Episode 45 The Martyrs

Nanjing, at the highest military court of the Ming Empire, a major of the Judge Advocate General's Department, who served as a defense lawyer, stood on the defense bench, wearing gold wire glasses and a straight military uniform.

As soon as he had said a few words, a buzzing murmur rang out in the wide open courtroom. A terrible voice howled from the court:

"Murderer——! Murderer——! You brutes——! My son, daughter, daughter-in-law, grandson...... They were all picked to death by you animals......"

The "buzzing" sound in the courtroom became louder, and the spotlights of the reporters "banged" and a cloud of white smoke was raised.

The white-haired judge sitting high in the courtroom is holding his reading glasses and knocking on the gavel at this moment:

"Left and right, stay quiet with me!"

Two gendarmes rushed over, grabbed the old woman who was about to pounce out of her seat, and pinned her to her seat.

The old woman's silver hair was spread out, almost erect, her eyes were red, and her face was wrinkled and distorted with hatred, like a terrible ghost crawling out of a grave, her arms still struggling and waving, and a terrible roar came from her throat:

"Ah...... You brutes, ...... who kill a thousand knives!! If you can't die today, I'll die! When I die, I will crawl to you tonight with my whole family......"

The judge continued to bang on the gavel:

"Leave and right, bring this old woman out of court!"

It took a great deal of effort for the two gendarmes to get the old woman out of the courtroom, who was almost looking for death.

The judge struck the gavel a few more times:

"You can go on."

The defense lawyer owes the body:

"Thank you, Your Excellency. …… Dear Judge, in view of the above summary, I believe that the nine defendants are military personnel, and it is their duty to obey orders. Moreover, they were in a hostile land, in a situation where they could fight at any time, and the objective conditions did not allow them to question the orders of their superiors, and they had no choice but to obey them immediately.

"So I ask the judge to consider that it is not the nine defendants in court who are really guilty in this case, but the person who gave the order to the massacre, that is, their supreme commander at the time: Ha Feng'a, the commander of the Sixth Division of the Puppet Qing Eight Banners. As the defense lawyer for the nine defendants, I asked the judge to acquit them. ”

Although it was already known in court that he was defending his innocence, there was still an uproar after hearing him say this.

Xiang Xiaoqiang sat in the first row of the auditorium, his big-brimmed hat on his lap, and his fingers gently stroked it.

This is the first time he has entered the courtroom to observe, and it is still such a high-level military court, still in the first row, and still as a public figure in the spotlight. He felt very uncomfortable, he knew that his every movement, every expression, might be captured by several cameras around him, and he was quite uncomfortable.

Xiang Xiaoqiang has already read today's morning report. Sure enough, several tabloids have reacted quickly, and the story of himself and the "Ryukyu Princess" has occupied the front page. So far, his photo has not been in the newspapers, but it will be soon......

He forced himself not to think about the reporters and the cameras, and only to think about the case.

Like most people in the court, there was a surge of blood in his chest.

The old woman who had lost her whole family for a long time, listening to her miserable weeping, he felt extremely uncomfortable. One of the most tragic things in the world is that a white-haired person sends a black-haired person, let alone a son, daughter, daughter-in-law, and grandson at the same time...... The pain of the sky falling is absolutely unbearable for anyone. Xiang Xiaoqiang tried to experience what it would be like to move this kind of thing to himself...... It was a feeling of being abandoned by the whole world, where all justice, morality, and conscience had become hideous, and all faith had collapsed, leaving only endless hatred......

No, she is not the only one, and the relatives of the more than 40 villagers who are suffering the same pain. Most of the villagers have fled, and their more than 40 relatives have remained in the village for various reasons. Maybe out of trust in the Yangtze River defense line? Trust in your own defenders? Or is it trust in one's own luck?

In short, their trust has failed them. In the middle of the night, surrounded by an army dressed in strange uniforms, they were pulled out of their beds in terror, shivering with cold, and gathered in a clearing at the back of the village, where they were tied up in a bunch.

Then, looking at several bayonets from left to right, one by one, stabbed over. In the midst of frenzied cries and screams, his neighbors, relatives, and family members spat blood one by one, and fell to the ground with their eyes open.

