Captain Ma had been following Director Qi for many years, and the moment he heard his tone, he immediately sensed something was wrong.
But his panic lasted only a second before he shrugged it off with a careless smirk.
The Jiang Family was a well-known capitalist household. For people of their background, not being sent to labor farms for re-education was already a show of mercy.
Now, just because a few shabby pieces of furniture had been moved, someone had the nerve to report them to their unit.
How bold!
Clearly, those two old fools didn’t want to live peacefully anymore.
As Captain Ma secretly plotted how to deal with them, Director Qi shot him a cold glance.
“Do you realize you’ve stirred up a massive mess?”
Seeing his confusion, Director Qi recounted the phone call he had just received.
“The Jiang Family has already filed a report. The police and the Military Commission have already arrived at the scene.”
If it had just been the police calling, Director Qi could have found a way to brush it off.
But with the head of the Military Commission personally involved, there was no way to avoid giving an explanation today.
Only after hearing that the Military Commission was involved did Captain Ma grasp the severity of the situation.
“What does this have to do with the Military Commission? Why are they meddling?”
Director Qi closed his eyes, saying nothing. If he knew, he wouldn’t be so frustrated.
After a moment of thought, he warned in a low voice,
“Watch your attitude when we get there. The Military Commission is fiercely protective of their own.”
“Understood, Director.”
Though reluctant, Captain Ma nodded.
What Director Qi didn’t know was that his subordinate hadn’t just stirred up trouble—he had dug himself into a deep pit.
No, not just one pit—more than a dozen.
By the time they arrived at the Jiang Family’s residence, it was already past 7:30 in the evening.
Winter nights fell early, and though the house was still lit, the yard was pitch black, so dark you couldn’t see your own hand.
Having visited multiple times before, Captain Ma was familiar with the layout and led the way.
“Director, watch your—”
Before he could finish,
Thud!
Director Qi stepped into empty air.
The next moment, the world spun, and when he opened his eyes again, he was lying at the bottom of a pit.
Captain Ma’s heart nearly stopped. “Director! Are you alright?”
Director Qi clutched his aching back, his face twisted in pain. “Who dug this pit?”
“……” Captain Ma fell silent.
Back then, he had been so determined to turn the Jiang Family’s property inside out that every pit in the yard had been dug nearly two meters deep.
How was he supposed to know Director Qi would follow him and fall in?
But now wasn’t the time for honesty.
He quickly changed the subject. “What are you idiots standing around for? Hurry up and pull the Director out!”
Jiang Si had been listening to the commotion outside. Only after they struggled to haul Director Qi out did she finally open the front door.
She stepped forward, gave Director Qi a once-over, and feigned ignorance. “What happened?”
Covered in mud, Director Qi looked like a drowned rat—the most humiliating moment of his career.
But before he could demand an explanation for the pits, Jiang Si turned to Captain Ma, tossing him the hot potato.
“Captain Ma, didn’t you dig these pits yourself? How could you fall into one?”
Before leaving for Qiongzhou Island, this man had raided their home multiple times.
Jiang Si held grudges. Half an hour earlier, she had Uncle Zhong smash every light bulb in the yard.
Too bad it hadn’t killed any of them.
Just then, Third Uncle emerged. “Isn’t it obvious? He dug so many pits he probably forgot where they were.”
With that, what could Director Qi say?
No matter how furious he was, he had to swallow it.
Once inside, Director Hu introduced Jiang Si.
“This is Director Qi from the Red Committee. If you have grievances, speak freely. Don’t be afraid.”
Director Qi nearly choked. This old fox.
His words couldn’t have been more blatantly biased.
Jiang Si wasn’t afraid in the slightest. Over the past few months in Capital City, she had met more high-ranking officials and generals than she could count. A mere Red Committee director wasn’t worth her concern.
She frowned, scanning the room before locking eyes with Captain Ma.
“Captain Ma, I’ve heard you’ve searched the Jiang Family over a dozen times recently.”
“Tell me, what crime have we committed to deserve such relentless attention?”
Captain Ma, a seasoned veteran, didn’t flinch. He straightened and declared righteously,
“We received reports that the Jiang Family has been hiding vast amounts of unaccounted assets and gold—ill-gotten gains from exploitation, which should rightfully be confiscated by the state.”
“Furthermore, we’ve uncovered evidence that the Jiang Family has been illegally transferring assets, destroying ledgers, and exchanging large sums of foreign currency for years.”
“On top of that, your family has hoarded antiques, calligraphy, paintings, jade, and other valuables.”
“Do you realize your actions qualify as counter-revolutionary capitalist behavior?”
“Yet instead of feeling ashamed, you stand here making demands!”
“I advise you to confess honestly and stop resisting pointlessly!”
Captain Ma ranted for a full ten minutes. Jiang Si’s response? Just one sentence.
“Did you even fact-check before spouting this nonsense? Do you know who controlled the Jiang Family’s assets years ago?”
Without waiting for an answer, she turned to Director Qi.
“Director Qi, is this how the Red Committee operates now?”
“Making baseless accusations without evidence?”
“By that logic, couldn’t I also claim that Captain Ma’s family is hoarding gold, antiques, and illegal assets?”
Captain Ma’s pupils shrank. “Y-you’re talking nonsense!”
Beside him, Director Qi gulped nervously.
Jiang Si smirked. “Relax, Captain Ma. It’s just a hypothetical.”
Then, her tone turned sharp.
“Captain Ma, our leaders’ time is valuable. Just answer me this—”
“After all your searches, after digging up our entire property—”
“Have you found a single thing you just accused us of?”
“Yes or no?”
Silence.
“No answer? Then I’ll take that as a ‘no.’”
Jiang Si arched a brow, her voice dripping with scorn.
“You accuse us of hiding mountains of wealth, yet you can’t produce a shred of proof.”
“Isn’t that just slander?”
Then, she turned to Deputy Director Li.
“Deputy Director Li, I formally accuse Red Committee member Ma Changxing.”
"He is suspected of slandering military family members and government officials, as well as conspiring with others to commit a home invasion and deliberately seizing the property of the people!"
Hearing this, Captain Ma stood frozen in shock.
Deputy Director Li took it somewhat better, having already guessed she was a military family member.
However, he couldn’t immediately grasp what was meant by "government officials."
Just then, Huo Tingzhou’s voice suddenly rang out from outside.
"Those charges might not be enough—what the Jiang Family didn’t have, we’ve found plenty of in the Ma residence."
