Yao Cizhang rushed to Beijing Ruihua Hospital, where the security was tight and there were sentry posts everywhere. In the corridor, several well-dressed diplomats stood talking in low voices with Madame Zhang Zongxiang.

  "Sister-in-law, I'm late," said Yao Cilang as he stepped forward. He was a good friend of Zhang Zongxiang's and the two families were very close, so naturally he had come to visit after Zhang Zongxiang got into trouble.

  "Those students were too cruel, Zhang Xiang's head was beaten with a two-inch long wound, and the bone membrane could be seen. He was covered in bruises all over his body and hasn't woken up yet. The doctor said he's still in critical condition. If anything happens to him, how can I go on?"

  "Eldest Sister-in-law, don't worry, Second Brother is a lucky person and has the protection of heaven, nothing will happen to him."

  Through the window, he glanced at Zhang Zongxiang on the hospital bed, with a bandage wrapped around his head, looking dazed and confused. Several Japanese doctors were surrounding him for treatment. Yao let out a sigh of relief, secretly grateful that he hadn't gone to Cao's residence today.

  The police officer in charge of guarding was chatting with others nearby, and their intermittent conversation reached Yao's ears.

  "I heard that Cao's mansion was set on fire by someone, this time when he returns home, the loss won't be small."

  "It's a good thing he didn't get beaten up, if the students had caught him, they would have killed him."

  "What about him?"

  "Was protected by Duan Duoban and is said to be hiding in Tuan Cheng."

  Yao Cizhang listened and became even more worried, he keenly realized that this time the students' riot was probably not just about the wine.

  He then comforted Mrs. Zhang for a few more sentences, came to the hospital office, borrowed their phone and called home, asking his wife to take their daughter to Tianjin to avoid the storm.

  "Is it that serious?" Mrs. Yao's voice trembled slightly.

  "A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall, let's avoid it first." Yao Zicong hung up the phone, went out and got in the car, letting the driver take him directly to Xinhua Palace.

  Xinhua Palace is the royal garden Taiye Pool west of the Forbidden City, with three large ponds divided into Beihai, Zhonghai and Nanhai. The middle and southern seas were enclosed as the Imperial Garden, and after Yuan Shikai came to power, the Bao Yue Lou in the south was demolished and rebuilt as a gate, named Xinhua Gate. The State Council and Presidential Palace of the Republic of China government were both located here.

  Above the Xinhua Gate, the five-colored flag fluttered high. When Yao Zicong's car arrived, the gatekeeper officer drew his sword and shouted a salute. Eight guards raised their rifles in a rifle salute. Yao Zicong came to the State Council and requested an audience with Premier Qian Nengxun.

  It so happened that Qian Xuan was holding an emergency meeting to discuss countermeasures, and people such as Xu Shuzheng, the second-in-command of the army, Wu Bingxiang, the police chief, Li Changtai, the commander of the infantry, and Fu Zengxiang, the Minister of Education, were all present. Everyone expressed their own opinions, spoke freely, and demanded severe punishment for the students involved in the incident.

  Yao Cizhang also represented the Ministry of Communications in expressing his views, calling on the government to bring arsonists and thugs to justice.

  Only Minister of Education Fu Zengxiang reserved his opinion.

  The meeting temporarily reached a consensus, and the students involved were severely punished. The Minister of Education was summoned to instruct the principals of various schools in Beijing to strictly discipline their students and not allow similar incidents to occur again.

  After the meeting, Xu Shuzheng and Yao Qizhen came out, Xu took out a cigarette and handed it to Yao: "Have one?"

  "I'll have one of these." Yao Zicong pulled out his own pipe.

  Xu Shuzheng lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and gazed out at the distant lake, saying, "A storm is brewing."

  "What's going on?" Yao Cizhang's mind stirred slightly.

  "On the surface it looks like students causing trouble, but in fact some people are targeting the disciplinary inspection and me." Xu Shuzhen said.

  "Oh? But what about Liang Qichao and Lin Changmin's faction?" Yao Cizhang, although a member of the Communications Clique, was also well aware of the open and secret struggles between the Anhui and Research cliques.

  Xu Shuzheng smiled and said, "Old Cao told me that because Lin Changmin once asked him for money and he didn't give it to him, Lin Changmin took the opportunity to retaliate and incited students to smash his home."

  Yao Cizhang also laughed and shook his head, saying: "Ridiculous."

  Xu Shuzheng said: "Lin Changmin is not such a narrow-minded person, he has to deal with the National Assembly, the government, and Duan Qirui. They want to make a big fuss about the diplomatic failure, but they don't know that a weak country has no diplomacy. We can catch up with the last train of the victorious country, which is already a great diplomatic victory. Now we have got what we wanted, who will give you a good face?"

  Yao Zicang said, "These students don't know anything about diplomacy, they just act on impulse. Qingdao has been occupied by the Japanese for several years, whether you sign or not, it's already in their hands. If we sign the contract, our country can at least resolve issues like extraterritoriality and the Boxer Indemnity..."

  ……

  In the police station, Kuang Husheng is explaining the Shandong problem to Chen Zikun.

  During the European war, Japan took advantage of the fire to loot and seized Qingdao from Germany without any effort. At the beginning of the war, they claimed that they would take back Qingdao and return it to China at an appropriate time. However, in reality, not only did Japan occupy Qingdao, but also attempted to legitimize its occupation through the Paris Peace Conference. This is as ridiculous as a mountain bandit abducting your daughter and then claiming it was a legitimate marriage.

