Chapter 106 He Yuzhu Protects His Father and Suppresses Four Directions

The setting sun casts its rays on the hutongs of Beijing, turning the gray brick walls into a warm gold, and the withered grass in the corners sways gently in the wind, exuding a touch of languor.

He Yuzhu pushed his old-fashioned bicycle and stopped steadily outside the gate of an inconspicuous courtyard. He lightly touched the mottled wooden door with his fingertips, but did not immediately push it open and go in.

His ears twitched slightly, and the voice from the courtyard clearly emerged—it was his father He Daqing's rough, excited voice, spitting as he boasted to someone, his tone full of pride.

"I'm not bragging, but my son, He Yuzhu, is the top dog in the steel mill's canteen! There's no dish he can't handle—stir-frying, stewing, noodles, braised dishes! And when I, He Daqing, was young, I was a skilled fighter too. Three or five men couldn't get close to me. In this city of Beijing, who doesn't give me some respect?"

He Yuzhu stood outside the door, his brows furrowed, thinking to himself: This old man, after having a few drinks, doesn't know his place. He talks nonsense in front of outsiders, he's bound to get into trouble sooner or later.

Besides He Daqing, there was another man's voice in the courtyard, eagerly urging him to drink, repeatedly saying, "Brother He has a huge capacity for alcohol."

"Brother He is amazing."

It's so loud it makes your ears tingle.

Before long, He Daqing's tongue became slurred and his speech became unclear. He was completely drunk and started talking nonsense, repeatedly boasting about how capable his son was and how extensive his connections were.

Just then, a soft and charming female voice suddenly broke in, the voice sticky and sweet, with a deliberate attempt to please and show weakness.

"Brother He, you are truly incredibly capable. I'm just a girl from the countryside, with no relatives to rely on and no decent job. Life is really tough for me. Brother He, you have a wide network of connections, could you please take pity on me and help me find a stable job? If you are willing to help me, I will definitely repay your kindness and never forget your great favor..."

The voice sounded calculating, and He Yuzhu's heart sank instantly.

He heard it clearly. He Daqing in the courtyard was initially taken aback, his tone carrying a hint of sober hesitation: "Sister Bai, this job is no small matter. I... I need to go back and think about it. I've had enough to drink today, so I'll take my leave!"

He Daqing was a trained martial artist, and his strength was such that ordinary strong men couldn't stop him. Even after drinking, his strength was still several times greater than that of an average person.

But the pulling sounds that followed from the courtyard were clearly not from a man's brute force, but from a woman's soft, persistent tugging at her sleeve and pulling her arm. No matter how skilled He Daqing was, he couldn't break free from a woman's persistent and forceful tactics and could only be held tightly.

Then came another round of drinking, with the pale-faced man constantly filling He Daqing's glass, while the woman softly echoed his sentiments.

Before long, He Daqing was completely drunk and out of control, confidently promising, "Don't worry, Bai family sister! It's just a job, right? Leave it to me, He Daqing! It's no big deal, I'll go to the factory tomorrow and take care of things for you, I guarantee it'll be arranged perfectly!"

He Yuzhu, listening from outside the door, was both angry and amused. He cursed inwardly: "Good heavens, they clearly set up a honey trap, and you old fool actually walked right into it. You've been sold out and you're still helping them count the money!"

Without delay, He Yuzhu took a deep breath, focused his energy, and roared loudly into the courtyard, his voice booming so loudly it made the wooden door vibrate: "He Daqing! Your wife is calling you home for dinner!"

The shout was like a thunderclap out of nowhere; the courtyard fell silent instantly, followed by a chaotic uproar—"Clang! Crack! Crash! Bang!"

The dull thud of the stone table overturning, the crisp sound of the bench hitting the ground, the sharp screech of the porcelain plate shattering, and the clatter of the wine glass rolling away all blended together in a chaotic mess.

The next second, a drunken, swaying figure stumbled out of the door; it was He Daqing, his clothes disheveled and his hair unkempt.

Two people followed closely behind him: a fair-skinned young man with shifty eyes, and a woman in her thirties dressed in red and green with alluring features. Both of them had expressions of panic and anger on their faces.

