Siheyuan: Hang Jia Dongxu, smash Banggeng to death!

A map of China was spread out on the table, and a cup of steaming tea was placed next to Lin Tian.

His gaze lingered for a long time on the island in the southeast corner that was surrounded by the sea.

Now that the Chinese mainland is stable, factory chimneys are smoking again, rice prices have fallen, and the Dragon Coin has stabilized.

I just got back.

A few days later, several warships arrived.

On the deck, the sailors stood in straight lines, their uniforms fluttering in the sea breeze.

Ma Yongzhen stood on the bridge, the sea breeze making him squint, but he could still make out the vague outline of land on the distant horizon.

"Brothers, we've arrived."

Zhao Dazhuang, unusually quiet, swallowed hard: "My machine gun is itching for fire."

As Ma Yongzhen watched the land gradually grow larger in his field of vision, he ordered, "Brothers, get ready. If the enemy dares to resist, shoot them on sight."

If you surrender, once you enter the city, you are not allowed to take a single needle or thread from the common people. Do you understand?

"yes!!!"

The soldiers responded in unison.

They earn twenty or thirty dragon coins a month, why ruin their future for some petty gains?

The China of today is not the China of the past.

For soldiers, having meat with every meal, three times a day, is something they never dared to dream of before.

Serving in the military now is a blessing.

They can also protect their homes and defend their country.

...

however.

Late last night.

The news had already reached Liuli.

High-ranking officials are holding an emergency meeting, and the tea on the table has gone cold.

The head of the intelligence department was pale: "China... has already mobilized, and their fleet is expected to approach the port tomorrow."

"How many of them are there? What kind of equipment do they have?"

"I don't know for sure, but according to intelligence, their equipment is far more advanced than ours; they're not even in the same league."

"Think about the fate of those seventeen powerful nations."

"We are nothing in the face of these countries. It is time for you all to choose sides."

"To fight or not to fight?"

"Surrender or resist?"

A trembling voice asked.

The room fell silent for a moment.

Immediately, someone spoke up: "Fight? How? Our meager possessions aren't even enough to fill their teeth!"

Some people say, "But what will future generations say about surrendering without a fight? How will we face our ancestors?"

A middle-aged man replied in a low voice: "But if we don't surrender, are we going to let the people bleed?"

China has stood up, and even those foreign devils have bowed their heads.

What are we still arguing about? Are we fighting for pride, or for a result that's already predetermined?

The room fell silent again.

The top leader said, "What surrender? We are returning to the embrace of our motherland."

"Make the arrangements; do not resist. We are all Chinese, descendants of the Yellow Emperor."

The next morning.

As the first rays of sunlight illuminated the harbor, several warships were already anchored outside the dock.

The sea breeze made the flag flutter, and it was embroidered with a five-clawed golden dragon coiled in the clouds.

Ma Yongzhen stood on the side of the first landing ship, watching the crowd gradually gather on the dock.

There were no orders to disembark; they simply waited quietly at the bow of the ship.

On the dock.

A group of officials in formal attire were already lined up and waiting.

At the very front was an elderly man with white hair, holding a white flag that trembled slightly in the sea breeze.

Behind him was a row of people with complex expressions; some were nervous, some were apprehensive, and some had their heads down.

As the landing ramp was lowered, Ma Yongzhen was the first to walk onto the dock, approach the old man, and take off his military cap.

He nodded slightly. "I am Ma Yongzhen, the commander of the Second Independent Regiment of China. Have you made up your minds?"

The old man said with relief, "No need to think about it, we are all Chinese, descendants of Yan and Huang."

Ma Yongzhen smiled.

That's more like it.

"Very good. We hope you will cooperate with our takeover. Rest assured, as long as you do not violate Chinese law, things will be as they are."

"Yes, Commander Ma, we support you unconditionally."

Everything went incredibly smoothly.

They're not fools; they have powerful backers to cling to and risk their own destruction.

Think about the simple life.

At that time, when Xiao Rizi Island sank, the enormous waves it created directly affected this area.

Only those who have faced fear know how terrible it is.

...

When the message is sent back.

Lin Tian lowered his head, took a sip of tea, and gently put it down, completely unconcerned, as everything was under control.

Brigade Commander Chen couldn't hide the smile on his lips: "Commander, Ma Yongzhen and the others are all doing well."

Lin Tian: "Tell Ma Yongzhen that you did a good job."

"Oh, right."

Lin Tian looked down at the telegram. "Tell Ma Yongzhen to arrange everything."

Those who want to go home will be brought back by boat; those who don't want to come back are also welcome to do so.

Brigade Commander Chen paused for a moment, then repeated in a low voice, "Bring them back..."

Yes, in those people's hearts, home is no longer just a line on a map.

"besides."

Lin Tian added, "Have all departments cooperate to simplify the procedures for family visits, so that the elderly don't have to wait any longer."

Brigade Commander Chen nodded and left.

three days later.

On the dock.

An elderly woman with silver hair was holding onto the railing with trembling hands. Someone next to her said with concern, "Grandma, we're almost there."

The old lady gave a soft "hmm".

The moment the ship docked, some people cried, some laughed, and some stood still, unable to take a single step.

"Grandpa, where are you from? Where are your parents?"

Ma Yongzhen asked the elderly woman, a fellow countrywoman who had chosen to return to China, a question she had posed.

The old man said calmly, "I came from the mainland. I crossed the sea with the army in 1870. I thought I would never be able to go back in this lifetime."

His gaze fell on the distant sea. "But today, the land beneath my feet can also be considered my hometown."

Ma Yongzhen nodded: "If you want to go back, you can go back anytime. Home is home."

The old man did not speak again.

This matter, however, spread throughout China.

The storyteller in the teahouse adapted this story into a new tale, slammed his gavel, and the audience cheered.

The teacher in the school put down his newspaper and began to tell his students stories of the past, and then to introduce the new chapters of the present.

During their lunch break, the factory workers gathered around a radio to listen to letters from the island being read aloud.

People spread the word, and everyone in the streets and alleys was talking about the same thing.

……

Hong Kong, 1961.

In the white villa at the foot of Victoria Peak, the sunlight shines warmly on the lawn in the backyard.

Tangtang was squatting next to the flower bed, digging in the soil with a small shovel.

Today she was wearing a floral dress, and her hair was tied into two small braids. The ends of the braids were a little muddy, but she didn't even notice it.

JoJo sat next to her, her book open on her lap, but her gaze was fixed on the flowerbed.

Zhang Shiyu came out of the house carrying a pot of freshly brewed tea, sat down on a bamboo chair, and let out a soft sigh of relief.

She's not so afraid anymore; the axes and bloodshed that haunted her dreams haven't come knocking on her door for a long time.

She would even occasionally forget that she had a dangerous and prematurely dying system living inside her.

"Sister," Tangtang suddenly looked up, "when is Guoguo coming back?"

JoJo closed the book and thought for a moment: "By the time you finish planting all these flowers, he should be back around that time."

……