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

"Master Li, you've finally come out!"

Ding Xiaoqi and Xiao Jie immediately came to greet them at the door, their voices tense.

"Return."

Li Wenguo uttered only one word, his face so dark it looked like it could be wrung out.

He was unaware that he had been fired on the spot by Paul, but it seemed he would never be able to step through the door of Indley again in his lifetime.

Right now, I don't want to go anywhere except home.

Ding Xiaoqi and Xiao Jie kept their mouths shut and helped him walk to the car, one on each side, not daring to even breathe loudly.

Ugh!

I wanted to stay far away from the KMT, but I ended up stepping into the mud and becoming their mole...

What kind of nonsense is this?

Will I be implicated in the future? Will I be bitten back? Will I be used as a pawn?

Never mind, there's always a way out.

When things really come to a dead end, you can either jump ship and switch sides, or pack your bags and run away, and come back in glory as a patriotic businessman!

Inside the car, Li Wenguo opened his palm and quietly looked at the thin little certificate.

On the cover, the emblem of the Blue Sky with a White Sun is prominently displayed.

Correct.

He is now a thorn in the side of the Kuomintang.

However, it's kept hidden away, without any sign or visible face.

Deputy Directors Kang Bin and Chang Binghui kept a close eye on his eyes—they had just reported two Japanese spies they were 80% sure of last time, and they immediately decided that Li Wenguo had to go back to the foreign firm, continue working as usual, keep a secret watch, and keep bringing up more and more clues.

Since he has a natural talent for spotting spies, let's make the most of that ability. Promotion? Wealth? It all depends on his silver tongue.

Although he had no choice in the matter, at least he was dealing with Japanese devils, not his own brothers. Li Wenguo gritted his teeth and accepted it.

Besides, with the Lixing Society as a get-out-of-jail-free card, anyone who dares to stab or trip us up behind our backs will have to think twice before trying to save face.

Putting away his documents, Li Wenguo narrowed his eyes and began to plan his next move.

Top priority: Kill Neville and murder Paul.

The feud is irreconcilable; it's either you or me who dies—if he doesn't make a move, the other party could send him to his death tomorrow.

The second thing: change the location of the foreign firm.

Hmm... that manager from the American trading company last time had sincere eyes and a straightforward attitude.

The Americans may have a shallow foundation, but their goods are of high quality and reasonably priced, and their market is lucrative. They'll be making a lot of money in the next ten years.

He was still able to get along well in the past.

The car came to a smooth stop at the gate of the courtyard.

Li Wenguo straightened his collar, swallowed back all his embarrassment and anger, and then got out of the car.

Not wanting his family to worry, he didn't mention the Lixingshe (a secret society) at all.

"Sir, why are you back at this hour?"

Did you leave something behind?

"Why not just have Xiaoqi run the errand?"

He Shuting and Xianglan were sitting in the garden pavilion with their child in their arms. Several plates of osmanthus cakes were placed on the stone table, and the juice in the glass was clear and bright.

Xiaoju quietly served the food and added tea to the table.

They lived a comfortable and fulfilling life.

It is currently the time when the autumn light is at its peak.

A riot of colors.

The golden osmanthus, crabapple, butterfly orchid, autumn chrysanthemum, peony and purple peony in the garden are layered and spread out, weaving a flowing brocade.

The sweet fragrance was so strong that it attracted butterflies of all colors to flutter around, soaring high and low among the flowers, like a handful of colorful ribbons being scattered.

Li Wenguo strolled into the pavilion, plopped down, picked up a piece of mung bean cake, and grumbled as he chewed, "Today I'm overturning that foreigner's table, I'm not serving him anymore!"

A man's dignity is always unyielding—even if he was kicked out, he would insist on saying that he smashed his own rice bowl.

Ah? ? ?

He Shuting and Xianglan blinked in disbelief at these words, momentarily unable to process what they were hearing.

But the second half of the sentence, "I'm not serving you anymore," makes it clear at a glance that he's really giving up.

Xianglan didn't take it seriously. If he didn't want to do it, he didn't have to. Although she didn't know exactly how much gold her husband had, just looking at the house, the servants, and the monthly allowance, she knew that the family was so wealthy that it could collapse the threshold—even if he rested, he could still live a life of luxury and comfort.

He Shuting immediately tensed up.

Taking advantage of Li Wenguo's position in the foreign firm, how many connections did she secretly make for the revolutionary cause?

How to transport military supplies and equipment? How to send secret messages and intelligence? In the past, with his pass, everything went smoothly; now that he's gone, all those connections, relationships, and codes have to be figured out from scratch.

From now on, we may have to go back to the days of walking a tightrope with our lives on the line.

She couldn't help but blurt out, "Sir, you're really quitting the trading company?"

Li Wenguo slowly swallowed the pastry, took a sip of the chilled orange juice Xiaoju offered, and then lazily said, "Isn't it that red-haired manager again? He's been eyeing me for a while now! Lately, he's been deliberately trying to shove hot potatoes into my arms, thinking I'm just a pushover? Bah! I'm not playing along!"

Before he finished speaking, he glanced at He Shuting's restless appearance and immediately understood what was going on—she wasn't worried about losing her job, but about losing that unseen secret passage.

"By the way, where's Hongyu?"

As he asked, he reached out and took his daughter, Xiaohan, from his arms, rubbing his stubble against her tender face, making the child giggle.

"snort!"

Xianglan immediately pouted, "Isn't it just because she's about to give birth that she's constantly running around buying things, squandering money without even blinking an eye!"

"It's okay. Just walk around more before you give birth. Keeping your spirits up will make the delivery easier."

