Chapter 137: The Fierce Battle (Part 2)
During the peak periods of constructing the Shayi and Yiwu roads, the Qinglin Quarry handled up to eight hundred trucks daily. If Heiwa were to arbitrarily demand a ten-yuan cut from every single truck, the total sum would be astronomical. The people of Shangqinglin were known for their fierce and stubborn nature; Qin Jiangdong and the others were mountain folk with strong tempers who would never willingly bear such a heavy financial burden.
The atmosphere in Qin Jiangdong’s house was thick with tension, like a room filled with gunpowder.
Although Hou Weidong was the youngest among them, he had started the quarry business earliest and held the highest position. The idea for the Crushed Stone Association had originated from him, making him the natural core figure among the Shangqinglin bosses. After everyone had voiced their opinions, they waited for Hou Weidong to form a final decision. This dynamic had evolved gradually over the two years of running the quarry. No one had officially mandated that Hou Weidong must make the final call, but everyone had simply grown accustomed to it.
This was their first friction with the underworld. How to resolve this matter tested Hou Weidong’s wisdom and courage. He pumped himself up internally, reciting a rough local saying to steel his nerves: "If you die, your genitals face the sky; if you don’t die, you live forever. Why be afraid?"
He spoke slowly and deliberately. "This matter likely won’t end peacefully. We need to prepare for two scenarios. First, we contact Heiwa through the police. I’ll assign this task to Lao Xi. You go down to the bureau and try to find a police officer familiar with Heiwa. Use that connection to keep Heiwa in check."
Xi Zhaoyong nodded. "I’ll head down the mountain right away to find Old Dai from the Public Security Section. He knows Heiwa well, but I have no idea if it will work."
"We must prepare for both diplomatic and forceful measures. If Heiwa refuses to listen, we’ll have to confront him directly. They are said to have over a hundred henchmen, so we must prepare thoroughly."
Before Hou Weidong could finish, Zeng Xiangang spoke up from the side, his voice hard and unyielding. "I’m not afraid of these local thugs. There are thousands of men in Shangqinglin; do we really fear Heiwa? I’ll take charge of this. I’ll gather dozens of men, and we’ll definitely beat them until they run away in terror."
As Zeng Xiangang spoke, a fierce glint flashed in his eyes. His wife had been killed by thugs, and his son had been traumatized by the incident, losing the ability to speak. Although much time had passed, the wound remained fresh. Because of this, he harbored an extreme hatred for these local bullies.
Hearing Liang Bifa’s response, Hou Weidong realized that negotiation was impossible. It was necessary to organize personnel to protect the Shangqinglin Quarry, but they had to avoid turning this into a gang-style vendetta. The situation had to be kept within the bounds of the law. This balance was difficult to grasp. He could only speak in general terms: the situation could escalate or de-escalate, so they had to handle it with tact. Fighting was acceptable, but under no circumstances could anyone die. A death would turn this into a major criminal case, and no one would be able to escape responsibility.
Qin Jiangdong, whose temper was running high, said, "If we must fight, then let’s fight. Our Crushed Stone Association has money. Are we afraid of a few small-time thugs? I suggest the Association provide a fund. Everyone who participates in the action will receive a reward, and all medical expenses for the injured will be fully covered by the Association."
Finally, the meeting reached a consensus. Zeng Xiangang would organize dozens of young men to serve as the guard team for the Shangqinglin Quarry, ready to mobilize at a moment’s notice. For each operation, every participant would receive fifty yuan as compensation for lost wages.
After the discussion concluded, Hou Weidong went back up the mountain to page Director Qin. When Director Qin called back, Hou Weidong stepped outside, found a quiet corner, and said, "Director Qin, it’s 1996 and you’re still using a pager. That’s too outdated."
Director Qin joked, "With my salary, how dare I afford a mobile phone? I don’t have brothers as rich as you."
Hou Weidong seized the opportunity. "Director Qin has been instrumental in protecting Shangqinglin. The Crushed Stone Association would like to lend you a mobile phone for free use. The phone bills will be paid as incurred. What do you think?"
It was called a loan, but it was effectively a gift. Both parties were savvy enough to understand the implication immediately.
Director Qin was bold. Over the past two years, the police station had received considerable sponsorship from various enterprises. However, he was also meticulous. Such sponsorships were always collected in the name of the police station as a collective. As the director, he had the authority to sign off on expenses. Funds and goods given to the collective could be spent at his discretion, which, in a sense, was not much different from receiving them personally.
Director Qin adhered to one principle: he generally did not accept personal bribes, especially expensive items like mobile phones. If discovered, he would at least lose his position.
This principle applied to ordinary people, but he trusted Hou Weidong implicitly. This trust had its reasons. From a friend at the Procuratorate, he knew that Hou Weidong had been interrogated for dozens of hours continuously yet had not uttered a single word against his friends. He was a loyal and righteous man. Knowing this, Director Qin felt safe accepting the phone.
After discussing the phone, Hou Weidong added, "Those little ruffians have threatened to smash cars again tomorrow. We need Director Qin to step in and deal with these troublemakers."
Director Qin agreed immediately. "Protecting the local economy is the undeniable duty of the police station. Rest assured, I have already made arrangements."
