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

First, get rid of the lackeys inside;

Secondly, it serves as a wake-up call to those spineless fence-sitters, making them weigh the consequences of defecting to the enemy.

Thirdly, it will cause trouble for the Japanese devils—making them preoccupied with their own problems and overwhelmed with worries.

Fourthly, it can be considered that the mission of "disrupting enemy lines" of the Lixing Social Affairs Office was carried out in a solid and effective manner.

Anyway, that's what spies come to Beijing for.

After instructing Sha Qiang, Niu Dali immediately telegraphed Li Wenguo, revealing his entire plan and instructing him to send a secret telegram urgently summoning men back to the city.

After Lao Pan returned and shared the news, the other three immediately gathered around.

Wang Youli stroked his chin and thought for a moment before speaking, "How about... we ask Wang'er Mountain for support?"

He was referring to Chen Jiang's team.

He himself infiltrated from there, specializing in eliminating traitors and stealing secrets.

"But right now the Japanese are checking everything like a sieve, only allowing entry but not exit. It's easy for them to come in, but getting out? As difficult as climbing to heaven. If they're targeted and can't withstand the torture, they might reveal all the strongholds on the mountain, and then we'll lose everything!"

Old Pan frowned deeply, his voice extremely low.

He certainly wanted to leverage their strength, but the Japanese were holding the line too tightly; the slightest misstep could backfire.

"Are we going to force our way in without calling for outside help?"

Qin Shaofeng, impatient by nature, stared intently at Lao Pan, "If we go ourselves, we'll most likely get ourselves killed instead of rescuing anyone."

"We absolutely must save them," Jiang Liang interjected, his tone calm. "But if we can't exchange seven lives for two, we should mobilize more manpower to seize them first, then plan our escape route. The capital is so big; hiding a few people might just provide a way out."

"I... still don't approve of outsiders coming in."

Old Pan's voice wasn't loud, but it was like a nail driven into the air.

"Then let's just vote—majority rule."

Seeing that the dispute was deadlocked, Wang Youli made a direct suggestion.

"OK!"

Qin Shaofeng and Jiang Liang responded in unison.

Hands raised for counting, four to one.

"Old Zhou? Even you...?"

Old Pan stared in astonishment at Zhou Zheng—this man always obeyed his orders and never overstepped his bounds.

Zhou Zheng smiled and said slowly, "Old Pan, you always want to achieve the greatest results with the least effort, afraid of being implicated, afraid of standing out, afraid of taking responsibility. But have you thought about this? If we ten people rush in, we're guaranteed to lose everything. But what if we call in reinforcements? We might not lose, we might even win—if we win, we can rescue the people and leave the city alive. Are we really going to throw two lives away in there just because we're afraid of losing?"

He paused, his gaze intense: "Losing is certainly a pity; but not daring to even try is the real loss."

This sounds like a gamble, but everyone knows the truth in their hearts—

The path they took was never one of careful planning.

No matter how difficult it is, we must move forward; no matter how dangerous it is, we must persevere.

This was a thought etched into our bones; it didn't need to be said, we both understood.

It was thanks to tens of thousands of comrades who risked their lives that the revolution in China was able to succeed.

"Alright, let's do it this way."

Old Pan could only sigh and nod in agreement.

The news quickly reached Yang Yuerong through underground channels.

All of Lao Pan's radio operators were trained by Yang Yuerong; after the Japanese army occupied Beiping, she secretly planted one of them in.

After all, He Shuting had been hiding in the embassy district and had never shown her face, making it difficult for her to deliver intelligence to them.

Wang'er Mountain.

meeting room.

A dozen or so people were crammed into that low wooden house, the air hot and stuffy.

"A secret telegram has just arrived from our comrades in Beiping—two key members have been imprisoned in the puppet regime's detention center and urgently need to be rescued; at the same time, we must also dismantle the puppet regime's headquarters..."

Yang Yuerong unfolded the newly translated intelligence document in her hand, her voice steady.

Snapped!

"What are we waiting for? Let's go into the city and rescue them immediately!"

Sai Honglian slammed her hand on the table and stood up abruptly, her eyes burning with anger.

