Siheyuan: Reborn Silly Pillar, Taking Control of the Entire Courtyard

The night was deep, and the wind in the alleys of Tianjin carried snowflakes that stung my face.

He Yuzhu pushed open his courtyard gate. The bluestone slabs under his feet were wet with night dew and slippery.

He closed the door behind him, his movements as light as a falling leaf. The well pulley in the yard was still swaying gently in the wind, making a soft creaking sound.

He picked up the wooden bucket by the well, bent down, filled it to the brim with cold water, and splashed it onto the bluestone slab in the courtyard, creating a ring of icy water.

He then scooped up well water and vigorously scrubbed his face and neck. The cold water made his skin numb, but it also made him more awake.

His black night clothes still smelled of gunpowder and dust. He strode into the house, bolted the door behind him, and quickly took off his black clothes, folded them into a square and stuffed them into a hidden compartment under the bed. His movements were swift and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

The moment He Yuzhu lay down on the kang (a heated brick bed), he closed his eyes, and only then did the weariness slowly surface in his body.

It wasn't that tonight's operation was particularly strenuous; this level of intensity was merely a tickle to him. However, the cooking at Hongbinlou Restaurant still had to proceed as usual tomorrow. His master's rules were strict, and he couldn't afford to slack off in the slightest.

As for the Ma family, He Yuzhu's lips curled into a cold smile. He decided to let them live a couple more days.

Even if news travels quickly from Tianjin to Tanggu, it still takes a day or two to arrive. No matter how arrogant that old man Ma Yannian is, he never expected that someone who dared to touch his son would come knocking on his door so quickly to settle scores.

He knew nothing about the terrain of the Ma family compound, the number of guards, or how many guns and ammunition they had hidden, but he knew in his heart that if he really wanted to raze the Ma family compound to the ground, he would have to use guns and cannons.

That's not some petty brawl; it's a real, deadly battle. Acting rashly without understanding the situation will only lead to disaster.

As dawn broke, steam rose from the kitchen of Hongbinlou Restaurant, with roaring fires and the clattering of iron ladles echoing throughout.

He Yuzhu, wearing a white apron, held a spatula in his hand, controlling the heat perfectly. Zhao Xiaonian, standing beside him, came over, handed him a handful of chopped scallions, and winked, saying, "Yuzhu, you came back pretty late yesterday. Did you go out to play somewhere again?"

He Yuzhu rolled his eyes, put the scallion segments into the pan, and let them sizzle and smell delicious: "What are you doing? I'm exhausted. I'm going to sleep as soon as I get back."

Taking advantage of the kitchen staff's break, He Yuzhu pulled Zhao Xiaonian to a pile of miscellaneous items in the corner of the kitchen, lowered his voice, and pretended to be casual.

"Brother Xiao Nian, I have a question for you. Are there any places in Tianjin that sell information? You mean places where you can find out people's addresses and details?"

Zhao Xiaonian's smile froze instantly, his eyes widened as he stared at He Yuzhu as if he were a monster. He glanced around instinctively to make sure no one was listening before grabbing He Yuzhu's arm and whispering in a voice barely audible.

"Zhu Zi, are you crazy? Why are you asking about this place? That's a place for gangsters and shady characters. We're cooks, can't we just honestly learn how to cook? Let me tell you, I've always dreamed of learning to cook, but I don't have your talent. Don't mess around and ruin yourself!"

He Yuzhu was already prepared, and with a sincere smile on his face, he patted Zhao Xiaonian's hand and said earnestly, "Brother, what are you thinking? I'm just asking about a distant relative. Before my mother passed away, she repeatedly told me to look for my distant cousin. She married and moved to Tianjin, and I haven't heard from her in so many years. I can't find anything by myself, so I can only ask around in places like this."

Zhao Xiaonian was skeptical, his brows furrowed, staring intently into He Yuzhu's eyes, trying to find any trace of lying on his face.

