"Don't call me uncle! You brat!" Zhong Shan stepped forward and slapped him on the head, then pointed at the corner and yelled, "Go squat there!"
A policeman said coldly, "Chief Zhong, let's ask him in another room."
"He's right here, are you afraid he'll run away?" Zhong Shan's face was frosty, as if everyone in the room was his enemy. The one who spoke just now was Wu Feng, the deputy director of the Futou Town Police Station. He was a straightforward person. It was said that he and Shen Qun did not get along well in the station, but he was very serious about official business.
Since Zhong Shan had made his decision, Wu Feng couldn't object anymore. After all, he knew that Shen Qun had acted somewhat unethically in this case, displeasing Zhong Shan. Moreover, Wu Feng was initially unaware of the case; by the time he found out, the suspect, Zhang Hao, had already confessed. Wu Feng's visit to Huaxiang Police Station today wasn't really to summon or arrest Xu Zhengyang, as he had heard that Xu Zhengyang might have fled to avoid punishment, and where could he be apprehended so quickly? He was simply using this opportunity to greet Zhong Shan and ease tensions, since the two police stations weren't far apart and often had to cooperate.
After Wu Feng sat down, he calmly looked at Xu Zhengyang and asked, "Where did you go yesterday morning?"
"The capital city," Xu Zhengyang replied calmly from the corner, without a trace of fear on his face. He had nothing to fear; Cao Gangchuan and Zhang Hao were framed for a reason, but there were no witnesses, and they had a motive. They had initially clashed with Guo Haigang, but he had absolutely no connection to the case…
"What are you going to the capital for? You'll be back soon!"
"Pick up my sister."
What does your sister do?
"A college student, working as a tutor in Beijing during the holidays..."
...
After a brief exchange of questions and answers, Wu Feng glanced at his colleagues who had come with him, they nodded to each other, and Wu Feng said, "Cao Gangchuan and Zhang Hao are your friends, right?"
"Yes, we've always had a good relationship," Xu Zhengyang said without any hesitation.
“The night before last, Haigang Construction Company’s property was stolen, and the gatekeeper, Grandpa Wang, was beaten and tied up. Cao Gangchuan and Zhang Hao are suspects…” Wu Feng stared at Xu Zhengyang, “Are you aware of this?”
“I know, I heard about it as soon as I got back.” Xu Zhengyang nodded, then sneered, “I came to the police station today to tell my Uncle Zhong that they were framed…”
Wu Feng raised an eyebrow and said, "What kind of setup?"
“You all know it in your hearts!” Xu Zhengyang turned his head to look to the side.
"Xu Zhengyang, watch your mouth!" the policeman next to Wu Feng snapped.
Xu Zhengyang snorted and stopped talking. Although he was annoyed, he knew that going against the police would only lead to trouble. Of course, he had no idea that the deputy director of the Futou Town Police Station was completely unaware of the details of the case, and that Wu Feng was different from Shen Qun.
"Zhengyang, what do you know?" Zhong Shan asked, frowning.
“Uncle, I want to talk to you alone…” Xu Zhengyang glanced at Wu Feng and the other man and said to Zhong Shan. His expression was clear: I don’t trust the police at Futou Town Police Station. They’re the ones who framed Cao Gangchuan and Zhang Hao.
Zhong Shan waved his hand and said with a stern face, "Speak, Director Wu is an upright man."
"Huh?" Xu Zhengyang was taken aback for a moment, then thought it didn't matter and said, "Uncle, I also know why the police from Futou Town Police Station wanted to arrest me..."
"Stop talking nonsense!" Zhong Shan snapped.
“Oh, it’s like this. This morning, after I picked Rouyue up from school, I heard that Gangchuan and Zhang Hao were in trouble, so I went to their house to ask what happened. Guess what?” Xu Zhengyang paused deliberately, and seeing that Zhong Shan was about to get angry again, he quickly said, “After leaving Gangchuan’s house, on my way to Zhang Hao’s house, I needed to pee at the intersection of the main street. I heard someone making a phone call in the restroom… I didn’t pay much attention at first, but then I heard this person mention me, and Gangchuan and Zhang Hao. It seemed like they were discussing getting me arrested as well. Anyway, they could get Cao Gangchuan and Zhang Hao arrested, so one more person wouldn’t make a difference…”
Zhong Shan, of course, understood the meaning behind Xu Zhengyang's words, and frowned as he asked, "Who made the call?"