  A student next to him chimed in: "The most ridiculous thing is that China, also a victorious country, has to bear the responsibility of a defeated country and allow its own territory to be carved up by others."

  The students all nodded in agreement, their faces full of righteous indignation.

  A student said: "Japan occupies Qingdao, and its influence extends along the Jiaoji Railway all the way to Jinan. The Japanese army has basically occupied most of Shandong Province, which is the heartland of China. If war breaks out one day, China will be split up by the Japanese army in an instant, so we must be on guard."

  Chen Zikun listened to their introduction and became furious: "Japan is too deceitful!"

  "Japan is a robber, and it's natural to hate her, but what's even more hateful are the traitors who occupy high positions in our government."

  "But what about the person who got beaten up today?"

  "He's one of them, all those in the Communications Clique are traitors who sold out the country. Cao Rulin, Zhang Zongxiang and Lu Zongyu, the notorious Twenty-One Demands, were handled by these three. The huge loan from Japan to Duan Qirui was also arranged by them. Without Japanese support, Duan Qirui wouldn't have been able to launch a civil war or buy off the parliament, and China wouldn't be in such chaos. So, the biggest traitor is Duan Qirui, while Cao Rulin and his cohorts are just accomplices who should all be killed!"

  Chen Zikun suddenly thought of Yao Yile's father and asked: "What about Yao Qizhen from the Ministry of Transportation?"

  Kuang Husen snorted: "He is also a notorious pro-Japanese traitor." As he spoke, he pulled out several photos and found Yao Cizhang's photo to show Chen Zikun.

  "What are these photos?"

  "These are from the big fence photo studio, convenient for searching and arresting traitors, we also got their door numbers, unfortunately didn't get the handguns."

  Chen Zikun said, "If there were pistols, I'm afraid several people would have died today. These traitors are dead and it's no big deal, but killing is a capital offense, Brother Kuang, aren't you afraid?"

  "For the country to kill the enemy, to throw one's head and shed hot blood is nothing to worry about. We have long been prepared to make sacrifices."

  Chen Zikong stood up solemnly: "Brother, I can find firearms. If there's a place where brother can make use of them, just speak up."

  "Good brothers!" Khong and Chen Zikun stretched out their hands and met in mid-air.

  ……

  Yao Gongguan, Mrs. Yao was hastily packing her luggage, and Yao Yilei asked in a daze: "Are we going to Tianjin now? What about Chen Zikun?"

  "Madam Yao said: 'I'm asking you, was it him who set fire to the Zhao family's building?'"

  "No."

  "Is Uncle Zhang the one he beat up?"

  "Not either."

  "That's it, just a misunderstanding. Director Wu will let him go soon. What are you worried about? Your father said that if you don't go to Tianjin with your mom, forget about what happened between you and Xiao Chen."

  This move was a killer, and Yao Yire immediately surrendered. However, she still couldn't put her mind at ease about Chen Zikun, so she ran downstairs to make several calls to the police department, but Wu Bingxiang was nowhere to be found.

  Helpless, I had to call Ziguang Car Factory and tell them that Chen Zikun was mistakenly caught by the police department, and they should think of a solution quickly.

  After finishing the phone call, Mrs. Yao also packed her luggage and left with two servants and Yao Yile, heading straight to the train station.

  ……

  Ziguangche Factory, Xue Pingshun was in a dilemma with the phone in his hand, thinking that Dakuizi always had something going on every day. This time, he was invited by the police station to drink tea again. He quickly prepared some gifts and went to find Xu Guotong to smooth things over.

  Just as he was about to leave, Xing'er came over and asked: "Uncle Xue, is it that Da Kui has gotten into trouble again?"

  "Yes, I was caught by the patrol police, and now I'm going to find someone to bail me out."

  Xing'er curled her lip: "I knew that Miss Yao was a jinx."

  Xue Pingshun sighed and rushed to the police station, where he found Xu Guodong and told him what had happened. Xu Guodong was also in a difficult position: "Old brother, it's not that I don't want to help you, but this case is too big. The students caused trouble, set fire to Cao's residence, and almost killed the Minister to Japan. The case has already been referred to the Cabinet for discussion. Even if I had three guts, I wouldn't dare release him. Alas, how did my brother get mixed up with those students?"

  "Alas, I'll think of another way." Xue Ping Shun knew that Xu Guo Tong was the kind of person who could only add flowers to brocade but not send charcoal in snowy weather, and couldn't be relied upon when something big happened.

  Helpless, he had to find Xiong Xiling's residence, but Mr. Xiong was not at home. Xue Pingshun gritted his teeth and refused to leave until someone arrived. He waited until nightfall before Xiong Xiling hurried back. Xue Pingshun approached him and told him about Chen Ziqin's capture. Xiong Xiling raised an eyebrow and said with a sigh, "This child has indeed not disappointed my expectations of him."

  Xue Pingshun asked: "Huang Lao, won't there be any trouble?"

  Xiong Xiling said: "The students' patriotic hearts can be seen every day, what crime is there? Not only are they not guilty, but they also have great merit. The presidents of the 14 universities in Beijing will jointly request to see the President and Premier to rescue the students. You can rest assured that if they dare to punish the students, it would be like making an enemy of the entire nation."

  After hearing this, Xue Ping Shun did not dare to mention that Chen Zi Kun was innocent again. He was afraid that if Xiong Xi Ling knew that Chen Zi Kun had not participated in the arson and assault, he would not go to rescue him instead.