"Really? Don't lie to me! If your master finds out that you're neglecting your cooking duties to get involved in all sorts of messy things, and that I was the one who led you down that path, I'll be out of a job at Hongbin Restaurant in no time!"

"Look at what you're saying, would I cheat you?" He Yuzhu smiled even more sincerely, raising his hand to pat his chest and guarantee.

"It really is what my mother asked me to do. If I can't find the person, I won't be able to explain it to her when I get back. Don't worry, it's just about finding someone, nothing else."

Zhao Xiaonian stared at him for a full half minute. Seeing that his eyes were open and honest, not feigning anything, he finally breathed a sigh of relief, released his grip on his arm, and scratched his head.

"Alright, I trust you. Remember, after dark, go to the black market on Tianbao Road and find a guy called Master Ma Wu. He's the most well-informed person in Tianjin. When you get there, just say that Zhao Si introduced you. Give him that name, and he won't dare to make things difficult for you."

"Zhao Si?" He Yuzhu raised an eyebrow, deliberately looking at Zhao Xiaonian with a questioning gaze, his tone slightly teasing, "Brother Xiaonian, you have this nickname? How come I didn't know that?"

Zhao Xiaonian felt uncomfortable under his gaze, her face flushed, and she hurriedly waved her hand to explain, her voice becoming increasingly anxious.

"Don't look at me like that! I'm not Zhao Si, that's my uncle from the same clan, a prominent figure in Tianjin. Mentioning his name will get you what you want!"

"Okay, okay, I won't watch anymore."

He Yuzhu smiled and looked away, then changed the subject, his tone becoming serious.

"But Brother Xiao Nian, I need to ask clearly, is it really appropriate to use your uncle's name? Don't cause trouble for your uncle."

"It's just asking for a relative's address, what trouble could there be?" Zhao Xiaonian waved his hand dismissively. "Master Ma makes a living from intelligence, this is nothing, a piece of cake, don't worry!"

He Yuzhu agreed verbally, but secretly he was calculating: if he really mentioned Zhao Si's name, and then Ma Wuye got into trouble, Zhao Si would probably be implicated and suffer a lot. He would have to act according to the situation and never implicate the innocent.

Actually, he had an even more reliable source of information in mind—Old Zhao and his colleagues from the Tianjin Municipal Working Committee.

He refused to believe that the members of the Working Committee would be completely unaware of the traitors and bandits around Tianjin. Their crimes had long been recorded in detail and would be settled sooner or later.

Once he gets the information about the Ma family, he can hand it over to Old Zhao. When they take action, he can provide fire support and long-range strikes from the sidelines, thus avenging himself and eliminating the threat.

But right now, he can't contact Lao Zhao at all, so that path is blocked. He has no choice but to take matters into his own hands. He can't wait until the next day to take revenge, but he absolutely won't let it drag on for more than a month; that's his bottom line.

Night fell once again over Tianjin, and as the city lights began to twinkle, the black market grew even more bustling. He Yuzhu changed into a faded coarse cloth outfit, smeared some soot on his face, and tangled mess of hair at the back of his head, looking every bit the lowly laborer, completely obscuring his original appearance.

Instead of giving Zhao Si's name as Zhao Xiaonian had instructed, he mingled in the bustling crowd and discreetly inquired about Ma Wu's whereabouts from the street vendors and stall owners.

After asking three or four people, someone finally pointed out the direction: Ma Wu was discussing business in the opium den at the very back of the black market.

Without making a sound, He Yuzhu moved to the alleyway opposite the opium den, leaned against the mottled earthen wall, and stared intently at the entrance of the opium den, beginning his surveillance.

As expected of a figure in Tianjin's underworld, Ma Wu was surrounded by a large entourage when he went out. Four burly bodyguards stayed close by, each with a weapon on their waist and their eyes scanning the surroundings warily.

