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

"Okay, you can go back and tell her this: There's no decision yet regarding the Song family."

Song Qingzhi spoke in a calm tone, each word resonating deeply.

What does that mean?

Is it that they don't want to get involved in this mess at all? Or are they still observing, weighing the pros and cons?

Tsk! Officials are really tight-lipped; they never say things outright, forcing people to guess, ponder, and repeatedly analyze!

That's really tough!

Li Wenguo muttered to himself, a bitter taste rising on his tongue.

"By the way, how's the map coming along?"

The topic abruptly shifted, clearly indicating an unwillingness to touch upon the issue of commander replacement.

"We've made some progress—we've identified a few people who might be hiding the map, and we're keeping a close watch on them, just waiting for the right moment to make our move."

Li Wenguo casually agreed, his tone light and nonchalant, as if brushing off a speck of dust.

Afterwards, Song Qingzhi talked about the ins and outs of officialdom. Although it was said to be casual conversation, every word was actually a piece of advice; Li Wenguo listened very attentively—even if he might not use it himself, these were all practical tips gleaned from years of experience and lessons, and it would be a pity to throw them away. Besides, if his children really did follow this path in the future, these words would be ready-made textbooks.

Time flies, and before you know it, it's lunchtime.

Song Qingzhi urged him to stay, and Li Wenguo could not refuse. He had no choice but to stay for a meal.

In the restaurant, he bumped into Song Caidie, who had just washed her face, with a few water droplets still clinging to her forehead.

Only after asking did I learn that she had just returned from ballet class.

No wonder she's so agile and light-footed; she's already trained her muscles and bones to be strong!

That's really something!

Li Wenguo sincerely praised him.

When Song Caidie saw him, her eyes lit up immediately, and she started talking non-stop.

After the meal, she dragged Li Wenguo along, insisting on riding a horse.

His mind raced: "Sister, there are cars everywhere now. It's fast and stable to ride in one. Why bother making yourself feel like your internal organs are shifting?"

Finally, Song Qingzhi spoke up, proclaiming loudly: "A man should stand tall in this world, donning armor, wielding a whip, and galloping on horseback!"

Li Wenguo almost rolled his eyes: Old man, this is the 23rd year of the Republic of China, not the Guangxu Emperor of the Qing Dynasty!

(Actually, he didn't know that in many countries, including Japan, cavalry was still the mainstay; the Nationalist Army's cavalry regiments were spread throughout various war zones; as for the Red Army, most of them were still traversing the land on foot—battles on horseback were not really an old-fashioned practice today. The so-called full mechanization was something for foreigners; they were the current trendsetters in the world.)

Upon hearing that they were going horseback riding, Song Caidie's whole demeanor brightened, and a smile never left her lips.

Seeing her smiling so sweetly, Li Wenguo couldn't very well put on a stern face and spoil the mood; but was he really going to pretend to be overjoyed? It was a real stretch.

Seeing his lack of interest and slightly flushed cheeks, Song Caidie quietly leaned close to his ear, her voice as soft as honey: "Don't look so serious... In the car later, I'll do whatever you want..."

Li Wenguo's lips twitched, thinking to himself: Tch, even if you don't give in, if I really start a fight, can you stop me?

However, since they've already offered you a way out, it would seem petty to push them away.

Without making a sound, he pulled down the curtain, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her.

The horse farm was built on the outskirts of Beijing, and its area was larger than ten football fields. Where in the city could such a place be found? The group drove into the horse farm in a grand manner, leaving only two people to guard the car.

Being unfamiliar with the place and outside the city, Li Wenguo felt a sudden tightness in his spine, as if a wind was swirling around him in the shadows.

Each person was given a horse. Although most of the guards could ride, they weren't exactly experienced; Li Wenguo had never touched a horse before, and in both his past and present lives, he had only ever glimpsed one a few times through the glass of a zoo.

But he had amazing arm strength, and his hand gripping the reins was like an iron clamp, so he learned to do it more smoothly than others.

Song Caidie does know how to ride, but she's not quite there yet—the horse runs steadily when it's trotting, but as soon as it picks up speed, her body sways slightly.

"Wen Guo, you're amazing! It's your first time on a horse, and you're as steady as if you were born to ride!"

She tilted her head back, her eyes sparkling.

"Perhaps I was born with an innate understanding of this!"

"Want to come? Let's ride together for a spin?"

