Chapter 84: Liquor Is Poison Piercing The Intestines, Lust Is A Steel Knife Scraping The Bones
Cao Weida’s face lit up with joy at once, then he quickly restrained himself and pretended to cough.
“Cough cough, I think that mysterious person is thinking the same way. I have some connections in Beiping. You can give me your list, and I’ll try to find the mysterious person. Maybe I can find him.”
The smile on Zheng Chaoyang’s face deepened. “That’s right. Captain Cao’s connections in Beiping go without saying. Maybe he really can contact the mysterious person.”
“Alright then. I’ll go back and communicate with the higher-ups to see if I can get special approval for a copy of the list.”
“If you really find the mysterious person, please also convey our Communist Party’s regards to him. Tell him that we in the organization have seen all his actions. For a patriotic person like him, our organization eagerly awaits the hope that both sides can become revolutionary comrades on the same battle line!”
Is this extending an olive branch to me?
Cao Weida’s heart was greatly moved. Before transmigrating, he had wanted to become a party member, but he knew what kind of person he was. He was just a guy who couldn’t stand loneliness and was lustful. He wouldn’t hesitate to kill little devils or traitors. He had no problem joining the Communist Party to kill devils and traitors, or later confronting the Kuomintang.
However, the Communist Party had always enforced monogamy, which was what he couldn’t accept the most.
He had said it himself: he was a selfish and self-interested person. Setting aside patriotism, he was still centered on himself.
Before transmigrating, he had always envied wealthy ancient people for having wives and concubines in droves. Old Cao had transmigrated with great difficulty. If he didn’t marry ten or eight wives, wouldn’t that be a loss?
So he hesitated and probed tentatively:
“Speaking of which, if—and I mean if—I really found that mysterious person, and that mysterious person was also very moved about joining your organization, but due to some… um… special reasons that conflict with your organization’s rules, and he regrettably couldn’t join, what would you generally do?”
“Special reasons?” Zheng Chaoyang was a bit curious. “Then tell me what those so-called special reasons are for the mysterious person you found. What exactly are the special reasons? Our organization isn’t unreasonable. We need to know the reasons and analyze them case by case.”
“For example—and I mean for example.”
Zheng Chaoyang was nearly laughing himself silly inside. First “if,” then “for example.” Your self-deceptive posturing is making it hard for me to keep cooperating without bursting out laughing.
“Cough cough, go ahead.” He coughed to cover it up, barely suppressing his laughter, and put on a serious listening expression. Oh man, he had never imagined that holding back laughter could be so painful.
“For example, that person is the only one left in his family. He has already married more than one concubine, and plans to marry more concubines in the future. He bears heavy responsibilities, with the heavy burden of branching out and spreading descendants at home all weighing on him.”
“I’ve learned about your organization’s discipline. It’s all monogamous. On this point alone, his situation doesn’t meet the conditions.”
“…” Zheng Chaoyang was speechless. You might as well say it’s you directly. Those conditions fit you like a glove.
“First, our organization isn’t without precedent of people who married several women before joining the revolution. Second, as long as the women are willing, and as long as they married before joining the party, we won’t force them to separate.”
It was still the Republic of China era, and old societal habits were still prevalent.
The Kuomintang had promulgated the 《 Republic of China Civil Code. Kinship Edition 》 in 1930, which explicitly stipulated that “marriage should be based on the mutual consent of both parties” and “monogamy,” prohibiting bigamy.
From the legal text, it established the principle of monogamous marriage, which was a certain negation of the feudal marriage system.
The following year, the Chinese Soviet Republic also promulgated provisions for monogamy.
However, in reality, this provision had extremely limited binding force on the populace.
Influenced by feudal traditions, polygamy was rampant throughout China, and the legal provisions largely existed only on paper.
Even many high-level Kuomintang officials and local warlords themselves engaged in taking concubines and other violations of monogamy. The regime had almost no binding force on its own group, let alone enforcing it?
Since ancient times, it had always been a case of the superiors setting the example for the subordinates.
Therefore, in this era, polygamy was commonplace. Some Communist Party members had been like that before joining the revolution.
They couldn’t strongly demand after joining the revolution that people divorce their extra women, could they?
That would also be unfair to those divorced women.
Cao Weida was delighted. It could actually be like this?
Seeing his happy expression, Zheng Chaoyang hurriedly added: “Of course, after joining the party, if you already have a wife, although we won’t force divorce for previous ones, you absolutely cannot marry any more afterward.”
“That won’t do. I only have two concubines right now.” Cao Weida immediately shook his head. Joking aside, how could two concubines be enough? He needed at least four or five more.
“…” Zheng Chaoyang’s mouth twitched. He really wanted to give him a huge eye roll. Listen to yourself—are you speaking human language!?
Already two, and still “only”?
How are we single guys supposed to feel?!
Two aren’t enough, and you still want to marry more—can you handle it!?