He Yuzhu lowered his hat and followed behind the crowd, keeping a respectful distance as Ma Wu and his group turned three alleys and entered a secluded courtyard—the home of his mistress.

The bodyguards stood guard at the gate, while Ma Wu went inside alone. He Yuzhu seized the opportunity, using the shadow of the courtyard wall as a cover, and darted up like a cat, lightly touching the top of the wall with his toes, silently vaulting into the courtyard.

He heard Ma Wu laughing and joking with a woman inside. He held his breath, reached the door, and kicked it open!

Ma Wu was terrified and was about to call for help when He Yuzhu stepped forward and slammed his elbow into the back of Ma Wu's neck. The force was so great that Ma Wu's vision went black and he collapsed to the ground.

He Yuzhu took out the thick hemp rope he had prepared in advance, and quickly tied Ma Wu into a rice dumpling. His mouth was also stuffed tightly with a rag. He carried it on his shoulder, climbed over the courtyard wall, and disappeared into the night.

After an unknown amount of time, Ma Wu slowly woke up and found himself tied up in a dark, empty room. He couldn't move his hands and feet, and his whole body ached as if his bones were falling apart.

He immediately concluded that his enemies had kidnapped him, and the rag in his mouth could not stop his curses, which he shouted incoherently, with foul language constantly gushing out.

"Still being stubborn." He Yuzhu's voice rang out in the darkness, as cold as ice in the dead of winter.

He stepped forward and kicked Ma Wu hard in the knee. With a soft "crack," Ma Wu convulsed in pain, his screams muffled, only muffled groans escaping his lips. His forehead was instantly covered in cold sweat, and his face turned ashen.

He Yuzhu squatted down, ripped the rag out of his mouth, and spoke in a cold tone.

"I'm asking you, how much do you know about Ma Yannian, the township head of Tanggu? Tell me everything, and I'll spare your life. If you dare to lie, I'll break your other leg."

Ma Wu's eyes darted away instantly, his gaze shifting unpredictably. He forced a calm demeanor and roared, "I don't know! What's going on outside Tianjin? I'm just a city guy, how could I possibly know so much! You've got the wrong person!"

He Yuzhu saw through his thoughts at a glance; the old man had something to hide and was deliberately concealing it.

He sneered, took out a thin wire he had prepared in advance from his pocket, and quickly wrapped it around Ma Wu's fingers. This was a method of interrogation that he had learned from movies in later generations. It was not fatal, but it could make people feel pain to the bone.

"I'll ask you one more time, will you tell me about Ma Yannian's background or not?"

The thin wire slowly tightened, embedding itself into the flesh of his fingertips. A piercing pain instantly swept through his entire body. Ma Wu trembled all over in pain, tears and snot streaming down his face. He could no longer bear it and cried out for mercy.

"I'll tell you! I'll tell you everything! Please stop!"

It turns out that Ma Wu was not a legitimate information broker at all. In his early years, he was a traitor who made his fortune by tipping off the locals. Later, when the locals surrendered, he destroyed the evidence overnight and disposed of all his subordinates who knew the truth. The rest were all accomplices, which is how he transformed into the king of information in the Tianjin black market and has been at large for so many years.

Ma Yannian was Ma Wu's long-time colluder. One of them sold information in the city, while the other dominated the countryside. They colluded and committed all sorts of heinous crimes.

Ma Wu tearfully confessed the location where he had hidden the intelligence and valuables: in the cellar in the backyard of his mistress's house.

After hearing this, He Yuzhu punched Ma Wu unconscious. He then sneaked into the cellar that very night and swept away all the intelligence Ma Wu had collected over the years about traitors and bandits, as well as the gold, silver, and cash he had plundered, storing it all in his own space.

After doing all this, he dragged the unconscious Ma Wu to the gate of the Kuomintang garrison outside the city, broke Ma Wu's limbs, and threw him hard in front of the camp gate. He also left a letter written with a brush, with only two big characters on the envelope—Ma Wu. The letter was filled with all the crimes he had committed over the years, including being a traitor, colluding with bandits, and oppressing the people.

