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

"Get on the bus!"

The wheels rolled over the bluestone slabs and sped off toward the embassy district.

Of course, the embassy was surrounded by Japanese checkpoints, and Wen Keyi was so strikingly beautiful that she could easily be intercepted if she wasn't careful. So their real hideout was a secluded house on the edge of the embassy district—an underground passage led directly to the heart of the embassy grounds.

"Halt! Who goes there?"

"Stop the car immediately and submit to inspection!"

Just as they turned the corner, they ran into a patrol of Japanese military police, twelve men lined up with guns, their bayonets gleaming coldly.

"Hehe, sir, greetings! I am Niu Dali from the Military Affairs Bureau, currently a specially appointed messenger for the Military Police. My letter of appointment was personally signed by Captain Akagi Toshio. Please take a look!"

Niu Dali cursed his bad luck in his heart, but a shiny smile appeared on his face. He jumped off the car nimbly, took out his ID with both hands, and respectfully handed it to the squad leader he had never met before.

Under their straw hats, Haozi and Dashan tensed their jaws, their gazes sharp as knives, scraping inch by inch across each other's gun holsters and boots.

Wen Keyi dug her fingertips into her palm, almost drawing blood.

She knew all too well the true colors of these Japanese devils—if she hadn't risked her life that day to drag a few colleagues over the wall and escape from the school, hiding in an abandoned temple in the west of the city, she would probably have been dragged into the stronghold and tortured to death by now. She witnessed with her own eyes two female teachers from the next class having their clothes forcibly torn open and being dragged onto a military vehicle, their cries abruptly cut off by the dull thud of the iron gate slamming shut.

Who's in the car?

After scanning the documents, the squad leader gestured with his chin toward the second rickshaw.

"Your Excellency, that is my wife."

Niu Dali should be decisive in splitting himself into two.

The rickshaw was parked diagonally on the blue brick road, its canopy hanging low, revealing only a slender neck and half of the collarbone. Yet the astonishingly undulating waistline and the full curves wrapped in the plain cloth shirt still made the squad leader's Adam's apple bob, and he quietly swallowed.

"Get down! Check everyone's body one by one!"

He shouted sternly.

Oops!

Niu Dali, the clone, felt a sinking feeling in his heart, but his face grew even more humble: "Oh dear, sir, please calm down. I'll help you out of the carriage right away!"

Before he finished speaking, he had already strode forward and made a move to lift the carriage curtain.

Done! ! !

Wen Keyi's fingernails dug deep into the gaps in the car floor, her blood freezing in her veins—she knew that once these jackals set their sights on a woman, they would leave her no way out, and she was afraid she would be stuffed into the military police's backyard and become their plaything to vent their lust.

As Niu Dali passed Haozi and Dashan, his eyes narrowed and his eyebrows twitched slightly: "Make your move!"

Without making a sound, the two men slowly slid their right hands behind their waists, their knuckles already gripping the cold gun handles.

"When you get off the bus, close your eyes tightly and don't open them!"

He leaned close to the carriage curtain, his voice low but each word piercing the eardrums.

"Ah... okay, okay!"

Wen Keyi's voice trembled, but she didn't collapse into a muddy mess; she even tried her best to keep her breathing steady.

Niu Dali, the clone, nodded secretly—he could still hold on.

As I supported her by the elbow with one hand and helped her out of the car, the bottom of the car seat made a soft "click" and quietly popped open—but she bit her lip and stubbornly refused to turn around.

"Yosh! What a gorgeous girl!"

The squad leader squinted, drool practically dripping from his mouth. "Director Niu, your wife is more beautiful than any maiden before Amaterasu! Why don't I borrow her to take back to the team for a 'careful examination'? She'll be returned to you in three to five days!"

Bullshit!

Niu Dali's teeth ached, but he remained hunched over, his left hand lightly supporting Wen Keyi's arm, while his right hand was firmly pressed against her back—the gun barrel was hidden between her spine and coarse cloth shirt.

He moved steadily, step by step, leading her to the front of the Japanese troops.

"The old man is right, my wife is indeed a fairy descended from heaven—but alas, you beasts are not even worthy to lick the soles of her shoes!"

Before he could finish speaking, he abruptly turned his head and growled, "Close your eyes! Fire!"

The first sentence was addressed to Wen Keyi, while the second sentence was a command passed on to Haozi and Dashan.

"Da da da—Go!"

"Bang!!!"

"Bang!!!"

The moment the gunshots rang out, the twelve Japanese soldiers fell into pools of blood before they could even draw their guns.

The submachine guns spewed fire as fast as lightning, emptying dozens of bullets in three seconds; the split-shot technique was both cunning and accurate, targeting the throat and the center of the forehead, leaving the Japanese soldiers no time to even utter a sound.

"Retreat! Take the back alley, quick!"

He grabbed Wen Keyi's wrist and ran towards the alley entrance.

The gunshots were terrifying; a Japanese patrol would pounce in the blink of an eye.

Haozi and Dashan grabbed the rickshaw's shaft, gave it a powerful jerk, and the wheels rolled over the gravel, turning into a dark alleyway so narrow that only one person could fit through it.

Fortunately, the city was completely silent after nightfall; not even a dog could be heard barking, and no one witnessed the bloodshed.

About twenty minutes later, the four of them had shrunk into an inconspicuous gray-walled courtyard, and the rickshaw had quietly stopped in the woodshed.

The fact that twelve military police officers were wiped out in one fell swoop has caused a huge uproar.

At this moment, the Japanese army in Beiping would probably be casting a wide net like mad dogs to search for and capture them.

"Come with me."

Niu Dali pushed open the wooden door to the west room, lifted the floor tiles, and revealed a deep staircase. The four of them filed in, and there was a hidden door embedded in the basement wall—pushing it open, they found a dry and flat brick tunnel.

