Chapter 311: Interrogating Cuiping

Nanshan Road.

Wang Cuiping carried her handbag and walked into a tailor shop.

This shop had been around for many years.

Not only was the fabric authentic, but the proprietor's craftsmanship was also superb; the clothes he made were in no way inferior to those from big-name shops, and the prices were cheaper.

"Shopkeeper Liao, my old Yu has lost weight recently."

"When you make the clothes this time, the measurements can be a little smaller."

Wang Cuiping paid the money and said to the bespectacled shopkeeper.

"Mrs. Yu, if you just say it like that, I can't be sure."

"How about you have Mr. Yu stop by when he gets off work so I can take a look? That way I'll have a better idea."

"Otherwise, if I mess it up and have to alter it, wouldn't that be a waste of fabric?" the shopkeeper laughed.

"Alright."

"I'll call him in a bit and have him stop by your place to get measured when he gets off work."

"Shopkeeper, sorry for the trouble."

Wang Cuiping said politely, then turned and left the shop.

To take a shortcut.

She chose a small alleyway she often walked through.

Deep in the alley.

Li Ya rested his hand on his chin and bit his lip, his eyes full of anticipation.

Gao Yuan walked over quickly:

"Captain Li, Wang Cuiping is coming toward the alley."

"Wu Rui isn't there, is she?" Li Ya asked.

"No."

"My men are watching; after she was sent back, Wu Rui hasn't left the station chief's house again," Gao Yuan said.

"Good."

"Move in and make the arrest."

Li Ya lowered his hand and gave the order.

The group quickly laid an ambush on both sides of the alley.

As Wang Cuiping walked over, Gao Yuan and six others rushed out together and surrounded her.

"What are you doing? Trying to learn how to rob people in broad daylight?"

"I've seen you lot before, you're from the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics."

"Trying to rob me? Do you want to die?"

Wang Cuiping stared sharply at the men and scolded them sternly.

"Mrs. Yu, please come with us," Gao Yuan said, stepping forward.

"You say 'come' and I just come?"

"Even your Captain Li has to obediently call me sister-in-law when he sees me."

"Don't go looking for trouble, move aside."

Wang Cuiping reached out to push him away.

Gao Yuan, however, didn't budge, still expressionless as he said:

"Mrs. Yu, we are just doing our jobs; don't make it difficult for us."

"A good dog doesn't block the road, get lost!"

Wang Cuiping was annoyed; she rolled up her sleeves, ready to fight.

"Take her down."

At Gao Yuan's command, the men lunged at her.

"If I don't open your eyes today, you'll think a tiger not showing its might is just a sick cat," Wang Cuiping didn't coddle them.

She delivered a hand-blade strike straight at Gao Yuan's face.

Gao Yuan pretended he couldn't dodge in time and took it right in the neck; he let out a cry and collapsed to the ground.

It was genuinely painful.

His vision went black, he could barely catch his breath, and he nearly passed out on the spot.

Wang Cuiping's skills were not old.

Although she couldn't stretch her legs while wearing a qipao, her arms, which lifted stone locks every day, possessed immense strength that no ordinary person could match.

One could only hear the sharp shouts.

Her fists and palms were like lightning, fierce and fast.

These police academy graduates, trained in military boxing, might be able to fight, but they were no match for a true expert.

Wang Cuiping knocked the men to the ground in a few moves.

And that was only using thirty percent of her strength, without resorting to eye-gouging, groin-kicking, or heavy strikes.

Otherwise, these little brats.

I'm not bragging, killing them would be like child's play.

"Ouch, ouch."

Gao Yuan and the others lay on the ground, groaning.

"You want to play with me? You're too green; go back and practice some more."

Wang Cuiping clapped her hands and prepared to leave.

Li Ya, observing from the shadows, saw the situation was going poorly and led Yu Cheng and Song Fei out quickly from the other side.

"Sister-in-law, what a display of skill."

Li Ya walked up with his hands behind his back and smiled.

"What, does Captain Li want to spar a few rounds too?" Wang Cuiping asked with a smile.

"How could I be your match, sister-in-law?"

"You are, after all, the Mobile Corps Commander captain who kills Japanese soldiers like killing chickens," Li Ya said with a fake smile.

