The train driver in the courtyard

Outside.

Li Aiguo casually slapped a packet of sunflower seeds into the patrolman's hand: "Where did Liu Cuihua go?"

"The team leader followed Liu Cuihua up Xiaoxishan Mountain and chased her all the way to the dilapidated Taoist temple in the ravine. After Liu Cuihua went inside, the team leader told me to come back and report!" The team member hurriedly stuffed his cigarette into his pocket and snapped to attention.

Li Aiguo was taken aback by this and asked, "The dilapidated Taoist temple on Xiaoxishan? Is it the one without a plaque at the entrance, but with a wooden sign nailed upside down against the wall that reads 'Anti-Japanese War Fortress'?"

"Captain! How did you know? Have you been there?" The team member was so shocked that his mouth remained agape for a long time.

That dilapidated Taoist temple was hidden too far away, overgrown with weeds half a person tall. Without someone familiar with the area to guide you, even a native of the capital might not be able to find it.

He had lived most of his life, and this was the first time he had ever known that such a place was hidden in those desolate mountains.

Li Aiguo certainly knew.

Because he personally nailed up that wooden plaque that read "Anti-Japanese War Fortress Household" back then.

But... isn't that dilapidated Taoist temple Huang Liang's territory?
That kid has always been well-behaved and law-abiding; he can't possibly be up to any trouble behind his back, can he?
"Go and gather everyone in the group and go support Dajunzi first. I'm going to meet someone, I'll be there shortly."

Li Aiguo instructed his team members to call the third patrol team to set off first, while he turned around and went back into the house, changed into a neat short-sleeved shirt, tucked his pistol into his waistband, and then went out.

"Aiguo, I just ran into the third group. Are they going to take action tonight?" Zhang Gangzhu had just returned and was standing at the Li family's door.

"Steel Pillar, let's go together."

Li Aiguo always believed in the principle that many hands make light work, and meeting Zhang Gangzhu was just the right opportunity to recruit a strongman.
Seeing that he had a mission, he went inside, grabbed a butcher knife, tucked it into his waistband, and was about to head outside.

As soon as the two arrived at the middle courtyard, they saw the second and third aunties squatting by the well, washing clothes.

Seeing their posture, I couldn't help but ask, "Aiguo, Gangzhu, what are you two doing with those weapons?"

Before Li Aiguo could answer, Zhang Gangzhu shouted, "We must find the bad guys hiding among the masses!"

"Cough cough cough..." Li Aiguo was choked by his shout and coughed repeatedly.

This guy is great in every way, except he's too flashy.

Li Aiguo rode his mountain bike, carrying Zhang Gangzhu, to the family quarters not far from the Qianmen Locomotive Depot.

When the motorcycle stopped, Huang Liang, a genuine descendant of Longhu Mountain, was wearing a worn-out gray Zhongshan suit and squatting on the stone steps at the door, playing with mud.

Standing beside her was an elderly woman in her seventies with a full head of white hair, staring intently at the millet, her gaze devout.

"Hey, Driver Li, you're here?"

Huang Liang played with the mud while smiling at Li Aiguo.

"Would you like to touch a doll? I'll sculpt a nicer one for you later."

Touching dolls is a popular custom here.

Women who have been married for many years without conceiving often go to temple fairs to buy a clay doll and place it in the center of their eight-immortal table, hoping to have a son or daughter.

Strictly speaking, this can also be considered part of feudal superstition.

However, since this custom doesn't involve any mystical rituals and is more like a simple belief, the authorities turn a blind eye and don't interfere too much.

Huang Liang's clay figurine making skills are truly superb.

After kneading the mud until it became elastic, I first pinched the ears and nose, and then pulled the arms and calves.

In just a short while, a cute little clay figure began to take shape.

When sculpting clay figures, one must not speak, so Li Aiguo took out a cigarette, lit it, and watched quietly.

