Volume 1: Mission in Danger Chapter 80: Siege
Outside the Xie family warehouse, more and more people came and surrounded the entire warehouse tightly.
A group of police officers with knives pushed aside the people who were gathered outside. Two people stood out from the crowd. One was Lao Zhou, the head of the Nanhai County Express Squad, and the other was Lao Feng, the head of the Nanhai County Zhuang Squad.
At this time, in addition to the police officers, there were also people from the Xie and Cai families who had come nearby to call for help, as well as people from various families who had heard the news and came to watch the excitement. Among them were many people from the underworld - there were more than just the Xie family's warehouses nearby - there were hundreds of people in black, so dense that the nearby roads were blocked.
Old Zhou started by shouting, "There are so many people gathered here, trying to make a big show, please disperse."
The Xie family members naturally refused to disperse, and the Cai family members also refused to retreat. They all shouted, "There are robbers who broke into the warehouse! This has not happened in decades! Captain Zhou , Captain Feng, you have to help us."
"Of course I will make the decision," said Feng Dutou, "but what are you doing here? Except for the Xie family's guards, what are the others looking at? Just joining in the fun. Disperse."
So those who did nothing retreated a lot.
Liu Sanye and Ma Dahong were mixed in the crowd. Ma Dahong whispered, "Third Brother?"
Mr. Liu said, "Let's retreat as well and watch the fun. Haha. The Third Young Master of the Wu Family really has a backup plan."
Ma Dahong said: "But what can they do if their people go in? In the current situation, they can't move the things in the warehouse out."
Mr. Liu San said, "Let's wait and see."
The people from the Hongmen and the Coolie Gang also retreated. Outside the tightly closed warehouse door, only people from the Xie and Cai families, as well as the constables and militiamen from Nanhai County were left. The constables were mainly responsible for dealing with petty thieves, while the militiamen were mainly responsible for dealing with civil riots and large groups of robbers. Hundreds of people rushed into the Baoshang warehouse, which had not happened in decades!
Feng Dutou took two steps forward and shouted, "Listen, everyone inside. You have been surrounded. If you don't want to be charged with more crimes, come out and surrender." This was a routine shout, and even he himself did not expect that such a shout would be able to scare out hundreds of bandits.
A small window opened next to the warehouse door, revealing a figure. It was hard to see clearly in the dark, but a young man with a loud voice shouted from inside: "We are not thieves. Please come forward, sir. Our Master Zhou has something to say."
Feng Dutou and Lao Zhou looked at each other, both feeling surprised, wondering if this gang of thugs had a master? Lao Zhou took two steps forward and shouted, "I am the captain of Nanhai County. Who are you and why did you rush into the Xie family's warehouse and do such atrocities?"
Then I heard the figure in the window answer: "Captain Zhou, long time no see."
Old Zhou was surprised to find the voice familiar. After thinking about it, he exclaimed, "You are Master Zhou!"
Feng Dutou asked, "Old Zhou, do you recognize the bandit leader?"
"This, this..." Old Zhou shouted at the window: "Master Zhou, how could you do such a thing? You are pushing the Wu family into the fire pit."
"Wu family? What Wu family?" Captain Feng remembered something: "Old Zhou, the bandits inside are from the Wu family of Yihexing, right?"
Zhou Yijin from the window said, "Yes, we are from the Wu family of Yihexing, but we are not bandits. We are here to steal the stolen goods."
When Feng Dutou heard this, he rushed forward a few steps and shouted, "On whose orders are you taking up the stolen goods?" Since he is a member of the Wu family, he is not afraid of the other party's sneak attack.
Zhou Yijin said, "The Guangdong Customs Supervisory Office has just found out that the batch of tea that our Wu family lost in Huizhou was stolen by the Xie family of Hongtaixing. The Xie family was a guarantor, but they did the thieves who robbed their peers of tea. Now we have found the batch of tea in the warehouse, and we have caught the thieves red-handed. We came here on the orders of Master Jishan to catch the thieves and steal the stolen goods."
Old Zhou was relieved after hearing this. Gathering hundreds of people to rob the suburbs of the provincial capital was a serious act , and if the Wu family got involved, they would be ruined, or even beheaded.
But if it was under the order of Master Jishan, then there would be no problem - Wu and Xie were both merchants under insurance, and it was the Guangdong Customs' responsibility to be in charge. The conflict between the two families involved overseas goods, and the location was the merchant's warehouse. If the Wu family had Master Jishan's order, then as long as no one was killed, Nanhai County would not care - if Jishan acted a little more assertive, even if someone was killed, Nanhai County would not even be able to do anything.
But Feng Dutou suddenly shouted, "What do you mean stolen goods? This is the Xie family's warehouse. There's nothing strange about some tea leaves. It's not stolen goods just because you say it is stolen goods. Master Jishan's warrant? Where's the warrant? I think you should come out first. We will investigate everything and give you justice."
After hearing this, Old Zhou glanced at Feng Du.
The incident of the Wu family losing tea is now known throughout Nanhai County. The Xie and Wu families have conflicts of interest, so when Zhou Yijin said that the stolen tea was found in the warehouse, Old Zhou believed it at once - this is how a normal person thinks. Captain Feng hasn't even entered the warehouse or seen the tea, but he is trying his best to clear the name of the Xie family and even forced them to reveal the warrant. If Old Zhou still hasn't figured out the collusion, then his twenty years as a detective would have been in vain!
