He Daqing, do you know how I've lived these past years?

"Big brother, I'm back."

"This information was gathered through intelligence gathering."

Chen Si hurriedly entered the office and took out a large stack of papers.

Leyou also asked him to sit down and called to the chubby man outside the door to bring tea.

Speaking of sending Chen Si to gather information, I couldn't help but think of the dozen or so elderly people, women, and children who had arrived before. On the third day, however, over a hundred people showed up. At the time, Lao Liu even thought someone was storming the camp.

After making further promises, he finally persuaded everyone to leave. Now that the information had been gathered, he hurriedly looked down to read the intelligence report, remembering General Bai's telegram from back then.

……

"Senior brother, the statistics from the past few days show that almost every official in the city has someone on their hands, and the city magistrate is also contacting the military factories in Huangjietan to buy guns and ammunition."

Mulan looked at Leyou, whose brows were furrowed, and said softly,

Leyou sighed and called over Chen Si and the chubby man who were waiting outside. He then asked them to call over Jia Gui.

Looking at the four people in front of him, Leyou lit a cigarette and said:

"According to Mulan's list, Chen Si, you take the special operations battalion and assassinate them all."

Jia Gui and Fatty Bai, you two go back and fill in the gaps. Kill all their family members and relatives who have committed evil deeds as well.

Jia Gui said, trembling:

"Sir, aren't we killing too many?"

Leyou chuckled and said:

"Since he oppresses the people and has even taken lives, how can he expect to stand up for them? We're all from peasant backgrounds; our demands aren't actually that high."

The chubby man nodded repeatedly in agreement.

"Yes, sir, you're right. We didn't dare stop them before because we were too incompetent, but now I'll make them all pay for it."

Leyou gave the chubby man a deep look and said:

"If you guys frame me and make a false accusation, I'll make you suffer a thousand cuts!"

Then he turned to Mulan and said:

"The vacant positions will be filled by the soldiers that Lao Liu previously identified."

Mulan shook her head and said:

"Senior brother, I've seen that list. Most of them are from Guangxi, and they're all highly educated. I'm worried..."

Leyou exhaled a puff of smoke and replied:

"They are all soldiers of the people, fighting fire and water. How can they get things done if they are afraid of this and that?"

Mulan nodded and said:

"Should we add a few more offices? There are less than ten in the whole city right now. Adding more staff would make it easier for the people to get things done."

Leyou shook his head, put out his cigarette, and said:

"Efficiency is the most important thing. If too many positions are assigned, ordinary people won't be able to find anyone. If someone makes things difficult for you, and you give the problem to them, they'll just pass it on to someone else. You'll never get things done. What's the point of giving gifts and money?"

"Chen Si, select half of the men from the guard battalion and have them stationed in the various offices. If they're found not doing any real work, arrest them and hang them at the door until they rot, then let them down."

After saying that, he waved his hand and continued looking at the information on the table.

……

Backyard of No. 95 Nanluoguxiang

"Da Mao, take good care of your sister, we're going to pay respects to your aunt."

Xu Damao also hurriedly pulled Xu Ling aside and said:

"Dad, has Brother Dasheng sent a letter?"

Xu Wude shook his head and said:

"Oh. No, we couldn't even contact him after your aunt's passing. It's too chaotic with war; it's not that easy. The Shan Chu incident had a huge impact on him."

Xu Damao nodded, seemingly understanding, and said:

"Should we go alone? My sister can't go, and Mom isn't coming back. How about we ask that old lady from the middle courtyard to take care of Lingzi? I've seen her taking care of Shazhu's sister quite often."

Hüwood slapped him on the back of the head and muttered a curse:

"Don't get too close to Yi Zhonghai's house in the future. He and that old woman next door are no good people. You might end up being sold off to somewhere without even knowing where."

"Your mother has some business at the Lou family's place. These past few days, the main family has been collecting bear paws, abalone, and shark fins in the east. It seems they have some important guests coming to dine there. If the main family is in a good mood, your mother might just mention it, and your father could go to the Lou family's place on business without having to run around all over the place."

Xu Damao looked at his father with disdain and said:

"Hmph, running around everywhere, what a scoundrel! Last time I even saw you stealing your mother's wages to go looking for a door in the alley,"

Upon hearing this, Xu Wude also threw a large nose punch and cursed:

"What do you mean by 'finding a door'? They have no jobs. I'm going to help them, to give them some money, otherwise they'll starve to death. Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda."

"But if you behave yourself from now on, I'll take you to Huangjietan to broaden your horizons. Listen to my brothers back in Tianjin; it's very prosperous there, and there are women singing. The lights there are all sorts of colors."

Xu Damao nodded, took Xu Ling's hand, and followed Xu Wude out of the courtyard gate.

He listened to his father's singing all the way:

"Night Yellow Dragon, Night Yellow Dragon, you are a city that never sleeps."

……

The wealthy old lady in the next room also spat when she heard Wood's singing.

"The common folk still sing of the night-blooming jasmine, but it's nowhere near as pleasant as the night-blooming jasmine."

He locked the door, opened the wardrobe, pulled up a plank, and climbed down the stairs inside the cave.

After a moment, he put on the earmuffs.

A sound immediately rang out from the narrow cave.

"Beep beep beep"

"Da da da"

The sound was followed by the old woman's crying and screaming.

"My son, I... I am filled with hatred."

On the paper on the table was written a line of text:

"Mother, seeing this letter is like seeing you. I am at war with the East, but I have suffered repeated defeats. My elder brother was killed by the enemy not long ago, and I have been trapped for a month. I am afraid I will not escape death. I learned that Father has taken Aunt's family to America. Don't worry."

If there is any danger to your life, seek out the city's garrison officer, Yue Weiguo. Mention the child's name along with the four characters "Hongxianglu Gang." Do not be aloof. There are 21 yellow croakers buried under a tree beside the house in the front yard.

As I bid farewell, I wish my mother good health.

"You unfilial son, that's Erkang's legacy."

……

Intermediate Court

"Honey, it sounds like the old lady in the backyard is crying."

Zhonghai's wife said to Zhonghai, who was lying on the bed.

"Really? I didn't hear that. Who cares? It's not like I'm only not clinging to her because she's rich. Let's keep trying."

Zhonghai's wife smiled and playfully slapped Yi Zhonghai, saying:

"But didn't our father-in-law tell us before he passed away that we must take good care of her? It's also my fault for not being able to bear children for you."

Before she could finish speaking, Yi Zhonghai pulled her away, and a burst of laughter mixed with crying filled the room.

He Daqing, who was washing a cart across the street, couldn't help but stop, his face flushed, and a trickle of saliva unconsciously dripped from the corner of his mouth.

In the Jia family's house nearby, Jia Zhangshi was also pulling hard on her handkerchief, her eyes glaring fiercely at Yi Zhonghai's house, and she growled in a low voice:

"Doing this in broad daylight, you deserve to be childless. Now you even despise me. You probably won't know until you die that the 'great tonic' your father gave you was actually the palace's infertility-inducing soup."

I couldn't let Old Jia down, so I fed you double the amount of the abortion pills from the brothel. You, with no offspring, still want to drink nourishing soup?

"Pah!"

……