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

"Old Pan, where are Old Ni and Old Qin? Have they been released?" one of them asked urgently.

"It didn't work out. The person fell into the hands of the puppet regime—they're all traitors in charge there, we can't reach them." Old Pan shook his head.

"So what do we do now?" the other person clenched his fist.

"That boss gave me a way: he could get a detailed layout map of the detention center of the maintenance committee," Lao Pan said.

"Great! Having a picture makes things much easier!" Qin Shaofeng blurted out, his eyes blazing with excitement.

Wang Youli frowned: "No way. The whole city is under martial law, and military police are patrolling the streets. As soon as the guns start firing, the Japanese will rush in on motorcycles, and we won't even be able to escape the alleyway."

His voice was steady, and every word he spoke was firm and meaningful.

That's exactly what Lao Pan thought.

Everyone was afraid of being surrounded by the Japanese military police, unable to get through, and ending up getting themselves killed instead of being able to rescue someone.

"Nothing will do, nothing will work. Are we really just going to sit here and watch them get beaten and tortured?"

Qin Shaofeng's voice was strained, and he tapped his fingers impatiently twice on the edge of the table.

"Don't panic, I've already sent someone to find out the details, and we'll get back to you in a moment."

Zhou Zheng spoke calmly and reached out to pat Qin Shaofeng's shoulder.

"By the way, speaking of 'pulling strings'—which officer in the police station did you get in touch with? How did you manage to get us all out of trouble so quickly?"

Jiang Liang picked up the rough porcelain bowl and blew away the few specks of oil floating on the soup.

"In my early years, by a twist of fate, I met a man in the capital who had connections everywhere. This man was always loyal and grateful, and he never refused to help others as long as it was within his power."

Old Pan spoke casually, but never mentioned the person's name.

He added at the end, "By the way, this person has a long-standing relationship with Chief Niu of the police station, which is how he managed to pull some strings and get us released."

What?

Niu Dali, who sold himself into servitude to Xiaoben?

Qin Shaofeng, Wang Youli, and Jiang Liang were all stunned, as if they had been nailed to the spot.

"Are you... telling the truth?"

"Was it really him who let us out?"

Old Pan nodded heavily.

"So...was his surrender feigned?"

Wang Youli frowned deeply, his voice extremely low.

The assassination attempt a while ago was aimed at Niu Dali—but he backed out at the last minute, even though it was a scheme he orchestrated himself. Thinking back on it now, it makes my heart ache.

But who can we blame?

Who would have thought that Director Niu, who spent his days accompanying the Japanese army to banquets and signing documents, actually had a tough exterior?

"It's hard to tell whether it's true or false. But one thing is clear: from now on, no one is allowed to lay a finger on Director Niu."

Jiang Liang scooped up a spoonful of vegetable soup and stirred it slowly. "As long as he stands on the front line of the war against Japan, he's one of us."

"And now?"

"Should we save those two people or not?"

Qin Shaofeng slapped his thigh, regretting his words as soon as they left his mouth—he was in a hurry again.

"Old Tan, don't get worked up! Didn't Old Pan say that the people have already been sent out and the news will be delivered soon?"

Wang Youli scooped a piece of sweet potato into his bowl, "Have something to eat first, so you can get some rest. We'll see tomorrow morning."

At this moment, Zhou Zheng brought over a bamboo basket piled high with steaming roasted sweet potatoes, and next to it were several chipped earthenware bowls filled with clear vegetable soup.

They were poor, but no one even frowned.

Everyone held the piping hot sweet potatoes, munching away with gusto until their mouths were full of honey, and even drank every last drop of the soup.

In a revolution, every meal involves chewing on tough bones and swallowing them.

On the other side, Sha Qiang truthfully reported Lao Pan's entrustment to Niu Dali.

After hearing this, Niu Dali didn't respond immediately. He just stubbed out his cigarette and paced a few steps by the window.

