Imprisoned
A storm begins with a ripple, and a wave is formed from a gentle ripple. After a few days of fermentation, the new news in the Shen Bao newspaper exploded: the real culprit was actually a Japanese devil. Everyone in the streets and alleys who had read a little was talking about the Xuzhou child case.
Even the bad news, such as the fierce fighting between two armies in the Central Plains, or the endless bickering between two professors, was overshadowed by this case and relegated to a mere background.
In the printing factory, three people were gathered around a roaring printing press. Hu Yukun gently picked up a newspaper to read, the fresh smell of ink wafting from it, and looked at the neat lead type.
He sighed, hoping to find the answer on Qingcheng's face. He was worried that making such a big deal out of it, even resorting to special means, was really a good idea. However, Qingcheng just stared expressionlessly at the printing press as it closed and spit out more newspapers.
Finally, Hu Yukun couldn't contain his curiosity and asked Qingcheng why she had written an article criticizing him in a pro-Japanese tone.
Kiyosumi simply smiled and answered him with the word "fishing".
Hu Yukun didn't know which fish she was trying to catch, so he could only ask Caitou again: "Caitou, how's the information Qingcheng collected going? Is it useful?"
"Nonsense, of course it's useful. I found out that Gaoqiao is the deputy mine manager of Lianhe Chegulu. That bastard just came back from the Northeast and caused such a commotion. Next time I see him, I'll definitely kill this Japanese scoundrel." Cai Tou's aggressive aura seemed to burn away the surrounding air.
"Caitou, what else did you find out?" Qingcheng always felt that none of the events existed independently. It was like the Luban lock that we played with when we were kids. The seemingly irregular wooden blocks, as long as they were put together in the right order and the key pins were inserted, would form a complete wooden ball that could not be broken even if dropped.
Cai Tou followed the trail of the Japanese devils from the beginning and found out that Takahashi and the coal mine owner Kobayashi Shiro were friends in high school. He came to China with Kobayashi at the end of last year and had been quiet before that, without doing anything illegal.
But that person named Ishikawa has absolutely no historical record; we can't even find his entry date. He either stayed in China all along or was born in China, or he entered the country using a false name.
Helpless, he reconnected the cable to the wheel. The broker under the wheel said he had previously handled a batch of children, boys and girls aged 4-12. People could understand him selling girls—just for the pleasure of the beasts in the mountains. But what did they want with the children? Cai Tou couldn't understand it at all.
The other two present also shook their heads. Are child laborers more obedient? Do they eat less? Are they cheaper? But five- or six-year-old children can't carry heavy loads. The cost-effectiveness is not as good as exploiting adult laborers. Special interests? Takahashi is a minority after all, otherwise there would be no need to buy teenage girls.
After repeated discussions among the three, it was difficult to make a judgment in the short term. Now they could only proceed cautiously, splitting into two groups to proceed simultaneously. One group continued to delve deeper into the "wheel" line, while the other waited for the results of their fishing to see what kind of monsters they could catch.
After the newspaper that sang a different tune successfully published its article, public opinion quickly split. One side stood up to defend the argument of the newspaper, saying that no matter what nationality the murderer was, he should be severely punished for breaking the law. The other side criticized the newspaper for using an extreme case to incite domestic populism and undermine Sino-Japanese friendship, saying that its intentions were despicable.
Retrieving the newspaper, Qingcheng gave a sarcastic smile. The "fishing" was surprisingly successful. After igniting a hot topic, someone needs to voice a dissenting opinion to maintain its momentum. Then public opinion will be reignited, and more attention will be drawn to the area.
After all, everyone loves to see dramatic plot twists. For a time, supporters and opponents, pro-Japanese and anti-Japanese, were engaged in a heated debate. But after a few days, a group of rational people began to emerge, urging everyone to remain restrained, not to be dominated by emotions, and to have their own clear thinking.
After reading a few more translated foreign newspapers, Kiyosumi was pleasantly surprised to find that the Shanghai Commercial Daily, a Japanese publication in China, had also made a statement. The newspaper's name sounded familiar. Oh, I remember now, Lao Wang mentioned last time that it and the mine had the same behind-the-scenes owner. Its report was quite interesting; I could recommend it to Caitou for investigation.
“I learned of this the other day and felt deeply sorry for the evil deeds of my compatriots. It is extremely impolite to cause such trouble for others. The child’s ignorance has led to this, and he deserves to die a thousand deaths for it.”
"During his imprisonment, the black sheep was filled with remorse and could not sleep at night. He also contracted a serious illness in prison, and his once strong body is now emaciated. He has already taken responsibility. How could Jin Moumou humiliate my compatriots and the child's family?"
