Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

He Yushui stamped her feet anxiously: "It really was Director He's wife, Lou Xiao'e, who sent me! She's on the phone with Director He's superior right now! Those three policemen are being evasive, asking which jurisdiction we're from, but they absolutely refuse to tell us..."

"Outrageous!" A young security guard slammed his fist on the table. "Arresting people from our factory without even giving us a heads-up? Even when arresting enemy agents, you have to let them know first! Now look at this, they just kidnap a level 16 cadre like that, treating our security department like a decoration?"

The Third Steel Rolling Mill, a large factory with 10,000 employees, has been undertaking military projects for many years. Its security department is never afraid of real weapons—it is fully equipped with submachine guns, hand grenades, and even mortars.

"They never intended for you to know!" The team leader frowned and spat, then turned to He Yushui and said in a deep voice, "Comrade, you go back first. We've noted the information. Report to the factory leaders immediately. We'll go pick him up right away!"

This concerns the reputation of the steel rolling mill, and even more so the cadre protection system—if even the head of its own logistics department cannot be protected, what face does the security department have to stand in the factory area?

Once He Yushui received confirmation, she turned around and ran back to deliver the message.

At the same time, Lou Xiao'e also dialed Li Huaide's father-in-law's number. After listening, the old man slammed his palm heavily on the mahogany table, making the tea lid clink: "Nonsense! Utter nonsense!"

But in the end, he only said in a deep voice, "Go home and wait. I'll take care of this."

—This meritorious official, who was just awarded a medal by the vice leader himself, saved the country so many scarce resources. Now he's being dragged away in the street by a few rookie policemen?

The last time the neighborhood committee schemed against his daughter-in-law, he already lost face; this time, He Yuzhu was sent abroad to handle a difficult situation, but his family couldn't protect him...

Today it's even worse! A few kids from high-ranking compounds harassed his sister, got a lesson, and then immediately called in government officials to back her up—is this treating the law like a joke?

As soon as he hung up the phone, the old man immediately dialed the number of Xu Mingyuan, the director of the Sijiu City Public Security Bureau, his tone as cold as ice: "Director Xu, shouldn't your bureau have informed the Ministry of Industry's Security Department before making this arrest? A level 16 cadre, arrested across districts without prior notice—and the person arrested was a 'Pioneer of Industry' personally awarded the medal by the Vice Leader just three days ago!"

"Huh? This... I really don't know!"

Xu Mingyuan was completely bewildered. The Vice Minister of Industry called late at night to question him, and a layer of fine sweat immediately appeared on his forehead.

"Director Xu," the old man's voice was not loud, but every word was like a nail, "Haven't you seen the front page of the People's Daily? The chief person in charge of the transistor computer project is He Yuzhu. The 'troublemakers' you arrested are just venting their anger for the children of high-ranking officials? Ha... It's only been a few years, and some people's behavior is already like those thugs from before Liberation."

Upon hearing Li Huaide's father-in-law's words, the director of the Beijing Public Security Bureau felt a chill run down his spine, and the hairs on his neck stood on end. He quickly replied, "Minister Wang, please wait a moment, I will immediately begin the investigation!"

The two sides had always kept to themselves, but now the working class was gaining more and more weight, and more importantly—the implication from the other side's words was clearly that one of their own had broken the rules first. If this matter were to be reported, being criticized and reprimanded would be the least of their worries.

"Damn it, they're deliberately picking a fight with me right when I'm getting off work in the middle of the night!"

The bureau chief was cursing under his breath when he finally touched his house key, and the phone rang incessantly. The person reprimanding him wasn't his immediate superior, but he was in the right, so the person spoke very firmly and showed no mercy whatsoever.

He immediately called the few key personnel who hadn't left into his office, explained the situation in a few words, and told them to quickly notify all departments and offices to rush to the local police stations to find He Yuzhu as soon as possible—to protect him first and then clarify the cause and effect.

Meanwhile, He Yuzhu was escorted into the police station by three police officers. As soon as the door was pushed open, several figures emerged from inside.

The leader was a middle-aged man in uniform, followed by three familiar faces—the very same young men from the compound he had just dealt with.

"Chief Li, thanks to your quick action, this troublemaker was apprehended in the blink of an eye!"

One of them, all smiles and bowing obsequiously to the man in uniform, turned to He Yuzhu and bared his teeth: "Hey, you little bastard, weren't your fists pretty tough just now? Come on, try swinging them again!"

Before the words were finished—

"Bang!"

With a sweeping kick, as powerful as thunder, the man was sent flying into the air, crashing to the ground and curling up like a shrimp, clutching his stomach and gasping for breath.

Seeing his former leader's grandson kicked in front of him, the deputy director felt a rush of blood to his head. His hand was already on his holster, and he roared, "You dare to commit violence in the police station? You've gone too far! Today..."

"Chief! Calm down! You're really calm!"

The three policemen, their faces still bearing finger marks, rushed forward and grabbed his wrists tightly. He Yuzhu had already broken their three guns into pieces, and besides, this man was no ordinary person; he was clearly being used as a pawn.

"Your men have some sense—no, they're probably just scared after being beaten." He Yuzhu's lips curled into a smirk as he slowly removed the Medal of the Republic from his chest, slapped it into the deputy director's palm, and then delivered two sharp, resounding slaps to the face. "Abusing public office for private gain, arresting me, the level 16 logistics director of the Third Steel Rolling Mill, across districts? I'm not going to let this go easily!"

