Chapter 204

June 20, Li Nian'an stood on the newly built watchtower, holding a freshly arrived Encrypted Telegram. The telegram, forwarded from Hong Kong, contained only two short lines: "Father has entered Gongde Lin. Safe, do not worry."

In June, the scorching sun of Nanyang beat down on the freshly cleared forest clearing, raising the smell of soil and plant roots. In the settlement, more than three hundred Chinese Self‑Defense Force members were training—though called a self‑defense force, they were already a quasi‑military power on this land. They controlled two ports, three rubber plantations, and a tin mine, and reached an agreement with the local tribal chief, exchanging weapons and medicines for autonomy.

"Commander, what's wrong?" Chief of Staff Chen Qiming climbed the watchtower and saw Li Nian'an's pallor.

Li Nian'an handed over the telegram, saying nothing.

Chen Qiming read it, paused in silence, then asked, "Gongde Lin… is that the War Criminal Management Office in Yanjing?"

"Hmm." Li Nian'an stared northward, though all he could see was endless forest, "Uncle Du, Uncle Wang, Uncle Huang and the others are all there. Now… plus my father."

Both fell silent. From afar came the shouts of training, mixed with Minnan, Hakka and stiff Malay commands. The foundation they had wrested in half a year suddenly felt weightless in Li Nian'an's eyes.

"Actually…" Chen Qiming said cautiously, "Given the senior officer's rank, entering is only a matter of time. The Republic has no public trial, no firing squad; it's already…"

"I know." Li Nian'an cut him off, his voice a little hoarse, "I know that going in is actually safer, I know it's the best outcome. But…"

He recalled the last time he saw his father, in January 1949, when the National Government was already preparing to move south; the battalion commander urged his father to go to Taiwan, but his father insisted on staying. The two talked through the night in their house in Jinling.

"Nian'an, you must handle the Nanyang affairs well," his father said then, "No matter how the domestic situation changes, there must be a foothold overseas. Not for secession, but to leave a path for the Chinese."

"And you?"

"Me?" his father chuckled, his smile carrying a complexity Li Nian'an couldn't read, "I was born here, grew up here, I can't leave. In the future… whatever the outcome, it will be my own choice."

In hindsight, his father had already foreseen today's situation.

"Commander, should we…" Chen Qiming made a "action" gesture.

Li Nian'an shook his head: "No. First, Gongde Lin is in Yanjing; our people can't get in. Second, my father won't agree. Third…" he paused, "this would actually harm him."

He recalled his father's frequent saying: "Politics is calculation, it's weighing." Now he understood—his father's choice to enter Gongde Lin was a result of such calculation. In the New Era, the best place for a General of the Old Era might be there.

"Reply." Li Nian'an told Chen Qiming, "Just say: acknowledged, take care. Also, please tell my father, the Nanyang foundation is now solid, do not worry."

He looked northward, silently adding in his heart: "Dad, when I have my footing, someday I'll bring you out."

At the same time, a few special guests arrived at Gongde Lin.

Three Jeeps drove into the courtyard, and a few men in Liberation Army uniforms got out. The leader bore three stars on his shoulder—a full‑rank General.

Director Liu Guangzhi had been waiting at the gate and stepped forward to salute, "Commander Chen, greetings! General Lin, hello!"

Arriving were Chen Geng and Lin Husan, both accompanied by guards.

Chen Geng, not yet fifty, full of vigor, laughed as he stepped out, "Director Liu, where's our teacher? Where is he?"

"He's in the room; I'll take you there."

Lin Husan said little, merely nodding and following behind.

It was the morning recreation hour, and more than twenty war criminals were strolling in the courtyard. Seeing Chen Geng and Lin Husan enter, everyone halted their movements.

Chen Geng, Liberation Army Fourth Corps Commander, Huangpu First Class. Lin Husan, Fourth Field Army Commander, Huangpu Fourth Class. These two names are thunderous among the Kuomintang war criminals—both were opponents who gave them a hard time.

Yet at this moment, these two senior Communist Party generals appeared in Gongde Lin and walked straight toward Li Yuxuan's room.

Xiao Biaodi nudged Du Yuming's arm: "Did you see? Chen Geng and Lin Husan! They're here to visit the director!"

Du Yuming stared dumbfounded: "It's truly… thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river. Back when Chen Geng was at Huangpu, he was a mischievous student; the director gave him plenty of scolding. Now…"

"Now he's a full‑rank General," Huang Wei added, "while the director has become a war criminal."

The few of them watched from a distance, their feelings complicated.

Inside the room, Li Yuxuan had just finished a memoir of the Zhejiang‑Jiangxi Campaign when he heard a knock and said, "Please come in."

The door swung open, and Chen Geng was the first to enter, his face beaming, "Director! A student has come to see you!"

Li Yuxuan was startled, then recognized him: "Yo, the meat‑stealing thief is here? What, you're bringing meat?"

"It's me!" Chen Geng stepped forward, stood at attention, and rendered a proper military salute, "Huangpu First Class alumnus Chen Geng, reporting to the director!"

Behind him, Lin Husan also entered, saluting likewise, "Huangpu Fourth Class Lin Husan, greetings to the director."

Li Yuxuan looked at these two former mischievous students, now towering Liberation Army Generals, and felt a flood of emotions. He stood up, intending to return the salute, but lowered his hand halfway—he was now a war criminal, unqualified to salute.

"Sit," he gestured toward the chair.

Chen Geng unceremoniously sat down, Lin Husan sat beside him. Chen Geng took a cloth bag from a guard, opened it, and inside were several cigarettes, a few tins of tea, and some books.

"We know the director likes smoking, so we brought these. These are fine Yunnan cigarettes; please try them." Chen Geng placed the items on the table, "These books are military works, some Soviet, some compiled by us, to keep you occupied."

Li Yuxuan looked at the items, silent for a moment, "I'm now a war criminal; this… is inappropriate."

"What's inappropriate?" Chen Geng waved his hand, "You're our teacher; it's only natural for students to respect a teacher. Ren Ming has already said we should visit you more often."

"Ren Ming…"

"Yes, Ren Ming specifically instructed," Lin Husan said, his voice low but clear, "He said you taught him at Xingcheng First Normal School, that you're his teacher. He asked me to tell you: rest well here, write down your Anti‑Japanese experience, because future new‑China military construction will still need veterans like you to strategize."

Chen Geng continued, "Director, don't let any mental burden trouble you. Here it's just a formality; after a year or two, when the situation stabilizes, you'll surely be assigned a position. Your abilities can't just be wasted."

The three talked for over an hour, mainly Chen Geng narrating the course of the Liberation War and discussing Huaxia's development. Lin Husan spoke little, but interjected occasionally.

As they were about to leave, Chen Geng grasped Li Yuxuan's hand, "Director, take care of your health. If you need anything, just ask; I'll have Director Liu convey it. In a while, Xu Xiangqian, Luo Ruiqin and the others will also come to see you."

After seeing them off, Li Yuxuan returned to his room, stared at the cigarettes and tea on the table, and remained silent for a long time.

In the courtyard, Du Yuming and the others who had witnessed the whole episode gathered, debating animatedly.

"Did you see? Chen Geng's respect for the director!" Xiao Biaodi exclaimed, "He even brought so many things! We've been here a year; who has ever visited us?"