How to pronounce "荆棘"

[Silent Honor]

[Episode 7]

Nie Xi.

What kind of place is Hong Kong?

Hong Kong is to our lower left.

Do you know Guangdong?

It's right next to Guangdong.

If Guangdong were the size of a watermelon,

Hong Kong would be the size of an egg.

Is it fun there?

Fun?

We went there for work.

Why did you take off the watch I bought you?

There are many delicious foods there.

Your dad specifically bought the Wife Cake for you.

This one is quite nice.

That one is too valuable.

So I just kept it in a box.

Is there a wife inside the Wife Cake?

Inside the Wife Cake?

Take a look and see if there's a wife in it.

I get it now.

Wives are only at home.

Sometimes there's no wife at home either.

Why isn't there a wife at home?

Because she's working overtime. She's busy.

Xuecheng.

Come eat.

I'm going to be late. I'm not eating.

Xuecheng.

How could you...

First take Xuecheng to school,

then go to the Ministry of Defense.

Please help me mail

this letter to my family.

[To Xiaoguang]

I've thought it through.

There are many comrades building Shanghai,

but I'm the only one

with a legal special pass.

This mission is my bounden duty.

The Party has also provided the feedback,

respecting your decision.

Thank you for your trust.

I should be the one thanking you.

This time you're going to Taiwan

to serve as a temporary courier

for the top intelligence source

of our Party in Taiwan.

After you leave,

I'll resolve the pass issue as soon as possible

and arrange for a new courier to replace you.

I can't confirm the exact time,

but it shouldn't be too long.

When that time comes,

as soon as you receive the withdrawal order,

return immediately.

Understood.

Also,

the work on the covert front

is completely different from your previous work

on the economic front.

Every move is risky,

and death isn't far off.

So before you officially begin your mission,

we'll give you

last-minute training in underground intelligence work.

Why are you arresting me?

Let me go!

Is this even reasonable?

Don't get out yet.

That's Ms. Li who teaches Chinese.

Why are they arresting her?

She's a good person and kind to students.

She teaches well too.

I need to go ask them!

Listen to me.

After getting off, go straight through the school gate to your classroom.

Don't say or ask anything.

Did you hear me?

Qian, get off and follow Xuecheng.

Make sure she gets to the classroom before you leave.

Yes, sir.

[Qiuzhen Middle School]

Miss Wu, don't be angry with Mr. Wu.

He's only doing this for your own good.

Miss Wu, please don't be angry.

Sir, we're running out of time.

I'll take you to Zhongshan Hall.

Alright.

The great victory at Kinmen

is owed, first and foremost,

to the profound greatness and wisdom of the Father of the Nation, Sun Yat-sen,

and to the immense grace and benevolence

of President Chiang.

Let's welcome the President to give us a speech.

This victory at Kinmen

is a tremendous boost to the morale

of our military and our people.

It is the greatest victory since our campaign

to quell the rebellion and save the nation.

It also marks our turning point

in the counteroffensive to recover our homeland.

[Chen Baocang, Lieutenant General]

These past few days I have been unwell.

I originally wanted to ask Cixiu to...

During the three-day bloody battle on Kinmen Island,

nearly half of the 9,000 PLA soldiers sacrificed their lives.

Wu Shi was deeply trapped in self-blame and regret.

He kept thinking

whether the outcome of this battle would have been different,

if that intelligence report had been delivered just one hour earlier.

But he knew better

that only by obtaining more critical intelligence

could the liberation process of southwest China, Hainan,

Zhoushan, Taiwan and other regions be accelerated.

Though the road ahead was fraught with hardships,

the underground work in Taiwan

was an inseparable part of the War of Liberation

and also the key front

for the ultimate realization of the nationwide liberation.

He had to bear all the suffering.

This was the loneliest

yet the most resolute mission of a covert soldier.

So he is hereby publicly commended.

[Award Ceremony for the Victory at Guningtou]

Wu Shi, Deputy Chief of Ministry of Defense,

who accepted the mission in times of crisis

and contributed to supervising supply delivery to Kinmen,

is hereby publicly commended.

Yuxun.

Your trip to Hong Kong to oversee military supplies

has shown remarkable results.

You truly deserve your reputation as our army's top general.

In the future, you must continue to serve

our party with dedication.

President, I'm flattered.

I will spare no effort to fulfill my duties.

Where are the photos of Nie Xi?

The photos came out a bit blurry,

so it took longer to get them developed.

You...

Why didn't you report to me?

Leader, I just

haven't had the chance to report to you yet.

I don't know why

Nie Xi kept talking to me.

So later I

didn't have a chance to take more photos.

I was with Nie Xi the whole time.

There were just the two of us.

I went to use the bathroom once,

but otherwise there was nothing suspicious.

Why did you have to go to the bathroom?

Leader, I really...

I just couldn't hold it anymore.

Why did you have to go to the bathroom?

Has the intelligence been delivered or not?

Yes, it must be him.

