Chapter 152: Mother Xu Is Not Simple

Xiao Erduo hurriedly called over Feng San and whispered instructions: "Go quickly to the Xuanwu Branch Bureau, find Bureau Chief Feng, and tell him something major has happened at the casino. If he doesn't come, the place is going to be smashed!"

Xiao Erduo turned around and apologized with a fawning smile to Battalion Commander Liu: "Officer, it is all because I failed to discipline my subordinates. I admit defeat. You name your price, and I will not haggle."

Battalion Commander Liu shook his head with a cold laugh: "You have already had two people die, and you still don't understand what I mean? Do you think I came here to ask you for money?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Erduo was a bit stunned: "Please, Officer, state your terms clearly. As long as you can spare my younger brother, I will agree to anything."

"The mastermind must die, and those who participated in the robbery must be executed by firing squad!"

Xiao Erduo understood immediately. He walked up to Lian Hu and asked sternly: "Huzi, you must tell me, who instigated you to do this? This is a matter of losing one's head! Speak quickly!"

At this moment, Zhang stepped out, trembling: "It... it was me who suggested this matter to the Second Master. I deserve to die!" After speaking, he began to slap his own face violently.

Xiao Erduo cursed: "Old Dog Zhang, you damn well caused trouble for me just because you lost at gambling. I cannot keep you today!" Having said that, he stepped forward and snapped his neck.

Battalion Commander Liu clapped his hands lightly: "Xiao Erduo, you're something else, finding the mastermind so quickly."

"Officer, I truly did not participate in this matter. If I have told a single lie, may I be struck by lightning."

At this moment, a sedan stopped at the West Gate. Bureau Chief Feng Dabiao of the Xuanwu Branch Bureau stepped out of the car, walked up to Battalion Commander Liu, and said: "I am Feng Dabiao, and I have a very good relationship with Deputy Mayor Tian..."

The two spoke in low voices for a while, seemingly reaching some kind of agreement.

Feng Dabiao walked to Xiao Erduo's side and whispered: "Remember, do not go looking for trouble at He Ji Restaurant in the future! Otherwise, even I cannot protect you. Your brother will not be executed, but he will be sent to Jingshi Prison for a few years."

"Bureau Chief Feng, that is my own brother. Please, show some leniency. I will pay, can you keep him out of prison?"

Bureau Chief Feng shook his head: "There is no room for negotiation on this matter."

Xiao Erduo leaned in close to Battalion Commander Liu again: "I will offer two thousand Big Ocean, will that work?"

Battalion Commander Liu said sternly: "I am not that greedy for money. If I take your money, I would become your subordinate. That is how it will be. If you keep nagging, I will execute your brother on the spot."

Xiao Erduo nodded hurriedly: "Fine... I will listen to you!"

Battalion Commander Liu took Lian Hu away under guard.

Xiao Erduo watched the military vehicle drive away, gritting his teeth as he cursed: "Damn it, what a bunch of bastards using their power to bully others!"

Once the shadow of the car disappeared, he called the bearded man over: "Do you know something?"

The bearded man, Ma Laosi, whispered: "Yesterday, a child of about ten years old came and insisted on seeing you. I didn't know the details, so I introduced him to Zhang. Who would have thought that the child was actually colluding with Zhang to rob the military payroll..."

"A child? Where does he live?" Xiao Erduo pressed.

"This... only the Second Master knows."

In the No. 95 Siheyuan, Xu Damao was eating a frozen persimmon.

Sunlight seeped in from outside the window, shining on his face.

He looked at the light streaming in and muttered to himself: "Dad, it was me who harmed you, but your revenge will be avenged soon..."

As he was speaking, Xu Fugui's wife, Cui Xiu, rushed into the room in a flurry and headed straight for the pickle jar where the money was hidden.

She reached in and felt around, only to find it completely empty. She froze on the spot, tears falling down, and suddenly whipped her head around to glare at Xu Damao: "Did you take the money?"

"I don't even know where the money is. You can't blame me for this; perhaps Dad took it."

Xu's mother did not believe him. She grabbed a feather duster and began to strike this troublesome son of hers indiscriminately.

The "smack-smack" sounds were incessant.

Xu Damao gritted his teeth and endured it—if he hadn't given those forty Big Ocean to Xiao Erduo, he surely would have been tied up himself.

Xu's mother finally stopped and collapsed onto the floor, crying: "What exactly are you trying to do... this is all the money the family has, and your father is gone too. How are we supposed to live like this..."

