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

The next day, just as dawn broke.

A large Japanese army battalion set off with great momentum, each soldier's face etched with an air of determination to win.

How could a mere battalion of five hundred men possibly stand against their entire force of twelve hundred elite troops? Taking Wang'er Mountain would be a piece of cake.

Little did they expect that, due to severely distorted intelligence, this expedition would be their last.

Sure enough, as soon as the troops reached the forest at the foot of Wang'er Mountain, shells rained down like a storm. Caught completely off guard, half the soldiers fell on the spot, and the mountain guns and mortars were all destroyed in the first salvo. The remaining troops hastily returned fire, holding on with only rifles and machine guns, but those few heavy machine guns were precisely targeted and destroyed before they could even fire two shots. In the end, only about three hundred men remained, and a lieutenant colonel covered in blood gritted his teeth and raised the white flag.

Ding Xiaoqi and Agui feigned surrender, then immediately ordered the Japanese soldiers to dig a pit on the spot. After the pit was dug, they forced them to drag the corpses of their comrades into it one by one.

After finishing the job, the Japanese soldiers were exhausted and limp. Ding Xiaoqi raised his hand and waved his hand, and gunshots rang out, blood splattering on the yellow earth.

At this point, the entire battalion—including the lieutenant colonel and adjutant—had no survivors.

The military headquarters in Beijing was still unable to contact the team by evening, and urgently dispatched a reconnaissance team to the scene, only to find that it had been another complete annihilation. General Nobuda flew into a rage on the spot, grabbed a blue-and-white porcelain vase he had seized from his office, and smashed it to the ground, shattering it into pieces.

His face turned purplish-red, and before he could utter a word, he fell backward.

He was so angry that he fainted on the spot.

Including the more than 1,000 men lost in the previous incident, they have now lost nearly 3,000 soldiers—almost the equivalent of a full-strength regiment.

The Japanese troops stationed in Beijing consisted of only two regiments, which meant that nearly half of them had been killed or wounded.

Of course, several other squadrons are stationed in surrounding counties, and right now only one depleted brigade is truly guarding the capital.

Emptiness—an unprecedented emptiness.

Li Wenguo was well aware of the situation, but he never even considered launching a direct assault on Beijing. The city was already deep within the Japanese heartland, surrounded by enemy-controlled territory. If the city were besieged, reinforcements would arrive in no time; a siege would only mean certain death.

So what if I feel empty? It's only temporary anyway.

But at least, it forced the Japanese army to withdraw troops from other places to defend their positions, thus relieving other anti-Japanese forces of a heavy burden—which can be considered as doing its part.

After annihilating the brigade, Chen Jiang led his troops to quietly withdraw from Wang'er Mountain and return to Chenjia Village. After all, this was their old base; they could find every ditch, field, house, and alleyway there with their eyes closed.

We dared not stay on the mountain any longer; if the Japanese sent planes to bomb us repeatedly, we would have nowhere to hide.

Back in Chenjia Village, it was all about starting over. Fortunately, the foundation was still there, the people and the land were familiar, and people were at ease, so recovery wasn't difficult.

However, Li Wenguo was worried about Yang Yuerong, who had just become pregnant. He feared that the journey would harm the fetus, so he suggested to Battalion Commander Chen Jiang that he bring her back to Beijing to rest and prepare for childbirth, and then send her back after the baby was born.

After weighing the options repeatedly and holding a long private discussion with his chief of staff, Chen Jiang finally nodded in agreement.

He had personally witnessed the three thousand elite troops Li Wenguo had secretly hidden outside the city—these were hardly scattered soldiers; they were clearly a formidable force capable of influencing the course of battle. If he needed to rely on this man in the future, he would inevitably have to depend on him, so naturally he couldn't refuse him.

Organizational discipline once again made an exception for Li Wenguo.

Li Wenguo quickly brought Yang Yuerong into the small Western-style house.

That's right, it's the little Western-style house. He's going to lay his cards on the table.

It's better to stay in one place so that we can take care of each other than to run back and forth between the two places—even though the two places are only a hundred steps apart.

When Yang Yuerong learned that she had been tricked by Li Wenguo, she was furious. She slammed her hand on the table and was about to leave, threatening to sever all ties and never see him again.

