Chapter 133: Officials Can Set Fires, But The People Can’t Light Lamps
He had originally come to accompany Du Shiniang, and now that he had encountered this incident, he naturally stayed to accompany Du Shiniang.
At the same time, he was also considering whether to really arrange the two women together.
This way, he could better take care of both, and at the same time, prevent the two women from being too lonely.
When he went out in the evening, Cao Weida took some effort.
It wasn’t that he encountered any difficulties, but after the fright during the day, Du Shiniang seemed to lack a sense of safety at night. Even after falling asleep, her arms tightly hugged Cao Weida and wouldn’t let go. He took quite some effort to carefully pry them off.
Half an hour later, gunfire suddenly erupted in the distance, mixed with the firing sounds of automatic rifles.
From the sound, it should be in the direction of a sentry post.
Another half hour later, Cao Weida, reeking of gunpowder, flipped over the wall into the courtyard.
After putting all the clothes into the space, he fetched some cold water to wipe his body.
It was thanks to his robust vitality and abundant yang energy; otherwise, this spring night’s chill might have provoked a cold.
After confirming there was no smell on his body, he quietly pushed open the door and slipped inside.
He embraced the warm, soft body in his arms, and after having just had his fun, his heart began to itch again.
“Mm-hmm~~”
Du Shiniang let out a seductive hum from her nasal cavity that stirred the imagination. She woke up in a daze, then was forced to lose herself in the surging waves.
“Master~~ Slow down a bit.”
The next day, unusually, he wasn’t woken by special service. Du Shiniang was lying limp and weak on the bed, deep in sleep.
Cao Weida, on the other hand, felt refreshed. After washing up, he went to the police station to report for duty, only to be pulled aside by Duomen.
“Man, did you hear? Last night, the Guang’anmen checkpoint was attacked. Oh man, it was brutal—ten or so little devils died!”
“Real or fake? That explosive?” Cao Weida pretended to have just learned about it and said in surprise: “Ten or so little devils dead? Are the anti-Japanese elements this rampant?”
“Who says otherwise.” He looked around and whispered: “I heard it was just one person, using a rifle that can fire continuously. One guy took out ten or so little devils. A real hero!”
Cao Weida’s heart skipped a beat: “Master Duo, your news is so well-informed? You even know this?”
“Hey, I’m not bragging to you, but your Master Duo here doesn’t have many other skills, but when it comes to connections, there’s hardly anyone in Beiping City I don’t know.”
Cao Weida believed that. Duomen was a nice guy, but not a soft-hearted pushover. He could chat with anyone, and everyone would give him some face.
The various social strata in the underworld were always well-informed, but when it came to being well-informed, few could match Master Duo.
Even if not personally well-informed, he could find well-informed channels.
“I know someone who lives near Guang’anmen. He told me that he got up at night to pee and personally saw that guy killing the little devils.”
“Although it was dark and the guy was masked, he saw it clearly—just one person, who mowed down the little devils’ checkpoint entirely.”
“But that gun sounded familiar, just like the one in the shooting at the Yangzi Dance Hall entrance before. I reckon it was that same guy.”
“Just don’t know if it was the Communist Party or the Kuomintang who did it.”
Cao Weida said: “Couldn’t it just be a lone wolf?”
“Not impossible. Maybe it really was a fierce dragon crossing the river.” Duomen nodded solemnly.
“The Communist Party is always poor. I’ve never even seen that kind of automatic rifle. I doubt they can afford it.”
“If it was the Kuomintang, that shouldn’t be possible either. With their leader’s love for the spotlight, if they did something this big, they’d have publicized it far and wide by now.”
Cao Weida couldn’t help laughing. That really was something the baldhead loved to do. Put nicely, it was igniting anti-Japanese fervor; put harshly, it was just showing off.
“Today, we’ll probably have to impose martial law again. Maybe even cooperate in searches. Just don’t know how many days of martial law this time.” Duomen shook his head. Beiping had never had a moment’s peace—assassinations and shootouts happened repeatedly, and whenever something like this occurred, there was almost always martial law. He was used to it.
At the beginning, some reckless patrolmen did conduct serious searches and even found some clues.
Then most of them were taken out by the anti-Japanese elements who caught on.
Later, everyone got smart. When something like this happened, they slacked off as much as possible. With just that bit of monthly pay, still working for the little devils—what was the point of risking their lives?
“Whatever. This matter doesn’t have much to do with us patrolmen. The Japanese garrison and Military Police should have the headaches. If they want us to cooperate, we cooperate.”
Cao Weida didn’t mind at all. On the contrary, he could use this opportunity to deal with those punks who thought they had backing and didn’t respect him.
