With Xiong Xiling's guarantee, Xue Pingshun finally felt at ease and returned to the cart factory. He was afraid that the carters would be worried, so he didn't tell anyone about this matter.

  In the evening, Xiao Shunzi returned home from work and excitedly told everyone that the students had burned down the house of the traitor Cao Rulin and also beat Zhang Zongxiang.

  "I heard that Cao Rulin, this traitor, has a golden statue of the Japanese Emperor in his house!" He spoke to the carters with an air of importance, sharing the news he had picked up from rumors.

  The carters were squatting and eating, one of the carters muttered: "Chinese people do not worship their ancestors at home, but worship the Japanese emperor, what is he after?"

  "He's a traitor, a running dog of the Japanese. You think he got that big house for nothing? It's all from taking bribes from the Japanese."

  The carters seemed to understand and not understand, listening to Xiaoshunzi's eloquent speech. Xue Baoqing returned and listened for a while before suddenly interrupting: "Nonsense! What you heard were just rumors. The fire at Zhaojialou was actually set by Cao Rulin himself."

  "Hey, isn't it strange? Cao Rulin must have gone crazy and set his own house on fire."

  Bao Qing curled his lips and said with a sly tone, "You don't understand, do you? They have documents of national betrayal hidden at home, afraid that the students would search for them, so they simply set everything on fire."

  Xiao Shunzi suddenly realized: "So that's how it is, this old man is really ruthless. I think he not only wants to destroy the evidence but also wants to burn the students to death."

  Bao Qing nodded: "I reckon it's something like that."

  Xue Pingshun walked over with a stern face and shouted, "Can't even fill your mouths with food, hurry up and eat, what nonsense are you spouting?"

  The carters suddenly lowered their heads and ate in silence, Xiao Shunzi and Baoqing also stuck out their tongues and giggled secretly.

  "Why hasn't Da Kui returned?" Baoqing asked in a low voice.

  "Maybe I'll stay overnight." Little Shunzi smiled mysteriously.

  ……

  The police station, the police interrogated and recorded the arrested students one by one. In the case of the fire at Zhaojialou, a total of 33 people were detained, including 20 from Beida, 8 from Higher Normal School, 2 from Industrial School, 1 from Zhongda, 1 from Huiwen University, and 1 who was not a student, but a rickshaw puller.

  These thirty-three people all claimed that they were just watching the excitement near Zhaojialou and did not participate in the arson and assault, they are all big brothers of students, Wenquxing descended to the world, even the car driver is a person with background, Director Xu had made arrangements to take care of them, so the police dared not use torture, can only be detained first, waiting for the superior's instructions.

  All the prisoners were photographed and fingerprinted, then locked back in their cells. Some of the students began to feel afraid, but Kuang Husheng and others continued to chat and laugh as if being imprisoned was a glorious thing.

  Chen Zikun was getting anxious. To be fair, Yao Yile should have found a way to get herself out of there by now. The fact that things had dragged on until now probably meant something had gone wrong somewhere.

  The night passed, and the next day, socialites Wang Dasui, Wang Chonghui, Lin Changmin and others came forward to bail out the arrested students, but were refused by the police department. The principals of 14 universities jointly requested an audience with President Xu Shichang, Premier Qian Nengxun, and Education Minister Fu Zengxiang, demanding the release of the students, but all high-ranking government officials refused to see them.

  Not only did Xu Shichang refuse to meet with the principals, but he also ordered the police department to strengthen its guard against such incidents happening again. If there was any disturbance of order and refusal to obey suppression, they would be immediately arrested and prosecuted, without leniency.

  The president of the university is the most respected person in society, far superior to government officials. Normally, it's not just a matter of the president's name being mentioned, but even if it's just one president who wants to see the President or Prime Minister, it's just a matter of saying so. This time, however, he was coldly rejected, which is enough to show how serious the situation is. There are also rumors that this is the result of Tuan Chi-yueh's anger, and Tuan Chi-yueh's anger is because his Japanese master scolded him.

