Courtyard House: A Start with Black Gold Swallowing 100,000 Silver Dollars

"Ouch, disrespectful, Mrs. Li!"

Old Pan quickly cupped his hands in greeting, his face beaming with a mixture of warmth and politeness. "You've graced us with your presence. Is there anything I can help you with? If it's of any use, I, Old Pan, will certainly not refuse!"

He added at the end, lowering his voice, "Mr. Li...do you know you've come looking for me?"

He knew perfectly well that if Li Wenguo had given the order, Ding Xiaoqi would have already arrived with cigarettes in hand, all smiles. But the woman before him had come quietly—without saying hello, without bringing anyone with her, and not even the wind from the docks had yet to reach her sleeves.

Old Pan's eyelids twitched. He felt that this woman was like a deep well, with a calm surface but turbulent undercurrents.

"I came by myself."

"How did you and Wenguo become acquainted?"

She wanted to get straight to the point, but the words caught in her throat. Being too direct would seem reckless. Perhaps it would be better to build a bridge first, give each other a breather, and also assess the other's true worth.

"Oh, what a coincidence—we became acquainted at 'Shunfenglou' right by the dock in the time it takes to eat a meal."

Old Pan grinned, his voice clear and resonant, but his eyes were half-closed: "Ding Xiaoqi used to work as a porter at the dock, and I rowed a boat on the river. We often ran into each other. That night, he came over to dinner with Master Li, and I happened to be there to fill my stomach too. We got along well during the meal, and that's how we became friends."

He spoke the truth, but he smoothed over all the tension, coded messages, and late-night note-passing at the dock.

As he spoke, he subtly sized up Sai Honglian—this woman was either a lackey or one of his own. After all, Li Wenguo never shied away from the local party; he even often helped them pass messages and act as a stepping stone.

Old Pan harbored an even deeper thought: Perhaps Master Li himself was the deepest-rooted nail. Otherwise, how could he always step on the blade and lend them a hand?

"I see."

Sai Honglian nodded, her tone gentle, but her words were sharp as a needle piercing through cotton cloth: "Actually, I came here today because of what happened a few days ago when your comrade was shot—I was afraid this matter would involve Wen Guo, so I thought I'd ask him about it in person."

The moment the word "comrade" was uttered, the air instantly tensed.

The smile on Lao Pan's face froze instantly, his eyes twitched, and his shoulders instinctively straightened.

Has the game been decided?

It's no wonder Sai Honglian was impatient—this phrase is too hot to handle; once you start, it's like a hot potato. A slight misstep could be fatal.

Old Pan knew perfectly well: it was most likely a spy! Otherwise, how could he dare to go to the meeting alone behind Li Wenguo's back? If it were truly a comrade on the same line, he wouldn't have shown himself at all—the ironclad rule of the underground: different systems don't meet or coordinate. If anyone slipped up, the entire line would have to be dismantled, its files burned, and all communication severed overnight. This was a lesson learned at the cost of lives!

"My brother was shot, it was pure bad luck - we were on a ship when we encountered pirates robbing our cargo, and they were firing wildly, but the bullets just grazed his arm and went right through him."

He spoke with certainty, as if he were talking about how half a plank of wood had collapsed at the dock yesterday. "Don't worry, this has absolutely nothing to do with Mr. Li."

Having decided she was his henchman, Lao Pan would never divulge a single word about the truth regarding the local party.

"Don't be nervous. You and Wenguo are friends. I trust you."

Seeing that he was as tense as a bowstring, Sai Honglian quickly waved her hand, softening her tone and using a soothing force.

"I understand, I get what you mean!"

Old Pan nodded repeatedly, a smile returning to his face, but it was faint and didn't reach his eyes. "I've made everything clear. I swear on my life I won't implicate Master Li! If Madam Li has no further instructions, shall I take you back to the dock now?"

He couldn't wait to get rid of this bodhisattva as soon as possible—he still couldn't figure out how many tricks he was up to; if he dragged it out any longer, he was afraid that he would slip up and give himself away.

Besides, we need to find Ding Xiaoqi as soon as possible and report every question and every glance we exchanged tonight to Li Wenguo verbatim.

