The Red Era: Living in Seclusion in a Siheyuan as a Boss

Chapter 735 Li Wencai Captured Alive!!!
Not knowing how long they would need to stay in the old city to complete their mission, Liu Xiaotao and his three companions disguised themselves as merchants and found a decent hotel in the east of the city to stay in.

After settling in, Ye Peng and Lu Da rested at the hotel, while Liu Xiaotao and Yan Kan went to Li Wencai's residence to conduct an on-site investigation.

Before they left, A-Gui and Zhuang Yan had given Liu Xiaotao a detailed account of Li Wencai's residence, so they were familiar with it.

The two walked slowly along the street, the afterglow of the setting sun turning the eaves of the old town golden.

Street vendors were busy packing up their stalls, and the air was filled with the aroma of food.

Liu Xiaotao lowered his straw hat and observed his surroundings discreetly, while Yan Kan pretended to be very interested in the handicrafts by the roadside, but in reality, he was vigilantly watching for possible surveillance.

After turning through several streets and alleys, we arrived at the quiet gate of the Li Mansion.

Liu Xiaotao and Yan Kan pretended to be passersby and walked back and forth in front of Li Wencai's house twice. The situation was basically the same as what Zhuang Yan and the others had said.

The gates of the Li residence were tightly shut. When you approached the gates, the vicious dogs inside would bark wildly, and you could see guards patrolling on the rooftop.

However, they couldn't see clearly what was happening inside the compound. Liu Xiaotao and Yan Kan looked into the distance for two hours but didn't see anyone coming in or out. Finally, they decided to go back to the hotel to investigate.

Because they were unclear about Li Wencai's family situation, they dared not take any action rashly, especially since they did not know whether Li Wencai was really recuperating at home as Balai had said. If they alerted him, it would be difficult to catch him later.

Back at the hotel, Liu Xiaotao and the other three sat around the wooden table in the room and began to discuss things in hushed tones.

Ultimately, they decided to adopt a wait-and-see strategy, splitting into two groups to keep an eye on Li Wencai's house 24 hours a day.

As long as he is alive, he will definitely make a sound, and as long as he moves, we will definitely find his weakness.

Sometimes the simplest method is the best method. So Ye Peng and Lu Da were paired together, and Liu Xiaotao and Yan Kan were paired together.

After Ye Peng and Lu Da had been monitoring for about two hours, they spotted a Mitsubishi SUV driving out of Li Wencai's yard.

After the SUV drove out, it turned to the other end of the street. By the time the two arrived at the street intersection, the SUV had vanished without a trace.

The SUV didn't return to Li Wencai's residence until the next morning.

Upon hearing this, Liu Xiaotao and Yan Kan drove to the intersection ahead of time the next day and monitored Li Wencai from both ends of the road in front of his house.

Liu Xiaotao parked his car under an old banyan tree, where the dense foliage provided cover, allowing him to observe the activity at the Li family's gate.

Yan Kan then asked for a window seat on the second floor of the teahouse across the street, and the two kept in touch via a mini walkie-talkie.

There was no movement all day long. The Li family's courtyard was completely silent, with no one coming or going, like a haunted house.

After 8 p.m., the large iron gate suddenly opened, and the same Mitsubishi SUV slowly drove out again.

Liu Xiaotao was overjoyed, thinking that he would not let him get away again this time, so he started the car and quietly followed.

Unexpectedly, the Mitsubishi SUV didn't go far at all. After driving two streets, it stopped in front of a gambling den, less than two kilometers away.

After the Mitsubishi car came to a stop, three people got out and walked directly into the entertainment venue.

Seeing this, Liu Xiaotao took out two bills and handed them to Yan Kan, who had followed him. He pointed to the armed guards at the entrance of the entertainment venue and said to him, "Yan, go and ask those two guards if the person who just went in was Li Wencai. What are they doing here?"

Yan Kan chuckled and said, "No problem, just wait and hear the news." With that, he walked toward the two guards.

Yan Kan first strolled over to a stall at the entrance of the entertainment center, bought a few packs of cigarettes, opened one pack, took out a cigarette and lit it, then swayed over to the two guards.

Liu Xiaotao looked at Yan Kan from afar through the car window. He saw Yan Kan first light a cigarette for each of the two guards, and then give each of them a pack.

Although you can't hear what they're saying, you can tell they're having a good time. A few minutes later, Yankan came back, swaying.