After placing the clay figure on the steps, Huang Liang looked at the old lady and said gently, "Grandma Zhao, touching dolls is just a tradition passed down from the older generation. Now it's a new society, we must trust science. Dr. Zhao from the Second Hospital specializes in treating infertility. You should have your son and daughter-in-law take a look when you have time, it won't be a bad idea."

"Yes, yes, believe in science, dispel superstition." The old woman examined the clay doll for a moment: "Little Taoist priest, I can't see this is a boy. Shouldn't you make a diner instead?"

Huang Liang stared at the clay figure in silence for a moment, then stood up, broke off a bamboo stick from the broom, and drew a shape between the doll's thighs.

"How about this, is it done?"

"Alright, this chubby baby is really adorable." The old lady carefully picked up the baby and said to Huang Liang, "Little Taoist Huang, when my daughter-in-law has a grandson, I'll treat you to a drink."

After saying that, she hurriedly left with the baby in her arms, her legs and feet moving so nimbly that she didn't look like a woman in her seventies.

After observing for a while, Zhang Gangzhu finally spoke up: "Temple fairs can't even be held now, and you're still doing these things? Aren't you afraid of getting arrested?"

“You’re a friend of driver Li, right?” Huang Liang wasn’t annoyed. Instead, he smiled at Zhang Gangzhu and said, “Some people really believe in this. If it weren’t for this doll, they might have started believing in all sorts of superstitious things.”

Zhang Gangzhu was speechless.

Huang Liang went into the house, filled a basin with clean water, washed the mud off his hands, and then looked at Li Aiguo and asked, "Brother Aiguo, you've come over at this hour, is it something urgent?"

Li Aiguo was also amazed by Huang Liang's skill in drawing Direr.

If this were in later generations, he would definitely be a master at making rubber dolls.

"You haven't been back to the Broken Taoist Temple recently?"

"No, it's been almost half a year since I went back. I've made up my mind that I won't go back anymore. We Taoists believe in being involved in the world. I plan to work as a temporary worker at the Qianmen Locomotive Depot, where I can work and make dolls at the same time. My master once told me that wherever we Taoists are, that's where the Taoist temple is."

Huang Liang's face was full of respect when he mentioned Old Master Niu.

Master Niu was Huang Liang's master and the original owner of the broken Taoist temple. He claimed to be a true successor of Longhu Mountain.

Li Aiguo thought it was a bit of an exaggeration; there were at least eighty or a hundred descendants of Longhu Mountain here.

Old Taoist Niu came to the capital during the previous dynasty, built a dilapidated Taoist temple, and made a living by making dolls and exchanging Chinese medicinal herbs for daily necessities. He lived a quiet life in his little world, a true hermit who was detached from worldly affairs.

Huang Liang was the youngest disciple, whom Old Master Niu found at the foot of the mountain. He had three senior brothers above him.

From 1937, when the Japanese invaders entered the Beijing area and we established the Pingxi, Pingbei, and Jidong base areas, Niu Laodao secretly made contact with the base areas and became a secret courier.

Many of the comrades responsible for meteorological monitoring were able to settle in the city under the cover of the Taoist temple.

Later, while helping an injured comrade deliver medicine late at night, Old Niu accidentally fell off a cliff.

Huang Liang's three senior brothers were reported by Er Gouzi for repeatedly protecting their comrades. When they were arrested, they fought desperately against the Japanese.

After liberation, Huang Liang was the only one left in that dilapidated Taoist temple.

Back then, when the higher authorities were verifying the deeds during the War of Resistance Against Japan, it was Li Aiguo who, together with Lao Mao, visited many veteran comrades and compiled the deeds of Master Niu and his disciples into a book, which was then reported to the organization.

Podao Temple was awarded the honorary title of "Anti-Japanese War Fortress Household" by the district armed forces department.

Later, sensing that the wind was about to pick up, the weather station staff decided to bring Huangliang down the mountain and house him at the weather station.

But Huang Liang was used to a quiet life and didn't want to be constrained by others.

In the end, Li Aiguo came up with an idea and used his connections to arrange for him to work in the old dormitory of the Qianmen Locomotive Depot.