He Yuzhu knew perfectly well why he didn't send her to the police station.

Ma Wu has committed too many crimes, and the forces behind him are deeply entrenched. He already has people in the police station. If he is sent there, he can be bailed out in no time.

Furthermore, Ma Wu's accomplices were all local thugs, scoundrels, and traitors. He was too lazy to clean them up one by one, so he might as well use the Kuomintang army. These people hated traitors who had escaped the net the most, and catching them would be a good way to gain credit.

The next morning, Tianjin was in complete uproar.

The thugs, dealers, and leaders of various factions all received the news—Ma Wu was caught! He was uprooted and his entire operation wiped out!

The garrison raided all of Ma Wu's strongholds early in the morning, arresting dozens of people, all of whom were Ma Wu's confidants and accomplices.

The entire Tianjin underworld was in a state of panic, with everyone speculating about which powerful figure Ma Wu had offended to be so ruthless and leave no room for maneuver.

In the kitchen of Hongbinlou Restaurant, Zhao Xiaonian, pale-faced, frantically found He Yuzhu, grabbed his arm, and his voice trembled.

"Pillar! Pillar! Are you alright? The guy I asked you to find yesterday, Ma Wu, got into trouble! He was crippled, and his hideout was raided! Did you go yesterday? Did you run into any trouble?"

He Yuzhu already had a plan in mind. A look of confusion crossed his face as he patted Zhao Xiaonian's hand and said casually, "Something happened to Ma Wu? I had something urgent yesterday and didn't go to Tianbao Road at all. What's wrong? What serious incident scared you like this?"

Zhao Xiaonian stared at him for a long time. Seeing that he looked calm and didn't seem to be lying, his heart, which had been hanging in suspense, instantly settled down. He let out a long sigh of relief and patted his chest, saying, "It's good that you didn't go! It's good that you didn't go! I was so scared! If you had gotten into trouble because I gave you directions, I would have felt guilty for the rest of my life!"

He Yuzhu smiled and patted him on the shoulder, signaling him to go back to work without worry: "Don't worry, I'm lucky, I won't cause any trouble."

Watching Zhao Xiaonian leave the kitchen with light steps, He Yuzhu's smile slowly faded, and his eyes turned cold.

Ma Wu's intelligence clearly recorded all of Ma Yannian's crimes. That old man had a respectable name, Yannian, but all he did were despicable things that would lead to his extinction.

Ma Yannian, as a fake township head, colluded with bandits in Donglingzhai and was also the second-in-command of the stronghold. He used the power of the bandits to eliminate dissidents, seize the land of the people, bully men and women, set up a private dungeon in his home, and tortured people he arrested. The number of people he had killed was countless.

He married ten concubines. Perhaps he was punished by heaven for his many evil deeds, because only his first wife gave him a son, Ma Gang, who was deposed by He Yuzhu. The rest were all daughters.

Ma Gang was no good either. He followed his father in committing crimes since childhood and was his father's most capable accomplice. It was only right that he had his legs crippled.

That's why Ma Yannian went mad, wanting to find the murderer and take revenge, wishing he could tear the person to pieces.

What alarmed He Yuzhu even more was that the Ma family compound had over a hundred guards. After Xiao Zi surrendered, Ma Yannian toned down his behavior and sent some of the guards up the mountain, but there were still fifty or sixty people left at home, all of them ruthless thugs.

The house was heavily guarded, with long guns and short cannons, including two machine guns, making it as fortified as a small bunker.

In places like this, there's no way to infiltrate and launch a sneak attack; the only option is a direct assault.

He Yuzhu knew perfectly well that when an avalanche occurs, no snowflake is innocent. The entire Ma family—guards, family members, servants—lived off Ma Yannian's evil deeds; not one of them was clean.

