mountain chase

"Commander, Commander."

The guard standing behind Noda Benichiro hesitated for a moment, but still called for someone.

"...Huh?" After being stunned for a moment before recovering, Noda turned his head, "What's wrong?"

"General Takeda has been waiting for you for a long time, look..."

"Understood." Turning around, Noda walked back to the brightly lit room, but he knew that his heart had followed the man into the night.

It was already past ten o'clock at night when we returned to Qiao's mansion.It gets dark early in winter, and at this time, there is not even a shadow of the stars and the moon.Although it was the end of the year, there was silence all around, not a single sound came out.

The butler followed Fourth Master Qiao all the way up to the third floor.

In the bedroom, Fourth Master Qiao, who had taken off his fox fur, took the teacup handed to him by the housekeeper. He held it in his hand and didn't drink it.And the butler on the side just stood there and didn't speak.

I don't know how long.

The sound of footsteps gradually came from outside the door, "Boom, boom, boom! Boom!"

is a password.

The butler immediately walked over and opened the door. Outside the door was a small man in a black padded jacket.The man was panting heavily, and seemed to be running over quickly.

"Fourth Master," the little man said in a low voice, bending down, "all the goods have been transferred."

"It's not enough to just turn around." Raising his eyes, Fourth Master Qiao said lightly, "Tomorrow at noon, Chongqing will send people over, and this matter will not be completed until they have safely transported the things out of Nanjing." .”

"Young one understands. The little one has already been guarded in the cellar. Within ten miles of that place, there are only small spies. They will never let the Japanese have any chance."

"You have always been prudent in your work." Looking at the man, Fourth Master Qiao pushed the cup in front of him, "Hold it."

The man was stunned for a moment, and then reflected, he excitedly took the cup from Fourth Master Qiao, "Fourth Master is affectionate, I understand!"

"It's not my love." Fourth Master Qiao withdrew his hand and said seriously, "It's the Qiao family's love."

"...Yes! Little one remembers it!"

"Good. You leave as soon as possible without delay."

"Yes. Fourth Master, take care." The man drank the tea in the cup in one gulp, bowed and saluted, and went out.

"Fourth Lord," the butler stood beside him after thinking for a while before he spoke, "Since everything here has been settled and Nanjing has been occupied by the Japanese, it's better for you to leave early." Thinking of today Seeing that man at night, the housekeeper couldn't help feeling uneasy.

"Hmph," Smiling coldly, Fourth Master Qiao calmly looked at the closed door, "The more I can't do it right now. It's not just this batch of life-saving ammunition, but more importantly—Nanjing, the National Army , Qiao’s house. I can’t leave everything here. You—understand?”

silent.

After hearing Fourth Master Qiao's words, the butler was silent for a long time before kneeling down.

His back was straight, and his voice was as firm as a rock on a mountain: "This subordinate understands. Fourth Master, as long as you still use your subordinate, then your heart - will always be the same as Fourth Master's."

the next day.

The butler just woke up, supervised Fourth Master Qiao's breakfast, and planned to go upstairs to wake Fourth Master up, as if he had foreseen it, a servant ran in at the door, "Mr. Butler, I have a greeting."

The man was holding an envelope in both hands, and his whole body was trembling.The butler took the envelope, and the servant bit his lip timidly, before saying again after a long while, "Mr., Mr., that's, Japanese..."

"What's wrong with the Japanese?" Looking up calmly, the butler looked at the servant, "Remember, you are at Qiao's house now, no matter who is outside, you are from Qiao's house."

His voice was calm and powerful, and it calmed down the hearts of everyone present at once.

Yes, no matter what happens outside, fourth master, fourth master Qiao, will definitely protect us!

Because we are all—from the Qiao family.

Seeing those people start working again, the butler also took the envelope and walked up the stairs.Standing at the door of Fourth Master Qiao's bedroom, he suddenly couldn't bear to knock on the door.

——Since the beginning of winter last year, fourth master hasn't had a good night's sleep for a long, long time.After the Japanese invaded Nanjing, in order to protect the Qiao family's hundreds of people, for the dignity of the Qiao family, for the criss-crossing military relations behind him and the medical drugs and equipment on the battlefield, Fourth Master Qiao struggled every step of the way.

These days, every step he takes, every door he goes out, and every word he says is the result of his thinking and thinking over and over again.

But the butler knew better that the more this happened, the more he couldn't live without Fourth Master Qiao.

He sighed deeply in his heart.

He couldn't even show this kind of emotion on his face and eyes at this time, because behind him were hundreds of pairs of eyes from the Qiao family, and they were watching everyone here with hopeful eyes, every one of them. Action, for them, will be a great encouragement and comfort.

Straightening his back habitually, the butler raised his hand and knocked on the door lightly—as expected, there was no answer.