"Finished reading? Put it on the table! Don't let your hand shake—if it does, your police uniform won't even have enough patches to cover the damages!"

After saying that, he went straight to the telephone in the inner room. Lou Xiao'e must have already informed her superiors, but he also had to send a reply: where was the person, what had happened, and who was causing trouble.

The deputy director stared down at the medal, still warm from his touch, in his palm. Veins throbbed on his forehead, and cold sweat streamed down his temples. He couldn't care less about the burning pain on his face; his official hat was probably slipping off his head!

"Comrade He Yuzhu, what do you think about this matter..."

"Who's 'comrade' with you?" He Yuzhu didn't even lift his eyelids, cutting straight off the question. "A corrupt official like you dares to call me brother? Do you even deserve it?"

He paused, then raised his eyes to stare intently at the other man: "You've crossed district lines to arrest me, a level 16 cadre—the director? I'd like to ask, what level are you yourself?"

The deputy director's face instantly turned ashen.

What's the significance of a level 16? That's the threshold for deputy division chief or deputy battalion commander; in remote counties, it's enough to secure a deputy county magistrate position. And him? Level 18, deputy section chief, a nobody. According to the rules, to take action against He Yuzhu, an arrest warrant must first be issued, and then the steel mill's security department must be contacted in person—unless he is caught red-handed treason, in which case it can be dealt with beyond the proper channels.

He could easily maneuver around an ordinary person labeled an "enemy spy"; but this guy—his medals are still burning hot! His ancestors for three generations have withstood thorough investigation; their innocence is as solid as glass. To dare throw dirty water on him? That would be slapping the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of State Security, and the Organization Department in the face!

"Director He, this is a huge misunderstanding..."

The deputy director quickly put on a smiling face and stepped forward to try and build rapport.

He Yuzhu snatched back the medal and sneered, "Director Li, I was just on the phone with that old leader from the Ministry of Industry. Are you deaf? These three rich kids were harassing and harassing my sister, and instead of stopping them, you helped set them up—is that what you call abusing public power for private gain?"

"Ha, if I were you, I'd confess right now. 'Confess and you'll be treated leniently; resist and you'll be punished severely.' I don't need to write those eight words on the blackboard to teach you, do I? This matter needs to be addressed—I admit the three of them tried to extort money and smashed the gun; but you abused your power and overstepped your bounds to arrest people. We need to settle this score one by one."

The deputy director's eyes were bloodshot, and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down.

He understood: He Yuzhu didn't want an explanation, he wanted him to be completely subdued—either reveal the old leader's grandson, or take the fall and go to jail himself.

But his whole family depends on this salary to eat. If he collapses, his wife and children will starve.

A surge of anger rushed to the top of his head. He gritted his teeth, his hand slowly reaching for the holster at his waist, his voice deep and resonant: "Director He... this is a matter for everyone to resolve with dignity. Would you... reconsider?"

"Oh? You dare to pull out your weapon?" He Yuzhu sneered, taking half a step forward, his eyes like knives. "Come on, pull it out and try—if you win, I'll change my surname to yours!"

However, when the deputy director heard He Yuzhu speak, the pretentious air he had been maintaining immediately crumbled, and his heart skipped a beat—if he really drew his gun, this police uniform would probably be ripped off on the spot.

Before the words were even finished, a group of people surged into the doorway. The deputy director and the three policemen who were escorting He Yuzhu had just turned their heads when their hearts sank: it was none other than Zhao Zhengwei and Director Xu from the Municipal Public Security Bureau.

The two men didn't even glance at them, and strode straight towards He Yuzhu. Zhao Zhengwei extended his hand first, his smile warm and sincere: "Director He, right? I'm so sorry to have startled you."

He Yuzhu glanced at the shoulder insignia and immediately realized that these two were at least at the level of division chief. He then straightened his posture and stood up briskly: "I dare not accept such praise. I was also at fault—the higher-ups took action and even broke the gun bolts of the three comrades. I was indeed reckless in doing so."

"Nonsense!" Zhao Zhengwei waved his hand, his tone resolute. "If the law is unjust, the people certainly have the right to take it seriously; moreover, there are selfish motives behind this."

The words had barely left his mouth when his face darkened, his gaze piercing like a knife as he looked at Deputy Director Yu: "Director Yu, explain yourself clearly—on what grounds does the South District Police Station have to arrest a Level 16 logistics director from the East District? No one's leaving get off work until you explain this clearly!"

"Commissioner Zhao, there really is a misunderstanding here..."

"Misunderstanding? Nonsense!" Zhao Zhengwei's voice boomed, making the corridor seem to tremble. "You're not being honest, are you? Fine, wait for the disciplinary inspection team to come and investigate thoroughly!"

It turned out that near the end of the workday, the bureau suddenly received a series of phone calls: Minister Li from the Ministry of Industry, Vice Minister Wang from the Ministry of Foreign Trade, and Qi Zhenhua, the director and secretary of the steel rolling mill, all called in turn—some with harsh reprimands, others urgently demanding details. If the case had been handled impartially, it would have been fine, but since the mistake was made by one of their own people, it was as if their lifeline had been seized, leaving them with no confidence to even defend themselves.

This is utterly shameful!

"Hand over your service weapons and come back to the station immediately for an internal investigation!" Zhao Zhengwei's gaze swept over the three men sprawled on the ground, his brow furrowing. "And what about them—what happened to them?"