"Brother He! Why are you running away!" Bai Yanlang, with his white face, quickly caught up, grabbed He Daqing's arm, and glared angrily at He Yuzhu outside the door.

"Where did this wild brat come from, yelling like that! He knocked over our table, chairs, and dishes, can you afford to pay for them?"

The glamorous woman chimed in sweetly, glaring resentfully at He Yuzhu: "Exactly! You startled me for no reason. Brother He hasn't promised me yet, you can't just leave like this!"

He Daqing finally managed to steady himself and looked up to see his son, He Yuzhu, standing at the door, holding the handlebars with one hand and looking at him with a cold expression.

In that instant, He Daqing sobered up considerably, the flush on his face instantly turning deathly pale. He stammered, "Zhu...Zhuzi...why...why are you here?"

He Yuzhu crossed his arms, a mocking sneer playing on his lips. His eyes swept over his father's disheveled appearance, and he spoke calmly.

"I'm not coming? If I don't come, do you think you'll even get home unscathed today? You'll probably be skinned alive, and they'll expose everything about our family!"

Touched on a sore spot, He Daqing remained stubborn, muttering with his neck stiff, "How come I can't go back? It's just a couple of drinks, what's the big deal..."

"Drinking?" He Yuzhu scoffed, deliberately drawing out his words.

"Drinking with a stranger from the Bai family and promising to find her a job, right? Fine, I'll go back and have a good talk with my mother about it, let her hear how many good girlfriends her man has met outside."

"No! No, no, no!" He Daqing was so frightened that his face turned pale. He hurriedly waved his hands and shook his head like a rattle drum.

"Son, don't talk nonsense! I don't know her at all! She just barged in and started bothering me while I was drinking, and I completely ignored her! Really!"

He was so anxious that his face turned red. He was afraid that He Yuzhu would really go back and complain to Chen Lanxiang. Knowing his wife's temper, she would definitely not let him off the hook tonight.

Seeing that He Yuzhu, a mere teenager, dared to point fingers and make noise here, Bai Yanlang was furious. He took a step forward, pointed at He Yuzhu's nose, and shouted angrily.

"Who do you think you are! Daring to act so arrogantly at my doorstep? Didn't your parents teach you any manners? You're barely grown up, and you dare to interfere in my business!"

He was heartbroken over the broken dishes, tables, and chairs; these things weren't cheap these days. He had planned to take advantage of the situation to extort some money, but then this troublemaker appeared.

He Yuzhu didn't even lift his eyelids, pointed at He Daqing beside him, and said in a calm but confident tone: "Look, this is my master. If you want to follow the rules or pay compensation, just talk to him."

Bai Yanlang was taken aback. He turned to look at He Daqing and realized that the young man in front of him was He Daqing's son. His expression changed several times in an instant. He quickly put on a fake smile and bowed with a forced smile.

"Oh, it's my nephew! It's all a misunderstanding! Please don't be offended. Why don't you come in, sit down, and have a cup of tea to calm down?"

"No need," He Yuzhu replied coldly.

"I don't have an uncle like you, and I'm not worthy of your family. If you really want compensation for your things, just ask my dad. I don't care."

"No need, no need! It's not worth much!" Bai Yanlang quickly waved his hand, cursing his bad luck in his heart, but dared not mention losing money again.

Just then, the glamorous woman behind him suddenly stepped forward, grabbed He Daqing's sleeve, and reminded him in a coquettish voice.

"Brother He, don't forget what you promised me! You can't go back on your word when it comes to work!"

He Yuzhu's eyes sharpened as he turned to He Daqing, his tone accusatory: "Dad, what exactly did you promise them? Can you even do it? If you mess it up, do you expect your son to clean up the mess?"

"No! That's not true!"

He Daqing shook his head hurriedly, his drunkenness completely gone, and waved his hands frantically.

"I didn't agree to anything! She's just being unreasonable. I was drunk and just said it offhand, it doesn't count!"

"He Daqing! Are you trying to turn your back on us?" Bai Yanlang's face darkened instantly, his eyes turned fierce, and his tone became sinister.

"We've already drunk the wine and said the words, now you want to deny it? Not so easy!"

