A Mistaken Operation Brings Catastrophic Disaster

In September 1939, under the command of General Okamura Neiji, the Japanese Eleventh Army launched the “Hunan-Jiangxi Campaign,” attacking Changsha.

Japanese aircraft flew overhead all day long, forcing Zu Ye and Hong Laohu’s group to hide in the mountain hollow, not daring to come out.

At night, Zu Ye fell into deep contemplation again: if Hunan were to fall, where should they go?

Several bandits under Hong Laohu were fiddling with a green box they had captured a few days ago when ambushing the Japanese. No one had seen such a thing before, so they were all curious, poking here and touching there. The thing occasionally emitted one or two strange sounds.

Si Batou Zhang Zizhan heard the noise and came over. After looking at it, he suddenly shouted loudly: “Don’t touch it! This is a military radio! It can emit signals!”

“What thing?”

“A radio! The enemy can track the signal and find us! Destroy it quickly!”

“Huh?” Several bandits didn’t understand. “It looks like a phonograph. We were hoping to use it to listen to news! It would be such a waste to smash it!”

Si Batou saw that this group had pig brains and couldn’t reason with them, so he ran directly to Zu Ye’s room and said: “Zu Ye, we should leave. This group will bring trouble!”

“What happened?” Zu Ye asked.

“A few days ago when we ambushed the Japanese army, we captured a radio. This group doesn’t know what it is and fiddles with it all day. Radios emit signals. If the Japanese track it down, we’re all finished!”

After hearing this, Zu Ye nodded and hurried to tell Hong Laohu about it. Liu Congyun, listening nearby, became anxious: “Damn it, didn’t I tell them to smash that thing the other day?”

Hong Laohu was quite shocked upon hearing this: “This thing is so magical? Then burn it quickly!”

At Hong Laohu’s command, the bandits built a fire and threw the radio into it.

But it was already too late. A Nationalist army unit was approaching this area. Military Statistics Bureau agents had intercepted this signal and reported it to Dai Li. Because these bandits had been pressing buttons randomly, the signals emitted were also garbled. Dai Li had his most capable intelligence personnel try to decode it, but they still couldn’t penetrate the mystery in this telegram.

Recently, with frequent warfare, Dai Li had intercepted too many strange codes. Many telegrams were incomprehensible, like heavenly books that couldn’t be figured out no matter how hard they tried.

Later, Dai Li sent reconnaissance soldiers to scout the location where the signal was emitted. The scouts returned and reported: it’s a gang of mountain bandits, about a thousand people.

Dai Li immediately judged that they must be in league with the Japanese devils, and promptly issued an extermination order. He thought: I can’t defeat the Japanese, but dealing with you bandits is more than enough.

Just as the Battle of Changsha was raging intensely, a thousand-man mixed regiment quietly advanced into the deep mountains. After two days of observation and troop deployment, at dawn on the third day, they launched an attack on Hong Laohu’s mountain stronghold.

This time Hong Laohu was completely unprepared. The sudden arrival of the army shocked him greatly. The military equipment Chiang Kai-shek had obtained from America demonstrated its power before the bandits. Heavy machine guns and cannons fired together, and the bandits responsible for the outer defense line were beaten dizzy. Soon the first line of defense was breached.

Hong Laohu was frantic with anxiety: “Who the hell is this, attacking me right off the bat!”

A bandit came to report: “It’s the Nationalist army.”

Upon hearing this, Hong Laohu seemed to understand: “It must be because I ambushed their transport convoy a few years ago, and now they’ve come to settle accounts.”

The four great warriors under Hong Laohu, upon hearing this, clamored: “Then let’s fight to mutual destruction!” They took up weapons and rushed out, each taking defensive positions.

However, there was one thing Hong Laohu didn’t understand: How did they find us? Could it really be that broken radio?

The Nationalist army’s attack became increasingly fierce. They seemed to know the terrain like the back of their hand, and all three of Hong Laohu’s defense lines were breached. Wang Jikun, the first of the four great warriors known as “Hundred-Pace Sharpshooter,” was shot through the head by a Nationalist sniper. “Twin-Blade Heroine” Zhu Jin was also wounded. Before the regular army, the bandit force’s unprofessionalism was fully exposed.

Military Advisor Liu Congyun was sweating with anxiety and finally said to Hong Laohu: “Commander, retreat. While the green hills remain…”

Before he could finish, Hong Laohu became anxious: “Retreat? Retreat where? Since I, Hong Laohu, became a bandit in 1930, I’ve killed landlords, captured evil tyrants, ambushed the Nationalists, and resisted the little Japanese. I’ve beaten all the leaders in the surrounding territories into submission. Where can I retreat to?”

“Commander, this time is different. The other side came prepared,” Liu Congyun said anxiously.

Zu Ye also frowned deeply on the side: What’s going on? The Nationalists are resisting the Japanese army in Changsha, so how do they still have troops to spare for bandit suppression here? No matter what, today looks more ominous than auspicious.

“Commander,” Zu Ye said, “why not raise white flags first and feign surrender, then let me call out to probe their true intentions?”

Hong Laohu looked at Zu Ye: “That works.”

Zu Ye walked out of the cave and ordered the bandits all around to raise white flags and stop shooting.

Zu Ye lay behind a large rock and shouted loudly: “Officer—we are righteous bandits. We never oppress the common people or cause trouble for the government. A few days ago we even ambushed the Japanese army. Chinese don’t fight Chinese!”

Hearing this, the other side stopped attacking: “Surrender and you won’t be killed! All of you come out with your hands up!”

“Officer, please give us a way to live!”

“Can’t you understand human speech! I told you to surrender and come out!”

Zu Ye realized this was a trap to lure the enemy. If they surrendered their weapons, they would surely be shot. After much thought, he suddenly shouted: “Officer, I’m an old acquaintance of your General Dai. Please pass on a message—tell him ‘Mr. Tieban’ from Jianghuai is here!”

The leader, upon hearing this, immediately reported to Dai Li via radio.

At this moment, Dai Li was frantic with anxiety over not being able to find Zu Ye. Before the Battle of Wuhan, Dai Li had asked Zu Ye to return to Sichuan with him, but Zu Ye hadn’t agreed. Later, when Zu Ye set up the trap in Wuhan to burn the Japanese shamans, Dai Li guessed this scheme was Zu Ye’s doing. After that, Zu Ye’s group disappeared without a trace. Dai Li thought Zu Ye’s fate was likely grim, thinking: “Mr. Tieban” is truly a rare talent. I had wanted to convince him sooner or later to join Military Statistics as my private advisor, but now his life or death is unknown. Heaven does not help me!

Later, Dai Li specially sent out a special agent squad to search everywhere for Zu Ye’s whereabouts. He never imagined that Zu Ye had hidden in a bandit cave.

The baffled Dai Li, seeing the urgent telegram from the front, was overjoyed and immediately replied: Continue the attack, spare “Mr. Tieban,” kill all the rest without exception!

After receiving the encrypted message, the bandit suppression regiment commander began calling out: “General Dai orders ‘Mr. Tieban’ to come forward for a conversation.”

The brothers gathered around: “Zu Ye, don’t go. What if…”

Zu Ye looked at everyone, then at Hong Laohu, and said: “Don’t worry. If it’s fortune, it’s not disaster; if it’s disaster, you can’t avoid it.”

“Zu Ye, be careful,” Hong Laohu said.

Zu Ye stood up and walked over.

As soon as he entered the territory controlled by the other side, he heard gunfire and cannon fire suddenly erupt. This time the firepower was even fiercer, with hundreds of shells fired at Hong Laohu’s stronghold.

“What is the meaning of this?” Zu Ye was greatly shocked.

“Please rest here for a moment, sir. After the bandit suppression is successful, we’ll chat with you leisurely,” the regiment commander said. “Fire! Fire hard!”

Zu Ye immediately understood: Dai Li is ruthless indeed! He turned to leave, but several soldiers rushed over: “Sir, you’d better stay here obediently!”

On the mountain, the bandits’ cries and shouts became chaotic. A quarter hour later, the Nationalist army launched a general assault. Hong Laohu was killed by random gunfire. Liu Congyun and “Black-Faced Demon” led a team and fought their way out of the encirclement, fleeing in an unknown direction. The rest put down their guns, placed their hands on their heads, and walked out one by one.

Zu Ye ran over quickly. Several Batous were walking over with their hands raised. “Zu Ye! Zu Ye!” Upon seeing Zu Ye, they all rushed toward him.

Several soldiers were about to intercept them when Zu Ye glared at them: “These are all my disciples!”

“Brothers, is everyone all right?” Zu Ye asked.

Er Batou said with a smile: “We’re fine, we’re fine. It wasn’t our business to begin with. When Hong Laohu told us to go up, the brothers just picked up guns and hid in the back pretending. Who would charge forward? They’re suppressing bandits, not suppressing the ‘Jiang Xiang Sect’!”

Zu Ye seemed to remember something and hurriedly ran toward the cave.

Inside the cave, Nationalist soldiers were checking bandit corpses. In a corner, they discovered the wounded “Twin-Blade Heroine” Zhu Jin.

“Hey—come look, come look! There’s a female bandit!” a soldier called out loudly.

Several others gathered around: “Quite pretty, and nice breasts.” They began groping her.

“Get away!” Zhu Jin’s leg was bleeding and she couldn’t move.

“Well, well, quite the temper! The chief’s wife, huh! Ha ha ha ha. This young master will have his way with you today.” One soldier started to unbuckle his belt.

“Stop!” Zu Ye shouted and rushed in.

That soldier looked at Zu Ye dismissively: “None of your business. Go stand wherever it’s cool!”

“Fine, go ahead and do it,” Zu Ye smiled. “Then I’ll go back and report to Director Dai and have you all court-martialed!”

Upon hearing this, the soldiers’ ears drooped. “Damn it! Meddling busybody!” They cursed a few times, pulled up their pants, and left sullenly.

Zhu Jin looked at Zu Ye and said weakly: “Sir, please leave quickly and don’t worry about me. I’ll just die in this cave.” Tears rolled down as she spoke.

“Madam, why do you say this? While the green hills remain, there’s no worry about having firewood. I have a passing acquaintance with Dai Li of Military Statistics. Let me inform them, and perhaps they’ll spare you.”

Zhu Jin shook her head: “If you truly want to help me, just give me a bullet and I’ll be free.”

