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

"have……"

"Bang!!!"

"Bang!!!"

Before the words were even finished, blood splattered from their chests, and they collapsed straight to the ground.

The remaining three men's pupils constricted sharply—they'd been ambushed! They immediately retreated back into the courtyard.

"Bang!!!"

The third agent, who had just stepped out the door, was shot in the chest by Gao Chubinzi, fell backward, and never moved again.

The remaining two scrambled back into the house.

The sniper rifle has a long enough range, but it can't hit anything inside the house.

Ding Xiaoqi immediately recognized Zhang Qi among them.

Ah Gui led his men forward to examine the body, and Hao Zi fired a final shot, killing the one who was still breathing.

The crowd quickly dispersed, hiding on either side of the door frame.

As soon as the gunshot rang out, the neighboring courtyards were plunged into darkness, each fearing they would be caught in the crossfire.

inside the house.

"What do we do now? Zhang Qi, who are these people who came in outside?"

The agent crouching by the window lowered his voice, sweat beading on his forehead, and turned to ask Zhang Qi, who was holding Yang Yuerong captive.

"I don't know. She's probably an accomplice of this woman, most likely a member of the underground Communist Party."

Zhang Qi answered in a deep voice.

Upon hearing the words "underground party," Yang Yuerong's eyes suddenly lit up—

I still have a way to survive!

"So how do we get out of here?"

The man asked again urgently.

"We can't fight them head-on. We've already lost three people in just a few seconds. They outnumber us and have the upper hand; a direct assault would be fatal."

Zhang Qi blurted it out, speaking extremely quickly.

He came from the guard force and was used to life and death; he could see through situations at a glance.

"How about... we take her hostage? Force them to make way, or we can escape safely?"

The man tentatively made the suggestion.

"No. Right now it's just speculation. Who can be sure that the people outside are really underground? Besides, if we don't return soon, the department will become suspicious, and reinforcements will arrive soon."

Zhang Qi said calmly, "Hold the house tight and wait for backup."

"Yes! We'll do it your way!"

The agent nodded repeatedly, trusting Zhang Qi.

Outside the courtyard.

"I saw him. The one hiding inside was Zhang Qi."

Ding Xiaoqi rushed over and said in a low voice.

"Oh, it's him? That saves us trouble!"

A-Gui's eyes lit up.

The group whispered a few words to each other, then lined up and entered the courtyard.

"Ah Gui, those two spies are hiding in the house, be careful."

"Don't worry, Xiao Qi, there are plenty of us. Breaking down the door will only take a minute."

"That's right, those two defeated soldiers won't last long."

Before the words were finished, several shouts from the courtyard burst into the house.

The spy by the window, Zhang Qi, and Yang Yuerong all heard it clearly—

But their expressions changed, each harboring their own thoughts.

The agent's fingertips stiffened, his breathing became rapid, and his ears were perked up, as if he feared the sound of the door being broken down would come at any moment.

Zhang Qi's eyebrows twitched slightly, his expression changed a little, and he immediately understood: Ding Xiaoqi and A Gui had arrived. Those shouts were clearly telling him to take action—to kill the accomplice in front of him.

Hearing "Xiao Qi" and "A Gui," Yang Yuerong's heart warmed: Li Wenguo had indeed come! He had arrived just as she was arrested, and her reinforcements were right outside the door! She clenched her clothes, her nails digging into her palms, hoping for a turning point.

But the next moment, she froze—

The agent behind him slowly raised his pistol, the dark muzzle steadily aimed at the back of his companion's head by the window!

"Bang!!!"

Pull the trigger!

They actually fired!

But... how could he dare to shoot his own brother?!

Yang Yuerong's mind went blank for a moment, and she was completely stunned.

"you?!"

Yang Yuerong's pupils contracted sharply as she stared intently at Zhang Qi, her heart sinking.

Is this guy crazy? Or is he really willing to kill his own colleague?

Wouldn't I then become the fish on the chopping board?

But in the blink of an eye, he strode towards the door, shouting as he went, "Little Seven! Ah Gui! The spy is gone, I'll open the door right now!"

What? !

They're actually in cahoots?

Yang Yuerong's eyes almost popped out of their sockets, her face full of astonishment.

How could Wen Guo's men be so familiar with the Lixingshe's spies?

"Zhang Qi, thank goodness you made it in time! Otherwise, Miss Yang might have really been in deep trouble here!"

Ding Xiaoqi patted his shoulder heavily, her voice filled with the warmth of someone who had survived a disaster.

"Ha, I didn't expect it either—this young lady is one of yours."

Zhang Qi's lips curled slightly, his tone was relaxed, but his eyes revealed a firm determination.

