Resistance against Japan: Starting with the local militia

Chapter 245 Returning to Tangjia Town

A few days later, in the early afternoon, the sun set behind the mountains, accompanied by the evening glow. Tang Weiguo and Tang Xiaohu rode side by side on horseback, followed by a squad of heavily armed soldiers.

At this moment, on the outskirts of Tangjia Town, Li Qukou was personally inspecting the security deployment. He had specially borrowed an elite company from Tang Xiaohu's reinforced regiment to build three lines of defense around Tangjia.

"Reporting to the director, all sentry posts are in position!" Sun Qiang ran up to report.

Li Qukou nodded in satisfaction, then added, "Pay special attention to those who come to work; spies could very well be mixed in."

Li Qukou's guess was correct. At a construction site near the town, a petite female worker was cooking. She was none other than Kawashima Matsuko, who had successfully infiltrated the reconstruction team through Qin Shou's connections.

At this moment, she subtly observed the security arrangements around Tang Weiguo while wiping her sweat.

"The security is too tight..." she sighed inwardly. The soldiers were clearly elite, their positions professional and flawless. She quietly made a gesture, signaling the other intelligence agents lurking in the town to remain still.

"Uncle Tang".

"father."

"Uncle Tang, you look so haggard these days." Tang Weiguo looked at the old butler, who looked much older than when they last met.

"These days I've been busy directing everyone to build houses," the old butler said wearily, his voice a little hoarse.

"Those damned Japanese devils destroyed all the houses in our Tangjia Town. It's pitiful that the Tang family has worked so hard to build for three generations, and now it's all gone." The old steward's eyes gleamed with hatred, wishing he could personally go to the battlefield and kill the Japanese devils.

Tang Xiaohu quickly stepped forward to support his father, who was trembling with excitement: "Dad, you're so old. Didn't the young master already send people from the brigade headquarters to assist you? You can just watch from the sidelines. Don't try to direct them yourself."

“No way!” The old butler shook off his son’s hand, stubbornly straightening his back. “The Tang family home is where I grew up! It hasn’t been rebuilt yet, how can I enjoy a life of leisure? As long as I can still move, I will participate personally!”

"Young Master, please persuade my father." Tang Xiaohu quickly turned to Tang Weiguo for help.

"Uncle Tang, Xiao Hu is right. You're getting old. What would I do if something happened to you from overwork?"

“This time, Xiao Hu will be heading to Qingshan County. He won’t be able to come home as easily as before. If you get tired, Xiao Hu won’t be in the mood to command the battle.”

"Alright, alright, I'll listen to you. I'll rest more, but I'll continue to do the work I can." The old butler finally agreed.

"Weiguo, what is Xiaohu doing in Qingshan County?" the old steward asked.

"Dad, this is a military secret, you can't ask about it." Tang Xiaohu quickly stopped his father from speaking.

"Yes, yes, the old man was too talkative. Let's not talk about military matters, let's not talk about military matters."

"It's not exactly a secret. We've taken over a coal mine in Qingshan County, and I need Tang Xiaohu to guard it for me," Tang Weiguo explained to the old steward.

"Coal mines are great, coal mines are great! Xiao Hu, you'd better guard this place well for the young master. If you don't do it well, don't blame me for whipping you with a stick." The old butler turned around and said fiercely to Tang Xiao Hu.

Tang Xiaohu was both amused and exasperated: "Dad, I'm a regimental commander now, do you still treat me like a child...?"

"In my eyes, you'll always be a stinky brat running around naked in the streets!" The old butler snorted, which made Tang Weiguo laugh as well.

"Uncle Tang, why don't you go to Qingshan County with Xiaohu this time? It would be easier for him to take care of you. What do you say, Xiaohu?" Tang Weiguo suddenly suggested.

“That’s right, Dad, why don’t you come back to Qingshan County with me this time? I’d like you to enjoy your retirement and experience your son’s filial piety.” Tang Xiaohu also looked at his father expectantly.

"No, I'm not going. My old bones can't take any more trouble. It's more comfortable for me to stay in Tangjia Town." The old butler waved his hand at Tang Xiaohu.

"Besides, I promised the master that I would take good care of this house." The old butler said to Tang Weiguo, his face filled with unconcealed sorrow.

When Tang mentioned the late Master Tang, all three fell silent. Tang Weiguo, through the original owner's memories, felt a deep sorrow. He couldn't help but think of his parents from his previous life, wondering how they were doing after losing him.