Boyu.

For the great victory at Guningtou in Kinmen,

you deserve the greatest credit.

You turned the tide. That's remarkable.

Indeed.

Deputy Officer Lin, you're too kind.

Thanks to the President's guidance,

I merely did what little I could.

How dare I take credit?

When I arrived in Kinmen,

I only boosted the morale.

If anyone deserves credit,

it should be you, General Li.

That's right.

I don't deserve such praise.

General Hu, if not for your reinforcements,

[Li Liangrong, Commander of the 22nd Corps of the Kuomintang]

the outcome of this battle would have been uncertain.

Cheers to you!

I just did my job.

Cheers.

Deputy Chief Liu.

General Hu Lian.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

Commander Tang.

Let me toast you.

[Tang Enbo, Deputy Commander of the KMT's Southeast Military and Political Office]

Top Scholar Wu.

Why are you hiding here?

Let me toast you.

I should be the one toasting you, General Hu.

I never expected

you to be such a hearty drinker.

I'll finish mine too.

I'm happy for you, General Hu.

Your contribution was indispensable

to the great victory at Guningtou.

Though we call it a great victory,

we also suffered heavy casualties.

How could that be?

Didn't we outnumber them?

We did outnumber them.

But we really didn't

anticipate

that the three regiments of the Communist Army

would fight so fiercely,

thrusting deeply toward the strategic high ground.

The lone army held out for four days.

To wipe them out,

our corps also suffered heavy casualties.

This was totally unexpected.

This was totally unexpected.

This was totally unexpected.

Sorry to keep you waiting.

Please have a seat.

Come on.

-Have a seat. -Have a seat.

I asked you to stay

because the President has an important matter to entrust to you.

He hopes you will give your full support.

Please go ahead.

The Southwest

is the rear base of our party.

During the War of Resistance,

if we hadn't relied on the Southwest,

our party would have been in grave danger.

Now we've reached another critical moment.

The President has decided

to concentrate all the military forces

in the Southwest

for a decisive battle against the Communist Army.

If we win this battle,

the Southwest and Taiwan

can coordinate with each other,

laying a solid foundation

for our strategic counteroffensive.

The President truly has a grand vision.

Indeed.

In such extraordinary times,

we must employ extraordinary people.

The President has hired two

senior military advisors from Japan

to offer us strategic guidance.

This matter must be kept strictly confidential.

What do you need us to do?

These two Japanese men

have read Deputy Chief Wu's works.

They believe

Deputy Chief Wu's strategic vision and military skills

are truly admirable.

They've proposed

to have Deputy Chief Wu serve as their interpreter.

This matter

has already been approved by the President.

Commander Zhou,

Deputy Chief Wu is your subordinate.

So please talk to him about this matter.

This matter

might be quite difficult.

You all know

his temperament.

Moreover, one of his sons

was killed in a Japanese bombing.

He harbors deep hatred toward the Japanese.

Asking him to be their interpreter

is something I find extremely difficult to bring up.

But the President has already approved.

Perhaps

you could explain the situation to the President yourself.

General Chen,

we also need your help

to work with Commander Zhou

to persuade Deputy Chief Wu.

After all,

you were classmates at Baoding Military Academy.

Alright.

The interests of our party

are above everything else.

So regarding the victory at Guningtou in Kinmen,

the primary credit naturally goes to our 18th Army.

Exactly.

Indeed.

And that strategic advisor Lin Baoyuan,

despite being

a defeated Japanese commander,

really knows

the art of warfare.

Exactly.

Using a Japanese as our strategic advisor

will get us scolded

if this gets out!

Have you lost your mind?

Our enemy now is the Communist Party.

What's wrong with defending Taiwan?

Besides,

selecting people based on talent shows we're broad-minded!

General Yin, you're correct.

Commander Yin.

Do you know

who Lin Baoyuan is?

Lin Baoyuan is Hiroshi Nemoto,

a war criminal who has killed Chinese people.

It's General Chen.

The Japanese invaders devastated our country.

It was at the cost of 35 million lives

that we finally won the War of Resistance.

Now,

the Kuomintang Army has actually hired this Japanese war criminal

as a strategic advisor

to harm our fellow countrymen.

This is allying with the villain!

It's an utter disgrace to all soldiers who fought against Japanese aggression!

How dare you spout such nonsense here?

Don't you have any shame?

As long as we can defeat the Communists,

what's wrong with using Japanese help?

General Chen, I know you

once participated in

the Japanese surrender ceremony in Qingdao.

But times have changed.

Today is a day to celebrate our victory.

Why do you have to pour cold water on this?

This battle was at Guningtou.

It was just because your tanks

happened to stop

on the beach where the Communist Army landed.

You know well how little credit your medal actually deserves,

don't you?

How little credit?

It was my 18th Army that reinforced in time!

General Chen,

you're just unwilling to accept this, aren't you?

Back then, your department

made such serious mistakes.

Tens of thousands of kilograms of grain

ended up in the Communist Army's hands.