Finally, there was a sharp pain in my lower abdomen and chest, and then I felt numbness, feeling a cold and hard thing stirring in my chest, and then the coldness spread all over my body, and my lungs could no longer breathe......

His eyes fluttered and Venus fell to the ground, and his ears gradually became inaudible. The only thought left in my head: Why die?

……

Xiang Xiaoqiang grabbed the hat on his lap fiercely, his chest trembled, he took a deep breath, and struggled out of this painful "sense of substitution". He couldn't stand it. I can't stand even a little bit.

When he first heard about the tragedy in Zhangjiacun, he was still directing the People's Guards to fight on Yuhuatai, and he was just surprised at that time, and he didn't feel very uncomfortable in his heart. Now I think back to the numbness at that time, and I feel that I should repent.

Maybe I came from later generations, and I listened to and watched too many things about our nation being slaughtered in modern times, in modern times, and in contemporary times, and my "immunity" became stronger? The massacre of just forty or so people no longer arouses their interest?

Yes, there was a massacre of tens of millions of Qing troops in the past, and then there was the Nanjing Massacre of hundreds of thousands of Japanese troops.

…… Xiang Xiaoqiang closed his eyes and deeply repented for the numb thoughts in his subconscious.

I come from the Hereafter. Although they are the same people, that people has been slaughtered repeatedly in modern times, modern times, and contemporary times, and has become as numb as a flock. By the standards of a flock, it is certainly not a big deal that dozens of civilians were killed by enemy bayonets during the war.

Xiang Xiaoqiang used to envy the citizens of those contemporary powerful countries. When their citizens are killed or kidnapped overseas, even if there are only a few people, the state will do everything in its power to protect and rescue them. For the sake of the lives of a few ordinary citizens, the state does not hesitate to dispatch helicopters and special forces, does not hesitate to infringe on the territorial waters and airspace of other countries, and even does not hesitate to start wars. United States, Israel...... They are not a country of sheep, they are a country of tigers and wolves.

Xiang Xiaoqiang knew that his face must be ugly now, and subconsciously glanced at the reporter next to him.

"Bang!" In a puff of white smoke, the reporter accurately captured this "Angry General Xiang".

…… He had already killed the first culprit, Hafeng'a, and didn't give him a chance to appear in court at all. Standing in the dock now are seven gendarmes who killed the people with their own hands, as well as two division staff officers who commanded the killings on the spot. The nine of them were reported by a number of soldiers and the evidence was conclusive.

Fortunately, it seems that the Ming Dynasty has not yet become a flock country. The nine murderers must die.

The main purpose of this public trial was to launch a political offensive against the Manchus, to make this matter have a greater impact on the international community. The military tribunal invited himself to observe, which also meant to use his special status to attract attention.

He is the youngest general of the Ming Dynasty and the battlefield opponent of the murderous culprit Ha Feng'a, and the old men of the command have instructed themselves to look for an opportunity, and it is best to make a generous statement in court, with the image of a young general full of righteous indignation, to denounce the Qing prisoner, so that many things that are inconvenient for judges and prosecutors to say can be said by themselves, a bystander, which greatly strengthens the propaganda effect.

Now, like all civilized countries, the law must ensure that every defendant has a defense lawyer, even if the defendant is heinous and the evidence is conclusive.

The defense lawyer in court now was provided for them by Daming, but he still seemed to be very conscientious, and his defense was neither humble nor arrogant. He clung to the entry point of "must obey orders" and tried his best to put all the blame for the massacre on the dead Hafon'a, and asserted that all nine defendants were not guilty.

Although every time he said a word, there was a burst of boos in the auditorium, Xiang Xiaoqiang still saw a clue.

It seems like...... Even this defense lawyer hopes to avenge the villagers.

First, he pleaded not guilty, not mitigating. In other words, it is not a request for a lenient punishment, but a request for release in court. At first glance, it seems to be for their sake, but it is tantamount to making an impossible request to the court on behalf of the defendant.

If they admit guilt and only ask for a reduction of guilt, then, considering that they were ordered, it is very likely that the crime will be reduced by one degree and their lives will be saved. Now there is a direct demand for innocence, these people killed with their own hands, an average of five civilians killed by each person, the evidence is conclusive, even if they obey orders, it is unlikely that they will be acquitted in the courts of any country. In this case, once guilty, there will be no doubt about the death penalty.