A prison break? With too few people, it's suicide; with too many, they might be able to break through, but there would definitely be a lot of bloodshed—it's not worth it.

The thought flashed through my mind.

If we really think it over carefully, there might still be room for maneuver.

He knew how stubborn these revolutionaries were: they would rather risk their lives than abandon their comrades.

So he extinguished his cigarette, sat back down at his desk, spread out a sheet of white paper, and after a long pause, began to meticulously devise a countermeasure...

Embassy district.

A few days have passed.

Wen Keren publicly cried and told everyone that she was pregnant, but her husband was tormenting her every night and ignoring her. Wen Keren finally couldn't take it anymore and admitted it.

Now she lies in bed all day, and even getting up requires two maids to help her—of course, this is just an act by her older sister, a weak and delicate appearance.

Seeing her sister so haggard, she gritted her teeth and agreed to marry Li Wenguo and become his tenth concubine.

Li Wenguo didn't mention that he had seven or eight "same type" wives in Qingzhong, so Wen Keyi naively thought that she was the second wife.

On her wedding night, she wore a bright red wedding dress, with a red veil embroidered with gold thread covering her head, and her jade-like feet were shimmering in scarlet high heels.

Li Wenguo was dressed in a snow-white suit, his hair was neatly combed, and he had a slight smile on his lips, making him strikingly handsome.

"Sir, please lift the veil so I can take pictures."

He Shuting stood at the doorway, holding a camera, the lens trembling slightly.

"Hehe, coming right now!"

Li Wenguo raised his hand and lifted it up—

The face below was already pretty, but with a little heavy makeup, her lips were as red as blood, and her cheeks were slightly flushed, which added a touch of alluring charm.

Especially those eyes, shimmering with moisture, timid yet captivating, made Li Wenguo's Adam's apple bob, almost causing him to lose his composure.

He quickly shouted towards the door, "Okay, okay, hurry up and take the picture!"

Come on, smile!

"Snap!"

"Stand up again, and stand closer!"

"Snap!"

"Sir, put your arm around my waist; Keyi, place your hands on my lower abdomen and gently cup it—yes, just like that!"

He Shuting noticed the burning intensity in her husband's eyes and deliberately dragged out the pace, slowly adjusting the focus.

"Is filming finished yet?"

After taking ten more photos, Li Wenguo finally couldn't hold back any longer and urged him for the third time.

He Shuting then put away her camera and turned to leave.

"Keyi, you look absolutely radiant today, you've made my bones melt."

As soon as He Shuting closed the door and left, Li Wenguo grinned, his eyes gleaming, and a frivolous smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Wen Keyi replied calmly, "Now you're satisfied, and you've finally gotten what you wanted."

His tone was as flat as a stagnant pool, devoid of any inflection.

But Li Wenguo knew very well that her heart was in turmoil, filled with shame, indignation, resentment, and frustration, all suppressed beneath that thin layer of calm.

So what? What he wanted was never her willingness.

As the old saying goes, time will eventually smooth out any rough edges. This is merely the growing pains Wen Keyi is experiencing as she steps from her former innocent and stable life into her new identity. She'll feel uncomfortable for the first few days, but after some time, she'll get used to it, accept it, and even gradually begin to appreciate its nuances.

This is a truth that Li Wenguo has come to understand after living half his life.

Therefore, he felt no guilt whatsoever, nor any remorse whatsoever.

On the contrary, she felt that although she couldn't win his whole heart after marrying him, she was already the most treated woman in the world.

He could give her anything she wanted: mountains of gold and silver, the admiration of everyone, sweet words, candlelight dinners...

What do women want?

As for material possessions—a three-story Western-style house, a gleaming car, and a heavy sandalwood box on the table, filled with gold-threaded bracelets, jade hairpins, and porcelain vases from the late Qing Dynasty imperial kiln—he had everything.

"Of course I'm satisfied! With a face like yours and a figure like yours, you'd be a hot commodity anywhere!"