Zu Ye looked at her, then turned and walked to the cave entrance, shouting outside: “Bring a stretcher! Medic!”

The bandit suppression regiment commander looked at Zu Ye and said: “Medics don’t treat bandits!”

Zu Ye lowered his head in thought for a moment, then said loudly: “She’s not a bandit, she’s my wife!”

The regiment commander was stunned. The brothers of “Muzi Lian” were also stunned. Zhu Jin was even more shocked.

The regiment commander walked over cheerfully and said cunningly: “Sir enjoys this sort?”

“Will you save her or not?” Zu Ye squeezed out each word.

“Save! Save!” The regiment commander squinted his eyes, then patted Zu Ye’s shoulder. “Good taste.”

Zu Ye’s group withdrew with the main force.

At this time, the sky had brightened. A few birds flapped their wings and flew quietly over the secluded mountain hollow. The valley, where the gunsmoke had cleared, returned to its former tranquility.

## Military Statistics Chief Dai Li Decrypts Japanese Fengshui Intelligence

“How did you get mixed up with bandits, sir?” In the Nationalist official residence, Dai Li asked with confusion.

“Hehe, when Wuhan fell, my disciples and I all fled. While passing through a mountain hollow, we were ambushed by bandits, but later we became acquainted through our conflict. The other side were righteous bandits who don’t kill common folk.”

“Hehe,” Dai Li smiled. “Bandits are still bandits. Before the Battle of Wuhan, I asked you to go to Chongqing first, but you didn’t agree, and I had no choice. After Wuhan fell, I never heard from you again. I never imagined we would meet again by such coincidence. It’s fate!”

“Indeed,” Zu Ye said with a smile.

“This mountain bandit suppression yielded twelve sacks of silver ingots, an unexpected harvest. The Chairman is very pleased,” Dai Li said.

“General Dai is blessed by heaven,” Zu Ye agreed.

“However… that ‘Twin-Blade Heroine’ is not actually your wife. Why did you protect her so? Could it be that even heroes fall to beautiful women?” Dai Li asked with a smile.

“General Dai jests. Zhu Jin was severely wounded at that time. In that moment she wasn’t the ‘Twin-Blade Heroine’ or a bandit, just a wounded woman. I feared the soldiers would harm her life, so I had no choice but to resort to this desperate measure. The general laughs at me.”

“Chivalrous with a tender heart, righteous! I, Dai Li, built my career on the word ‘righteousness.’ Back in Shanghai, when the Blue Shirts Society was just established, all three major Shanghai gangs gave me some respect. By what? Loyalty! However… I see Zhu Jin does have some charm. Why doesn’t sir make the act real? Otherwise, I can neither kill nor release her. Wouldn’t that make things difficult for me?”

Zu Ye hadn’t expected to be outmaneuvered by Dai Li. At that critical moment, to protect Zhu Jin he had been forced to lie. Now this matter had become difficult. The Nationalists had expended manpower and resources on bandit suppression and finally captured one of the four great warriors. If they released her quietly, there would be no way to explain it to superiors or subordinates.

Zu Ye didn’t sleep all night, tossing and turning over this matter. Then he went to Zhu Jin’s hospital room.

“Thank you for saving my life, sir,” Zhu Jin said.

“Madam is too kind. It’s just that… this act must continue… otherwise you’ll have difficulty escaping.”

Zhu Jin smiled helplessly: “The commander is dead, and my heart died with him. Sir needn’t worry about me. Whether you kill or execute me, I accept it. It’s just… it’s just…”

Zhu Jin’s tears fell as she spoke.

“Just what?”

Zhu Jin touched her belly: “I’m already carrying the commander’s child.”

Upon hearing this, Zu Ye had mixed feelings. After a long while he said: “So… all the more reason for you to escape unscathed. During the day I talked with Dai Li, and he wants to arrange a marriage between us. This way you can be safe. What does madam think?”

Zhu Jin looked at Zu Ye, then touched her belly: “This troubles you so much…” Tears rolled down again.

Zu Ye said nothing, gazing at the night sky, standing still.

Zu Ye got married, taking as his bride the widow of a bandit chief. The Batous were all dumbfounded.

“Zu Ye, there are plenty of virgin girls! This… if word gets out in the jianghu, won’t it damage your reputation!” Er Batou said, scratching his head.

Zu Ye’s face was expressionless.

Privately, San Batou said to everyone: “I always thought Zu Ye had a problem with that thing down there, which is why he didn’t marry. Seeing this today, I was really wrong. Zu Ye truly has willpower, holding out all these years. Now he’s comfortable, hehe.”

Er Batou shook his head: “Should I also find a woman…”

Da Batou grinned widely: “What are you two babbling about! How could you fathom Zu Ye’s taste?”

Si Batou listened quietly. He thought of Huang Farong again, and his heart ached like needle pricks. He shook his sleeves and walked out alone.

Liu Batou followed him out: “Fourth Brother!”

Si Batou raised his head, gazing at the stars in the distant sky: “Alas… The autumn light of silver candles chills the painted screen, with a light silk fan fluttering at fireflies. The night colors on the celestial steps are cool as water, sitting to watch the Cowherd and Weaver stars.” After reciting this, tears streamed down his face.

“Fourth Brother,” Little Liu patted Zhang Zizhan’s shoulder and pulled out a pack of “Peacock” cigarettes from his chest. “Have one. I got these from a Shanghai tobacco merchant when I was with Ninth Master.”

Zhang Zizhan never smoked, but in that moment he took one. Little Liu lit it for him, and he tried hard to smoke it.

“Fourth Brother, Sixth Brother, what are you chatting about?” Wu Batou Zhang Qiling walked over.

“Chatting about this inscrutable life, unfathomable romance, and endless true feelings…” Si Batou sighed deeply.

“What’s wrong with him?” Wu Batou asked Little Liu in confusion.

“Passionate souls have always grieved at partings, all the more when neglected in this clear autumn season…” Si Batou sighed again.

“You two play. I’m going to sleep,” Wu Batou said confusedly and left.

“Perhaps… I was wrong to join the ‘Jiang Xiang Sect’…” Si Batou suddenly blurted out.

“Shh—” Little Liu looked around alertly. “Fourth Brother, you can’t say such things casually!”

“Are we upholding the Way of Heaven? Is there still a ‘Way’ in this world? I keep wondering what the true meaning of life is. Fame and fortune? Wine, women, and money? No matter how glorious one’s life, death is inevitable. Wealth and reputation—you bring nothing when born and take nothing when you die. A few days ago Hong Laohu was still mighty and powerful, but in an instant became a ghost under the gun. His wealth went to the Nationalists, his woman remarried to another. If his spirit exists below, what would he think?”

“Fourth Brother, you’re too pessimistic.”

“They say a real man must not live this life in vain. But what does ‘not in vain’ mean? One general’s success is built on ten thousand bones. One person’s fame and glory is always accompanied by countless deaths. Sometimes I truly envy the pastoral wilderness where ‘the bright moon shines among the pines, clear springs flow over stones,’ far from slaughter, without conspiracies, guarding one’s family, watching the sun and moon wax and wane, listening to summer rain and winter snow, then growing old peacefully. That would be true happiness…”

“Fourth Brother, let me do some boxing for you. Watch my ‘Zonghe Fist’ to shift your attention.”

With that, Little Liu suddenly leaped up, and a set of “Zonghe Fist” punches whooshed through the air. When he finished and turned around, Si Batou had disappeared: “Fourth Brother?”

“Keep practicing. I’m going to sleep,” Si Batou said from far away.

“Sir, now that personal matters are settled, let’s discuss some official business.” Dai Li pulled out a stack of telegrams. “These are some Japanese military codes we’ve intercepted recently. They involve many place names and fengshui terminology. The bureau has few people who understand fengshui. Please help me look at them, sir.”

Zu Ye was startled. No wonder Dai Li insisted on matchmaking his marriage—he wanted to put a shackle on him and trap him here to serve!

Zu Ye looked at the decoded messages one by one—fragmentary and without pattern.

Dai Li continued: “I’ve also found several masters from the Nationalist-controlled areas. Starting tomorrow, you and they will help Military Statistics decrypt these telegrams. I always feel the Japanese devils are planning something big…”

Zu Ye nodded and said: “The Dragon Vein Map of China.”

“What?” Dai Li was shocked.

“The Dragon Vein Map of China. Let me explain in detail, General…” Zu Ye told Dai Li in detail about the secrets of the Japanese corpse-driving team, along with his and Liu Congyun and Hong Laohu’s analytical conclusions.

After listening, Dai Li’s whole body shook. He said: “So you’re saying that the Japanese attacks, besides strategic needs, also consider fengshui matters?”

“Definitely! Bombarding Laojun Temple, binding Niutou Mountain—these are all fengshui warfare!” Zu Ye said firmly.

“Indeed!” Dai Li nodded. “Two battlefields—one is the smoke-filled battlefield of guns and cannons, the other is the silent fengshui war. Ruthless enough, vicious enough!”

“Can you use one sentence to clearly and plainly tell me what ‘dragon veins’ are?” Dai Li suddenly asked.

Zu Ye pondered for a moment and said: “Dragon veins are the veins of mountains. Soil is the dragon’s flesh, stone is the dragon’s bones, vegetation is the dragon’s hair. Mountain ranges have origins and destinations, which is called the dragon’s origin and course.”

“Excellent! What about plains without mountains?” Dai Li asked again.

“In plains we consider terrain and buildings, looking at the trends of the earth’s surface. The ground anywhere is never completely flat—there are always rises and depressions.”

“That makes sense! Where are the best dragon veins?”

“In people’s hearts. When people’s hearts are good, everywhere has good dragon veins. Good people in dangerous places can turn misfortune into fortune, while bad people in prosperous places encounter obstacles everywhere!” Zu Ye answered.

“Does sir also believe in religion?” Hearing this, Dai Li asked.

“Believe in religion?” Zu Ye didn’t understand.

“Sir just went from fengshui to discussing hearts, which has quite a Buddhist flavor, so I ask,” Dai Li explained.

“Oh, I’ve only dabbled occasionally, never converted, much less taken monastic vows,” Zu Ye said.

“Dai Li begs you, sir—please help decrypt the Japanese dragon vein code. Saving the Chinese people would be great compassion!” Dai Li said, bowing deeply.