"By repeatedly mentioning the child's injuries and hiring a Western forensic doctor, the body was not intact. The case remains unresolved, and the child cannot be laid to rest. Jin's actions are no less than legally taking blood and profiting from human suffering. The child's interests have also been harmed by him. I am heartbroken and wish that the perpetrator be extradited back to China to face trial as soon as possible. Finally, I hope that Jin will think twice before he acts."
A short essay might make its way into major news stories, flashing across the headlines before being buried under lengthy reports, becoming difficult to find again. This is the kind of thing where someone apologizes first, pretending to be a passerby.
Then he said that the two people knew they were wrong, that the prisoners were pitiful in prison, and asked them to let them go. He then changed the subject and started cursing Qingcheng, saying that the autopsy was a heinous crime to destroy the body, and that the repeated reports were profiting from human suffering and rubbing salt into the wounds of the child's family.
The writer went on and on, clearly knowledgeable about Confucian culture and perhaps even familiar with Lu Xun's works. Qingcheng almost wanted to applaud them; their tactic of shifting blame and distorting the facts was truly brilliant!
On the surface, he played the role of a neutral and rational observer, but in reality, he kept sympathizing with the criminals, expressing the absurd view that both prisoners and children are victims. He even threatened her at the end, thinking she would be scared? Ha, what a joke!
She anticipated that many people would be misled after reading this article and turn around to criticize her. But Qingcheng had been taught from a young age not to shy away from difficulties, and that facing challenges was not insurmountable. Hesitation and retreat would only embolden others. Since you've stepped forward, then let's do it!
The next day, an English essay titled "The Devil Is Here, Hell Is Empty" was suddenly published in foreign publications in New York, Chicago, and other cities. It caused a huge stir, using the hypocritical rhetoric of foreigners to talk about human rights and freedom, and immediately stirred up a huge wave in foreign circles.
This incident has angered the public, forcing the police station to hold an emergency press conference to clarify that the case is still under investigation. However, rumors continue to circulate, as the speed of debunking rumors is no match for their spread.
This gave the police a handle to arrest the editors and chief writers of the offices of major newspapers in Xuzhou City on charges of illegally spreading rumors in violation of the publishing law, a crime that does not warrant death, as a warning.
For a time, the major newspapers in Xuzhou were on edge. The big newspapers dared not touch it, and the small newspapers dared even less. The case seemed to be suppressed and extinguished. However, there was always someone who stood out in the muddy waters.
After learning that his editor had been unjustly arrested, Mr. Shi, the owner of the Shen Bao newspaper, personally published an article criticizing the police for violating freedom of speech. He argued that things that no one knew about were as good as not happening, which was tantamount to burying one's head in the sand.
His editors braved immense criticism to record the facts, hoping to prevent similar incidents from happening again. A weak nation suffers diplomatic tragedies. Since the wounds are exposed, they should be treated openly; ignoring them will only allow maggots to fester and rot in the spine of the Chinese people.
Finally, he warned the Xuzhou police station that if they didn't release their editor, Boss Shi would join forces with bigwigs in the media industry to make a scene at the Nanjing government and see if their director's official position or his head was more powerful.
What's even more amazing is that after the Shenbao newspaper started it, several major newspapers published the same batch of photos at the same time. One of them showed two men in a cell with their sleeves rolled up, looking energetic as they ate chicken legs. They even had half a tattoo on their forearms. The cell was fully furnished with bedding, a table, and a lamp. If you took off the iron bars, you could easily mistake it for an inn.
The caption for this picture is: Two serious offenders in the Xuzhou child case.
The other image shows a woman's back, with two police officers holding batons restraining her with their hands behind her back. In front of them is an open police car, and the overall scene is somewhat desolate.
The caption for this picture reads: "Recording the true stories of those who went against the tide."
Another photo shows several reporters wearing glasses and holding cameras fighting with black-clad police officers in front of a newspaper office. The scene is full of tension and seems to have been taken from a high vantage point.
The caption for this picture reads: "A fighter for freedom of speech."
Once the photos were released, public opinion was in an uproar. A local criminal case involving foreigners suddenly became a major event of national concern. It was no longer a topic of casual conversation, but represented freedom of speech, human rights, and national law.