"Wait a minute—you haven't finished asking the question yet."

Sai Honglian raised her hand to block, her movement swift and decisive.

"Please speak, Madam Li!"

Old Pan gritted his teeth, clenched his patience into a small ball, and placed it on the tip of his tongue.

She stood there, her chest rising and falling slightly, her fingers clenching and unclenching.

This person guarded against her like a wolf, refusing to take an extra step or utter a single extra word—but the organization was pressing her for help, and she needed someone to deliver messages, verify identities, and connect her to the network for her…

After a moment's thought, she took a breath and decided to reveal her hand.

"By the way, may I ask your name?"

My surname is Pan, and everyone at the dock calls me Old Pan.

"Okay, Lao Pan." She looked directly at him, her voice soft but steady, "I know who you are—because I'm a member of the local party, just like you."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lao Pan suddenly looked up and burst out laughing.

Old Pan had a strong mentality; he burst out laughing on the spot after hearing it.

"Madam Li, you really know how to tease me. I'm not a member of the underground Communist Party at all. I can't even write out all the strokes in the three characters for 'underground party,' let alone do this kind of work—please spare me, okay?"

"I'll take you back to shore right away!"

Before he finished speaking, he had already picked up a bamboo pole, and with a steady push, the small boat left the center of the water.

Unsure whether the other party was testing him or was serious, he simply refused to admit it—since there was no evidence, playing dumb was the safest option.

Even if she really is a member of the organization, the various lines are not under each other's control, so it would be more appropriate for them not to acknowledge each other.

"Wait! I really am a member of the underground Communist Party! I'm one of our own! Why don't you believe me?"

Sai Honglian grew anxious, her voice tightening. If Lao Pan denied it to the death, her intelligence line would be completely severed, making it difficult to reconnect with the organization.

"Madam Li, you're kidding me! What underground party, what 'our own people'... I've never even heard of them, I'm sick of them!" Old Pan grinned, but his bamboo pole didn't stop; the bow of the boat headed straight for the shore. "You should take a break, don't waste your energy!"

Damn it!

Why won't you believe me?

Would you rather trust Li Wenguo, that smiling tiger, than me, the legitimate liaison officer?

Sai Honglian was so angry that her fingertips trembled. Seeing that the boat was only about ten feet away from the shore, her heart felt heavy as if it were being squeezed.

After waiting and waiting, you bump into a familiar face, only to have them turn around and think you're talking nonsense—who can you rely on to lend a hand in the future?

With the bow of the boat about to touch the shore, she was desperate: "Stop right there! Let me finish!"

His voice rose a little, and his tone hardened.

Old Pan indeed stopped, diagonally inserting his bamboo pole into the water, and waited quietly.

Sai Honglian recounted in one breath her predicament of being stripped of real power and cut off from all communication channels by Li Wenguo, and finally pleaded urgently, "You must help me get this information forward!"

As Lao Pan listened, his mind raced, and he believed it to some extent—but he had encountered an exact replica of this before: Yang Yuerong.

He knew how protective Li Wenguo was of his own people. A while ago, he stuffed Chen Jiang with supplies and equipped him with weapons, just so he could defend Yang Yuerong to the death; last time, he even personally escorted another "family member" to Dr. Ke's place to meet with his comrades.

Therefore, Li Wenguo's decision to cut off Sai Honglian's intelligence channels was most likely to protect her—fearing that she might reveal her true identity and bring about her own death.

But he couldn't reveal it. His identity had to be kept strictly confidential.

He simply put on a bewildered yet sincere expression: "Madam Li, I truly understand nothing of what you're saying. Rest assured, I'll let these words go in one ear and out the other, not a single word will escape my notice. Let's just pretend this never happened, okay?"

The small boat glided gracefully to the shore, its wooden gunwale making a soft rustling sound as it scraped against the bluestone.

Sai Honglian jumped off the boat angrily, her back ramrod straight. Old Pan watched her leave and sighed silently.

Li Wenguo's actions were overstepping the bounds according to the rules, but in terms of personal motives, they weren't entirely wrong—protecting one's own family is only human nature.