"To tell you the truth, I have indeed slaughtered Japanese soldiers."

"But as for being a Mobile Corps Commander captain, forget it."

"The men in the city don't think much of that," Wang Cuiping said.

"So, you've seen the guerrillas?" Li Ya asked, feigning surprise.

"Stop acting so surprised."

"There are plenty of people fighting the Japanese in the mountains."

"Occasionally, guerrillas pass through to grab a bite or hide from trouble; it's not like I haven't seen them."

"What, is it a crime to have seen guerrillas?"

Wang Cuiping said nonchalantly.

Her hometown in Yixian had long been an active area for the Red Party.

To say she had never seen them would be unrealistic.

"Not necessarily."

"It's not a crime for others to have seen them."

"But you are the Mobile Corps Commander captain Chen Taohua, the person in charge of the Red Party's township militia."

"Your younger sister, Chen Qiuping, is even a clerk for the Red Party's border security department."

"Sister-in-law, come with me."

"An acquaintance wants to see you!"

Li Ya tilted his head and waved his hand.

"Li Ya."

"I've given you enough face, haven't I? Don't you dare keep pushing it."

"You want to take me away."

"Fine, give it a try."

Wang Cuiping raised her hands and took a stance.

"Don't be like that."

"Sister-in-law, you are a nominal disciple of Master Sun Lutang; I wouldn't dare lay a hand on you even if I had a hundred guts—wouldn't that be asking for death?"

"However, I don't know if your fists are faster, or my gun."

Li Ya wasn't stupid; he pulled his service pistol directly from his waist.

At the same time, he tilted his head.

The other subordinates also drew their guns and aimed them at Wang Cuiping.

"What, no martial virtue? Can't win, so you resort to guns?" Wang Cuiping said resentfully.

"My apologies."

"Mrs. Yu, let's go."

Li Ya sneered.

"If I don't agree, do you dare to beat me to death?" Cuiping said crossly.

"You can try," Li Ya said.

"You know that if I didn't have evidence, I wouldn't have come to invite you.

"If you resist arrest, beating you to death is just that—beating you to death.

"Even your Old Yu can't do anything to me.

"Don't joke with your life, let's go."

Li Ya flipped the safety catch and hooked his finger onto the trigger.

"Fine, you're ruthless.

"I'd like to see what kind of tricks you're playing."

Cuiping relaxed her fist and said, completely unafraid.

"I just like this straightforward spirit of yours, sister-in-law; the car is outside, let's go."

Li Ya was overjoyed and waved his hand.

Several action team members surrounded Cuiping and walked toward the outside.

As long as Cuiping got into the car, even if she were the reincarnation of Mu Guiying or Sun Erniang, Li Ya could still strip a layer of skin off her; he wasn't afraid she wouldn't confess.

Once they were out of the alley, Li Ya was just about to push Cuiping into the car.

A surprised voice came to his ears:

"Cuiping?"

Li Ya turned his head to look and saw the Station Master's wife, Mei Qiuju, and Lu Qiaoshan's wife, Li Guifen, not far away.

"Damn it!"

He cursed under his breath.

"Madam, sister-in-law, why have you come here?" Li Ya greeted them.

"Guifen and I came over to buy some cloth.

"Cuiping, this, what is going on here? Why are you all bruised and swollen?"

Mei Qiuju pointed at the action team members who had been beaten.

Li Ya pursed his cheeks and guiltily turned his head to look the other way.

"Sister Mei.

"It's nothing, Captain Li is looking for me for some official business, I'll be back after answering a few questions," Cuiping said with a smile.

"Official business, huh.

"Alright then, we won't disturb you.

"Li Ya, once you're done asking, hurry up and let Cuiping come back; Guifen and I are still waiting for her to play mahjong."

Mei Qiuju said with a smile.

"Don't worry, Madam," Li Ya said with a smiling bow.

"Cuiping, we'll be waiting for you."

Li Guifen waved her hand and walked away quickly with Mei Qiuju.

"Mrs. Yu, get in the car," Li Ya said, gesturing with his hand.

Cuiping knew that this matter was settled.

She ducked into the car.

Li Ya tossed his head, and two armed team members followed into the car, one on the left and one on the right, sandwiching Cuiping in the middle.

"Captain.

