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

Liu Erkui was merely his shadow, running errands, making connections, getting jobs, and cleaning up messes for him. Recently, he had actually made a name for himself, becoming a middleman-like intermediary. But Li Wenguo never expected that the person he casually placed would be elevated to the status of a "master."

Unbeknownst to him, Liu Erkui had been secretly given a new nickname in the underworld—"Master Neng": there was nothing he couldn't handle if he asked.

"Excuse me for asking, but who is Master Liu...?"

"I hired him to do things; he's one of my workers."

The three men's Adam's apples bobbed simultaneously as they exchanged glances—none of them had expected that the renowned Liu Erye was actually one of Li Wenguo's capable henchmen! Old Pan and Zhou Zheng were even more shocked: Master Li had hidden himself well, his skills layered upon layer, yet he kept them completely concealed.

It turns out that the source of those elusive goods was actually Master Li!

The three of them were thinking quickly: Now that they had Yang Yuerong's connection, they could ask her to pass on a message whenever they encountered a difficult situation; if it was difficult to get through for a while, they could whisper in her ear and things would probably go smoothly.

Chen Jiang immediately seized the opportunity, rubbing his palms together and smiling enthusiastically: "Master Li, Yue Rong is in our hands, and we'll protect her with our lives! But right now... we're running low on ammunition, and our equipment is ridiculously expensive. Could you perhaps ask Master Liu to lower the price and provide us with more live ammunition in the future? With sufficient firepower, protecting Yue Rong will be much more secure!"

Li Wenguo glanced at their faded, patched coarse linen clothes, then at Yang Yurong, and after a moment's thought, said, "Alright. In Yurong's name, I'll allocate you a batch of military equipment—three hundred rifles, two hundred pistols, fifty submachine guns, twenty sniper rifles, ten light machine guns, five heavy machine guns, ten mortars, ten boxes of hand grenades, and one hundred thousand rounds of ammunition for each type."

Chen Jiang's legs went weak, his knees trembled, and he almost knelt down on the spot.

This isn't support; it's like destroying an armory!

Looking up at Yang Yuerong again—the badge on her shoulder probably needs an extra star added overnight!

three days later.

Fifty miles west of the capital, at the edge of a quiet forest.

The clone "Liu Erkui" pointed to the left and said in a steady voice: "Look, all the weapons prepared are the quantities ordered by Master Li."

Chen Jiang led several company commanders forward quickly, his eyes shining like lamps.

He lifted a wooden box—wrapped tightly in oil paper, inside which lay rows of brand-new Mauser rifles, their barrels gleaming with a cold, matte sheen.

He drew a gun, his fingertips tracing the cool barrel with the caress of a newborn baby. He pulled the trigger, and a crisp "click" rang out. He stood there stunned for a moment, reluctant to let go.

Another company commander pried open a nearby box, inside which was a dark and heavy machine gun. The thick barrel exuded a heavy killing intent. He reached out and gently patted the stock, as if he were coaxing his own daughter.

The third crate was opened, revealing rows of bluish mortar barrels, their cold light gleaming. The company commander stared at them for a moment, then said in a low but firm voice, "With these, the enemy's artillery fire won't be able to suppress us anymore."

"Brothers, so that less blood will be shed."

Chen Jiang grabbed Liu Erkui's hand tightly, his palms sweaty, his voice trembling: "Second Master Liu, we'll remember this kindness for the rest of our lives!"

Liu Erkui gently withdrew his hand and waved it, "The gift was sent by Master Li on Miss Yang's behalf. Thank them both."

"Yes, yes, we should thank Mr. Li, and we should thank Miss Yang!"

Then, the clone "Liu Erkui" pointed to the neatly piled supplies on the right, "Over here are fifty bags of freshly milled gluten rice, fifty bags of snow-white all-purpose flour, fifty boxes of vacuum-sealed marinated meat, and fifty lively chickens, ducks, and geese—with glossy feathers and muddy claws, just arrived from the farm; there are also hundreds of kilograms of soybean oil, coarse salt, dark soy sauce, and aged vinegar, plus two baskets of walnuts, cashews, and raisins, and three boxes of whole milk powder, all of which Miss Yang has been craving. Take them out separately and don't mix them into the pile."

"Oh, okay, okay, thank you very much, Master Liu!"

Chen Jiang's eyes lit up instantly, as if they had been coated with oil, and his heart pounded: Once this batch of goods landed, the sallow faces in the camp would immediately glow with health, and there would be no need for them to endure hunger and fight on the front lines.