Have you ever explained that clearly?

Well,

did you feel a kinship with the Communist Army?

Or did you have such bad eyesight

that you signed the wrong documents?

Cheers.

General Chen,

please wait.

Commander Yin.

Please apologize to General Chen.

With all due respect, I don't see why I should apologize.

The case about General Chen supporting the Communist Army

was thoroughly investigated and cleared at the end of last year.

An official notice has been issued

to prove General Chen's innocence

That's the first reason.

Second,

General Chen

lost sight in one eye

while defending our country

against Japanese invaders.

Today,

we can enjoy peace here,

drinking, chatting,

and enjoying ourselves,

all thanks to the countless anti-Japanese soldiers

like General Chen

who sacrificed their lives

and shed their blood.

Yet you mocked him.

Therefore,

please apologize.

Forget it.

An apology from someone like him

means nothing to me.

No.

I won't accept it if he doesn't apologize today.

Top Scholar Wu,

there's no need to get angry.

General Chen, there's no need

to be so petty with a junior officer.

Let me handle these trivial matters.

Commander Yin has had too much to drink.

Take him back.

Wait!

Boyu.

The War of Resistance lasted 14 years.

You know that better than me

how much we sacrificed.

Today, if Commander Yin

doesn't apologize for his inappropriate words,

I won't let it go.

Do we really want to break the hearts

of our fellow Chinese?

Apologize.

Apologize to General Chen.

Apologize to all the soldiers

who shed blood

and sweat

during the War of Resistance!

Don't forget where you came from.

What are you waiting for?

General Chen,

I just spoke out of line.

I'm willing to accept military punishment.

Take him back to the division headquarters.

Confine him and make him reflect!

Yes, sir!

Top Scholar Wu,

it's my fault for failing to discipline my subordinates.

I'll enforce stricter discipline from now on.

Let's have a drink together.

No, thanks.

I've had too much already.

Zizhen,

it's been four years since we parted at the 4th War Zone.

Today you still have such courage,

daring to speak up for justice.

I truly admire you.

No, no.

Deputy Chief Wu, you're too kind.

Tonight I was reckless again.

Times have changed.

I've just cleared myself of suspicions of supporting Communists,

and now I've done something so absurd again,

making you step in and help me out.

I'm truly ashamed.

Zizhen.

You're being too formal with me.

We've been through life and death together.

What I admire most about you

is you bold and unyielding spirit.

I'll treat you to drinks another day.

Let's get together for a good drink sometime.

He's a bold and heroic man.

Given General Chen's personality,

in today's Taiwan,

life will be quite difficult for him.

It's too cold outside.

Let's chat inside.

Senior, I know you have high blood pressure.

Don't drink too much.

Please sit down.

Sit down.

Today,

let me toast you

with tea instead of wine.

Tonight calls for a good drink.

Besides,

let me tell you a secret.

After drinking,

my blood pressure isn't high at all.

You haven't lost your touch at all!

Zhirou.

When I was studying at Baoding Military Academy,

I knew Yuxun was exceptionally talented.

Sure enough, my hunch was right.

Look, at the front,

we have fierce generals like Boyu,

and in the rear,

we have strategic talents like Yuxun.

We'll surely reclaim the mainland within three years.

I'm flattered.

By the time the military aid arrived,

we had achieved victory at Kinmen.

It was just a nice extra.

I'm in no way comparable to the generals

fighting on the front lines.

I'm already unworthy of receiving the medal.

You're always so modest,

letting others take all the credit!

Chairman, Chief,

what brings you here to see me?

The President has coordinated the Southwest.

He has led the troops to defend the Southwest

for some time.

To ensure absolute success,

the President has invited

Naosuke Tomita, who now goes by the name Bai Hongliang,

and Kunimitsu Aratake, who goes by the name Lin Guang,

to offer advice to our army.

Naosuke Tomita?

Kunimitsu Aratake?

These two are war criminals.

They are war criminals,

aren't they?

Yes, they are.

How did we end up working with them?

Now our party is in imminent danger.

The President is doing this

for the sake of our ideology, our party

and our country.

Besides,

Bai Hongliang and Lin Guang

have thoroughly studied your military writings.

They greatly admire you.

So the President

wants us

to tell you this.

Senior,

we all know

you harbor deep hatred toward the Japanese,

since one of your sons

died during the War of Resistance.

Yes, indeed.

But in our army,

only you have both

military expertise

and Japanese proficiency.

And the President also hopes that you'll provide

an operational summary later.

So...

So he wants me

to serve as an interpreter for the Japanese

and communicate with them.

Yes.

But when Ching-kuo came to me,

I flatly refused.

I know that

you're open to discussing just about anything,

but when it comes to matters involving the Japanese,

you certainly won't agree.

But honestly,

to serve as the interpreter between the President

and the Japanese effectively,

one must

not only have a high level

of military expertise,

but also have a thorough knowledge

of the situation in the Southwest.