But He Shuting spoke softly to her, and Li Wenguo kept mentioning the child in her womb. Under his persistent pleading, she finally stayed, but from then on she treated him coldly and never gave him a smile again.

As for taking her as a concubine? Don't even think about it.

Fortunately, the person stayed. Li Wenguo wasn't in a hurry; he had plenty of time to slowly pry open the layer of sincerity that Yang Yuerong had tightly wrapped up, yet which had never truly been extinguished.

Next, the mayor who was transferred from Harbin and is about to take charge of Beijing will also be taking office soon.

Li Wenguo has already begun to lay the net, waiting only for the right moment to personally send him to his death.

However, before that, something happened.

As soon as the school bell rang, the children, like birds released from their cages, chirped and swarmed out of the school gates, rushing towards their eagerly waiting parents.

Wen Keyi also walked slowly out of the school gate—a bright red dress outlined her tall and straight figure, with several textbooks steadily held in her arms, her demeanor dignified and unhurried.

Her eyes were bright and clear, and her skin was as smooth and white as a freshly peeled lychee. Her fitted skirt swayed gently with her steps, highlighting her slender waist and graceful shoulders and neck. As soon as she appeared, she attracted the attention of passersby.

The setting sun gently bathed her hair and shoulders, as if draping her in a thin golden veil.

Just then, a gleaming black sedan was parked diagonally on the side of the road, and a young man was leaning against the car: he was dressed in a smart suit, his hair was neatly combed, he held a bouquet of bright red roses in his hands, his eyes were fixed on her, and he quickly walked up to her.

"Keyi, here are some flowers for you—would you do me the honor of having dinner with me tonight? I've reserved a table at a French restaurant."

He had long been interested in Wen Keyi and was determined to win her over.

When I picked up my nephew last time, I bumped into her by chance. I felt like I was completely captivated at first sight. I couldn't sleep at home, and the next day I asked someone to inquire about her. On the third day, I started to wait for her at her door.

"Mr. Kuang, I'm sorry, I'm married. I'm someone else's wife. Please don't come again."

Wen Keyi's tone was flat and even, without the slightest fluctuation.

"Keyi, I know you're just making excuses... but I genuinely want to treat you well. Please give me a chance, okay?"

He spoke in an extremely soft tone, his posture almost humbled to the point of being obsequious.

"I'm not lying to you. I really am married. Please don't bother me anymore."

Her brow furrowed slightly; her patience was slowly wearing thin.

"Now that you're married, where is your husband? Why do I never see him pick you up?"

He simply couldn't believe it—how could her husband dare to let such an outstanding woman go about her business alone?

It's not that no one was available to pick me up; it's just that the villa is right across the street. Just turn a corner, cross a zebra crossing, and you're there in three minutes. There's no need for a car at all.

"Auntie Keyi!"

"Auntie Keyi!"

Before she finished speaking, seven-year-old Li Guohua and six-year-old Li Jingfen had already emerged from the school gate, rushing to her side on either side, and she immediately took their little hands tightly.

This school, run by foreigners, runs from elementary to high school, and Wen Keyi teaches the senior year of high school.

Picking up the two kids from school on my way home has become a regular routine.

"Oh, are they your nephew and niece?"

Young Master Kuang raised the corners of his mouth, a smile playing on his lips.

The two children looked up and secretly observed the man who was always loitering around the school gate and pestering Aunt Keyi.

Without Wen Keyi's introduction, they pursed their lips and ignored her.

"Make way, we have to go."

She was too lazy to waste any more words.

The little one in my belly has already quietly settled in. In another two months, once the baby shows, the other party will probably back down.

"I'll take you home—first the two kids home, then I'll treat you to a meal. It won't take up much of your time."

He still refused to budge.

"No need, my home is just across the street, only a few steps away."

Wen Keyi led the child around him and walked straight ahead.

Young Master Kuang immediately followed.

A few steps away, in the shadows of the sycamore trees, the mountain silently followed.

Although Wen Keyi refused to take the company car to and from get off work, how could Li Wenguo really let it go unchecked? His wife, son, and daughter were all studying there, so it was inevitable that he would secretly protect them. However, Li Wenguo had already given instructions: keep an eye on them but don't interfere, and don't take action unless there's a real danger.