Zu Ye thought to himself: Everyone has two sides. Even the best person has flaws, and even the worst person has good aspects. Whether Military Statistics Chief Dai Li does this for his own promotion and wealth or for the interests of the Chinese nation doesn’t matter at this moment. Working together to thwart the Japanese conspiracy is the goal of all Chinese people!

“Since ancient times, China has had the theory of three dragon veins. The Northern Dragon enters Shanxi from the Yinshan and Helan mountains, rises at Taiyuan, and stops at the sea. The Central Dragon enters Guanzhong from Minshan, reaches the sea at Qinshan. The Southern Dragon goes from Yunnan-Guizhou through Hunan to Fujian and Zhejiang, entering the sea. But does the General know where the ancient books record these three dragon veins originate?” Zu Ye asked.

“Where?”

“Mount Kunlun.”

“Mount Kunlun?”

“Mount Kunlun is the ancestor of all mountains, the source of dragon veins! The mountain rises ten thousand feet high. Above is the Queen Mother’s Jade Pool, below are waters that won’t even float a feather. Since ancient times it’s been called ‘the capital of the Yellow Emperor, the gate of a hundred beasts’…”

Hearing this, Dai Li suddenly interrupted Zu Ye: “Sir, look quickly at the telegrams. The words ‘Kunlun’ appear several times!”

Zu Ye bent down to observe carefully. In the fragmentary decoded messages, the words ‘Kunlun’ indeed appeared many times. Zu Ye exclaimed: “The Japanese want to occupy Mount Kunlun?”

“Hmm… probably not. Several thousand meters above sea level, remote mountains and long roads, white snow everywhere, desolate and uninhabited—the devils wouldn’t be stupid enough to ignore common sense just for fengshui.” As chief of Military Statistics, Dai Li was quite level-headed.

“Let me think more carefully,” Zu Ye nodded.

Over the following days, Zu Ye studied the decoded messages together with several other fengshui masters. During this time they consulted hundreds of ancient fengshui texts that Dai Li had collected, but still had no clue.

## The Death Point of the Dragon Vein—Kunlun Pass

At night, Zu Ye brewed a pot of tea and thought quietly.

Origin and course—where there’s origin, there’s course; where there’s course, there’s origin. The words “Kunlun” appear several times, yet they’re not occupying Mount Kunlun, so it must be… it must be referring to another Kunlun. But there’s only one Mount Kunlun in all of China. Besides that, what other Kunlun could there be? Hmm, change perspective… since the Japanese invasion of China… the battle line has been drawn too long. The Nationalist army has retreated to Chongqing, which still hasn’t fallen. Besides Chongqing, the regions still undefeated include Guangxi… East of Mount Kunlun—could they mean “Kunlun Pass” in Guangxi? The ancients said: The road passes through Kunlun Pass, in the forest you cannot see the sky, low nests shelter hidden birds, old trees entangle with strange vines, one pass leads to the bird’s path, the most dangerous under heaven! Fengshui books also mention: Kunlun Pass chokes the dragon’s belly, wind and fire make the earth dry with no retreat, like a ghost robbing the dragon—since ancient times it’s been called a fengshui death point. Could the Japanese be planning to advance on Kunlun Pass in Guangxi?

Thinking of this, Zu Ye immediately summoned Wu Batou Zhang Qiling.

Zhang Qiling was sleeping groggily when he was suddenly summoned by Zu Ye. He quickly threw on his clothes and rushed over.

“What are your orders, Zu Ye?”

“Fifth Brother, how much do you know about the Dragon Vein Map of China that has been passed down through the ages?” Zu Ye asked.

“There are two theories. One says China has a total of twelve dragon veins, penetrated by three main veins, each branching into four smaller dragon veins, totaling twelve! The other theory says China has only one great dragon vein, and all the mountains, hills, and rivers, large and small, are components of this dragon vein,” Zhang Qiling answered.

“Good!” Zu Ye nodded. “If we follow the second theory, where is Guangxi located on the dragon vein?”

Zhang Qiling pondered for a moment: “My grandfather once said that in China’s dragon vein, the dragon’s head is in the Pingjin area, the two dragon eyes—one is in Beiping, one is in Baoding, the dragon’s claws are in Fujian, the dragon’s whiskers in the Northeast, the dragon’s tail in Xinjiang, and Guangxi happens to be the belly of the coiled dragon!”

“That’s it!” Zu Ye said loudly. “That’s why since ancient times there’s been the saying ‘Kunlun Pass chokes the dragon’s belly’!”

After saying this, Zu Ye suddenly stood up and headed straight for Dai Li’s residence.

“Kunlun Pass?” Dai Li was greatly shocked after hearing this.

“It should be,” Zu Ye nodded.

“The Battle of Changsha is locked in a stalemate. Would they dare penetrate deep into Guangxi?” Dai Li didn’t understand.

“We must guard against it,” Zu Ye said.

Dai Li hesitated for a moment, his heart pounding: Should I report this to the Chairman or not? There’s no joking in military matters. Intelligence must be accurate and error-free before reporting. Is the conclusion this fortune-telling master deduced from fengshui reliable? If the Chairman truly believes it and deploys superior forces to guard Guangxi, would the Battle of Changsha end in failure? I mustn’t become a sinner against the nation! I wanted to gain merit, but if it backfires, that would be trouble!

Zu Ye saw through Dai Li’s thoughts and said slowly: “The General can make this suggestion to the Chairman—say that this is the conclusion given by the nation’s fengshui masters. You yourself find it difficult to judge whether it’s true or false, but you also feel you must guard against it. Let the Chairman decide.”

Dai Li nodded: “Alright, I’ll report to the Chairman.”

“Principal! According to Japanese telegrams intercepted by your student, the devils’ next step may be to advance on Guangxi…” Dai Li reported with his head lowered.

Chiang Kai-shek said nothing. He took a sip of coffee, then slowly stood up and picked up a telegram from the desk: “Yunong (Dai Li’s courtesy name), look at this.”

Dai Li took it and saw it was intelligence from American and British intelligence agencies sent by Roosevelt: The Japanese fleet was assembling in Tokyo Bay, with the possibility of taking a sea route to attack Guangxi.

Dai Li’s heart jumped in shock: This is too much of a coincidence!

“But… they haven’t completely taken Hunan yet. If they travel far to the Southwest, it doesn’t conform to conventional tactics…” Dai Li said.

“Yunong, all is fair in war. If I were Japanese, I would also risk my life to take Nanning!” Chiang Kai-shek said.

“Please instruct me, Principal!”

“After the Battle of Wuhan, the Japanese invaders suffered great losses. Now the Hunan campaign is in a stalemate, and the Japanese plan to quickly destroy China has already gone bankrupt. They’ve already occupied the southeastern coastal cities, and all the ports and docks have been cut off by them. Guangxi is our only channel for obtaining foreign material aid! In September alone this year, over ten thousand tons of supplies provided by America, Britain, and patriotic overseas Chinese were transported into the country through this route. This is our ‘Anti-Japanese Lifeline.’ If we lose Guangxi, we’ll truly become turtles in a jar!” Chiang Kai-shek said.

Dai Li listened with alarm. The dragon vein theory coincided with actual strategic needs. Was this a coincidence, or destined by fate?

“Principal, recently Military Statistics decrypted Japanese telegrams that repeatedly mentioned the word ‘Kunlun.’ The nation’s fengshui masters concluded that Kunlun Pass in Guangxi is a dragon vein death point. Kunlun Pass absolutely cannot be lost. If it’s lost, then…” Dai Li finally revealed the truth.

“Hehe,” Chiang Kai-shek smiled. “Kunlun Pass is the southern frontier barrier. Since ancient times it’s been a strategically contested place. During the Tang Dynasty, Huang Shaoqing’s rebellion against the Tang used this as a stronghold. During the Song Dynasty, Nong Zhigao’s rebellion against the Song also defended this pass. During the Ming Dynasty, the ‘Eight Strongholds’ rebellion against the Ming also held this pass. This place has dangerous terrain. Since ancient times there’s been the saying ‘one man guards the pass, ten thousand cannot open it.’ Yunong, even without looking at fengshui, we should be vigilant about this!”

“Yes! The Principal’s instruction is correct!”

Dai Li returned to his residence, deeply impressed by the abilities of Zu Ye and the others. He then held a banquet to host Zu Ye and also invited Zu Ye’s “wife” Zhu Jin. At this time, Zhu Jin’s belly was already slightly swollen.

After seeing this, Dai Li thought it was Zu Ye’s seed and thought to himself: This fortune-teller is formidable—he had already planted his seed long ago. Even heroes fall to beautiful women. People in all times and places are the same.

“Sir, there are so many ‘secret societies’ across China. Your ‘Tiebuzi Daoist Sect’ is in a class of its own, walking the jianghu using yin-yang methods, relieving worries and solving problems. It’s truly a great blessing for the common people.”

“The General flatters me. Now that the enemy’s secret telegrams have been decrypted, I wish to take my leave…”

“Where does sir plan to go? With war and chaos everywhere, it’s safer here,” Dai Li asked anxiously.

“Fortune-tellers make their home everywhere. Our group is accustomed to traveling north and south. If we stay in one place for a long time, we feel uncomfortable. Moreover, I have dozens of disciples under me who eat and drink for free every day, which troubles my conscience. I plan to go to Guangxi first. The Battle of Guangxi is about to begin. I’ll wait for the General there.” Zu Ye, fearing Dai Li would suspect him of going to the Communists, had already planned his escape route.

Hearing this, Dai Li’s eyes darted around. He had long wanted to recruit Zu Ye, but also knew that Zu Ye wasn’t someone willing to serve under others. He further feared that if he pressed too hard, it would instead make Zu Ye grow distant.

Thinking of this, Dai Li smiled: “Hehe, sir, you and I thought of the same thing! I was just about to trouble you to make a trip to Guangxi to personally examine the terrain around Kunlun Pass and offer opinions on military deployment from a fengshui perspective. Kunlun Pass absolutely cannot be lost!”

“I’ll contact General Bai Chongxi right away. When you arrive in Guangxi, someone will naturally receive you,” Dai Li said while raising his wine glass. “Sir, see you in Guangxi!”

Zu Ye raised his glass and drained it in one gulp.

Under Dai Li’s careful arrangements, three heavy trucks carrying Zu Ye and dozens of brothers drove toward Guangxi.

Zu Ye knew his real purpose for coming to Guangxi—Jiang Feiyan. War was about to break out, and the “Yue Haitang” could not become extinct. Zu Ye never expected that this trip to Guangxi to find Jiang Feiyan would lead to an enormous surprise.