Senior,

you are recognized

as the top talent in our army.

In our ministry, no one can match

your level of military theory

and Japanese language skills.

That's why

the President personally selected you.

However, I've already told Ching-kuo

that you are a man of principle

and would absolutely refuse this matter.

Sir, are your okay?

I'm fine.

Why did Chief Zhou ask you to come here?

Mr. Chiang wants me to serve

as the interpreter for the White Group.

Sir.

Please stop drinking.

Stop drinking.

[Welcome the soldiers for the victory at Kinmen]

Stop.

Stop here.

What's wrong, Sir?

I'm a bit afraid to go in.

I understand.

Jingcheng was killed by the Japanese.

And now Mr. Chiang is asking you

to be the interpreter for the Japanese.

You must feel like

you can't face Mrs. Wu, right?

The Southwest Campaign has begun.

Mr. Chiang's staff team

mainly consists of Gu Zhutong and some others in Chongqing.

We're in Taiwan,

unable to get any core intelligence.

There's no easier way to get intelligence

than straight from Mr. Chiang himself.

That's true.

But this would put you

in a really difficult position.

Sir, let me walk you in.

No need.

Go home early.

Mr. Wu, you're back.

Mom!

My toy car is broken.

Let me see what's wrong...

With it.

It looks fine to me.

I don't know.

It just stopped working.

It stopped working?

Tomorrow your dad will buy you a new one.

I don't want a new one!

I just like this one!

I'll buy you a new one tomorrow, okay?

I'm back. Give it to me.

I will fix it for you.

Don't get me a new one.

No new one. I'll fix this one for you.

Don't worry. I'll definitely fix it.

Come on, let's go.

Let me carry you.

Bye, Dad.

You'll fix it, okay?

General.

This Commander Yin

is Hu Lian's favorite.

You just got through the review not long ago.

I'm worried that if someone

makes a big fuss about what happened today,

you might...

I'm afraid you'll face more criticism again,

which might be detrimental to our future work.

You can put your mind at ease.

I know what I'm doing.

Even if today's matter gets reported

all the way to Mr. Chiang,

I have nothing to be ashamed of.

All those soldiers present fought

in the 14-year War of Resistance.

Every one of them has a blood feud

with the Japanese.

Every one of them bears

an irreconcilable hatred toward the Japanese.

Today, I spoke

my mind openly there.

They wouldn't mind at all.

In fact, they would feel satisfied.

Do you know why?

Why?

First,

they are just like us,

having a blood feud with the Japanese.

Second,

so many people died

in the Battle of Kinmen.

We all feel so grieved about it.

Yet Hu Lian threw a big party there.

Anyone with a shred of conscience

would feel as sad as we do.

Therefore,

after what happened today,

there will definitely be people who dare to speak up in the future.

As you've seen,

my old friend,

Wu Yuxun,

now as the Deputy Chief of the Ministry of Defense,

resolutely

stood up for me.

Wu Yuxun,

back when he was in Nanjing

serving as the Director of the Historical and Political Bureau,

once said, "Heaven won't

tolerate the Kuomintang regime's survival."

He has felt the pain personally.

His son, Wu Jingcheng,

died due to the defeat of the Henan-Hunan-Guangxi Campaign.

I've met Jingcheng.

Every time he saw me,

he tugged at my clothes and said,

"Uncle Baocang,

when I grow up,

I want to learn from you how to ride horses and fight in battles."

Jingcheng was naturally bright.

And Yuxun loved him dearly.

Losing this child

caused him years of suffering.

No wonder the gentle Deputy Chief Wu

got so furious today.

Wu Yuxun and I

are not only alumni from Baoding Military Academy,

but also worked together

in the 4th War Zone.

During the Battle of Kunlun Pass,

we fought side by side,

sharing life and death like brothers.

I should find a convenient time to meet with him.

It might yield some unexpected results.

Dad.

Dad.

Jingcheng.

What's wrong?

Dad.

I'm in pain.

Dou.

Dou.

Have you seen Mr. Wu?

No, I haven't.

Qian.

Qian!

Qian!

Qian!

I'm here.

Have you seen Mr. Wu?

No, I haven't.

Qian,

take my car and hurry back

to tell Mrs. Wu not to worry.

Mr. Wu is in the office.

I'll head back then.

Okay, drive carefully.

Sir.

Is it work time already?

No.

It's only 4 a.m.

Then why are you here?

I was looking for you.

Mrs. Wu was worried when you weren't home,

so she called me.

She has woken up?

I'll make a call.

No need.

I came with Qian.

I saw the lights on upstairs,

so I told him to head back right away

to let Mrs. Wu know and not get too worried.

What's wrong?

I had a dream.

A dream?

What did you dream about?

Nothing.

You don't need to stay with me. Go get some rest.

Sir.

If you're feeling upset,

we don't have to go.

Nonsense.

If I wanted to feel at ease,

I would have stayed in Fuzhou and joined the uprising,

instead of coming to Taiwan.