Having just gotten to know the horse's temperament, Li Wenguo felt a surge of warmth in his heart and even wanted to embrace her and ride off on horseback.

"Okay, okay, I'll go right now!"

Song Caidie wasn't shy about being close to him at all—she'd already hugged him, held his hand, and even touched his lips. What did it matter now that they were riding together? The two of them leaped onto their horses, their hooves thundering like drums as they galloped across the grassy slope.

Unexpectedly, a gloomy gaze was fixed on them from outside the horse farm fence.

"Let's take a break!"

After galloping for a while, his buttocks were burning from the saddle, and Li Wenguo finally pulled on the reins.

He had just helped Song Caidie off her horse, and before his own feet had even touched the ground, a chestnut steed suddenly approached. The rider stood with his arms crossed, a cold smile playing on his lips: "Brother, you ride pretty well, huh? Want to have a go?"

"Sorry, I'm really tired, I need to catch my breath."

Seeing that he was being polite on the surface, Li Wenguo responded politely in return.

But the next sentence immediately ignited a firestorm of tension—

"What, you look down on me?"

"You've got some nerve!"

Before he finished speaking, two attendants in military uniforms stepped forward quickly. Their shoulder insignia were gleaming, and their eyes were sharp; they were clearly active-duty officers.

Li Wenguo knew perfectly well: this was probably a young master from a military family.

"I'm not shameless, but I really don't have time to play games with you right now."

He was too lazy to play along, and he wouldn't tolerate it—the other side had three men, while his own dozen or so brothers were eyeing them covetously. If things really turned ugly, he would definitely be the one who suffered.

"You fucking refuse a toast only to suffer the consequences?"

"If you don't give me an explanation today, where will I put my face?"

The young master pointed to his fair face, his tone radiating coldness.

He was a regular at the last ball and one of Song Caidie's suitors. He had asked his uncle to propose marriage, but Song Qingzhi politely declined with the words "we'll discuss it again."

That day, he had planned to invite Song Caidie to dance, hoping to get closer to her, but Li Wenguo suddenly appeared and snatched the invitation away.

Now, witnessing the two riding so closely together, their clothes fluttering in the wind, anger surged and extinguished all reason—

This wasn't a chance encounter; it was clearly a test.

After the ball, he sent people to investigate Li Wenguo, but Niu Dali shut them down with the words, "His rank is too high, I will not disclose anything."

The mystery surrounding his identity only fuels suspicion.

Today we've met on a narrow path, so let's see how they fared: if they're weaklings, Song Caidie still has room to maneuver; if they're truly formidable, a fight to vent her anger would be satisfying—the sky won't fall if the military's sons get their hands on each other.

Who do you think you are?

"The emperor's own son?"

Why should I fawn over you?

"Get lost, or you'll fall and make a scene. That won't just be embarrassing, it'll be downright shameful!"

Li Wenguo lowered his brows, his words sharp and barbed, showing no sign of backing down.

With Song Caidie present and the Song family standing behind him, what did he have to fear?

"Do you know who my young master is?"

"How dare you be so insolent? Are you tired of living?"

An officer stepped forward, his voice booming like tearing silk, clearly intending to announce his presence and establish authority.

They're used to this tactic—

They treat people differently based on their social standing; towards ordinary people with no connections or resources, they sometimes don't even bother to speak, and simply resort to violence.

"laugh--"

Li Wenguo glanced sideways and sneered, "I'm not afraid of anyone, except the emperor's own son. If you really are, I'll immediately admit defeat, kowtow and apologize, without missing a single one."

"Hahaha!"

"Hahaha!"

Ding Xiaoqi and his gang burst into laughter, their laughter filled with sarcasm.

These words sound gentle, but they are actually cutting to the bone—you are not qualified, you don't even have the right to make me bow down.

"You...you filthy wretch, how dare you humiliate me!"

The young master's face turned from white to purple, and the veins on his forehead bulged.

He suddenly winked at the officer behind him—go and call for help!

We have to get our face back today!

Li Wenguo had been watching his every move closely, and upon seeing this, he immediately shouted in a low voice, "Ding Xiaoqi! Agui! Stop him!"

The two men darted out like arrows, intercepting the officer in the blink of an eye.

"Want to call for reinforcements? No way!"

Li Wenguo stared at the other person, his eyes as cold as if they had been chilled to the bone.

Then, he took a step forward, his voice steady and clear:

"I'll leave you a way out—let's fight one-on-one."

