Chapter 222: The Note Incident (Part 3)

The Procuratorate established a special task force for the "August 28" case, deploying its most capable personnel to launch an immediate investigation. Within half a day, they had reached a preliminary conclusion.

At 2:30 PM, Li Du, Bai Ning, Tang Xiaochuan, and others from the Yiyang Procuratorate gathered in the conference room. The six or seven men present were all heavy smokers, filling the room with thick smoke until it resembled a chaotic temple.

"The issues revealed by these account books are shocking. Let me give you an example: Shunfa Company has conducted multiple transactions with the Yiyang Native Produce Company, purchasing storefronts and real estate in Lingxi at extremely low prices. Based on market value, the Native Produce Company lost over a million yuan in Lingxi transactions alone. There is definitely something fishy here. If we follow the trail of Shunfa Company, we will surely catch a big fish."

Tang Xiaowei possessed strong professional skills. Although the time was short, he had essentially grasped the key points.

Li Du narrowed his eyes, not rushing to express his opinion. "Old Bai, share your thoughts."

Bai Ning took several drags from his cigarette, then pressed it out in the ashtray. The cold air from the air conditioner blew the ash around wildly. He picked up the teapot, poured some water into the ashtray to dampen the ash, and only then began to speak.

All the prosecutors, including Li Du, were familiar with this classic procedural routine of his and waited quietly for his statement.

"With this batch of evidence, the case itself is not complex. However, it involves government officials in Yiyang, specifically high-level officials. If our evidence is not solid, we will be in a passive position. My opinion is to start with the minor issues that have already been verified. We should first detain Yi Zhongling and Yang Weige. Simultaneously, the Procuratorate should station personnel at the Yiyang Native Produce Company for a thorough investigation."

Bai Ning paused here. "The problems at the Yiyang Native Produce Company are significant. If we continue investigating, we don't know how many people will be implicated. I suggest reporting the Procuratorate's opinion to the County Party Committee to seek their support."

Li Du casually picked up a file folder, comparing it with the preliminary investigation conclusions for a while. "The problems exposed by the account books are numerous. If we continue investigating, this will undoubtedly become a major case, sufficient to cause a crisis for the Yiyang government. We must be extremely cautious. I agree with Old Bai's view. We must first find concrete, reliable evidence. Even if the evidence is small, we can use it as a pretext to bring the suspects in. This will create conditions for the next stage of the investigation."

He emphasized, "Note that Yi Zhongling is a deputy to the County People's Congress. You must immediately report the case details to the People's Congress. Convey Secretary Zhu's instructions and request the People's Congress to take corresponding measures."

"Everyone, take your positions. I will go to the County Party Committee immediately to report to Secretary Zhu."

After the meeting dispersed, Li Du headed straight for the County Party Committee. He first found Qian Zhiguo, who also agreed with the Procuratorate's opinion. The two then went together to find Zhu Yan, only to learn that Zhu Yan had accompanied Liu Chuanda to Shangqinglin.

Li Du made a phone call, and Zhu Yan immediately stated his position: "The plan is very detailed. Execute it as proposed." He added, "This batch of evidence is particularly important. It must be kept safe."

Li Du was also very cautious. He said to Qian Zhiguo, "Secretary Qian, rest assured. Once the evidence reaches the Procuratorate, it will be completely secure."

Having received affirmation from Secretary Zhu of the County Party Committee, the Procuratorate immediately dispatched personnel to locate key figures such as Yi Zhongling, Yang Weige, and the Director of the Finance Office. However, these individuals had vanished as if evaporated into thin air, their whereabouts unknown. Only the plump factory manager remained in the office. When he was taken away, he offered no resistance, merely saying, "I was previously the Head of Security, and only became Deputy Factory Manager today. I know nothing about any of this."

Meanwhile, on the fourth floor of the factory office building, the audit team, led by Zhang Haotian, continued to examine the accounts meticulously. Li Qi accompanied the audit team, responsibly refilling their hot water.

Upon hearing that only one person had been brought back, Chief Prosecutor Li Du became very angry, slamming the table so hard it shook the room. "I told them earlier to keep the factory area under strict surveillance. What were you six big men doing? Letting Yi Zhongling vanish before your eyes? Did he turn into a mosquito or a fly like Sun Wukong?"

The six men listened to Li Du's criticism with grievance. Their assigned task was merely surveillance. For most of the day, there had been considerable vehicle traffic in and out of the Native Produce Company. They had focused only on the cars belonging to the factory headquarters, leaving them helpless regarding the trucks entering and exiting.

After scolding for a while, Li Du stopped. He shouted loudly, "You can run away, but the temple remains. With so many people, they will eventually show their faces in Yiyang. Stay on high alert and guard the places where these individuals are likely to stay."

After his subordinates left, Li Du thought to himself, "When we raided the account books this morning, I had already assigned people to monitor the Native Produce Company. We began detaining people at 3:00 PM. The operation was relatively swift."

"The four people inside No. 115 Zhongshan East Road were all taken into the Procuratorate. They could not have leaked any information. No one visited No. 115 today. Currently, apart from Qian Zhiguo, Liu Kai, Zhu Yan, Hou Weidong, and a few others, only the dozen or so comrades in the special task force know the inside story."