"Han the Cripple!"
Who did he call?
"I heard him call the other person something like Guo Tian..."
“Zhengyang, you need to know that some things can’t be said carelessly…” Zhongshan said seriously.
"Uncle, if you don't believe me, let's go to Han Dashan's house and ask his lame son!" Xu Zhengyang said very seriously, and you couldn't tell that he was lying at all. In fact, he was lying. Of course, it was true that Han Fusheng and Guo Tian were working together to frame him.
Zhong Shan turned to look at Wu Feng.
Wu Feng frowned and thought for a moment, then said, "Shall we go to your village?" Of course he knew who Guo Tian was. Relying on his family's wealth and his uncle being the director of the police station, he was on very good terms with several members of the joint defense team. The person who reported Xu Zhengyang for fleeing the morning after the incident was also one of the joint defense team members. If Guo Tian really intended to frame Xu Zhengyang, then it wouldn't be difficult at all.
Moreover, Guo Tian and Xu Zhengyang do have old grudges and both have criminal records.
“Let’s go!” Zhong Shan stood up.
"Old Zhong, are you not angry anymore?" Wu Feng suddenly joked.
"Bullshit!" Zhong Shan cursed and walked out first.
Volume One, Land, Chapter 30: The Absurd Reasons
It's raining!
The rain was light, a gentle drizzle that stretched across the sky like intermittent curtains, shimmering and beautiful. A rare coolness in the summer air made walking in the rain feel pleasant, so the villagers went out without rain gear, letting the light rain dampen their faces and clothes, enjoying the comfort.
Two police cars drove slowly into Shuanghe Village in the light rain and stopped in front of Han Dashan's house.
The villagers walking on the street glanced at him, then turned away without paying much attention. Han Dashan's family was wealthy, and they usually kept in touch with people from the police station and the town, so it wasn't anything unusual.
When Han Dashan's wife saw Zhong Shan and several policemen walk in, followed by Xu Zhengyang, she was puzzled but not too nervous. She quickly and politely invited them all into the house and sat them down in the living room, and asked her daughter-in-law Huaixiu to serve tea and water.
Zhong Shan was a straightforward person, and as soon as he sat down, he asked, "Is your second son here?"
"Huh? Fusheng went to the factory. That kid doesn't do anything all day. His dad got angry and beat him today, so he reluctantly went to work at the factory..." Han Dashan's wife rambled on, then suddenly stopped and asked in surprise, "Brother Zhong, what did Fusheng do wrong?"
"Oh, it's nothing, there are just some things I need to ask him about."
"Oh, Brother Zhong, you know that Fusheng is an honest man, and he has a leg problem. He wouldn't do anything bad!" Han Dashan's wife said nervously.
Xu Zhengyang sighed and interjected helplessly, "Auntie, your second son... is he trying to ruin me?"
"Huh?" Han Dashan's wife exclaimed in surprise.
"Zhengyang, don't speak!" Zhongshan scolded.
Han Dashan's wife, her face filled with fear, walked up to Xu Zhengyang, sat down next to him, and nervously grabbed his hand, saying, "Zhengyang, Zhengyang, what happened? Let's talk it out. Um, what did Fusheng do to you? I'll have your uncle teach him a lesson later..." As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes. She was truly terrified of Xu Zhengyang. Last time, that dead ghost Wang Zhu had tormented their family quite badly, and later, rumors spread in the village that the local earth god had ordered the ghost to punish their family to avenge Xu Zhengyang.
Xu Zhengyang shook his head, lazily squinted his eyes, leaned back on the sofa, and took out a cigarette to light it. Then, remembering that Zhong Shan and several policemen were still there, he quickly sat up straight, offered cigarettes to everyone, and greeted them politely with a simple and honest expression.
Nobody paid him any attention, and nobody accepted his cigarette.
“Go and call the second brother back,” Zhong Shan said. “It’s nothing urgent, just to get some information.”
