It’s really lively with one person singing and another taking the stage.
The guests haven’t left yet, and now there’s a raid going on. Isn’t it really ridiculous?
For a moment, the Military Control Commissioner’s Mansion was completely silent, until Old Madam Yuan stood up first and said, “Commander Duan, today is our Yuan family’s happy event. You insisted on choosing today to handle official business. You really don’t take our Yuan family seriously.”
The vegetarian old madam was also a little angry. Madam Yuan stood up with her hands on her hips and said, “That’s right! Commander Duan, our Military Control Commissioner’s title is no lower than yours. It’s not your business!”
Duan Zhanzhou coughed lightly and held up a seizure order. “Apologies, we’re not here on official business today. We’re here to seal the property. Yuan Sen has been suspended from his post. We need to conduct a search, so please step aside.”
Yuan Ye took two steps forward from behind and took a look at what Duan Zhanzhou was holding. The seal was real, not fake at all.
“Commander… this is…”
“I’m sorry, Yuan Ye,” Duan Yelin said, looking him straight in the eye. “All of your father’s crimes are clearly listed there. I can swear with confidence that he’s not being falsely accused. But can you swear with the same certainty that your father is innocent?”
Yuan Ye was choked for a moment. Things took a sudden turn for the worse and changed so quickly that he had no time to calm down.
Seeing the chaos, Gu Fangfei grew increasingly anxious and quickly pleaded, “Commander Duan, today is my wedding with Yuan Ye. Could you possibly postpone the inspection until tomorrow? If not, are you trying to disgrace both our families in front of all of Hezhou City?”
Duan Yelin shook his head: “I can adjust about other matters, but today’s matter has been fully handed over to the new Governor by the cabinet. I can’t make the decision.”
Gu Fangfei looked at Duan Zhanzhou pleadingly, but Duan Zhanzhou’s face was gloomy, and he waved his hand decisively: “Search!”
“You!” Gu Fangfei was a little angry that he was so unkind.
No wonder Duan Zhanzhou is so ruthless—he clearly wanted to strike when no one was prepared. If Yuan Sen had been given even a moment to respond, he would’ve taken steps to wipe out the threat.
A swarm of people burst in, and soon the air was filled with the sounds of smashing, rummaging, and the panicked screams of maids and servants.
All the guests in the courtyard looked at each other and pointed at the Yuan family.
“A happy day turned out like this… tsk, tsk, tsk.”
“It seems that the Military Control Commissioner is also going to fail. We have to stay away.”
“It’s not certain yet. Let’s see the situation first!”
Old Madam Yuan simply closed her eyes and recited Buddhist scriptures. Madam Yuan’s face turned half green and half white, and Yuan Ye and Gu Fangfei also felt very uncomfortable.
Seeing them like this, Duan Yelin’s tone deepened, and he shouted sternly, “Search thoroughly, but keep it clean—no dirty hands or feet! We’re here for a serious investigation. If something turns up, so be it. If not, then let it go! Anyone who dares use this as a chance to steal or intimidate others, report it to me right away—I’ll deal with them on the spot!”
As soon as this order was issued, the noise in the inner courtyard became much quieter.
Yuan Ye knew that Duan Yelin was giving him face, so he whispered to comfort Madam Yuan: “Mom, it’s alright. Commander Duan was indeed here on orders, and he will leave after the investigation.”
But these words did not satisfy her at all. She looked at Yuan Ye distressedly: “Aiya, what’s going on? I’m just angry for you…”
Because they brought many people, the result came out in a short while. Several large boxes of gold and silver dollars were carried out, the lids were opened, and they were displayed in front of them.
Everyone gasped in shock. Heh, damn—an actual gold nugget!
Not only that, each piece of gold was engraved with the seal of the Nationalist Government. Only gold bars deposited in the national treasury had such a mark. In any case, these boxes of things could not have been stored in Yuan Sen’s private residence.
Those who were still on the sidelines at first suddenly all started to become grass on the top of a wall that sways with every wind[mfn]It refers to those who have no opinion of their own[/mfn], and half of them collapse. They all secretly thought that this mountain might be on the verge of collapse.
The Yuan and Gu families were also stunned when they saw it. This was irrefutable evidence. There was nothing to say.
Duan Yelin pointed at those things and said to Yuan Ye, “Do you know these things?”
Yuan Ye shook his head: “I’ve never seen it.”
