Chapter 158: Longhua

“Take it away, take it away.”

Zhao Wenhua pointed at the wooden bucket, his face full of disgust.

What a foul temper!

Cheng Qianfan ignored the stubborn old man and took his leave directly.

His mind was now completely occupied with sulfanilamide.

He was considering how to obtain the largest possible quantity of it.

The weight of those two crates of sulfanilamide in his mind was unprecedented.

These were life-saving miracle pills capable of saving the lives of many comrades!

After Cheng Qianfan left, Zhao Wenhua thought about the box of sulfanilamide the man had promised to deliver tomorrow and became filled with excitement and anticipation.

But after thinking about it for a while, the old man suddenly let out a long sigh.

The excitement on his face faded considerably.

Avenue Massenet.

Aunt Shao returned carrying her vegetable basket.

She looked at the row of neatly arranged flowerpots on the steps outside the door that served as a warning system.

None of them had been moved.

A thin, inconspicuous string pinned beneath one of the flowerpots was still in place.

Determining that there was no danger, she took out her key and entered the house.

Her trip to Dafa Market to buy groceries was itself also a means of maintaining contact with the organization.

One of the vegetable vendors at Dafa Market served as the warning and protection arrangement assigned by the organization to Peng Yu’ou.

More accurately, it was a warning system that Peng Yu’ou himself had arranged to alert the organization.

Every day Aunt Shao would visit that vendor’s stall.

The two sides would not exchange a single word.

When Aunt Shao bought vegetables from his stall, it indicated that Peng Yu’ou was safe.

If one day Aunt Shao went to Dafa Market but bought vegetables from the stall next door instead, it would indicate danger at Peng Yu’ou’s location, or some urgent situation.

If Aunt Shao failed to go to Dafa Market at all one day, it would mean that something had happened.

She took the eggs from the basket and placed them in the kitchen.

Then she dumped the rest of the vegetables from the basket onto the floor and began preparing dinner.

There were only two people in the household, Aunt Shao and Peng Yu’ou.

Their meals were fairly simple.

She had bought some greens, two salted fish from Old Zhan’s stall, 150 grams (~5.3 oz) of pork, and five eggs.

For dinner she planned to make a stir-fried vegetable dish, pan-fried salted fish, and lean pork congee.

In Aunt Shao’s opinion, this already counted as a very decent dinner.

The other maids did not think so.

At first, some had even looked down on it.

Aunt Shao could only explain that her master was a university professor who was unaccustomed to rich foods.

He had dietary restrictions and usually ate simple meals.

After hearing this often enough, the other maids believed it.

They would remark that university professors truly were cultured people, even their meals were so “refined.”

If she were not worried that excessively frugal meals might arouse the suspicions of the other maids, Aunt Shao would not have been willing to buy pork at all.

Most of Peng Yu’ou’s salary was contributed to the organization as operating funds.

Aunt Shao could only calculate every expense carefully each day, ensuring that their meals were not too shabby while also avoiding unnecessary spending.

A matchbox?

While sorting vegetables, Aunt Shao noticed a matchbox hidden beneath the greens that had been dumped out of the basket.

She picked it up and looked at it.

It was an ordinary matchbox.

Had someone casually discarded it and somehow dropped it into her basket?

Aunt Shao opened it and immediately saw a small rolled-up piece of paper lying atop a dozen or so matches.

Aunt Shao shuddered violently.

Who had put this in here, and when?

She did not immediately read the note.

Instead, she quickly walked to the door and verified that it was securely locked and that there was no unusual movement outside.

Only then did she unfold the note.

“There are secret agents monitoring Ximei’s place in Pingjiang Village as a trap. Be careful, absolutely be careful! Qian Baili.”

After leaving Guangci Hospital, Cheng Qianfan was in an excellent mood.

He had successfully passed the intelligence along.

He had also learned about the miraculous effectiveness of the new drug sulfanilamide.

The recent days of deadly fighting, nerve-racking contests, and exhausting calculations had left him stretched as tight as a drawn bowstring.

Although the aftermath of the gun battle on Route Tardy was far from over, Cheng Qianfan had finally gained a brief opportunity to catch his breath.

That allowed him to relax slightly.

Wang Kangnian’s terrible mood improved somewhat.

The intelligence he had gathered showed that someone had indeed visited Yang Damei’s home a few days ago to inquire about her death.

Based on eyewitness descriptions, that person was very likely Ah Hai from Shen Bao.

That explained it.

Ah Hai worked for a newspaper and could conveniently investigate child labor conditions through his job.

Following that logic, the report concerning the death of child laborer Yang Damei that had been discovered in the home of Minister Wang of the Communists was almost certainly written by Ah Hai.

The fact that the connection to Yang Damei’s family involved familiar Communist operatives rather than new faces did not discourage Wang Kangnian.

Ah Hai had suffered a gunshot wound.

The Communists would inevitably assign someone else to take over the matter.

When that happened, they could simply make the arrest.