[Silent Honor]

[Episode 7]

Nie Xi.

What kind of place is Hong Kong?

Hong Kong is to our lower left.

Do you know Guangdong?

It's right next to Guangdong.

If Guangdong were the size of a watermelon,

Hong Kong would be the size of an egg.

Is it fun there?

Fun?

We went there for work.

Why did you take off the watch I bought you?

There are many delicious foods there.

Your dad specifically bought the Wife Cake for you.

This one is quite nice.

That one is too valuable.

So I just kept it in a box.

Is there a wife inside the Wife Cake?

Inside the Wife Cake?

Take a look and see if there's a wife in it.

I get it now.

Wives are only at home.

Sometimes there's no wife at home either.

Why isn't there a wife at home?

Because she's working overtime. She's busy.

Xuecheng.

Come eat.

I'm going to be late. I'm not eating.

Xuecheng.

How could you...

First take Xuecheng to school,

then go to the Ministry of Defense.

Please help me mail

this letter to my family.

[To Xiaoguang]

I've thought it through.

There are many comrades building Shanghai,

but I'm the only one

with a legal special pass.

This mission is my bounden duty.

The Party has also provided the feedback,

respecting your decision.

Thank you for your trust.

I should be the one thanking you.

This time you're going to Taiwan

to serve as a temporary courier

for the top intelligence source

of our Party in Taiwan.

After you leave,

I'll resolve the pass issue as soon as possible

and arrange for a new courier to replace you.

I can't confirm the exact time,

but it shouldn't be too long.

When that time comes,

as soon as you receive the withdrawal order,

return immediately.

Understood.

Also,

the work on the covert front

is completely different from your previous work

on the economic front.

Every move is risky,

and death isn't far off.

So before you officially begin your mission,

we'll give you

last-minute training in underground intelligence work.

Why are you arresting me?

Let me go!

Is this even reasonable?

Don't get out yet.

That's Ms. Li who teaches Chinese.

Why are they arresting her?

She's a good person and kind to students.

She teaches well too.

I need to go ask them!

Listen to me.

After getting off, go straight through the school gate to your classroom.

Don't say or ask anything.

Did you hear me?

Qian, get off and follow Xuecheng.

Make sure she gets to the classroom before you leave.

Yes, sir.

[Qiuzhen Middle School]

Miss Wu, don't be angry with Mr. Wu.

He's only doing this for your own good.

Miss Wu, please don't be angry.

Sir, we're running out of time.

I'll take you to Zhongshan Hall.

Alright.

The great victory at Kinmen

is owed, first and foremost,

to the profound greatness and wisdom of the Father of the Nation, Sun Yat-sen,

and to the immense grace and benevolence

of President Chiang.

Let's welcome the President to give us a speech.

This victory at Kinmen

is a tremendous boost to the morale

of our military and our people.

It is the greatest victory since our campaign

to quell the rebellion and save the nation.

It also marks our turning point

in the counteroffensive to recover our homeland.

[Chen Baocang, Lieutenant General]

These past few days I have been unwell.

I originally wanted to ask Cixiu to...

During the three-day bloody battle on Kinmen Island,

nearly half of the 9,000 PLA soldiers sacrificed their lives.

Wu Shi was deeply trapped in self-blame and regret.

He kept thinking

whether the outcome of this battle would have been different,

if that intelligence report had been delivered just one hour earlier.

But he knew better

that only by obtaining more critical intelligence

could the liberation process of southwest China, Hainan,

Zhoushan, Taiwan and other regions be accelerated.

Though the road ahead was fraught with hardships,

the underground work in Taiwan

was an inseparable part of the War of Liberation

and also the key front

for the ultimate realization of the nationwide liberation.

He had to bear all the suffering.

This was the loneliest

yet the most resolute mission of a covert soldier.

So he is hereby publicly commended.

[Award Ceremony for the Victory at Guningtou]

Wu Shi, Deputy Chief of Ministry of Defense,

who accepted the mission in times of crisis

and contributed to supervising supply delivery to Kinmen,

is hereby publicly commended.

Yuxun.

Your trip to Hong Kong to oversee military supplies

has shown remarkable results.

You truly deserve your reputation as our army's top general.

In the future, you must continue to serve

our party with dedication.

President, I'm flattered.

I will spare no effort to fulfill my duties.

Where are the photos of Nie Xi?

The photos came out a bit blurry,

so it took longer to get them developed.

You...

Why didn't you report to me?

Leader, I just

haven't had the chance to report to you yet.

I don't know why

Nie Xi kept talking to me.

So later I

didn't have a chance to take more photos.

I was with Nie Xi the whole time.

There were just the two of us.

I went to use the bathroom once,

but otherwise there was nothing suspicious.

Why did you have to go to the bathroom?

Leader, I really...

I just couldn't hold it anymore.

Why did you have to go to the bathroom?

Has the intelligence been delivered or not?

Yes, it must be him.

Boyu.