After getting into the car, Yan Kan placed the remaining bill on the center console and said with a smile, "Two boxes of Da Yun will do the trick. The three people who went in were Li Wencai and his two guards."

This guy has been coming here every night for a while now, staying all night and leaving the next morning.

"It seems that Bale was right; this guy came here to vent because he was in a bad mood."

Let's go back and pick up Ye Peng and the others, go back to the hotel and get a good night's sleep, then we'll deal with this bastard tomorrow morning."

As he spoke, Liu Xiaotao started the car and drove to the vicinity of Li Wencai's residence to pick up Ye Peng and his companion, who were still there monitoring the situation.

After returning to the hotel, Liu Xiaotao told the three men about their plan for the next day. Seeing that no one had any objections, he smiled and said to them, "Alright, let's get a good night's sleep tonight and be well-rested to capture that bastard Li Wencai alive tomorrow."

The next morning, before dawn, the four of them quietly left the hotel.

The morning mist enveloped the old town, and only a few early-rising vendors were busy on the streets; there were hardly any people around.

Liu Xiaotao parked the car at the entrance of an alley 200 meters away from the entertainment center. The four of them split up and each found a hiding spot to ambush.

Yan Kan squatted next to a breakfast stall, pretending to be a customer waiting for food, but his eyes were fixed on the entrance of the entertainment center.

Ye Peng and Lu Da hid under the eaves of the grocery store across the street, almost blending into the shadows under the cover of the morning mist.

Liu Xiaotao sat in the car, tapping his fingers lightly on the steering wheel, patiently waiting for his prey to appear.

At approximately 5:30, the iron gate of the entertainment center finally opened slowly.

The familiar Mitsubishi SUV drove out, its windows tinted dark, obscuring the view inside.

Liu Xiaotao immediately said through the miniature earpiece, "Target spotted, proceed as planned."

Upon hearing this, Ye Peng, Lu Da, and the others immediately drew their weapons and loaded them.

The SUV Li Wencai was in had traveled less than two hundred meters when it arrived at the entrance of an alley.

At this moment, Yan Kan suddenly rushed out from the breakfast stall, pretending to be hit by a car, and he fell directly in front of the car's engine hood.

The people in the car thought it was a car accident and didn't take it seriously. In their old town, what difference would it make if someone was killed?
The driver slammed on the brakes, and a string of angry curses came from inside the car: "You son of a bitch, are you blind...?"

Before he could finish cursing, he saw a dark gun barrel pointed at him.

The driver was stunned and speechless, unable to utter a single curse. Fear was evident in his eyes.

That's what you call a coward who bullies the weak and fears the strong; when faced with someone powerful, they're too scared to utter a single word.

Taking advantage of the opening, Ye Peng and Lu Da quickly flanked from both sides, wielding Beretta M9s and forcefully pulling open the car doors.

At the same time, Liu Xiaotao drove over, slammed on the brakes, jumped out of the car, and rushed forward, the dark muzzle of his gun pointed directly into the car.

"Don't move!" Liu Xiaotao shouted sternly.

The three people in the car were clearly not expected to be ambushed and were stunned for a moment.

The pale-faced, sunken-eyed middle-aged man in the middle was none other than Li Wencai, whom they had been relentlessly pursuing.

Li Wencai quickly realized what was happening, and feigned composure with a cold laugh: "Who are you? Do you know the consequences of messing with me?"

In his view, these people were at most robbers who wanted to rob him because they saw him coming and going from the entertainment center. He thought they could be dealt with by giving them a few dirty coins.

Without wasting words, Liu Xiaotao said with a grin, "You must be Boss Lang's chief of staff, Li Wencai. I really can't believe you look so fat and big-eared."

Li Wencai was startled by these words. He said in a stern voice, "Since you know who I am, how dare you be so insolent?"

Liu Xiaotao got into the car and sat next to Li Wencai, pointing a gun at his head and sneering, "Hahaha...you're the one we've been looking for!"

As he spoke, he pulled a pistol from Li Wencai's waist.

At this moment, Ye Peng and Lu Da dragged Li Wencai's guards and driver out of the car and then pulled them to the side of the road.

The men, thinking they were about to be executed, looked on with fear. Yan Kan quickly searched the other two, confiscated their weapons, tied their hands, feet, and mouths, knocked them unconscious, and dragged them back to the SUV.