Only one thing reassured him: entrusting such a dangerous task as intelligence gathering to Li Wenguo was ten times safer than giving it to Sai Honglian. He had ample resources, ruthless methods, and extensive networks, making him far more discreet.

Thinking about it this way, Lao Pan felt at peace.

Of course, to prevent Li Wenguo from becoming suspicious, he went to see Ding Xiaoqi that very night.

Without saying a word, Ding Xiaoqi relayed the message exactly as it was.

After hearing this, Li Wenguo's lips curled into a cold smile.

Sai Honglian, Sai Honglian, you don't even trust your own people, yet you insist on trusting me—what do you have to offer me to compete with you?

I didn't even have to lift a finger; Old Pan just opened his mouth and sold you out completely.

What's more, this time she deliberately walked right into the line of fire. Li Wenguo narrowed his eyes, deciding to teach her a lesson.

As night fell, Sai Honglian's eyelids grew heavy, and she looked weary.

But the narrow strapless nightgown she wore still outlined her graceful figure, her waist slender and supple, and her radiant glow was incredibly alluring.

"I told you before, you can't cause any trouble under my nose."

Li Wenguo, carrying a hemp rope, pushed open the door and entered.

"See that? I didn't even have to say a word; they said it all for me—what do you think you can do against me?"

"It's just asking for trouble."

Sai Honglian's face flushed red, but she still held her chin high: "Don't be so smug! The capital isn't yours alone. Sooner or later..."

Li Wenguo chuckled and lazily interrupted, "Oh? Then take your time looking."

"Don't come crying to me to collect your corpse when you're all battered and bruised."

"Now, put your hand out."

She stared at the rough hemp rope, her heart clenching, her voice trembling: "You... what do you want to do?"

"Ha, you really think I have an inexhaustible temper? If you do something wrong, you have to accept the punishment—otherwise, what kind of rules do I have in this house?"

Quickly stretch out your arms!

His tone was urgent and left no room for argument.

The power of the contract wrapped around her like silk threads, and she finally slowly raised her hands, which were dazzlingly white and smooth as cream. Li Wenguo grabbed them, quickly tied her wrists with a thick hemp rope, and then pulled her up, suspending her under the roof beam with her arms straight and her toes just an inch off the ground.

It's exactly the same pose as Mitsui Miri back then.

Then he unbuckled his belt, swung it with a "snap," and lashed it down at the thickest part of his buttocks.

One strike, two strikes... a total of twenty strikes, each one powerful and resounding.

Sai Honglian clenched her teeth tightly, and the veins on her forehead throbbed slightly, but she didn't utter a sound.

"Oh, you've got some tough bones? Well then—it won't be a spanking later."

This time, the whip was going to strike much more blatantly.

There are only three days left until that appointment.

Xu Wanqing suddenly asked to meet him.

"What trick are you up to now?"

Li Wenguo's heart sank—given her upright and proper nature, if she really wanted to succeed, she would never have lured someone in three days in advance.

With a mix of doubt and impatience, he strolled into the dance hall.

Lafite was already laid out on the table, its deep red color clear and its bottle gleaming softly. Women love this; it's not strong, not harsh, and smooth on the palate, like silk wrapped in honey.

Xu Wanqing had clearly taken great care of herself tonight: a delicate oval face, a strapless short dress that accentuated her slender figure, and a skirt that reached only mid-thigh, making her both radiant and alluring, causing one's throat to tighten and making one wish they could pounce on her and take a bite.

But she was usually so composed and reserved, so this kind of outfit was really unusual for her. Li Wenguo couldn't figure out what she was up to.

"Wanqing, we're getting engaged in three days. Why did you call me out now—do you want to 'inspect' the goods beforehand?" He smiled, put his arm around her waist, and gently traced a line on her back with his fingertip.

"Wen Guo, the reason I invited you tonight is precisely for this matter."

She instinctively hooked her arm around his neck, leaned slightly forward, and spoke in a soft, low voice, as if afraid of startling a butterfly.

That hesitant expression made Li Wenguo's heart skip a beat—this matter was probably in jeopardy.