Xu Lang stepped forward and shook Maniche's hand: "Captain Maniche, I promise you, I will definitely come to pick you up with a verdict of not guilty, please wait for me." ”

After Xu Lang finished speaking, he didn't care about Maniche's performance, and waved his hand at Van Basten and the others: "Let's go back." ”

A few fierce horses galloped on the road from Tiandu Mine to Yulin Bay.

Xu Lang's heart was torn, and Maniche's cloudy gaze the day before yesterday and today's resolute expression appeared alternately in his mind.

"You don't understand the rule of law and the spirit of contract, and you will never be able to conquer and lead the world." This sentence seven years ago hit Xu Lang's heart over and over again. Do we really not understand, is it true that we will never be able to lead the world? Is fairness and justice really so hard to come by, why is it that no one speaks out about a mistake that everyone knows and understands, and silence is aiding and abetting. For an unfair society, everyone is guilty.

Xu Lang seemed to have regained his ambition and rushed all the way back to Yulin Bay.

Xu Lang did not return to the General Staff, but went directly to Zheng Jiang's office.

"You said you were going to ask a court-martialed to retry Maniche's case?" Zheng Jiang was greatly surprised after listening to Xu Lang's narration, "Chief of General Staff Xu, when is it now, our target is Vietnam, it is Tao Min and Manchu Qing." Besides, so many years have passed since this matter, if you turn it out now, what will Chairman Zhang think, what will Zeng Guangxian of the Military Commission think, have you considered these? ”

"Chairman Zheng, I personally want to ask you a question first." Xu Lang sat calmly opposite Zheng Jiang and said, "You are a Manchu, no matter what reason you originally changed to this Manchu, but your nation is Manchu after all, so why do you still support us to defeat Tao Min and Huang Taiji?" ”

Zheng Jiang didn't understand Xu Lang's true meaning, and replied in 1510: "You should know this truth, whether it is Huang Taiji or Tao Min, it cannot represent the Manchus." What we need is to establish a fair social system, to change the current backwardness of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, not only to transform the Manchu Qing Dynasty, but also to transform the Ming Dynasty. This is a contest between the advanced and the backward, not a struggle between nationalities. ”

"Chairman Zheng, that's a good point." Xu Lang clapped his hands appreciatively, "So that's why you told me that someone was talking in Manchu in the first place." I still remember what you said to Liu Guannan when Luan Xu was going to demolish your house, if you don't protect the interests of each individual, you will never be able to protect the interests of the whole. ”

Zheng Jiang looked at Xu Lang and didn't speak, Xu Lang continued: "You can not hesitate to fight with the Planning Bureau in order to protect your interests, and you will not hesitate to make trouble at the crossing conference. So why can't you do this for the sake of defending the interests of others, speaking for others is speaking for yourself. We all know that Maniche was unfair, but why didn't anyone speak for him? We keep shouting about fairness, but is it fair to Maniche? ”

Zheng Jiang was silent for a long time: "Xu Lang, I know what you said is right, but this matter is not easy to do. ”

Xu Lang took out a cigarette and lit it, and his tone softened: "Chairman Zheng, everything must be seen from both sides. In fact, there are opinions on Maniche in the Westerners, and they have seen Maniche's performance today. The current foreign population of Yulin Bay has almost surpassed the locals, and the gap between the rich and the poor is further widening. If we can show an attitude through the Maniche incident, Yulin Bay will treat every outsider fairly, and will correct its own mistakes honestly and unfairly, then this will also be good for the stability of Yulin Bay. ”

"That's it, Xu Lang." Zheng Jiang thought for a while, "I proposed the amnesty for prisoners of war and Maniche to Chairman Zhang, and I will go and talk to him again, listen to his opinion first, and then make a decision." ”

Xu Lang nodded: "That's the best." ”

Zheng Jiang came to Zhang Guodong's office again, Zhang Guodong didn't speak for a long time after listening to Zheng Jiang's story, Zheng Jiang didn't know what Zhang Guodong meant, and he didn't speak when he sat opposite.

Zhang Guodong took out a pencil from the pen holder and kept squeezing it: "Chairman Zheng, the pencil is a good thing, and it is much faster than a brush to write." And now we have a steam engine, a rifled gun, a flush toilet and a sewing machine, and we've developed very quickly over the years. ”

Zheng Jiang was completely dizzy, Zhang Guodong couldn't have been stimulated by something and his thinking was confused, why did he say some nonsense.

Zhang Guodong was still talking to himself: "But we have also made some mistakes and taken some detours over the years. For example, the Goryeo operation back then, such as the defection of Tao Min and Tao Gong, such as Luan Xu's forced demolition of your house. ”

Zheng Jiang couldn't help it: "Chairman Zhang, are you okay?" ”

Zhang Guodong said with a smile: "We have Lu Lao in Yulin Bay, what is the principal, I don't dare to say old, but I am really old." Zheng Jiang, we have made so many mistakes over the years, have we all changed? ”

"It's all changed." Zheng Jiang replied ignorantly, "Didn't we all make amends later, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to develop until now." ”

"Yes, we've all changed, but have we admitted the mistakes we made, and have we really reflected on our mistakes?"

