Siheyuan: Reborn Silly Pillar, Taking Control of the Entire Courtyard

He Yuzhu slept soundly in the space.

Once he was fully awake, he used his divine sense to reconnect with the outside world.

It was quiet outside; the shouts, footsteps, and gunshots of the Japanese soldiers could no longer be heard.

He rubbed his throbbing head and then realized that he had really been half asleep in the space.

He took out his pocket watch and saw that the hour and minute hands had both gone around two and a half times, meaning a full thirty hours had passed.

But the next second, he suddenly slapped his forehead.

This is a mysterious space where time flows at ten times the normal speed!

Thirty hours may pass inside the space, but only three hours may pass outside.

"Good grief, I almost got myself into trouble."

He Yuzhu clicked his tongue in amazement.

Three hours from now, the city will still be in a state of frenzy under martial law. Going out now would be like walking into a trap.

"No, we need to stay a little longer and figure things out first."

He pondered, and decided to simply venture into the area where time had stopped.

He only puts his mouth into the flowing space to breathe, while his body stays in the static zone. In this way, time in the outside world hardly moves, so he won't age quickly; at most, his beard will just grow a little longer.

But staying here is just too boring.

He Yuzhu simply took out a few straw figures from his spatial storage and placed them on the open ground as targets.

Then, he brought out pistols, rifles, submachine guns, and machine guns one by one.

"Biu! BiuBiuBiu!"

"Rat-a-tat-tat—!"

Gunshots echoed in the silent space. He tried out all the guns and had a great time shooting.

After venting his anger, he lay down on the bed made of bean stalks, feeling weak all over.

My body hasn't fully developed yet. The continuous high-intensity sniping, bombardment, close combat, and escape, plus a crazy round of target practice, is really taking its toll.

After resting for a while, my stomach started growling.

He Yuzhu pulled out a can of meat and a few fluffy white steamed buns, and began to devour them.

After eating and drinking his fill, he boiled some water and took a refreshing bath.

The smell of gunpowder, blood, and sweat mixed together on my body, and if I didn't wash it off, I would feel choked up.

He also washed and cleaned the dusty clothes, and hung them out to dry in the room. They dried completely in no time.

He waited patiently in the space until it got dark outside and the streetlights dimmed before finally preparing to set off.

The moment he emerged, he was clutching two Mauser pistols fully loaded with bullets in his hands, and a gleaming bayonet was tucked into his waistband.

Vigilance is essential for survival.

He walked along the alleyway to the end, hugging the wall, and peered out.

The densely packed, heavily armed Japanese troops that had been there during the day had already withdrawn, and no one knew where they had chased after them like mad dogs.

But the streets are still not safe.

The puppet soldiers, with their dark skin, and small patrols of Japanese soldiers, wandered around in groups of three or five, their eyes sinister, questioning anyone they saw.

He Yuzhu dared not walk on the main road.

Climbing over walls, crossing courtyards, squeezing through narrow alleys, and passing through doorways, like a raccoon at night, it silently avoided all dangerous areas.

Only after confirming that it was completely safe did he start walking and hurry towards Nanluoguxiang.

Unbeknownst to him, during the few hours he hid in the space, the entire city of Beijing had already erupted in chaos.

The fact that the Japanese commander had arrived in Beiping could not be kept secret from those with ulterior motives.

Gunfire and artillery fire erupted at the city gate, flames soared into the sky, and the explosions could be heard for several streets. How could they possibly suppress the noise?

Before the site was cleared, the Japanese soldiers sealed off an area within a one-kilometer radius, preventing even a fly from getting in.

It wasn't until the afternoon, after the site was cleaned up, that the police tape was slowly removed.

The car, which had been bombed to pieces, was wrapped tightly in tarpaulin by the Japanese soldiers, loaded onto a truck, and driven away.

But the truckloads of wounded soldiers being hauled away, the corpses covered in white sheets, and the thick, unmistakable stench of blood in the air could not be hidden at all.

The news spread like wildfire throughout the city.

Radio stations across the country immediately went into overdrive.

The Japanese military hospital became a focal point of attention for various forces.

In Chongqing, they went so far as to use their long-buried informants to desperately gather information.

3:30 p.m.

Chongqing receives electricity:

Commander-in-Chief of the Japanese Expeditionary Army, Hisao Tani, was attacked at the city gate of Beiping and died on the spot.

The news sent shockwaves throughout the country.

Four o'clock in the afternoon.

The Japanese headquarters immediately issued a telegram to refute the rumors, claiming that Tani Hisao had only suffered minor injuries and would soon make a public appearance, and that the attacker had been shot dead on the spot.

This is a self-deceiving trick; only a fool would believe it.

It's 5:30 in the evening.

The Yan'an authorities sent a direct telegram, delivering a resounding slap to the Japanese soldiers' faces.

The power supply clearly confirms:

Hisao Tani was shot in the head and then shelled, his body was mangled, and he died on the spot.

Source of the information?

