Chapter 43: He’s Very Familiar With This Ploy!
Whether there was spittle or not, Xu Hancheng couldn’t be bothered to care. His only concern now was the result!!
Hearing Cao Weida say this, Xu Hancheng’s heart nearly jumped out of his throat, and he stammered, “Th-then that means Officer Ono finally…”
Cao Weida chuckled inwardly and continued, “Although I got scolded pretty badly, Bureau Chief, your concern and care for me have always been kept in my heart.”
“In the end, after my unremitting efforts and my three-inch tongue of eloquence, Officer Ono finally relented!”
“Relented good, relented is good…” Xu Hancheng wiped the sweat from his forehead. He had just been scared to death.
“However…”
“N-no, however what?” Xu Hancheng’s heart, which had just settled, rose again.
“Officer Ono said he knows that although you lack some ability, Bureau Chief, you have always been loyal and devoted to the Imperial Army. No merit, but there is hard work.”
“But this incident was quite big, making Officer Ono get scolded bloody by the higher-ups.”
“You know, officers all love face. How could Officer Ono not be angry after being scolded so badly?”
“But that said, the main responsibility for this matter isn’t on you, but Officer Ono still has to give an account to the higher-ups.”
“That’s right, that’s right. Cao’er, just say it straight. How should I cooperate? Don’t speak in gasps anymore. My heart can’t take it.” Xu Hancheng clutched his thumping heart, saying with a face full of bitterness.
Cao Weida smirked inwardly. That’s exactly what he wanted—to make your heart race. If it wasn’t full of ups and downs, how would you remember my good?
“Yes, yes, yes. I’m just trying to report in more detail to you.” With everything that needed to be said already said, Cao Weida stopped teasing him.
“This matter definitely needs someone to take responsibility.”
“Yes, no problem with that.” Isn’t it just a scapegoat? That’s easy!
It’s just that this incident was too big, so he didn’t dare to do it that way. In the past, for any case that couldn’t be cracked and the higher-ups were urging urgently, they handled it this way. He was familiar with this routine!
“Also, the person in charge of the jurisdiction must be punished.”
“Sang Liuji?”
“Right, Captain Sang Liuji!” Cao Weida said darkly, “This incident has been under constant attention from above. Relying on just one scapegoat definitely won’t do. Our police station also needs to show some attitude.”
Xu Hancheng made a gesture across his neck and probed, “Like this?”
He didn’t say if it could be done, but if it was right. That alone showed his attitude.
“Not to that extent. It’s just that Officer Ono has a task to assign to him. It’s like this…”
The three devils who died last night hadn’t attracted much attention. Not many people even knew about it.
Alive, they want to see the person; dead, they want to see the corpse. But now, not even the shadows of the three devils had been seen, which made the little devil officers feel very embarrassed and they had no face to report this news.
In the afternoon, Sang Liuji was extorting a merchant when he was called back to the police station.
Not long after, he walked out of the Bureau Chief’s Office looking like his mother had died.
As his confidant, Xiao Zhou hurriedly ran over: “Captain, that Cao Weida under Duomen was actually assigned to our team as captain. Did you get promoted?”
Sang Liuji, already irritated, got even angrier upon hearing this. He kicked out, pointed at Xiao Zhou who had been kicked to sit on the ground with a dazed face, and cursed: “Promoted promoted, promoted your grandma’s leg!”
“Look at me, look at this old man’s face. Does it look like I’ve been promoted?!”
“Damn it, after following me for so long, you still have no eyesight at all. Get lost!!”
Xiao Zhou was furious inside. This was outside the police station office building, with many colleagues around. Being kicked to sit on the ground in public like this, how could he not be angry after losing so much face?
But he could only be angry without daring to speak, suppressing this anger deep in his heart.
On the other side, Cao Weida, in a good mood, was lying on a lounge chair in the courtyard basking in the sun.
That’s right, he was now a patrol captain at the police station, and also the temporary captain of Sang Liuji’s team.
And Sang Liuji had been demoted to deputy captain at this time.
Whether he could rise again, in Xu Hancheng’s words, depended on whether he could redeem himself through merit.
Actually, the police station didn’t have a deputy captain position, but if Sang Liuji’s captain position was revoked, how could he still take the blame?
The borrowing money matter would be handled by Ono Shiota and them, then through his hands, and spent by Sang Liuji.
He just needed to coordinate in the middle. Couldn’t be too easy and pleasant.
“Big Brother Cao, taking a break?” Little Ear walked in from outside the courtyard and greeted Xiangzi on the side.
Although Xiangzi was just a rickshaw puller, he spent a lot of time with Cao Weida every day.
In later generations’ terms, he was a full-time driver!
Little Ear, who understood human relationships and social etiquette, naturally gave him face.
“Sit. At home, there’s only boiled water. Don’t mind it.”
“Look what you’re saying. Boiled water is great, quenches thirst.” Little Ear sat down happily, first refilled Cao Weida’s water cup which was half empty, then poured himself a cup.