If Xiang Xiaoqiang's guess is correct, the lawyer betrayed the professional ethics but chose to obey the conscience of mankind.

The old judge propped up his glasses, knocked on the gavel, and said:

"The Tribunal has heard the submissions of both the prosecution and the defence. Before the adjournment of the court to pronounce the verdict, it is the time for the defendant's final statement. Nine defendants, do you have anything to say? ”

The nine defendants stood in the dock, some bowed their heads and were silent, like old monks, some trembled and prayed desperately, and the rest of them turned pale and looked at each other, all hesitating. They originally felt that they would definitely not survive, so they were all ready to scold in the court, and look heroic, maybe the court could recognize themselves as heroes or something. But now seeing that there are still so many ways, he killed the people of the Ming Dynasty, and the Ming Dynasty also sent people to defend himself, and what kind of defense lawyer is called, it seems that he is very oriented to himself, and he has ignited hope again, so he doesn't dare to talk nonsense.

In addition, what the defense lawyer said is the truth, yes, he is obeying orders, what's wrong? Why did you shoot me?

One of the youngest defendants blushed as if he wanted to say something. Finally, having made up his mind, he shouted:

"I'm not convinced! I'll say two words! ”

There was a "buzz" in the courtroom, and the judge said:

"Defendant He Dongshun, you can say."

Hesheri Dongshun, one of the Qing military police who killed people with his own hands, looks like he is ten years old. He seemed to have suppressed a cloud of injustice in his chest, and said loudly:

"Why do you say that we kill? Why don't you say that you killed yourself? …… In front of so many people, is there a kind of saying? ”

The courtroom was boiling in an instant, and the flashing lights were continuous. The judge banged on the gavel for a long time, and finally calmed down. He pushed his glasses, leaned his head forward, and asked, a little incredulously:

"Defendant He Dongshun, you make it clear."

He Dongshun's face was flushed:

"Why did your Ming Dynasty invade our Liaodong and kill so many of us? You have killed almost all of our Liaodong people, and there are only thirteen left, is that not murder? Today there is still a face saying that we kill, oh, as long as you can kill, we can't kill? ”

The courtroom was almost open, with boos, whistles, angry scolding, and laughter from many foreign reporters, and He Dongshun was still talking about something, but he could hardly hear it.

Xiang Xiao Qiangqi wondered in his heart, why is there such a version? That's too dramatic, isn't it?

He Dongshun looked at the non-stop flashing lights around him and the "exclamations" in the hall, and couldn't help but feel a little proud, and continued:

“…… There are still thirteen people left in the entire Liaodong who were killed by your Ming army...... If it weren't for our Emperor Taizu, who led these thirteen people to raise troops with thirteen pairs of armor to fight against the tyranny and save the people in the world, you would ...... And you guys...... How can you sit here peacefully today, playing tricks and reversing right and wrong? Do you still have a conscience? …… You can't forget your roots! ”

The laughter became louder, and Xiang Xiaoqiang also understood, crying and laughing: Oh, it turns out that this is how the "Thirteen Pairs of Armor Raise Soldiers" came from!

There is a way to beat the old master to death with a random fist, and the white-haired old judge seems to not know how to answer correctly for a while, so he helped his reading glasses, coughed, and said:

"Defendant, please...... Please don't say anything that is not relevant to this case. ”

He Dongshun bit his lip and stared at the judge, his chest rose and fell violently, he was extremely angry, and suddenly burst out:

"Oh, if we kill someone, it's related, but if you kill someone, it doesn't matter? Didn't you say you were good? Your Ming Dynasty is the best country in the world? Is it good to be unreasonable? Didn't you all say anything in the Ming Dynasty? It's okay to make trouble on the street, it's okay to scold the emperor, why let you kill people, and don't let us kill people? …… You say that we are poor, you are rich in the Ming Dynasty, you are rich, why do you still have food on the street? Can you ordinary people eat a lot of meat at once? …… You say that you are a constitutional country and are good for the people, so why are you still building a defense line on the Yangtze River? ”

Xiang Xiaoqiang: ......???

