Zhang listened as one of the justice officials sitting on stage with him recited the crimes and dictated how the hearing would go. Several experts were called on to present findings. Normally this could take hours, but since they were on live TV, Zhang made sure that things moved along at a good pace. The audience gave their rapt attention to every word.
Finally came the part that everyone was waiting for. While a criminal trial could go on for weeks, Secretary Zhang felt that it would be in the country’s best interests if this matter was resolved with extreme haste. The other members of the Central Committee had agreed that Secretary Zhang would have full authority to hear the summary of evidence and provide his recommendation to the others on the judicial panel.
The judicial panel was the jury. But their vote was more lip service, as designed. Zhang would make the recommendation of guilt or innocence first, and then the jury would vote unanimously as he did. There would be no dissent. After the judicial panel voted the way Zhang recommended, he would then ratify the vote and announce a sentence. Jinshan and Admiral Song would spend the remainder of their lives behind prison walls.
But first, there were appearances to keep up.
Zhang looked down from his perch high up on the stage. “Mr. Jinshan, do you have anything to say in response to the evidence presented here today?”
“I do indeed, Secretary Zhang.”
Zhang frowned at the display of stubborn pride. But they were on live camera. Let the man get out what he had to say, and then get on with the rest of it.
“Proceed, Mr. Jinshan.”
“Today we have all heard evidence that I have conspired to increase our military readiness, to incite war, and to defend China from our enemies…”
“The United States is not our enemy, Mr. Jinshan,” said Secretary Zhang, annoyed.
“I disagree, Mr. Secretary. You ask if I have anything to say in response to my charges? I will tell you. I wholeheartedly embrace these accusations. I accept responsibility for my actions. And I suggest that the others here wake up to the threat that approaches.”
Zhang was about to say something else into his microphone when one of the other panelists interrupted him. “Please let Mr. Jinshan speak, Secretary Zhang.”
Surprised, Zhang frowned at the other panel member, but relented.
“China was once the mightiest empire on earth — and she will be again. But not under our current leadership.”
Zhang rolled his eyes and spoke into his microphone. “That’s enough. Shut off—”
There was something wrong.
He couldn’t hear his voice being amplified over the speakers.
Zhang tapped on his microphone but heard nothing. His microphone wasn’t working.
He jerked his head back to the side of the stage, where he knew the auditorium director was seated in case there were any technical problems. The auditorium director was there, sitting in front of his tablet computer, which controlled everything — the lighting, the stage curtains, and the microphones. But there was a woman standing over him. Zhang narrowed his eyes. He didn’t recognize her. She was very tall and would have been quite beautiful, if not for the scars. She was watching him closely. Zhang tapped on his microphone and gestured for them to fix it. But the auditorium director wasn’t making eye contact. And the woman just stared back at him, ignoring his plea for help, a defiant look on her face.
Jinshan continued to speak. “I suspect that I am here for a reason other than the well-being of our great country. I was in Secretary Zhang’s role not long ago — head of the Central Committee for Discipline Inspection. It was my job to root out corruption, and I did that well. Indeed, many of you are here today because of my efforts.”
At that comment, Jinshan paused and made eye contact with several of the politicians and military members on the judicial panel next to Zhang.
Zhang slowly looked to his right and left, feeling uneasy as he saw the appreciative nods of at least half of his panel.
“But there are some among us who are so entrenched in this world of backroom deals and conspiracy that even I wasn’t able to stop them. As we all saw on the news recently, our beloved president and his family were the victims of a religiously motivated attack. Hard-right-wing religious zealots. We have suffered before at the hands of religious terrorists. But this is something different, I am afraid. This rash of religious extremism is a new pattern in the world. A global realignment, led by the West. These conservative religious groups come from all over. And not just one religion, as we saw when our president was so brutally murdered. While we once concerned ourselves primarily with Muslim terrorism, now radical Christian groups are infiltrating China.”
Murmurs from the audience of bureaucrats and politicians.
“And now — Chinese politics. So let me ask you, Secretary Zhang, why am I really on trial today? Is it because I have worked with our brave military members to protect our country? Or is it because you are motivated by extremist religious views?”
The audience began to chatter louder.
“How many of you here know that Secretary Zhang once attended a nonsanctioned Christian church? It is true. And in my investigations, I have uncovered evidence that he has even met with American Christian groups.”
Zhang threw up his arms and yelled for someone to silence Jinshan. But with his microphone off, his voice was barely heard. Zhang signaled the security guards to stop Jinshan from speaking. They looked up to the military general on the panel for guidance. The general next to Zhang shook his head in response.
“What are you doing?” Zhang shouted at the general.
“Please, Mr. Secretary,” replied the general.
Jinshan’s voice was raised now. “These religious extremists — led by America — will be our country’s downfall. They have attacked us. Attacked our leaders. Attacked our children. They assault the very values that we hold dear. My fellow citizens, we must rise up and fight back.”
The crowd was boisterous now. Cheers of approval. What was going on?
“I hereby call upon all members of the Chinese Communist Party to denounce Secretary Zhang and his extremist religious views. I call upon the panel to expel him from the Communist Party immediately, and to appoint someone who is not associated with these anti-Chinese groups as our new president.”
People were smacking their seats and clapping. The audience was with Jinshan. This was ludicrous. This was supposed to be his trial.
Jinshan looked at the woman standing just off the stage and nodded. The general sitting next to Zhang spoke first.
“While I understand that Mr. Jinshan may have not followed protocol in his actions, I share his concerns about the direction of our country.” He looked at Zhang. “Secretary Zhang, I am horrified to hear of your connections to these radical religious groups. I cannot support leadership that is influenced by our enemies. I motion that Secretary Zhang be expelled from the Communist Party of China, and that he be taken into custody until further notice.”
Immediately, several voices on the panel next to him spoke into their microphones, giving their support.
The audience was cheering.
Zhang said, “This is preposterous. Ludicrous. Surely you can’t—”
The general continued, “And I call for the immediate release of Mr. Cheng Jinshan and Admiral Song, and a full reinstatement of their titles and duties.”
More shouts of approval.
The tall woman with long hair stood behind him. Where had she come from? Zhang hadn’t even seen her approach. He noticed that she was incredibly strong as she seized Zhang by the shoulders and lifted him up out of his seat, prodding him to walk off the stage, where military police were waiting.