On the road, Zhu Jin said to Zu Ye: “Sir, now that we’ve escaped danger, I should leave…”

Zu Ye looked at her body and said: “Madam, the current situation is incomparable to the past. You are no longer the ‘Twin-Blade Heroine’ ruling the mountain, but a mother about to give birth. In this remote, desolate wilderness, you should rest easy and give birth to the child before making long-term plans.”

Zhu Jin lowered her head. Thinking of Hong Laohu, tears came again.

In the truck behind, San Batou kept chuckling along the way. Sometimes he tried to hold it in, but then suddenly burst out laughing.

“Are you sick?” Er Batou asked, confused.

“There’s going to be excitement to watch…” San Batou said.

“Excitement? The devils are attacking Guangxi. People are going to die, and there’s excitement?” Er Batou said.

“I’m not talking about the war. I’m talking about Zu Ye.”

“What about Zu Ye?” All the Batous gathered around.

“Yan Niang has secretly loved Zu Ye for so many years, but Zu Ye married a wife, and she’s a bandit’s widow at that. You tell me… this is big trouble, can’t handle it, hehe…”

Everyone heard this: “That’s right, Zu Ye’s in trouble this time.”

“Who do you think is prettier, Yan Niang or Zhu Jin?” San Batou asked, blinking.

Er Batou said loudly: “Need you ask? Of course Yan Niang! In 1932 when I accompanied Zu Ye to Nanyue, I saw Yan Niang for the first time. My head went buzzing, my heart went thumping, and down there went fluttering. She was so beautiful, and Yan Niang has a fragrance on her body. When she walks by, it makes you… makes you…”

“Intoxicated!” San Batou finished the sentence for Er Batou.

“Right, right, intoxicated.” Er Batou lacked culture and always wanted to use words but couldn’t find them.

“That’s not quite right!” Wu Batou came over. “In my view, each has her merits. Yan Niang is a southerner, not as tall as Zhu Jin, and Zhu Jin has lived in the mountains for a long time without good skincare. But if you let Zhu Jin stay in the city for a while and give her all those things Yan Niang puts on her face and rubs on her body, within a month I guarantee Zhu Jin will blossom into a great beauty. Look at that figure, with curves in all the right places, distinct eyebrows and eyes, and when she smiles she has two dimples…”

Hearing this, San Batou seemed to suddenly remember something. He tilted his head and said: “Dimples, right! She does have two dimples! In the next life she’ll definitely find Hong Laohu again!”

“Why?” Everyone was confused.

San Batou shook his head: “Do you know where dimples come from?”

Everyone shook their heads, waiting for his explanation. San Batou nodded slightly with an air of profound mystery.

Er Batou couldn’t wait: “Hurry up and tell us!”

San Batou quickly said: “After people die, they must cross the Bridge of Helplessness and drink Meng Po’s soup. After drinking Meng Po’s soup, they forget everything from their lifetime, so when they’re reborn in the next life they can’t remember things from their previous life. But some passionate people after death can’t forget their lovers and refuse to drink Meng Po’s soup no matter what. For these people, Meng Po makes a mark on their faces, and only after going through countless hardships and suffering can they be reborn as humans. These people are born with dimples on their faces. They remember more or less about their previous life and keep searching until they find the person they’re waiting for.”

“Ha ha ha ha!” Er Batou laughed loudly. “Third Brother, you haven’t grown any other abilities, but your bullshitting skills are getting stronger! By your logic, Zhu Jin must have had two lovers in her previous life—one was Hong Laohu, one was Zu Ye…”

“Is this interesting? Gossiping behind the Master’s back!” Si Batou said coldly.

Er Batou glanced at Si Batou: “Fourth Brother, stop thinking about sister-in-law. When we get to Guangxi, Second Brother will find you another one!”

Si Batou glanced at him, turned his head away, and didn’t respond.

Er Batou was instantly embarrassed. To save face, he patted Da Batou, who had been silently watching the rolling dust behind the truck: “Big Brother, what are you looking at?”

“Looking at the dirt.”

“What’s interesting about dirt?”

“More interesting than listening to you all talk nonsense!”

Everyone froze, then burst into laughter.

“Alas… it’s been so long since I visited a brothel,” Er Batou sighed. “Zu Ye has taken a wife too. I can’t stand it anymore.”

“Does Guangxi have brothels?” San Batou asked, eyes wide.

“Of course! They’re everywhere. Build an outhouse and there’ll be someone to shit in it. Believe it or not?” Er Batou said firmly.

“Visit brothels! Visit brothels! All you fucking know is visiting brothels! Careful a Japanese bomb doesn’t drop down and send you to heaven bare-assed! When I get to Guangxi, I’ll first buy ten catties of smoked meat, then buy a big pot of liquor. Eat! Drink!” Da Batou said.

“Then what?” Er Batou asked.

“Then go visit a brothel!”

“Ha ha ha ha.” The Batous laughed again.

After several days of jolting travel, Zu Ye’s group arrived in Guangxi.

After settling in, Zu Ye went to find the “Yue Haitang” hall based on the address in Jiang Feiyan’s previous letter. Having not been in contact for a long time, Zu Ye worried they had already moved.

Guangxi residences were mainly strongholds. The places where common people lived had two levels, commonly called “ganlan”—upstairs for people, downstairs for livestock or storing miscellaneous items.

Zu Ye, bringing Little Liu, came before a residence and knocked lightly on the stronghold gate.

A maid came out, utterly shocked: “Zu Ye?”

She then slammed the door shut with a bang and ran back like flying.

This left Zu Ye stunned, and Liu Batou also stunned: “What’s going on?”

After a while, the maid came out again. Looking at Zu Ye and Liu Batou, she said: “Yan Niang orders that she receives no guests today!”

“Huh?” Liu Batou got angry. “Little sister, look carefully—who’s a guest? This is the Master!”

“Yan Niang said she sees no one today,” the young girl ignored Liu Batou.

“You…” Liu Batou’s nose nearly twisted with anger.

Zu Ye was also pondering: What’s going on? This doesn’t match Jiang Feiyan’s style. Could she already know about my “marriage”? Not this quickly, surely? If that’s the case, I should go in and explain even more.

“You girl are so rude. I’m looking for Sister Yan on an important matter. Go announce me quickly!” Zu Ye feigned anger.

“No seeing!” Bang—the door closed again.

Having been refused twice, Zu Ye’s anger rose a bit. As the dignified Master, being refused at the door by Xiao Jiao, especially with Little Liu present, greatly damaged his prestige as Master.

Liu Batou looked at the surrounding wall and was about to leap up when Zu Ye grabbed him: “What are you doing?”

“Then what do we do?” Liu Batou said.

“Go back!” Zu Ye walked away without looking back.

Liu Batou looked around and helplessly followed.

That evening, Zu Ye drank alone under the moon, thinking about what Jiang Feiyan was doing. No matter how angry she was, she should at least let him in to explain clearly.

While pondering, there was a knock at the door. Soon Little Liu led in a female servant.

“Zu Ye, Yan Niang requests your presence.”

“How did you find this place?” Zu Ye asked.

“I followed you. Yan Niang requests your presence.”

“Mm.” Zu Ye put on an outer garment and said to Little Liu: “Let’s go. We won’t be turned away this time.”

“Yan Niang said only Zu Ye may go alone,” the female servant said.

“This…” Zu Ye was completely baffled. He looked at Little Liu, then at the female servant. “Fine.”

After several turns, Zu Ye arrived at Jiang Feiyan’s location.

Jiang Feiyan personally came out to greet him: “Zu Ye, please—”

“Oh, good.” Zu Ye didn’t know what medicine Jiang Feiyan was selling in her gourd.

After the two sat down, neither spoke. Both seemed to have something on their minds. Zu Ye thought: Alas, I’d better speak first.

“Sister Yan, about my marriage…”

“What?” Before Zu Ye could finish, Jiang Feiyan was shocked. “Zu Ye married?”

“What, Sister Yan didn’t know about this?” Zu Ye was also shocked.

“I know now,” Jiang Feiyan said disappointedly. “Didn’t Zu Ye say our identities weren’t suitable for marriage?”

“Sister Yan, this is what happened…” Zu Ye told her the whole truth in detail.

After listening, Jiang Feiyan’s face bloomed with a smile, which then disappeared. This left Zu Ye baffled. What’s wrong today? So abnormal!

“Since Sister Yan didn’t know about this, why didn’t you let me in during the day?” Zu Ye felt this matter was very strange.

Jiang Feiyan glanced at Zu Ye, then shifted her gaze away. She looked up at the ceiling, then moved her eyes back to Zu Ye. She pursed her lips with a look like she had a toothache.

“Sister Yan?” Zu Ye waited eagerly.

Jiang Feiyan took a deep breath: “Zu Ye, no matter what happens next, you must stay calm, calm! Alright?”

## Huang Farong Opens a Fortune-Telling Parlor in Nanyang

Zu Ye was completely confused. From her words, it sounded like the sky was about to fall: “Sister Yan, what’s wrong?”

Jiang Feiyan took another deep breath, then shouted toward the loft: “Come out!”

Zu Ye looked in that direction. A person walked out of the loft. In the dim lamplight, that figure became increasingly familiar. Is it her? It’s her! Zu Ye’s heart ached, and his eyes couldn’t help but moisten.

That person walked over and slowly knelt before Zu Ye, softly calling out: “Zu Ye.”

Four years—Zu Ye hadn’t heard this voice again for four years. Four years—Zu Ye hadn’t seen this figure again for four years. Countless times, Zu Ye had thought of her, missed her. He had thought they could never meet again in this lifetime, but now she appeared.

“Zu Ye.” That person cried out again.

“Farong.” Zu Ye’s tears flowed endlessly.

Zu Ye could no longer hate Huang Farong. He only felt guilt, though he didn’t know what he felt guilty about. Was it guilt that this evil “Jiang Xiang Sect” turned good people bad, or guilt that this chaotic romantic confusion kept people so close yet worlds apart? Zu Ye couldn’t say. Zu Ye didn’t know. In that moment, Zu Ye’s heart was in chaos. Years of memories flooded his mind all at once—proposing marriage in Nanyue, feigning madness to defeat the Little Devil General, catching the traitor at the drinking contest where a thousand cups couldn’t make him drunk, weeping before the gardenia flowers after getting drunk, escaping death on the Zhoushan Islands… Past scenes intertwined with this girl before Zu Ye’s eyes.