He Dongshun's lips trembled with excitement, and he continued:

“…… Aren't you just afraid that we will liberate the people of Jiangnan? You are really good for the people, there is a kind of opening the line of defense, to see who the people welcome? See who can do good for the people? …… You say that you are constitutional, why do you still send spies to our Qing Dynasty? …… Why do you still come to us to spread rumors that the DPRK is better off than us? Do you think that the common people are just like you, all fools? Why don't you listen to what the people sing? 'Since Emperor Zhu came out, there have been nine years of famine in ten years', this is what you ordinary people sing, right? Why don't you mention it? …… Our land in the Qing Dynasty is not as good as yours, but we still have a bumper harvest every year, and we are prosperous every year, what about you? Nine out of 10 years are famine! …… Hmph, usually disguised so well, was pierced by my words? Nothing to say, right? …… Bear two faces under one hood! Rogue country! ”

Xiang Xiaoqiang was still very ** at the beginning to stand up and argue with him, but now there is only a depression in his chest, and in the face of the vigorous nonsense, there is nowhere to refute.

The guard beside him saw that his face was flushed and his chest trembled slightly, so he whispered:

"My lord, what's so angry about this mad dog, Qingyu is such a madman...... Hehe, if you get a clear textbook to read, it will be interesting......"

Xiang Xiaoqiang sighed deeply, listened to the laughter in the hall, and said coldly:

"Really? …… I don't think there's anything interesting. ”

He let out a long breath and leaned back in his back tiredly. He was going to take the opportunity to stand up and refute it, but now he felt that it was no longer necessary. Xiang Xiaoqiang just felt a deep sadness.

……

"The verdict is now pronounced in this hall, and all stand up."

There was a buzz, and everyone in the courtroom, the prosecution, the defense, the defendants, the reporters, and everyone in the gallery stood up.

Wearing reading glasses, the judge pronounced the verdict:

"The Supreme Military Court of the Ming Empire is now giving its verdict on the killing of civilians on January 21, 1936. Defendants Bayala Chonggui, Aliha Ershun, Nala Ande, Erdet Xiong Bao, Wusun Fucai, Hesheri Dongshun, Niu Hulu Arita , Dong E Dacai, and Yiergen Jueluo Lichang jointly killed 45 villagers of Zhangjia Village, committing the crime of killing enemy non-combatant civilians under Article 46 of the Fourth Hague Convention and the crime of murder in the first degree under Article 12 of the Criminal Law of the Ming Dynasty, and sentenced the nine defendants to death by hanging......"

As soon as the three words "strangled and decided" were spoken, the audience burst into thunderous cheers, feverish applause, cheers, whistles, and stomping sounds, cameras flashed in all directions, and white smoke rose "bang", almost messing up the air in the hall.

Nine of the defendants were as white as paper, and three of them collapsed on the spot.

He Dongshun, who had made an impassioned speech, stood proudly at this time, glancing contemptuously at the judge in the courtroom, with a triumphant smile on his face, like Bruno, who was about to be burned for the truth.

The old judge kept banging on the gavel, but in complete vain. This trial has reached the first level at this moment, and more than a dozen relatives of the victims wept bitterly and hugged each other, and two old people knelt down in court, kowtowed to the court, and were pulled up by the military police......

After a while, the cheers from outside were also faintly heard, and there were quite a few people listening to the sound.

Each of the nine defendants was held by two gendarmes, shackled and taken out.

"Leave the court!"

……

Xiang Xiaoqiang stood up in the noise, put on his hat, and commanded the guards:

"Let's go."

Xiang Xiaoqiang walked outside and looked at the scene in front of him in surprise. Oh, it turned out that it wasn't just for the verdict that cheered.

On the wide Changping Road, hundreds of Qing prisoners of war marched slowly in the middle of the road. The line is long, and there is no end in sight. They were empty-handed, dejected, flanked by Ming military policemen riding tall horses, with guns in hand.

The citizens of Nanjing on both sides were thunderous, cheering wave after wave, and soon sounded into a neat slogan:

"Da Ming will win!"

"Defend Nanjing!"

"Long live Daming!"

"The king is mighty!"

……