As she cried, she couldn't catch her breath and fainted.

Xu Damao watched his mother faint and patted her back vigorously; it took a long time before he managed to wake Cui Xiu up.

At this time, Xu Xiaoyun had also returned from outside, carrying Xu Xiaoling.

Cui Xiu looked at Xu Damao and began to use both soft and hard tactics, but no matter what she did, Xu Damao simply would not hand over the money.

Just then, seven or eight men walked into the courtyard, making a loud commotion.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!" A knock on the door sounded. Yan Bugui's voice came from outside: "People from the Xu family, someone is looking for your household."

"Who is it?" Xu Damao asked.

As soon as Cui Xiu opened the door, she saw several fierce-looking men barge in.

The leader was a middle-aged man in his forties with a bulbous nose and a pockmarked face—as ugly as could be. He looked at Yan Bugui, who had led him over, and said: "Brother, thanks. We have some private matters to discuss now, so you can head back first."

Yan Bugui had wanted to take the opportunity to fish for some benefits, but seeing the "keep away" demeanor of this group, he could only offer a sheepish smile and slink away.

The five men swaggered into the room and sat down wherever they pleased.

Xu Xiaoyun was so frightened that she hurriedly grabbed Xu Xiaoling and hid in the inner room, locking the door behind her.

The bulbous-nosed man stared at Cui Xiu with a lecherous look in his eyes and began to introduce himself: "My name is Zhang Shan, and I am Zhang Jin's older brother. These few are all Zhang Jin's younger brothers. We came today for two reasons: first, to get to know the place, and second, to demand an explanation. Your Xu Fugui had my brother go and kidnap his enemy, and as a result, my brother was beaten to death. My brother was bewitched by Xu Fugui and died too unjustly. His three children are still young, and his wife is just a housewife who cannot survive without a man. We all relied on Zhang Jin's protection; now that he is dead, we have all been fired. Coming here today is to demand an explanation."

Cui Xiu was just about to speak, but Xu Damao beat her to it: "If you want money, there is none; if you want my life, I have one."

Zhang Shan raised his hand to strike, but Xu Damao dodged it.

Xu Damao grabbed a pair of scissors from the kang and said: "You came here today just because you saw our family has no men, but I'm telling you, this young master is already a man. I'm not afraid of you!"

Zhang Shan glanced at Cui Xiu, his expression darkening as he said: "Is there still room to talk about today's matter? Must you let a little brat cause such a scene?"

Cui Xiu finally spoke, her tone calm: "Brother Zhang Shan, I must ask: Old Xu never mentioned a kidnapping to me until the day he died. How is it that you know your brother went to do such a thing?"

"This... I heard it from my sister-in-law." Zhang Shan was clearly somewhat flustered.

Having spent many years in the Lou Family, Cui Xiu had seen all kinds of people, and her mind was naturally not simple.

She continued: "A few brothers, I won't hide it from you. Boss Lou has already investigated it clearly for me. Zhang Jin and his two brothers died in the line of duty, and their families have already received compensation. My Old Xu died with them, so he can be considered an informant, right? Since he was an informant, that means Zhang Jin was the one using Xu Fugui, not the other way around. You should be able to understand this logic, right?"

Zhang Shan was, after all, a rough man; arguing logic was not his strong suit, and he immediately became agitated: "You stinking woman, I didn't expect you to be so good with words, turning black into white. If you don't give us money today, we brothers are staying in your house and not leaving!"

Cui Xiu laughed coldly: "If you want to act like rascals, I will go straight to the police station and report you. The bureau has already determined that your brother died in the line of duty, yet you claim he went to kidnap and extort. If you have the ability, keep saying that. I want to see if those two families will come to settle accounts with you, and if the Bureau Chief will come looking for trouble with you."

Zhang Shan was terrified upon hearing this. He had assumed Cui Xiu was just a sheltered housewife and that a few harsh words would scare her into handing over the money obediently; he hadn't expected to get himself tangled up in it. If they really continued to claim his brother died from kidnapping, all of them might end up in trouble.

"No matter what, if you don't pay, we aren't leaving!" The men began to act like rascals.

This was the first time Xu Damao had seen his mother be so tough, and he secretly admired her—in his impression, his mother had always been nothing more than his father's shadow.

Zhang Shan also followed his few younger brothers and began to act shamelessly, "In any case, after Zhang Jin died, we brothers all lost our jobs, so today we are staying at your house!"