These words completely enraged He Daqing, who had regained his senses. He abruptly shook off the woman's hand, pointed at Bai Yanlang's nose, and cursed, "Who the hell do you think you are! You dare to negotiate with me? Let me tell you, I won't agree to anything! Get the hell out of here, or if you dare to bother me again, don't blame me for being impolite!"

Before he could finish speaking, He Daqing raised his leg and kicked Bai Yanlang squarely in the stomach.

Bai Yanlang was completely unprepared. With a scream, he flew backward like a tattered sack, crashing heavily to the ground. He curled up in pain and couldn't get up for a long time.

"Cousin! Cousin, are you alright!" The glamorous woman screamed in fright and rushed over to help Bai Yanlang.

Bai Yanlang clutched his stomach, his face deathly pale, glaring venomously at He Daqing, and roared, "He Daqing! You just wait! This isn't over! I'll never forgive you!"

"I'm waiting for you!" He Daqing said, hands on his hips, full of arrogance. "I want to see if you can still work at the steel mill! If you can keep your job, I'll change my surname to yours! Zhuzi, let's go home!"

After saying that, He Daqing climbed onto the back of He Yuzhu's bicycle without saying another word, his movements so swift that he didn't seem like someone who had just been drunk.

He Yuzhu glanced at his guilty father with a half-smile, then turned away, the playfulness on his face vanishing instantly, replaced by a chilling coldness.

His gaze swept coldly over the Bai siblings, his voice low yet carrying a deadly threat: "You'd better stay away from the He family. Beijing is so big, losing a few people won't be a big deal."

These words, spoken casually, sent a chill down the spines of the Bai siblings, and cold sweat instantly broke out on their backs.

He Yuzhu ignored their terrified expressions, mounted his bicycle, and pedaled hard. The old-fashioned bicycle steadily rode forward, leaving the Bai siblings' resentment and panic far behind.

A furious roar came from behind: "You little brat! You dare threaten me! I won't let you get away with this!"

He Yuzhu just smiled faintly, and pedaled even faster. The wind swept past his ears, completely dispelling the useless shouts.

"Son, ride slowly...slow down!" He Daqing sat on the back seat, gripping the seat tightly, pretending to be dizzy.

"Your dad's had too much to drink, I'm a little dizzy, don't ride so fast..."

"Dizzy?" He Yuzhu didn't turn his head, his tone revealing, "When you were young, you could walk in a straight line after drinking a pound of baijiu, and you're dizzy after drinking this little bit today? Stop pretending, just say what you want to say, stop beating around the bush."

Caught off guard, He Daqing coughed awkwardly twice, his voice becoming cautious: "Son, could you please not tell your mother about what happened today? It's really... a bit embarrassing."

"Shameful?" He Yuzhu scoffed.

"Does your family lack you for food or drink? Do they want more of your alcohol? You insist on running off to hang out with shady characters, getting yourself set up and schemed against. Now you realize how shameful you are?"

"Well... he said he'd introduce me to a job hosting big banquets, which would make a lot of money."

He Daqing offered a quiet defense.

"I spent money recklessly a while ago and was short of cash, so I wanted to earn more to help support my family... Little did I know it was a trap."

"With his shifty-eyed appearance and that dilapidated house of his, where the plaster has all fallen off the walls, do you really think he has the ability to arrange a lavish banquet for you?"

He Yuzhu mocked him mercilessly.

"Dad, how old are you? Don't you have any common sense?"

He Daqing was speechless and could only hang his head in silence.

"Alright, I won't tell Mother about this for now." He Yuzhu's tone softened slightly, but carried a serious warning.

"But from now on, you're absolutely forbidden from attending any of these shady drinking parties or meeting people of dubious origin! Do you know what will happen to you if I don't come today?"

"What...what will happen?" He Daqing's heart tightened, and he quickly asked.

"A honey trap," He Yuzhu said, emphasizing each word.

"You think that woman is really looking for a job with you?"

She's deliberately seducing you. Once you're inside with her, someone will burst in and catch you in the act. Then, whether it's money or face, you'll be completely at their mercy!

"He wouldn't dare!" He Daqing shouted instinctively, but his voice betrayed his guilty conscience.