"They undermine the rule of law, obstruct freedom of speech, and act perversely, even worse than the old warlords. Their cruelty and brutality towards the people are truly those of traitors to the Party and the state." — *Beiping Daily*
"Breaking the law and disrupting order, trampling on human rights, fawning on foreign powers, and disregarding human life, they are a disgrace to the Party and the country, and enemies of the entire nation." — Wancheng Daily
"We urge the dismissal and investigation of all officers in the police station to uphold the rule of law and protect human rights." — Jinling Evening News
"Those who abuse their power and bend the law should be severely punished to uphold human rights and enforce the law." — Shen Bao
………
Since the start of the workday in the morning, the phone on the police chief's office had been ringing non-stop. It was either representatives of some foreign firm demanding severe punishment for the murderer and the release of the journalist, or tabloid reporters calling to inquire about the progress of the case, or the Japanese consulate issuing a protest demanding the extradition of the murderer in accordance with the treaty, or even several committee members from Nanjing calling to inquire about the progress.
Ring ring ring... Ring ring ring... The director, unable to bear the harassment any longer, angrily pulled the phone line, and only then did the world quiet down. Exhausted, he slumped in his leather armchair, rolling his eyes.
He cursed each of the callers in his mind. What business is it of the foreigners if a Chinese child dies? They can't even do their business properly. Barbarians are barbarians. They drag someone else's coffin on their own door and cry. Do they really think they are civilized people?
Those damn reporters are even more annoying. They're the ones stirring up the shit, but I'm the one cleaning up their mess. And those Japanese devils too, why don't they just keep playing dead and wait for the storm to pass? Instead, they insist on stirring up trouble with the reporters, drawing the fire into their own hands.
Just then, there was another knock on the office door. The director jumped up from his chair and yelled at the person, "Can't you see I'm resting?! Get out!"
"Ah Si, who are you telling to get out?" Hearing the deep male voice at the door, the director's heart started pounding. He hurriedly went to open the door, respectfully led the person to the sofa, and shoved the clutter off the sofa to make room for him.
The newcomer was none other than the Red Flower Society's advisor, Kui Ye's younger brother, nicknamed "Third Master Flower" in the underworld; his words carried the weight of Kui Ye's. The police chief, unsure what trouble the Red Flower Society was up to this time, was so anxious his palms were sweating. Didn't they already know about the murderer?
"Third Master, what could possibly trouble you to come all the way to my humble abode? Just give me a call, and I'll take care of it." The director grinned, trying to appear as endearing as possible.
"Heh, you've arrested all the editors and chief writers of newspapers big and small in Xuzhou, and even shut down their offices. Master Kui is furious that there are no newspapers to read. What do you suggest we do?" Master Hua said sternly, getting straight to the point without wasting any words.
After hearing Master Hua's explanation, the director panicked. The situation was turning against him, so he had to appease Master Hua first. In an instant, the director switched to a mournful face, looking aggrieved, and was about to explain and make excuses to Master Hua. He didn't know how things had gotten so out of control; he just wanted to suppress the arrogance of those intellectuals.
At this moment, Dong Ge from the Second Criminal Investigation Division returned to the police station. Seeing the door ajar, he pushed it open and entered. Even upon seeing Master Hua, he merely bowed once, ignoring the chief's deathly pale face.
He boasted, "Chief, we've sorted out all those lousy bookworms. After they've suffered this beating, no one will dare publish any more of that nonsense. I can even earn some bail money later, all of it for you, hahaha."
"Wow, Ah Si, your business is really booming. It seems we won't need Boss Kui anymore soon." Master Hua flicked his sleeves, speaking with a pointed remark.
The director was a little embarrassed by Dong Ge's sudden "surrender," but when he heard Hua Sanye's threat, he quickly came to his senses and slapped himself twice in a very professional manner, making his face crackle with a loud thud.
"Third Master~ I really didn't know about this. I swear to Lord Guan. It was all my men who messed things up. I'll immediately have my men lift the seal and release the people." The director was so excited that his voice cracked as he respectfully raised three fingers to swear.
"Ah Si, you must have misunderstood. I'm not here to show favoritism. People who break the law should be arrested. That's your job. I'm just here to vent. This play is only halfway through, and you've already burned the script. Hmm~ do you understand?" Hua Ye left half a sentence unfinished, but the director immediately understood.
"No, no, no, our police station arrested the wrong person, we made a mistake." The chief was furious when he saw Dong Ge, who was still smugly standing next to him. He kicked Dong Ge to the ground and yelled, "Idiot, go and release him right now! Everyone, get out!"
Dong Ge had no idea what had happened. Wasn't the chief ordering the arrest? He was inexplicably kicked down and could only scramble out of the chief's office.
"Third Master, there won't be a single reporter or editor in the jail tomorrow. Master Kui can have as much of a performance as he wants. I'll make sure the stage is well maintained." The director rubbed his hands together and flattered Master Hua.