Zu Ye stood up and personally helped Huang Farong up, carefully examining this girl he hadn’t seen in four years.

Huang Farong looked at Zu Ye with tear-filled eyes and slowly leaned into his embrace. Zu Ye didn’t avoid her but held Huang Farong tightly, like a wanderer returning home whose parents tightly embrace their child.

In that moment, Huang Farong wept freely, and Jiang Feiyan on the side also shed tears.

“Zu Ye, you’ve lost weight,” Huang Farong said, touching Zu Ye’s back. All these years, Huang Farong’s longing for Zu Ye hadn’t diminished in the slightest.

After a long while, Jiang Feiyan wiped her tears and said: “Stop crying, both of you. Girl, report to Zu Ye about these past years.”

Huang Farong also wiped her tears and personally poured Zu Ye a cup of water, then began to reminisce tearfully.

After arriving in Nanyang, Huang Farong had thought she wouldn’t adapt to the climate, but unexpectedly found it was all Chinese people there—immigrants from various dynasties and generations. When everyone met, they all spoke Chinese. Huang Farong felt life wasn’t so difficult after all.

Those Chinese people making a living in Nanyang still had the blood of the Yellow Emperor flowing in their bones. Wherever there were Chinese people, there was Chinese culture. Where there was Chinese culture, there was yin-yang and the Eight Trigrams, there was fortune-telling and drawing lots.

Huang Farong’s knowledge came into use there. In the fortune-telling trade, “accuracy” is the hard truth. Huang Farong fully utilized her “Yingyao” talent, using combinations of techniques. Every divination she performed was extremely accurate. Just like that, by word of mouth, Huang Farong’s fortune-telling parlor flourished.

Later, a boss in the purple clay business had Huang Farong adjust his fengshui, which accidentally led to a boom in his business. He developed romantic feelings for this beautiful “divine woman” and kept sending matchmakers. Huang Farong never responded. Later the boss came in person to propose marriage. Only then did Huang Farong learn that this businessman’s hometown was also Shandong. As they talked, they spoke of homesickness, of the red sorghum, white sweet potatoes, and earthen stoves back home. The more they talked, the more intimate they felt. Two people who had left their homeland found common ground in a foreign land.

Huang Farong knew in her heart that she could never return to the “Jiang Xiang Sect.” Later, she gradually came to understand that her godmother also seemed to like Zu Ye very much. This was a karmic entanglement among three people. She couldn’t interfere anymore, and moreover, she had no face to see Zhang Zizhan again. Just like that, in the gradually fading sorrow of separation, Huang Farong wavered. Finally, one day when that young boss proposed marriage again, Huang Farong steeled her heart and married him!

In this way, Huang Farong washed away her past. No one knew she had once been a servant of the “Jiang Xiang Sect.” No one knew of her past passionate love and ruthlessness. No one knew she was remarrying. She had taken the right path.

Subsequently, that boss’s business grew larger and larger. At the start of the War of Resistance, Chinese people around the world donated money, materials, and aircraft. The Huang Farong couple also donated a large sum of money. At this point, Huang Farong had become a wealthy patriotic overseas Chinese. In 1938, when Chiang Kai-shek received the patriotic overseas Chinese delegation from Southeast Asia, Huang Farong even shook hands with Soong Mei-ling, who accompanied him.

At that time, she was no longer “Huang Farong,” but gave herself a new name—”Huang Liaoliao.” Liaoliao—to settle and be done with, settled yet still unsettled. What she wanted to settle, what she could conclude, she didn’t know. In any case, she wanted to sever everything from the past. From then on, whether business partners or Nationalist aides, everyone respectfully called her “Ms. Liaoliao.”

Huang Farong’s husband, Hu Wanxiong, also became vice chairman of the Nanyang Chinese Merchants Association, actively calling on Chinese people worldwide to jointly resist Japan. After Japan’s full-scale invasion of China, in order to realize their conspiracy to completely cut off China’s foreign aid, they began planning an operational plan to occupy Nanyang. After American and British intelligence agencies obtained this intelligence, they notified Chiang Kai-shek. Chiang Kai-shek arranged for Mao Renfeng, the number two figure in Military Statistics, to notify patriotic overseas Chinese in Nanyang to temporarily avoid the spotlight to prevent being assassinated by the Japanese.

After receiving the secret order, Hu Wanxiong and other Chinese merchant leaders fled in panic to America, and Huang Farong went to America with them.

Stepping onto the vast, peaceful land of America, Huang Farong was shocked: under the same blue sky, on the other end of the earth there was raging warfare and displaced people, yet here there were singing birds and fragrant flowers, blue sky and white clouds, neat asphalt roads, quiet coffee houses, glorious and solemn churches. Smiles beamed from everyone’s faces, and the entire society operated in an orderly manner. In that moment, Huang Farong shed tears. She thought of her impoverished Shandong hometown, of her parents she hadn’t seen in over ten years, of her godmother Jiang Feiyan, and even more of Zu Ye who was still running and struggling desperately, and of her ex-husband Zhang Zizhan…

This is not my hometown! This is not my land! This is not my life! My fathers and fellow villagers are still groaning under the Japanese iron heel! “I want to go back! I want to go back!” Huang Farong suddenly lost control and cried.

“Liaoliao! Liaoliao! What’s wrong?” Hu Wanxiong exclaimed in alarm.

“I want to go back,” Huang Farong regained her calm.

“Why? Going back is too dangerous!” Hu Wanxiong didn’t understand.

“Husband…” Huang Farong threw herself into Hu Wanxiong’s embrace, crying, “I miss home.”

“When the war ends, we’ll go back immediately!” Hu Wanxiong comforted her.

“When the war ends, will my family still be there?” Huang Farong asked in return.

“This…”

“Then… I’ll go back with you together!” Hu Wanxiong said.

“No! You’re already on the Japanese army’s assassination list. Going back would expose you too easily. It’s relatively safer for me to go back alone,” Huang Farong said.

“But… but it’s too dangerous now. Many places in the country have fallen. There’s fighting everywhere. If you go back alone and the Japanese capture you…” Hu Wanxiong said worriedly.

“Husband, you only need to get me a German expatriate certificate,” Huang Farong was extremely clever. During World War II, Japan, Germany, and Italy formed an evil alliance as the Axis powers. The Japanese didn’t kill Germans.

Hu Wanxiong thought for a moment and nodded: “You must take good care of yourself. After visiting family, return quickly! I’ll wait for you!”

A month later, Huang Farong returned to Nanyue via Hong Kong. When she got there, she discovered the hall had disappeared. With no other choice, she returned to Nanyang to contact the liaison who had received her when she first fled. That liaison took out a letter and said: “This is what Yan Niang wrote to you. After you left, there was no news from you, and I had no way to contact you.”

After reading the letter, Huang Farong learned that “Yue Haitang” had moved to Guangxi, so she hurried to Guangxi.

It was one afternoon when Jiang Feiyan was imitating Qiao Wumei, performing rituals to pray for rain for the locals. Not long after returning to the hall upon finishing, Xiao Jiao ran in: “Master, Ghost Sister has come!”

“Farong?” Jiang Feiyan was startled.

Before she finished speaking, Huang Farong had already walked in. “Godmother!” The two embraced tightly, crying endlessly.

As it turned out, Zu Ye arrived the next day.

When Zu Ye knocked on the door, Xiao Jiao of “Yue Haitang” saw it was Zu Ye and was shocked. She hurried inside to announce him. Jiang Feiyan, upon hearing this, broke out in a cold sweat. She told Huang Farong to hide first, but Huang Farong insisted on not hiding, crying: “I must see him once, even if I die!”

Seeing that Huang Farong was determined, Jiang Feiyan had Xiao Jiao first send Zu Ye away. She then carefully considered the matter. In the evening, she had Xiao Jiao go again to invite Zu Ye, instructing Xiao Jiao: only let Zu Ye come alone. She feared that if word leaked out and Si Batou Zhang Zizhan learned of this matter, there would be trouble!

After listening to Huang Farong’s account, Zu Ye was extremely melancholy. He wanted to speak but didn’t know what to say. The night was deep. The moon quietly glided past the treetops. The oil lamp gave off a dim yellow light. The three people sat in silence, staying quietly.

“Zu Ye,” after a long while, Huang Farong spoke. “Let me come back.”

Zu Ye shook his head: “You’ve already washed away your past. This is your good fortune.”

“Zu Ye…” Huang Farong wanted to say more.

“Not only should you not return to the ‘Jiang Xiang Sect,’ you shouldn’t even do fortune-telling anymore. After so many years, so many things, don’t you understand yet? Taking the right path, doing right things—that’s the fundamental basis of being human. You can sleep peacefully. Money earned through scheming, setting traps, and risking death nine times out of ten—you can’t spend it peacefully either. Human calculations are inferior to heaven’s calculations. What’s yours will ultimately be yours. What’s not yours, you’ll have to spit out sooner or later. Karmic retribution follows like a shadow. You married that overseas Chinese—just be a good wife and mother. No fortune-teller has a good ending. If you’re accurate, you’re revealing heavenly secrets. If you’re inaccurate, you’re misleading people. Whatever you do is wrong. Why suffer?” Zu Ye said.

Huang Farong nodded vigorously, then asked bewilderedly: “Does this mean all fortune-tellers in the world have taken the wrong path?”

Zu Ye nodded: “Whether real fortune-tellers or fake fortune-tellers, the purpose is the same—all for money, all driven by greed. Real and fake are just the pot calling the kettle black. Don’t believe that nonsense about helping people avoid misfortune. When fortune-tellers speak eloquently and talk smoothly, their minds are thinking about the money in the client’s pocket. It’s just that their acting skills vary in level. Those who hide it well and can temporarily remain unmoved before money are masters. Those who hide it poorly and whose eyes gleam when they see money are swindlers. But once you strip away the master’s painted skin, you’ll discover he’s greedier and more deceitful than the swindler! According to Buddhist theory, after death all fortune-tellers must go to hell!” Zu Ye remembered the words that Daoist Peng had spoken back then.