He had originally planned to turn around and leave, but he stopped abruptly as soon as he lifted his foot—retreating so slinking away like this would make him seem too easy to talk to. It would be better to simply overturn the situation, beat the other party until they were grimacing and crawling on the ground, thus establishing his authority and making sure no one dared to underestimate him.

"Come on! Let's fight one-on-one, whoever chickens out is a coward!"

The young master agreed on the spot. Despite his silk and brocade attire, he had practiced martial arts since childhood and spent many years in the military after adulthood. His martial arts skills were very solid, and ordinary people could not get close to him.

What's more, Song Caidie was right there. He was thinking to himself: if he beat Li Wenguo to his knees and begged for mercy in front of her, and showed her how pathetic her fiancé was, maybe she would really break off the engagement in a fit of anger—then wouldn't he be able to take her place?

The moment the thought crossed his mind, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl upwards.

Unfortunately, things don't always go according to plan.

Although Li Wenguo had never studied martial arts, his brute strength was like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami crashing, and when he unleashed it, it was as fast as thunder. As the saying goes, one force can overcome all techniques; no matter how fancy the moves were, they couldn't withstand his heavy punch.

The result? The young master's nose was bleeding profusely, his front teeth were loose, half of his face was swollen like a steamed bun, and he lay on the ground groaning.

Their reputation was completely ruined.

Song Caidie remained silent, simply standing quietly to the side and watching.

Over the years, she had long since grown accustomed to it—with Li Wenguo around, he would hold up the sky if it fell. She didn't even frown, confident that this man could smooth things over completely. After the young master collapsed, panting heavily, Li Wenguo clapped his hands and walked over. She then tiptoed and gently planted a kiss on his lips.

The man on the ground nearly popped his eyes out—killing someone is just a matter of beheading them, this is called striking the heart without drawing blood.

Before leaving, Li Wenguo casually took their horse, thus ending their hopes of getting help.

"Cai Die, who's that guy surnamed Zhao?"

On the way back, Li Wenguo turned his head and asked Song Caidie, who was leaning against his shoulder.

"Hmm... I only know his surname is Zhao, but I don't remember his given name. However, his maternal grandfather was quite famous, named Duan Qirui."

Duan Qirui?

Duan Qirui, one of the three outstanding figures of the Beiyang Army in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China!

hiss--

Li Wenguo felt a chill run down his spine and gasped.

He was a giant on par with Yuan Shikai and Feng Guozhang, a big figure who had served as Premier, commanded the military, and overturned the political landscape!

"Oh, Premier Duan? I've heard of him. But what about the Zhao family?"

Duan Qirui was, after all, an old man from the previous generation, and had now faded from the court. Li Wenguo was slightly surprised, but then stopped thinking about it.

"The Zhao family... I heard that the highest-ranking official in the family is a military commander."

Song Caidie had never paid much attention to the political situation, and this was the limit of what she knew.

Army Commander?

Li Wenguo's eyes darkened slightly.

He immediately realized that the Zhao family was probably also vying for the position of commander, and they were already open and covert rivals with the Xu family!

Okay, then we absolutely cannot let them sit in that position.

Now that relations have broken down, we must nip it in the bud and never let a tiger grow into a threat.

It was nearly six o'clock when they returned to the capital, and dinner had to be prepared hastily. Fortunately, Song Caidie had been practicing dance in the morning and riding horses in the afternoon, so she was covered in sweat and had a good appetite. She was really tired, so after eating, she hurriedly went home to wash up.

Li Wenguo didn't waste a moment and immediately made an appointment with Xu Wanqing.

He always felt that Song Qingzhi's words were not just casual conversation, but rather an invitation to extend an olive branch. However, he was not familiar with the jargon of officialdom and was unsure of the implications.

The two met soon after in a quiet hotel room.

She mentioned it herself last time: the dance hall was too noisy, and the hotel was quieter.

Upon entering, Li Wenguo didn't exchange pleasantries; he immediately reached out and pulled her into his arms, quickly dismantling all barriers between them.

Finally, they faced each other with complete honesty.

Although it's not yet time to delve deeper, just embracing and gazing at each other like this is enough to quench our thirst.

"What did President Song say to you?"

Xu Wanqing pressed for more information.

"Hehe, don't rush."

Li Wenguo leaned close to her ear, his voice low and husky.

"this……"

Her cheeks flushed. She had intended to play dumb and only take action without saying a word, but instead, he pushed her towards the gentlemanly path. However, with the deal already made, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and comply.