This time, he's going to give the Ma family a thorough reckoning.

On the very day Ma Wu was arrested by the garrison, He Yuzhu set the time for the operation.

After finishing work at noon, he went home and opened the door to find Xiaoman sitting on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) mending clothes. Her small figure was huddled in the corner, quiet and still.

He Yuzhu's heart softened. He stepped forward, placed the braised pork knuckle and braised fish he was carrying on the table, and said softly, "Xiaoman, I might not be able to come back tonight. Heat up the food for yourself and eat it. Go to bed early after you finish eating."

Xiaoman looked up, her big eyes filled with worry, and tugged at his sleeve: "Brother Zhuzi, where are you going? Are you going to do something dangerous again?"

"Don't worry, I'm just going to run some errands, I'll be right back." He Yuzhu gently ruffled her hair, his voice tender. "Remember to lock the gate and the door before you leave, and don't open the door no matter who knocks, okay?"

Xiaoman nodded, her eyes slightly red, but she sensibly didn't ask any more questions.

He Yuzhu patted her head, turned and left, his eyes instantly becoming firm.

After work, the streets of Tianjin were bustling with people. He Yuzhu got on his bicycle, pedaled hard, and the wheels spun rapidly as he sped out of the city gate.

Upon reaching a secluded spot outside the city, he hid his bicycle in the bushes, took out his motorcycle from his spatial storage, straddled it, twisted the throttle, and the roar of the engine broke the silence as he sped towards Tanggu.

Dust filled the air, stinging his face. He Yuzhu ignored it and sped all the way, finally arriving in Tanggu before dark.

He disguised himself again, changed into a coarse cloth outfit like an old farmer, and mingled among the townspeople, discreetly inquiring about the location of the Ma family compound.

It didn't take much effort before someone pointed out the way—in the very center of Tanggu Town, there was a large courtyard house of blue bricks covering five or six acres, with a vermilion gate, high walls, and guards standing at the gate all year round; that was the Ma family.

He Yuzhu found a secluded earthen slope, concealed himself, took out dry food and water from his spatial storage, and wolfed down his food to fill his stomach.

He knew that the battle ahead would not allow for the slightest carelessness.

Time passed slowly, the night grew darker, the town lights gradually went out, and in the stillness of the night, only the rustling of leaves in the wind remained, and the entire Tanggu town fell asleep.

At exactly 10 p.m., He Yuzhu's eyes sharpened, and the operation began.

He carried out ten grenade launchers from the space in one go, arranged them neatly on the earthen slope, adjusted the angles, and aimed them at different locations of the Ma family compound.

Then they took out two boxes of grenades, a total of twenty, and placed two grenades next to each grenade launcher.

With everything ready, He Yuzhu took a deep breath and pulled the trigger.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The sound of continuous firing ripped through the night sky. Twenty grenades, trailing plumes of flame, flew towards the Ma family compound like meteors. The next second, a deafening explosion rang out!

"Boom boom boom! Boom boom boom!"

Flames shot into the sky, the blue brick walls of the courtyard were shattered, houses collapsed, and tiles flew everywhere. The Ma family compound was instantly thrown into chaos. Cries, screams, and the shouts of the guards were mixed together. In the panic, someone fired a warning shot. Gunshots and explosions mingled together, echoing throughout the entire Tanggu town.

Twenty grenades were fired in an instant. He Yuzhu deftly stored the grenade launcher in his spatial storage, turned around and leaped to the sniper position he had chosen in advance. He lay prone behind the earthen slope, took out his KR98K sniper rifle, attached the scope, and locked the crosshairs firmly on the vermilion gate of the Ma family compound.

The Ma family compound covers five or six acres; twenty grenades could only disrupt their formation, not inflict enough casualties. He was waiting, waiting for the guards to rush out with guns; if they dared to show their faces, they would be dead.

"Bang!"