Huang Farong and Jiang Feiyan were stunned by Zu Ye’s words, but upon careful reflection, it was indeed so. Later, Huang Farong returned to America. In 1978, she converted to Buddhism. At the Buddhist holy site “City of Ten Thousand Buddhas” in America, she met the eminent monk Master Hsuan Hua from Northeast China. Master Hsuan Hua also said similar words: “Those who engage in fortune-telling will fall into the animal realm in their next life.”

“Then when will Zu Ye withdraw? What about Godmother?” Huang Farong looked at Zu Ye and Jiang Feiyan.

Zu Ye looked at Jiang Feiyan, then gazed blankly out the window. The undulating mountain ridges in the darkness were just like Zu Ye’s unsettled heart at this moment. He didn’t know how to answer. “Alas…” Zu Ye sighed deeply.

“Why don’t Godmother, Zu Ye, and I leave together? When we get there, I’ll say you’re my… my… my aunt and uncle…” After saying this, Huang Farong’s tears fell again.

Jiang Feiyan was truly moved. She was tired and had nowhere left to run. From Guangdong to Guangxi, from Da Batou to sect leader, from inside the schemes to outside them, she was truly exhausted.

“Zu Ye…” Jiang Feiyan called out.

Zu Ye turned his head and looked at Jiang Feiyan. In that moment, Zu Ye hesitated. For the first time, he realized without question that joining the “Jiang Xiang Sect” had truly been wrong!

Upholding the Way of Heaven, robbing the rich to help the poor—easier said than done! Everyone has a selfish heart. With selfishness comes selfish thoughts. Many things become uncontrollable. These years, fighting with gangs, fighting with secret societies, fighting with the Japanese, fighting with Military Statistics—families destroyed, bodies left without burial, himself wandering displaced, brothers leaving their hometowns. When would it end! All these years, never sleeping peacefully, either fearing the scheme wouldn’t succeed or the scheme would be exposed, or fearing assassination and losing his head. Exhausting all mental energy, risking death nine times out of ten!

Zu Ye was also tired.

Once upon a time, Zu Ye also wanted to return to the past, to return to those carefree days. He truly missed that clean and pure version of himself. The scorching hot power could be abandoned, the prestige of commanding hundreds could be abandoned—he just wanted safety, reunion, to marry and have children, to live peacefully.

Suddenly, the figures of the Batous began to flash before his eyes. The figures of Xiao Jiaos began to flash before his eyes. Zu Ye instantly returned to reality: “It’s not that I don’t want to leave. After I leave, what about my brothers?”

Huang Farong said: “Zu Ye, each person follows their destiny. Everyone has their own way of living. In fact, no one can save anyone, no one can control anyone… Everyone will complete their life according to their own destined trajectory. Zu Ye only needs to walk his own path well, and he won’t have failed his parents’ grace in raising him…”

Zu Ye nodded, then said: “Although you say this, whoever plants the seed bears the consequence. I’ve managed ‘Muzi Lian’ for nearly twenty years. All the decisions these years have been planned by me. All the life and death, gatherings and separations of the hall have been created by my hand. This cause has been planted, and I must bear this consequence…”

Jiang Feiyan sighed: “When will jianghu grudges end! Getting deeper and deeper…”

“At least, I must see the day the Japanese invaders are destroyed…” Zu Ye said. “The devils killed so many of our people. The rise and fall of the nation is everyone’s responsibility. If there truly is karmic cause and effect in this world, I believe the devils will certainly reap what they sow!”

“Zu Ye…” Huang Farong wanted to persuade him further.

“Farong, you have the wisdom of nine transformations to godhood and an unyielding nature. I believe nothing can stump you. Whether in China or abroad, life won’t be a problem. The only thing Zu Ye worries about is your scheming nature. Your schemes are too heavy. You must know there’s an old saying: Too clever by half, schemes backfire and cost one’s life! Just like the yin-yang dualism—when yin reaches its extreme, yang is born; when yang reaches its extreme, yin is born. When cleverness reaches its extreme, great mistakes will be made. Do you understand what I’m saying?” At the end, Zu Ye emphasized his tone.

Huang Farong knew Zu Ye was thinking of Pei Jinglong again. She quickly lowered her head, saying repeatedly: “I understand! I understand!”

“I only hope you return safely to America and live well with your husband. Don’t scheme against those closest to you anymore, or there will be karmic retribution.”

“But… I’ll miss Zu Ye and Godmother,” Huang Farong said softly.

“If there’s fate, we’ll meet again! If you have us in your heart, the ends of the earth are close at hand. If you don’t, even close at hand is far away. Do you understand?” Zu Ye said.

“I understand.” Huang Farong’s tears came again.

“Remember, after you go back, lobby those American politicians with your husband to give aid to China. Use as much strength as you can. Over there, be kind to others, do more good deeds, and use the rest of your life to atone for the sin of killing Pei Jinglong!”

“Yes! Zu Ye!” Huang Farong answered.

“Zu Ye… I…” Huang Farong said hesitantly. “I still want…”

“Want what?”

“I want… to see Zizhan once.”

Zu Ye thought for a moment and nodded: “All right. Tomorrow I’ll arrange to meet him in the woods to discuss matters. You hide nearby. You absolutely must not make a sound, otherwise…”

“I understand!”

Around midnight, Zu Ye returned. Jiang Feiyan held Huang Farong in her arms. The two were immersed in the dark night, silent.

The next afternoon, Zu Ye summoned Si Batou Zhang Zizhan.

“Zizhan, accompany me for a walk.”

“Yes, Zu Ye.”

To this day, Zu Ye felt the brother he had wronged most was Zhang Zizhan. Years ago, he had recklessly recruited him from Shanghai to his command, sacrificed his father, and used psychological manipulation to make him completely submit to himself. Later, feeling guilty, he arranged a marriage for him, but unexpectedly this very marriage destroyed Zhang Zizhan.

A perfectly good person had now become half-crazy, half-demented. The once handsome, elegant young scholar with a brilliant pen was gone, replaced by an unkempt, slovenly lovesick patient. All this was created by Zu Ye’s own hand.

The Batous also occasionally reported to Zu Ye: Fourth Brother is now moody and mentally confused. If we continue letting him be responsible for props for the schemes, errors may occur. Once a major matter is bungled, everyone may be implicated. The implication was that he was no longer suitable to be a Batou.

Zu Ye was very familiar with each Batou under him—who had what temperament, who was good or evil, who had what faults. Zu Ye knew them all like the palm of his hand. For each person, Zu Ye could summarize with one word.

Da Batou was fierce. Whether black gangs, devils, Military Statistics, or pigs, dogs, cats, snakes, or beasts—he’d slash at them all with one blade. He never considered his own life. This was his admirable quality and also his tragic quality. The body, hair, and skin are received from parents. Parents give birth to sons not to have them risk their lives. If his parents had spirits in the underworld, they would die with eyes unclosed.

Er Batou was bold. He was born not knowing what fear meant. Things like wild ghosts and demon foxes could never scare him. In his eyes, people were just walking skeletons and flesh and blood. After death, they were just rotting flesh—what could they do to him? But he didn’t know that in Buddhism there are six realms of beings. When foxes die, they still face their burrows. When humans die, how could they have no spirits? Digging up graves and desecrating corpses deserves heaven’s punishment and earth’s destruction. Zu Ye also knew that Er Batou’s end would likely be very tragic, but when he reconsidered, wasn’t he himself the same?

San Batou was clever. He was very smart. When walking the jianghu alone, he did quite well. He had read many books, was well-versed in the various schools of thought, knew all about the three teachings and nine schools, and could even fathom Zu Ye’s thoughts. But cleverness doesn’t equal wisdom. He and Huang Farong committed the same mistake: too clever, cleverness backfires.

Si Batou was genuine. This child had no evil thoughts in his heart. He was very authentic and had good family upbringing. But being too kind was also foolish—what’s called foolish kindness. After all, not everyone in this world is kind. If you blindly show kindness without being particular about methods, you’ll be played for a fool by others. In the end, you won’t be doing good deeds but instead achieving evil. Si Batou was the least suitable person to be a servant, yet Zu Ye had recruited him because of his special skills. Especially after he suffered blows and became muddled, Zu Ye felt even more that he had wronged him.

Wu Batou was cunning. He had good memory, was good at reading expressions, never contradicted Zu Ye, and never contradicted the Batous. He had determined that among all the Batous, San Batou was the smartest, so he always followed behind San Batou. Unfortunately, he followed too closely, and Zu Ye became guarded against him.

Liu Batou was loyal. This probably related to his origins in the “Axe Gang.” From childhood, he had been exposed to people and matters of loyalty and righteousness. Those under Wang Yaqiao were all people who didn’t seek to be born on the same day, month, and year, but sought to die on the same day, month, and year. After following Zu Ye, he gradually became Zu Ye’s personal bodyguard.

Now everyone had complaints about Si Batou. Zu Ye heard the implication, but Zu Ye hesitated.

If he removed Si Batou at this moment, he would truly go mad. This wasn’t a question of a position, but a matter of life and death. Zu Ye was thinking about how to save Si Batou, or rather, how to atone for his own sins. In that moment, Zu Ye hated himself for destroying a person’s entire life for his own selfish interests.

Zu Ye and Si Batou walked side by side: “Zizhan, has your health been better recently?” Since losing Huang Farong, Zhang Zizhan suffered from insomnia every day. Zu Ye personally prescribed medicine for him, hoping he would recover quickly.

“Much better,” Zhang Zizhan answered.

“Much better means not better. Zizhan, you yourself know traditional Chinese medicine. Normally, press your acupuncture points for yourself to relax…”

“Yes. If only Farong were here… Back then, she always pressed my acupuncture points before sleep…”

In the bushes, Huang Farong heard this sentence and tears gushed out. She quickly covered her mouth with her hand. Jiang Feiyan beside her kept shaking her head and sighing.

“Zizhan, what is love? You’re such a great scholar, learned in both Chinese and Western knowledge. Explain it to Zu Ye,” Zu Ye suddenly changed the topic.

Zhang Zizhan thought for a moment and said: “Love is daring to sacrifice one’s life for the person one loves.”

“Who said that?” Zu Ye asked.

“Plato.”

“What diagram?” Zu Ye didn’t understand.

“Oh… hehe,” Zhang Zizhan smiled. “Plato was a philosopher from ancient Greece. It’s been over two thousand years since he died. If Farong were still here, I would be willing to die once for her.”

