Chapter 67: Serving Time in the Great Prison

"Who dares to barge in!"

The old servant at the entrance came forward to meet them.

"Police!"

Li Ya shoved him aside and walked straight up to Zhu Jiu and the other two: "Ladies, have you been to the Xuanji Pharmacy to buy medicine?"

"Yes."

"Who is Mrs. Qin?"

"It is me." Mei Qiuju stood up; that was the alias she used.

"You are Miss Hu."

"And you are Ms. Zhang?"

Li Ya questioned them one by one according to the physical descriptions recorded on his list.

"So what if we are? Is buying medicine against the law?" Zhu Jiu said, displeased.

"If you are, then that's it. Take them away." Li Ya waved his hand.

"Presumptuous! Do you know where this is?" Zhu Jiu stood up and scolded sharply.

"Heh, I don't care where this is.

"In Jinmen, Station Chief Wu calls the shots!

"Station Chief Wu has ordered that you are suspected of colluding with the Reds.

"Seize them!"

With a loud shout from Li Ya, several policemen stepped forward and forcibly restrained the three women.

"Colluding with the Reds?

"Do you know what you are saying?

"Do you know who she is?"

Zhu Jiu was so angry her whole body trembled as she questioned them repeatedly.

She had wanted to bring up Hu Die.

But then she thought, Hu Die had come to Jinmen in secret; if she were on some other important mission, it shouldn't be publicized.

So she cast her gaze toward Sister Mei instead:

"She is the wife of your Station Chief Wu."

"Mrs. Wu?"

Li Ya was stunned for a moment, then gave a dry laugh:

"If you are the Station Chief's wife, then you must cooperate with our work even more.

"My apologies, but this is official business.

"The three of you, come with me."

He didn't know any Station Chief's wife.

He only knew that Huang Zhong was the boss, and if this job was done well, there would be a big reward.

"Sister Mei, what on earth is Wu Jingzhong playing at?" Hu Die's beautiful face tightened, extremely displeased.

"Miss Hu, Jiu'er, it's fine. There must be some misunderstanding somewhere.

"It's alright, let's just go and see."

Mei Qiuju was very sensible; fearing she might delay Old Wu's important affairs, she quickly forced a smile to smooth things over.

The three had no choice but to follow the police into the car.

"Inspector, the people have been caught." Li Ya leaned in close to the car window.

Huang Zhong pondered for a few seconds:

"Go inside and search. Take everyone away; not a single person is to be left behind."

Li Ya led his men in to charge again.

They detained the servants and the cook who were just about to make a phone call to tip someone off.

……

Shuitun Prison.

Huang Zhong escorted the people through the West Gate directly into the Second Prison.

Liao Sanmin, having received the notification, had been waiting for a long time.

"Officer Liao, where is Warden Song?" Huang Zhong asked.

"He went to the 94th Army headquarters for a meeting.

"If you have business, just leave it to me."

Liao Sanmin said, hands in his pockets, strictly following protocol.

There was little work at the prison.

Song Mingjie was a carefree man who spent most of his time playing mahjong with women at the Military Dependents' Association.

Therefore, the prison work was usually handled by Liao Sanmin on his behalf.

"Special detention," Huang Zhong said in a low voice.

"Put the others in one cell.

"These three go to Cell No. 8.

"Without my instructions, don't touch them—not even a single hair.

"Otherwise, I'll crush your balls."

Liao Sanmin coldly instructed the bearded head jailer under his command.

"Third Brother, don't you worry. I've been with you for so long, I've got that much sense."

The bearded man glanced at the three women and nodded in acknowledgment.

"Call your superior here; I want to see him.

"I am the wife of Wu Taixun.

"And this is the wife of your Station Chief Wu.

"……"

Zhu Jiu hadn't expected to be thrown straight into prison, so she put on her airs as a lady.

"Get in and stay there."

The burly prison guards didn't care; they pushed the three of them inside.

With a look from Liao Sanmin, Huang Zhong followed him to the backyard.

"Old Huang, what's going on?

"If even a single hair is missing from these three, we'll both lose our heads."

With no outsiders around, Liao Sanmin asked with a frown.

As an old hand in the underground, he had specifically collected intelligence on the famous ladies of Jinmen, so he naturally recognized them.

Especially Hu Die.

A major movie star and the mistress of the "Great Demon King" Dai Li.

Huang Zhong was undoubtedly playing with fire and courting death.

"Brother Sanmin, I don't know either. Wu Jingzhong and Ma Kui are the ones who told me to make the arrests.

"I'm just following the list.

