Chapter 38 Interrogating Motoda

  Honda Review

  The man who rushed in was Jia Zhongyong, he held a gun and pointed at Honda Masaji saying: "You little Japanese devil, you killed Commander Geng, I'm going to kill you today."

  Yun Xiang Tian rushed over and pushed away Jia Zhongyong's gun. Just then, a gunshot was heard, the bullet whizzing past Honda Masaji's ear, scaring him so badly that he fell to the ground along with his chair. He quickly scrambled up, adjusted his collar, feigning calmness, and said in a trembling voice: "I am a prisoner of war, you must follow the Geneva Convention and treat prisoners of war with kindness."

  "What's going on?" A sweet voice accompanied by Kawai Yumi as she walked in, smiling brightly and saying: "First the sound of crashing doors and then gunshots, it seems like a very tense situation." She didn't even glance at Honda Masaji, instead walking directly to Yun Xiang Tian's side and whispering in his ear in a voice that only he could hear: "Young Master Yun, you're too cruel, are you trying to drive Mr. Honda to death?" Then she handed him a document.

  Yun Xiang Tian pretended to be surprised and said: "Oh, did Ono Jirō really say that? So what is he doing now?"

  Kawao thought to himself, "Cloud Soaring Heaven is indeed a great general, calm and composed in the face of change, adapting to circumstances with ease, truly admirable." But he said out loud, "Kono, I'm drafting a statement right now."

  Yun Xiang Tian looked puzzled and asked: "A statement? What statement?"

  Kawao Kimito smiled slightly and said, "Mr. Ono is now issuing a joint anti-fascist declaration in the name of him, me and Mr. Honda to the Japanese people, calling on the nation to unite, overthrow fascism, stop the war, expose the conspiracy of the so-called holy war, and give us a peaceful world."

  Honda Masajiro was shocked and scolded: "Bastard, you are not the Emperor's samurai, but the Emperor's shame. Bastard."

  Kawao Kōji didn't get angry, instead he smiled and said: "Honda-san is indeed the Emperor's samurai, fearless in the face of life and death. I don't know who it was, but earlier someone shouted that they were a prisoner of war and demanded to be treated as such. The Imperial Army treats Chinese prisoners of war by training them for assassination - isn't that what you call treating prisoners well? Fine, let them do the same then. And another thing, are you a prisoner of war?"

  Honda Masaji was left speechless, his eyes wide with fear. He had seen Chinese prisoners of war in the Japanese army camp, and he had seen how they were brutally treated. He remembered the new recruits who came to China for training, and how they were ordered to kill live Chinese prisoners tied to poles to test their courage. The thought sent shivers down his spine. Then he thought: he must be a spy, not a prisoner of war.

  Yun Xiang Tian looked at Honda Masaji, who was in a state of panic, and said: "Mr. Honda, we will indeed follow the relevant provisions of the Geneva Convention to treat prisoners of war with kindness. We also treat spies who tell the truth kindly, Miss Mu Nanzi is right in front of you, she has become our friend. You can choose whether to be friends or resist stubbornly. Choose for yourself."

  Kawao Kizuki took over the conversation and said, "If Honda-kun still wants to be a loyal retainer of the Emperor, I naturally admire that. I'll just have to join forces with Ono-kun and issue a statement. You can continue being a spy under the guns of the national army."

  Honda Masaji lowered his head and said: "Let me think, let me think."

  The silent Japanese general, seemingly annoyed, said: "You're being called the second son of the camp, and you really are a fool. From now on, let's call you Honda Shinji instead. You don't seem like a real idiot, so why do you keep doing stupid things? Such a good opportunity is right in front of you, do you want to miss it? Do you really want to die for your emperor? Does he even know you? For his own ambition, how many Chinese and Japanese families have been destroyed because of the war? How many parents lost their sons, how many wives lost their husbands, how many children lost their fathers. Honda Shinji, have you thought about your family? Your elderly parents, your gentle wife, your lovely children... oh wait, are you even married?"

  Yun Xiang Tian and Huang Min looked at Qi Guo Jiang, who was fiercely bombarding Honda Masaji, and couldn't help but laugh. Chuan Xiong Mu Ke Zi covered her mouth, afraid of laughing out loud, and said with a serious tone: "What? Mr. Honda isn't married yet. His girlfriend is probably called Inoue Hideko."

  "What? Ikuo Shumi? He's from Hokkaido, Japan? And he has an older brother named Ikuo Shumio?"

  Honda Masaji stood up excitedly and said: "That's right, it's her. How did you know her? Where is she?"

  "Yun Xiangtian also stood up and said: 'Honda Shōtarō, Japanese Kwantung Army Command, Junior Lieutenant War Advisor, how did you become Honda Shōji? It's time for you to say the purpose of your trip.'"

  Honda Masaji took a deep breath and gritted his teeth: "Alright, I'll tell you, but first you have to tell me where Shumi is."

  Qiguo slammed his hand on the table and said, "You're still talking about conditions? Believe it or not, I can kill you right now. If Cloud Master wasn't so kind-hearted, I would have tortured you long ago. What's your goal?"