"What's there to be afraid of?" He Yuzhu sneered. "That woman is obviously into this kind of work; her eyes are full of scheming. If you really sleep with her, you'll bring shame to the He family, you'll lose your job, and my mother, Yushui, and I will be unable to hold our heads high in Beijing!"

He Daqing fell completely silent, a cold sweat breaking out on his back. The effects of the alcohol had completely dissipated, leaving only a deep sense of lingering fear.

He sat stiffly in the back seat, unable to utter a single word. He was filled with hatred for the person who had schemed against him, and also deeply regretted his own foolishness.

He Yuzhu ignored his father's lingering fear and focused on pedaling steadily, soon riding into the familiar courtyard.

As soon as they entered the gate, they saw Old Jia squatting on the doorstep smoking. When Old Jia saw the father and son return, he quickly put out his pipe and put on a polite smile.

"Da Qing, Zhu Zi, you two are finally back? Where have you been?"

"I'm back. Thank you for your concern, Uncle Jia," He Yuzhu replied politely, his tone calm.

Old Jia quickly waved his hand, "It's alright, it's alright, go home and rest."

He Daqing sat on the back seat, his mind full of doubts. He looked at Old Jia strangely, then at his son riding in front—He Yuzhu was usually indifferent to Old Jia, so why was he suddenly being so polite today? He couldn't figure it out, but he didn't dare to ask.

They rode their bikes into the central courtyard and bumped into Yi Zhonghai, who was about to leave.

Yi Zhonghai, dressed in a neat Zhongshan suit and carrying a cloth bag, had just stepped out of his house when he looked up and saw He Yuzhu and He Daqing.

His face changed drastically, his eyes filled with panic. Without saying a word, he turned around and rushed into the house, slamming the door shut with a loud bang, followed by the crisp sound of the lock clicking shut.

The door slammed shut with a loud, urgent sound, as if it were trying to escape some ferocious beast.

He Yuzhu stared at the closed door, a cold, chilling smile playing on his lips. He murmured softly, a voice only he could hear, "Eunuch Yi, it's time for you to suffer for your misdeeds."

He knew perfectly well that Bai Yanlang's scheme against He Daqing was definitely related to Yi Zhonghai!

That old bastard has spent his whole life trying to manipulate others. In this life, he's determined to tear that old man's mask to shreds!

When they got home, Chen Lanxiang had already heated up the food. When she saw He Daqing's drunken and disheveled appearance, she immediately frowned and sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) to start scolding him.

"He Daqing, you good-for-nothing! You've been drinking again! You reek of alcohol and are dressed like that. Have you gotten into trouble again? Let me tell you, if you dare cause me any trouble, I'll teach you a lesson!"

He Daqing lowered his head, like a child who had made a mistake, not daring to say a word back, letting Chen Lanxiang scold him.

He Yuzhu sat at the table eating, occasionally glancing out the window at the Central Courtyard as he ate.

Sure enough, not long after, the door to Yi Zhonghai's house was seen to open a crack. Yi Zhonghai peeked out furtively, looked around, and then quickly slipped out the door, rushing towards the front yard. His back looked as panicked as a stray dog.

He Yuzhu's sneer deepened: Sure enough, this old widower went to Bai Yanlang to collude and clean up the mess.

He finished his meal slowly, wiped his mouth, and saw that Yi Zhonghai still hadn't returned. He Yuzhu knew perfectly well that the old man was probably going to keep him up until midnight.

It wasn't until late at night, when the courtyard was completely quiet, that He Yuzhu heard Yi Zhonghai tiptoe back. Once inside the house, there was no further sound.

After confirming that everything was correct, he lay down and fell into a deep sleep, already planning out the next day's expenses.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, He Yuzhu woke up. He knew that what happened yesterday would definitely not end there, and that Yi Zhonghai and Bai Yanlang would surely retaliate.

After a quick wash, he pushed his bicycle out the door and headed straight for the steel rolling mill—he was going to pick up He Daqing after work to prevent the old man from being tricked again.

Upon arriving at the steel rolling mill gate, He Daqing walked out confidently, his face full of pride, and began boasting as soon as he saw He Yuzhu.

"Son, aren't you as awesome as I am? Yesterday, I went to the factory and complained about him. After they investigated, it turned out that Bai Yanlang was no good. He was always stealing chickens and other petty thefts at the factory, with a long list of bad deeds! The boss made the decision on the spot, and fired him that afternoon! Doesn't that feel good?"