"Where did Yi Zhongling get the news? Was someone tipping him off?"

Li Du smoked three cigarettes in succession in his office. While he was pondering, Deputy Chief Prosecutor Lao Zhu called, saying he had arrived in Yiyang and inviting him to dinner. Lao Zhu was a veteran at the Shazhou Procuratorate and had always had a good relationship with Li Du. After taking the call, Li Du sat in his office for a while longer, then called Bai Ning, instructing him to conduct interrogations overnight.

Having arranged all matters, he called his driver and headed to the Yiyang Hotel.

Night fell. Hou Weidong had accompanied Vice Mayor Liu Chuanda and Zhang Mushan for dinner, then escorted their group to the border of Yiyang. By the time he returned to Shazhou College, it was just past nine o'clock.

He parked the pickup truck in the courtyard, took a bucket from the rear compartment, filled it with water at the corner of the first floor, and began washing the car. This was a habit he had developed since driving Zhu Yan's official vehicle.

The sound of piano music from the Music Academy drifted faintly into his ears, carried by the sound of waves lapping against the shore. Hou Weidong straightened up and listened for a moment, thinking, "Why isn't Guo Lan playing?" Then, intermittent piano notes came from upstairs—the very familiar "Für Elise." The romantic melody gradually blended with the moonlight and the lake scenery.

The subsequent piece was one Hou Weidong had never heard before. The bright, pure notes and cheerful melody were like the innocent babble of a child. The crystal-clear, tranquil music was like a gentle, soft breeze, or like a mother's kind hand brushing past.

Hou Weidong listened, captivated. When the piece ended, he still stood by the car, waiting. However, a third piece did not follow.

He thought to himself, "I have worked with Guo Lan for half a month, yet I feel more estranged from her. Listening to her music through the wall, however, gives me a sense of finding a kindred spirit."

"But this is only a one-sided connection. Guo Lan plays for her own enjoyment; she would never imagine a rough man downstairs listening so entranced."

After waiting for a while with no further music, Hou Weidong washed the rag, poured out the dirty water on the first floor, and went upstairs.

Just as he reached the third floor, Guo Lan was coming out. Seeing Hou Weidong, a smile immediately appeared on her face. "Hou Weidong, do you have time?"

"Section Chief Guo, what are your instructions?"

"You should still call me Guo Lan. Otherwise, I will call you 'Hou the Great Secretary,' which is how Ren Lindu addresses you." Guo Lan smiled and added, "Ren Lindu is drunk. He insists on taking me out. He says today is his twenty-fifth birthday."

Hou Weidong knew all about Ren Lindu's situation. He smiled and said, "Ren Lindu didn't invite me. He probably only wants to invite you."

Guo Lan lowered her voice, speaking softly, "Please, do me a favor. From the sound of it, Ren Lindu is too drunk." Guo Lan usually spoke in a formal, business-like manner, rarely speaking so gently. Hou Weidong felt an inexplicable softening in his heart. "Let's go. It's not very friendly of Ren Lindu to celebrate his birthday without inviting me."

They went to the area in Yiyang where summer open-air food stalls were most concentrated and found Ren Lindu. He was already eighty percent drunk. He grabbed Hou Weidong with one hand and Guo Lan with the other, shouting and ordering six bottles of beer.

Seeing his condition, Hou Weidong hardened his heart and forced him to drink a whole bottle. Soon, Ren Lindu slumped onto the table and fell asleep.

Ren Lindu was currently staying in the single-staff dormitory of the Family Planning Commission, but Hou Weidong did not know the exact location. Seeing him in this state, he felt uneasy about letting him go back alone. He said to Guo Lan, "Let's take Ren Lindu to my place to stay. It will be easier to look after him at night."

They struggled to drag Ren Lindu upstairs and threw him onto the bed. Hou Weidong was covered in hot sweat. He went to wash his hands, opened the refrigerator, took out a bottle of cold Sprite, and poured two glasses using white porcelain cups, handing one to Guo Lan.

The cool Sprite instantly refreshed their heated bodies.

"The first piece was 'Für Elise.' What was the second piece?"

"Brahms' Lullaby."

Hou Weidong asked a rather naive question, "Whose lullaby is Brahms' Lullaby?"

Guo Lan burst out laughing. "Of course, it's the lullaby composed by Brahms."

In the calm night, amidst Ren Lindu's light snoring, Hou Weidong also fell asleep.

Time flew by until midnight. A dark figure appeared on the fifth floor of the Procuratorate, approaching the room where the special task force's documents were stored. The figure skillfully used a key to open the door, first feeling around to draw the curtains, then opening the wooden cabinet containing the physical evidence from the Native Produce Company.

He shone a flashlight on the documents. After confirming they were the correct ones, he placed all the documents into his backpack. He then took some other documents from different cabinets and placed them in this cabinet.

Next, he took out a small Soviet-made flask, poured out the gasoline inside, and lit a small candle. Once the candle flame stabilized, he carefully placed the candle inside the document cabinet.

Watching the candle burn, he quickly left the room.

He had conducted multiple experiments on how long this small candle would burn. When he returned to the apartment opposite the office building and stood by the window for less than a minute, he saw the firelight from the fifth floor turn the curtains red.