After a while, the old butler recovered and hurriedly said:

"Sigh, people tend to dwell on the past when they get old. Let's not talk about these sad things. Come in, come in." The old butler quickly pulled Tang Weiguo with one hand and Tang Xiaohu with the other, leading them towards a newly renovated living room.

At this moment, the old butler seemed to have returned to the time when the two of them were children, just like before, holding one of them in each hand.

In the newly renovated living room, a girl of about sixteen or seventeen was wiping the tables and chairs. Upon seeing everyone enter, she hurriedly straightened up and timidly bowed.

"Tang Xin, quickly tell your Aunt Tang that the young master is back today, and make a few more of his favorite dishes," the old butler said to a maid as he entered the room.

"Yes, Uncle Tang." After saying that, the little girl named Tang Xin ran towards the kitchen.

"Uncle Tang, this person is someone I didn't see last time I came here," Tang Weiguo asked curiously.

"Alas, a relative who came from afar, whose parents were killed by the Japanese, was all alone, so I took her in," the old steward said with a sigh.

"This chaotic world..." Tang Weiguo watched the little girl leave, which strengthened his resolve to fight and save the people of this land from the ravages of war as soon as possible.

"Those damned Japanese devils!" Tang Xiaohu slammed his fist on the table, making the teacups rattle.

"Don't worry, we'll drive those Japanese devils out one day!" Tang Weiguo patted Tang Xiaohu on the shoulder.

Tang Weiguo and the others didn't have to wait long before Tang Xin brought out the dishes that Aunt Tang had prepared.

"Tang Xin, call Aunt Tang, let's eat together," Tang Weiguo called out to Tang Xin.

Tang Xin glanced shyly at the old butler.

"Young Master has spoken. Please invite Aunt Tang to sit with us, and also bring over my bottle of wine," the old butler said gently.

"Yes," Tang Xin answered timidly, then went back to the kitchen to call Aunt Tang.

After a short while, Tang Xin returned with the wine and sat down timidly at the table next to her aunt.

"Come, on behalf of the people of Tangjia Town, let me first toast you two heroes for protecting the villagers of Tangjia Town. As long as we are here, everything is here." After saying this, the old steward drank it all in one gulp.

"Uncle Tang, you're too kind to me. Besides, it's all thanks to the efforts of the people of Tangjia Town, otherwise we wouldn't have won so easily."

"Come on, Uncle Tang, let me toast you with this glass of wine to thank you for all your contributions to the Tang family over the years." He then downed his drink in one gulp as well.

"Drink less alcohol, eat more food." Aunt Tang carefully served food to the group. Tang Xin, sitting next to Aunt Tang, watched them curiously, her mouth never stopping eating.

The joyful and pleasant dinner quickly dispelled the earlier somber mood, and the group happily enjoyed a reunion meal. Since Tang Weiguo and Tang Xiaohu both had things to do the next day, they simply had a few drinks to celebrate.

After the meal, the old steward, slightly tipsy, insisted on taking Tang Weiguo to the ancestral hall. Inside the newly renovated ancestral hall, the memorial tablets were spotless.

“Master, Madam,” the old butler suddenly knelt down, his voice choked with emotion, “I haven’t let you down… Wei Guo is now a general! Your spirits can rest in peace now…”

After speaking, the old steward stood up, his hands trembling as he took out Tang Weiguo's letter of appointment from his robes and respectfully placed it on the altar: "Ancestors of the Tang family, our Weiguo has made something of himself... May our ancestors bless him with peace and safety..."

After the formalities were completed, the old butler, emboldened by the alcohol, chatted with Tang Weiguo for a very long time, from Tang Weiguo's childhood mischief to his father's deeds. Eventually, the old butler fell asleep in his chair. Looking at his wrinkled, peaceful sleeping face, Tang Weiguo was filled with mixed emotions.

Afterwards, Tang Weiguo carefully escorted the old butler back to his room, and then went back to his own room to sleep.

Before dawn the next day, Tang Weiguo and Tang Xiaohu quietly set off. In the morning mist, their figures gradually disappeared on the road leading to the military camp.

In a secluded corner of Tangjia Town, Kawashima Matsuko watched Tang Weiguo leave.

She watched the departing figure, a cold smile playing on her lips: "Tang Weiguo...we won't let you off so easily."