Indeed, over the past few years, his clone has used the power of space to carve countless secret passages beneath the entire capital city: those leading to the embassy district, those encircling the city's suburbs, and those connecting dozens of residential houses... Now, the underground of the capital city has long been transformed into a honeycomb-like maze. Each passage is isolated from the others; even if one is breached, the rest remain unobstructed.

Haozi, Dashan, and Wen Keyi entered the tunnel entrance one after another.

"You guys go first."

Niu Dali stood at the entrance of the cave, his voice calm.

With the collapse of the Japanese military police, he could hardly remain uninvolved.

We need to rush to the scene of the accident.

"Thank you, Director Niu."

Wen Keyi had only listened to a few words of his exchange with the military police when she figured out his background.

At first, she was shocked—who in the capital didn't know the name Niu Dali? The top traitor in the General Police Department, serving the Japanese hand and foot, was hated by the people, who wished they could skin him alive.

But who would have thought that he would actually fulfill his sister's request today and then personally kill that group of military police? Could it be that he wasn't really a traitor at all, but was secretly infiltrating the Japanese army under their noses while wearing the skin of a collaborator?

They walked in silence, her heart heavy as if weighed down by a blue stone.

Twenty minutes later, the car turned into the embassy district and stopped in front of an inconspicuous courtyard.

"Ms. Wen, please get in the car."

As soon as the gate opened, Haozi was already waiting outside, deftly opening the car door.

"Where am I...?"

She looked around and saw rows of Western-style buildings, sycamore trees, and even streetlights made of brass. The streets were so clean that you could see your reflection in them—completely unlike the dusty old alleys outside the city, she couldn't help but exclaim.

"The embassy grounds are foreign territory. The Japanese devils can't get in; it's very secure."

Da Shan grinned, his tone relaxed.

Embassy grounds?

My sister lives here?

Wen Keyi quietly took a breath.

Those who manage to establish themselves are either powerful or wealthy!

Brother-in-law... could he be someone whose every stomp would shake the capital?

She hesitated for a moment, then stepped into the gleaming Ford sedan.

Before long, the car came to a smooth stop in front of a cream-colored villa.

"Miss Wen, please come in."

As Wen Keyi stepped into the living room, a crystal chandelier cascaded down, its light like flowing gold, illuminating the entire hall with a bright and spacious glow, so luxurious it was breathtaking.

But when her gaze swept across the sofa, she suddenly froze—sitting there was a stunningly beautiful young woman, her cheongsam fitted to her body, her hair piled high, and an understated air of nobility in her eyes that made the gold and glitter in the room seem somewhat pale.

Good heavens... This isn't a person, it's like someone stepped out of a painting!

"You must be Wen Keren's younger sister, Wen Keyi?"

He Shuting put down her small wine glass and carefully examined her.

She had a face as pure and beautiful as a lotus flower, a slender and well-proportioned figure, and a full, plump chest that seemed about to fall off.

She met all of the master's criteria for choosing a wife!

A soft sigh escaped my lips.

"Yes, yes! Excuse me... where is my sister?"

The usually poised and confident Wen Keyi was now somewhat at a loss for words.

In terms of figure, she was no less than her; but in terms of overall demeanor and sculpted appearance, she was indeed a step behind—her baby face still had a touch of childishness, like a ripe peach, and she was still several hurdles away from the refined and elegant demeanor that had been cultivated over many years.

"Your sister is upstairs right now, she'll be down in a bit."

"Then...then tell me which room she's in, and I'll go find her myself!"

Being in the same room with such a glamorous woman made her feel extremely uncomfortable.

"No need, please sit down, she'll be down in a minute."

Wen Keren was taking care of important business with her husband; how could she let anyone barge in?

If they happen to run into Li Wenguo in the middle of something exciting, even his sister might suffer.

He Shuting smiled and handed over a glass of red wine: "Have a sip first, to calm your nerves."

The girl had been hiding and running for her life, her heart pounding in her chest.

As the liquor slid down her throat, Wen Keyi felt a warm sensation spreading from her chest, and her heart calmed down.

This wine is mellow and smooth, with a deep aroma, and is smoother and fuller than any bottle she had ever drunk before—it is indeed a good thing.

"By the way, what do you do for a living? You look strangely familiar."

He Shuting asked casually.

Wen Keyi's face is truly unforgettable: she has a hot figure, but her face is as tender as a freshly peeled lychee, which is a rare sight these days, and will be even more so decades from now.

"Oh, I teach at Peking University."

She answered honestly.

"Oh! I'm also from Peking University, but I graduated six years ago—no wonder you looked familiar! What about you, which year did you graduate from?"

He Shuting's eyes lit up, and her tone instantly became warmer. A younger student naturally feels a sense of closeness when meeting a senior.

"Huh? Senior! I graduated two years ago and stayed on at the university."

She entered Peking University at sixteen, graduated at eighteen, and stood on the podium at twenty. Now she is twenty-two, which is the most tender age in the world.

As alumni and both well-read, the two hit it off immediately, laughing and chatting non-stop.

Upstairs, Wen Keren was worried about her sister's safety on the way and kept getting distracted while doing her errands, which displeased Li Wenguo. So he simply made her suffer twice and didn't stop until two hours later when she finally shuffled down the stairs, her legs weak and unsteady.

"sister!"

Wen Keyi saw it at a glance, exclaimed in surprise, jumped up and rushed over, and hugged her sister's waist.

"Keyi, you're finally back."

Wen Keren hugged her tightly, her eyes glistening with tears.

"How are you?"

"Everything's fine! A smooth journey and a safe landing!"

Not wanting her sister to worry, she quietly swallowed the story of bumping into the notebook on the way.