  Dark clouds pressed down on Beijing, shrouding it in darkness before a storm.

  Deputy Commander Xu Shuzheng received the files sent by the police department, looking at the young faces on the case files, he sighed: "Alas, why did you become a thief..."

  Suddenly, Director Xu's gaze stayed on the last page of the file, and the person in the photo was so familiar. He suddenly stood up, walked back and forth in the room a few times, picked up the file again, and drew two small mustaches on the face of the person in the photo with a brush pen.

  "It was him!" Xu Shu-zheng slammed his fist on the desk, trampling iron shoes without a trace, making a big fuss at the Anfu Club, and killing eight guards. The Soviet agent who had been hiding among the students, no need to ask, the fire that burned down Zhao's building was their conspiracy!

  "Come in!" Xu Shuzheng shouted loudly. The deputy officer entered at the sound, saluted and said: "What are your orders, Deputy Director?"

  Xu Shuzheng said: "Bring me the last month's Times."

  The deputy quickly brought over a newspaper, and Xu Shuzheng rapidly scanned it. After just a few minutes, he found what he was looking for.

  "Deputy Minister of Transportation's Daughter Living with Chauffeur for a Week!"

  The name of the cart driver who was mentioned in the following article as having a romantic encounter is Chen Zikong, and upon reviewing the police department's case files, it is also Chen Zikong.

  This is absolutely no coincidence! Xushu Cong fell into deep thought, the scene at Liuguo Restaurant and the case of the Japanese spy being killed all floated before his eyes, all of this was absolutely not a coincidence.

  The Soviet spy's tentacles stretched far and wide, not only colluding with Lin Changmin and others, but also going to great lengths to get close to the leaders of the Communications Clique. Regardless of their motivations, their goal was ultimately the same: to overthrow the current government.

  How to deal with this Soviet spy became a problem for Xu Shuzheng. Shooting him would be simple, but it would definitely cause public backlash. After all, the guy had a fake identity and was mixed up with the rioting students, making things even more complicated. Given the current complex situation, it's not suitable for him to take action himself.

  Xu Shuzheng quickly thought of the "borrowing a knife to kill" tactic from the Thirty-six Stratagems, and decided to stay out of it himself, letting the Japanese and Soviet Russians fight each other. Thinking this, he tore off the last page of the case file, put it in an envelope, and sent someone to deliver it to the Japanese Embassy.

  ……

  Xu Shuzheng's political nerves were also very sensitive. After the joint name of the principal failed to bail out the students, Beijing and even the whole country quickly fell into a trend of condemning the government and supporting the students. People from all walks of life came forward to support the students, and even high-ranking officials in the government who were close to the emperor began to take action. The Minister of Education, Fu Zengxiang, repeatedly submitted his resignation.

  Under this pressure, the government had no choice but to compromise and allow Lin Changmin and other celebrities to bail out the students.

  On May 7, thirty-three suspects of the burning of Zhaojialou were released from the Beijing Police Department's detention center. As soon as they walked out of the gate, they were stunned by a sea of people outside, with some shouting "Salute to the arrested students!" Then hundreds cheered together, and a group of female students ran over to put flower garlands around their necks, followed by more people rushing over to lift the thirty-three onto their shoulders and carrying them away in triumph.

  Chen Zikong also wore a floral wreath around his neck, carried by two students as he walked along the road. Facing the welcoming crowd, he was excited and a little dizzy, under the bright sunshine that shone brightly in the clear sky.

  In a distant alley, two stout men with Ren Dan mustaches pressed down the brims of their hats and turned to leave.

  Lin Changmin hosted a dinner party at the Hui Xiantang Restaurant on the north side of Shichahai to comfort the arrested students, and social celebrities such as Xiong Xiling and Wang Daixie all attended. The scene was grand and impressive. Chen Ziqin also joined the students in accepting toasts, which made him feel somewhat embarrassed.

