Courtyard House: Drunk and tipsy, the whole courtyard exposed at the start.

So everyone started working, strictly following Zhang Dabiao's instructions. Liu Guangqi went to find his buddies, one being Tian Baocheng, the logistics director of the comprehensive utilization plant, and the other being Lu Renjia, who worked at the municipal party committee. Both of them were legitimate cadres with official status and some family connections, which would make their testimonies more convincing.

Zhang Dabiao went to the Municipal Bureau's Economic Security Department to organize the documents and explain the situation. As expected, the department was shaken. The next step was to send someone with Zhang Dabiao to verify the situation. If the subsequent developments matched Zhang Dabiao's "speculation," then there was something to uncover. Even if they didn't, accompanying Zhang Dabiao and Mu Wanqing to repay the money and witness the process was within their responsibility—they couldn't ignore citizens seeking help due to financial problems.

For 60 years, there were no specific legal provisions against usury, but the state still cracked down on any lending activities that sought exorbitant profits. Usury was usually classified as "speculation and profiteering" or "lending and exploitation".

Through a combination of criminal prosecution, administrative control, and mass mobilization, an extremely strict and effective governance system was established. Its core purpose was not only to resolve debt disputes but also to completely eradicate the remnants of this "exploitative system." The punishments were extremely severe, ranging from criminal liability to outright criminal charges. For serious loan sharks, especially those who caused borrowers to lose everything, even their families, they could be convicted of "crimes against social order" or "crimes disrupting socialist economic order," with extremely serious consequences, potentially including life imprisonment or even the death penalty.

The key to this is having evidence; we need to play the long game.

These days, without cameras and recording devices, obtaining evidence is extremely difficult.

Yan Jiecheng, on the other hand, led a group to follow him. He was a free spirit, so it was normal for him to be wandering around the alleys instead of going to work.

The most "dedicated" one was Mu Wanqing. This girl really has a talent for acting. She covered her mouth, wiped away her tears, and ran back to courtyard number 97, which, as expected, attracted Master Huang's attention.

The other people in the courtyard really thought that Zhang Dabiao and Mu Wanqing had fallen out.

Then, that very evening, Master Ma brought his men to collect the debt. They smashed the door and windows, threw excrement and chicken blood at the Mu family, and forced them to use their bicycles and grain to pay off the debt. They even made threatening remarks when they left.

Yan Jiecheng brought the young people from courtyard number 95 to provide assistance, and Zhang Dabiao was indeed not there.

Because of this, Sha Zhu went back to his courtyard and cursed a few times at the gate of Zhang Dabiao's small courtyard.

Xu Damao couldn't understand it, and tried to subtly inquire with Liu Guangqi, Yan Jiecheng, and Xu Xiaoling, but was met with evasive answers. Xu Xiaoling knew nothing about the matter, only saying that it seemed they hadn't reached an agreement yesterday, and then Mu Wanqing ran out crying.

Yi Zhonghai – Ignore, ignore, and don't ask questions.

Yan Bugui: Jie Cheng, don't mess around with them. Those loan sharks all have powerful backers, and killing people is a normal thing for them.

The next day, Ye Liangshen appeared as usual and pressured Mu Wanqing again. Then Mu Wanqing went to the neighboring courtyard to "beg" Zhang Dabiao again—Zhang Dabiao had no choice but to borrow money, and he brought along an old Zhang family member who had come to deliver mountain goods that day (a comrade from the Economic Security Office in disguise) to accompany him. He was "worried" that Mu Wanqing was trying to cheat him out of his money and wanted to see for himself.

Then--

Just as Ma Sanye doubled the debt to 1000 yuan and threatened Zhang Dabiao and Mu Wanqing, the comrades from the Security Bureau broke down the door.

So—they were all caught in one fell swoop, and Ye Liangshen and Master Huang were hiding in the backyard waiting for the outcome!

Master Ma wants money, Ye Liangshen wants people, and Master Huang wants a commission.

Upon investigation, it turned out that Master Ma was still stubborn, but Ye Liangshen and Master Huang confessed and were given leniency.

They really are a gang, and they have some connection with the gambler's scheme. There are already more than 20 victims.

Mu Wanqing's two female classmates had long been coerced and abused by Ye Liangshen, and one of them even committed suicide because she could not bear the torture.

The amount involved exceeded 100,000 yuan, resulting in five cases of families being torn apart and lives lost...

This is a major case!

Ye Liangshen's plan to "pursue" Mu Wanqing was exactly the same as Zhang Dabiao's!

Every step and procedure was followed flawlessly!

In the Municipal Bureau, the comrades in the Economic Security Division were starting to doubt whether Zhang Dabiao was one of them. How could a third-grade elementary school idiot like you know so much about their ways?

Zhang Dabiao was starting to panic. "Is it wrong for me to know a little more?"

How about I perform an "Aba Aba" for you now?

So Zhang Dabiao brought up the mind mapping approach again, emphasizing that it was collective wisdom because Yan Jiecheng and Liu Guangqi had also participated.

Finally, the Municipal Bureau's Economic Security Division asked Zhang Dabiao, "How did you realize something was wrong?"

Zhang Dabiao blurted out, "They dare to lend money without even providing collateral of equal value? Are they running a charity?"

"They're definitely eyeing Mu Wanqing."

"And what about you?"

"what?"

"I heard you took on all of Mu Wanqing's debts yourself. What are you after?"

"..."

"Can't I just throw money away?"

"Hahahahaha!"

The officers from the Municipal Bureau smiled and scanned him and Mu Wanqing. Mu Wanqing understood what they meant and blushed.

Finally, the individuals involved in the incident from the courtyard—Zhang Dabiao, Mu Wanqing, Yan Jiecheng, Liu Guangqi, and his two classmates—all gave their statements before leaving the Municipal Public Security Bureau.

Furthermore, Liu Guangqi and his two classmates treated a few people to a meal, because today's incident had a great impact. It was both satisfying and would add a note to their resumes, so they could be considered to have benefited from Zhang Dabiao's influence.

Back at the courtyard house, no one revealed the matter. News of Ma Sanye's arrest had spread, but the municipal bureau still needed to catch other fugitives, so it was still under wraps.

Xu Damao and Shazhu pressed for answers, but Zhang Dabiao and the others remained tight-lipped, saying that they would find out in a few days when it was time for them to know.

If someone accidentally lets something slip and a few people run away, or if they retaliate in the yard, no one can afford the consequences.

------------

Three days later, the municipal bureau had almost caught up with all the remaining suspects. They had collected all the confessions, evidence, ledgers, and victim testimonies, and the court had issued its verdict.

Ye Liangshen was sentenced to death, Ma Dasan to death, Huang Qifa (Master Huang) was sentenced to 20 years in prison, and the rest of the large and small were sentenced to death, life imprisonment, fixed-term imprisonment... In short, none of them could escape it.

This case has alarmed the entire Dongcheng District!

Furthermore, other districts are also conducting in-depth investigations and self-examinations to determine whether their subordinate districts have similar situations.

Suddenly, the atmosphere in Beijing was tense, with a sense of unease spreading throughout the city.