Chapter 20: Gladly Gaining Two Helpful Assistants

On December 19, 1927 (the 16th year of the Republic of China), Chen Jiehua rose early and decided it was time to make use of his two fellow cadets.

“Yongsu, you’re just the person I need. You studied engineering, right? Didn't the school teach you how to design and build secret passages and hidden rooms?”

“Of course, that’s my major! But I haven’t had a chance to use those skills.”

“Well, now’s your chance! I have this room and the shop at the front. I plan to open a pharmacy. Here’s my idea: I want a hidden room in the shop and another in the house. The two rooms should be able to function independently or be connected. There must be a reliable escape route. But you can’t use any of the standard construction methods taught at school for the entrances, camouflage, or anything else. Can you do it?”

“Both the shop and the house already have basements. Aren’t you going to use them? We folks from Fengtian love to dig extra basements under our houses.”

“If everyone knows about the basement, it’s hardly hidden anymore, is it? At best, we could dress it up as a decoy to confuse the enemy.”

“How about this: I’ll leave the shop and house in your hands. I want the pharmacy to operate openly at the front. The hidden room should be suitable for surgeries and saving lives—just like this time with Liu Junze. The basement will be the storeroom. The doors to both the hidden room and the basement must be concealed. The hidden room must have at least one quick escape route.”

“The back house is for living, and the basement, too—no need to hide anything there. The three of us will stay in the back, with a room made in the basement, and another hidden room in the house.”

Zhou Yongsu nearly wanted to hit someone upon hearing this! Such utter lack of shame!

“You think I’m building this all for myself?” Chen Jiehua read Zhou Yongsu’s expression and understood immediately.

He then placed a bundle of Japanese yen on the table. “Take this for your expenses. But when you’re renovating the shop and the house, keep the work to normal hours during the day for appearances. Any modifications must be done at night, and keep the noise to a minimum. This is your area of expertise, so I won’t interfere further.”

“Make sure to keep your military academy diplomas on you. They’re more useful than you think. If the Japanese gendarmes arrest or trouble you, that certificate alone will usually get you through! At least, that’s true in territories occupied by the Japanese.”

“You, Zhou Yongsu, need to brush up on what you learned at school. Figure out how to tail, monitor, and counter-surveil people properly. What you did at noon today just won’t do! You were following me! I knew the moment I stepped out that you were there! Imagine if you’d been following a Japanese officer. By now, you’d have suffered at least half the ten most torturous punishments.”

“I was just desperate to save Junze. I didn’t think that much!”

“Still making excuses?”

Liu Junze, lying on the bed, couldn’t bear to watch any longer and signaled to Zhou Yongsu with his eyes.

“Alright, it’s getting late. You’re both smart—you’ll figure it out. Take your time.”

Zhou Yongsu’s character seemed trustworthy—willing to take risks to save a comrade.

As for Liu Junze, he would rather let his leg be broken and risk death than betray or falsely accuse Zhang Xiaoliu. Clearly, Liu Junze’s character was beyond reproach as well.

If, right after returning to the country, he could recruit two capable allies, it was something to be happy about!

Meanwhile, at the Kwantung Army Headquarters compound.

After killing, Chen Jiehua left the aftermath for others, walking away without a backward glance. But Sakurada Takeshi’s corpse couldn’t just be left lying in the compound, after all.

After the crowds dispersed, Section Two was tasked with cleaning up the body and washing the floor. Kawamoto Dazuo, having pieced together the sequence of events, first assembled the interrogation section and gave them a scolding, then collected Liu Junze’s interrogation records before going upstairs to report to the commander and the chief of staff. The chief of staff would then need to submit a report to headquarters.

The chief of staff soon received a terse reply from headquarters: “Keep Aoki Jo appeased.”

Saito Tsunemoto, the chief of staff, was bewildered. A new recruit kills a colonel on his second day, and headquarters replies with a mere six words?

“What’s Aoki Jo’s background?” Saito spent half the night calling up friends in headquarters, and what he learned shocked him: Aoki Jo was the grandson of Aoki Nobumasa! Cousin to the new Emperor and Empress! The Emperor himself had bestowed the name Aoki Jo, and the Empress had personally titled him the Shimazu War God!