For the great victory at Guningtou in Kinmen,

you deserve the greatest credit.

You turned the tide. That's remarkable.

Indeed.

Deputy Officer Lin, you're too kind.

Thanks to the President's guidance,

I merely did what little I could.

How dare I take credit?

When I arrived in Kinmen,

I only boosted the morale.

If anyone deserves credit,

it should be you, General Li.

That's right.

I don't deserve such praise.

General Hu, if not for your reinforcements,

[Li Liangrong, Commander of the 22nd Corps of the Kuomintang]

the outcome of this battle would have been uncertain.

Cheers to you!

I just did my job.

Cheers.

Deputy Chief Liu.

General Hu Lian.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

Commander Tang.

Let me toast you.

[Tang Enbo, Deputy Commander of the KMT's Southeast Military and Political Office]

Top Scholar Wu.

Why are you hiding here?

Let me toast you.

I should be the one toasting you, General Hu.

I never expected

you to be such a hearty drinker.

I'll finish mine too.

I'm happy for you, General Hu.

Your contribution was indispensable

to the great victory at Guningtou.

Though we call it a great victory,

we also suffered heavy casualties.

How could that be?

Didn't we outnumber them?

We did outnumber them.

But we really didn't

anticipate

that the three regiments of the Communist Army

would fight so fiercely,

thrusting deeply toward the strategic high ground.

The lone army held out for four days.

To wipe them out,

our corps also suffered heavy casualties.

This was totally unexpected.

This was totally unexpected.

This was totally unexpected.

Sorry to keep you waiting.

Please have a seat.

Come on.

-Have a seat. -Have a seat.

I asked you to stay

because the President has an important matter to entrust to you.

He hopes you will give your full support.

Please go ahead.

The Southwest

is the rear base of our party.

During the War of Resistance,

if we hadn't relied on the Southwest,

our party would have been in grave danger.

Now we've reached another critical moment.

The President has decided

to concentrate all the military forces

in the Southwest

for a decisive battle against the Communist Army.

If we win this battle,

the Southwest and Taiwan

can coordinate with each other,

laying a solid foundation

for our strategic counteroffensive.

The President truly has a grand vision.

Indeed.

In such extraordinary times,

we must employ extraordinary people.

The President has hired two

senior military advisors from Japan

to offer us strategic guidance.

This matter must be kept strictly confidential.

What do you need us to do?

These two Japanese men

have read Deputy Chief Wu's works.

They believe

Deputy Chief Wu's strategic vision and military skills

are truly admirable.

They've proposed

to have Deputy Chief Wu serve as their interpreter.

This matter

has already been approved by the President.

Commander Zhou,

Deputy Chief Wu is your subordinate.

So please talk to him about this matter.

This matter

might be quite difficult.

You all know

his temperament.

Moreover, one of his sons

was killed in a Japanese bombing.

He harbors deep hatred toward the Japanese.

Asking him to be their interpreter

is something I find extremely difficult to bring up.

But the President has already approved.

Perhaps

you could explain the situation to the President yourself.

General Chen,

we also need your help

to work with Commander Zhou

to persuade Deputy Chief Wu.

After all,

you were classmates at Baoding Military Academy.

Alright.

The interests of our party

are above everything else.

So regarding the victory at Guningtou in Kinmen,

the primary credit naturally goes to our 18th Army.

Exactly.

Indeed.

And that strategic advisor Lin Baoyuan,

despite being

a defeated Japanese commander,

really knows

the art of warfare.

Exactly.

Using a Japanese as our strategic advisor

will get us scolded

if this gets out!

Have you lost your mind?

Our enemy now is the Communist Party.

What's wrong with defending Taiwan?

Besides,

selecting people based on talent shows we're broad-minded!

General Yin, you're correct.

Commander Yin.

Do you know

who Lin Baoyuan is?

Lin Baoyuan is Hiroshi Nemoto,

a war criminal who has killed Chinese people.

It's General Chen.

The Japanese invaders devastated our country.

It was at the cost of 35 million lives

that we finally won the War of Resistance.

Now,

the Kuomintang Army has actually hired this Japanese war criminal

as a strategic advisor

to harm our fellow countrymen.

This is allying with the villain!

It's an utter disgrace to all soldiers who fought against Japanese aggression!

How dare you spout such nonsense here?

Don't you have any shame?

As long as we can defeat the Communists,

what's wrong with using Japanese help?

General Chen, I know you

once participated in

the Japanese surrender ceremony in Qingdao.

But times have changed.

Today is a day to celebrate our victory.

Why do you have to pour cold water on this?

This battle was at Guningtou.

It was just because your tanks

happened to stop

on the beach where the Communist Army landed.

You know well how little credit your medal actually deserves,

don't you?

How little credit?

It was my 18th Army that reinforced in time!

General Chen,

you're just unwilling to accept this, aren't you?

Back then, your department

made such serious mistakes.

Tens of thousands of kilograms of grain

ended up in the Communist Army's hands.

