Chapter Ninety-Five: The End of Zhang San

As soon as Han Li spoke, smiles appeared on the faces of everyone present.

“This is what a comrade who can withstand scrutiny looks like. Well done, Han Zhiqing.”

In truth, the three village leaders were quite shrewd; they had already apprehended quite a few educated youths this time around. If they conducted a sudden inspection on the others, no one could predict what might happen. If a forbidden book were placed before them, these people couldn’t simply ignore it. However, if they cleared out too many educated youths at once, the higher authorities would become displeased and suspicious—suspecting them of resisting the policy of sending educated youths to the countryside, which would spell serious trouble for them.

Thus, the three village leaders allowed the educated youths to return first, conducting their inspections at a steady pace behind them. This gave the youths time to pack their belongings so that nothing else would be discovered. This way, the incident wouldn’t implicate too many people, allowing them to neatly close the matter.

Afterward, everyone went to Han Li’s home. The courtyard was filled with vegetable patches, tall stacks of firewood, a dug-out cellar, and several sacks of dried wild vegetables, mountain produce, and medicinal herbs. This was clearly the home of a diligent, capable young man who knew how to live well. Many homes in Shanghe Village didn’t have as many gathered items as Han Li did.

Village Chief Zhao asked, “Han Zhiqing, you also gathered some medicinal herbs?”

Han Li replied, “I’ve been practicing martial arts all along. My master gave me a recipe to help regulate my health. I saw these herbs in the mountains and picked them myself. They’re all for my own use, definitely not for sale.”

“There’s also official procurement of medicinal herbs in the county town, which is completely legal. But it’s better to use them myself. The herbs from our mountains have much stronger efficacy than those from elsewhere.”

As they spoke, the three village leaders casually inspected Han Li’s courtyard. When they saw the carpenter’s tools and wooden boards he had placed outside, they were momentarily surprised, but did not question it.

Their inspection was perfunctory—they didn’t even open the kang cabinet or the chests—then they moved on to the courtyards of several young women.

Han Li followed behind, finding nothing unusual. Finally, everyone gathered at the educated youth dormitory.

As they approached the girls’ dormitory, Han Li deliberately glanced at Accountant Zhang and Wei Chunlan, but neither showed any abnormal reaction. This left Han Li a bit disappointed. If only they had put on a little melodrama of lovesick youths, it would have been far more entertaining than catching the educated youths.

Still, Han Li only entertained such thoughts quietly. At that moment, his spiritual energy was already cloaking the boys’ dormitory.

Soon, he found Zhang San’s location and fixed his gaze on the conspicuously placed Red Treasure Book. Han Li’s eyes narrowed slightly; many pages of the book were already tattered and torn.

Having done this, Han Li nonchalantly watched as the three village leaders continued their inspection, quickly arriving at Zhang San’s spot.

To show off, Zhang San shook his bedding and knapsack, causing paper butterflies to flutter down throughout the room.

Everyone was stunned, dumbfounded by what they saw. Someone shouted,

“Heavens! That’s a Red Treasure Book!”

“Zhang San, how dare you do such a thing?”

“Quick, catch Zhang San!”

Without waiting for orders from the three village leaders, Zhang San’s roommates immediately pinned him to the ground. More people pounced, piling on him like a human pyramid, holding him down tightly.

Zhang San was completely immobilized under the heavy pressure, unable even to open his mouth to speak.

The three leaders of Shanghe Village were astonished; they hadn’t expected Zhang San to be so openly defiant.

Captain Liang shouted angrily, “Seize him! We must not let this bad element escape. This... this is utterly outrageous.”

Village Chief Zhao ordered, “Bring some rope, strong rope. Bind him tightly.”

Accountant Zhang said, “Find a rag to gag him. He must not utter any subversive words without permission.”

Everyone sprang into action, scrambling to find ropes and rags. Their faces were tense the entire time; no one dared to utter a single word. Even Han Li hadn’t anticipated such a fierce reaction.

Village Chief Zhao said, “Han Li, hurry to the livestock shed and hitch up the cart—make sure it’s a horse cart. Speed is essential.”

Captain Liang slapped his forehead and added, “The faster, the better. Don’t delay—we must reach the commune as soon as possible.”

Neither Zhao nor Liang dared to wait until dawn. They immediately instructed Han Li to harness the cart.

No matter what, they had to rush to the commune at once. What awaited them there was anyone’s guess.

Han Li quickly turned and ran towards the livestock shed, rousing the old man there.

“What’s going on at this late hour?”

“Hurry and get up to hitch the cart. This is a serious and urgent matter. The captain and the others are all waiting at the educated youths’ dormitory.”

Hearing this, the old man didn’t hesitate. Flustered, he hurried to harness the horse cart and drove quickly back to the dormitory.

Outside the dormitory, torches and horse lanterns illuminated the area like daylight. From afar, Captain Liang’s stern reprimand could be heard.

“Sun Yong, Jiang Xiaoli—such things happened right under your noses, and you didn’t notice a thing? This is truly disappointing...”

The sound of the cart interrupted the captain’s lecture. Han Li took in the scene at the entrance.

All the educated youths stood divided into two groups: one consisting of those detained for stealing bean pods, the other of those without offenses.

Meanwhile, Zhang San remained the most conspicuous presence, writhing like a maggot, emitting incomprehensible murmurs.

Captain Liang lowered his head and whispered something to Village Chief Zhao, then pointed at the crowd.

“Some of you, put Zhang San on the cart. The rest follow us to the commune. The others must stay quietly in the village.”

Han Li and many other educated youths watched as the three village leaders left with a large group. Those remaining felt somewhat aimless.

Zhang San’s fate was sealed; there was no chance of escape. The other youths taken away likely wouldn’t return to Shanghe Village.

In other words, among the two groups of educated youths, only Han Li and a few close friends remained; the rest had all been eliminated.

The dormitory suddenly felt empty. Sun Yong, with a helpless expression, said,

“To prevent them from spreading rumors, let’s gather in the courtyard for a simple meeting to unify our thoughts.”

After this long ordeal, when Han Li finally returned home and glanced at his watch, he realized it was already the time he normally got up to exercise. Today, he had just stepped through the door.

Han Li rubbed his face, threw off his jacket onto the kang, and stepped outside to begin his daily training.