal. Then I want to know, what power does this senior senator still have? Can he mobilise the organs of violence?'

Alan was very surprised. He looked around before answering Zhou Ming's question: 'The senator himself does not have any power, and it has nothing to do with whether he is senior or not. However, there are many committees in the parliament, and these committees have great powers. If he really mobilised the judicial department, it is likely that he used the parliament's investigative powers to investigate anything.'

Zhou Ming nodded silently: 'That seems to be the case. Do you think it would be possible for me to escape today and then sue the parliament?'

'Generally speaking, prosecutions are only directed against certain law-breaking members of parliament. There has never been a case of direct prosecution of parliament, at least not within my knowledge, because it would be pointless.'

Alan's words suddenly came to a halt as he suddenly thought of something else: 'Mr. Zhou Ming, you are not planning to resist arrest today, are you? This is absolutely not allowed. Resisting arrest is a very serious crime in the United States. The police even have the right to shoot the target directly.'

'So is there really no other way for me today but to surrender?' asked Ming Zhou with a frown.

'From the current situation, it seems that this is the only way,' said Allen.

Ming Zhou was about to say something else when the waiter led seven or eight people in trench coats and suits into the garden. The one in charge walked straight up to Ming Zhou and proactively showed his ID, saying, 'Hello, Mr. Ming Zhou, I am Mueller, the deputy director of the Massachusetts branch of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. You are suspected of being involved in an economic case. Please cooperate and come with us.'