"Serves him right," He Yuzhu said calmly, having expected it all along.

The father and son hopped on their bicycles and slowly rode home. Just as they reached a secluded road frequented by workers, suddenly—

Hurala!

A dozen or so people suddenly rushed out from behind the walls on both sides and from the alley entrance! Each of them was holding a short knife, a wooden stick, and an iron chain, with fierce looks on their faces. They stood menacingly in the middle of the road, completely blocking the entire road.

Seeing this, the workers on the road were so frightened that they scattered to both sides, keeping their distance, but not one of them left—in this era, the Chinese people's enthusiasm for watching a spectacle was never deterred by danger.

The leader was none other than Bai Yanlang, whose face was bruised and whose eyes were filled with venom!

He stared intently at the father and son on the bicycle, his teeth clenched, his voice as if poisoned.

"He Daqing! You dared to ruin my job! Today I'll make you pay with your blood! And since your little brat is here too, I'll take care of you too! Let me tell you, you have a wife and daughter, and I'll get all the money I lost and the job I lost from them!"

These words completely touched He Yuzhu's sore spot!

How dare you threaten his family! You're asking for it!

"You're asking for it!" He Daqing shouted angrily, about to jump out of the car.

But He Yuzhu was faster than him!

Suddenly, he released one hand, exerted all his strength, and slammed himself and the bicycle away!

The old-fashioned bicycle, with its immense momentum, slammed heavily into Bai Yanlang, the front wheel leaving a solid imprint on his face!

"ah--!"

A piercing scream echoed throughout the entire street!

Bai Yanlang fell heavily to the ground, his face covered with a clear, black tire mark. Blood was streaming from his nose, and he was in so much pain that he was convulsing and couldn't get up for a long time.

"Go! Cripple them both! Beat them to death!" Bai Yanlang covered his face and lay on the ground, roaring wildly.

Upon hearing this, the dozen or so thugs, brandishing knives and clubs, charged towards the He family father and son with howling shouts. They brandished wooden clubs and their blades gleamed, displaying a menacing aura.

At that moment, He Daqing made a complete move!

He had already jumped out of the car. When he saw his son using the car to hit people, his eyes twitched. Then his eyes hardened, and he suddenly pulled out a thick-backed cleaver from his waist and rushed towards the group of thugs!

"Dad! Don't kill anyone!" He Yuzhu shouted as soon as he saw his father grab a kitchen knife and rush forward.

"I know what I'm doing!" He Daqing roared, his movements swift and decisive.

Although he was angry, he still exercised restraint, only using his cleaver to strike the wooden stick and short knife in the other person's hand.

The sounds of "crack" and "clang" continued as wooden sticks were chopped in half, short knives were knocked away, and the blades grazed the flesh. Then came heavy punches and kicks that slammed into the thugs' bodies.

He Daqing lived up to his reputation as a martial arts expert. He unleashed his formidable skills with great force, and in just over ten seconds, the people who rushed to the front were all knocked to the ground, crying for their parents.

But before these people could get back up, a second wave of attacks came—this time it was He Yuzhu who made the move.

He could tell his father was holding back, but he would show no mercy to these thugs who dared to threaten his family!

He Yuzhu was agile and quick, accurate and ruthless. Every punch and kick hit vital points. Once he touched someone, no one could stand up again.

In a short while, he had knocked down more than a dozen thugs wielding weapons. They lay on the ground, howling in pain, with no strength left to resist.

The whole process took less than a minute, and it was done cleanly and efficiently, leaving the workers watching from a distance dumbfounded and speechless.

After dealing with the thugs, He Yuzhu's eyes turned cold as he looked at Bai Yanlang, who was trying to sneak up and escape.

He strode forward, swept his foot across, knocking Bai Yanlang to the ground, and then stomped heavily on his back, increasing the force of his foot.

"Click...cluck..."

Bai Yanlang felt as if the bones in his back were about to be crushed, his whole body was in excruciating pain, his face was contorted, his hands and feet were frantically scratching, and he was uttering painful howls.

