That afternoon, Li Laiheng ordered people to build a platform in the square in Xingshan City.
After a busy night, the platform rose from the ground.
The next morning, Li Laiheng took all the suspects to the platform.
The stage was filled with onlookers and alert Ming troops.
Li Laiheng climbed onto the platform and shouted loudly: "My fellow villagers, I am Li Laiheng, the right wing lieutenant general of the Ping Liao army. I have been ordered to search for Jiannu spies in the city. After several days of searching, more than 700 suspects have been arrested."
The loud-voiced soldiers in the audience repeated Li Laiheng's words loudly.
The news quickly spread throughout the square.
"Among these people, some are confirmed to be Jiannu spies, and some are wrongly accused. Today, we will bring them before you for a public trial!" Li Laiheng continued.
The people in the audience immediately started talking.
"What does public trial mean?" asked a citizen.
Another citizen pointed at the prisoner on the platform and the crowd below and said, "Are you blind? This is a public trial!"
"Usually, trials are held in the inner court or hall of the yamen, and bystanders are allowed to listen to the case. This is called an open trial. How can it be tried in front of so many people?" said another person, pointing at the countless people around them.
"Handling a case in front of so many people is more of a gimmick than a practical significance! It's purely a show for us!" said a man wearing a bamboo hat.
"You made such a good thing worthless. I think you are a traitor!"
"That's not me." The man in the hat denied hastily.
"There's a traitor here, everyone, hurry up and catch him."
There was another commotion among the crowd.
After the crowd quieted down, Li Laiheng began to read aloud.
"Ma Song, male, was born in Guangning Guard of Liaodong in the second year of our dynasty. After Songjin fell in the fifteenth year of our dynasty, he was moved to Xingshan City by the Jiannu to raise horses. Three days later, our army recaptured Xingshan, and he was exposed as a spy of the Jiannu..."
Li Laiheng began to recount the man's crimes and the testimony of witnesses.
After the narration, Li Laiheng asked loudly: "Do you think Ma Song is guilty?"
"Guilty!" Dozens of people in the audience began to make a noise.
"Guilty!" Under the guidance of those dozens of people, countless people followed suit and shouted.
"Should he die?" Li Laiheng asked again.
“Damn it!”
"Kill him and avenge the dead Ming people!"
“Kill, kill, kill!”
Amid the deafening roar of killing, Ma Song was executed on the spot.
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