Lu Da had already driven the car up close, and the four of them quickly escorted Li Wencai and the others away from the scene in two cars.

The whole process took less than three minutes, and the street remained quiet with no pedestrians, as if nothing had happened.

The two SUVs soon left the city. Seeing this, Li Wencai lost his composure and became panicked. He stammered, "Who...who are you people? If you want money, just say so. We'll give you as much as you want..."

"Hahaha... Do you think money can buy everything? Then let me ask you, how much is your head worth?" Liu Xiaotao said in a satirical tone.

"What do you want?" Li Wencai asked nervously.

"Haha, to tell you the truth, it's Boss Kang who wants to invite you over..."

Upon hearing this, Li Wencai's expression froze, then turned deathly gray. He stared blankly ahead, speechless for a long time.

Li Wencai's heart sank into an icy abyss. He knew that falling into Boss Kang's hands meant certain doom. Boss Kang hated him to the bone, and he knew there would be no good end for him.

He has finally tasted the bitterness of betraying his boss and breaking his promise.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Li Wencai's forehead, and his fingers trembled involuntarily.

He tried to appear calm, but his trembling voice betrayed him: "Boss Kang... how much did he offer? I'll offer double! No, triple! As long as you release me, I'll agree to any conditions."

Liu Xiaotao scoffed and patted Li Wencai's cheek with the barrel of his gun: "Li Wencai, not everyone is like you, so treacherous and opportunistic!"

Are you scared now?

"Back when you betrayed Boss Kang and became Boss Lang's lackey, you really screwed Boss Kang over, didn't you?"

Outside the car window, the desolate countryside rushed past. Li Wencai suddenly struggled violently, but Ye Peng pressed him back into his seat.

Liu Xiaotao glanced at him and sneered, "Behave yourself! Move again, and I won't hesitate to send you on your way right now."

Yan Kan turned around from the passenger seat, slowly wiping his dagger, and said to scare him, "I heard that Boss Kang recently raised a new crocodile and is worried about not having enough feed." These words made Li Wencai instantly go limp, and dark water stains gradually appeared in the crotch of his suit trousers.

The SUV turned onto a secluded dirt road, and the outline of the abandoned old town gradually faded into the distance.

Li Wencai suddenly burst into hysterical laughter: "You think you can bring down Boss Lang by arresting me? Wishful thinking..."

With a loud "thud," Liu Xiaotao knocked him unconscious with the butt of his rifle. He hated traitors the most and angrily cursed, "You dog, you're still so crazy even when you're about to die!"

The off-road vehicle bumped along the rugged dirt road, the dust it kicked up forming a hazy trail in the morning light.

Liu Xiaotao glanced at the rearview mirror, and after confirming that no vehicles were following him, he whispered into his earpiece, "Old Lu, turn right at the fork in the road ahead. It's safe behind you. I didn't go straight onto the main road and sped back to the mountain stronghold."

"Understood!" Lu Da replied from the car in front, then turned and headed straight onto the main road.

The Mitsubishi SUV carrying Liu Xiaotao and the others sped up to catch up. Inside the vehicle, Li Wencai, who was unconscious, slumped in his seat, the blood on his forehead already congealed.

Liu Xiaotao took out a first-aid kit from his backpack and gave him a quick treatment. "Don't let anything happen to him, Boss Kang needs to be alive."

They sped along, the two cars accelerating one after the other back to "Old Miao Village".

After returning, Liu Xiaotao finally received news from Zhang Jin that they had returned to Mengla from Mandalay.

Meanwhile, the agricultural experts Liu Benhui and his team, whom he had invited from Liujiazhuang Agricultural and Livestock Group in his hometown of China, also arrived. However, they were unable to leave at this time, so Ye Peng, Lu Da, and Yan Kan had to escort Li Wencai to Mengla.

Liu Xiaotao and his cousin Liu Benhui hadn't seen each other for five or six years. The childhood friends were naturally very happy to see each other, but unfortunately, there wasn't much to offer them in the "Old Miao Village".

Fortunately, the villagers in the mountain village had hunted some wild animals in the forest, and Liu Xiaotao took a few, but he insisted on paying them for it.

The simple mountain people refused to accept anything.

Liu Xiaotao knew that these mountain people were sincere, so he didn't insist any further, thinking he would send them some more scarce supplies in a few days.

