Chapter 51 The Inspection Team Returns

When Peng Zhigang audaciously demanded 200 yuan, Mu Jingxun and Bai Ziyong found it preposterous.  They thought he was dreaming. Li Changping frowned. This educated youth Peng was really bold. Regardless of whether Mu Jingxun and Bai Ziyong were responsible, 200 yuan was an excessive compensation.

Did he understand the value of 200 yuan? Many families in the countryside couldn’t even afford that much.  Li Changping looked at Peng Zhigang displeasedly and asked, “Comrade Peng, do you have any evidence? I think what Comrades Mu and Bai said isn’t unreasonable. Without evidence, I can’t help you.”  “Captain, isn’t it obvious? They definitely retaliated against me because of yesterday’s incident.

” “Comrade Peng, these are your assumptions. Without evidence, you can’t blame them.” Li Changping then routinely asked the other educated youths, “Did anyone hear any unusual noises last night? Did anyone see Comrades Mu and Bai assaulting Comrade Peng?” The educated youths all shook their heads.  Li Changping, understanding the situation, sneered at Peng Zhigang, “Comrade Peng, you said Comrades Mu and Bai assaulted you.

 Why didn’t anyone in the educated youth center hear anything? If it were them, wouldn’t others have heard something?” Peng Zhigang quickly explained, “Captain, they didn’t assault me in the educated youth center, but in the grove.” Jiang Li sneered, “Oh, Comrade Peng, in the middle of the night, Comrades Mu and Bai could tie you up in the grove right under everyone’s noses?” After Jiang Li said this, other educated youths nodded.  It was true; with so many people in the educated youth center, it wouldn’t be easy for Mu Jingxun and Bai Ziyong to tie up Peng Zhigang in front of everyone. 

After Jiang Li’s remark, Peng Zhigang wanted to defend himself but realized he couldn’t explain the situation truthfully. Could he say he went to the grove to meet Li Yuehong? Of course not. That would expose his relationship with Li Yuehong. But if he didn’t explain, he couldn’t account for the incident. Peng Zhigang didn’t want to suffer a loss or be beaten by Mu Jingxun and Bai Ziyong for nothing.

 As Peng Zhigang pondered a solution, another danger approached. The inspection team arrived at the educated youth center. Seeing Captain Liu and his men again, Li Changping was puzzled. Why were the inspection team here again so early? Wasn’t yesterday’s matter resolved? Was there something overlooked? The educated youths were also curious. Why were the inspection team here? What were they doing? Were they continuing the investigation from yesterday? Peng Zhigang, however, was delighted.

 Had the inspection team discovered something and were they here to arrest Mu Jingxun and Bai Ziyong?  Thinking of their potential misfortune, Peng Zhigang’s gloomy mood lifted.  As Peng Zhigang gleefully anticipated Mu Jingxun and Bai Ziyong’s downfall, Li Changping approached Captain Liu and asked, “Captain Liu, didn’t your team come yesterday? Why are you here again? Is the investigation from yesterday unfinished?” Captain Liu waved his hand, explaining, “No, it’s not related to yesterday. We received another report.

” Li Changping’s temples throbbed. Who else was reporting something? Yesterday, he warned the team members and educated youths not to make frivolous reports.  It seemed they didn’t heed his warning, or the inspection team wouldn’t be here again because of a report.

Li Changping hurriedly asked, “Captain Liu, who is reported this time?” Captain Liu calmly said, “This time, it’s Peng Zhigang, for possessing foreign books. I thought the reporter yesterday might have mistaken the person.

 It wasn’t Comrades Mu Jingxun and Bai Ziyong who possessed foreign books, but Comrade Peng Zhigang. So, I came here early this morning to investigate.” If it were another person, the inspection team might not have acted so swiftly. But since it was Peng Zhigang, Captain Liu came early to investigate, regardless of the outcome.

 Peng Zhigang had left a bad impression on him yesterday.  He had also accepted cigarettes from Mu Jingxun, so this investigation was a way to help those two young comrades. Hearing that someone reported Peng Zhigang for possessing foreign books, Li Changping’s brows furrowed even deeper.

 What was going on? Why were there so many problems in their production brigade? Could Peng Zhigang really be that foolish to actually hide foreign books?  Peng Zhigang was stunned. What was happening? Wasn’t the inspection team investigating Mu Jingxun and Bai Ziyong? Why were they investigating him?

Peng Zhigang immediately explained to Captain Liu, “Captain Liu, I’m innocent! I wouldn’t do such a thing. Someone must be falsely accusing me.”  Seeing Peng Zhigang’s defense, Jiang Li used his own words to mock him, “Comrade Peng, you can’t say that. You can’t judge a book by its cover.

 Who knows what kind of person you are? Since you’ve been reported, it’s not entirely baseless. You might have done it. Whether you did it or not will be determined by the inspection team’s search. If nothing is found, your innocence will be proven, right?” Peng Zhigang recognized his own words. Jiang Li was using his words against him, leaving him speechless. Others echoed Jiang Li’s sentiments.

“Yes, Comrade Peng, the way to prove your innocence is to let the inspection team search. Don’t worry, if you didn’t hide any books, the inspection team won’t wrong you. Comrades Mu and Bai were also reported, weren’t they?  The inspection team didn’t find any evidence, so they weren’t punished.

” Captain Liu firmly stated, “Since we received a report, we must investigate. I don’t care what kind of people you are or whether you could have done it. I only look at the evidence. Comrade Peng, which room do you live in? Please unlock it for us.

” After Captain Liu finished speaking, Dong Ping, who shared a room with Peng Zhigang, immediately produced the key to unlock the door.