Huang Farong secretly watched the thin and haggard Zhang Zizhan. Listening to these words of his, she almost cried out loud. Jiang Feiyan quickly tugged at the corner of her garment. In that moment, Huang Farong finally felt she had wronged Zhang Zizhan. She, as a married woman, secretly loved Zu Ye and compared her husband with Zu Ye. During the Zhoushan scheme, the first person she thought of was not her husband’s safety but Zu Ye’s safety. Although Zizhan had a bad temper, he loved her wholeheartedly with no second thoughts. “I’m truly not human!” Huang Farong felt deep guilt.

“Zizhan, Plato was right. However, Zu Ye has another view. Listen and see if it makes sense?” Zu Ye knew Huang Farong was listening.

“Please speak, Zu Ye.”

“Dying for love is the first realm. Living for love is an even higher realm. If you truly love someone, whether or not you can be together, as long as she’s happy, that’s enough. Your love is to make her happy. She’s already happy—what regrets remain? Whether in heaven or on earth, in life or death, let’s assume for now that Farong has passed away. If her spirit exists in heaven and she sees you like this, she won’t be happy either. Only if you live well will she be at peace.” After saying this, Zu Ye looked at Zhang Zizhan.

Zhang Zizhan suddenly stopped, squatted down, and sobbed. “But I didn’t give Farong happiness. I really miss the days when we were together. I regret not treating her well. Now… now there’s no chance anymore.” He then burst into loud sobs.

In the bushes, Huang Farong was almost about to walk out. Jiang Feiyan desperately held her back.

Zu Ye also stopped walking and said: “Zizhan, let me tell you a true story. When I was young, my neighbor loved his wife very much, but she didn’t feel happy because they had no common language and incompatible personalities. The wife wanted to run away, so he locked her up with chains, respectfully delivering meals and water every day. Later, this woman bit off her tongue and killed herself. Only at that moment did my neighbor understand that loving someone doesn’t mean possessing her—that’s not love, that’s selfishness! When burning paper money at the grave, the neighbor said one sentence: ‘If you were still alive, I would definitely let you go. As long as I knew you were still in this world, I would be happy.’ Later, this man became a monk.”

Zhang Zizhan wiped his tears and said: “But now I don’t even know whether Farong is alive or dead. Even if she died, at least I could go to her grave and have a good cry!”

Zu Ye had finished speaking. He had thought about these words all night, not only to tell Zhang Zizhan but even more for Huang Farong to hear. Zu Ye wanted Huang Farong to be completely awakened, completely guilt-ridden. This way she wouldn’t harbor lingering feelings for Zu Ye. Zu Ye wanted her to leave without looking back and live well in her current life!

Afterward, Huang Farong gave Zu Ye all the money she had on her. “Zu Ye, this money is clean. Give it to Zizhan.” She then removed the jade bracelets from her wrists. “And these bracelets—I bought them with money I saved myself when making a living in Nanyang. Give them to him too.”

After saying this, she suddenly knelt before Zu Ye: “Zu Ye, you brought Zizhan into the ‘Jiang Xiang Sect’ with your own hands. Farong dares to beg you for one thing—save him. You can’t let him sink like this. You just said in the woods that loving someone means making them happy. If Zizhan continues like this, I won’t be at peace over there either!”

Zu Ye helped her up: “Don’t worry. I’ll do everything in my power.”

“Also, if… if one day the war ends, I hope… I hope Zu Ye will spare Zizhan’s life. He… he’s not suited for the ‘Jiang Xiang Sect’…”

Zu Ye nodded vigorously.

At night, Huang Farong had to leave. After crying in Jiang Feiyan’s embrace, she hugged Zu Ye: “Godmother, Zu Ye, Farong is leaving!”

Watching Huang Farong’s figure gradually disappear, Zu Ye and Jiang Feiyan had mixed feelings. The pitch-black night, the pitch-black mood, just like this pitch-black life—without purpose, unable to see the end.

Heart sickness requires heart medicine. To untie a bell, one must seek the person who tied it. After much thought, Zu Ye felt that to save Zhang Zizhan, he still had to start with women.

“Sister Yan, Farong has left. Zizhan is confused. To save him, we still need to…”

Before Zu Ye could finish, Jiang Feiyan said: “Zu Ye, ever since the incident between Farong and Zizhan, I established a hall rule that ‘female servants never marry.’ Such things can never happen again. Too hurtful!”

Zu Ye hit a wall. This path was blocked. But what could awaken a man’s nature still had to be a woman, especially for a passionate man like Zhang Zizhan. If no second woman entered his heart, he would likely become increasingly deranged. All the evil karma created in the past stems from beginningless greed, anger, and delusion. His own brother had now violated the precept of “delusion.” Forget about having him cooperate in setting traps for others now—even if others set a trap for him, he’d stumble into it in his confusion. This was very unfavorable for the hall.

Zu Ye felt so tired. From the hall’s survival to romantic entanglements, he had to manage everything, or problems would arise.

This state of Zu Ye’s was noticed by the observant Little Liu: “Zu Ye, do you have worries?”

Zu Ye looked at him and said: “Ever since Fourth Brother’s wife had her incident, he’s been melancholy all day. If this continues, problems will arise.”

Little Liu scratched his head and said: “Zu Ye, I can’t help with this. I don’t understand romance between men and women.”

Zu Ye glanced at him and said nothing.

After dinner, Zu Ye didn’t speak a word. Zhu Jin came over and asked: “Does sir have worries?”

Zu Ye nodded.

“Is it because I’ve burdened you?”

Zu Ye quickly said: “No, no. Madam worries too much. It’s about one of my brothers. Three years ago, his wife unfortunately perished. My brother can’t forget her. Now lovesickness has become an illness, his spirit confused. I don’t know what to do…”

This sentence made Zhu Jin shed tears. She thought of Hong Laohu again.

“What is this thing called love in the world, that it demands life and death pledges? If not for the child in my belly, I would have followed the commander long ago.”

“Please accept my condolences, madam,” Zu Ye said.

“Sir,” Zhu Jin wiped her tears and said, “if you want to forget someone, the best method is to love another. When the rice is cooked, you must love even if you don’t want to. You need to divert your brother’s attention.”

Zu Ye nodded repeatedly, but Si Batou’s heart only thought of Huang Farong now. He wouldn’t even glance at other girls. Moreover, what girl would like a half-crazy person who was muddled all day?

“Zu Ye, Bai Chongxi has sent someone requesting an audience.” While Zu Ye was thinking, Little Liu came in.

“‘Mr. Tieban,’ greetings. General Bai orders that you quickly go to Kunlun Pass to discuss strategies for defending the pass.”

“Good! I’ll be there immediately.”

Bai Chongxi’s Bloody Battle at Kunlun Pass Dragon Vein

In the Kunlun Pass Defense Command, Zu Ye met the Nationalist war god for the first time—Bai Chongxi.

Bai Chongxi was a core figure of the Guangxi warlord clique, known together with Li Zongren as “Li-Bai.” Because of his ingenious adaptability and extraordinary courage and insight, he was known as the “Little Zhuge Liang.” His outstanding military talent and political maneuvering were recognized by both the Nationalist and Communist parties. Back then, the person Marshal Lin Biao cared about most was Bai Chongxi. The two clashed many times, each winning and losing.

Bai Chongxi’s ancestors were Arabs. Many of his forebears passed the imperial examinations and became officials. Only by his father’s generation did they abandon scholarship for commerce. Bai Chongxi had been exceptionally intelligent since childhood, able to recite from memory after one reading. In 1907, he ranked sixth in the entire province and was admitted to the Guangxi Military Primary School. When the 1911 Revolution broke out in 1911, Bai Chongxi joined the dare-to-die squad, thus beginning his military career. During the Northern Expedition, he fought all the way from Zhennan Pass to Shanhai Pass and was called “the first person to complete the Northern Expedition.”

Before the Central Plains War, disapproving of Chiang Kai-shek’s dictatorial autocracy, he cried out: “If party and government are returned to the people, swords and spears can be transformed into jade and silk.” After the defeat in the 1937 Battle of Shanghai, Bai Chongxi volunteered to fight the Japanese army head-on. Chiang Kai-shek agreed. As a result, the Guangxi army with no experience fighting Japan was severely damaged by the Japanese Ninth Division. The tens of thousands in the dare-to-die squad that Bai Chongxi had carefully organized were instantly scattered under the Japanese concentrated artillery fire. Bai Chongxi was heartbroken and refused food and water for several days. From then on, Bai Chongxi lived through hardships with determination. In 1938, he finally assisted Li Zongren in greatly defeating the Japanese army at Taierzhuang, achieving another great anti-war victory after Lin Biao’s “Great Victory at Pingxingguan”—the “Great Victory at Taierzhuang,” avenging his deep grievance.

This time, to hold Kunlun Pass and ensure victory in the Nanning Campaign, defending China’s southwestern gateway, Chiang Kai-shek also invested heavily, placing the Nationalist Party’s most elite force, the only mechanized army—the Fifth Army—under Bai Chongxi’s command. Chiang Kai-shek’s decision was also carefully weighed, because he had mixed feelings of love and hate toward Bai Chongxi. He needed to use Bai Chongxi well but couldn’t let his prestige become too great, lest it endanger his own rule. Especially after Dai Li personally sent people to examine the fengshui of Bai Chongxi’s birthplace, Chiang Kai-shek became even more wary of Bai.

Bai Chongxi’s former residence was in Lingui. Two peaks rose and fell at his birthplace, receiving the energy of the Huixian dragon vein. The entire mountain peak looked like a camel raising its head, and the Bai family residence was on the camel’s head. In fengshui studies, this is called “camel bringing treasure”—it must produce kings, ministers, and high officials.

This time Bai Chongxi himself deeply felt the heavy responsibility. Having always studied fengshui, after receiving Dai Li’s telegram, he immediately invited Zu Ye to examine together the direction of Kunlun Pass’s dragon vein to deploy troops.

However, Bai Chongxi was not superstitious. The so-called fengshui deployment of troops absolutely could not contradict actual strategic needs—it could only serve as a reference.

After Zu Ye and Bai Chongxi planned together, Bai Chongxi began deploying troops and generals.

On November 23, 1939, under air cover, the Japanese Fifth Division forced a crossing of the Yong River and attacked Yongning. The Nationalist 170th Division resisted ineffectively. On the evening of the 24th, Nanning fell.

Bai Chongxi was furious and sent an urgent telegram to Chiang Kai-shek: While the Japanese foothold in Nanning is unstable, the Nationalist army should counterattack comprehensively and will surely inflict heavy damage on the Japanese! He wanted to catch Japan off guard.

