Siheyuan: Starting from 1958

"Excuse me, does Jia Geng live in the courtyard?" The old policeman leading the group seemed very satisfied with Yan Fugui's performance and asked with a smile.

"Bang Geng... lives in our courtyard, but their family lives in the middle courtyard. Officer, I'll take you there now..."

After saying that, he didn't forget to ask the two policemen for information: "Police officers..."

"Banggeng went out to do business after the New Year, leaving only his grandmother, his biological mother, his stepfather, and a younger sister at home..."

"Only my younger sister works outside; my grandmother, biological mother, and stepfather all stay at home and don't work..."

"If I remember correctly, they haven't done anything wrong recently. May I ask what you need them for?"

The two policemen's smiling faces were quickly replaced by seriousness as they reminded each other, "Comrade..."

"Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask. Just help us get to the Jia family's place..."

Yan Fugui quickly dismissed the idea of ​​trying to find out more information and soon brought the two policemen to the Jia family's door. Then, through the door, he called out to Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu inside the house.

"Qin Huairu, Jia Zhangshi, Lao Yi... The police officers need to see you. Open the door quickly..."

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, Yan Fugui shouted loudly, and not only Qin Huairu and Jia Zhangshi inside the house heard it, but the other residents in the middle courtyard also heard it clearly.

Upon hearing that the police were looking for the Jia family, their love of excitement led them to immediately open the door and, as if they had planned it in advance, swarm around the Jia family.

Some of the more timid neighbors were too embarrassed to come over, but they craned their necks to look at the Jia family through the crack in the door, while also straining their ears to find out the real purpose of the police looking for the Jia family.

Qin Huairu and Jia Zhangshi were both startled, as they were both bullies within their own community.

When it comes to the police, they're all more cowardly than turtles.

When I opened the door, I saw two police officers standing at the door. I was stunned for a long time and didn't know how to start the conversation.

Fortunately, Yi Zhonghai stepped forward: "Officer, I am Qin Huairu... May I ask what business you have with the Jia family?"

“We’ve been staying in the yard all this time and don’t think we’ve done anything wrong. Could you have made a mistake?”

The lead police officer thought for a moment and replied, "We'll know soon enough whether you've made a mistake... Please wait a moment..."

After saying that, he turned his gaze back to Yan Fugui and continued, "Comrade..."

"I need to trouble you with something else."

"Yan Jiecheng, Yan Jiefang seems to live in this courtyard house as well. Could you please call their parents over? The matter I'm about to discuss is also related to them."

Yan Fugui was dumbfounded.

I thought I was a good citizen helping the police today, and that I could also take the opportunity to watch the excitement.

Unexpectedly, as I was looking, I saw myself reflected on the surface.

Seeing that Yan Fugui hadn't moved, the police thought they had made a mistake and quickly asked, "Comrade..."

"Don't Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang live in this courtyard house?"

"its not right……"

“We even went to the neighborhood committee to ask about this, and they said that the three Yan brothers live in this courtyard house.”

At this moment, He Yuzhu, who had been watching the commotion from the sidelines, suddenly interjected: "Police officer..."

“The man standing next to you is Yan Fugui, Yan Jiecheng’s father…” “You’re the father of the three Yan brothers?” The policeman stared at Yan Fugui with wide eyes, his gaze becoming sharp.

I used to think he was a helpful and kind citizen, but now it seems that this old man is not as simple as I imagined.

If Yan Fugui were truly a good person, how could he have raised three sons involved in smuggling?

If only one or two sons were involved in smuggling, it could be considered an accident. But now that all three sons are involved in smuggling, it can only mean that there are problems with the Yan family's values ​​and the education of Yan Fugui.

Yan Fugui didn't know what the police's real purpose was in finding him, but when he heard them mention Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang, and thought about the "big business" they were doing, he couldn't help but feel guilty, after all, the police had already come to his doorstep.

Even a normal person, when faced with questioning by the police, would instinctively feel guilty even if they hadn't done anything wrong, and would quickly reply, "Comrade... I am Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang's father..."

"I was a teacher before I retired..."

"What can I do for you?"

After receiving a definite answer, the police officer in charge didn't waste any words and said directly to the two families, "Now that you're all here, I'll start explaining the situation to you."

"The Yan brothers, Yan Jiecheng, Banggeng, were involved in large-scale smuggling with Xu Damao. They were arrested by our police five days ago, and the drugs were seized in the process..."

"They have already confessed to their crimes..."

"According to policy..."

"They will be imprisoned for more than three years."

"But considering that they were not the masterminds, and that all the smuggled radios and televisions were seized by our police, the higher authorities decided to give them a chance."

“If the three Yan brothers and Bang Geng each pay a fine of three thousand yuan, their sentences can be reduced to one year; otherwise, they will be sent to court for sentencing…”

"If Xu Damao, as the mastermind behind the entire smuggling operation, is willing to pay a fine of 5,000 yuan, his prison sentence can be reduced to three years."

"But if they refuse to pay the fine, they could face at least ten years in prison..."

"Currently, the three Yan brothers and Bang Geng are all detained at the district public security bureau... Family visits will be allowed starting tomorrow..."

"Time is limited. If you cannot raise the fine within three days, we will appeal through normal channels. At that time, there will be no way to reduce the sentence."

Yan Fugui's eyes widened instantly as he stared at the two policemen with disbelief, asking, "This is impossible..."

"Officers, you must have made a mistake."

“My three sons work in foreign trade with Xu Damao, how could they possibly be involved in smuggling or breaking the law…”

"You must have made a mistake..."

The neighbors who had been watching the commotion also became nervous, as they had all invested money with Xu Damao.

If Xu Damao commits a crime and gets arrested, and the radios and televisions he bought are all confiscated by the police, then the money they invested in Xu Damao will be wasted.

The Jia family members looked even more shocked than Yan Fugui, and they immediately threw themselves at the feet of the two police officers, wailing, "Police officers..."

“My son Banggeng is a good kid… He and Xu Damao do foreign trade business outside, there’s absolutely no way he would be involved in smuggling, much less break the law…”

"You must have made a mistake..."

“Xu Damao explained it to us very clearly. He was in the foreign trade business, buying radios at low prices and selling them in inland county towns. He's not accused of speculation or profiteering, and he hasn't violated any policies at all. You must have made a mistake.” (End of Chapter)