"Do a brother a favor—let them suffer through the night, just scare them a little," Huang Zhong said, pulling out a roll of US dollars and pleading.

The more miserable these three were, the angrier Dai Li would be.

When that time came, Wu Jingzhong would be under immense pressure and would naturally have to release Shopkeeper Qiu.

"No need to make them suffer.

"The rats and cockroaches in Cell No. 8 will be enough for them."

Liao Sanmin took the money and tucked it into his pocket.

An hour ago, he had received news.

Shopkeeper Qiu had been arrested.

Yu Zecheng was suspected and detained.

Ma Kui was making arrests in broad daylight; such news was not hard to obtain.

The entire underground transport line was in jeopardy, and Liao Sanmin had been agonizing over how to rescue them when Huang Zhong pulled this stunt.

He suspected Huang Zhong was a Red.

Of course, without confirmation from Shopkeeper Qiu, he couldn't ask that out loud.

If he were wrong, he would be ruined.

Just by glancing at the three women, he roughly understood Huang Zhong's intention.

Therefore, for the sake of the "money," Liao Sanmin had to give him a hand.

As for Hu Die.

He had to find a way to do her a favor; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to withstand the wrath of Dai Li, and he would end up in terrible trouble himself.

……

Station Chief's office.

Ma Kui strode in: "Station Chief, my men and Li Hanyuan's men have finished the job. Everyone associated with the pharmacy has been arrested and taken to Shuitun Prison."

"When will the interrogation begin?"

"What's the rush? I see quite a few ladies and young misses on the list; tell Song Mingjie to keep a close eye on them."

"Let them stew for a night first."

"Perhaps some of them will reveal their true colors?"

Wu Jingzhong glanced at his watch; it was time to get off work.

There was a pile of antiques waiting to be appraised at home; working overtime was out of the question.

"Station Chief, the arrests were made in the open; if we don't interrogate them overnight, I fear that long delays will lead to trouble..." Ma Kui frowned, unwilling to give up.

"This is the territory of the Party-State."

"Red tickets don't have wings; can they really fly out of the prison?"

Wu Jingzhong glared at him and waved his hand in annoyance, shooing him away.

"Very well."

Ma Kui walked out, looking very displeased.

"Hong Zhiyou, go sit with Director Yu tonight."

"There are quite a few people in the station eyeing his position."

"There have always been plenty of suspicious cases of 'suicide out of fear of punishment' within the Juntong Bureau."

"Since you are colleagues, you must show some consideration."

"The food and the drink—you must personally oversee them."

Wu Jingzhong beckoned Hong Zhiyou to his side and gave him careful instructions.

"Master, you truly are a living Bodhisattva," Hong Zhiyou remarked with flattery.

"I am like a clay Bodhisattva crossing a river; I can barely save myself."

"If he isn't a Red ticket, then everyone will be happy."

"If he is, we will all be sent to our deaths on the spot."

Wu Jingzhong snorted coldly and walked away quickly.

Hong Zhiyou arrived at the interrogation room.

Shopkeeper Qiu was slumped on the electric chair, half-dead.

"Fifth Brother, give him some water," Hong Zhiyou ordered.

Old Five lifted the water ladle and splashed it onto Shopkeeper Qiu's face.

Qiu was parched; he opened his mouth and lunged at it like a mad dog, finally managing to drink a few mouthfuls, and a glimmer of life returned to his bloodshot eyes.

Hong Zhiyou did not say anything more.

There was a monitoring record in the room next to the interrogation room.

At this moment, any single word could invite a fatal disaster.

However, analyzing it based on Shopkeeper Qiu's desire to survive.

This matter was likely not that simple.

He carried a boxed meal to the room next door.

Yu Zecheng was sitting on a chair, hands clasped, lost in thought.

"Eat something."

Hong Zhiyou opened the lunch box.

"Thanks."

Yu Zecheng did not stand on ceremony and began to eat slowly.

"Old Yu, you've really dragged me into a mess."

"The Station Chief has ordered me to watch you, fearing you might 'commit' suicide."

"I have to stay up all night with you tonight."

Hong Zhiyou walked to the chief interrogator's seat, pulled out the chair, propped his feet on the table, and settled into a comfortable sleeping position.

"With Captain Ma here, I'll have to make it up to you sooner or later," Yu Zecheng laughed.

"Have they all been arrested?" he asked.

"Yes, they've been thrown into the Shuitun Prison."

"Eat slowly, I'm going to take a nap."

Hong Zhiyou leaned back and began to doze off.

He was very curious.

What exactly was Shopkeeper Qiu hiding up his sleeve?

This drama was becoming more and more interesting.

(End of chapter)