"What do we do, are we still taking her to the small room?" Gao Yuan asked.

"Take her my ass.

"If the Station Master's wife and Mrs. Lu saw it, with their mouths, they'd have the whole world knowing about it.

"I must have had the worst luck in eight lifetimes, the timing is just too perfect."

Li Ya punched the car body, extremely annoyed.

"Then... then what do we do?

"We've already caught her; if we don't interrogate her, she'll definitely run away overnight, and it'll be hard to find her again."

Gao Yuan twisted his still-aching neck, baring his teeth and hissing as he spoke.

"That's right.

"If a secret interrogation won't work, then we'll have to do it openly.

"It's fine, I have evidence.

"She can't deny it.

"Take her back to the station!

"I don't believe I can't handle her."

Li Ya waved his hand and ordered.

They arrived at the station.

He took Cuiping directly into the interrogation room.

"Baoxing, don't say anything, start the torture first," Li Ya ordered.

"Let's see who dares.

"Li Ya, if you dare to torture me without cause, see if Old Yu doesn't slaughter you!"

Cuiping shouted.

Then, she glared around at the several interrogators:

"Open your dog eyes wide, just try touching me once."

Lu Baoxing wasn't stupid.

Interrogators had rules: as long as it was an order from a superior, especially the Station Master, one wasn't allowed to blink an eye even if they were interrogating their own father.

But after Old Five died, everyone knew what was up.

The times had changed.

Boss Dai had passed on, and the old rules had to be changed.

Now it was a society of human connections; cruel officials no longer had room to survive, and if you weren't smart, you'd get a knife in the back sooner or later.

"Captain Li, this is a family member of the Secret Service Bureau.

"Why don't you ask the Station Master for instructions?"

Lu Baoxing wasn't worried about Yu Zecheng, but this family was very close to Secretary Hong.

He had a good relationship with Secretary Hong privately and had received many favors.

To start torturing someone for no reason was clearly settling a personal vendetta under the guise of official business.

If he did it himself, wouldn't he be used as a tool? Was he stupid?

"Is this how your interrogation room handles things now?

"When Ma Kui was here, he could even drag people from the Municipal Senate in for interrogation; why don't Old Five's rules work when it comes to you?"

Li Ya glared at him with great dissatisfaction.

"An interrogator's first priority is loyalty to the leader and loyalty to their superiors; that was also the rule set by Boss Dai.

"This is Director Yu's wife.

"Without an order signed by the Station Master, this subordinate truly does not dare to use torture.

"You should ask the Station Master for instructions; don't make things difficult for this subordinate."

Lu Baoxing bowed and apologized with a smile.

"Baoxing.

"You'd better pray that the Station Master can keep his job for a lifetime."

Li Ya patted his shoulder, snorted coldly, and walked out.

Lu Baoxing shrugged speechlessly.

If the Station Master stopped working.

He would just go be a bodyguard or a gatekeeper for Hong Zhiyou.

Damn it, I'm not going to look at your face, so what?

You dog!

He cursed under his breath, raised his hand to signal the other two interrogators to leave, and then, changing from his cold, bloodthirsty demeanor, walked up to Cuiping with a smile.

"What are you looking at?" Cuiping glared at him.

"Senior Sister, would you like some water?" Lu Baoxing asked.

"Who is your Senior Sister? Who are you trying to get familiar with?" Cuiping said crossly.

She had no fondness for these executioners with blood-stained hands and wished she could skin these bastards alive.

"I saw Secretary Hong call you that on the street last time," he whispered.

"Just because Secretary Hong can call me that, you can too?" Cuiping said.

"I... Secretary Hong and I are not outsiders; just treat this like your own home. Don't worry, if we really have to use torture, I guarantee you'll only suffer superficial wounds and won't break any bones.

"It's a technique personally passed down by Old Five."

He whispered.

Wang Cuiping squinted at him, curled her lip, and ignored him.

……

Deputy Station Chief's office.

Yu Zecheng's dismissal papers had not yet come down, and the sign on the door still hung as Deputy Station Chief.

Lu Qiaoshan curled his lip with a look of disdain and walked in quickly:

"Old Yu, why are you still sitting here?"

"Old Lu, has... has something happened?" Yu Zecheng asked.