Before he finished speaking, his hand was already on her waist.

Wen Keyi didn't flinch, but simply said softly, "From now on, please take good care of my sister."

"That's a strange question—your sister is my lawfully wedded wife, how could I not cherish her? Look at the mansion she lives in, with several maids around her, a private carriage to take her everywhere, plenty of cash in her hands, and now she's even had a legitimate son. She has everything a life should have. Tell me, isn't she happy? Haven't I treated her well?"

"Besides, didn't you know perfectly well that everything that happened before was paving the way for you?"

"Now that we have her, we naturally won't let her worry or be stressed anymore."

As soon as she finished speaking, the last piece of clothing on her body was also stripped off.

"I want a real promise from you—swear that you will treat my sister well for the rest of your life."

"Okay, okay, I swear! From now on, I will respect her, cherish her, and protect her!"

He paused, then added, "The same goes for you."

"bring it on!"

He let out a low growl and pounced.

The next morning, only Wen Keyi woke up. As soon as she sat up and moved her legs slightly, a burning pain shot through her lower abdomen, and cold sweat instantly beaded on her forehead.

"So this is how my sister has been getting through all these years?"

"No... my sister said that the first time will always hurt a little."

Her gaze fell, and the glaring red stain on the bedsheet felt like a knife piercing her eyes. A tightness gripped her chest, and a bitter taste rose in her throat. After a long while, she finally let out a long sigh.

"Sigh... Wen Keyi, stop struggling. What's done is done, there's no turning back."

"I'm sorry, senior."

"In the end, I couldn't hold onto that waiting."

"I already belong to someone else."

She lowered her eyes, her face ashen.

"Knock knock knock!"

Just as I was about to painfully get up and take away the blood-stained sheet, a knock suddenly sounded on the door.

"Come in."

The one who pushed open the door was the new maid who had come in with Wen Keren.

"Madam, the Madam and the Second Madam invite you downstairs for breakfast."

"These trivial matters can be handled by this servant."

The maidservant deftly walked to the bedside, rolled up the bed sheet, folded it neatly, and put it away in the closet. She then spread out a brand-new plain silk quilt, followed by wiping the table, sweeping the floor, and mopping it clean. Is this what the concubine will be living every day from now on?

Wen Keyi watched silently for a long time before getting up to wash and slowly going downstairs.

In the restaurant, breakfast was already laid out on the long table.

As soon as she sat down, a dazzling array of food greeted her: freshly brewed coffee, warm milk, piping hot soy milk, and refreshing mung bean porridge; there were also crispy sesame seed cakes, glistening meat buns, tender poached eggs, fragrant fried dough sticks, soft toast, sandwiches with ham, sizzling grilled sausages, and translucent shrimp dumplings…

That's incredibly extravagant!

I used to eat these things too, but now that I'm sitting here in a different role, my heart feels heavy and suffocated, like a damp wad of cotton is pressing down on it.

She herself couldn't explain why she did this.

In the end, I could only think to myself: perhaps it's because I've finally become one of the masters of this house.

By this time, Li Wenguo had already finished breakfast and gone out to run errands.

She had overslept because of the exertion last night. But He Shuting and Wen Keren didn't start eating first, clearly waiting for her.

Next, tea must be served; this is a rule that cannot be taken lightly.

He Shuting was extremely particular about propriety and would never allow this courtesy to be compromised.

After the meal, Wen Keyi respectfully offered tea, kneeling on both knees to serve tea to the two elders one by one. Only when He Shuting personally accepted the tea, took a small sip, nodded and smiled did she truly acknowledge Wen Keyi as her.

"Keyi, now that you've stepped into this family, just live your life in peace and contentment. With your grandfather here, you don't need to worry about anything. If you encounter any difficulties, just ask me—money, supplies, anything that's within my power, I'll definitely take care of it for you."

He Shuting's voice was soft and her smile was gentle.