Liu Benhui pushed up his glasses, looked at the simple bamboo houses in the village and smiled, "Xiao Tao, your place is so quiet, much better than those concrete jungles in the city."

Behind him were three young technicians, who were curiously looking at the Miao village hidden in the mountains.

“Brother Hui, you guys take a break first. We’ll have a couple of drinks tonight.” Liu Xiaotao patted his old friend on the shoulder and turned to Gao Shang, instructing him, “Go and process those pheasants, and get some bamboo shoots and mushrooms.”

As the sun set, a bonfire was lit in the open space in front of the assault team's stilted house.

The aroma of stewed pheasant filled the air, and the mountain people spontaneously brought out their homemade rice wine.

Liu Xiaotao raised his bamboo wine cup and said loudly, "Today's meal is not only to welcome Brother Hui and the others, but also to thank everyone for coming to support our agricultural development!"

Liu Xiaotao and Liu Benhui ate stewed pheasant and drank homemade rice wine, excitedly chatting about every little thing in Liujiazhuang, their hometown.

For more than a decade as a soldier, Liu Xiaotao has rarely been able to spend time with his family in Liujiazhuang. The changes in his hometown are happening so rapidly that every time he goes back, he is amazed by the progress.

As a special forces soldier, and having not been home for more than two years, Liu Xiaotao was eager to know everything about Liujiazhuang and how his clansmen were doing.

How are the various industries in Liujiazhuang developing?

After discussing the changes in their hometown, the two got down to business.

Liu Benhui knew that Liu Xiaotao was a soldier. Although he was very curious about Liu Xiaotao’s arrival in the “Jin San area”, he did not ask many questions. He just did not quite understand what Liu Xiaotao had asked him to do.

"Xiao Tao, you're not thinking of starting a farm here, are you?" Liu Benhui asked, puzzled.

Liu Xiaotao smiled but didn't answer him directly. Instead, he circled around the bay and asked, "I just want to know what else can be grown here besides English herbs?"

“Actually, the soil here is the same as our agricultural base in Yunnan Province. We can grow crops like rubber, sugarcane, and tobacco.” Liu Benhui said without hesitation.

"Are you sure?" Liu Xiaotao asked excitedly.

Liu Benhui nodded. "Based on my experience, I can tell at a glance. Besides, the environment and climate here are almost the same as those in southern Yunnan."

"That's great! Could you teach a few villagers in the mountain village how to plant rubber trees, sugarcane, or something similar?" Liu Xiaotao asked, his tone slightly condescending.

"Of course, I'm here to follow your instructions." Liu Benhui readily agreed. He picked up the large bowl, took a sip of rice wine, wiped his lips with his hand, and then said, "But you have to be prepared to lose money."

"Why?" Liu Benhui's words puzzled Liu Xiaotao, who asked in confusion, "If it's the same as the farms in our area, why are you losing money?"

Liu Benhui, in a serious tone and with the air of an expert, said: "Let me calculate the increase for you... In our area, the sugarcane is immediately transported to the sugar factory by truck after harvesting. Who do you sell it to here?"

Even if you can buy it somewhere, transportation is still a problem.

The cultivation of cash crops requires a complete assembly line operation, from planting and purchasing to processing, and every link is indispensable..."

While Liu Xiaotao was an expert in warfare, he was not good at production and management. He had indeed considered the issues raised by Liu Benhui, issues that Zhang Jincheng might not have thought of.

No wonder Commander-in-Chief Liu Wu assigned the assault team to only be responsible for the first half of "Operation Sharp Sword," and they didn't need to worry about the rest.

Liu Xiaotao thought for a moment and said, "Don't worry about these things for now. Just focus on your experiments here. Also, don't worry about your salary; you definitely won't be shortchanged."

"Look at what you're saying, do we look like we're short of money? If it were this, I wouldn't have come to your poor, remote mountain village!" Liu Benhui said, pretending to be unhappy.

"Hahaha... Brother Hui, I was wrong, I'll punish myself with a drink." Liu Xiaotao laughed as he picked up a glass of wine and downed it in one gulp.

"You're more like it!" Liu Benhui laughed, then continued, "I was just kidding. Let's get down to business. If that's really the case, my suggestion is to do it like a farm."

"We can organize the entire village together; it will be much more effective and beneficial for future development than if each household operates independently," Liu Benhui suggested.

(End of this chapter)