Courtyard House: Starting in 1938, kill enemies and loot equipment.

A sudden change occurred on a cold winter night amidst snow, a scene of unrest that threatened to disrupt peace.

The snow fell more and more persistently in the depths of winter, the snow in the courtyard reaching above ankle height, crunching underfoot. Several days of heavy snow had blocked the roads, and the alleyways were nearly deserted, broken only occasionally by the footsteps of patrolling soldiers. The shortage of supplies worsened; queues outside grain stores stretched even longer, and coal briquettes were in high demand. Every household in the courtyard used them sparingly, not daring to heat their kang (heated brick beds) too much.

Xiulan was almost three months pregnant. Under Zhou Ye's prescription, her complexion was becoming increasingly rosy, but lately she kept saying that she felt cold at night. Zhou Ye specially prepared some warming herbs for her, and also took out a small piece of powdered euphorbia from his space, mixed it with the ordinary herbs, and instructed her to decoct it and take it every day, so that it could both warm her body and protect the fetus.

That evening, Zhou Ye and Xiao Cao were tidying up herbs inside the house when they suddenly heard a series of urgent knocks on the gate, accompanied by rude shouts. "Open the door! Open the door! Routine inspection!"

The noise startled everyone in the courtyard. Yi Zhonghai quickly put on his cotton-padded coat and ran out to open the door. He Daqing and Xu Wude followed him out. Zhou Ye gestured for Xiaocao to stay inside, while he quietly walked to the window and peeked out through the gap in the curtains.

Four soldiers in gray uniforms stood at the entrance, guns in their hands, their faces menacing. "By order of superiors, check suspicious persons and contraband. Everyone, assemble!" The lead soldier's tone was forceful, his gaze sweeping across the courtyard with a scrutinizing air.

Yi Zhonghai's heart tightened, and he quickly smiled ingratiatingly, "Sir, we are just ordinary people, there's nothing suspicious about us, and we don't have any contraband."

"Whether or not it's true isn't up to you to decide!" The lead soldier shoved Yi Zhonghai. "Everyone step aside! Men and women, stand separately, we'll check you one by one!"

The neighbors gradually emerged from the courtyard. Xiulan, protected behind Yi Zhonghai, wore a hint of panic on her face. Jia Zhangshi huddled in the crowd, afraid to speak, her eyes filled with unease. The deaf old woman, supported by others, calmly observed the soldiers, her eyes holding a subtle sharpness.

Zhou Ye stood in the crowd, discreetly scanning the area with his spiritual sense. These four soldiers lacked the discipline of a regular army; their eyes darted around, suggesting they weren't conducting a routine check, but rather using it as a pretext to loot. He remained secretly vigilant, trying to appear inconspicuous while observing their movements. If they attacked or stole anything, he would have to find a way to defuse the situation without revealing his own strength.

"Hand over everything of value! Grain, coal briquettes, silver dollars, and jewelry—bring it all out!" Sure enough, the leading soldier looked around and, seeing that the yard was tidy and didn't look like a poor family's home, immediately revealed his greedy nature. "If you dare to hide anything, don't blame us for being ruthless when we find it!"

He Daqing's expression changed: "Sir, we're barely surviving. What valuable things do we have? We're using our food and coal briquettes sparingly. If you take them away, my whole family will freeze and starve to death!"

"Stop talking nonsense!" A soldier stepped forward and tried to shove He Daqing. "Just hand it over! Stop arguing!"

Seeing this, Zhou Ye stepped forward, blocking He Daqing's path. His tone was calm yet carried an undeniable authority: "Sir, we are just honest people, and we really don't have anything valuable. Resources are scarce outside right now, and these grains and coal briquettes were hard-won. If they're taken, the elderly and children really won't be able to cope. How about this: we have some coarse grains and a few coal briquettes at home. We can give them to you, sirs, as a small token of our appreciation. Please, sirs, have mercy on us and let us go."

The leading soldier sized Zhou Ye up and down. Seeing his ordinary clothes but calm tone, he hesitated. He knew the people in this courtyard were all ordinary folks, and if he pushed them too far, someone might die, which would be difficult to explain. Besides, Zhou Ye's words gave him a way out. After a moment's thought, he said, "Since you're so sensible, then hand over the goods! If you dare to try anything funny, we won't let you off!"

Zhou Ye nodded, then turned to Yi Zhonghai and said, "Uncle Yi, go and get some coarse grains and coal briquettes."

Yi Zhonghai immediately responded and left, filled with gratitude towards Zhou Ye. If Zhou Ye hadn't stepped forward, who knows what kind of trouble these soldiers would have caused.

