Courtyard House: Home Alone

The two arrived at the entrance of the main room, and Old Zhang announced loudly, "Master, the young master has arrived!"

"Quick! Let Xiao Fan in." A strong voice came from inside the house; it was Old Master Tang's voice.

"Grandpa, I'm back! I'm so sorry to have troubled you with your trip to Tianjin!" Lin Yifan said as he walked into the main room.

"Hahaha! Why should I worry about that? But you did a great job! We feel so good every day reading the SOS telegrams from the Tianjin devils to that fat man."

The two men brought by Manager Zhou were almost terrified by the contents of the Japanese telegram. Even I found it hard to believe.

By the way, I heard from Shi Tou that you returned the pharmaceutical equipment yesterday? Shouldn't we ask Dr. Chen to come out of retirement?

"Grandpa, I've come here today to discuss the follow-up arrangements. The pharmaceutical factory is one thing, but there's another important matter: Prince Asaka Yasuhiko and the others."

Didn't I tell you to find someone who could perform castration? How is that person doing now?

Old man, this is what I'm thinking: I want to take this opportunity to clean up any organizations or forces that are hostile to us, especially those Japanese devils lurking in Beiping.

Imagine what they would do if they knew we were going to publicly execute Prince Asaka and the others.

They certainly wouldn't stand idly by! These Japanese devils, in order to maintain the so-called "face of the Imperial Army" and to prevent war criminals like Prince Asaka Yasuhiko from revealing more of their crimes in public.

They will undoubtedly do everything in their power to rescue him, and may even plan a large-scale sabotage operation to muddy the waters and take the prisoners away in the chaos.

This is our opportunity! The moment they make a move, they will inevitably expose their whereabouts, and we can then lay a trap to wipe out these venomous snakes lurking in the shadows!

At that time, we can publicly execute war criminals to deter those enemies who still harbor illusions, and we can also take this opportunity to wipe out hostile forces in Beiping, paving the way for our subsequent plans. It's a win-win situation!

After saying that, Lin Yifan looked at the old man who was holding a teacup.

Old Master Tang paused slightly in his teacup, a sharp light suddenly flashing in his cloudy eyes. He put down the teacup and tapped his fingers lightly on the smooth tabletop, making a soft "tap-tap" sound, a habitual gesture he made when deep in thought.

A moment later, he raised his head, staring intently at Lin Yifan, his voice carrying a barely perceptible hint of excitement: "Good lad! What a brilliant plan to lure the snakes out of their holes and catch them all in one fell swoop! Your mind works really fast!"

I was originally thinking about how to execute these war criminals prudently, but I never expected you to see such a profound meaning in it!

He paused, his tone becoming serious. "However, this matter is extremely risky. Prince Asaka Yasuhiko is, after all, a member of the Imperial Family with a prestigious position, and the Japanese side will certainly not stand idly by and watch him be humiliated."

If they retaliate, the forces they employ will be formidable, potentially even involving deeper, unseen forces. We must be fully prepared; we cannot afford to make a single mistake.

Lin Yifan's expression also turned serious: "Grandpa, you're right, that's why I came to discuss this with you first. First of all, we need to carefully consider how to release the news of the public execution, to whom to release it, and the timing of the release."

We cannot alert the enemy too early, nor can we delay until they have no time to react. Secondly, the location and time of the execution must be kept absolutely secret, and we must choose a place that we can completely control, a place that is easy to defend and difficult to attack.

Furthermore, there's the issue of manpower allocation. With our own resources plus the manpower that Manager Zhou can mobilize, will we have enough to cope with the worst-case scenario?

Also, regarding Dr. Chen's side, the pharmaceutical factory needs to be started as soon as possible. It's not only our foundation, but the medicine might also prove very useful in this operation.

Grandpa Tang stroked his gray beard and nodded slowly: "You've thought this through very thoroughly. As for the information, we can first let the Japanese get a little wind of it through some 'unintentional' channels."

Let's say we've captured an "important figure" from the Japanese imperial family and are preparing to "publicly deal with" him, just to whet their appetite.

The exact time and place will not be determined until the last minute, and several alternative plans must be prepared to confuse the enemy.

As for manpower, I will personally speak to Manager Zhou. He has many skilled men under his command who have all been through thick and thin.

And my apprentices aren't pushovers either. Ever since you gave them so many weapons, they've trained a lot, and they can definitely step in when it counts. As for the location…”

He pondered for a moment, "How about that abandoned gunpowder factory in the west of the city? It's in a remote location with few buildings around, and the walls are high, with a complex internal structure, making it easy for us to ambush them and difficult for the enemy to deploy."

Lin Yifan's eyes lit up: "Gunpowder factory? This place is good! It not only fits the illusion that a certain space is needed for 'public handling', but also allows us to use its existing buildings for defense."

However, the location has been abandoned for a long time, and the safety hazards and specific defense details still need to be thoroughly investigated beforehand.

"Of course."

Old Master Tang interjected, "I had Shi Tou personally lead the men; he's meticulous. As for the executioner, I've already arranged for him to stay in a secluded courtyard on the outskirts of the city, where he's being well-fed and cared for, and his skills haven't suffered. Once the execution date is confirmed, I'll have him come over."

He looked at Lin Yifan with eyes full of trust, "Xiao Fan, you'll be in charge of this matter. Just ask if you need any manpower or supplies. The entire Tang family, including this old man of mine, will be at your command!"

Lin Yifan felt a warmth in his heart and solemnly clasped his hands in thanks, saying, "Thank you for your trust, sir! I will certainly live up to your expectations! I will come up with a detailed plan as soon as possible."

Furthermore, regarding Dr. Chen, I think we should wait until this operation is over and the situation has stabilized somewhat before inviting him. Right now, the atmosphere is tense, and acting rashly might put him in danger.

Grandpa Tang agreed: "Yes, you're right. Dr. Chen is a national treasure; we absolutely cannot afford any mistakes."

"Properly store the pharmaceutical equipment first. After this turmoil subsides, we'll make a big show of inviting him back, giving him a stable environment to focus on his research."

The two then went through a series of revisions and additions to some details until midday, when they finally settled on the general framework.

Sunlight streamed through the window of the main room, illuminating the focused and resolute faces of the old man and the young man. A hunting plan targeting lurking enemies was quietly brewing.

Meanwhile, in the cellar in the backyard of Xilai Teahouse, a high-powered radio was operating. Manager Zhou stood next to the radio, holding a telegram draft in his hand, and said to a middle-aged man operating the radio, "Xiao Wang, send the battle situation in Tianjin back home."

Then, he said to Yang Weimin, who was standing next to him, "Little Yang, since we got in touch with Xiao Fan, we've really upgraded our equipment. Before, we were just sneaking around and relying on people to pass messages."

Who would have thought we'd be using high-powered radios now? But you should still be careful out there and try not to give yourselves away.

Because we're working on the covert front, and nobody knows what Beiping will be like in the future, it's best to be cautious.