This is such a large amount of food that Yang Yuerong might not be able to finish it all in three years. Everyone should get a share—it will get moldy and infested with insects if left too long, and we can't just watch it go to waste. It's only natural to give her the best first.

"From now on, every four months, I will personally escort the goods here according to this specification."

As soon as Liu Erkui finished speaking, Chen Jiang was stunned again, feeling as if his heart had been scalded by hot soup.

He had truly risen to prominence thanks to Miss Yang's good fortune. He even wanted to set up an incense table for Yang Yuerong in the cave dwelling when he got back, and burn three sticks of incense morning and evening.

"By the way, these are five shortwave radio stations."

The clone "Liu Erkui" casually lifted the lids of several thick wooden boxes next to him, revealing the jet-black, shiny body.

"It's specially made for Miss Yang. Master Li personally instructed: replace it with a new one if it breaks. Don't repair it, and definitely don't go to the capital to get spare parts—it's too conspicuous and too dangerous."

That's right. These are products from WJ factory. If even a single screw is reported, you'll immediately be labeled a "traitor" or "accomplice to Japanese espionage," with nowhere to hide.

"Ohhhhhhh!!!"

Chen Jiang's mouth was agape, he kept nodding, his mind buzzing from Li Wenguo's bold and unrestrained gesture.

"Master Li gave one last instruction: 'From now on, whenever Miss Yang needs to enter the city, the car will be waiting at the gate. She'll be picked up and dropped off by a private car. Access cards, passes, and sentry passwords are all provided. Everything will be foolproof. Understand?'"

The clone "Liu Erkui" tilted his chin back and pointed at the silver-gray Volkswagen Beetle.

"I understand! I get it!"

Chen Jiang glanced at it and muttered to himself: Even getting into the city has a private car? This is too... too extravagant!

"I understand! I get it!"

At this moment, Yang Yuerong was sitting in the back seat of the car, preparing to return with Chen Jiang and the others. She had been kept in the capital by Li Wenguo for three whole days, handling all the important "business."

Incidentally, she subtly persuaded Li Wenguo to secretly arrange for a local party member to infiltrate the First Special Service Section of the Lixingshe under a false identity.

Of course, Li Wenguo repeatedly instructed him: He must not reveal a single word about him; once the man arrives at the police station, he should contact Chief Niu Dali directly—from then on, there should be no further connection. Even if the man is exposed in the future, it won't affect him in the slightest.

……

the other side.

As soon as Li Wenguo stepped into the bank lobby, Song Qingzhi sent someone to look for him.

"Wenguo, you're here? Did you come all this way to see your uncle?"

Song Caidie walked towards us with a smile, her skirt swaying gently, her eyes sparkling like stars.

In order to win Xu Wanqing's heart, he had to accompany Song Caidie to dinner, theater, and movies, so that Xu Wanqing could see that he, Li Wenguo, was not someone no one could resist. But who would have thought that the more he spent with her, the more she cared, and her eyes grew hotter every day.

Having seen countless people, how could he not see through it? He sighed inwardly, but having already firmly kept the words "I have a wife at home" on his lips, Song Caidie always maintained her composure and never confessed her feelings. He decided to drag it out until the tide turned.

"Yes, Cai Die, I need to see President Song. Could you please show me the way?"

He had initially called her "Miss Song," but she immediately corrected him with a smile, saying, "Call me Cai Die." So he followed suit and changed how he addressed her.

"Alright, follow me!"

"Wen Guo, are you free tonight?"

The elevator doors were about to close when Song Caidie stood with her back to him, her shoulders straight, her long hair hanging down her neck, and even her earlobes were pink—she knew where he liked to look, so she simply let him look to his heart's content.

……

"It's really hard to say right now; something might come up at the last minute."

Li Wenguo's gaze was straight, his tone steady, and not a single word was false.

Upon hearing this, Song Caidie lowered her eyes slightly, thinking: Sure enough, he has to go back to be with his wife again. He spoke sincerely, his words constantly referring to his "virtuous wife" and "wife of his youth." But as she turned her finger, a subtle smile crept onto her lips—she already had a solution.

In the blink of an eye, the two were standing at the door of Song Qingzhi's office.

"Wen Guo is here? Please have a seat!"

Song Qingzhi greeted him with a broad smile and outstretched his hand.

"Alright, Director Song!"

Song Caidie walked to the door, then suddenly turned back, smiling brightly at Li Wenguo: "Wenguo, how about we have dinner together tonight?"

