Courtyard House: Home Alone

Once inside, he didn't immediately light the lamps. Instead, he released his spiritual energy, cautiously observing the movements inside and outside the courtyard.

After confirming that there was nothing wrong, he breathed a sigh of relief and turned to light the oil lamp on the table.

Under the dim light, he sat at the table, reviewing the events of the past two days. Receiving the Red Party leaders and dealing with the Japanese war criminals were both urgent matters, allowing no room for error.

He took out paper and pen and, relying on his memory, roughly sketched out a map of the terrain around Baiyun Temple, marking several locations where he thought it was necessary to strengthen security.

After finishing all this, it was already late at night. Lin Yifan yawned, quickly washed up, and went to bed. After all, there were still tough battles to fight ahead, and being well-rested was crucial.

The next morning, as dawn broke, Lin Yifan woke up. Without disturbing Grandpa Zhang, he quietly washed up, changed into some easy-to-move clothes, organized the necessary tools in his space, and then left the courtyard.

He planned to take advantage of the early morning when there were fewer people to wander around the Baiyun Temple area, paying particular attention to any unusual human activity between night and dawn.

In the early morning in Beiping, the air was slightly cool, and there were few pedestrians on the streets. Only a few early-rising vendors were packing up their stalls, and occasionally a few clear shouts could be heard.

Lin Yifan walked along the base of the city wall, heading north with light and steady steps. He deliberately chose some secluded alleys, avoiding the main streets, to avoid attracting attention.

Upon arriving at the outskirts of Baiyun Temple again, Lin Yifan discovered that the sentries he had seen the previous night had been replaced. The new sentries were highly vigilant, their sharp eyes scanning the surroundings.

Lin Yifan inwardly praised the Red Party's strict discipline. He didn't approach, but instead, from a distant high slope, he used the dense bushes for cover and carefully observed with his binoculars.

This time, he focused more on the main road leading from Baiyun Temple to the outside world. This road was the only way in and out of Baiyun Temple, and also the easiest place for the enemy to ambush them.

He observed the trees, embankments, and any corners that might allow people to hide. At the same time, he was also considering how to effectively guard and cover the area if the Red Party leaders were to come along this road.

After observing for about an hour, until the sun gradually rose higher and more pedestrians began to appear on the road, Lin Yifan put away his binoculars and quietly left.

He had gained a more comprehensive understanding of the defenses of Baiyun Temple and had also developed preliminary plans to deal with potential risks.

Back in my room, I added the observations from this morning to the sketch I had drawn yesterday, and noted down the corresponding countermeasures.

After doing all this, he looked at the sky and guessed that he should have news from Manager Zhou soon.

Sure enough, around noon, Yang Weimin arrived at the courtyard house. He went to the back room, saw Lin Yifan, and lowered his voice, saying, "Young Master, Manager Zhou asked me to inform you that the leaders are on their way and are expected to arrive at Baiyun Temple this evening. Manager Zhou wants you to come over now; he says there are a few details he needs to finalize with you."

Lin Yifan nodded, understanding dawning on him; it seemed everything was proceeding according to plan. He said to Yang Weimin, "Understood. Go back and tell Manager Zhou I'll be there as soon as I finish what I'm doing."

Yang Weimin responded and then added, "Young master, be careful on the road." After saying that, he hurriedly left.

Lin Yifan tidied up briefly, carefully folded the drawn terrain sketch and marked countermeasures, put them close to his body, locked the door, and left the courtyard again.

This time, he didn't choose a secluded alley, but instead walked confidently towards the Xilai Teahouse. He knew that in situations like this, he needed to act naturally to avoid arousing unnecessary suspicion.

Upon arriving at the backyard of the teahouse, Yang Weimin led him to a private room, where Manager Zhou was already waiting for him.

When Manager Zhou saw Lin Yifan enter, he quickly stood up to greet him, a hint of seriousness on his face: "Xiao Fan is here, please have a seat."

He personally poured Lin Yifan a cup of hot tea. "Was the journey smooth? Did you notice anything unusual?"

Lin Yifan sat down opposite him, placed the sketch in his hand on the table, and nodded: "Don't worry, Manager Zhou, everything is as usual. This is a sketch I drew after surveying the terrain of Baiyun Temple yesterday and early this morning, along with some of my ideas. Please take a look."

Manager Zhou picked up the sketch and examined it carefully in the dim light of the private room, repeatedly rubbing his fingers over the red dots marked on the sketch.

"You mean, these are the weak points in the defense?" He looked up, his eyes sharp as he stared at Lin Yifan.

Lin Yifan explained, "Yes, Manager Zhou. The small hill behind us looks like a barrier, but there's a gentle slope on the side that makes it easy for someone to sneak up."

There is also a pine forest on the right side of the temple. Although it is dense, there are several open areas in the depths. If the enemy were to occupy these areas, it would pose a great threat to the temple.

I suggest adding more sentries to these locations and installing simple tripwire alarms or booby traps to serve as an early warning system.

Manager Zhou pondered for a moment, then nodded: "You've considered everything very thoroughly. We did overlook some of these details before. And what do you think is the most secure way to defend the main road leading into the temple?"

"The main road is of utmost importance."

Lin Yifan pointed to the main road on the sketch, "I've observed that there's a bend in the middle of this road where visibility is limited, making it an excellent spot for an ambush. We must set up observation posts before and after the bend."

In addition, the guards at the entrance should be increased in number and equipped with concealed firing positions so that crossfire can be quickly established in case of any incident.

Manager Zhou nodded repeatedly, the seriousness on his face gradually fading, replaced by a hint of approval: "Xiao Fan, your mind is much sharper than ours, these old bones. Do as you say, I'll have someone arrange it right away."

Lin Yifan smiled and nodded, saying, "I'll go check it out beforehand, and hopefully nothing will cause trouble."

By the way, Manager Zhou, has the news about the public trial of the Japanese invaders been released? And how's the status of inviting representatives from various sectors? Have the trial and execution procedures been arranged properly?

Manager Zhou put down the sketch, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and slowly said, "The news has been released. You can confirm the specific time later."

My representatives have all received notifications that someone will arrange for them to go to the abandoned factory.

The same goes for those on Grandpa Tang's line; everything is ready.

The trial process has been basically finalized. First, several victim representatives will accuse them of their crimes, then Judge Su Qiming, who has returned from the UK, will announce the verdict. Judge Su was sent by our superiors, and finally, the execution will take place.

We and Mr. Tang have prepared enough manpower to maintain order at the scene and ensure that nothing goes wrong.

"By the way, what about that prince and the others you captured? Where are they now? Are they safe?"