He Yuzhu leaned down, his voice icy and piercing, and asked, enunciating each word clearly, "What did you just say? You wanted to collect a debt from my mother and sister? Say it again and see what happens!"

"Ah! I was wrong! I won't do it again! Forgive me!" Bai Yanlang was terrified, so much so that he wet his pants, a foul stench filling the air. He stammered, begging for mercy, "It was all Yi Zhonghai's fault! It was Yi Zhonghai who instigated me! It has nothing to do with me!"

He Yuzhu continued pressing down on his feet, coldly asking, "Did you hire these people?"

"No! It wasn't me!"

Bai Yanlang was in so much pain he was about to faint. He shook his head desperately, "After I was fired from the factory, I went to confront Yi Zhonghai. He's the one who introduced these people to me! It was him! He's the one who ordered it all! Please stop stepping on me, I'm dying!"

"Was it you who set a trap for my father yesterday?" He Yuzhu suddenly asked.

"Yes! It's him!" Bai Yanlang completely broke down and confessed everything.

"He heard from somewhere that my cousin is pretty, so he came to me and asked me to set a trap for your father, trying to ruin your family's reputation! He even came to see me last night and gave me money to keep quiet!"

"How much did they give you?"

"Fifty or fifty silver dollars..."

"Ha, quite generous," He Yuzhu sneered. "How much did he give you today to come and get revenge on us?"

"Two, two small yellow croakers!" Bai Yanlang reached out with difficulty, took out two golden small yellow croakers from his pocket, and handed them over with trembling hands.

"It's all here! Take it all! Please let me go!"

As soon as the two small yellow croakers were taken out, the workers watching from a distance instantly became agitated!

This is real hard currency, equivalent to a year's wages for an ordinary worker!

Yi Zhonghai, a worker in a steel rolling mill, could casually produce two small yellow croakers, which shows how much shady business was going on behind the scenes!

Even though everyone was envious, no one dared to step forward—the He family father and son had just easily defeated a group of armed thugs by taking on ten opponents single-handedly; who would dare to go forward and court death?

He Yuzhu took the small yellow fish, weighed it in his hand, and casually handed it to He Daqing behind him. Then he looked around at the thugs on the ground and said indifferently, "Dad, ask these people who they are and who is backing them up."

He Daqing was trembling with rage. When he heard Bai Yanlang mention Yi Zhonghai, he immediately connected the dots with the whistleblower letter that someone had sent to sabotage him. Everything made sense!

"Yi Zhonghai! You bastard! What deep-seated hatred have I ever held against you that you're going to torture me like this!" He Daqing gritted his teeth, his eyes bloodshot, and charged towards home with a kitchen knife in hand. "I'll break your bones today!"

Seeing that his father had lost his mind in anger, He Yuzhu shook his head helplessly and did not chase after him. Instead, he turned to look at Bai Yanlang at his feet.

He lifted his foot and then stomped down hard!

"Click—!"

A clear, piercing sound of bone cracking rang out!

Bai Yanlang let out a heart-wrenching scream, clutching his right leg and rolling wildly on the ground, writhing in excruciating pain.

He Yuzhu stepped on his back again, his voice vicious and brimming with undeniable intimidation: "I'm breaking your leg for what you just said to my family! Remember this, if you ever dare to mess with the He family again, you won't even know how you died! Now, get out of Beijing! Never come back! If I ever see you again in Beijing, I'll make you wish you were dead!"

He verbally told Bai Yanlang to leave, but in his heart he had no intention of letting him go—it was just that there were too many people around and it was inconvenient to take action now, and there was also the more important Yi Zhonghai and the forces behind him to deal with.

Bai Yanlang dared not linger any longer. Enduring the excruciating pain in his leg, he used both hands and feet to flee in a panic, like a stray dog ​​with a broken leg, constantly shouting, "I'm leaving, I'm leaving right now."

After dealing with Bai Yanlang, He Yuzhu turned to the group of grumbling thugs on the ground and said coldly, "And you? Who are you? Whose men are you?"

The group of thugs looked at each other, none of them daring to utter a sound, all of them stubbornly pretending to be dead.

He Yuzhu laughed, a cold laugh: "I like people with backbone."

After saying that, he stepped forward and stomped hard on one of the thugs' hands!

