Chapter 72: Loyalty Worth a Thousand Gold

Coming out of the state‑run hotel, the mule‑drawn cart swayed slowly.

Zhao Tiezhu, Liu Fugui, and Zhao Qiang—three of them—sat in the cart bed, as if they were dreaming.

"My mother, Brother Lu Qingshan…"

Zhao Tiezhu touched the back of his head, his mouth half open, not closing for a long while.

"That… that much money, in this life, even in the next life… I've never seen so much money!"

His eyes bulged round, as if the Great Unity were still swirling before him.

Liu Fugui also looked absent‑minded, nodding vigorously.

"Yes… yes, Brother Lu, you… you're just… too divine!"

"That… that Director Zhang, toward you… that's what you'd call… a warm intimacy!"

He tried to mimic Zhang Jianguo's enthusiastic manner, but his limbs were somewhat uncooperative.

Li Laonian sat at the front driving the cart, a grin at his mouth, occasionally glancing back at Lu Qingshan, his eyes full of admiration.

Lu Qingshan's face remained calm, but his mind was already plotting the next matter.

He said to Li Laonian, "Uncle Laonian, could you please, we won't return to the village first; let's drive to the public security bureau's family compound."

"I need to find someone, there's something to discuss."

Li Laonian let out a "hey" and flicked the whip in the air, producing a Handcrafted Flower.

The mule obeyed with a snort, its hooves clattering "dadada", turning direction toward the other side of the county town.

The public security bureau's family compound consisted of several rows of aged red‑brick buildings, the wall plaster faintly yellowed, exuding an indescribable solemnity.

Following the address given by Zhang Jianguo, Lu Qingshan found Chen Zhiguo's house.

He told Zhao Tiezhu and Liu Fugui to wait on the cart downstairs, while he carried a cloth sack up the stairs.

Inside the sack were a smoked wild chicken and a smoked hazelnut chicken he had specially prepared, both crafted by Lin Yue'e, their aroma piercing through the cloth.

He knocked lightly on the door.

"Creak—"

The door opened, revealing a sharply angular face—it was Chen Zhiguo.

He wore a half‑worn gray cotton coat, his eyes as sharp as an eagle's.

Seeing Lu Qingshan, a flash of surprise crossed his eyes.

"Brother Chen, Happy New Year."

Lu Qingshan, neither obsequious nor arrogant, handed over the cloth sack.

"Sorry for the intrusion, I came especially to pay you a belated New Year greeting."

Chen Zhiguo's gaze lingered on Lu Qingshan and the sack in his hand, then he stepped aside.

"Come in."

The interior was simply furnished: an old desk, a few wooden chairs, and a calligraphic sign on the wall reading "Serve the People", fitting the owner's status.

The air carried a faint tobacco scent and a barely perceptible ink smell.

"Sit," Chen Zhiguo gestured to the chair, then sat behind the desk, his gaze calmly fixed on Lu Qingshan.

"Captain Chen, last time I had that little matter with Ma Liu in the village, thank you for handling it impartially," Lu Qingshan first expressed his gratitude.

Chen Zhiguo waved his hand, his tone even.

"It's my duty, no need for thanks. You've helped me too; we're good friends."

He lifted the enamel jar on the desk, took a sip of water, and set it down.

"You're not here just to pay New Year greetings, are you?"

Lu Qingshan nodded, his expression turning serious.

"Brother Chen, to be frank, our Shanwan village is remote, with little land and many people; the villagers live a tight‑knotted life."

"This time we went into the mountains and caught some game, hoping everyone can have a good New Year."

"But the mountains are too dangerous; that black bear last time, you know, almost caused a big incident."

He paused, looking into Chen Zhiguo's eyes, his tone sincere.

"So I'd like to ask, can I, on behalf of the village, apply for a hunting permit and a gun license? If possible, it would be even better to get a semi‑automatic Hunting Rifle as well; we'll cover the cost ourselves."

"With such gear, everyone entering the mountains will have more protection, not having to risk their lives fighting beasts each time."

Chen Zhiguo's eyebrows twitched slightly, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the old tabletop.

The atmosphere in the room seemed to freeze for a moment.

Lu Qingshan could feel Chen Zhiguo's emotions fluctuating subtly, as if he were rapidly weighing something.

After a while, Chen Zhiguo finally spoke slowly, his voice low.

"Regarding the hunting permit, according to regulations, your village collective can indeed apply."

"As for guns... gun control is now extremely strict; it's not that easy to obtain."