Li Wenguo glanced up and saw the meaningful smile on Song Qingzhi's face. He chuckled to himself: Oh, even the elders are starting to set traps?

He could only turn around and reply, "Okay, I'll pick you up after get off work."

Song Caidie smiled and turned to leave.

"Wen Guo, you and my niece get along quite well, don't you?"

After Li Wenguo sat down, Song Qingzhi slowly picked up his teacup, his smile widening as he smiled.

"Miss Song is straightforward and generous, and she is very warm and welcoming. No one feels uncomfortable around her."

He spoke lightly and answered flawlessly.

Although I don't want to deliberately matchmake, it's only natural for an elder to occasionally speak up for their niece and act as a go-between.

"Oh dear, Miss Song, you are of noble birth, but I am already a married man with several concubines at home. I really dare not presume to be your wife."

Li Wenguo still maintained a refusing attitude.

"It doesn't matter, none of that matters—women are just decorations to enhance your beauty; having more or less doesn't matter. What matters is whether she can support you, pave the way for you, and give you power!"

Song Qingzhi spoke gently, yet every word struck at the heart of the matter.

Li Wenguo certainly understood the logic, but he had absolutely no enthusiasm for the Party and the country.

"Hehe, I understand, I understand! But President Song specifically called me here today, it couldn't be just to talk about this, could it?"

He deftly changed the subject and nimbly steered the conversation away.

"Wen Guo, I really have something I'd like to ask you to do!"

"Just ask! As long as it's within my power, I'll brave mountains of knives and seas of fire for you!"

Li Wenguo patted his chest and agreed, his tone resolute.

One must have the right attitude. As for whether things will succeed or not—that depends on whether the matter falls into his grasp or flies far away.

"This time we're still looking for something, but this time it's badly broken, split into five pieces—all fragments of an old map!"

map!

Li Wenguo's heart skipped a beat.

He was holding three copies of the map in his hand.

The first one was found in the Shin-Rizhao Photo Studio—that Japanese spy den—and was confiscated on the spot without being handed over to higher authorities.

The second copy was found in Liusheng's house. On the surface, it was handed over to Dangguo, but secretly he had already taken clear pictures with his camera, and the negatives were still pressed at the bottom of the drawer.

The third one was even more ingenious. It was found by Kato rummaging through the layers of black money he had hidden in the mountain cellar. He wrapped it together with the silver coins in an oil paper package and casually stuffed it into his pocket.

All things considered, all three shares are in his hands.

Looking across the entire industry, there's really no one more well-dressed than him!

"A map? Ah... is it the one I found with the Japanese spy last time?"

Li Wenguo deliberately frowned, rubbing his temples with his fingertips, as if struggling to retrieve memories.

Song Qingzhi nodded: "That's it!"

"There are five such maps in total. The Kuomintang only has the one you handed over. The other four are most likely still in the hands of Japanese spies, or they may be in the hands of the descendants of the Boxers."

"The Boxers?"

Li Wenguo raised an eyebrow, his tone carrying a hint of genuine surprise.

He had only seen this name in piles of old books; he had never heard anyone mention it in real life.

"Yes, the picture is what they left behind."

Song Qingzhi spoke slowly and deliberately, "More than thirty years ago, in June of the twenty-sixth year of the Guangxu Emperor's reign, when the Eight-Nation Alliance invaded Beijing, the Boxers, under the banner of 'Support the Qing, Destroy the Foreigners,' clashed head-on with the foreigners, but were ultimately defeated. One of their leaders, surnamed Sai, took advantage of the chaos to sneak into the Forbidden City and, together with the foreign soldiers, looted the treasury, taking away a large amount of gold, silver, and valuables, as well as several national treasures. Before leaving, he drew a treasure map, dividing it into five parts, intending to leave it to his descendants to rebuild their strength."

"Therefore, this picture is the key to unlocking the treasure vault."

"It was only after you submitted it that the Kuomintang spent a whole year figuring out the intricacies of the diagram."

Li Wenguo nodded: "I see."

He then narrowed his eyes: "But how come the little notebook is already being touched?"

Such a secret matter was kept tightly under wraps even by the Kuomintang, so why would those Japanese spies outside be so quick to act?

"Most likely, it was a descendant of the Boxers who got involved with Japanese spies and leaked the information; or perhaps they wanted to use the Japanese to dig for treasure so they could get a share of the spoils." Song Qingzhi sighed softly, "Any other explanation is there."

"Oh...so how many copies have you received so far? How many more are you short?"

He asked calmly.

"The one you submitted."