  "In fact, I really didn't do anything." He explained to Xiong Xiling who came forward to toast.

  "Haha, I understand you. If you were to do something, perhaps Zhang Zongxiang wouldn't have been seriously injured." Xiong Xiling smiled and raised his wine cup to toast with him, saying: "To our hero."

  Everyone around raised their glasses: "Cheers to the hero!"

  Chen Zikun felt a burning sensation on his face, and in the chaos, he became a hero. If only he had known earlier, he would have gone up to kick Zhang Zongxiang or instructed the students to set fire... The fourth day was a south wind day, so it should have been ignited at the upper wind mouth... However, all this is too late now, the key is that he enjoyed being a hero.

  Lin Changmin raised his cup and said, "Classmates, let's take a moment of silence."

  The whole place fell silent.

  "Fellow students, just now Lin received an order from the Presidential Palace, which was to be convened by our Diplomatic Association today, aiming to awaken people's consciousness and save Shandong's sovereignty. The National Assembly has been banned by them without any reason!" Along with this last angry shout, Lin Changmin angrily waved his arm, with sadness and unyielding in his eyes.

  The students were in an uproar, with some waving their arms and shouting: "Down with the traitorous government!"

  Slogans rose and fell in waves, Chen Zikun also followed with a few angry roars, shouting hot blood boiling.

  Lin Changmin pressed down with his hand and continued to say: "The resignation of the three traitorous politicians, Cao Rulin, Zhang Zongxiang, and Lu Zongyu, was actually returned by the President, who even praised them as 'loyal and honest'. This is simply absurd, simply shameless! Is it that betraying one's country has merit, while loving one's country requires trial?"

  Another angry roar.

  After dinner, the owner of Hui Xiantang expressed that in order to express his admiration for the patriotic students, he invited this meal. Lin Changmin and others were deeply moved. Even ordinary people have a sense of patriotism, but those who are high-ranking officials are full of treachery, which is pathetic and lamentable.

  ……

  Rokoku restaurant, a Japanese man found Johnson, the general manager, and handed him the business card of the assistant military attaché of the Japanese Embassy, requesting to review the files of Chinese employees in the restaurant. Although Johnson didn't like the Japanese from the bottom of his heart, he knew that these energetic little dwarfs would not give up if they didn't achieve their goal. He shrugged and picked up the phone to call the personnel department of the restaurant, asking them to cooperate with Mr. Yamamoto.

  Yamamoto Takeo came to the personnel department of the restaurant, carefully checked the employee files, and finally locked in a face. In the photo, Xiaoshunzi smiled brightly.

  "This is Tom, a waiter in the restaurant, who has always been quick-witted and capable. He was about to be promoted to shift leader, what can I do for you?" The personnel assistant introduced.

  Yamamoto Takeo casually said: "He picked up the wallet of Ambassador Araki's counselor and returned it, I came to thank him, can you call him over?"

  "Of course." The personnel department's deputy director immediately picked up the phone and dialed the front desk, asking them to call Tom over.

  Xiao Shunzi was flirting with a waitress in the cloakroom when a colleague came over and said, "Tom, the personnel department wants to see you."

  "What's up?"

  "I don't know, probably they want to promote you as a leader."

  "Good luck!" Xiaoshunzi stood proudly in front of the mirror, adjusting his tie, and walked briskly towards the personnel department. As he passed through the corridor, he could see the window of the personnel department, and he couldn't help but glance over, only to see a very familiar face.

  This person is a Japanese spy, who has been staying at the Liu Guo Hotel for some time, waiting to catch "Zhu Lian", that is, Da Kun Zi!

  Xiao Shunzi crouched down on the ground with a whoosh, afraid that the Japanese spy would see him. He crawled out of the corridor in a flurry, ran out of the restaurant, hailed a rickshaw and panted: "Quickly, go to Huaishu Hutong inside Xuanwumen!"