“I can trust you, but your father has to go with me.”
“Wait a minute!” Madam Yuan snapped, pointing a finger at Duan Yelin. “Everyone knows you and my husband are sworn enemies—you’ve been wishing for his downfall! I’ve never seen any of these things before. You must’ve framed us!”
Duan Yelin didn’t want to talk to such a vixen, but Duan Zhanzhou at the side replied coldly, “We came in through the main gate, carrying all those big boxes—are all the people here blind? Besides, the guards at the Military Control Commissioner’s mansion are so strict not even a fly could sneak in. The doors only opened a crack today. Who could possibly have the means to frame you?”
“I… I won’t waste my words on you. Don’t even think about being so unruly in my house. Our Old Master won’t let you go!”
After talking for a long time, it seemed that something was missing.
Duan Yelin looked around and asked, “Where is Yuan Sen?”
These words seemed to remind everyone that since things had gotten so chaotic ahead of them, why hadn’t the protagonist come out yet?
Even if he was drunk, he must have been too drunk too, right? But they were afraid that’s not the case, maybe he ran away alone?
Just as everyone was wondering, there was a terrified scream from the backyard, and a panicked soldier ran out with a pale face, shouting, “Not, not, not, not good, he’s dead, he’s dead!”
“Speak clearly! Who’s dead?!”
The soldier pointed in the direction of the backyard: “The Military Control Commissioner! The Military Control Commissioner was killed!”
Duan Yelin felt as if three thunderbolts were hitting his head. He grabbed the soldier by the collar and said, “Didn’t I tell you not to do anything? Who did it?”
Duan Zhanzhou was startled at first, then realized, “That’s not right, I didn’t hear any gunshots just now!”
The soldier hurriedly said, “No, it wasn’t us. As soon as we entered the room, we saw blood all over the room…”
Throwing away the soldier, they rushed in. The Yuan family had already arrived when they heard the news.
Everyone was so frightened that their facial features froze!
That room was exactly the same as when Wang Ronghuo died.
The bedsheets and curtains were all stained with blood, and there was a fishy smell from the bed to the bottom of the bed.
Yuan Sen looked like a half-killed fish, extremely miserable, with his head tilted there, motionless.
Madam Yuan only took one look, uttered a cry, and fainted. She was carried away and pressed on her philtrum for a long time before she woke up and cried loudly, “God damn it! Which bastard wants to kill my entire family? He won’t let us live!”
As soon as Old Madam Yuan entered the room, she staggered and almost fell down. With the help of the old momo, she barely walked to the bed. She stretched out her hand to touch the bed, but the person on the bed was full of wounds, and she didn’t know where to start. She could only cry silently.
“My son… my son…”
The white-haired burying the black-haired—a cruel twist of fate. In the end, her angry words became a grim prophecy.
He’s dead, and it was such a cruel death as well. She’s afraid that he will not be able to be reincarnated.
Through her tearful eyes, she saw the golden hairpin that had fallen on the bedside, and she felt as if someone had hit her on the top of her head with a hammer, and the buzzing sound lingered in her ears for a long time.
“Could it be…?”
She picked up the hairpin and looked at it carefully, her eyes widened. She couldn’t help but beat her chest, wringing her hands in pain: “…What a sin! What a sin ah!”
Only Yuan Ye was like a madman, kneeling in front of Yuan Sen’s bed, with an expression of unacceptable shock on his face.
The tree wants to be still, but the wind does not stop, the son wants to take care of his parents, but they are no longer there. His face turned pale, and for a moment he seemed to have lost his soul, unable to hear or see anything.
His overwhelming sorrow momentarily robbed him of words. At home, there were elderly and fragile family members who depended on him, and outside, a storm was brewing that demanded his attention. He couldn’t afford to show his vulnerability right now.
The teeth are clenched tightly together.
He had been feeling a little uneasy all along. He thought he was overthinking, but he never expected that…
He secretly clenched his fists, smashed them hard on the bed, and let out a roar of grief and anger.
Perhaps it was this that caused a slightly different movement on the bed.
Yuan Ye suddenly lifted his head, his eyes wide with disbelief. He reached out, trembling with emotion, and checked under Yuan Sen’s nose. Then, a surge of joy washed over him, as if a dead tree had bloomed again. He shouted desperately to those outside, “Quick! Prepare the car! Get a doctor! Dad is still alive! Hurry!!”