"Has something happened at the Taoist temple?" Huang Liang picked up a towel to wipe his hands, and now he also sensed that something was wrong.

"It seems like someone is up to no good in there." Li Aiguo didn't hide anything and told Liu Cuihua's whereabouts in detail.

"Come on, driver Li, let's go take a look quickly." Huang Liang gave Li Aiguo a grateful look.

He wasn't afraid of being implicated himself, but he was afraid that someone would misbehave in the Taoist temple and tarnish the reputation of his master and fellow disciples.

A mountain bike can carry four or five people.

Li Aiguo was in charge of driving, while Zhang Gangzhu and Huang Liang sat in the back. They sped all the way to Xiaoxishan.

It's called a mountain, but it's really just a large, barren slope.

That dilapidated Taoist temple was even more rudimentary, consisting of only two or three mud-brick houses, with most of the courtyard walls collapsed.

Worried about alerting the people in the dilapidated Taoist temple, Li Aiguo stopped his motorcycle at the corner and took a few steps forward. Dajunzi suddenly appeared from the side.

"Brother Aiguo, you've finally arrived! I've been waiting anxiously."

"I've gone to invite Master Zhou, the owner of the Taoist temple," Li Aiguo said, pointing to Huang Liang.

Dajunzi looked at Huangliang, somewhat bewildered: "Why is there another Taoist priest? What's the deal with that one in the Taoist temple?"

"There's another Taoist priest in the temple?!" Li Aiguo's eyes widened.

Good heavens, are they real or fake Taoist priests?
Dajunzi was also anxious at this moment, and explained the situation in a few words.

After getting off work, Liu Cuihua didn't head towards the lumber mill compound as usual, but instead boarded a bus. Dajunzi sensed something was wrong and followed her with his men.

Arriving at this dilapidated Taoist temple on Little West Mountain, Liu Cuihua knocked on the door, and a chubby Taoist priest opened it and let her in.

Da Junzi originally wanted to rush in, but then he remembered Li Aiguo's instructions, so he stayed outside and sent his team members back to report.

“I’ve been keeping watch here, and there’s been no movement inside,” Da Junzi said in a low voice.

"Let's go, let's find a way in." Li Aiguo drew his pistol from his waist, Dajunzi raised his triangular dagger, and Huang Liang ran to the side and brought back a brick.

Seeing Li Aiguo looking at him, Huang Liang awkwardly explained, "My master said that using bricks in a fight is the most practical."

Li Aiguo: "."

The Taoist temple was already dilapidated, and the newspapers pasted on the windows had long since turned into shreds, rustling loudly in the wind.

Li Aiguo leaned closer to the window and peered inside. It was pitch black, and he could only vaguely make out a blurry figure.

He pushed the door, but it was as if it were blocked by a wooden fork and didn't move at all.

He didn't force his way in; instead, he pulled a palm-sized cloth bag from his pocket, which contained specially made thin wire, sewing needles, and safety pins.

This is an emergency tool provided by the weather station to the personnel. It looks inconspicuous, but it can be very useful in critical moments.

The wire was twisted several times and inserted into the crack in the door. Li Aiguo flicked his wrist slightly, and the door latch moved slowly.

The door was pushed open a crack.

From inside came Liu Cuihua's devout voice: "Taoist Master, can I really give birth to a son?"

At this moment, Liu Cuihua knelt devoutly in front of a clay sculpture, her hands clasped together.

“Female benefactor, rest assured, this Taoist temple is extremely efficacious within a hundred miles! My master is the reincarnation of the Goddess of Fertility, and now that she has attained enlightenment, I will naturally inherit her mantle of granting children.”

The fake Taoist priest's voice grew closer, carrying an unsettling ambiguity.

Liu Cuihua felt a pang of panic. Just as she was about to stand up, a pair of large, fleshy hands landed on her shoulders, moving slowly downwards like two cold, venomous snakes.

"Taoist Master, what's wrong with you?" Liu Cuihua got goosebumps all over.