A crisp gunshot rang out, and the sniper rifle bullet accurately struck a guard at the gate who was holding a Mauser pistol and looking around in a panic. The man didn't even utter a sound before falling straight down, a bloody hole appearing in his forehead. Every shot to the head was a fatal blow.

"Bang bang bang!"

Three more shots were fired, and three unfortunate souls who had been forcibly pushed out by the guards to scout ahead fell one after another at the gate, their blood staining the bluestone slabs red.

In the courtyard, Ma Yannian, wearing pajamas, with disheveled hair and a ferocious expression, was waving a Mauser pistol in his hand, jumping up and down and cursing hysterically in the front yard.

"Charge! You bunch of sons of bitches, charge! I've spent my hard-earned money, feeding you rice and flour every meal, and you're all useless trash! Get out of here! I want to see which reckless bastard dares to provoke me, Ma Yannian!"

A group of guards trembled with fear, cowering in a corner, too afraid to move. The leader of the guards approached them, his voice trembling.

"Sir! That was a grenade launcher! There's definitely more than one person outside; it could be a regular Eighth Route Army unit! We have no way to break through!"

"The Eighth Route Army?" Ma Yannian's eyes widened, his rage escalating. "So what if the Eighth Route Army comes? Are your guns just for show? Get on the wall! All of you, climb over the wall and fire back! You've been taken down without firing a single shot. What good were your skills before?"

Forced into a corner, the guards had no choice but to grit their teeth and climb the wall. But as soon as someone poked their head out, a sniper bullet would instantly strike, blowing their head off and knocking them to the ground.

Within minutes, four or five corpses were piled up on the wall. The remaining guards were so frightened that they dared not show their faces anymore and huddled in the courtyard, not daring to even lift their heads.

Seeing that they were hiding and wouldn't come out, He Yuzhu got angry and immediately took out an infantry gun from his space, set up the gun position, adjusted the angle, aimed at the Ma family's wall, and fired without hesitation!

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Shells pounded the wall one after another, and a large section of the thick blue brick wall collapsed instantly, dust flew up, and broken bricks and tiles were scattered all over the ground.

When the wall collapsed, the people in the compound were terrified. Someone immediately grabbed a piece of white cloth, shook it frantically, and cried out for mercy.

"Stop fighting! Stop fighting! We surrender! Are those Eighth Route Army soldiers outside? We surrender!"

Just as He Yuzhu was preparing to continue his assault, his scope suddenly caught a glimpse of several dark figures emerging around the Ma family compound. He squinted, took a closer look, and immediately chuckled—it was like a godsend, delivered right to his doorstep.

Those people were dressed in the coarse cloth clothes of old farmers, but they were all carrying guns. A few of them were wearing military caps, but it was too dark to see their color. However, judging from their attire and the efficiency of their movements, they were clearly guerrillas from the vicinity of Tanggu! They must have heard the gunfire and artillery fire and rushed over to check the situation.

Once the guerrillas arrive, the subsequent troubles will naturally be handled by someone else, and he should withdraw.

Sure enough, it was the anti-Japanese guerrilla force from Tanggu District that arrived. Captain Wang Hu led his men over stealthily, and upon hearing the deafening sound of gunfire, he was both surprised and suspicious.

"Captain, were those our own comrades who attacked just now? Could it be that the main force has arrived?"

A junior team member approached Wang Hu, lowered his voice, and asked, his eyes full of excitement.

Wang Hu frowned, staring at the Ma family compound engulfed in flames, and shook his head: "It doesn't seem like it. Didn't you hear it? There were only a few sporadic gunshots afterward. It doesn't sound like a large-scale attack."

"But those cannons and small cannons are firing so fiercely. Who but a regular army could have that kind of firepower?" The team member looked puzzled.

"If only I had known." Wang Hu waved his hand. "Send men to search the surrounding area and see if we can find the comrades who did it. If they're one of our own, I'll have to go and see who they are!"