Zheng Jiang really didn't understand what Zhang Guodong wanted to express, and Zhang Guodong didn't explain more: "Zheng Jiang, what you told me today is not what you meant, did Xu Lang find you?" ”

Zheng Jiang replied honestly: "Chairman Zhang, I really can't hide it from you, it is indeed Chief of Staff Xu who told me. ”

"I knew it was him." Zhang Guodong suddenly became serious, "You go back and tell Xu Lang that I agree to retry Maniche's case." ”

"Chairman Zhang, you, do you agree to a retrial?" Zheng Jiang was quite surprised, how could Zhang Guodong agree so readily.

"Yes, I agreed." Zhang Guodong said, "It's better for me to admit my mistakes and correct them in person." I'm still a court-martialed justice, and I don't want to tarnish my performance. ”

"But Chairman Zhang." Zheng Jiang asked again, "What about Zeng Guangxian's side, they participated in the Pearl Harbor operation back then, and it was indeed Maniche who killed our naval soldiers." ”

"Zeng Guangxian, I'll inform them. However, when you told Xu Lang, you told him that the military court only agreed to a retrial, which does not mean that the previous ruling was necessarily wrong, so that he understood this. ”

Xu Lang took Mattheis and Van Basten to Tiandu Mine again.

"Captain Maniche." Xu Lang quickly ran into the small room where Mani was staying, "I have good news for you, the military court has agreed to retry your case. ”

Maniche did not show the slightest joy: "Thank you, Your Excellency, for coming to me to tell me this news, but it doesn't seem to make any sense. They deprived me of all the evidence in my favor last time, and this time they will not convict me. ”

"No, Captain Maniche, you're mistaken." Xu Lang explained, "This time the case is being tried according to the principle of impartiality, and Captain Mattheis and Captain Van Basten saw you fire the cannon after you raised the Portuguese flag, and they will also testify as witnesses." ”

"Yes, Captain Maniche." Van Basten and Mattheis said at the same time, "We saw everything about the naval battle with our own eyes, and we will tell the truth in court." ”

Maniche's eyes finally showed hope: "Thank you, distinguished gentlemen, I still have a small request that I don't know if I can grant?" ”

Xu Lang said: "Captain Maniche, if you have any requests, just say it, as long as I can do it, I will do my best." ”

"Your Excellency." Maniche bowed to Xu Lang, "I ask you to be my advocate again. ”

The military tribunal was opened, and as it was seven years ago, Zhang Guodong, Wang Hua and Han Wantao still formed a collegial panel.

Zeng Guangxian stood on the witness stand, and Xu Lang stared at him: "Witness, let me ask you again, before my client fired, was the Empress flying a white flag or a Portuguese flag?" ”

"They started with white flags, so that's why we brought the God over there." Zeng Guangxian replied.

"Witnesses, please answer my question head-on, what was the last flag raised by the Empress before the cannon fired?"

Zeng Guangxian lowered his head: "The Empress lowered the white flag and raised the Portuguese flag before the cannon fired. ”

There was a burst of exclamations from the auditorium.

Van Basten and Mattheis took turns walking up to the witness stand, and both said the same thing: "Judge, I can swear to God that the Empress did fly the Portuguese flag before the cannon was fired, and we could not be mistaken. ”

Two hours later, Zhang Guodong's gavel fell heavily: "Quiet." Jury, do you have a result? ”

A lieutenant stood up: "Your Excellency, we have a result. The jury unanimously acquitted the defendant of violating the regulations of naval warfare and acquitting the defendant of the charge of attacking the Yulin military fleet in violation of the regulations of naval warfare. ”

There was another burst of exclamations from the auditorium.

"Silence." Zhang Guodong's gavel struck twice, "Now that this court has pronounced the verdict, everyone stands." ”

"The defendant Maniche, not guilty, revoked Chongzhen's four-year verdict and released him in court."

"Your Excellency, please wait a minute." Xu Lang shouted to Zhang Guodong, who was about to leave the court, "Due to the erroneous judgment seven years ago, my client has suffered seven years of unfair treatment, and I hereby ask the court for compensation on behalf of my client." ”

"The Defender." Zhang Guodong replied calmly, "This court will only try the defendant's charge of violating the regulations of naval warfare. As for what he has endured during these seven years, this judge also expresses his deep sympathy. If your client deems it necessary to claim compensation, he can file a civil action with this court again, which is his right. ”

"Thank you, Your Excellency." Xu Lang saluted Zhang Guodong, and then walked to Maniche's side: "Captain Maniche, I said that I would come to pick you up with a not-guilty verdict, and I didn't break my promise." ”

"Thank you, honorable Excellency, for everything you have done for me." Maniche shook Xu Lang's hand, "Justice delayed is better than none." ”

"No, Captain Maniche." Xu Lang said loudly to Maniche in a voice that could be heard by all the people in the courtroom, "Justice delayed is not justice. ”

Xu Lang briefly asked Maniche about his plans, and at present, Maniche did not want to leave Yulin Bay. Xu Lang temporarily arranged him in the General Staff because he still had to discuss with him about civil compensation. Maniche didn't ask for anything, and being acquitted was the greatest satisfaction.