Then he heard Zhou Yijin laughing from inside the window: "It turns out that Feng Dutou is the accomplice in Nanhai County. Very good, very good."
Feng Dutou's expression changed slightly, and he shouted, "What nonsense are you talking about!"
Zhou Yijin said calmly, "The Xie family colluded with Duan Longjiang in Huizhou and bribed Hu Pulin on the way. But in order to transport the tea here without anyone noticing, we still need someone in Nanhai County to pick it up. We originally suspected that it was a brother from the underworld, but unexpectedly it turned out to be the head of the government office."
Feng Dutou said angrily: "Don't slander me here without any evidence!"
Zhou Yijin said calmly: "It's not easy to get evidence. But I won't argue with you now. When the time comes, everyone who should speak will speak."
After saying this, the small window closed.
Feng Du's face was limp, and he said to Lao Zhou, "Lao Zhou, don't listen to his nonsense."
Old Zhou said coldly, "I, the constable in charge of criminal cases in this county, didn't fully understand what Master Zhou just said. But you, a militia captain who has never seen the file of the missing tea case, understood it all at once. Tell me, who should I believe?"
Feng Du's face flushed red, and he pointed at the warehouse and said, "So you believe that gang of thieves?"
Lao Zhou said: "The other party said that he was acting on the orders of the Guangdong Customs. If that were the case, he would not be a thief."
Feng Dutou said, "It was really the order of the Guangdong Customs Supervisor. He didn't send the Bannermen or the Green Camp, but instead sent a group of civilian men from nowhere to smash the warehouse? Who would believe this?"
Lao Zhou said: "Maybe it's to keep it secret? It's okay to take emergency measures."
Feng Dutou sneered: "Old Zhou, did you receive any benefits from the Wu family to speak for him like this?"
Old Zhou also sneered: "You have accepted the benefits of the Xie family, right? From just now until now, you have been defending the Xie family without knowing right or wrong. Could it be that as Master Zhou said, you were involved in the case of the lost tea in Huizhou?"
The two squad leaders were arguing with each other, and their militiamen and constables could only stand by and watch. Although the number of the militiamen was larger, the public security was the responsibility of the fast squad. With Old Zhou holding him back, Feng Dutou did not dare to act rashly. Besides, the warehouse door was closed and iron horses were placed across it. With the more than 100 militiamen he brought with him, it would be difficult for them to break in.
After this commotion, the night became much darker. The lights in the surrounding houses were lit one by one, and the dozens of torches outside the warehouse shone brightly. Lao Zhou and Feng Du turned their heads and said nothing, but there seemed to be a silent confrontation in the air.
At this moment, a man in a horse-drawn carriage came quickly. After getting off the carriage, someone led him over with a lantern. When he saw Feng Dutou from afar, he shouted, "Feng Dutou, what's going on? Did the thieves surrender?" The man turned out to be Xie Yuanli, the head of the Xie family.
Old Zhou took a look and thought, "There is indeed collusion."
Feng Dutou ran over and spoke very quickly. Xie Yuanli heard it and said angrily: "What order from Guangdong Customs? I am from the Supervisory Office. When did Master Jishan ever give any order? That's the robbers' excuse! Don't listen to them, send troops to attack!"
Feng Dutou had just been trying to help the Xie family because he had received great benefits, but after hearing these words, he felt reassured, while Old Zhou was shocked.
Xie Yuanli shouted, "Two squad leaders, hurry up and take down the thief!"
Lao Zhou sneered, "The enemy is occupying the warehouse and guarding it. Don't you know your warehouse is yours? Can you storm it without two or three times the number of people? Our fast squad is good at catching thieves, but not at attacking the city. If you want to storm it, please ask the strong squad to come."
Xie Yuanli was choked and speechless for a moment.
At this time, another group of people in the distance wanted to approach. Lao Zhou couldn't figure out who could come now, but judging from the posture, there were more people coming than the strong squad in Nanhai County, and the formation was relatively neat, not just ordinary gangsters.
"Guangdong Customs Supervisor, order Shu Cangjiang to lead the troops to suppress the bandits, and all outsiders to leave immediately."
When Feng Dutou heard the conversation, it seemed that the person was on his side. He looked at Xie Yuanli again, and saw that Xie Yuanli was full of joy. He knew that Master Jishan had indeed mobilized troops and they came so quickly, so he went to meet them first.
Old Zhou did not go to greet Lieutenant General Shu, but approached the warehouse door with some concern, came to the small window, and said to the inside: "Master Zhou, Master Zhou, it's me, Old Zhou."
The small window was pushed open a little, and Old Zhou whispered, "Master Zhou, do you really have a warrant?"
Zhou Yijin said from inside: "Of course there is, but it is still in Wu Qi's hands. Someone is interfering. Wu Qi was delayed and is rushing here as soon as possible. Without the warrant, all of us will be exiled if we don't die. We work for money, and we dare not joke with our own lives and property."
After hearing this, Old Zhou felt relieved and walked towards the approaching army.
The flag soldiers had been led over by Captain Feng. Captain Feng pointed at Lao Zhou, then at the warehouse, and said something. Xie Yuanli bent over and joined in.
Old Zhou thought to himself, "Things are still a little strange, but Third Young Master is a very considerate friend, I will try to help wherever I can."