"Ah, good, good." Han Dashan's wife quickly said to her daughter-in-law, who had just placed the teapot on the table and was looking surprised, "Huaixiu, go to the factory quickly and call your father and Fusheng back..."
"Okay, I'll go right away." Huaixiu nodded hurriedly and walked out.
"You two come with me..." Wu Feng said to the two policemen.
The two policemen, one from Futou Town Police Station and the other from Huaxiang Police Station, Wang Yue, immediately turned around and followed Huai Xiu out after hearing Wu Feng's words.
"Zhengyang, what exactly is the misunderstanding between you and Fusheng? Tell your aunt, and I'll stand up for you..."
Xu Zhengyang, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, squinted and shook his head with a smile, saying nothing.
He figured that once Han Dashan returned, all he had to do was tell him what had happened, and Han Dashan and his wife would definitely force their lame son to tell the truth. Those two knew perfectly well that they couldn't hide anything from Xu Zhengyang, and they certainly couldn't afford to offend him. Otherwise, well, the local deity was quite close to him.
Once Han Erquezi confesses, the truth about Cao Gangchuan and Zhang Hao's cases will be revealed, right?
A smile crept onto Xu Zhengyang's lips. Damn, being a local earth god is really great! After getting this done, I've fulfilled my duties as the earth god, truly protecting the village and clearing people's names! I've been the earth god for a while now, and this is the first time I've encountered someone going to the temple to make offerings, burn incense, and petition for justice!
Tsk tsk, when Lord Gongcao comes back, won't he record my merit? A bonus or something? Hmm, even gods aren't that materialistic. Give me two treasures as encouragement and reward, I'll sell them to him later…
Seeing Xu Zhengyang's honest and silent expression, Han Dashan's wife became even more nervous. She said with a bitter face, "Zhengyang, if Fusheng does anything wrong, just let him have his way and don't take it to heart... Um, your Uncle Dashan has already had the local temple demolished and is going to rebuild it!"
"Yes, I know, I know." Xu Zhengyang nodded quickly. It wouldn't be appropriate to say this in front of the two police station chiefs.
Wu Feng and Zhong Shan looked over with suspicion, wondering why the conversation had suddenly turned to the Earth God Temple. Xu Zhengyang gave them a simple, honest smile, then looked away without saying a word, feigning innocence.
“Zhengyang!” Zhong Shan called out with a stern face.
"Oh, what's wrong, Uncle?"
Zhong Shan opened his mouth, but then felt it was inappropriate to mention the rumors about the village's relationship between the local earth god and Xu Zhengyang in front of Wu Feng. He mumbled, "When you were at the station, you said you heard Fusheng making a phone call... That's not right. Don't try to fool me!"
"Uncle, how could I dare to lie to you?" Xu Zhengyang asked with some surprise, "Uncle, is something wrong?"
Why did Han Fusheng go to the toilet on the front street?
"Huh? Well... I guess he was just passing by and needed to pee..." Xu Zhengyang pretended to be calm.
Zhong Shan snorted and said, "If you tell a lie, you're breaking the law, committing slander and defamation, understand?"
“Old Zhong, shouldn’t we…” Wu Feng hesitated for a moment, as if he had noticed something, or perhaps he realized that this trip had been somewhat abrupt, and then said, “Let’s wait for Han Fusheng to come back and then take him back to the station to find out what happened.”
"Mm." Zhong Shan nodded.
The situation is obvious. If you're at someone's home gathering information and asking questions, and they deny everything, what can you do to them? Convicting someone based solely on Xu Zhengyang's testimony is clearly insufficient. However, if you take them back to the station for questioning, it's a different story. Generally, once someone is in a police station or public security bureau, even without questioning, the psychological pressure on an ordinary person, coupled with some intimidation and inducement, will usually make them tell the truth.
Of course, repeat offenders are another matter.
After hearing what the two said, Xu Zhengyang thought about it and roughly understood what was going on, and couldn't help but feel a little worried.
That's too simplistic! With the police around, Xu Zhengyang certainly couldn't use the story of the local deity appearing in a dream to intimidate Han Dashan and his wife into forcing their son to tell the truth. Besides, even tigers don't eat their cubs; the couple might be willing to face severe punishment from the local deity rather than have their son confess to his crime.