"What about the Ma family? They've all raised the white flag!" The team member pointed to the white cloth swaying in the courtyard.

"Don't rush, have someone shout and tell them to hand over our captured comrades!" Wang Hu said in a deep voice.

"Why don't we just storm in? The walls have all been breached; we can take down these traitorous dogs all at once!" a team member said unwillingly.

"What are you fighting for!" Wang Hu glared at him. "They attacked first, so the credit belongs to them. What kind of behavior is it for us to rush in recklessly? Let's find the person who started it first!"

"Yes!" The team member immediately accepted the order and left.

"Wait!" Wang Hu called out to him again, "Send another team to keep a close eye on the police station and see when they dare to come out!"

"yes!"

After the team members left, Wang Hu stood in the shadows, muttering to himself, "If we had such strong firepower, we would have wiped out those wicked bandits of Dongling Village long ago. Why did we have to wait until now?"

"My captain, stop dreaming and deal with the matter at hand." A steady voice came from behind him, and a hand gently patted his shoulder.

Wang Hu was startled, turned around, and immediately breathed a sigh of relief: "My goodness, how come you walk so quietly? You almost scared the soul out of me!"

The newcomer was none other than Political Commissar Sun of the guerrilla force. He gazed intently at the Ma family compound, his eyes deep in thought. "I was just lost in thought. Old Sun, were those who attacked us just now our own troops?"

Political Commissar Sun pondered for a moment, then shook his head: "Even if they aren't, they're definitely not opposing us. Otherwise, with so many of us sneaking in, we would have been discovered and attacked long ago, and there would be no way we could stay here safely."

"Then why doesn't he come out and say hello?" Wang Hu asked, puzzled.

"There must have been some inconvenience, and they didn't want to reveal their identities." Political Commissar Sun paused, looked towards the compound, and said, "I think they saw us coming and took the initiative to leave, leaving the cleanup work to us."

"Is this for real? The Ma family mansion is overflowing with wealth, with countless gold, silver, guns, and ammunition. He just handed it over like that?" Wang Hu asked incredulously.

"Otherwise, why do you think we haven't heard any more gunfire or artillery fire yet?"

Political Commissar Sun smiled and said, "Wait five more minutes. If there's still no movement, we'll go in. We've been eyeing the Ma family compound for a long time. If we take it down, our team can expand and we can upgrade our equipment."

"Okay! I'll wait five minutes!" Wang Hu nodded vigorously.

On the other side, He Yuzhu saw the guerrillas begin to search outwards and knew that he should withdraw completely.

He quietly retreated from his sniping position, making his way to the main road outside the town, where he hid in the dense bushes and lay in ambush.

The Ma family compound had been decimated, and the guerrillas could handle the rest. His current task was to keep an eye on the main road to prevent Kuomintang troops or police from interfering.

As expected, the guerrillas searched for a long time but found nothing, not even a shell casing, let alone a person; they only found a few bullet casings near the sniper position.

The team member ran back with the spent bullet casings and handed them to Political Commissar Sun.

Political Commissar Sun took the bullet casing, rubbed it in his hand for a moment, and frowned slightly: "It's a Mauser bullet, not our unit's standard issue. It seems they're not one of us, but they definitely don't have any hostile intentions, otherwise they wouldn't have withdrawn so quietly."

"Political Commissar, what do we do now?" Wang Hu asked.

"Take immediate action, seize the Ma family compound, and rescue our comrades!" Political Commissar Sun made a decisive decision.

The team members immediately sprang into action, shouting as they rushed into the Ma family compound.

Ma Yannian was huddled in a corner, still calculating in his mind that the people who had attacked earlier must have been a large force. Once they came in, he would pretend to surrender and then find a chance to escape.

When they saw the guerrillas rushing in, dressed in patched coarse cloth clothes and carrying old-fashioned rifles and Hanyang rifles, without even a decent Zhongzheng gun, they were dumbfounded.

