Courtyard House: The Long-Lost Eldest Son Returns with Military Merit

Soon, the two arrived outside the interrogation room.

The two police officers guarding the door immediately saluted and greeted them: "Chief Zhang, Deputy Chief Jia!"

Zhang Huanchun asked with a grim expression, "Lin Minghua, Zhao Baoguo, what happened? The suspect was fine this morning, how could he suddenly die?"

Sensing Zhang Huanchun's anger, Lin Minghua quickly reported, "Team leader, when we interrogated Chen Si, everything seemed normal at first."

Later he said he couldn't breathe, and we thought he was just using it as an excuse to resist, so we decided to let it go for now.

When we returned to the interrogation room, we found him dead.

After listening, Zhang Huanchun looked at Chen Si, who was slumped back in the interrogation chair and lifeless, and asked in a deep voice, "Minghua, after you left, did anyone else come into contact with Chen Si, or give him anything to eat?"

"Team leader, I can guarantee that there is absolutely no such thing."

After the captain and his men left, I stayed outside the interrogation room. No one went in, and no one gave Chen Si any food.

Lin Minghua answered affirmatively.

"Captain Zhang, the air in the interrogation room seems to carry some kind of peculiar scent?"

Zhang Huanchun was burning with anger over Chen Si's death when Jia Dongming suddenly raised a seemingly unrelated question.

Zhang Huanchun was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, then carefully examined the smells in the room and turned to Lin Minghua to ask, "Minghua, have you noticed anything unusual about the smell here?"

Lin Minghua was somewhat bewildered by this sudden question, but still answered truthfully: "Team Leader Zhang, Deputy Team Leader Jia, Chen Si's wife came to the branch office this morning to request a visit, but it was not approved."

She then left behind a set of Chen Si's clothes; the smell likely came from there.

After listening to the account, Jia Dongming immediately instructed: "Comrade Lin Minghua, please send someone to the medical institution near Chen Si's house to check and confirm whether he has a history of asthma or high blood pressure."

"Deputy Chief Jia, why are you suddenly investigating Chen Si's health condition?"

Zhang Huanchun was puzzled by Jia Dongming's instructions and asked with a doubtful expression.

Jia Dongming calmly explained, "Captain Zhang, based on the current indications, Chen Si's death is probably not accidental, but rather deliberately caused."

"Deputy Captain Jia, can the fragrance of flowers really be a deadly weapon?"

Zhao Baoguo found this claim hard to believe and couldn't help but ask further questions.

Facing the puzzled looks of the crowd, Jia Dongming slowly explained: "There is a plant called Bauhinia. If you inhale a large amount of its scent, it may trigger asthma symptoms, leading to respiratory distress, rapid heartbeat, and blood circulation rate that can be more than three times the normal rate."

"In addition, the scent particles emitted by night-blooming jasmine are highly irritating to the sense of smell. If patients with high blood pressure or heart disease inhale too much, they may experience dizziness, chest tightness, or other discomfort, or even worsen their condition. In severe cases, it can lead to coma."

Comrade Lin Minghua mentioned that Chen Si said he had difficulty breathing during the interrogation.

Given the confined space and limited ventilation of the interrogation room, the fragrance carried by clothing could very well be a key factor in triggering illness.

After listening to Jia Dongming's analysis, Lin Minghua was stunned and speechless for a moment.

He never imagined that the fragrance of flowers could be a deadly weapon; it was completely beyond his comprehension.

Zhang Huanchun, a police officer for many years, had never heard of a case where someone was killed by the use of flower fragrance.

However, based on his trust in Jia Dongming's professional abilities, he immediately ordered Lin Minghua, who was still there: "Lin Minghua, don't delay, immediately organize people to go to the hospital to verify Chen Si's medical history."

Lin Minghua snapped out of his daze and quickly replied, "Yes, Captain! I'll personally lead a team to investigate right away."

After Lin Minghua left, Zhang Huanchun instructed Zhao Baoguo: "Zhao Baoguo, take some men to Chen Si's house and keep a close watch on his wife."

The person behind this, who would use the scent of flowers as a means of communication, is certainly not simple-minded.

Zhao Baoguo immediately accepted the order: "Don't worry, Captain, we will keep a close watch on her and try our best to find out who's behind her."

At this point, Jia Dongming suggested, "Captain Zhang, simply monitoring may not be very effective."