His gaze was sharp, as if trying to see through Lu Qingshan's heart.

"You want guns merely for hunting and self‑defense, or do you have other intentions?"

"That is absolutely out of the question!" Lu Qingshan met his gaze, his tone resolute.

"The people of Shanwan village, generation after generation, are honest farmers and hunters; we only want to live peacefully and fill our bellies."

"Guns are for protecting ourselves and for catching more game, so that the young and old in the village can have decent meat and fewer starve to death."

"We will never use them for illicit purposes. On that point, I can put my own head—Lu Qingshan's—as a guarantee!"

Chen Zhiguo stared at him for a long time, his gaze seeming able to pierce the heart.

Lu Qingshan could sense his inner struggle, as if recalling something, yet also making a difficult decision.

Finally, Chen Zhiguo let out a soft sigh and nodded.

"This matter, I'll help you report it to the superiors."

"But whether it can be approved in the end, I can't guarantee it. Everything must follow the rules and regulations."

Lu Qingshan felt a sigh of relief, a hint of joy appearing on his face, and he hurriedly gave his thanks.

"Thank you, Brother Chen! As long as we can handle it according to the rules, we'll be satisfied!"

He could sense that Chen Zhiguo's words carried a genuine sincerity.

Then, Lu Qingshan seemed to bring it up unintentionally.

"Captain Chen, besides these wild delicacies, we can sometimes obtain some scattered mountain goods, like medicinal herbs, mountain mushrooms, and the like."

"The quantities are small, not enough for a scale; I wonder if there's anywhere in the county where we could exchange them for a bit of pocket money to supplement household expenses?"

Chen Zhiguo heard this and his expression immediately turned serious, his gaze becoming sharp.

"Brother Qing Shan, I must advise you: don't entertain those crooked ideas!"

"Both the city and the county are cracking down heavily on speculation, profiteering, and Black Market trades now!"

"If you're caught, the consequences are unimaginable! You've finally managed to earn an honest living with the villagers; don't ruin yourself over a trivial profit!"

Lu Qingshan felt a chill in his heart and quickly responded: "Captain Chen, the lesson is that I'm just asking casually, inquiring, and I would never dare act recklessly."

Chen Zhiguo stared at him, seemingly judging the truthfulness of his words.

After a moment, his tone softened slightly, yet still carried an unmistakable warning.

"In the county town, the overt Black Market has long been shut down."

"As for those hidden little dealings in the back alleys, the risk is too high and not worth touching."

"Hunting modestly and selling through proper channels is the long‑term strategy."

Lu Qingshan caught a hint of information from Chen Zhiguo's words.

"Perhaps the county town has no Black Market, but in relatively remote townships there are still some less 'legitimate' trading channels, such as the Black Market in Wan Gou Zhen, which may not have been targeted for cleanup."

"But as Chen Zhiguo said, the risk is enormous, and the resources required for crackdown are too great."

"It seems this route still has possibilities, and in my impression, after future policy relaxations in the county, there will still be great opportunities for wealth."

Chen Zhiguo picked up the cloth sack Lu Qingshan had brought, weighed it, then patted Lu Qingshan's shoulder, lowering his voice a bit.

"Brother Qing Shan, you don't need to be so courteous. You're a capable person and also a sensible one."

"In the future, if there's anything you need help with, as long as it doesn't violate principles or discipline, feel free to ask."

"I, Chen Zhiguo, will do my utmost to help wherever I can."

These words carried considerable weight.

After a few more sentences, Lu Qingshan stood up to take his leave.

Chen Zhiguo escorted him to the doorway; at parting, his gaze was complicated as he looked at him once and said in a deep voice,

"Lu Qingshan, work hard."

"Don't betray the villagers' trust, and don't go down the wrong path."

"I've noted that, Captain Chen," Lu Qingshan solemnly nodded.

Back on the mule cart, Zhao Tiezhu and Liu Fugui, seeing Lu Qingshan emerge unharmed, all breathed a sigh of relief together.

They had been waiting downstairs, their hearts in their throats, constantly feeling that a place like the Public Security Bureau exuded an authority that made people dare not breathe loudly.

"Brother Qing Shan, that… that senior public security officer, he didn't… didn't give you any trouble, right?" Liu Fugui lowered his voice, asking nervously.

"It's fine, Captain Chen is a good person," Lu Qingshan smiled, saying little more.

The mule cart clattered "de de de" as it sped out of the county town, heading toward Shanwan Village.

The setting sun stretched the shadows of the party far, far long.