I called my wife and asked her to help me analyze the events of the past two days.

We met when we were studying in Japan, so we both have some understanding of Japanese culture.

After contemplating for a moment, she said, "Is it possible, I mean, just a possibility, that Grandma... Do you remember the traditional Japanese-style shops we visited in Japan? The ones with women wearing kimonos."

Her words startled me.

I remembered those women. They also folded their hands on their waists and bowed while exclaiming, "Irasaimase, irasshaimase!"

"So, Grandma might... she might have..."

A terrible answer came to my mind.

"Maybe she never became a wife to any Japanese officer. Maybe this officer doesn't even exist!" my wife reminded me.

"But Grandpa and the village chief, they both claimed to have seen this officer. And if not, why would Grandma admit it?"

"Go and ask!"

I left a quick remark to Yang Shigong and hurriedly ran down the mountain to the village chief's house to find out if there was such a military officer.

The village chief was surprised. "Of course there was. Otherwise, where did your grandma learn the Japanese words she just spoke?"

"You understand them too?"

"Haha, I don't understand the meaning, but I can tell it's Japanese. Look, isn't that the TV over there?"

I followed his finger and saw a news broadcast about friendly exchanges between Chinese and Japanese youth. The anchor said that Japanese children had visited the site of the Wenchuan earthquake and planted the seeds of peace, friendship, and love.

"Have you seen that officer?"

"You're confused, my dear nephew. I wasn't even born at that time. How could I have seen him?"

"Then how are you sure he existed?"

"My parents said so. Many people from their generation saw him with their own eyes. They said your grandma brought him to Landang Miao Village. His name seems to be Yamamoto."

Suddenly, I thought of a previously overlooked but crucial question: "Why did she lead a Japanese person? Did she have a grudge against the village?"

"I heard that she hated your grandpa. He had a bad temper and would often hit and scold her," the village chief explained.

As I recalled, besides being ill-tempered towards his grandson, he indeed had a bad temper towards others. He was addicted to smoking and drinking, and his reputation and popularity in the village were not good.

I originally thought that it was the series of incidents that caused him to become like that.

But I didn't expect that he was like that from the beginning.

"The little devils didn't fulfill your grandma's wish. They killed people while plundering all the herbs in the village. They killed half of the villagers but let your grandpa survive," the village chief said.

"They only took the herbs? Not food, livestock, or women?" I asked.

The village chief replied, "That's what I heard. It's quite strange, isn't it? I also think so. If there was anything else, it would be your grandma. They say she left with Yamamoto."

I became anxious. "Village chief, can't you always rely on hearsay? Is there anyone I can confirm this with?"

"Who else can you find? The only person who witnessed it is the one who has been at your grandma's house these past few days."

"I heard that when your grandma returned from the Japanese, he was the one who stood up and accused her, blaming her for the death of his wife and child."

Yang Shigong.

Together we went to the county town, and he returned alone. Grandma led the way, the Japanese plundered herbs, suddenly possessing supernatural abilities, Dad hired him to kill his younger brother, welcome to our place, taking care of us for no reason...

All the clues were scattered and couldn't be connected, but when I added him into the picture, there seemed to be a faint thread.

Although I hadn't figured out the beginning and end, it must be related to him!