He had memorized the stroke counts of their names in his mind.
Sure enough, soon Xu Hancheng announced assembly. This time, it wasn’t even hosted by that Xiao Tian little devil, but by Ono Shiota.
Hmm. All from the Tian generation, more or less.
On the platform, Xu Hancheng started painting a big pie. Pfft, promising prospects—whoever caught last night’s culprit would get promoted three levels! Reward of one thousand silver dollars!!
Even just providing clues would get fifty silver dollars and a one-level promotion!
Clearly, the little devils had been truly enraged by the recent spate of assassinations, offering rewards that were quite generous.
But unfortunately, the men below weren’t too interested in promotions like three levels up, and they knew better than to dream about a thousand silver dollars.
Could they, a bunch of patrolmen armed with clubs, afford to provoke the kind of fierce guy who directly attacked a checkpoint?
Were they suicidal?
As for clues, leave it to fate. Best if they got some, no big deal if not—going with the flow.
But they were very interested in using the opportunity to extort. These times were usually great chances for them to make a windfall.
As patrol captain, Cao Weida and Duomen naturally didn’t have to stand dumbly in the center with the patrolmen, but stood at the edge of the group.
Cao Weida nudged Duomen: “Master Duo, don’t you have info? Fifty silver dollars and a promotion! Don’t you know something? Why not give it a try?”
Duomen rolled his eyes: “Give me a break. I wouldn’t do something as shameless as that.”
He was, after all, a proper Beiping man. Working the job was out of necessity for a living, but selling out a hero for a promotion? He wouldn’t do it.
“You talk as if you have a son. If you want one, hurry up and marry a woman.” Cao Weida chuckled slyly, making Duomen’s eyes roll so hard the whites nearly took over his whole eye sockets.
“Keep showing off, kid. So what if you married two concubines? If Master Duo here weren’t so proud, I could have enough kids to form a whole police squad, believe it or not?”
“I believe it!” Like hell!
Anyone can brag. Who knew Master Duo liked this too!
The two muttered and teased each other below while Xu Hancheng finally finished painting his big pie up top.
After dispersing the group, Xu Hancheng came over and nudged Cao Weida: “Cao’er, Officer Ono wants you.”
“I’ll go right now. I have something to discuss with Officer Ono too.”
After entering Ono Shiota’s office, Cao Weida closed the door and said solemnly: “Ono-kun, I have something to report to you.”
Ono Shiota was just about to say something when he saw Cao Weida’s serious expression and thought it was business-related, so he immediately asked: “Cao Sang, what happened? Tell me. If we can help, we certainly won’t hold back!”
Cao Weida remained as solemn as before and said straightforwardly: “Ono-kun, yesterday afternoon, a Navy man named Meize Heiba came to my house.”
“What?! Meize Heiba?!” Ono Shiota abruptly stood up, frowning as he left his desk. He pointed to the sofa: “Sit. Tell me in detail. He didn’t do anything to you, did he?”
There’s a saying: the one who knows you best isn’t yourself, but your enemy!
The Army and Navy had always been at odds. How could they not study each other?
Especially since both were on this land in Beiping.
They had dossiers on each other’s high-level officials and generals, stuffed full in their file cabinets.
Thus, he naturally knew who Meize Heiba was.
Ono Shiota knew he was a dangerous figure—not only did he hold considerable power, but he was also ruthless and vicious, most fond of harming others without benefiting himself.
His gaze held scrutiny, and also some relief.
Anyone well-informed knew the conflict between their Army and the Navy had reached an irreconcilable point.
He believed Cao Weida absolutely knew that.
The Navy suddenly approaching Cao Weida couldn’t be without purpose—that was the reason for his scrutiny.
The relief came from Cao Weida telling him unreservedly right away.
What did that mean?
It meant Cao Weida’s loyalty to him, to the Army, was rock-solid!
His heart was now filled more with urgency and wariness, but also relief. If they had quietly assassinated Cao Weida, he’d really be screwed.
Fortunately, Meize Heiba hadn’t done so, meaning they wanted Cao Weida to do something for them, or simply to use him!
What he needed to do next, and with what attitude, would depend on what Cao Weida said next.
“Yes, Ono-kun. Here’s what happened: they grabbed my concubine and made me—”
Cao Weida recounted the first half of yesterday afternoon’s events.
“That’s exactly the kind of thing that Navy bunch, especially Meize Heiba, would do!” Ono Shiota sneered. “Damn Navy, if they can’t have it good, they want us to suffer too! A pack of mad dogs, beasts!”
“.” Cao Weida chuckled inwardly. As if you’re so innocent. Wasn’t it you who started this? What, you state officials can set fires, but the people can’t light lamps?