We might as well take the initiative and send someone to inform Chen Si's wife of Chen Si's passing.

"Upon learning the news, she will likely be eager to contact the mastermind behind it all."

Then we can follow the clues and take control of the relevant personnel in one fell swoop.

After hearing this, Zhang Huanchun suddenly understood and immediately added to Zhao Baoguo, "Let's follow Deputy Chief Jia's plan and send someone to deliver the message as soon as possible."

After Zhao Baoguo left, Zhang Huanchun said to Jia Dongming in a friendly manner, "Comrade Dongming, with your investigative talent, it is really a waste for you to stay in the security department of the steel rolling mill."

Have you considered working at the branch office?

Jia Dongming responded with a smile: "Captain Zhang, while I am working in the security department of the steel rolling mill, I also serve as the deputy captain of the criminal investigation detachment."

I'm available to assist with any cases the team needs.

Remembering the enemy spy case they were investigating, Zhang Huanchun said to Jia Dongming, "Comrade Dongming, please come with me to the anti-espionage brigade office. We will discuss the action plan to arrest Xiao Quanjun and Ye Quanwang together."

The meeting ended after 1 p.m.

Jia Dongming walked out of the office and said to Zhang Huanchun, "Chief Zhang, I'll bring my team to the branch office at eight o'clock tonight."

As the two reached the stairwell, they ran into Lin Minghua, who was rushing back.

He excitedly reported to Zhang Huanchun, "Captain Zhang, Deputy Chief Jia's diagnosis was absolutely accurate! Chen Si does indeed suffer from severe asthma and high blood pressure!"

Zhang Huanchun had already agreed with Jia Dongming's speculation to a great extent, but when he heard Lin Minghua's report, he still showed surprise on his face and said to Jia Dongming with an approving tone: "Comrade Dongming, it's fortunate that you came today."

Otherwise, in the textile factory case, we might be put on the defensive because of Chen Si's death.

Jia Dongming was not pleased by the praise, but calmly replied: "Captain Zhang, I just happen to know some information about this."

Whether the case can be solved depends entirely on the efforts of all comrades in the detachment.

Zhang Huanchun escorted Jia Dongming to the entrance of the branch office. Just as they were about to say goodbye, a car stopped in front of the gate.

Zhao Baoguo jumped out of the driver's seat and excitedly reported to Zhang Huanchun, "Team leader, we're back."

Just as Deputy Squad Leader Jia had said, as soon as we told Chen Si's wife about his death, she rushed to inform the person behind him as soon as we left.

Zhang Huanchun immediately asked, "Who's behind this?"

Zhao Baoguo, recalling the real culprit who had been brought back, excitedly introduced, "Team leader, it's Li Younian, the head of the finance department of the textile factory."

We found the remaining money at Li Younian's house, and also discovered that he had an improper relationship with Chen Si's wife, Liu Guihua.

After hearing this, Zhang Huanchun sternly instructed Zhao Baoguo: "Baoguo, take the man back and interrogate him thoroughly."

After handing over the work, Zhang Huanchun turned to Jia Dongming and said with a smile, "Comrade Dongming, see you tonight."

Jia Dongming replied with a smile, "See you tonight, Captain Zhang."

After leaving the Dongcheng Branch, Jia Dongming rode his bicycle to the Gulou Subdistrict Office and went to see Director Chen to complete the property deed transfer procedures.

After receiving the new property deed, he asked the neighborhood office to help him rent out the shop, and then rode his bicycle back to the steel rolling mill.

Back in the security section, Jia Dongming went straight into the Third Brigade's office and asked Li Aijun, who was sitting there, "Comrade Aijun, is there any new information from Zhao Jun's side?"

Li Aijun immediately stood up and respectfully reported, "Director, when Zhao Jun came back for lunch, I specifically asked him about it."

He said that no valuable clues have been found yet.

Jia Dongming nodded and earnestly instructed, "Comrade Aijun, please arrange for someone to call Zhao Jun and the others back in a little while."

Tonight, we will cooperate with the branch bureau's counter-espionage team to try and capture all these enemy agents in one fell swoop.

Li Aijun immediately replied, "Director, I'll arrange for someone to call Zhao Jun and the others right away."

Also, what time do we leave tonight?

Jia Dongming instructed: "Meet at the factory at 7:00 PM sharp, then take a car to the branch office."