He instantly realized that the ruthless guy who had attacked earlier had already left, and this group of beggar-like guerrillas had gotten away with it!

Regret! An overwhelming sense of regret washed over him! He wanted to slap himself twice; he shouldn't have surrendered!

But it was too late to say anything now. The guerrillas swarmed forward, snatched the gun from his hand, and pressed the cold muzzle against his forehead.

Ma Yannian was both angry and anxious, his eyes bulging red as he roared, "Summon your officials! I want to see your superiors!"

A young guerrilla fighter named Xiao Wu, who had long hated this traitorous village chief, stepped forward and kicked him hard in the back of the knee, shouting, "You traitorous dog, you dare to put on airs!"

Ma Yannian was kicked and nearly fell over. Enraged, he roared, "You dare hit me? I'll kill you!"

"I'll kill you first!" Xiao Wu's eyes widened in anger as he pressed the gun against Ma Yannian's temple, his finger on the trigger.

"Xiao Wu, put the gun down!" Political Commissar Sun strode over and shouted sternly.

"Political Commissar! This old guy is too arrogant, he doesn't take us seriously at all!" Xiao Wu shouted unwillingly.

Political Commissar Sun waved his hand, his gaze falling on Ma Yannian as he looked him up and down, his tone icy: "You're Ma Yannian?"

Ma Yannian raised his head, forcing a defiant stance: "It is I! I heard that your Eighth Route Army treats prisoners of war well. Your soldiers beat me; shouldn't they be punished?"

"The policy of treating prisoners of war well does exist." Commissar Sun sneered, his tone suddenly turning stern.

"But this policy won't work on a traitor like you, whose crimes are heinous and whose hands are stained with the blood of the people! Tie him up!"

"Yes!" Xiao Wu immediately stepped forward, roughly twisted Ma Yannian's arm behind his back, and tied it tightly with hemp rope.

Ma Yannian struggled desperately, roaring, "You can't treat me like this! I'm the township head! I've been beaten before!"

"Pah! You dare to talk about bullying the common people? You're a dog of the common people, oppressing the masses, betraying your friends for personal gain—you're a complete and utter traitor!"

Xiao Wu spat and kicked him hard in the back of the knee. Ma Yannian fell to his knees with a "thud," and a rag was immediately stuffed into his mouth, rendering him unable to make a sound.

Just then, Wang Huxing rushed over, carrying a Type 11 machine gun, his voice trembling: "Old Sun! Old Sun! We've rescued our captured comrade, but he's badly wounded! Quick, look what I found!"

Political Commissar Sun gave him a helpless look: "Can't you be a little more composed? How old are you? Still so impulsive."

"Look! A Type 96 machine gun!" Wang Hu handed the machine gun to him, his eyes shining.

"I only took one, but there are three more in the yard! And dozens of rifles, and tons of ammunition. We've struck it rich this time!"

"What are you waiting for? Get the trucks loaded right away!" Political Commissar Sun's eyes lit up. "The Ma family compound must have big trucks and livestock for hauling goods. Don't waste time, get the supplies moving as quickly as possible!"

"I just came to tell you first!" Wang Hu chuckled, then changed the subject, lowering his voice, "By the way, what should we do with this Ma Yannian?"

Political Commissar Sun looked at Ma Yannian, who was tied to the ground and struggling desperately, and frowned slightly: "This is not a battle, so we cannot execute him on the spot, otherwise it would be against discipline."

"Ugh ugh ugh!" Upon hearing that he couldn't be killed, Ma Yannian struggled even more fiercely, his eyes filled with smugness.

"Behave yourself!" Xiao Wu pressed the gun against his head again.

Wang Hu leaned closer to Political Commissar Sun and asked in a low voice, "So what should we do? We can't just keep this menace around, can we?"

Political Commissar Sun pondered for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "Take him back first, report to your superiors immediately, and follow their orders. This traitor's crimes are countless; he will face the people's judgment sooner or later!"