Courtyard House: Home Alone

Lin Yifan then spoke with the attending physician, offering a few more words of advice on taking good care of Han Fengzhi. He also added some nourishing tonics to the ward, all prepared by him using spiritual spring water, to help Han Fengzhi recover as quickly as possible. After arranging these things, he returned to the corridor to wait with He Daqing.

He Daqing had recovered by now and kept thanking Lin Yifan, saying that if it weren't for his proper arrangements, the father and son wouldn't have been able to feel so at ease. They really owed him a huge favor this time.

Lin Yifan quickly waved his hand, saying that they were all neighbors and it was only natural to do this, and that he shouldn't take it to heart.

After Han Fengzhi went to the ward, Lin Yifan went over and sat for a while. He looked at the rosy-cheeked He Yushui, who was sleeping soundly with her eyes closed. Her little face was flushed and she looked very endearing.

Han Fengzhi seemed to be in good spirits. She held Lin Yifan's hand and thanked him repeatedly. Lin Yifan told her to rest well, left some nourishing food, and then got up to say goodbye. He told them to get some rest and to let him know if they needed anything.

As Lin Yifan stepped out of the ward, he looked up at the increasingly dense snow falling outside the corridor window and sighed softly. In this chaotic world, being able to keep this family safe and well was a relief.

He brushed the snow off his clothes and walked briskly out of the hospital.

When he returned to the east courtyard, it was already dark. Yu Wenxiu, Xia Yan, and Tian Xinyi surrounded him, chattering about Aunt Han and Xiao Yushui.

Lin Yifan smiled and answered them one by one, telling them that the mother and daughter were safe and sound. He also described Xiaoyushui's beautiful appearance, which made the three girls eager to visit her. They said they would go to the hospital to visit her first thing tomorrow morning.

Yu Wenxiu brought out the food that was still warm in the pot, pulled Lin Yifan to sit down and eat, and the group chatted as they ate.

After dinner, Lin Yifan went to bed early. He was exhausted after a day and a night of running around.

In the following months, the Japanese army advanced with unstoppable momentum, quickly occupying most of Southeast Asia, and was mobilizing heavy troops in preparation for an attack on Australia.

The only force that could be mobilized at the moment was the Kwantung Army stationed in Northeast China, and Lin Yifan was constantly monitoring the movements of the Japanese. At the same time, he ordered Chen Gongshu to arrange three groups of special agents to infiltrate the Northeast and monitor the Kwantung Army.

That afternoon, Lin Yifan, who was taking a nap at home, was woken up by Xia Yan: "Young Master, Uncle Chen is here. He says he has something important to report."

Upon hearing that Chen Gongshu had arrived, Lin Yifan knew there was news from the Northeast. He quickly got out of his canopy bed, hastily threw on a cotton-padded coat, and went to the main room.

Upon seeing him, Chen Gongshu, who was standing in the main room, quickly stepped forward and respectfully said, "Young Master, news has come from the Northeast: the First Tank Division, the Ninth Division, and the Eleventh Division are assembling at Lushunkou."

Meanwhile, the Japanese Fourth Fleet also arrived at Port Arthur, along with a large number of troop transport ships. The Japanese were likely preparing to transfer the Kwantung Army to the Pacific theater.

Did the news report confirm the Japanese troops' assembly time?

"The news says that, judging from the current mobilization speed, they should be able to complete the mobilization in three more days. They will definitely complete the resupply and reorganization in Lushunkou before setting off."

Lin Yifan tapped the table with his fingertips, his eyes darkening: "The Japanese are emptying their coffers, which conveniently leaves us an opening."

"You immediately telegraph back, instructing the brothers in the ambush not to move, to continue keeping watch, and absolutely not to reveal their whereabouts. After all the Japanese have boarded the ships and left, have them scout out the locations of the Japanese warehouses throughout Northeast China and send the information back."

Chen Gongshu immediately nodded and replied, "I'll go reply right away. Also, the operation in Beiping has yielded results. The list of those hoarding grain and cotton has been compiled, and we've also obtained evidence of their collusion with the Japanese. Now, take a look..."

Lin Yifan smiled upon hearing this: "Now that we have evidence, have Commander Kong send people to assist the guard team in their operation. Don't let any of them get away. Arrest these people, confiscate their homes, and seize all the stockpiled supplies."

Those who colluded with the Japanese should be dragged outside the city and shot as a warning to other capitalists who still harbor illusions.

Chen Gongshu saluted and said, "I'll make the arrangements right away." He then turned to leave.

"Wait," Lin Yifan called out to him.

"Young master, is there anything else you need?"

"Uncle Chen, what's the current situation with the men you have?" Lin Yifan asked.

"Young master, I recruited fifty men from Shi Tou and Zhao Gang's guards. They are all skilled fighters from the former Northeast Army and Northwest Army. They have completed their initial training, and nine of them will be going to the Northeast this time."

In addition, we have taken in more than 1,700 orphans, all aged between six and fifteen. Their health has improved significantly, and they now receive training during the day and academic classes in the evenings. The instructors are professors from Yenching University and Tsinghua University.

As you requested, each person must learn at least two foreign languages, with Hokkien and Cantonese being compulsory subjects. Of course, loyalty education has always been the top priority.

These children know that their current life is hard-won, so they are all very diligent and hardworking. They get up before dawn every day for morning exercises, and after their academic classes, they voluntarily practice extra. Many children are already ahead of schedule, and in another six months, they will be able to produce a team of capable people.

What is their male-to-female ratio?

Chen Gongshu was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, then quickly calculated before speaking: "Reporting to you, young master, there are over 1,100 boys and over 600 girls, totaling 1,724 people. There is no mistake whatsoever."

Lin Yifan nodded slightly and said, "Girls shouldn't slack off in their training either. The intelligence and communication work they will be responsible for later will be even more important than fieldwork. You should tell the trainees not to treat them differently."

Chen Gongshu quickly agreed: "Don't worry, young master. I've always emphasized to the trainers that we've never relaxed the girls' studies. They study academic subjects more diligently than the boys, and their progress is actually faster."

Lin Yifan nodded and said with satisfaction, "That's good. Just keep training at your current pace. I will send another batch of supplies to the base later. We will replenish your food and medicine so that the children can train with peace of mind without worry."

After a year of training, they will be grouped according to their strengths, and then given targeted training in areas such as intelligence, operations, communications, and logistics.

In particular, the action team must strictly follow the special forces training outline I gave you. From physical fitness, combat, and infiltration behind enemy lines to demolition and weapon dismantling, no aspect can be compromised. Everyone must be proficient in every aspect to be considered qualified.

These children are the seeds of our future. We must lay a solid foundation for them and never be impatient for quick results or force them to grow too fast. In the future, these children will be our core backbone.

In addition, regarding the matter of arranging the raid on your home this time, besides the portion of the confiscated property used to replenish military supplies, set aside 20% for the training base. This will be used to buy some cotton-padded clothes and shoes for the children, as well as some writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. Although it is still warm now, it is still a bit cold at night, so we can ensure that they can train and study in a warm and comfortable environment.

"Oh, and you can also take a look at those fifteen girls who came back with their brothers and their families this time. They've all had tough lives. Ask them what they're willing to do. If they agree, arrange for them to join the training as well. If any of our team members take a liking to each other, you can try to set them up."