"Crack! Crack!"

The sound of finger bones shattering was clearly heard, and the thug let out a painful gasp, his face ashen white.

"Release my brother!" the other thugs roared in unison, but none of them dared to step forward.

"Okay," He Yuzhu said calmly.

"Tell me who's behind this, and I'll let him go immediately. Any later, and his hand will be useless for life. He won't be able to do any work, and his whole family will starve to death."

These words hit the thugs right where it hurts!

In this day and age, losing your hands is tantamount to losing your livelihood!

The thug who had been trampled on could no longer hold on and cried out, "I'll talk! It's Master Wei! We all follow Master Wei Yidao! That Yi Zhonghai is Master Wei's godson!"

"Godson?" He Yuzhu raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, yes! Absolutely true!"

"Who is Wei Yidao?" He Yuzhu pressed.

"Master Wei is a famous figure in Beijing, nicknamed Wei Yidao. He used to work in the palace!" the thug hurriedly replied, afraid of being punished if he was too slow.

He Yuzhu's eyes narrowed: From the palace? An old eunuch?

"Where do you live?"

"Qianliang South Alley..." The thug hesitated for a moment.

He Yuzhu put a little pressure on his feet.

"No. 5, Qianliang South Alley!" the thug blurted out immediately.

"Get lost." He Yuzhu withdrew his foot and said coldly, "If you dare to provoke the He family again, I'll crush your bones!"

The group of thugs, as if granted a pardon, helped each other up and scrambled away in a panic, never daring to look back.

The workers who had been watching the spectacle from afar left in twos and threes as the show ended, their eyes filled with awe as they looked at the He family father and son.

He Yuzhu sneered inwardly: If it weren't for the sheer number of people, none of these people would be leaving here today. As for retaliation? Let them come; He Yuzhu has never been afraid of trouble!

He had already made up his mind that after dealing with Yi Zhonghai, he would go find this Wei Yidao and see what kind of skills this old eunuch from the palace had that dared to cause trouble for the He family!

He Yuzhu picked up the bicycle from the ground, wiped off the dust, got on, and rode quickly towards the courtyard.

As soon as they entered the intermediate court, they heard a series of loud banging on the door, followed by He Daqing's furious roar: "Yi Zhonghai! You childless bastard! Get out here! What kind of skill is it to hide!"

He Daqing was seen frantically smashing Yi Zhonghai's door with a kitchen knife, leaving several dents in the door panel. Inside, Li Guihua trembled with fear, desperately holding the door shut, not daring to even breathe.

Chen Lanxiang and He Yushui initially tried to stop them, but when He Daqing recounted how Yi Zhonghai had schemed against their family, Chen Lanxiang instantly flew into a rage, throwing her hand away and shouting, "Don't stop us! Smash it! This old bastard is too ruthless; he deserves to be taught a lesson!"

It turned out that Yi Zhonghai had secretly run back earlier. When he heard that Bai Yanlang had implicated him, he was so frightened that he packed a small bundle and fled over the back wall overnight, leaving Li Guihua at home to take the fall.

Li Guihua knew perfectly well where Yi Zhonghai had gone, but she gritted her teeth and didn't say a word.

At first, the Jia family huddled at the door watching the commotion, pointing and whispering. But when they saw He Daqing holding a kitchen knife and his eyes turning red, they were so frightened that they immediately closed the door tightly and didn't even dare to show their heads, for fear of being caught in the crossfire.

He Yuzhu walked over to He Daqing, reached out and pressed down on his hand that was waving a kitchen knife, and said calmly, "Alright, Dad, stop smashing it, it's useless. I know where that eggless thing went."

He Daqing turned around abruptly, his eyes bloodshot: "Where did he go?!"

"Just come with me," He Yuzhu said calmly.

He Daqing immediately picked up the kitchen knife and asked urgently, "Do you need to bring any weapons? I'll grab a stick too!"

He Yuzhu rolled his eyes helplessly: "No need. Besides this kitchen knife, what other decent weapon can you pull out?"

Just then, Old Mrs. He came out of the house, leaning on her cane, and grabbed He Yuzhu with a worried expression: "Yuzhu, where are you two going? Don't cause any serious trouble!"