Although we didn't kill many Japanese soldiers last time, it was a very satisfying fight.

Ever since her brothers died at the hands of traitors, the people she hated most in her life were, first, the Japanese devils; second, the puppet troops who licked her boots on their knees; and third, Li Wenguo. But this hatred was also wrapped in an unbreakable bond of affection. To put it bluntly, she was both angry and longing, both annoyed and soft-hearted.

She was angry that he had usurped the real power of her intelligence group, annoyed that he had used a deal to keep her firmly in his grasp, and resentful that he had made her pregnant and give birth to his child. But beneath this resentment was not a bloody feud, but rather a stubbornness in her bones that refused to bow down. It hadn't even reached the point of tearing each other apart.

It can be complicated, or it can be simple.

If he were to actually run into Li Wenguo, he would still be defiant in words, but his body would be completely out of control—when it's time to back down, he would have to back down.

"Captain Sai, you are the backbone of the team, this time it's really not appropriate for you."

Chen Jiang had been privately instructed by Li Wenguo: neither Sai Honglian nor Yang Yuerong should be risked.

Yang Yuerong was alright; she worked in intelligence and always stayed in the rear. Sai Honglian, however, was a real troublemaker—she had been a mountain bandit in her youth, with boundless courage, meticulous attention to detail, and an iron will; she always rushed to the front lines in battle. It was only after she was given the title of artillery captain that her wild nature was somewhat curbed.

But as soon as she heard that they were going to Beiping to rescue people and blow up a stronghold, her eyes lit up immediately, and she couldn't hold back anymore.

With martial law in place in Beiping, the Japanese army's checks are tight and impenetrable. If he were to be captured or ambushed while trying to rescue someone, how could Chen Jiang possibly face Li Wenguo?

"I'm the artillery captain now. Bombing the puppet regime? Perfect for me! If this job isn't my responsibility, who is?"

Sai Honglian spoke with righteous indignation, even tapping her fingers on the edge of the table.

Life on the mountain is too tough.

Her son, Xiao Guoli, was with her, but there were more than a dozen other children of the same age on the mountain, and they were all taken care of by someone, so she didn't have to worry about them at all.

Besides repeating the same exercises every day, there's nothing else to do, and I feel exhausted to the core.

After hijacking the Japanese grain train last time, she couldn't sleep for three days straight, rubbing her hands together with excitement.

When he heard that they were going to Beiping to bomb the puppet regime, his eyes lit up instantly, like a match struck in the dark.

Ultimately, she just can't stay idle—she'd rather fight than eat.

Besides, my daughter is still being cared for by Li Wenguo. I might be able to sneak a peek at her during this trip to the city.

"No, no, there are so many sentry posts at the city gate. Captain Sai, you'll be too conspicuous. If those lustful Japanese devils see you, they'll probably... don't you think?"

The chief of staff, who was standing nearby, quickly spoke up to persuade him.

When this man was shot and wounded, Chen Jiang, Lao Pan, and Zhou Zheng carried him to find Dr. Ke. On the way, they were chased by secret agents, but fortunately they ran into Li Wenguo, and the group worked together to wipe out the group of spies.

He was also aware of the importance of Li Wenguo's group, and knew that Chen Jiang had already conveyed the message to him to "protect Sai Honglian".

So I spoke with utmost caution.

"Then... I can just change my appearance, right?"

Sai Honglian's eyes darted around, and she immediately thought of disguising herself.

"Captain Sai, I'm the battalion commander—you're really not suitable for this mission. I've already decided on someone, so please don't get involved. Discipline is something that must be upheld."

Chen Jiang put on a stern face, emphasizing the importance of the battalion commander.

If we let her continue making a scene and something goes wrong, how will we explain it to Li Wenguo?

Nowadays, everything from food and daily necessities to firearms and intelligence... can we do without Li Wenguo?

This person is someone we absolutely must not offend.

Chen Jiang, unusually stern as a battalion commander, forcefully suppressed Sai Honglian, making her feel as if a wad of damp cotton had been stuffed inside her, both suffocating and oppressive. Back when she was a bandit leader, she was used to running through the mountains and leaping through wildfires, free to wield her arms or draw her sword at will; she had never experienced such restraint. Now, bound by rules and regulations, she felt uncomfortable all over, harboring a deep sense of resentment.