"Besides, isn't the money I earn meant to bring joy to my family?"

Shopping? That's just a woman's duty. Li Wenguo was never stingy; each person received fifty silver dollars a month for pocket money, which they could use as they pleased.

This amount is enough for an average family to live on for half a year.

Back then, one silver dollar could buy twenty catties of wheat flour, and fifty silver dollars could buy a whole house full of valuables—as long as you didn't buy houses or land, or get involved in opium or gambling, your ordinary expenses would be more than enough.

Hongyu, who always loved dressing up, was still able to save money every month.

But who would dare to touch opium or get involved in gambling?

Li Wenguo didn't even lift his eyelids: at best, he would lock them in the cellar in the backyard; at worst, he would strip them of their names, expel them from the family genealogy, and not even allow them to take a single piece of their luggage.

Seeing that she couldn't get anything out of Hongyu, Xianglan pouted and muttered something that almost reached the heavens.

"Sir, what are your plans for the future?"

"Should we find another foreign firm to stay with?"

"With your fluent English and extensive experience, finding a good position shouldn't be difficult for you."

He Shuting's tone was filled with anxiety, but she realized she had spoken too hastily and quickly lowered her head to take a sip of tea.

Li Wenguo glanced at her sideways, but didn't answer. He just picked up a piece of mung bean cake and chewed it slowly.

He knew her plans better than anyone else—the organization didn't need a foreign firm clerk, but a secret agent who could operate with impunity in the concession.

"Why are you panicking?"

"I've endured so much over the years, it's only natural I can finally catch my breath, can't I even lie down for a few days?"

He deliberately dragged out his words, picked up his teacup, and blew away the foam on the surface. "Do we really have to rush off to risk our lives?"

Upon hearing this, He Shuting was momentarily speechless.

Li Wenguo wanted to rest; could she stop him? Could she persuade him to stay?

"Great job, sir!"

Xianglan clapped her hands and laughed, completely oblivious to the danger. "You rest, let's go out for a stroll. I heard the newly opened Paramount Ballroom has such dazzling neon lights!"

"Alright! I'll take you guys on a crazy adventure these next few days!"

Li Wenguo readily agreed, his voice loud and clear, his eyes beaming with smiles.

But in just two and a half days, he was already wearing a smart suit and stepping into the doors of the Meifu (Fu) Trading Company.

Nie Wei and that red-haired Paul had just met—the news was reported by his subordinates.

Upon hearing this, Li Wenguo's eyebrows suddenly furrowed.

Those two are never going to cause trouble when they team up. Rather than waiting for them to set a trap, we should seize the initiative and take them down first.

If you're going to take action, you need to put on a tough exterior.

Henry's trading company in America is just right.

The interview was practically a formality. Henry had tried to recruit him before, and this time he made the final decision: deputy manager, sitting in the second-floor office, with dozens of people below him, all taking orders from him.

Of course, Henry got straight to the point and stated that Li Wenguo must bring all of Yingdeli Trading Company's old customers into Meifu Trading Company without missing a single one.

Otherwise, the deputy manager position will be revoked on the spot.

"Li, I know your abilities very well—go ahead and do it, I will never treat you unfairly."

Henry was always composed, exuding old-fashioned British elegance in every gesture, making him much easier to talk to than the arrogant Paul.

"Rest assured, Mr. Henry! With me here, Meifu Trading Company will surely become the most prestigious trading company in Beijing within six months!"

Li Wenguo patted his chest and agreed, his tone firm and his eyes shining.

Nearly a year of experience had laid a solid foundation, so changing employers was just a change of brand. He picked things up as quickly as if he were back in his own kitchen—accounts, connections, rules, everything was handled with practiced ease.

Next, it's time to close the net.

The night is deep.

The whole street was shrouded in darkness, and even the dogs were curled up in the doorways, fast asleep.

The "Nie Wei" transformed from a clone stood silently in front of the gray-walled, red-roofed Western-style building at No. 56 Chongwen Street.

This area is nominally the embassy district, but in reality it is a self-contained world with independent governance and strict security.

Gangs dare not cross the line, thugs take detours, and even petty thieves are hard to find—the security is so good it's almost deserted.

Many wealthy people and celebrities are rushing to buy property here, seeking a sense of security.

Li Wenguo had also acquired a garden villa with a fountain and rose garden early on, in a bright and spacious location, exclusively for Maria's residence.

After Charlie's house was taken back by the trading company, it was immediately allocated to Paul.

Buying this house was meant to be a precaution—in case the Japanese invaders really did come and occupy Beiping, hiding here would be a way to survive.

No matter how arrogant the Japanese were, they dared not lay a hand on the concessions; if they dared to make a move, the foreigners would immediately turn hostile and overturn the table.

He took three steps in two and went straight up to the fifth floor.

Stopping in front of a door, with a slight twitch of the fingertip, the original lock silently slid into place, and the door opened with a gentle push; upon entering, a quick snap of the latch engaged, restoring it to its original state.

The next morning, Nie Wei stepped out of the building, his brow furrowed with an unyielding melancholy.

He was no longer himself—the real Nie Wei had already died in the space, and his body had been carefully disposed of.

At this moment, this body is at Li Wenguo's beck and call.

First stop: Indeli Trading Company.

Objective: Execute Paul.

Step 2: Fake it as a suicide out of fear of punishment.

From then on, the sword hanging over Li Wenguo's head finally fell to the ground.

As for the party and state being held accountable by the embassy afterward? That's a hot potato, and naturally it's not his place to take on it.

Not long after, "Nie Wei" strolled into the gate of the Indre Trading Company and barged straight into Paul's office.