Chiang Kai-shek once again repeated his personality of “using those he doubts and doubting those he uses.” He remembered Bai Chongxi’s disastrous defeat two years ago when he volunteered to actively attack the Japanese. So this time he hesitated: What if this fellow loses my Fifth Army? Won’t I be severely weakened?

Bai Chongxi was so anxious he almost vomited blood, shouting: “If the opportunity is lost, Kunlun Pass is in danger!”

Sure enough, after two days of rest and reorganization, the Japanese integrated all Japanese forces to form the Yongqin Corps. On the 26th, they fiercely attacked Gaofeng Pass. On December 4, Kunlun Pass fell. The Japanese side immediately telegraphed military headquarters: The dragon vein has been locked. China can perish in an instant!

After intercepting the Japanese telegram, Bai Chongxi collapsed into his chair: “It’s over, all over! When will Chairman Chiang allow a counterattack!”

Zu Ye was also quite puzzled by Old Chiang’s slow response, anxiously stamping his feet: “We’ve been deploying troops for so long, but in the end we’re tripped up by our own people, missing the opportunity!”

In handling several major events in modern Chinese history, Chiang Kai-shek always displayed a rhythm that was one beat slow—not fighting when he should fight, stubbornly resisting when he shouldn’t. This probably related to his name, “Zhongzheng”—impartial, not advancing rashly, but not retreating either. From this perspective, his “old friend” Mr. Mao Zedong was exactly the opposite. Mao Zedong could always preempt and surprise. The course of history is often irregular, so Mao defeating Chiang was also historically inevitable.

Only three days after Kunlun Pass fell did the inscrutable Chiang Kai-shek issue orders: Counterattack! Fight to the death to retake Kunlun Pass!

At night, Zu Ye secretly met with Bai Chongxi, pointing out: To retake Kunlun Pass, they must first capture the two high grounds of Xiannü Mountain and Laomao Ridge. These two places were like the horns of an ox, forming what in fengshui is called “hook angle sha.” As long as these two places were occupied, the malevolent energy would disappear, and Kunlun Pass would be easy to break!

Bai Chongxi said: “This is the same principle as the tactical advantage of occupying high ground and building from a commanding position! Damn it! Even if we lose everything, we must take Kunlun Pass!”

On December 18, the heroic and tragic Battle of Kunlun Pass erupted. Every inch of mountains and rivers, every inch of blood. The Nationalist army retook Kunlun Pass three times and was driven out by the Japanese three times. Nationalist Army Major General Zheng Dongguo led the Honorary First Division in hand-to-hand combat with the Japanese. The entire division fixed bayonets and engaged the devils in close combat. The blood that flowed at Kunlun Pass became a waterfall, soaking the earth several inches deep! Of the entire division’s 13,000 men, only 700 remained when they withdrew from the battlefield!

By the end, regular troops were almost gone, and common people picked up guns and charged forward following the troops! Seeing such a tragic scene, Zu Ye’s face was covered with tears. He immediately summoned all the brothers: “Everyone get your spirits up! All of you go to the battlefield! If we don’t retake Kunlun Pass, no one is allowed to come back alive!”

“Yes!” the brothers shouted loudly.

Although this group from “Muzi Lian” hadn’t received regular military training, they were much more ruthless than ordinary civilians, not even inferior to regular troops. Speaking of regular troops, most were actually conscripted through forced recruitment—yesterday they were still leading oxen and plowing fields at home, today they put on a uniform and became soldiers. The brothers of “Muzi Lian” saw red as soon as they entered the battlefield. Those with guns fired them; those without used kitchen knives and axes. Especially Da Batou and Er Batou—they stripped off their shirts, bare-chested, wielding two gleaming kitchen knives, “I’ll fuck your mother, little Japanese devils!” charging to the very front more than once. Zu Ye, worried they’d both die together, always followed behind with a gun to prevent enemy snipers.

This battle lasted over two months. “Muzi Lian” lost 15 brothers. Zu Ye and the Batous were all wounded, especially Little Liu, who took a bayonet thrust in close combat with the devils.

On February 24, 1940, the Chinese army finally liberated Kunlun Pass! That day, strong winds raged, the mountain forests howled. The soldiers fired their guns in mourning, their tragic songs soaring to the clouds!

Bai Chongxi tightly grasped Zu Ye’s hand: “You are not just fortune-tellers, but meritorious servants of the nation!”

The severely weakened Zu Ye shook his head: “The General overpraises! Protecting home and country is everyone’s responsibility!”

When the news reached Japan, even the Japanese had to praise the Chinese soldiers: This Chinese army offensive was very large in scale. Its fighting will was vigorous, its actions active and tenacious—rarely matched in previous offensives. Although our army’s achievements were great, our losses were also considerable.

At this point, the Japanese invasion of China entered its most difficult and troublesome period. The battle line was stretched too long, material supplies couldn’t keep up, personnel continuously lost, new troops couldn’t be replenished, the Nationalist Party’s frontal battlefield couldn’t be taken, and the Communist Party’s Eighth Route Army kept attacking from behind. Especially during the “Hundred Regiments Offensive” launched by the Communists in North China from August to December that year—in just three months, they launched over 1,800 battles large and small, killed and wounded over 20,000 Japanese troops, completely crushing the Japanese “cage policy,” leaving the Japanese unable to attend to both ends, delaying their southward advance.

Facing the bankruptcy of the plan to quickly destroy China, Japan began implementing the “support war with war” plan. How to quickly replenish energy? Only through invasion! Occupation and plunder were the quickest methods to obtain resources. At this moment, Army Minister Tojo Hideki turned his attention to the small countries of Southeast Asia and memorialized the Japanese Emperor to explain this matter.

The Emperor quickly approved. But Tojo Hideki’s next suggestion left the Emperor and cabinet bigwigs scratching their heads in bewilderment. Even the spy chief Kodama Yoshio was stunned speechless: Tojo Hideki wanted to attack America!

The Japanese Prime Minister at the time, Konoe Fumimaro, questioned Tojo Hideki: “America’s current attention is on Europe. We can take the opportunity to seize Southeast Asia. Why does the General want to attack America first? Moreover, whether the Imperial Army can match the American army is hard to say. If the American army counterattacks, it may be unfavorable to the East Asian war effort!”

The supremely intelligent yet mentally disturbed Tojo Hideki gave an unprecedented answer: “If you don’t hit him, he’ll hit you sooner or later! Sometimes when doing something, don’t think too much. It’s like suicide—just close your eyes and do it!” He didn’t realize that while he himself could commit suicide, he was taking all the Japanese people with him.

The Emperor finally placed his bet on this madman: “If the Army Minister says fight, then fight!”

At this moment, Kodama Yoshio dared to speak up: “Mr. Tojo, according to the Qimen cosmic method, going to war with America at this moment doesn’t conform to fengshui warfare principles. There’s an old saying in Chinese divination: ‘When the declining spirit attacks the prosperous, the prosperous flourishes; when the prosperous spirit attacks the declining, the declining is uprooted.’ Compared with America, we are still the weaker party. If we anger America…”

“Never mention your bullshit theories to me again! I am fengshui! I am divination principles! Any objections?”

“Uh… no.”

Tojo Hideki then reorganized the cabinet, concentrating military and political power in his own hands, then together with another gambling general born in the same year, Yamamoto Isoroku, planned the Pearl Harbor incident.

On the morning of December 7, 1941, American soldiers were sleeping with nurses in their arms when the droning of aircraft woke them. The soldiers rolled over, yawned, thinking it was their own people conducting exercises. Then bombs fell. The Pacific Fleet was engulfed in a sea of fire. Pearl Harbor was attacked. The Pacific War erupted!

When the news reached the American mainland, President Roosevelt nearly fell from his wheelchair. Just as an adult wouldn’t expect a child to suddenly come up and squeeze his testicles, this wheelchair president who had become disabled from polio had always been known for “not playing by the rules,” but this time he encountered someone who played even less by the rules: the split-personality master Tojo Hideki.

Subsequently, Japan launched invasions of Southeast Asian small countries and certain regions. In less than half a year, they occupied Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Burma, Indonesia, and other places.

Huang Farong’s shop in Nanyang was also forced to close. The hired shopkeeper sold everything, then brought the money to America to find Huang Farong.

Huang Farong’s husband Hu Wanxiong laughed: “This is good now. The American Congress has been debating whether to enter the war. With Tojo Hideki’s meddling, America must enter the war even if it didn’t want to! Once America takes action, the devils will be unable to attend to both ends. Victory in the War of Resistance is in sight!”

Huang Farong nodded repeatedly.

On June 4, 1942, the Battle of Midway erupted. The American military fully grasped Japanese intelligence and fought a beautiful ambush. The Japanese suffered heavy damage, losing 300 aircraft and over 100 pilots, severely weakened.

In 1943, China, Britain, and America met in Cairo and issued the joint “Cairo Declaration” on operations against Japan, confirming joint warfare against Japan until Japan’s unconditional surrender.

At this point, Japan’s ace armies were almost completely destroyed. Troop strength was severely insufficient, forcing them to contract their battle lines. Inside Japan, teenagers were stirred up by militaristic ideology to enlist in droves. Batches of child soldiers were transported to Northeast China. Even if they couldn’t swallow all of China, they would defend the puppet state of Manchukuo.

Meanwhile, Japanese material supplies became even more scarce. Aircraft, cannons, and firearms were continuously lost. Follow-up military production couldn’t keep up. Troop equipment deteriorated with each passing day.

Once, American forces ambushed a batch of Japanese paratroopers and were shocked to discover that the paratroopers descending from the sky were all bare-chested, holding only a military sword. Besides this, they had no other equipment. The American soldiers were momentarily dumbfounded, not knowing what tactical strategy this was. They tentatively fired a few shots, and the devils died from their wounds. Later, after completely capturing the Japanese paratroopers, they learned: This batch of paratroopers had just enlisted. The quartermaster didn’t have enough equipment to arm them, but you can’t go to war without pants, so each person was issued one pair of pants and one military sword. Before boarding the aircraft, the shrine indoctrination institution gave each person a protective talisman: “Don’t worry, bullets won’t hit you. Even if they do hit you, your soul can still enter Yasukuni Shrine!” So the recruits put on their underwear, pulled on their pants, boarded the aircraft, and charged over.