Chapter 180: Defending Jinling 4

On November 17, 1937, at 11 p. m., at the th Temporary Garrison on the Jinling Outskirts, the alertness was far stricter than usual; the soldiers wore an inescapable fatigue on their faces, yet their eyes remained vigilant as they silently cleaned their weapons and inspected ammunition. The air was filled with the pressure of an impending great war and a strange fleeting calm brought by Jinling, which was about to become an isolated island.

The candle flame flickered, illuminating the military map on the wall, covered with arrows and markings. Footsteps sounded outside the hall, and Guard Battalion Commander Wang Tieniu entered with a person. The newcomer wore a plain dark‑blue long robe, a low‑brimmed top hat that hid his full appearance, yet his posture was upright and his steps steady, unlike an ordinary civilian.

"Brigade Commander, Mr. Chen has arrived," Wang Tieniu whispered in report, his eyes carrying a hint of inquiry and caution.

Li Nian'an lifted his head, his sharp gaze sweeping over the newcomer, and waved his hand. Wang Tieniu understood, slipped out silently, gently closed the door, and stood guard outside himself.

"Mr. Chen?" Li Nian'an did not rise, still twirling his short sword, his tone flat, revealing no joy or anger.

The visitor removed his hat, revealing a face about thirty‑five or thirty‑six years old, thin and lean, yet his eyes were unusually bright and spirited, bearing a scholar‑like calm and a faint resilience from years of hardship. He gave a slight nod: "Brigade Commander Li, I apologize for the intrusion. My surname is Chen, representing the Family." He pronounced the two characters "Family" with a slight bite, carrying a specific implication.

Li Nian'an's mouth curved with a faint, ambiguous smile as he pointed to the bench beside him: "Sit. How is the Family? I heard the fighting up north is quite lively."

Mr. Chen sat as instructed, his bearing neither servile nor arrogant: "Thank you, Brigade Commander Li, for your concern. The Family is all well; although the brothers up north endure harsh conditions, they fight the Japanese without hesitation, sabotaging railways, manning artillery towers, and always find a way to bite off pieces of the enemy. As for you, Brigade Commander, the battle at Kunshan displayed the valor of Huaxia soldiers, and everyone in the Family admires it."

"Admire?" Li Nian'an chuckled lightly, with a hint of self‑mockery, "Admire that we discarded our helmets and armor, retreating from Modu all the way to the foot of Jinling City? Or admire that our hundreds of thousands of troops were almost wrapped like dumplings by the Japanese?"

Mr. Chen's expression remained unchanged as he said earnestly, "Victory or defeat is a common matter of war. The Songhu battle shattered the Japanese invaders' hopes for a swift victory; the soldiers shed blood and sacrificed, a merit for the nation. Now Jinling is in peril, a time to employ talent; you, Brigade Commander, and your esteemed unit are capable and valiant, truly pillars of the nation. The Family sent me to ask, what high opinion do you have on the current situation? And what plans do you have for the future of this anti‑Japanese war?"

Li Nian'an slammed his short sword back into its wooden scabbard with a metallic "clang," leaning slightly forward, the candlelight dancing on his young yet weather‑worn face: "High opinion? Plans? Mr. Chen, we honest people do not speak in riddles. Over there, do you consider me, Li Nian'an, or my father Li Yuxuan, as objects to be 'won over'?"

Mr. Chen did not answer directly, but said calmly, "Brigade Commander, you are straightforward. We advocate uniting all forces that can be united, to jointly resist the Japanese. Anyone who truly fights the Japanese is a friend and should stand shoulder to shoulder. Your performance on the battlefield proves your anti‑Japanese resolve. We believe that at this critical moment for the nation, a hot‑blooded soldier like you will never stand by as the rivers and mountains fall."

"Hot‑blooded soldier..." Li Nian'an chewed on the phrase, his eyes drifting as if recalling the sea of corpses at Luodian, the retreat by Suzhou River, and his father's weary, helpless face. "Mr. Chen, do you believe in the Three Principles of the People?" he suddenly asked a seemingly unrelated question.