Since this mobile phone was a personal gift from Hou Weidong to Director Qin, it did not need to be accounted for in the Crushed Stone Association’s public funds. Hou Weidong did not want others to know about it, so he only entered the house after finishing the call.
"I just spoke with Director Qin," Hou Weidong announced. "He will be stationed at the Three-Fork Intersection tomorrow. We will observe the situation calmly. Everyone must remain vigilant, especially when sleeping at night. Keep doors and windows locked to avoid any accidents."
Dinner was served at Qin Jiangdong’s house. Hou Weidong covered his wine glass with his hand and said, "These are extraordinary times. No alcohol for anyone."
Zeng Xiangang had already quit drinking. He expressed his support for Hou Weidong through action, filling his bowl with rice, picking up a piece of cured meat, and chewing heartily.
Qin Jiangdong, as the host, saw that no one was drinking and remarked, "It’s just a few little ruffians. There’s no need to scare everyone like this. Let’s each have one drink. I won’t pressure anyone."
At a drinking table, refusing to pressure others was often a trap. Everyone present was a veteran of drinking culture; how could they not understand? They all began filling their rice bowls. Seeing this, Qin Jiangdong had no choice but to join them in eating.
For a while, Qin Jiangdong’s main hall was filled with the sound of chewing.
The ancients said, "A banquet is incomplete without wine." There is truth to that.
Life is full of helplessness. Using alcohol to numb oneself and temporarily forget sorrow is a form of cheap spiritual therapy (even though the world remains the same after the hangover). Li Bai raised his cup to invite the moon, drinking with his shadow to make three, expressing the charm of wine vividly. Precisely because alcohol helps some people forget their worries, even in eras of grain scarcity, the ancients were willing to turn precious grain into a faint liquid.
Without wine to enhance the mood, the meal lacked some joy. Hou Weidong was the first to put down his bowl. "I’m full. I’ll leave first. Tomorrow, everyone stay at your posts."
Zeng Xiangang also put down his bowl and said, "Director Zeng, let me drive you home."
The two got into the car and sat side by side in the back seat.
Hou Weidong asked with concern, "Have you taken your son to see a doctor?"
Zeng Xiangang lowered his head. "I took him for a checkup. They said he has autism. It’s very difficult to treat." He spoke fiercely, "The main culprit is still at large. If I catch him, I will tear him to pieces."
Hou Weidong patted his shoulder, unsure of what words could comfort him.
As Zeng Xiangang got out of the car, Hou Weidong shook his hand. "Be flexible tomorrow. Adapt to the situation as it changes."
In the night, Zeng Xiangang was just a silhouette, his expression unreadable. He said slowly, "Don’t worry. I was in the army. I know strategy and tactics."
After seeing off Zeng Xiangang, Wang Bing drove the training car straight toward Yiyang County.
Early the next morning, Hou Weidong withdrew ten thousand yuan and went to the shopping mall in front of the Post Office to buy a mobile phone. He packed it in a black handbag and then went to the small noodle stall where Li Jing had treated him to noodles previously, ordering two liang of mixed meat noodles.
He had arranged with Wang Bing to meet at the intersection outside at ten o’clock.
The mixed meat noodles were indeed authentic. Hou Weidong was eating with great relish when Duan Ying walked in, carrying a small bag. Her complexion was poor, showing signs of fatigue, and her right cheek was slightly red. Hou Weidong greeted her. Duan Ying, hearing someone call out, seemed startled. She looked up, saw it was Hou Weidong, and instinctively raised her hand to cover her right cheek. "Hou Weidong, what are you doing here?"
Hou Weidong had sharp eyes and had already noticed the faint finger marks on her right cheek. He thought to himself, "They must have had a fight." Since Duan Ying and Liu Kun had confirmed their romantic relationship, they had not interacted alone except for that one interview. He smiled. "A friend brought me here to eat mixed meat noodles a few days ago. The taste is quite good. Do you want two liang or one?"
Duan Ying smiled weakly. "One liang. That’s how a lady from a refined family eats. I run around covering news every day; one liang isn’t enough."
After this opening, they ran out of things to say, and the atmosphere became somewhat awkward.
Duan Ying unconsciously compared Hou Weidong with Liu Kun. She thought, "If only I had the ability to predict the future. If I could start over, I would definitely choose Hou Weidong as my husband." She and Hou Weidong had once had an ambiguous relationship. At that time, the silk factory was about to go bankrupt. To secure a job transfer, she had accepted Liu Kun’s pursuit and successfully transferred to the newspaper office. However, marriage was not a transaction. She and Liu Kun had not even married yet, but she had already had several arguments with his mother, and conflicts with Liu Kun were constant.
Thinking of these matters, Duan Ying felt annoyed.
Hou Weidong observed her expressions and guessed about eighty or ninety percent of the situation. However, from his perspective, he had no grounds to offer advice. They tried to find some boring topics like "the weather is nice."
After getting into the car and leaving Yiyang City, the faint red finger marks on Duan Ying’s face still lingered in Hou Weidong’s mind. When the car left the suburbs and entered the territory of Wutan Town, Hou Weidong became tense and began observing the surroundings along the road.
The journey was uneventful. Soon they arrived at the Three-Fork Intersection. A police jeep was parked at the intersection. Director Qin, Zhou Qiang, Xi Zhaoyong, and others were standing beside the car, smoking and chatting cheerfully.