“Female benefactor, sincerity is key. If you desire a son, how can you be half-hearted?”

"I...I want to go home," Liu Cuihua struggled frantically.

"Go home?" The fake Taoist priest sneered, each word hitting her sore spot. "If you can't give birth to a son, will your husband forgive you? Will your in-laws tolerate you? Won't the neighbors talk behind your back?"

These words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly freezing Liu Cuihua in place, leaving her too afraid to move.

She was terrified of these things.

"That's right!" The fake Taoist grinned maliciously. He knew these women trapped by the Feng Si technique best. Once they fell into his hands, they still wanted to run away?
He reached down with both hands to undo Liu Cuihua's belt. Just then, he heard a soft footstep.

The fake Taoist priest's heart skipped a beat. Just as he was about to turn around, a cold, hard gun barrel pressed against the back of his head.

"Who are you? What do you want!" The fake Taoist priest was terrified, and his hand instinctively reached into his Taoist robe.

With a "bang," the gun barrel slammed into his forehead, followed by the clear sound of the trigger being pulled.

"If you dare to move, you will be arrested."

"Thump!" The fake Taoist priest's legs went weak and he knelt down on the ground, his crotch instantly becoming wet.

Da Junzi stepped forward, reached into the fake Taoist's robe and searched inside, pulling out a dagger.

"Ha, a fake Taoist priest even brings weapons? He's quite the character."

"I'm not a fake Taoist! I'm the 38th generation descendant of Longhu Mountain, you've misunderstood!" the fake Taoist shouted, trying to justify himself.

Huang Liang, carrying a brick, walked up to him, stared into his eyes, and said coldly, "You are a descendant of Longhu Mountain, then who am I?"

The fake Taoist priest looked at Huang Liang and sensed something was wrong.

Before he could react, Huang Liang raised a brick and smashed it into his forehead with a loud thud.

Li Aiguo and Dajunzi both sensed that he was about to make a move, but neither of them stopped him.

The fake Taoist priest was hit squarely by the brick, swayed, and fell to the ground, his forehead covered in blood.

Huang Liang was still not satisfied and kicked the fake Taoist priest a few more times.

“My master said that we Taoists should be pure of heart and have few desires, and learn to be patient. If we really can’t bear it, then we don’t have to bear it.”

"You've got some nerve pretending to be a Taoist priest!"

"He...he's a fake Taoist priest?!" A shocked voice rang out from the side.

Li Aiguo then remembered that there was still one person involved.

"Hmm, he's a fake Taoist priest, that's impossible." Liu Cuihua finally realized what was going on.

Li Aiguo couldn't help but rub his forehead and look at Huang Liang: "Taoist priest, this is your Taoist temple. You should explain to the victims."

Huang Liang kicked the fake Taoist priest twice more before walking up to Liu Cuihua: "Benefactor, our shabby Taoist temple has never engaged in any evil or crooked practices, nor do we offer services to help people have children. You have been deceived."

"I've been tricked." Liu Cuihua was angry, ashamed, and a little scared when she thought about what had just happened. She sat down on the ground and burst into tears.

Li Aiguo ignored Liu Cuihua and ordered Dajunzi to drag the fake Taoist priest outside the Taoist temple and tie him to a pillar with a rope.

"Dajunzi, go find a bamboo stick in the bamboo grove next door, the thin kind, the kind that hurts when you hit someone."

Da Junzi was very excited to have finally solved a major case. Upon hearing this, he went into the woods and came out shortly afterward with a bamboo stick.

It was about the thickness of two fingers, with all the branches and leaves removed. Da Junzi picked it up and waved it around; it felt quite comfortable in his hand.

"Comrade, comrade, please don't hit me, I'll tell you everything." The fake Taoist priest had also come to his senses by now. When he saw Li Aiguo walking over with a bamboo stick, he was so frightened that he wet his pants.

"This is really boring. You should at least let me try my hand before you explain." Dajunzi felt that this guy was really disappointing.

Li Aiguo nodded: "Yes, after the beating, we'll hand it over to the families of those benefactors. I think they'll be very grateful to this guy."

