Chapter 1120 - Public Trial Assembly
Those convicted of treason and sedition were sentenced to death by hanging, their properties confiscated. Those found to be accomplices—hiding, aiding, or abetting—received various terms of hard labor, their properties likewise confiscated.
For cases where the Arbitration Tribunal had written law or precedent, standard judgments applied. Where none existed, Committee members serving as judges could exercise discretion, choosing whichever legal system they pleased.
From a "rule of law" perspective, this legal framework was crudely assembled. The Arbitration Tribunal had already announced it was organizing two small groups to visit Jeju Island and Taiwan for research, preparing to draft "Basic Laws" for both territories.
Nangong Wudi temporarily served as presiding judge, signing judgment documents in batches. Per the Tribunal's recommendations, corruption case verdicts came in only two varieties: some number of years of hard labor, with complete confiscation of assets. Apart from Pak Deokhwan, most of the implicated received sentences of three or more years. Those sentenced to hard labor, regardless of term length, were to serve in Taiwan, Hainan, or even Vietnam. Those whose offenses were very minor had their assets confiscated and were kept locally in "punishment squads" for indefinite labor service.
To highlight this campaign's significance, Jeju News not only published a special edition on the case but also organized an anti-corruption exhibition at the Confucian Academy. The floor of the Academy's Dacheng Hall was piled with confiscated valuables.
Feng Zongze found the "ill-gotten gains" rather pathetic. The silver and copper coins seized from Pak Deokhwan's residence totaled less than fifty taels, plus a dozen or so bolts of silk. The other items were a miscellany of daily necessities—cotton cloth, furniture, rice, salt—including even soybean paste.
"This counts as ill-gotten gains?" Feng Zongze could not help commenting after surveying the display. "This? They should at least tie up Jang Seong-seol and put her on display too. I think she's the only thing here worth any money."
"When a group of people are on the brink of starvation, the one who eats his fill is the elite," Nangong Wudi replied. "Whether something is corrupt depends on the overall material level. Never mind Jeju—just a Yi dynasty border district. Even the Yi dynasty's great nobles—how much wealth could they amass? Didn't you once visit South Korea and tour some royal palace? That building would barely qualify as a moderately prosperous landlord's compound in an underdeveloped region of the Ming. You can't say the person living there wasn't fit to be called King of Korea."
"You're right, it just feels really shabby," Feng Zongze conceded.
"We find it shabby. The Yi dynasty's commoners would find it abundant." Nangong Wudi checked his watch and asked quietly: "The operation is about to begin?"
"Starting on schedule," Feng Zongze replied quietly. "Xueweiwei says all preparations are complete."
Nangong Wudi said nothing. The two returned to the Military Barracks, where a new command center had been established—from here, the first order of the Jeju Island Security Enforcement Campaign would be issued.
The campaign had been personally designed by Xue Ziliang. All Committee resources on Jeju—army, navy, and civil departments alike—were at his unified disposal.
But Xue Ziliang understood the Committee's "preferences" well—they would not appreciate it without a rousing mass movement. So he had delegated this aspect to Feng Zongze.
Feng Zongze and Nangong Wudi each visited various departments, conveying the launch order to the Agricultural Corps companies, Shandong militia, Japanese Public Security forces, White Horse Battalion, and Korean Labor Service teams. The campaign unfurled swiftly across all of Jeju City.
The campaign began with a spectacular "public trial." A high platform rose before the Military Barracks. White Horse Battalion personnel holding clubs maintained order; Japanese Public Security soldiers stood with tachi drawn. Every resident of the city—men, women, young, and old—anyone capable of walking was required to attend. Besides locals, some Shandong migrants and Agricultural Corps personnel also participated. The entire plaza and the streets beyond were packed to capacity.
Feng Zongze intended to "go big"—he deployed loudspeakers and arranged for interpreters to provide simultaneous translation. Though the primary audience for this public trial was local residents, the Shandong migrants needed a warning as well.
Amid ocean-roaring shouts, the "seditious elements" headed by Cho Myeong-gwi and Jang Seong-seol were brought out for public judgment. Their crimes had already been read aloud and evidence presented, with emphasis on the saboteurs' organization and implementation of arson and poisoning—unlike ordinary sabotage, this was indiscriminate attack, classic "terrorism," designed to inspire fear and hatred among ordinary people.