"Your wife has been arrested by Li Ya.

"It was just a while ago; your sister-in-law and the Station Chief's wife saw it themselves. My men just saw Li Ya take her into the interrogation room with their own eyes.

"If you don't hurry, with Li Ya's petty character, I'm afraid she's already being shocked by electricity."

Lu Qiaoshan said urgently.

"Ah.

"This Li Ya, what kind of madness is he pulling again?

"Old Lu, thank you.

"I'm going to the interrogation room right now."

Yu Zecheng took a gun from his drawer, loaded it, tucked it into his waistband, and was about to head out.

"Hey, hey.

"What are you doing? Don't be impulsive.

"If you pull that gun, that's one corpse and three lives.

"Calm down first and go find the Station Chief!

"Since this is an official interrogation, for a Lieutenant Colonel's wife, the Station Chief must preside over it for it to count."

Lu Qiaoshan hurriedly grabbed him and walked toward the Station Chief's office.

The two arrived at the Station Chief's office.

Wu Jingzhong was chatting with Hong Zhiyou.

"Station Chief, something big has happened.

"Li Ya has arrested Mrs. Yu and is currently interrogating her in the interrogation room," Lu Qiaoshan reported.

"There's such a thing?" Wu Jingzhong stood up in shock.

"Yes.

"When they made the arrest, your wife and Guifen were right there. They didn't even say a word; seven or eight men just laid hands on Mrs. Yu and forced her into the car," Lu Qiaoshan added fuel to the fire.

"Station Chief, this is too rampant.

"I am, after all, a dignified Lieutenant Colonel of the Party-State, and I haven't even been relieved of my post as Deputy Station Chief yet.

"To arrest someone so brazenly.

"Is there no Party discipline or national law left? Even when the old Juntong Bureau arrested people internally, they weren't this wild."

Yu Zecheng said indignantly, his eyes reddening.

"Zecheng, don't be anxious, I..."

Wu Jingzhong was just about to soothe him when Li Ya walked in.

"Li Ya, you're targeting my wife?"

Yu Zecheng's eyes turned bloodshot in an instant, and he reached for his waistband.

Li Ya's face was as calm as autumn water, his gaze firm and cold:

"Deputy Station Chief Yu, I am dealing with the matter, not the person.

"Jiang Jianfeng has given instructions that internal surveillance must be strengthened during wartime, especially the confidentiality system, which is of the utmost importance.

"Your file has suspicious points.

"So does Wang Cuiping.

"I invited your wife back for a routine investigation and interrogation."

"Don't you dare use a feather as an arrow; is this how you 'invite' someone? Seven or eight grown men bullying one woman.

"You can interrogate her if you want.

"Notify me, do it by the book, and I can bring her to the station myself.

"Was kidnapping necessary?"

Yu Zecheng retorted angrily.

"You've misunderstood.

"We didn't hurt a hair on your wife's head; it was your wife who beat my men.

"Two of them are still lying in the hospital even now."

Li Ya stuck his hand in his pocket and snorted coldly.

"Enough.

"Li Ya, I have emphasized repeatedly that internal review and investigation are necessary, but the prerequisite for arresting someone for interrogation is ironclad evidence.

"Do you have evidence for arresting Mrs. Yu?"

Wu Jingzhong raised a hand to stop their argument.

"Station Chief, of course I have evidence.

"I still know the rules," Li Ya said with a confident smile.

"Hmm.

"Then shall we go to the interrogation room and listen together?" Wu Jingzhong looked at everyone.

"Let's listen," Lu Qiaoshan nodded.

"If the Station Chief personally interrogates, it will naturally be fair and just. I have no objections," Yu Zecheng nodded and said.

The group arrived at the interrogation room together.

Everyone took their seats.

Hong Zhiyou picked up the kettle, poured tea for the Station Chief, Lu Qiaoshan, and the others, and only then pulled up a chair to sit next to Old Yu.

"Cuiping, Captain Li says you are a Red-ticket Mobile Corps Commander leader. Are you?" Wu Jingzhong asked.

"Station Chief, don't listen to his mouth spewing dung. He's just jealous that my Old Yu became Deputy Station Chief and wants to take this position.

"If I were a Mobile Corps Commander, I'd be the first to shoot him."