"Xu Zhengyang, have you thought this through? They haven't come back yet..." Wu Feng said calmly. He noticed the beads of sweat on Xu Zhengyang's forehead and began to doubt what Xu Zhengyang had said earlier.
Xu Zhengyang looked up, thought for a moment, and thought, "Damn it, what's the harm in saying it?" With that thought, his furrowed brows relaxed, and he smiled honestly, saying to Zhong Shan, "Uncle, do you remember the last time I sent a message to Zhao Laoguang's family?"
"Huh?" Zhong Shan paused for a moment, then said, "Why are you bringing this up?"
“Auntie…” Xu Zhengyang did not answer Zhong Shan’s question directly, but turned to look at Han Dashan’s wife and said with a smile, “You know about Cao Gangchuan and Zhang Hao being arrested by the police, right?”
"Ah, I heard about it." Han Dashan's wife was also puzzled, not knowing why Xu Zhengyang would bring this up.
Xu Zhengyang took a couple of unhurried puffs of his cigarette, stubbed it out in the ashtray, and then calmly said, "I went to the train station early yesterday morning. My train was at nine o'clock, and I arrived in Beijing in the afternoon. After seeing my sister and having a meal, I rushed back..." Xu Zhengyang paused here, and seeing Zhong Shan glare at him as if he was about to scold him, Xu Zhengyang waved his hand before Zhong Shan could speak, signaling him to be quiet and listen to him.
This is a very impolite and arrogant gesture.
Wu Feng was stunned, while Zhong Shan seemed to have thought of something. He had been staring with his mouth open, but he swallowed back what he was about to say, closed his mouth and looked at Xu Zhengyang, waiting for him to continue.
“Before this, I had no idea that Cao Gangchuan and Zhang Hao were in trouble.” Xu Zhengyang shook his head with a wry smile, then said, “But I found out about it on the train before I even got home… Hmm, you probably think I called someone at home, right? Heh, yes, I bought a cell phone yesterday, but no one knows my number yet, and I haven’t called home. Well, we don’t have a phone at home, so no one would tell me…”
"Then how did you know?" Wu Feng interjected, puzzled.
"It's very simple, it might sound absurd, but you should have heard of my aunt and my Uncle Zhongshan, right?" Xu Zhengyang chuckled softly. "Because, when I was asleep on the train, I had a dream..."
"Did the Earth God appear in your dream?" Han Dashan's wife couldn't help but ask.
Xu Zhengyang nodded, looking at Zhong Shan and Wu Feng who were both stunned, and said, "Ridiculous, right? You don't believe it, do you? I don't believe it either... Although I've had dreams about you two or three times before, and they were all very accurate, I still couldn't believe it. But when I got home this morning, I heard that Cao Gangchuan and Zhang Hao had gotten into trouble, and it was exactly the same as what the local earth god told me in my dream!"
"Nonsense!" Wu Feng sneered.
"Hmm, isn't that nonsense...? You can ask my Uncle Zhongshan." Xu Zhengyang wasn't in a hurry at all, and smiled as he looked at Zhongshan.
“Old Zhong.” Wu Feng frowned as he looked at Zhong Shan, his eyes filled with doubt. He couldn’t understand what this young man was so confident about, and why he could so calmly and shamelessly spout such a bunch of ridiculous and absurd things, with such a calm expression as if he had everything under control, even dragging Zhong Shan into it to cover up his utterly blatant lie.
I thought that, given Zhong Shan's personality, he would immediately fly into a rage and slap Xu Zhengyang a few times, then give him a severe scolding. Unexpectedly, after listening, Zhong Shan frowned, lit a cigarette, and didn't say anything, as if he was thinking about something.
"Auntie, do you believe me?" Xu Zhengyang asked Han Dashan's wife with a smile.
"I believe you, Auntie believes you!" Han Dashan's wife nodded immediately, then asked worriedly, "Zhengyang, then, did the local earth god say something about my Fusheng again... what exactly did he do?"
Wu Feng was increasingly surprised. He suddenly felt like he was dreaming. These people didn't seem like people from the real world at all.