He raised the corners of his lips, maintaining the same 35-degree upward curve, and opened the door of Fourth Master Qiao's room.

The thick woolen carpet absorbed the sound of footsteps, and the butler walked gently to the bed. Inside the heavy curtain, the slender and beautiful figure was sleeping peacefully. "Fourth Master, Fourth Master wake up... Fourth Master?"

"……Um."

Raising his hand to cover his eyes, Fourth Master Qiao opened them in a daze, "What's the matter?"

"It's time for you to get up." The housekeeper said, helped Fourth Master Qiao up, and dressed him in the ironed clothes beside him.

"The weather is nice today." Squinting his eyes, Fourth Master Qiao stood up, stroked the Windsor knot on his neck, and said flatly.

"Yes," smiling, the housekeeper followed him and walked out of the bedroom together. "Such fine weather is really suitable for going out to relax."

"Heh," the person in front chuckled, "Housekeeper, it's still winter, and spring won't come until you finish what you have to do in winter." As he spoke, he stretched out his palms and spread them out.

Pulling out the envelope from his arms, the housekeeper handed it to Fourth Master Qiao.

"Prepare the car for me."

"Fourth Master, are you going without breakfast?"

"No, I don't really like other people coming into my house. It's better for me to see him. Here, it must be quiet—" Turning his head, Fourth Master Qiao's deep eyes Looking at the butler, "Do you understand?"

"May you have a safe journey." Smiling, the housekeeper pressed his right hand on his left chest, and knelt down respectfully to salute.

The car drove all the way through the street, and finally stopped on a street behind the Nanjing Nationalist Government Office—this place was originally the residence of the chairman of the Nanjing National Party Army Standing Council, but now it belongs to the Japanese.

Although it is also a villa, this place can't be said to be the best and most comfortable place. As soon as Noda Benichiro came here, he asked to move here. This alone is enough to show that this person is not an easy character to solve.

Sitting in the car, Fourth Master Qiao waited for the guard at the door to contact the inside and then opened the door. After a while, the door opened and the driver was about to drive in, but a small white glass cable car came out. The driver was Noda Benichiro!

"Mr. Qiao—" the small cable car stopped next to Mr. Qiao's car, and Noda Motoichiro inside had a smile on his face, "I didn't expect you to come here so early. I said I would visit you after lunch."

Hearing what he said, Fourth Master Qiao just tilted his head and looked at the people outside through the glass window, "The weather is fine today, let's go out for a walk, I wonder if Mr. Noda has time?"

"Haha...Mr. Qiao is here, no matter what time, I have time," Noda patted the steering wheel of the cable car, "No, I heard from the bedroom that you have arrived, so I will come to pick you up personally, Joe Fourth master, I wonder if you are interested in enjoying the beautiful scenery here with me?"

"Naturally accompany."

When he said this, Noda immediately got out of the car, came over and opened the door in person, "Mr. Qiao, please."

Fourth Master Qiao got out of the car, took Noda's small cable car, and let Noda drive all the way at will, wandering slowly in the yard.

"Mr. Qiao, I also just arrived in Nanjing the day before yesterday. This place is said to be the residence of the former highest commander of the Nanjing Kuomintang Army. Look, it is really different." Noda drove the car all the way through the gate, Although Fourth Master Qiao passed by this villa before, he never entered it.Come in today and take a look, although it is only a small courtyard from the outside, but the deeper you go in, the more secluded it becomes.The pavilions and corridors are all exquisite.

"Chinese people have liked these things since before. Mr. Noda is known as a 'China hand'. Presumably these things are just a sword in front of Guan Gong's gate in his eyes."

"Haha," Noda smiled, "Mr. Qiao, don't laugh at me." The two walked around the yard, and since the weather was still cold, they didn't stay any longer, and went back to the house to enjoy the fire.

The sound of the piano ding-dong.

Although Noda Benichiro had asked someone to send a greeting card to Fourth Master Qiao early in the morning, and now that the two have met, Egg Tart didn't mention anything serious.

He didn't mention it, but Fourth Master Qiao was happy and his ears were quiet.He only pretended to enjoy the music played by the famous courtesan that Noda brought over from Japan with Noda.

In a flash, it was noon.

"Mr. Qiao," Noda Benichiro suddenly stretched out his hand to grab Fourth Master Qiao's sleeve, "Since you're here, why don't you try my Japanese dishes? I've already told the cook a long time ago, and everything is probably ready by now." .”

Even though he said this, the maids outside the door were already busy, and groups of people walked over to tidy up the glasses of wine and utensils one by one.

Lowering his eyes, Fourth Master Qiao just looked at the quartz watch on the counter—35:[-].

Presumably, people from Chongqing have already arrived.

Either way.

They come, the security.