The fake Taoist priest was almost in tears. If he really fell into the hands of Liu Cuihua's family, he would be completely finished.

"Comrade, I'll tell you everything, I'll tell you everything." The fake Taoist priest was afraid of being hit by the bamboo cane, so he didn't care about anything else and told everything in one go.

The fake Taoist priest's name was Chen Erlu. He was not a Taoist priest at all; he was a peddler before the liberation.

Unlike the peddlers who roamed the streets selling needles and thread, he specialized in carrying a load on his shoulder and selling snacks and cosmetics in front of the palaces of princes in the capital, which brought him higher profits.

With his silver tongue, Chen Erlv made a lot of money and even seduced some wealthy women.

After liberation, Chen Erlv could no longer sell his goods and had to return to the commune in the suburbs to become a commune member.

His name contained the character for "donkey," but he was a lazy donkey who didn't want to put in any effort to work. Before long, he ran away from the commune.

But the capital city is completely different now than before, and Chen Erlv's little tricks are no longer useful.

By chance, he heard that there was a dilapidated Taoist temple in Xiaoxishan. He also remembered that he had learned some deceptive tricks of giving birth from a lewd Taoist priest before the liberation, so he had a crooked idea.

Just as Huang Liang descended the mountain, he seized the opportunity and turned the Taoist temple into a den of swindlers.

"Grandpa, I really didn't succeed. This is my first business deal, and you guys ruined it." Chen Erlv was really crying now.

Li Aiguo was somewhat disappointed after hearing this. He had thought it was some kind of mystical nonsense, but it turned out to be just a charlatan.

However, Da Junzi was in high spirits: "Captain, what do we do now?"

Li Aiguo glanced at Dajunzi, pondered for a moment, and said, "Take him to the Nantongluo Lane Police Station and hand him over to Captain Liu."

The neighborhood patrol team is coordinated by the local police station, so this is reasonable.

Moreover, when Li Aiguo met Wang Zhenshan a while ago, he heard that the police station was planning to recruit a few more people, and this might be a good opportunity.

Dajunzi clearly knew about this news as well, and quickly nodded: "Yes, yes, send it to the police station."

Things here are done.

Huang Liang led Liu Cuihua out. Liu Cuihua's eyes were red and swollen from crying, and she seemed somewhat dazed.

Huang Liang pulled Li Aiguo to a secluded place and said in a low voice, "Aiguo, this benefactor was also deceived by the lewd ways and is a victim himself. Can this matter be kept secret?"

Liu Cuihua quickly stepped forward: "You're Liu Xiufang's brother-in-law, right? You know my husband's temper. If he finds out about this, he'll beat me to death!"

I would rather demolish ten temples than ruin one marriage.

Besides, nothing actually happened, so Li Aiguo immediately nodded: "It can be concealed, but the statement still needs to be taken, but it will be under a pseudonym, and the file will be kept confidential."

As for how to explain it to your husband…

Li Aiguo didn't continue speaking, but Liu Cuihua already understood and bowed repeatedly.

Because there were too many people and the motorcycles couldn't accommodate everyone, Li Aiguo rode the motorcycle with Huang Liang, Dajunzi, and Liu Cuihua on the back. Chen Erlu's hands were tied to the back of the motorcycle with rope.

By the time they arrived at the South Tongluo Lane Police Station, Chen Erlv was exhausted and collapsed on the ground, unable to get up.

Wang Zhenshan was lecturing Wang Ruxin: "You're in vocational school, you still need to study hard. Look at Yushui, she's in high school now and will be going to university soon!"

Wang Ruxin nodded: "Understood, Father."

Wang Zhenshan said, "Go."

Wang Ruxin turned to leave, but suddenly stopped and looked at Wang Zhenshan: "Dad, can I have a dollar?"

"What do you need the money for? I'm not giving it to you!"

“Yushui wants to go to the park, so I plan to buy her some candied hawthorns.”