"You'd better be more careful. I've repeatedly warned you not to mess with scholars and writers. Master Kui has spent a lot of resources to get you to this position. That's all I have to say. You're on your own from now on." Master Hua put on his beige top hat and left the office without looking back.
After Master Hua left the police station, the chief yelled at Dong Ge to come back. Dong Ge reluctantly moved into the office to wait for a scolding, but the chief asked expressionlessly, "How's the investigation of the photos going? Which newspaper published the photos of the Japanese soldiers first?"
"Oh, we've questioned them all, and they all said it was slipped into an anonymous envelope. Because it was big news, they published it immediately after receiving it. I tried checking at the post office, but so many people send letters to the newspaper every day, it's impossible to trace the source," Dong Ge said truthfully.
"What did the Japanese devils say? Did they see any unfamiliar prison guards, or a few new prisoners coming in next door?" The warden lowered his head, so his expression couldn't be seen.
"They're on the privileged list. I didn't see any unfamiliar prison guards. There are several groups of prisoners, including the newspaper editors and chief writers we arrested. They're all respectable people. We'll give them some preferential treatment after the beating." Dong Ge only cares about money. After the director's advice last time, he didn't want to ruin the relationship.
"Has anyone come to visit them? Has anyone brought a camera?" the director continued to press.
"Yes, they're not facing the death penalty, so of course we can visit them. But they have to be searched before the visit, and family members definitely can't bring cameras or anything like that in. So... should we still let the editor in?" Dong asked boldly, since Kui Ye had already spoken.
The director didn't answer, but stared straight at Dong Ge and asked, "Tell me, why did Master Kui go to the trouble of having Master Hua come personally to bail someone out? Who exactly does he want to bail out?"
"Third Master Hua didn't explicitly say who he wanted to bail out. Chief, you know we can't use our brains, so don't make things difficult for us." Dong Ge thought with a bitter face: It's hard for him to do things without a clear target, otherwise he would have sent that god back to the Red Flower Society long ago.
Dong Ge was waiting for the director to lose his temper and throw things, but the director was unusually calm today. He just muttered "idiot" under his breath, then lowered his head to carefully compare several newspapers on the table and even picked up a ruler to measure the length and width of the photos.
After a while, as if he had discovered some blind spot, the director's eyes widened with excitement, and he burst into laughter, clutching the newspaper. However, he didn't explain the reason to Dong Ge. Seeing his state, Dong Ge felt somewhat relieved. Yes, this was their director.
"Release everyone except those on the preferential treatment ship. Interrogate these people thoroughly; I suspect there are communist elements mixed in or that Su Te is directing them from behind." The director suddenly stopped laughing, coldly glancing at Dong Ge, his eyes icy, just like the two who had been subservient to A Si Pai Ruo earlier.
"Director, there are some of Kui's people among those editors. Let's get rid of that guy first, we can't afford to offend him," Dong Ge "kindly" reminded him. In reality, he was only thinking about bail money; he wouldn't get any money by charging him with a KMT crime.
Colluding with Su is also a serious matter. Without bail, he'll be handed over to the military court. Kui never gets involved in political or partisan struggles; he definitely doesn't have any KMT members. If they've wrongly accused him, they might even offend Kui. Sigh, it's a completely unprofitable deal! I wonder what the commissioner is planning.
"I know, better to kill the innocent than let the guilty go free. Use the torture first, then I'll release him once Boss Kui clearly states who he wants released." What could Dong Ge do but agree to the chief's request? Just be a good dog in front of your superiors and don't use your brain.
As soon as Dong left, the director locked the door from the inside and took out a military green tin box from the bottom drawer of the cabinet. Inside was a wireless hand-cranked telephone...
So cold! ...In a daze, Qingcheng tried to open her tired eyes, but the next second her hair was grabbed, and her vision was instantly flooded by the rushing water. The icy water poured into her mouth and nose, making it hard for her to breathe.
The increasingly thin air made her feel like her lungs were about to burst. Her survival instinct made her struggle desperately, but the hand gripping her hair felt like a giant clamp, pressing down on her head so she couldn't move.
Just as she was about to lose consciousness, her scalp tightened, and she was roughly pulled out of the water. The fresh air made her gasp for breath, but then her head was pushed back into the water. Buzz... The somewhat noisy sound of water in her ears was quickly replaced by a loud ringing in her ears.
She had never felt the world so quiet before. A white halo seemed to appear before her eyes. Was it a hallucination? No, it was the flickering incandescent light from the ceiling.