"Little Seven? How...how do you know her?"

Yang Yuerong asked tentatively, her voice still trembling slightly, but she had already steadied her breathing.

Having escaped death and calmed down somewhat, how could someone from the local political faction truly panic?

"Miss Yang, this matter... needs to be clarified by Mr. Li in person. He's waiting outside."

Xiao Qi smiled and stepped aside.

The group filed out. As she was leaving, Yang Yuerong picked up the leather suitcase—it contained the radio and the codebook.

Ding Xiaoqi reacted quickly, catching it in one swift motion and holding it steadily in the crook of her arm.

As soon as she stepped out of the alley, Yang Yuerong spotted Li Wenguo, stopped in her tracks, and then threw herself into his arms, her body trembling slightly.

Tonight she truly thought she was doomed—iron bars, torture instruments, a dark room, gunshots… She had heard too many stories about the Lixingshe's methods.

"Don't be afraid, it's all over now."

Li Wenguo gently stroked the back of her neck with one hand, his palm warm and his voice deep yet comforting.

"Mr. Li, thanks to Zhang Qi's help inside, we were able to bring Miss Yang out unharmed."

Ding Xiaoqi, who was carrying a suitcase, interjected.

"Hmm, I see."

Li Wenguo nodded, then turned his gaze to Zhang Qi: "Aqi."

"Master Li." Zhang Qi clasped his hands in greeting, his expression solemn yet warm.

"Wen Guo!" Yang Yue Rong looked up anxiously, "He... how come he's with you all? And he keeps calling me 'Master Li'?"

Her eyes were full of suspicion, yet she couldn't hide her curiosity—this spy wasn't arresting people, but instead protecting her like a guardian deity.

"It's a long story," Li Wenguo gestured, speaking slowly and deliberately. "Aqi was originally my personal bodyguard. Later, after I found out your identity, fearing something might go wrong, I went to great lengths to have him planted in the Lixing Society as a spy, just to secretly protect you."

"I never expected it would actually come in handy."

Before she could finish speaking, Yang Yuerong's eyes welled up with tears, her nose tingled, and she blurted out, "Wenguo, you've been so good to me..."

If there weren't other people around, she probably would have tiptoed to kiss the corner of his lips.

"It's enough that you understand in your heart."

Li Wenguo sighed softly, then turned to Zhang Qi, "How did you figure out Yue Rong's identity?"

Zhang Qi immediately explained the reason.

"Damn it! All because of a petty thief? This is incredibly unlucky!"

Yang Yuerong gritted her teeth and cursed under her breath, her brows furrowed.

That was absolutely terrible luck.

But no one knew that a few days later, Japanese spies hiding in the shadows would target the Anmin Newspaper and uncover its connection with the local party from the slightest clues—at that point, exposure was only a matter of time.

Now, it's just that the lid has been lifted ahead of time.

"It's not bad luck, it was just a matter of time." Li Wenguo glanced around. "Look at Chongwen Lane, it's a den of all sorts of people, idlers and hooligans roam the streets, even rats digging holes here are cleaner than here."

"I told you to move to the courtyard I picked out for you a long time ago, but you wouldn't listen. This is the trouble you've brought on today."

His voice deepened, carrying an undeniable reproach.

"Wen Guo, I was wrong!"

Yang Yuerong immediately softened her voice, hooking her fingers around his wrist and gently shaking it, like a cat begging for mercy.

"Get in the car first."

After she got into the back seat, Li Wenguo whispered, "Clean up the scene."

To ensure Zhang Qi's identity remains intact, a staged self-inflicted injury must be staged: a bullet wound to the shoulder, a bloody cut on the arm, and bullet holes in the trunk and rear window—creating the illusion that he escaped wounded and narrowly escaped.

As for stalling for time? Zhang Qi will swallow a sleeping pill near the Lixingshe's headquarters, and he won't be found unconscious against the wall until tomorrow morning.

The corpse on the ground can be ignored.

The car started slowly, and Li Wenguo closed his eyes and leaned back in his seat, his mind racing.

Anmin Daily Newspaper is doomed.

Yang Yuerong's rescue confirmed her identity as a member of the local Communist Party. The Lixingshe (a secret society) would follow the trail, making the newspaper a prime target for surveillance—if anyone succumbed to torture and revealed themselves, the stronghold would be completely exposed.

And He Shuting...

As a newspaper employee, it would be extremely difficult to escape.

If she gets involved, her whole family will suffer.

Fuck!

The good days only lasted a few years before troubles began to follow!

Li Wenguo felt as if a red-hot iron lump was pressing on his heart, both suffocating and burning.