Upon hearing this, Wang Zhenshan's expression immediately softened. He took out a dollar from his pocket and handed it over, also telling his son to have fun.

He Yushui is going to university, and Wang Zhenshan is really afraid that his daughter-in-law will leave.

After the son left, the police officers from the station came to report: "Captain, Aiguo and Dajunzi arrested a fake Taoist priest, the kind who preys on women. He's already in here."

"real?!"

Wang Zhenshan didn't even bother to leave work; he put on his hat and went out.

"Patriotism, who is this person?"

Li Aiguo explained the situation, and Wang Zhenshan's eyes widened with excitement: "I never expected you to deliver the credit to my doorstep."

Although the fake Taoist priests weren't the kind of people who did superstitious things, this case was still considered a major one. Now that Li Aiguo had even gotten a clear statement from them, this achievement was practically free.

Li Aiguo pointed to Dajunzi and said, "Uncle Wang, Dajunzi deserves great credit for solving this case. He spent several days staking out the factory gate, followed Liu Cuihua, and figured out that the fake Taoist priest was hiding inside the Taoist temple."

After saying that, Li Aiguo shouted at Dajunzi, "Dajunzi, why aren't you saluting Captain Liu?"

Da Junzi understood Li Aiguo's meaning, walked over, and saluted: "Good morning, Captain!"

"Good, good, good, you're a good young man. Our police station is recruiting, although it's only temporary, but as long as you work hard, you can become a permanent employee. Why don't you sign up first?" Wang Zhenshan said with a smile.

Da Junzi was overjoyed. If he really got into the police station, he would become a regular soldier.

"Captain, thank you."

"You should thank Patriotism," Wang Zhenshan said with a smile.

Da Junzi turned to look at Li Aiguo, and was about to speak when Li Aiguo said, "It's getting dark soon. Is your grandma still waiting for you at home? Hurry up and go back."

"Hey." Da Junzi looked at Li Aiguo gratefully, then turned and ran away.

After he left, the police officers took the fake Taoist priest into the interrogation room.

Liu Cuihua, as the victim, and Huang Liang, as the witness, also went inside.

The matter was clear, and the fake Taoist priest was so frightened that he confessed everything in just a few words.

The fake Taoist priest was locked up after signing the document.

Li Aiguo entered Wang Zhenshan's office, offered him a cigarette, and recounted Liu Cuihua's situation.

“This is easy to handle. After all, we also have a responsibility to protect the witnesses,” Wang Zhenshan readily agreed.

"Thank you, Uncle Wang."

"Look at what you're saying. Once this case is completely closed, I'll have to treat you to a big drink."

After chatting for a bit, Li Aiguo left his office and saw Liu Cuihua still standing in the courtyard. He nodded to her.

Liu Cuihua felt relieved and left only after she knew the matter was settled.

Li Aiguo chatted with Wang Zhenshan for most of the day, mainly about neighborhood security. In the past two years, life has gotten better, and there have been more thugs on the streets.

The next morning, Li Aiguo finished breakfast and was about to go to work when Liu Cuihua arrived at his door with Zhang Laishun and some things.

"Brother Aiguo, thank you so much. If it weren't for you, my Cuihua would never have gotten the money back! Selling a clay doll for five yuan and having to buy two at once is just too much."

"Mud dolls, money?" Li Aiguo was stunned for a moment, then realized what Liu Cuihua was doing when she kept winking at him.

"Yes, yes, Cuihua was indeed cheated out of her money."

"The officers at the police station said that the money will be returned once the case is thoroughly investigated."

Zhang Laishun nodded excitedly: "Cuihua agreed too. Let's go to the hospital today for a check-up, see a doctor if necessary, and take medicine if needed."

"This is a good thing. From now on, live a good life and stop doing all that nonsense."

After seeing off Zhang Laishun and Liu Cuihua, Li Aiguo arrived at the Qianmen Locomotive Depot workshop. He had just sat down when he received a call from the weather station.

"The cultural department called; your Hextech company's plan to publish a newspaper in the port city has been approved." (End of Chapter)