Wang Kangnian naturally did not intend to remain in the shantytown for long.

The area beside Suzhou Creek was filled with filthy water and foul odors.

A brief investigation was tolerable.

A prolonged stay was not.

After returning from the shantytown beside Suzhou Creek, Wang Kangnian did not return to the clinic that served as his cover identity.

He switched rickshaws twice in succession before finally arriving at a residence on Tanxiangshan Road.

There he changed into a brand-new Zhongshan suit.

Not long afterward, Xiao Si arrived in a motorcar to pick him up.

Longhua, headquarters of the Songhu Garrison Command.

After straightening his clothes, Wang Kangnian stepped out of the car with a solemn expression.

“Group Leader, the Section Chief has been waiting for you for quite some time.”

An agent from the Party Affairs Investigation Department came forward and escorted Wang Kangnian through the checkpoint.

“Section Chief.”

Upon seeing Wu Shanyue, Wang Kangnian immediately saluted.

Only then did he appear to notice the military officer in his thirties standing beside Wu Shanyue.

He snapped to attention and saluted respectfully.

“Inspector General Liang!”

Liang Fangshu, Inspector General of the Songhu Garrison Command, had a square face and an air of upright righteousness.

According to physiognomy, such features were said to indicate success in officialdom.

In reality, this was indeed the case.

Liang Fangshu was neither part of the Huangpu faction nor a native of Zhejiang, yet he enjoyed considerable trust from the Generalissimo.

“Brother Wu, let’s go. The auspicious hour has arrived. It’s time to send these old friends on their way.”

Liang Fangshu spoke indifferently.

The group passed through a corridor, crossed a stone-paved path, went through several checkpoints, and arrived at a heavily guarded prison.

“Give me the roster.”

After personally signing and stamping the paperwork, Liang Fangshu issued the order.

“Brother Wu, please.”

Taking a roster bound in a black cover, Liang Fangshu smiled.

“Anyone is acceptable?”

Wu Shanyue casually flipped through it and asked.

“If I handed it to you, then they’re acceptable.”

Liang Fangshu smiled.

“These are all extremely stubborn elements. They refuse to reform. Sooner or later they all have to be dealt with.”

Wu Shanyue nodded.

Picking up a fountain pen filled with red ink, he flipped through the roster casually.

Occasionally he would stop at a page and draw a circle around a number.

After pausing briefly, Wu Shanyue asked Wang Kangnian, “What day is it today?”

“Saturday.”

Wu Shanyue nodded, flipped a few more pages, and circled 3046 as well.

The Party Affairs Investigation Department had suffered severe losses yesterday.

Wu Shanyue was furious.

He had decided to kill a few Communists to vent his anger.

Ten minutes later, a commotion and sounds of movement arose inside the prison.

“1025! Come out!”

The prisoners became agitated.

Everyone understood what it meant.

“What are you doing?”

“Fascists!”

“1026! Come out!”

“2035! Come out!”

“2036! Come out!”

“3045! Come out!”

“3046! Come out!”

The prison erupted.

Everyone watched in shock and sorrow as vicious military police dragged the named comrades away.

The last prisoner called, 3046, was carried out on a stretcher.

Having been tortured that very morning, he was covered in blood and barely clinging to life.

One unconscious man on a stretcher and five men still able to walk supported one another.

Their heads were held high.

Handcuffs bound their wrists and heavy shackles weighed down their feet.

They raised their handcuffs and shouted loudly, “Comrades, farewell! When the revolution triumphs, please convey our respects to the Party and our comrades! Long live the people!”

As they passed the women’s cells, a pregnant woman covered in blood screamed frantically toward the man lying on the stretcher, calling out his name.

Another ten or so minutes later.

Longhua Execution Ground.

“Raise your rifles!”

Acting execution officer Wang Kangnian glanced at the six Communists awaiting execution.

He had hoped to see fear and cowardice.

Instead, he found neither.

His disappointment only made him angrier.

“Long live the Communists!”

“Long live the people!”

“Long live the victory of the people’s revolution!”

The resounding voices merged together in the air.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang...

A burst of gunfire rang out.

Rumble.

Back at the police station, Cheng Qianfan was smoking and chatting with Big-Head Lu and the others when a sudden clap of thunder exploded across the sky.

At some point the sky had already darkened.

Before long, a sudden downpour began, the rain falling with a continuous Patter, patter.

The rain poured down in sheets.

It showed no sign of stopping.

Half an hour later, Cheng Qianfan received a phone call asking for him.

“Inspector Cheng, I’m Xiao Tao’s maternal uncle. Last time, thanks to your mediation. Mr. Song has prepared a banquet and hopes Inspector Cheng will honor him with your presence.”

“Boss Song is too courteous. Has Brother Tao returned? Hahaha. Then I shall gladly impose upon your hospitality.”

Cheng Qianfan laughed heartily.

A shock ran through his heart.

This was Song Fuguo’s emergency signal requesting a meeting.