  Huang Min turned back and glared at Qi Guo Jiang, Ye Zi Chun also pulled Qi Guo Jiang and said: "What are you doing? Do you have the right to interrupt? Go stand aside. Save your energy for eating braised donkey meat tonight."

  Qiguo suddenly realized he had said too much, and looked at Yunxiangtian with embarrassment. Yunxiangtian smiled and said: "Not bad, he should be severely punished or directly executed. A man who can't even protect his girlfriend is useless."

  Qiguo will see Yun Xiang Tian not only not blaming him, but also speaking for him, excitedly saying: "I told you, this kind of person..." Huang Min's cough made him feel that he had said too much again, and he quickly shut his mouth and walked to the side.

  Honda Masaji was puzzled by Unshō Tenko's words and carefully asked: "Why did you say that? What about Inoue Hideko?"

  Yun Xiang Tian said: "You first answer me, why change Honda Shōtarō's name to Honda Shōji? From now on, should I call you Honda Shōji or still call you Honda Shōtarō?"

  Chuan Yu Mu thought to herself, "What a clever way of asking questions! Whoever it is will fall into the trap he has set." She not only looked at Yun Xiang Tian several more times, but her eyes were filled with warmth.

  Honda Masajirō hesitated for a moment and said, "Because I especially admire General Tofuya Genji. So I changed my name to Honda Masajirō, from now on call me Honda Masatarō."

  Yun Xiang Tian smiled and said: "Good, it seems we can still talk. I'll tell you the news about Ikegami Hideko right now."

  Yun Xiang Tian said: A few months ago, he had been to Linping. One day on the street, he saw several Japanese soldiers chasing a wounded Japanese soldier and a Japanese girl. With his chivalrous heart, he cleverly rescued them. However, the Japanese soldier's injuries were too severe, and he could not be saved. Before he died, he said that his name was Inoue Hidenao, and the girl's name was Inoue Hideko, they were a pair of Japanese siblings. Inoue Hidenao was a squad leader in the Japanese army stationed in Linping, and he had planned to go to a restaurant run by Japanese people called Sakura Kaika Tei to drink, where there were many girls from mainland Japan. As soon as he entered the restaurant, he saw a Japanese military officer smiling wickedly while beating a girl with his belt. He not only looked at her for a few more seconds but was shocked when he clearly saw that the girl was his sister Inoue Hideko. He rushed forward without hesitation, pushed away the officer and pulled up Inoue Hideko. The drunken Japanese officer, seeing someone ruining his fun, became furious, swung his belt to hit Inoue Hidenao. Losing his mind, Inoue Hidenao drew his gun, aimed at the officer, fired a shot, picked up Inoue Hideko and ran away. The gunshot startled the Japanese patrol team, who quickly surrounded them and shot Inoue Hidenao.

  Yun Xiang Tian glanced at the tense and surprised Honda Masao, and continued: Yun Xiang Tian did not save Ikuo Hidemasa, but successfully rescued Ikuo Hideko. Ikuo Hideko said that she had come to China this time to find her fiancé, Honda Masao, who was a lieutenant and combat advisor at the Japanese Kwantung Army Command. After arriving at the command center, an officer told her that Honda Masao had already arrived in Linping, and he could take her there to meet him. However, when they arrived in Linping, she realized she had been deceived - the Sakura restaurant was a secret brothel for Japanese soldiers. The officer's intention was to make her surrender herself to the brave warriors of the Greater East Asia War and become a comfort woman for the Japanese army. She vowed not to give in, and just as the officer was about to use force to subdue her, her brother Ikuo Hidemasa saved her. However, he also lost his life in doing so. Ikuo Hideko also said that she had learned Chinese from her fiancé, Honda Masao. Honda Masao was extremely kind-hearted and loved classical Chinese learning, able to speak fluent Chinese from a young age. She deeply admired her fiancé, Honda Masao.

  Honda Shōtarō anxiously asked: "And then? Where did she go afterwards?"

  Kawao Kizuki also said nervously, "Yes, where did she go afterwards? She's a decent Japanese girl, you didn't make things difficult for her, did you?"

  Yun Xiang Tian smiled and said: "You are also a kind-hearted Japanese girl, but you have been misled by the emperor's nonsense and gone astray." He found that Kawabata Mika suddenly looked shy. Hurriedly changing the subject, he said: "She is now very safe, you can rest assured, I will arrange for you to meet her when I have time. Mr. Honda, can you tell me something?"

  Honda Masataro shook his head and said: "I can't. I have to see her, or know that she's still alive, otherwise I won't say anything."

  Yun Xiang Tian smiled and said, "Xiū Měi Zi Miss said you're very kind, I didn't feel that way. This time when I see Xiū Mei Zi Miss, I'll tell her: You're a naturally suspicious person. Mu Nài Zi Miss, go with Hu Dàgē for a trip, to pick up Xiū Měi Zi Miss. She's just on the Qí Lín Mountain, only twenty miles away from here."

  Honda Shōtarō burst into tears when he saw Inoue Hideko. He kept his promise and provided a valuable piece of intelligence about Reikonjō and Fūjin-yama to Unshōten. Unshōten fell deep in thought.