The Beginning of a Courtyard House: Sixty Years of Internal Strength

After listening, Yi Zhonghai's eyes lit up, and he looked at the guy with a puzzled expression.

"Really? How can I believe you?"

"Do you have any other hope? You might as well give it a try, even if it seems hopeless."

You're the kind of person who's always hiding money in multiple places, like a rabbit with three burrows.

Tell me a place, and I'll tell you how; after all, the money you hid won't be of any use later.

"In Xishan Park, at Banshan Pavilion, facing due south, fifty-two steps away, there are three large yellow croakers buried a meter deep under the smoke tree."

What's the solution? Tell me quickly.

Yi Zhonghai looked anxiously at his fellow inmate.

"No rush, there's still some time before your verdict. Tomorrow is the day my family comes to see me. Once I've verified it, I'll tell you naturally."

His fellow inmate turned away and ignored him.

Five days later, Yi Zhonghai was getting impatient when his fellow inmate finally received the definite news and told him.

"Your only chance now is to make a contribution."

Honestly confess any crimes you know or suspect others have committed.

Especially for those who might be spies, if you perform meritorious service, you can still get a reduced sentence.

Upon hearing this, Yi Zhonghai's eyes immediately lit up, and he stared intently at him.

I felt a pang of regret; I should have thought of this sooner.

"Old Zhou, are you telling the truth? How many years can it reduce?"

"It depends on the magnitude of your contribution. If it's a minor achievement, you might get a reduction of one or two years."

If it's a major meritorious service, the reduction in sentence will be even greater.

For example, if your clues lead to the dismantling of a large spy ring, it's possible that you could get your sentence reduced by seven or eight years.

"Old Zhou, thank you so much, you've really helped me a lot."

With Lao Zhou's help, Yi Zhonghai ran to the door.

They shouted loudly.

"Disciplinary officer, is the disciplinary officer here? I want to report someone else's crime. I have information about other people's crimes."

The guards, grumbling, came over.

"Yi Zhonghai, right? I didn't expect you to be so dishonest even with a missing leg. Do you really have a lead?"

"Let me tell you, if you provide false clues, you'll see what I do to you."

Yi Zhonghai nodded hurriedly.

"Really, absolutely, and it's a major lead in the case."

The discipline officer didn't seem to be joking.

"Okay, wait."

The guards reported Yi Zhonghai's case to the police station, and the detention center immediately notified the police station.

Xiao Li went to the detention center again, speechless.

"Master, do you think that old scoundrel Yi Zhonghai is playing us for a fool?"

"Xiao Li, it's hard to say. He threatened He Daqing and Xu Fugui, and he might have something on others. Why don't we interrogate him? Maybe we can get a third-class merit or something."

After the two men arrived at the interrogation room of the detention center, they took Yi Zhonghai into the interrogation room.

"Yi Zhonghai, just say what you want to report."

This really is your last chance. I hope you'll be sensible this time.

If you dare to talk nonsense or say things that don't make sense, and you deceive the police, your sentence will be increased, understand?

"Understood, officer, I fully understand. What I reported this time is absolutely true."

Xiao Li opened his notebook and pen, ready to take notes.

"Alright, go ahead and say it."

"Xu Fugui in the backyard, that policeman is no good guy."

He was born into the household of a half-city servant and had dealt with many dirty affairs.

In the past, the factory dealt with several troublemakers, and some of them were crippled. I still have a weapon that he personally used to make the murder.

It's hidden in Beihai Park; I can take you there.

As for whether he killed anyone, I don't know, but he was definitely involved in everything.

"Is there anything else? With just this little bit, it won't take a year or two to reduce."

"Officer, the old lady in the backyard is a murderer, back when the skinheads were in power."

There was a scoundrel named Fang Xiaowu who rented two rooms from the old lady and wanted to take over them.

The old lady arranged for someone to throw him into the Yongding River. This task was carried out by her subordinates, but I don't know exactly who it was.

But that definitely happened; in any case, no one has seen Fang Xiaowu since then, he's definitely dead.

Xiao Li never expected that such an ordinary courtyard house would be such a hidden gem.

"And there's the deputy director of the third workshop now. He used to be the director, but he was demoted to deputy director after the public-private partnership was established."

We used to learn technical skills together from the Japanese. He learned lathe operation and did quite well. I don't know what connections he had, but he became the foreman.

He might be a Japanese spy. He was very close to the Japanese at the time, often eating and drinking together, and his spending habits were also very unusual.

Not only did he live in a two-courtyard house, but he also spent money lavishly, making it highly likely that he was a spy.

He only kept a low profile after our party entered the city.

I've been watching him for a long time, and I even saw him drinking tea at a teahouse near Yongdingmen.

The teahouse is quite far from the steel rolling mill, so how could he possibly go all the way to a teahouse in Heyuan to drink tea?

This is definitely a secret hideout of a Japanese spy.

Hearing this, Xiao Li's breathing quickened. This was a crucial clue! Xiao Li quickly took out his notebook and started writing.

"Then there's He Daqing, who got on the bus with me."

He also altered the ingredients, and even bribed the staff to do so. His Tan Family Cuisine at the time was, in fact, official cuisine.

Yi Zhonghai was interrupted by Xiao Li before he could finish speaking.

"We've already investigated He Daqing's case, which is why he was sent to the detention center. Is there anything else? Could you tell me about something else?"

"Great job, officers! You guys are really amazing; you even managed to find this out."

Yi Zhonghai quickly offered a string of flattering remarks before continuing.

"My coworker Wang Dahai is probably one of the skinheads."

His younger brother was a skinhead officer who apparently fled to Taiwan with Chiang Kai-shek.

I don't know if he still has contact with them, although this matter is rather secretive.

I heard him brag about it while drinking with him during the Japanese occupation.

Xiao Li quickly wrote this down as well. Although he was a relative, he couldn't be sure if the man was a member of the Skinhead Party. He would have to keep him under surveillance.

"In the east of the city, in Jiaozi Hutong, there was a saleswoman at a grain and oil store. She was actually Japanese."

"What! Yi Zhonghai, do you know what you're saying? Saleswoman, are you sure she's Japanese? How did you know?"

"Officer, I've met that girl. Her name is Morikawa Sakurako, and she's the daughter of a Japanese technician."

I went to Tianjin for training once, and she was the daughter of one of the senior technicians. I saw her family go into an izakaya (Japanese pub).

One day, as I passed by the shop, I recognized her immediately. She didn't even see me; she was a spy lurking on our mainland.