Cuiping pointed at Li Ya and said indignantly.

"Cuiping, don't talk nonsense," Yu Zecheng scolded.

"It's the truth.

"Isn't he just bullying you because you have a good temper?"

Cuiping said with dissatisfaction.

"Alright, Li Ya, where is the evidence that she is a Red-ticket?" Wu Jingzhong asked.

"Station Chief, this is the intelligence I collected.

"This was dug up from Ansai by the traitor Han Jien from Yancheng; it has the signatures and seals of the high-level Border Defense Bureau on it.

"Take a look."

Li Ya handed over the intelligence.

Wu Jingzhong took it, glanced at it, and turned his gaze toward Li Ya.

Li Ya was also looking at him.

The two stared at each other for a second, then Wu Jingzhong calmly handed it to Lu Qiaoshan.

When Li Ya came to report last time, he had said the original was stolen by Xie Ruo.

Xie had not coughed up any solid goods.

The only possibility was that this was forged by someone Li Ya found.

Of course, he had no need to expose it.

Because Li Ya couldn't possibly win anyway; if he didn't expose it, he could still let Li Ya owe him a favor—why not?

Sure enough, Li Ya let out a secret sigh of relief and blinked gratefully.

After reading it, Lu Qiaoshan smiled and said:

"Captain Li, forgive my poor eyesight, but other than the character 'Ping', I haven't found any other text related to the full names of Wang Cuiping or Yu Zecheng."

"Chen Cuiping is Mrs. Yu's younger sister," Li Ya said.

"Originally, the Red-ticket sent her to Jinmen to carry out a secret infiltration mission with Emei Peak, but unfortunately, she had an accident on September 26th, so the Red-ticket had to urgently send Cuiping's older sister—that is, Mrs. Yu—to Jinmen.

"According to the previous confessions of Qiao Sanmei and Duan Guinian, Mrs. Yu was once a Mobile Corps Commander leader in the area of Yixian Weitou Village.

"It was also because the connection between the local county brigade and the Border Defense Bureau was not smooth.

"Mrs. Yu and Deputy Station Chief Yu have many differences in their work philosophies, so the two often argue; they don't look like a normal married couple at all."

He continued.

"Wait, let me interrupt for a moment.

"Did you get it wrong? Even if Emei Peak's wife is a Red-ticket, shouldn't the person you're arresting be Zhou Gendi?

"Emei Peak—there are still fresh flowers laid at the cemetery."

Lu Qiaoshan raised a hand to interrupt Li Ya's deduction.

Li Ya knew that Emei Peak was the difficult point of this case.

He smiled and said:

"It is not Zhou Gendi.

"The codename Emei Peak does not refer to a single person at all; one is the old Emei Peak in Shancheng, and the other is the Emei Peak in Jinmen.

"The headquarters once held a special discussion on this point, and Dai Li had already made this conjecture when he was still here.

"Emei Peak was very active in Shancheng back then.

"Ma Kui was that old Emei of Shancheng, and the one here in Jinmen is..."

Li Ya cleverly bypassed the difficult point and did not continue to dwell on the issue of Emei Peak.

At the same time, he brought up the past deductions of Dai Li to seal the mouths of Lu Qiao and the Station Chief.

He wanted to work backward from Wang Cuiping to Yu Zecheng.

Instead of pointing the finger at Yu Zecheng right away, which would be very passive.

As expected.

Lu Qiao curled his lips and did not argue any further.

In this line of work, Dai Li was an eternal monument.

The person had died.

But the words he spoke remained the truth.

"Captain Li, do you mean that Deputy Station Chief Yu is the other Emei Peak?" Wu Jingzhong asked.

"Station Chief, I do not mean that at this moment.

"I am interrogating Wang Cuiping today.

"I am only discussing her identity and her relationship with Chen Qiuping of the Sixth Section of the Border Defense."

Li Ya said indifferently.

"Chen Qiuping is Chen Qiuping, what does that have to do with me, Wang Cuiping?" Cuiping felt it was laughable.

"Of course it has to do with you.

"She is your sister, after all.

"Everyone, please look at this photograph!"

Li Ya took out the military uniform photo of Chen Qiuping from his pocket and displayed it one by one.

(End of this chapter)