"Tell me, why are you keeping an eye on this case?" The rough male voice pierced her eardrums like steel needles, dragging her back to reality. The wet feeling on her body reminded her that she was still in prison.
"I don't know." The hoarse voice left Qingcheng somewhat bewildered. Oh, she must have been forced to drink lime water during the interrogation; her throat was probably burned. But she couldn't feel any pain now; she was probably numb from the cold, so numb that she couldn't feel her limbs or internal organs.
"Did someone provide you with reporting material? Who is your informant?" The man slapped Qingcheng and continued to ask questions.
Her ears were ringing again, and Qingcheng, her gums trembling from the cold, managed to squeeze out the words "I don't know." Even though it was the height of summer, the moisture was gradually taking away her body heat.
After that, no matter what questions the other person asked her, she repeated "I don't know" like a phonograph. The other person seemed to be provoked by her attitude and swung a wooden stick and hit her stomach hard.
With a spurt, Qingcheng spat out a mouthful of bloody, foul-smelling water. The burly man didn't let her off the hook, slapping her to the ground and then slowly crushing her right hand under his foot: "You wrote this with this hand, didn't you? Let you write it again."
Her head was spinning, and she suddenly felt ridiculous. A sense of powerlessness washed over her, and she simply closed her once bright eyes. She could clearly feel her consciousness falling into darkness, and the cold and pain in her body became numb and blurred.
No—she was unwilling. Why should criminals go unpunished? Why should we have to compromise? When everyone accepts something unreasonable as reasonable, that in itself is unreasonable.
Splash—Qingcheng had fainted for the umpteenth time, only to be woken up by a splash of cold water. Coughing up the excess water, she saw an unfamiliar face through the curtain of water. The burly man from before was introducing himself as an editor at the application center.
"Brother Dong, this young woman applying for the report is really stubborn. The usual tricks aren't working. Should we try the methods we use on female prisoners?" the burly man asked for instructions.
"Oh, no need. They're all respectable people. It would be unsightly to have a few red marks or green marks on their skin. That's enough." The man didn't seem to be there to supervise the interrogation. Qingcheng didn't recognize him and tried to concentrate to figure out what the man in front of her meant, but her mind went blank.
"Girl, wake up, do you know Brother Kui?" Dong Ge waved his hand in front of Qingcheng.
Upon hearing the name "Brother Kui," Qingcheng's lips curled into a smile. Excellent, she had won her gamble; the protective lock she had set up earlier had worked. Suppressing her stiffness, she forced herself to sit up and replied, "Of course I know him. I even wrote his denial statement. Oh, so he's finally come to my rescue?"
"That's right, untie her quickly." Dong Ge was so happy to hear that he almost jumped for joy. He had asked several other people in the newspaper industry before, and they either dismissed him or were eager to distance themselves from the censors.
He may be illiterate, but that doesn't mean he's brainless. What kind of person is Master Kui? Anyone who can get Master Kui to bail someone out must be a top editor of a major newspaper. He's basically focused on a few people from "Shen Bao," "Ta Kung Pao," and "Xinwen Bao." As for the Communist Party, what does that have to do with him?
And it wouldn't matter if he chose the wrong one this time; with one or two fewer prisoners, the warden wouldn't be able to keep track of the numbers anyway. But if he sent the right one, then Lord Kui would definitely reward him handsomely. Thinking of this, he could almost see countless golden and white ingots falling from the sky.
On the contrary, if they cripple Boss Kui's men, would the chief take the blame himself? Bah, of course he'd make us take the blame. Dong Ge, preoccupied with his own thoughts, suddenly heard someone call his name, and he scurried out of the interrogation room.
A moment later, Dong Ge walked into the interrogation room with a livid face. He pointed to the people in the room, including Qing Cheng who had just been untied. The group was pushed forward by prison guards armed with real guns.
The sudden turn of events plunged Qingcheng's heart from its peak to its lowest point. What was happening? The white light at the exit gradually grew stronger; she was about to leave, just one step away from seeing the light again. Why was this happening? Why? But all she received in return were a black hood and heavy handcuffs.
Inside a small white villa in the French Concession of Shanghai, several young men sat in front of a transceiver wearing headphones, casually copying down the telegram code from the receiver. A moment later, one of them approached Ouyang Qiang and handed him a telegram: "Chief, we've intercepted an enemy spy telegram. It's in plain text."
"Open code?" Ouyang Qiang took the camera and muttered to himself, "A miniature camera appeared, and 135 film was cut off. It might be related to Soviet agents. Damn it..."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