Please stop following me.

Her voice turned colder, and her fingertips tightened slightly.

My patience has been almost completely worn down.

"squeak--!"

A screeching sound of brakes rang out suddenly, and a dark gray sedan slammed to the curb.

The car door opened, and Li Wenguo stepped out.

He already knew that someone was after Wen Keyi—Da Shan had informed him yesterday.

Hearing that Second Concubine Wen (the "Second" was purely to distinguish her from her sisters, not to indicate her birth order) was adamant and immediately stated that she was already married, and that the other party had taken it to heart, Li Wenguo didn't rush to show himself. After all, the embassy district was mostly inhabited by respectable people who wouldn't usually pester him. In all his years, he hadn't actually met many who were so unreasonable.

This morning, Da Shan reported again: the man is still pestering, and the more you try to persuade him, the more persistent he becomes.

Li Wenguo then timed the dismissal time perfectly and came in person.

"Daddy!!"

"Daddy!!"

If we were to ask who he is most pleased to see, it would undoubtedly be these two little ones.

The two let go of Wen Keyi's hand, rushed over, grabbed his legs, and laughed with their faces upturned.

"Alright, Guohua, Jingfen, get in the car first."

He carried one of them into the back seat, closed the car door, and then slowly turned around to look at the young man who had designs on his wife.

With his slicked-back hair and handsome face, he was indeed a pampered young master.

However, he had a calm demeanor and clear eyes, unlike those纨绔 (wan ku, spoiled brats) whose true nature had been eroded by wine and women.

"Sir, what is your surname?"

"Hello, my surname is Kwong, and my given name is Kwong Hsing-wan."

He nodded in greeting, behaving politely, subconsciously treating the other person as Keyi's relative—without considering the possibility of a marital relationship at all.

The two children, one calling him "Daddy" and the other "Auntie Keyi," clearly distinguished their relationship, hardly resembling a married couple.

"Mr. Kwong, I heard you're pursuing Keyi? But she's already married, are you aware of that?"

Li Wenguo got straight to the point, his tone crisp and decisive.

"Huh? This..."

"Really?"

Kuang Xingyun's pupils contracted, and the composure on his face shattered instantly.

Such a beautiful and refined person, is she already taken?

Could it be a lie?

His heart sank, and he immediately adopted a probing tone: "You said she got married—married to whom?"

"What is your husband's name?"

"Can I see the real person?"

The barrage of questions revealed an unyielding stubbornness. Li Wenguo frowned slightly, a hint of impatience rising in his heart.

"What, you still don't believe me? Even if she's not married, it's obvious she has no feelings for you—you should give up on that idea as soon as possible."

His tone turned cold, showing no mercy.

"Then... what about Keyi's parents? I'd like to pay them a visit."

Seeing that Li Wenguo avoided answering who her husband was, Kuang Xingyun became even more certain: Wen Keyi was not married at all!

He figured that as long as he could persuade her parents, he would be almost certain to marry her, given his family's wealth.

"Heh... You want to come directly to propose marriage?" Li Wenguo shook his head and chuckled, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes.

"You won't have that chance either. To tell you the truth—Ke Yi's only relative is her sister; and her sister is my wife. So, I'm also her closest relative."

Wen Keyi stood quietly to the side, not interrupting, only wondering to herself: Why didn't her husband just reveal his identity? Wouldn't it be better to end the other woman's hopes sooner?

"Oh—it's my brother-in-law!"

Kuang Xingyun's expression relaxed, and she immediately put on a smile. This man before her was the key figure who could decide her sister's marriage!

"Stop, don't call me that so intimately, that's not a proper way to address me."

Li Wenguo gestured to Wen Keyi with his chin, indicating that she should come over.

As she approached, he naturally put his arm around her shoulder, his voice clear and strong: "Her husband is me."

With a loud "pop," he kissed her fair and delicate cheek.

Wen Keyi didn't dodge; she even tilted her head back slightly, looking completely at ease, as if this intimacy was perfectly normal.

Inside the car, Li Guohua and Li Jingfen chuckled through the window, "Daddy kissed Aunt Keyi again! So embarrassing!"