Have you ever explained that clearly?

Well,

did you feel a kinship with the Communist Army?

Or did you have such bad eyesight

that you signed the wrong documents?

Cheers.

General Chen,

please wait.

Commander Yin.

Please apologize to General Chen.

With all due respect, I don't see why I should apologize.

The case about General Chen supporting the Communist Army

was thoroughly investigated and cleared at the end of last year.

An official notice has been issued

to prove General Chen's innocence

That's the first reason.

Second,

General Chen

lost sight in one eye

while defending our country

against Japanese invaders.

Today,

we can enjoy peace here,

drinking, chatting,

and enjoying ourselves,

all thanks to the countless anti-Japanese soldiers

like General Chen

who sacrificed their lives

and shed their blood.

Yet you mocked him.

Therefore,

please apologize.

Forget it.

An apology from someone like him

means nothing to me.

No.

I won't accept it if he doesn't apologize today.

Top Scholar Wu,

there's no need to get angry.

General Chen, there's no need

to be so petty with a junior officer.

Let me handle these trivial matters.

Commander Yin has had too much to drink.

Take him back.

Wait!

Boyu.

The War of Resistance lasted 14 years.

You know that better than me

how much we sacrificed.

Today, if Commander Yin

doesn't apologize for his inappropriate words,

I won't let it go.

Do we really want to break the hearts

of our fellow Chinese?

Apologize.

Apologize to General Chen.

Apologize to all the soldiers

who shed blood

and sweat

during the War of Resistance!

Don't forget where you came from.

What are you waiting for?

General Chen,

I just spoke out of line.

I'm willing to accept military punishment.

Take him back to the division headquarters.

Confine him and make him reflect!

Yes, sir!

Top Scholar Wu,

it's my fault for failing to discipline my subordinates.

I'll enforce stricter discipline from now on.

Let's have a drink together.

No, thanks.

I've had too much already.

Zizhen,

it's been four years since we parted at the 4th War Zone.

Today you still have such courage,

daring to speak up for justice.

I truly admire you.

No, no.

Deputy Chief Wu, you're too kind.

Tonight I was reckless again.

Times have changed.

I've just cleared myself of suspicions of supporting Communists,

and now I've done something so absurd again,

making you step in and help me out.

I'm truly ashamed.

Zizhen.

You're being too formal with me.

We've been through life and death together.

What I admire most about you

is you bold and unyielding spirit.

I'll treat you to drinks another day.

Let's get together for a good drink sometime.

He's a bold and heroic man.

Given General Chen's personality,

in today's Taiwan,

life will be quite difficult for him.

It's too cold outside.

Let's chat inside.

Senior, I know you have high blood pressure.

Don't drink too much.

Please sit down.

Sit down.

Today,

let me toast you

with tea instead of wine.

Tonight calls for a good drink.

Besides,

let me tell you a secret.

After drinking,

my blood pressure isn't high at all.

You haven't lost your touch at all!

Zhirou.

When I was studying at Baoding Military Academy,

I knew Yuxun was exceptionally talented.

Sure enough, my hunch was right.

Look, at the front,

we have fierce generals like Boyu,

and in the rear,

we have strategic talents like Yuxun.

We'll surely reclaim the mainland within three years.

I'm flattered.

By the time the military aid arrived,

we had achieved victory at Kinmen.

It was just a nice extra.

I'm in no way comparable to the generals

fighting on the front lines.

I'm already unworthy of receiving the medal.

You're always so modest,

letting others take all the credit!

Chairman, Chief,

what brings you here to see me?

The President has coordinated the Southwest.

He has led the troops to defend the Southwest

for some time.

To ensure absolute success,

the President has invited

Naosuke Tomita, who now goes by the name Bai Hongliang,

and Kunimitsu Aratake, who goes by the name Lin Guang,

to offer advice to our army.

Naosuke Tomita?

Kunimitsu Aratake?

These two are war criminals.

They are war criminals,

aren't they?

Yes, they are.

How did we end up working with them?

Now our party is in imminent danger.

The President is doing this

for the sake of our ideology, our party

and our country.

Besides,

Bai Hongliang and Lin Guang

have thoroughly studied your military writings.

They greatly admire you.

So the President

wants us

to tell you this.

Senior,

we all know

you harbor deep hatred toward the Japanese,

since one of your sons

died during the War of Resistance.

Yes, indeed.

But in our army,

only you have both

military expertise

and Japanese proficiency.

And the President also hopes that you'll provide

an operational summary later.

So...

So he wants me

to serve as an interpreter for the Japanese

and communicate with them.

Yes.

But when Ching-kuo came to me,

I flatly refused.

I know that

you're open to discussing just about anything,

but when it comes to matters involving the Japanese,

you certainly won't agree.

But honestly,

to serve as the interpreter between the President

and the Japanese effectively,

one must

not only have a high level

of military expertise,

but also have a thorough knowledge

of the situation in the Southwest.

