Courtyard House: Home Alone

Beside the long conference table below the throne, Army Minister Sugiyama Gen's hands were clenched tightly, his knuckles white, and his lips were pressed into a stiff line.

Chief of the General Staff Prince Kan'in Kotohito tapped his fingers incessantly on the table, producing a dull "thump-thump" sound that revealed his inner anxiety. Foreign Minister Matsuoka Yosuke lowered his head, seemingly studying the pattern on the tablecloth, but his eyes were actually darting around as he calculated how to pass this hot potato to someone else.

Yu Ren coughed lightly, the sound not loud, but like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly breaking the deathly silence in the hall.

"Gentlemen," he began slowly, his tone unreadable, "is it really so difficult to decide on the commander of the North China Expeditionary Army? Is our Great Japanese Empire truly incapable of finding a suitable general for this position?"

His gaze swept across the faces of the crowd, and where it fell, those heads that were already bowed lowered even further. Sugiyama Gen took a deep breath and forced himself to raise his head: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. It is not that we are incompetent. It is just... it is just that the situation in Beiping is complex, and the previous two commanders..."

Before he could finish speaking, Yu Ren interrupted him. "The fates of the previous two commanders were due to their own incompetence and mismanagement!"

Yu Ren's voice suddenly rose a few decibels, carrying a hint of barely perceptible anger, "Does the Imperial Japanese Army intend to retreat simply because there is danger ahead? If word gets out, won't the world laugh their heads off!"

The air in the hall seemed to freeze; even breathing became cautious. The high-ranking officials looked at each other, none of them willing to step forward at this moment and take on a position that could cost them their heads at any moment.

Looking at the ministers who usually considered themselves the pillars of the empire, Yu Ren felt a mixture of disappointment and anger, and his face gradually darkened.

At this moment, the Chief of the General Staff, Prince Kan'in Kotohito, stood up, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, this candidate must first be capable, have courage, and be respected in the army."

There are very few people with these special skills. Looking across the country, Prince Asaka Yasuhiko is the only one without an official position at the moment. But the situation in North China is complicated right now, I'm afraid…”

Before he could finish speaking, Yu Ren impatiently interrupted him: "Fear? When has the Imperial Army ever been afraid! Prince Asaka Yasuhiko has a distinguished military record and is also a member of the Imperial Family. Sending him to North China is enough to demonstrate the Empire's emphasis on the war situation in North China! It's settled then!"

Furthermore, tell him to move the North China Expeditionary Army headquarters to Tianjin, placing it within range of naval guns. I don't believe anyone would dare to assassinate him within the range of naval guns!

"By imperial decree, Prince Asaka Yasuhiko is ordered to immediately establish a new North China Expeditionary Army Command, and to stabilize the situation in North China within one month and quell all resistance forces! Any further misconduct will be punished according to military law!"

Prince Kan'in Zaihito's heart skipped a beat, and he dared not say another word. He quickly bowed and accepted the order: "Yes, Your Majesty! I will make the arrangements immediately!"

Yu Ren waved his hand, signaling him to step down, and then swept his gaze across the crowd again: "Gentlemen, the empire's path of expansion will not be halted by this small setback! North China is a crucial base for the empire in China, and its loss is unacceptable! Go down, everyone, and fulfill your duties to ensure the smooth implementation of the empire's strategy!"

"Hi!" the crowd responded in unison, bowing and leaving the hall as if granted a pardon, which eased the previously oppressive atmosphere slightly.

Three more days passed in the blink of an eye, and the area around Beiping City was unusually quiet. Meanwhile, inside Beiping City, in an inconspicuous courtyard house...

The "fisherman" was looking at a telegram, his brow furrowed. The telegram had just been received and concerned the appointment of Prince Asaka Yasuhiko as the new commander of the Japanese North China Expeditionary Army.

"Prince Asaka Yasuhiko..." "The Fisherman" murmured the name, his eyes serious. "This man is no ordinary person. He is said to be one of the few hardliners in the Imperial Family, and he was known for his ruthless methods during the Battle of Shanghai."

He was also the direct orderer of the Nanjing Massacre, his hands stained with the blood of the Chinese people. If he comes to North China, our lives will likely become even more difficult.

A man wearing a coarse cloth jacket and with several scars on his face said in a deep voice, "Boss, no matter who comes, we'll fight them the way we always have! The more ferocious the Japanese devils are, the more we must fight them to the end!"

The weapons that Brother Lin sent this time, thanks to "Ghost," are truly a godsend. We can take this opportunity to expand our forces and catch the Japanese off guard!

The "fisherman" nodded, a resolute glint in his eyes: "You're right! With weapons, we have more confidence!"

Notify the surrounding guerrilla units to immediately organize their forces, on the one hand to strengthen their defenses and guard against possible retaliatory sweeps by the Japanese;

On the other hand, actively recruit progressive youth to expand our ranks and equip ourselves with these weapons as soon as possible! Tell the comrades that a new battle is about to begin! Also, inform Xiao Fan of this news as well.

The man slapped his thigh hard: "Alright! I'll get right on it!" With that, he turned and strode out.

The "fisherman" walked to the window, gazing at the gray sky outside, and muttered to himself, "Lin Yifan... are you the son of 'Ghost'? And who is 'Ghost'? Is it an individual or a team? How could they trust you so much? To be able to produce so many weapons and supplies, how many Japanese soldiers have you killed?"

Unbeknownst to him, Lin Yifan was sitting in his study in his courtyard house, leisurely drinking tea, with a copy of a Beijing newspaper that he had just asked Zhu Zi to buy in his hand.

Newspapers were filled with headlines about the new commander of the Japanese North China Expeditionary Army, revealing Japan's "determination" to stabilize the situation in North China.

Lin Yifan put down the newspaper, a cold smile playing on his lips: "Prince Asaka Yasuhiko? Ha, another executioner with Chinese blood on his hands. Since you're here, don't even think about leaving alive!"

He picked up his teacup, downed it in one gulp, and a cold, murderous glint flashed in his eyes. He never showed mercy to these invaders.

And the newly appointed Prince Asaka Yasuhiko will undoubtedly become his next target. There are still plenty of weapons and ammunition in the space, and he doesn't mind using these "gifts" to give the new commander a "grand" welcome ceremony.

Just then, there was a gentle knock on the door, and Zhu Zi's voice came from outside: "Brother Fan, someone from your hometown has come and says they have something urgent to discuss with you."

Lin Yifan's eyes flickered slightly. Seeing that the person standing outside the door was Yang Weimin, who was using the alias Yang Maoqing, he put down his teacup and said in a deep voice, "Let him in."

A moment later, Yang Weimin followed Zhu Zi in. Lin Yifan looked at He Yuzhu and said, "Zhu Zi, thank you. Here, take this candy. Go practice your kung fu." As he spoke, he took a handful of candy from his pocket and stuffed it into He Yuzhu's hand.

"Okay! I'll head out now."

Zhu Zi took the candy and grinned, "Hey, Brother Xie Fan!" Knowing that Lin Yifan and Yang Weimin had important business to discuss, he tactfully turned around, closed the door, and went to practice his kung fu with light steps.