Nangong Wudi also kept directing the focus toward Lord Kim and the Yi Court. "Fear"—"hatred"—the "legitimate dynasty" Yi Court transformed into "the enemy." The populace's fear of possible harm to themselves became boundless hatred—especially since many Korean commoners on the island held no love for the Yi Court anyway, being exiled convicts and government slaves. Under Nangong Wudi's fierce and relentless shouting and questioning, with naturalized propaganda personnel planted among the crowd responding on cue, the incited hatred erupted. Slogans rose in surging waves.
Cho Myeong-gwi's face was ashen—he could no longer speak. Even facing the Political Security Bureau's "eagle" marathon interrogations, his mind and body near collapse, he had not felt this kind of terror. The people below gnashed their teeth as if they wanted to tear him apart alive. Though the "Great Song" officials had not made him kneel, his legs gave way. Without two White Horse Battalion soldiers supporting him, he would have collapsed like mud.
By comparison, Jang Seong-seol remained far calmer. Her face was deathly pale. Several times she struggled and tried to shout, but each time she opened her mouth, the roars orchestrated by the naturalized propaganda workers drowned her out. After several attempts, she finally realized that even her last resistance was futile.
As for the other prisoners—knowing doom was upon them, they collapsed to the ground one by one, unable to speak, some losing control of their bowels and bladders. Just as Nangong Wudi was about to announce the verdict, Jang Seong-seol suddenly caught the female White Horse soldier holding her arm off guard and bit her viciously.
This time, without any prompting from propaganda workers, the crowd—already whipped into a frenzy—roared in unison: "Kill her!" The mob began surging toward the platform. White Horse Battalion and Japanese Public Security soldiers quickly moved to hold them back.
On the platform, Jang Seong-seol struggled like a madwoman. Two female soldiers could not restrain her; two male soldiers quickly stepped up to pin her down. A hemp ball was stuffed in her mouth.
Nangong Wudi found himself with a grudging admiration for Jang Seong-seol's reaction—this was the perfect embodiment of "death throes." He then stood to announce the verdict.
"In the name of the Committee and the People, the judgment for the Jeju 3.15 and 3.20 sedition cases is as follows—"
Military drums thundered suddenly; the plaza fell silent.
Nangong Wudi deliberately paused for impact.
"…Cho Myeong-gwi, death!"
"…Jang Seong-seol, death!"
…
He read out the verdicts one by one. Cho Myeong-gwi and twelve others within the city were sentenced to death for organizing, receiving, harboring, and liaising with the "rebels"; another fifteen "militiamen" who had infiltrated the city planning arson and poisoning were also sentenced to death.
The remaining implicated individuals received varying terms of hard labor. The property of all involved was confiscated. As a result, except for a few small businesses, organized private handicrafts and commerce in Jeju City essentially ceased to exist.
Those exposed during the trial as "masterminds behind the scenes"—Kim Man-il, Huang Yunyu, and multiple local ranchers and landowners—were sentenced to death in absentia, with all properties confiscated.
Those sentenced to death were hanged on gallows erected outside Jeju's four gates, their bodies left to dry in the wind.
After the verdicts, a "Punitive Expedition Rally" was held. First, commendations for the Kim siblings' heroic deeds were announced; then a "punitive expedition" against "hostile elements" across the island was declared. Finally, Nangong Wudi and Feng Zongze reviewed the expeditionary force. The Fupo Army, Japanese Public Security, White Horse Battalion, and Shandong militia organized as National Army all passed in review.
Drums pounded; cannons boomed. While Jeju City seethed with activity, punitive columns had already quietly deployed, shooting like arrows toward pre-marked targets. The Jeju Island Security Enforcement Campaign had officially begun.
Feng Zongze dragged his excited yet exhausted body back to his office at the Military Barracks. He checked his watch: according to schedule, news of the first stockade's fall should arrive within half an hour. Just then, a guard reported: "Interpreter Clerk Pak Deokmeng requests an audience, sir."
"Show him in," Feng Zongze said.
(End of Chapter)