Senior,

you are recognized

as the top talent in our army.

In our ministry, no one can match

your level of military theory

and Japanese language skills.

That's why

the President personally selected you.

However, I've already told Ching-kuo

that you are a man of principle

and would absolutely refuse this matter.

Sir, are your okay?

I'm fine.

Why did Chief Zhou ask you to come here?

Mr. Chiang wants me to serve

as the interpreter for the White Group.

Sir.

Please stop drinking.

Stop drinking.

[Welcome the soldiers for the victory at Kinmen]

Stop.

Stop here.

What's wrong, Sir?

I'm a bit afraid to go in.

I understand.

Jingcheng was killed by the Japanese.

And now Mr. Chiang is asking you

to be the interpreter for the Japanese.

You must feel like

you can't face Mrs. Wu, right?

The Southwest Campaign has begun.

Mr. Chiang's staff team

mainly consists of Gu Zhutong and some others in Chongqing.

We're in Taiwan,

unable to get any core intelligence.

There's no easier way to get intelligence

than straight from Mr. Chiang himself.

That's true.

But this would put you

in a really difficult position.

Sir, let me walk you in.

No need.

Go home early.

Mr. Wu, you're back.

Mom!

My toy car is broken.

Let me see what's wrong...

With it.

It looks fine to me.

I don't know.

It just stopped working.

It stopped working?

Tomorrow your dad will buy you a new one.

I don't want a new one!

I just like this one!

I'll buy you a new one tomorrow, okay?

I'm back. Give it to me.

I will fix it for you.

Don't get me a new one.

No new one. I'll fix this one for you.

Don't worry. I'll definitely fix it.

Come on, let's go.

Let me carry you.

Bye, Dad.

You'll fix it, okay?

General.

This Commander Yin

is Hu Lian's favorite.

You just got through the review not long ago.

I'm worried that if someone

makes a big fuss about what happened today,

you might...

I'm afraid you'll face more criticism again,

which might be detrimental to our future work.

You can put your mind at ease.

I know what I'm doing.

Even if today's matter gets reported

all the way to Mr. Chiang,

I have nothing to be ashamed of.

All those soldiers present fought

in the 14-year War of Resistance.

Every one of them has a blood feud

with the Japanese.

Every one of them bears

an irreconcilable hatred toward the Japanese.

Today, I spoke

my mind openly there.

They wouldn't mind at all.

In fact, they would feel satisfied.

Do you know why?

Why?

First,

they are just like us,

having a blood feud with the Japanese.

Second,

so many people died

in the Battle of Kinmen.

We all feel so grieved about it.

Yet Hu Lian threw a big party there.

Anyone with a shred of conscience

would feel as sad as we do.

Therefore,

after what happened today,

there will definitely be people who dare to speak up in the future.

As you've seen,

my old friend,

Wu Yuxun,

now as the Deputy Chief of the Ministry of Defense,

resolutely

stood up for me.

Wu Yuxun,

back when he was in Nanjing

serving as the Director of the Historical and Political Bureau,

once said, "Heaven won't

tolerate the Kuomintang regime's survival."

He has felt the pain personally.

His son, Wu Jingcheng,

died due to the defeat of the Henan-Hunan-Guangxi Campaign.

I've met Jingcheng.

Every time he saw me,

he tugged at my clothes and said,

"Uncle Baocang,

when I grow up,

I want to learn from you how to ride horses and fight in battles."

Jingcheng was naturally bright.

And Yuxun loved him dearly.

Losing this child

caused him years of suffering.

No wonder the gentle Deputy Chief Wu

got so furious today.

Wu Yuxun and I

are not only alumni from Baoding Military Academy,

but also worked together

in the 4th War Zone.

During the Battle of Kunlun Pass,

we fought side by side,

sharing life and death like brothers.

I should find a convenient time to meet with him.

It might yield some unexpected results.

Dad.

Dad.

Jingcheng.

What's wrong?

Dad.

I'm in pain.

Dou.

Dou.

Have you seen Mr. Wu?

No, I haven't.

Qian.

Qian!

Qian!

Qian!

I'm here.

Have you seen Mr. Wu?

No, I haven't.

Qian,

take my car and hurry back

to tell Mrs. Wu not to worry.

Mr. Wu is in the office.

I'll head back then.

Okay, drive carefully.

Sir.

Is it work time already?

No.

It's only 4 a.m.

Then why are you here?

I was looking for you.

Mrs. Wu was worried when you weren't home,

so she called me.

She has woken up?

I'll make a call.

No need.

I came with Qian.

I saw the lights on upstairs,

so I told him to head back right away

to let Mrs. Wu know and not get too worried.

What's wrong?

I had a dream.

A dream?

What did you dream about?

Nothing.

You don't need to stay with me. Go get some rest.

Sir.

If you're feeling upset,

we don't have to go.

Nonsense.

If I wanted to feel at ease,

I would have stayed in Fuzhou and joined the uprising,

instead of coming to Taiwan.