Soon, Yi Zhonghai came out with half a bag of coarse grains and a few coal briquettes. The leading soldier had his men take them, weighed them in his hands, and although it wasn't much, it wasn't an empty-handed return. He then waved his hand and said, "Alright, I'll let you off today! Next time, if you have anything valuable, remember to hand it over!" With that, he and his men left, cursing and swearing.

Watching their figures disappear into the alleyway, everyone in the courtyard breathed a sigh of relief. He Daqing wiped the cold sweat from his forehead: "That really scared me to death! Those people were robbers!"

"Thanks to Zhou Ye," Yi Zhonghai said with emotion. "If it weren't for him, I don't know how this would have ended today."

Xiulan quickly added, "Yes, Zhou Ye, thank you so much. I was terrified they would hurt the child."

Zhou Ye smiled and said, "It's alright, it's good that everyone is safe. In the future, if you encounter a situation like this, don't confront them directly. Go along with them first, and the most important thing is to ensure the safety of yourself and your family."

The deaf old woman said slowly, "Zhou Ye is right. In chaotic times, self-preservation is the most important thing. But since these people have come once, they might come again. We need to think of a way."

Zhou Ye nodded: "The old lady is right. I suggest everyone hide all their valuables, and separate the grain and coal briquettes, instead of keeping them all in one place. Also, try not to turn on the lights at night, and don't talk loudly, to avoid attracting unnecessary trouble."

Everyone nodded in agreement, agreeing with Zhou Ye's point. In the days that followed, everyone did as Zhou Ye suggested, hiding their valuables. At night, the courtyard was pitch black, with only the occasional cough and a child's cry, before quickly returning to silence.

A few days later, Zhou Ye received a message from the person in charge of the cultural relics receiving point, saying that the people from the Cultural Relics Protection Committee could not come to Beiping for the time being because the war was raging and transportation was interrupted. Moreover, a batch of cultural relics had been targeted by antique dealers during transportation, and the situation was very dangerous. The person in charge hoped that Zhou Ye could take good care of the remaining national treasures for the time being, and contact him to hand them over when the situation stabilized.

Zhou Ye's heart sank. He knew that the antique dealers must have taken advantage of the chaos to try and steal the national treasures. His spatial storage contained hundreds of national treasures, all priceless artifacts. If the dealers discovered them, the consequences would be unimaginable. He had to be even more cautious and couldn't let anyone know the whereabouts of the national treasures.

He told Xiaocao the news and told her never to mention the national treasure to anyone, not even the neighbors in the compound. Xiaocao nodded obediently, "Brother, I know, I definitely won't tell."

In the days that followed, Zhou Ye kept a low profile, rarely leaving the house except to help Xiulan recover and make necessary purchases. He used his spiritual sense daily to survey the area outside the courtyard, keeping an eye out for suspicious individuals and movements. At the same time, he also organized the national treasures within his spatial dimension, reinforcing fragile artifacts with his spiritual energy to ensure they wouldn't be damaged.

The neighbors in the courtyard also felt the increasingly tense atmosphere. The curfew was being maintained for longer and longer periods, and occasionally, gunshots could be heard in the distance. Everyone was filled with anxiety, and only when they saw Zhou Ye did they feel a little at ease. They knew that as long as Zhou Ye was there, nothing too serious would happen in the courtyard.

That day, Xiulan suddenly felt a slight pain in her lower abdomen. Yi Zhonghai was frantic and rushed to call Zhou Ye. When Zhou Ye arrived, he used his spiritual sense to examine her and found that her blood and qi were fluctuating, probably due to recent stress. He quickly prescribed her some calming and blood-nourishing herbs and told her to relax and not think too much.

"Aunt Xiulan, the most important thing for you right now is to keep a good mood," Zhou Ye said. "We'll take care of things outside, so you don't need to worry. Our biggest wish is for you and the children to be well."

Xiulan nodded, her eyes filled with gratitude: "Zhou Ye, thank you. With you here, I feel much more at ease."

Zhou Ye smiled and said, "Of course. Uncle Yi, please spend more time with your aunt, chat with her, and distract her. Call me anytime if anything happens."

Yi Zhonghai nodded repeatedly: "Okay, okay, I understand."

Zhou Ye returned to the east wing, gazing at the swirling snow outside the window, his mind filled with a myriad of thoughts. He knew the road ahead would be even more arduous; the flames of the civil war could spread to Beiping at any moment, antique dealers were lurking in the shadows, and there were also soldiers and thugs taking advantage of the chaos to commit evil deeds. But he would not back down. He would remain true to his original aspirations, act discreetly, and protect the national treasures, the small grass, and the neighbors and the warmth of life in this courtyard in his own way.