Aren’t you afraid of dying in a woman’s belly!
He narrowed his eyes and said: “I didn’t say it was you. Why are you so quick to refuse?”
Cao Weida’s expression stiffened. He gave two tactical coughs. “I’m just blurting it out.”
Zheng Chaoyang couldn’t hold back anymore. His eyes rolled back almost pure white. “You really think anyone can just join the party? It requires a strict review process.”
“If our organization took in just anyone, it would be a total mess.”
“Oh, like that? Then I’m relieved…”
“Relieved about what!” Zheng Chaoyang was almost laughing from anger. He just didn’t understand—clearly a hot-blooded patriotic young man with ambition, how couldn’t he get past the temptation of beauty!
“Cao’er, Cao Ye! I must advise you: alcohol is poison piercing the intestines, lust is a steel knife scraping the bones. Countless heroes and heroes ultimately fell to beauty.”
“Looking at our China’s history, are there few such examples?”
“Think about what you’re doing now. If you’re caught by the little devils, think about what will happen to your concubines!”
“You already have two concubines. That’s actually quite a lot…”
“Few, how is it few? My Old Cao family is counting on me to branch out and spread descendants, to bring glory to the Cao Family name. How could two women be enough? Not enough, not enough.” Cao Weida shook his head vigorously. “Besides, I’m not some hero. I’m just one of the Three Cowards of the Rat’s Gallbladder at the police station, timid and afraid of death!”
“I might be average at other skills, but when it comes to preserving my life, I’m number one—no one dares claim second!”
Zheng Chaoyang wanted to say more, but Cao Weida interrupted directly. “Alright, let’s not discuss this. I’m not that mysterious person anyway.”
“Okay, I’ll head out first. Remember to think of a way for me. Just these one or two days.”
Behind him, Zheng Chaoyang shook his head helplessly with a wry smile. What kind of mess is this? He finally understood the meaning of “heroes have always found beauty a hard pass since ancient times.”
Cao Weida noticed there were more special agents on Discovery Street than before. He guessed it was related to him gunning down the puppet government special agents.
But he ignored them. He hadn’t left any traces, no one knew he had an STG44 assault rifle in hand, and with Ono Shiota and those little devils backing him, there was no way they could trace it to him.
As he was walking, his path was blocked by someone.
Then Sang Liuji’s sarcastic voice came: “Yo, isn’t this our Sergeant Cao? You’ve come to patrol the streets personally too?”
“Oh, it’s Deputy Captain Sang.” Cao Weida smiled slightly, emphasizing the “deputy” a bit, which immediately darkened Sang Liuji’s face.
“Cao Weida, don’t get smug. So what if you’ve latched onto the Taijun? What’s there to be arrogant about!”
“Whether I’m arrogant or not is beside the point. What are you doing?” Cao Weida’s gaze went past him. Behind, several people were bound and being escorted.
“Cao Ye, Cao Ye, it’s me, Zhao Laifu!” One of them saw Cao Weida and hurriedly shouted.
“Shut up!” The patrolman escorting him immediately smashed an elbow into Zhao Laifu’s stomach, and Zhao Laifu painfully shut his mouth.
Cao Weida frowned and looked at Sang Liuji. “Captain Sang, care to explain? What crime have Zhao the Shopkeeper and the others committed to make you mobilize such a force?”
“Of course it’s arresting anti-Japanese elements.” Sang Liuji hooked his thumb in his waistband and smirked sinisterly:
“I suspect these few have connections to anti-Japanese elements. There might even be anti-Japanese elements among them. Arresting them is perfectly justified and reasonable.”
“Alright, Sergeant Cao, if there’s nothing else, keep strolling. I’m busy here.”
He hadn’t latched onto Ono Shiota yet, so it wasn’t wise to tear faces with Cao Weida. He prepared to leave directly.
Hmph hmph, once this old man latches onto Ono Shiota’s connections, the first one I’ll take down is you!
“Nonsense!” Cao Weida’s face darkened, his tone unkind. “Deputy Captain Sang, Zhao the Shopkeeper has always been honest and dutiful. Where did you see any connection to anti-Japanese elements?”
“Do you have any evidence? Let me see it.”
Zhao Laifu was the boss of a general store within Duomen’s jurisdiction, which was his former area. He wasn’t very close to Zhao Laifu, but he knew him.
Sang Liuji rashly crossing into another area to arrest people was blatantly slapping Duomen’s face!
Slapping Duomen’s face wasn’t that the same as slapping his own?!
“Take them back and interrogate, and naturally there’ll be evidence. What, Sergeant Cao, are you close to Zhao the Shopkeeper and want to protect him?” Sang Liuji smiled with narrowed eyes and stepped aside a bit.
“You’re the sergeant. If you say the word, I as deputy sergeant naturally have to obey. But are you sure you want me to release him?”