All I can say is that they are incredibly resourceful. Perhaps someone within the Japanese ranks couldn't stand it and secretly leaked the information.

The commander of the Japanese North China Area Army was truly panicked at this moment.

This tactic—disappearing immediately after the attack, leaving no trace of the cannons, the people, or any other evidence—is exactly the same as the previous mysterious attacks.

The only difference was that there were two more artillery shell casings and a dense pile of machine gun shell casings at the scene this time.

This is too bizarre.

Even the Japanese believed in gods, Buddhas, ghosts, and monsters.

But this news was suppressed.

The first batch of soldiers who rushed forward were secretly dealt with to silence them and prevent future trouble.

This secret was eventually buried in the coffin along with that commander.

These are all things to be discussed later.

Let's go back to He Yuzhu.

Luckily he didn't come out a step earlier, otherwise he would have walked right into the trap set by the Japanese, and even ten lives wouldn't have been enough to kill him.

By the time he quietly crept back to the vicinity of the courtyard house, it was already completely dark.

At the main gate, a familiar figure was pacing anxiously back and forth, his steps as fast as an ant on a hot pan.

It is He Daqing.

He Daqing craned his neck, gazing longingly towards the alley entrance, his heart pounding in his throat.

Suddenly, a small figure walked briskly towards them from afar.

He Daqing's eyes widened, and he recognized him on the spot.

"Pillar!"

He yelled and rushed over like a madman.

He ran up to him, and without saying a word, slapped He Yuzhu hard across the neck, leaving him stunned.

"You brat! Where have you been all day?!"

He Daqing was both angry and anxious, and his eyes were red.

He Yuzhu rubbed the back of his head, looking aggrieved: "Dad! Didn't I go out to make contact? I just finished talking to someone and then chaos broke out outside. The Japanese were arresting people everywhere. I didn't dare to come back, so I had to find a place to hide and wait until things calmed down before I dared to run home."

"You scared your father to death!" He Daqing grabbed his son's hand with such force that he almost crushed the bones. "Come home with me right now! Your grandmother and mother are crying their eyes out at home!"

As he spoke, he pulled He Yuzhu toward the main gate.

"No, Dad!" He Yuzhu quickly grabbed him. "When I left this morning, I didn't use the main gate; I climbed over the wall!"

He Daqing was taken aback: "Then how did you get back?"

He Yuzhu hesitated for a moment, then whispered, "Dog...dog hole."

He Daqing was so angry she wanted to slap him again, but ultimately felt sorry for him and gritted her teeth, saying, "Then hurry up and crawl back inside! I'll go in through the main gate and wait for you in the courtyard to cover for you!"

Without saying a word, he grabbed He Yuzhu and ran towards the corner of the east courtyard wall.

He Yuzhu felt incredibly humiliated.

Just think of how impressive it was that he had just bombarded the Japanese commander and single-handedly slaughtered over a hundred Japanese soldiers.

When they got home, they had to crawl through a dog hole.

He bent down and squeezed in, feeling frustrated. He Daqing, annoyed by his slowness, gave him a light kick in the buttocks.

"Hurry up! Are you dawdling and trying to get noticed?"

He Yuzhu, covered in dust, crawled through the dog hole into the east courtyard and squatted in the corner to wait.

A moment later, He Daqing walked over as if nothing had happened, grabbed him, and whispered, "When you get home, keep your mouth shut. You know what to say, right?"

"I know, just say I hid for a day." He Yuzhu nodded, then pretended to be clueless, "By the way, Dad, what happened outside today? Why is it such a mess?"

He Daqing's face darkened, and he lowered his voice even further: "I don't know the specifics, I only know that something happened to a high-ranking Japanese official. The lunch that was ordered didn't come, so the restaurant closed early."

"You little brat, don't go asking questions. It's none of your business, you hear me?"

"Oh—" He Yuzhu replied in a drawn-out voice.

But inside, he was already overjoyed, secretly gloating with a wicked sense of pleasure:

Hehe, not some big shot, just the highest-ranking official here.

If you knew that it was your own son who killed him, wouldn't you be scared out of your wits?

When they arrived at his doorstep, He Daqing was still worried and glared at him again: "Remember, be careful what you say when you get back, don't give anything away!"

"Yes, Father!"

The door opened.

He Yuzhu's vision blurred, and he was suddenly embraced tightly by a warm figure.

My face was covered, and a familiar scent, with a faint aroma of soap and milk, wafted into my nostrils.

Immediately following was a low, suppressed sob.

It's Chen Lanxiang.

"My dear Zhu'er...you're finally back...waaaah...I was so scared..."

"I'm never letting you go out again, we're not going out anymore, boohoo..."

She hugged him very tightly, almost pulling He Yuzhu into her arms.

He Yuzhu was suffocating from being suffocated, kicking his arms and legs wildly: "Ugh... ugh ugh ugh!"

If she keeps holding him like this, he might survive the hail of bullets from the Japanese, but when he gets home, his own mother will smother him to death.