But then her eyes darted around, and the corners of her mouth suddenly curled up, as if she had suddenly found something sweet.

Not long after—

Chen Jiang selected about ten capable veterans, changed them into civilian clothes, and quietly made their way down the mountain.

Halfway there, behind a sloping hillside by the woods, Sai Honglian leaned against a tree trunk, arms crossed, smiling at them.

"Captain Sai? You... came down too?"

Sun Hang was taken aback and blurted out. He was the company commander leading the operation and was leading his men down the gravel path.

"Company Commander Sun, I'm so tired of squatting on the mountain, how could I not go with you to bomb the puppet government this time?"

Sai Honglian dusted off non-existent dust from her sleeves, her tone light, yet every word carrying a hidden meaning.

"But...but Battalion Commander Chen didn't mention you were coming at all!"

"Could it be... that it slipped down on its own?"

Sun Hang frowned, and as soon as he finished speaking, suspicion was blatantly written on his face. He knew very well that Chen Jiang hadn't mentioned Sai Honglian accompanying him before he left.

"Hey, do you think rifles can wipe out that den of rats from the puppet regime? My artillery girls specialize in shooting hard-shelled weapons!"

She stood up straight and spoke with conviction.

That sounds plausible.

But Sun Hang knew perfectly well: no order meant no order, and rules weren't just for show. He could also guess that Sai Honglian was deliberately bypassing Chen Jiang, looking for an excuse to go down the mountain and cause trouble.

He patiently advised, "Captain Sai, you should turn back. The few of us can handle this trip; there's no need for you to trouble yourself."

"Besides, the plan was finalized long ago. The route, the rendezvous, and the retreat were all perfectly timed. Adding more people would only cause more trouble."

"Company Commander Sun, I've already stepped down, you can't just kick me back, can you?"

Sai Honglian blinked, her words laced with a mix of jest and cheekiness, "More eyes, more guns—it's always better than less, don't you think?"

"Anyway, I would never climb a mountain again, even if you killed me."

Seeing that she was determined, Sun Hang opened his mouth, but ultimately did not stop her.

He knew her too well: she had a temper as hard as a mountain stream stone, and her actions were often unpredictable, but when she really got down to business, she never hesitated.

"Alright, alright, if you dawdle any longer, the daylily will be cold!"

Sai Honglian turned around, her ponytail swung in the wind, and strode forward.

Sun Hang sighed and quickly waved to signal the team to follow.

"Captain Sai, let me make this clear first—Battalion Commander Chen personally instructed that this mission is entirely under my command. Please don't change your mind at the last minute!"

He added, half-jokingly.

"Don't worry, don't worry, I'll go wherever you tell me to. If you tell me to go east, I'll never go west; if you tell me to squat, I'll never stand!"

She smiled and agreed, her voice clear and bright, but she couldn't quite hide her cunning.

At this moment, the mountain was so quiet that only the rustling of pine needles falling could be heard.

"Instructor Yang, have you seen Captain Sai?"

Clutching a crumpled piece of paper, the chief of staff circled the camp three times without finding anyone, so he had no choice but to go into the women's dormitory and ask Yang Yuerong, the sister he trusted most.

"I haven't seen him/her, what's wrong?"

Yang Yuerong was sewing the cuffs of her military uniform with her head down, without looking up.

What about people?

Did it really just vanish into thin air?

The chief of staff's heart sank, and he pressed further, "Help me look for her? I need to have a good talk with her; don't argue with the organization like this."

"...Could he have gone to see the kids again?"

Yang Yuerong paused, her voice lowering.

When she first heard that Sai Honglian had a child in the capital, she almost crushed her enamel mug—she went out on official business and secretly carried the child with her? It was too unexpected.

Not to mention asking who the child's father was, she would just smile and refuse to say a word, so the matter was eventually shelved.

Sai Honglian refused to speak, partly because Li Wenguo repeatedly instructed her "not to let anyone out," and partly because she herself didn't want to mention it—she couldn't very well just say it was a transaction, could she? Her reputation couldn't withstand such tarnishing.