Mr. Chen was slightly startled, then answered cautiously, "Mr. Sun's Three Principles of the People have progressive significance. But we believe that a doctrine that can truly save Huaxia must mobilize the broadest masses and completely oppose imperialism and feudalism…"

Li Nian'an waved his hand, cutting him off: "You don't need to lecture me with these grand principles. I tell you, I don't believe. Or rather, I don't fully believe." He stood, walked to the window, gazing at the heavy night outside, "In my heart, the real Kuomintang, the party with the spirit of the Northern Expedition, vibrant and vigorous, died and rotted away together with the passing of gentlemen like you. What I see now is merely a corpse still breathing, infested with maggots! Factional infighting, rampant corruption, oppression of the people, and at critical moments, they run faster than anyone! Such a party has no right to discuss any doctrine."

He snapped around, his gaze like lightning at Mr. Chen: "As for the doctrine you promote over there..." He paused, showing a faint, complex smile, "My father, Jing Gong, has been relatively 'tolerant' toward you, even turning a blind eye to certain matters. But that does not mean I endorse everything you do. Your methods, your ultimate goals, I understand them clearly in my heart."

Mr. Chen listened quietly, his face showing no sign of offense, his eyes instead becoming more focused. He understood that Li Nian'an was now speaking a long‑suppressed heartfelt truth.

"Then, Brigade Commander Li, what do you believe in?" Mr. Chen asked softly.

"What do I believe?" Li Nian'an walked back to the table, his fingers unconsciously tapping the surface, producing a dull thud. "I believe the land beneath my feet belongs to Huaxia! I believe the gaunt, yellow‑skinned common folk behind me are the masters of Huaxia! I believe that wearing this uniform obliges me to protect them! I believe that when the Japanese come, I must take up my gun and fight them! As for parties, factions, doctrines... hum, they're all nonsense!"

He stared at Mr. Chen, saying word for word, "Cooperation? Possible. Fighting the Japanese, I have no objection. Intelligence sharing? Within limits, negotiable. Supplies? If you have channels to obtain medicine or ammunition, I am willing to trade real gold or loot for them. But—"

His tone suddenly sharpened, bearing the unquestionable resolve of a soldier: "My troops must be under my absolute command! Your men may not interfere in my internal affairs! Any attempt to infiltrate or undermine my forces, don't blame me for turning my back on you! This is my bottom line!"

Mr. Chen met Li Nian'an's sharp gaze, nodded slowly, a hint of approval appearing on his face: "Brigade Commander Li is straightforward and perceptive. Rest assured, we value anti‑Japanese sincerity and concrete action above all. The basis of cooperation is equal, mutually beneficial partnership, joint opposition to the enemy, with no other intent. As for command, it naturally belongs to Brigade Commander Li; we respect and trust your capability."

The atmosphere of the talks, after Li Nian'an's blunt showdown, became clearer. The two whispered further details about Japanese troop movements, possible raid coordination, and emergency contact methods. About half an hour later, Mr. Chen readjusted his hat and slipped away silently, just as he had arrived.

Wang Tieniu pushed the door open immediately, his face showing worry and confusion: "Brigade Commander, how did the talks go? Are we really going to cooperate with... with 'them'? If the higher‑ups find out, it could be a capital offense!"

Li Nian'an did not answer directly; he sat back in his chair, picked up the few shriveled longans from the fruit bowl, twiddling them thoughtfully. After a while, he seemed to ask casually, "Tieniu, do you like lychees?"

Wang Tieniu was taken aback by the abrupt question, scratching his head: "Lychees? Those are rare treats; I ate them in Guangzhou before—sweet, but the pit is large and cumbersome to eat. Brigade Commander, why did you suddenly ask that?"

Li Nian'an picked up a longan, slowly peeled its rough skin to reveal the semi‑transparent brown flesh inside. He stared at the flesh and said gradually, "You speak of lychees—who actually invented them? When they first sprout, they're probably very astringent. When ripe, the outside turns red and tempting. Stripping them open is laborious, and the inner flesh appears white and juicy. Yet after you happily finish eating, you discover the core hidden inside is black and hard as stone."

Wang Tieniu listened, bewildered, even more confused: "Brigade Commander, this... lychees have nothing to do with the people from 'them', right? We're talking about cooperating to fight the Japanese!"

Li Nian'an tossed the peeled longan into his mouth, chewing, a faint, enigmatic yet self‑mocking smile on his face, he muttered, "Who knows?" His gaze seemed to drift over the map, briefly landing on Gao Nu, then shifting to Jiangcheng and Shancheng.

He waved his hand, "Go, tighten the watch, let the brothers rest while they can."

Wang Tieniu watched the Brigade Commander's inscrutable expression, realizing further questions would yield nothing, he suppressed his doubts, saluted, turned and went out to arrange things; in the side hall, the candle flame still flickered.