The water was warm. Little Ear gulped it down and wiped his mouth with his sleeve:
“Big Brother Cao, when do you plan to go see that house? The landlord has already cleaned it spotless, just waiting for you to check it out.”
“Look at my brain. Too busy these past two days, I forgot.” Cao Weida patted his head. Only then did he remember what Little Ear had told him before.
“Let’s go. We’ll check it out right now.”
Although Cao Weida was lazy, he was also a man of action and immediately got up to head out.
Xiangzi, who was sitting nearby, immediately stood up but was stopped by Cao Weida:
“You rest. It’s right across diagonally, just a few steps away.”
The two had just prepared to head out when a little head poked in curiously.
“You’re called… Gouzi, right.” Cao Weida remembered it seemed this kid had wrestled with He Yuzhu.
Gouzi nodded, a bit fearful in his eyes. “Big Brother, Sister Zao’er asked me to call you. The house you want has been found.”
“Yo, pretty fast.” Cao Weida smiled. “Alright, I got it. Where’s your Sister Zao’er? Why didn’t she come?”
“Sister Zao’er is bargaining with the landlord. She asked me to notify you when to go see the house.”
Cao Wei smiled wryly. You know, Tian Zao was really taking it to heart. “Alright, I got it. Wait a bit. I’ll go over shortly.”
From his pocket（actually space） he took out a few union bonds and handed them over.
But unexpectedly, Gouzi shook his head vigorously, though his eyes were very tempted. “I don’t want it. You’ve already given me money.”
Tsk, so sensible it hurts the heart.
“Take it. Big Brother can’t be called for nothing. Consider it sugar money from me as the big brother to you all.”
Without waiting for his refusal, he put the money into his pocket.
But the next second, the money slipped out from the bottom of the pocket.
“…” Cao Weida sighed. He could be cold-blooded and ruthless when killing devils, but facing a child of ten or so, dressed in ragged clothes, his saintly heart couldn’t help but well up.
He picked it up and put it back in his hand, smiling kindly: “Be good. Your Sister Zao’er won’t blame you.”
He touched his head. Because it hadn’t been washed for a long time, it was full of bumps, and his heart instantly softened even more.
“Alright, go on. Tell your Sister Zao’er that Big Brother will be over shortly.”
“Oh right, where’s the house?”
“Nanluoguxiang No. 97.”
“?????” Cao Weida opened his mouth. Alright, he was quite familiar with this place.
“Alright, go on.”
Gouzi sniffed, then ran off like mad.
Cao Weida watched for two seconds, then stepped out.
Little Ear hurriedly followed, hesitating to speak several times.
Cao Weida laughed: “If you have something to say, just say it. Why hem and haw.”
Little Ear scratched his head, embarrassed: “I saw you weren’t in high spirits, so I didn’t dare speak up.”
“Well, didn’t you ask me to keep an eye on the jurisdiction you manage? Hey, guess what? We caught a full seven pickpockets.”
“I’ve already interrogated them. It was indeed Fu Decheng behind it. Our brothers even clashed with Fu Decheng’s men, but it didn’t turn into a fight.”
Cao Weida looked strange. “Why do I see you looking a bit regretful?”
Little Ear chuckled sheepishly. Of course he was regretful. If it had really turned into a fight, best if a few got injured—that would have a better effect.
Cao Weida guessed his little scheme, tapped him, cursed laughingly a couple times, but wasn’t angry.
Not long after, the two arrived at a single-entrance courtyard. Before they even entered, a man walked out from inside.
“Master Lian, you’re finally here. This must be the buyer. Pleased to meet you!” The landlord was a middle-aged man in his forties, dressed neatly, somewhat plump, clearly not short of good food.
Little Ear cupped his fists and introduced: “Big Brother Cao, this is the landlord, also your clansman, called Cao Kun.”
“Oh? A clansman after all. Pleased to meet you.” Cao Weida cupped his fists smilingly in return.
“Kun, no need for me to introduce this one, right?”
“No need. Patrolman Cao Weida, who doesn’t know him around here.” Cao Kun had a round face and looked quite amiably honest when smiling.
“Come come, please inside!”
“Please, please.”
The three walked in.
After entering, they saw the gray-blue brick ground polished shiny by years, with a blue brick flower bed in the center.
It was springtime now, with rosebushes climbing out along the wooden trellis.
The carved window frames of the main house reflected the sunlight, and the birdcage hanging under the veranda swayed lightly in the breeze.
The eaves of the east and west wing rooms curved up slightly, with moss creeping along the wall base through brick crevices, giving a feeling of ancient charm, quiet elegance, and simplicity.
Just one glance, and Cao Weida liked it.
Perhaps because it hadn’t been rented out, there was little damage, and the entire siheyuan was preserved very authentically.
Unlike Master Duo’s home, which was also a single-entrance siheyuan of similar size, but the courtyard was much messier.