Most importantly, he had connections in America! He worked with American pharmaceutical companies—the last shipment of aspirin had arrived through his efforts! That was the most tangible benefit of all!

What a bunch of fools to have crossed a figure like this! Saito promptly went and scolded the interrogation section again.

The next morning, when Aoki Jo arrived at work, from the moment he stepped through the gate, a chorus of respectful greetings followed him: “Good morning, Lord Aoki!” and similar salutations, one after another.

He became famous overnight!

When he reached Section One on the third floor, colleagues swarmed around, full of admiration, making Section Chief beam with pride. The office beauty, Haruko, clung to Aoki Jo’s arm and wouldn’t let go.

That morning, Chief of Staff Saito summoned Aoki Jo in person and handed him the interrogation records, stating that Sakurada had acted alone and that the interrogation would not go on the official record, thus clearing Liu Junze’s name. Since Sakurada Takeshi was dead, and the chief of staff had made overtures in person, Chen Jiehua did not intend to press the matter further and promptly expressed his thanks, letting the matter rest.

In a Chinese city, what spreads fastest? Rumors and gossip, of course!

While out buying supplies, Zhou Yongsu overheard townsfolk whispering that the previous night at the Japanese Kwantung Army headquarters, a life-and-death duel had rocked the compound!

A newly arrived Japanese lieutenant colonel had split Colonel Sakurada Takeshi in two with a single stroke—so fast that the blade bore no blood! How sensational!

By the time the story made the rounds, it morphed into a tale of a rookie soldier who, for the sake of a beautiful woman, sliced down Colonel Sakurada Takeshi with one blow!

Zhou Yongsu asked around, hearing all kinds of versions of the story, each with a different cause but the same ending: Sakurada Takeshi was dead. Some even claimed to have seen Japanese soldiers carry out his body in a coffin, shipping it back to Japan!

Returning to Aoki Jo’s residence, Zhou Yongsu excitedly shared the news with Liu Junze, and the two were so moved they wiped tears from their eyes.

It must have been Aoki Seigen! Last night, when he returned, he was gripping a sword, and I could smell blood, though at the time I assumed it was my own.

He had gone back to avenge me, killing Sakurada Takeshi outright! Wasn’t he afraid of military punishment? Why would he do such a thing? And he didn’t even mention it afterward!

The two discussed it in hushed voices as they tidied the room, anxiety gnawing at them—what if Aoki Seigen never came back? That would explain why he gave them the house and so much money in the first place.

They waited the whole day, uneasy, until evening finally brought Aoki Seigen’s return.

The two of them looked at me so intensely it made Chen Jiehua uncomfortable. He gazed at them in puzzlement. “What are you two staring at?”

“Last night, did you go back to headquarters just to kill Sakurada Takeshi?” Liu Junze’s voice trembled as he half-sat up, bracing himself with one hand. If he got confirmation, he’d probably drop to his knees with gratitude.

Chen Jiehua saw Liu Junze’s posture, so instead of answering right away, he closed the door, came to the bedside, and motioned for Liu Junze to sit.

“Sit down and focus on your recovery. It was just a colonel—nothing worth all this fuss.”

Aoki Seigen’s every gesture was noted by Zhou Yongsu. Such careful attention to Liu Junze—it had reached the point of minute detail! There was no longer any need to doubt him.

While Chen Jiehua spoke with Liu Junze, Zhou Yongsu dropped to his knees beside them.

“Hey! Yongsu, what are you doing?”

“Aoki Seigen! Liu Junze and I have talked it over! Just for the way you handle things, we’re both willing to follow you! We don’t care whether you’re Aoki Seigen or Chen Jiehua! We don’t care if you’re Chinese or Japanese! We don’t care if this is all some elaborate ruse! Even if it is, we’re in!”

Incredible! Killing Sakurada Takeshi brought such unexpected benefits! He’d been pondering how to recruit these two as assistants, only for them to offer themselves unbidden.

Chen Jiehua turned to look at Liu Junze, whose eyes were shining with excitement; he gave a firm nod.

“Very well, since you two have decided, I won’t be coy. I need assistants, too!”