He pushed away a little, panting heavily, his face turning red.

Chen Lanxiang then realized that she had been too hasty, and her face turned bright red with embarrassment.

"Alright, Lanxiang, it's good that the child is back safe and sound."

The old lady sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), secretly wiping away a tear from the corner of her eye. Her voice was slightly hoarse, but still steady.

"Pillar, it's too chaotic outside. You're not allowed to go out and take risks like this anymore."

"With your father backing you up outside, there's no need for a half-grown boy like you to venture out and make your way in the world for the family."

"Understood, Madam." He Yuzhu nodded obediently.

"Daqing, Zhuzi is back. Go make something to eat; the child hasn't eaten all day."

"Okay, Grandma!" He Daqing quickly turned around and went into the kitchen.

Inside the house, He Yuzhu was dragged to the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) by his mother, who then interrogated him thoroughly.

He had already crafted a flawless story, only saying that after he went out, he would hide whenever he saw Japanese soldiers or heard gunfire, and that he knew nothing else.

Although Chen Lanxiang felt sorry for her, she didn't suspect anything.

It wasn't until now that He Yuzhu finally understood just how chaotic his house had become that day.

He Daqing came home exceptionally early today.

The important figures who had booked the banquet did not show up, gunfire and artillery were rampant in the city, and no one dared to go out on the streets. The restaurants closed down immediately.

When he got home, he heard that his son had gone out early in the morning and hadn't returned yet. He was so anxious that he paced around the house, his heart pounding in his chest.

Chen Lanxiang was so frightened that her face turned pale, she was completely distraught, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

She wanted He Daqing to go out and find someone, but she couldn't bring herself to say it.

What's going on outside?

The city gates were sealed off, and the Japanese soldiers arrested anyone they saw and opened fire at the slightest provocation.

Once He Daqing leaves, he might not be able to find his son, let alone return himself.

On one side is her son, whose fate is unknown, and on the other side is her husband, who may never return.

Chen Lanxiang's heart was torn apart. She could only sit on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), tears streaming down her face, filled with regret.

Just when the couple were at their wits' end and on the verge of collapse, the old lady arrived.

Upon hearing what had happened, the old lady immediately exploded.

Leaning on his cane, he gave the two of them a thorough dressing-down.

"He Daqing! You fool! What kind of time is this to send the child out to get things? Is that all you care about, that little bit of stuff and that little bit of money? You don't even care about your son's life!"

"Chen Lanxiang! You're his mother! Your child wants to go out and risk his life, and instead of stopping him, you're covering for him and letting him go? What are you up to!"

"How could I have given birth to such a useless brat!"

The old woman was so angry that she slammed her cane into the ground and cursed and hit the two of them, with several blows landing on her body.

He Daqing and Chen Lanxiang remained silent, obediently enduring the beating, their hearts filled with remorse.

After scolding and beating him, He Daqing, his eyes red, grabbed his clothes and was about to rush outside: "Mother, I'm going out to find Zhuzi! I need to see him alive or dead!"

"stop!"

With a sharp shout, the old lady blocked the doorway with her cane.

"You come back here!"

"Mother, I have to go find him!" He Daqing roared anxiously.

"Looking for you? How are you going to look for me?!" The old woman's eyes were sharp as knives. "The moment you step out the door, the Japanese will capture you! Then, our family will suddenly be without two men. Do you want this old woman to bury her son?!"

"We can't just sit and wait!"

"We have to wait, whether we want to or not!" The old lady took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her panic. "Zhu Zi is clever and skilled. If he can get out, he can come back."

"Going out now is suicide."

"All of you stay put and behave yourselves. Don't go out or make a sound!"

"If he can come back, he will."

"If they can't come back, that's fate! But you can't go and send them off!"

He Daqing stood frozen in place, trembling all over. In the end, he could only dejectedly put down his clothes and lean against the wall as if he had lost his soul.

……

As He Yuzhu listened to his mother's intermittent narration, his heart warmed.

The feeling of being cared for, worried about, and protected with all one's might brought a slight sting to his nose.

He lowered his head, concealing the complex emotions in his eyes.

Don't worry.

From now on, it's my turn to protect this family.

If it were me, I would send all those Japanese devils who bullied and harmed us, one by one, to hell.

The sounds of pots and pans clattering came from the kitchen.

Inside, the lights were dim and warm.

The old lady sat on the kang (a heated brick bed), looking at him with a kind expression.

Chen Lanxiang kept touching his head and his hands, as if afraid that he was missing a piece of flesh.

He Daqing walked in carrying steaming hot food, still cursing under his breath, but his eyes were full of undisguised joy and lingering fear.

He Yuzhu raised his head and grinned.

It feels so good to be home.

The bloody battlefield outside was merely a secret hidden deep within his heart.

From this day forward, he will be the vanquishing bandits lurking in the shadows.

Every shot, every cannon shot, is for the sake of the nation.