Of course, even if He Shuting's identity as a local party member is confirmed, Li Wenguo, bearing the label of a party-state agent, along with Dong Haitang, would at most be considered negligent and wouldn't implicate the whole family.

But He Shuting—must move out of this house immediately.

The thought of never seeing her smiling, charming eyes again, or smelling the faint scent of gardenias in her hair, made Li Wenguo's chest tighten.

In fact, he had a premonition. How could a member of the underground party like her, lurking in the shadows, remain completely hidden forever? Nor could she hold onto one place unmoved. He just hadn't expected this day to come so suddenly and so unexpectedly.

Ugh……

Should we stay in the embassy district and wait and see, or send them directly to Tianjing?

Tianjing is only 200 kilometers away from Beijing, a short train ride of two or three hours, so meeting up is not difficult.

Li Wenguo had already prepared a backup plan—he secretly bought a house in the Tianjing Concession, specifically for times like this when things are extremely urgent.

Forget it, let's wait until we meet and hear what Shuting herself thinks. She can decide where she wants to stay.

A short while later, the car came to a smooth stop in front of a small villa in the embassy district. This was his second stop in the area.

He had already given the first place to Selena and the two mixed-race children, so he set up another place for them. The money was taken from the old banknotes that Kato had hidden in the cave.

Although it's called a small villa, it's actually a four-story detached villa—no terrace, only a courtyard with blue bricks, a circle of neatly trimmed holly bushes, and a rose garden, its grandeur rivaling any garden villa.

As Yang Yuerong stepped into the hall, she immediately noticed the crystal chandelier, the teak staircase, and the gilded Western clock on the fireplace. She couldn't help but quietly gasp: This place is worth at least tens of thousands of silver dollars!

Wen Guozhen is so generous!

"So, tell me, which way do you plan to leave now?"

Li Wenguo opened a bottle of Lafite, and the amber-colored liquid was slowly poured into two stemmed glasses.

"I...I..."

Yang Yuerong twisted the hem of her clothes with her fingers, her mind blank.

"Have a sip of wine first, to calm yourself down."

"oh!"

She tilted her head back and gulped down half a glass, feeling a slight burning sensation in her throat.

"Your identity can no longer be concealed. You can't stay in the capital any longer—you have to leave tonight."

Li Wenguo also took a sip of his glass, his voice becoming low and somber.

"I...can't bear to part with you."

Her eyes suddenly welled up with tears.

This departure will likely mean either a transfer to the south or a assignment to the northwest. We may not see each other again until next year or three years from now.

"Whose fault is it? Who told you to get into this mess?"

He paused, raised his hand to rub his temples, and said, "Let's not talk about that anymore. I've already sent someone to pick up Wang Zhiguo. Once he arrives, we'll discuss it together."

"Let's go upstairs."

He reached out and took her hand.

"What are you doing upstairs?"

She was stunned. Wasn't she supposed to wait for Wang Zhiguo?

Why go upstairs now?

"Nonsense! You'll probably be on the train first thing tomorrow morning, and who knows when we'll see each other again—shouldn't we spend some quality time together tonight?"

Before she could finish speaking, her cheeks flushed, but she didn't pull her hand away. She simply lowered her eyelashes and nodded gently.

Yes, who knows if the next time we hold hands will be on a platform with a gentle spring breeze, or at a ferry crossing amidst wind and snow?

At that moment, Wang Zhiguo was awakened by a series of urgent knocks on the door.

It was nearly 11 p.m.

Who would smash his thin wooden door at this time?

Could it be a spy sneaking in? Or perhaps an informant has been exposed and is coming to report the crime in the middle of the night?

His intuition was surprisingly accurate.

Suppressing his racing heartbeat, he lifted the small sliding window on the door panel and peeked out by the light of the corridor lamp—and breathed a sigh of relief.

He recognized the person outside the door; it was Ding Xiaoqi, the capable bodyguard of He Shuting's husband, Li Wenguo.

But being cautious by nature, he didn't rush to open the door. Instead, he asked through the window, "Who are you? What do you want with me in the middle of the night?"

"Ding Xiaoqi, I'm an errand boy for Master Li, we've met before. Master Li has something extremely urgent to tell you in person, you must come with me!"

Ding Xiaoqi spoke very quickly, her breathing tense.

Urgent!

Has something really happened?

Wang Zhiguo's heart sank, but remembering Li Wenguo's usual composure, he pulled the latch while asking, "What happened?"

"It's inconvenient to explain in detail on the way, but you'll understand when we arrive."

Ding Xiaoqi had already stepped inside.

"Well... allow me to change my coat."