We'll coordinate our actions after we meet up with the colleagues from the branch office.

Around 5 p.m., Yan Jiecheng returned to the courtyard house after doing odd jobs.

Yan Bugui, who was watering the vegetables in the yard, saw his eldest son return and immediately asked, "Jiecheng, your mother-in-law is sick and hospitalized. Have you gone to see her?"

When Yan Jiecheng heard his father mention his mother-in-law's illness, he retorted, "Dad, I can't go to the hospital to see Mother-in-law empty-handed, can I? All my money goes to food expenses; where would I find the spare money to buy anything?"

Yan Bugui said, "If you don't have any money, I can lend you a dollar."

"When you get your salary, just give me back 1.2 yuan."

Yan Jiecheng was influenced by Yan Bugui from a young age and developed a habit of being meticulous and calculating, sometimes even more so than Yan Bugui.

Over the years, he had secretly saved up a few dozen yuan by doing odd jobs, but he would absolutely not give the money to Yu Li's mother to buy supplements.

Now Yan Bugui is asking to borrow one yuan and charge interest, which Yan Jiecheng feels is like cutting off his own flesh, so of course he refuses to agree.

He smiled and said to Yan Bugui, "Dad, Yu Li's mother is still your in-law."

Now that your mother-in-law is hospitalized, as Yu Li's father-in-law, shouldn't you, on behalf of our family, buy some things and go to the hospital to visit her?"

Yu Li's mother was hospitalized, and Yu Li tried to borrow money from Yan Bugui but failed. Now, not a single member of the Yan family has visited her in the hospital. If this gets out, it will definitely damage the Yan family's reputation.

Yan Bugui originally wanted to encourage his son to go, but Yan Jiecheng not only refused to go, but also put him in a difficult position, telling him to go by himself.

Yan Bugui put down the water ladle and scolded him with dissatisfaction: "Yan Jiecheng, that's your mother-in-law."

She's in the hospital now, and you, as her son-in-law, aren't you going to visit and help her? What about your reputation?

Yan Jiecheng replied nonchalantly, "What's a reputation worth? Besides, I'm already married, why would I be afraid of a bad reputation?"

"As for you, Father, as a teacher at Hongxing Elementary School, if word gets out that you didn't visit your mother-in-law in the hospital, the teachers and students at the school might have some opinions about you."

Upon hearing this, Yan Bugui trembled all over and angrily rebuked, "Jie Cheng! How could I have raised such an unfilial son who doesn't even care about basic ethics?"

Faced with the accusations, Yan Jiecheng calmly replied, "Father, you taught us from a young age that careful budgeting is essential for managing a household, and I am simply following your teachings."

Yan Bugui was speechless for a moment, never expecting that his son would use his scheming mind on the level of family affection.

When Jia Dongming returned to the courtyard, he was slightly surprised to find that Yan Bugui, who usually guarded the front yard, was not there.

Upon entering the courtyard, I saw Master Lei standing in front of the door, so I went up to him and asked, "Master Lei, are you waiting for me here?"

Master Lei replied with a smile, "Boss, the house has been repaired. Please check if there is anything that needs to be adjusted."

Jia Dongming followed him inside and, after seeing the renovated residence, praised him with satisfaction: "Master Lei's skills are superb. The old house has been transformed into a brand new place thanks to your efforts."

Master Lei looked proud: "You flatter me, sir. There are very few people in the capital with this skill."

Jia Dongming nodded and said, "I will move back here tomorrow after I have finished tidying up, and we can start repairing the side courtyard and wing rooms the day after tomorrow."

Master Lei agreed: "Then I'll come back to start the work the day after tomorrow."

Jia Dongming took out the money from his bag and handed it over: "Master Lei, this is part of the labor cost. The balance will be settled after the entire job is completed."

After confirming that the count was correct, Master Lei issued a receipt and took his leave.

Jia Dongming pushed the cart back to the side courtyard. Seeing this, Jia Zhangshi greeted him and asked with concern, "Dongming, have the paperwork for the property near the Drum Tower been completed?"

Jia Dongming took out the voucher: "Mother, everything has been taken care of, and the neighborhood committee has rented out the two shops for thirty yuan a month."

Around 7 p.m., two trucks carrying 50 fully equipped security personnel drove into the Dongcheng Branch.