Binjiang Police Affairs
Chapter 315 - 224: The Thieves’ Den!

Chapter 315: Chapter 224: The Thieves’ Den!

1:30 PM, Si Liang Highway.

Zhang Mingyuan and Yanjiang Police Station auxiliary police Old Yan had just followed Han Yu out of Master Han’s family home, watching the French parasol trees continuously pass by the car window, he asked softly, "Salted Fish, we’re heading west, aren’t we?"

Han Yu, holding the steering wheel, asked, "We are heading west, what’s the matter?"

"Liangzhuang is to the west of Dinghu."

"Yes."

"East Sea is to the east, Liangzhuang is to the west, how could you and Ningning pass through Liangzhuang on the way back to your hometown?"

Han Yu caught on and explained with a smile, "We don’t pass through Liangzhuang on our way home, but we do pass through Liangzhuang on the way to Liu Xia. Liu Xia is an ancient town in Xin’an City, with several old streets and very lively. It’s near both Liangzhuang and Dinghu, and people around here prefer to go to Liu Xia for shopping during the New Year, rather than go to Si Gang."

Although Zhang Mingyuan hadn’t spent much time in North Three Counties, he was familiar with Binjiang’s administrative divisions, and after some thought, he said, "Xin’an is under Anle City, so this place is at the boundary between two cities."

"That’s right, it’s the city boundary. Liangzhuang west side’s Liu Xia River is the boundary, the other side of the river belongs to Anle City, this side belongs to Binjiang City. But Liangzhuang and Dinghu used to belong to Liu Xia, the accent is the same as Liu Xia’s, so these few townships west of Si Gang don’t feel much connection to Si Gang."

With a thought to how he himself preferred to take a boat to East Sea rather than go to Binjiang, Old Zhang couldn’t help but laugh and said, "Townships not feeling connected to the county, counties not feeling connected to the city, this is Binjiang’s tradition."

Old Yan then sighed, "Captain Yu, so your father-in-law’s hometown is right in the far northwest of Binjiang."

"That’s why it’s not easy for them to come back."

"It is quite far. It took us all morning to drive here, and if they take long-distance buses and then transfer to local buses, they would have to wait for the bus here and there, probably taking half a day."

"We mainly set out from Bailong Port, it would be quicker if we started from the city area."

"If that Police Special Envoy Li isn’t at the town government, we won’t be able to return today if he’s not at the town."

Something strange happened today.

The three first went to Si Gang Police Station following the procedures for working on a case in a different jurisdiction, with all paperwork completed. Normally, even if the Si Gang Police Station doesn’t arrange for a Criminal Police to accompany them to Liangzhuang, they would at least arrange for a Public Security Police to come with us.

But after listening to our purpose and reviewing our documentation, their expression was somewhat peculiar.

They did not only not arrange for a police officer to accompany us, they even politely declined our offer to share a meal, just helping us to make a phone call to Liangzhuang Town Government, asking us to directly find a Police Special Envoy named Li Shuncheng in Liangzhuang.

This was the first time Han Yu encountered such a situation and was utterly confused. Looking far ahead to a fork in the road, he said, "We’re almost there, we’ll reach Liangzhuang Town Government shortly after turning left ahead. There seems to be no hotel in the town, so if Special Envoy Li isn’t there, we’ll stay the night in Liu Xia. Liu Xia not only has hotels but also guesthouses."

"If it comes to that, we’ll stay in a hotel, let’s forget the guesthouse. The department only has 1600 yuan left in emergency funds, and once it’s spent, that’s it."

"Then we won’t stay in a hotel, tonight we can stay at Ningning’s uncle’s house."

"It’s not appropriate to stay at someone’s house."

"No problem, as you saw earlier, Ningning’s grandmother and uncle were unhappy that we didn’t go for a meal. If we can’t return today and end up staying at a hotel in Liu Xia, they will be even less pleased if they find out."

The elderly and Han Yu’s brother were very warm, persistently seeing them to the front of the local team’s store. As Zhang Mingyuan was reflecting on the genuine nature of the local people, Han Yu had already turned the car toward the north-south Liangzhuang Market.

The streets of Liangzhuang Town are short; crossing one bridge takes you to the cinema, and driving about 150 meters forward, you see the Town Government on the west side of the road.

The courtyard is larger than that of the Si Gang Police Station, with a newly built three-story office building facing east, fitted with aluminum alloy doors and windows.

The hallway is on the south side, next to a large meeting room, with the Party and Government Office, Civil Affairs Office, and Work Office beside the meeting room.

Based on the nameplates, the second floor houses the Military Department, economic management station, finance office, and the broadcasting station.

The third floor is too high, and the balconies are closed, obscuring the view of the offices, although it can be surmised that they are likely for the town’s leadership.

Holding his briefcase, Han Yu was about to step out of the car when a cadre in his forties approached and asked, "Who are you looking for?"

He spoke in the Liangzhuang dialect, which Zhang Mingyuan and Old Yan couldn’t understand.

Han Yu also couldn’t understand before, but after visiting Dinghu with his in-laws a few times, he managed to get the gist and quickly replied, "Hello, we are police officers from Binjiang City Police Water Police Team. Is Special Envoy Li here?"

"Is it you whom the Police Bureau phoned about this morning?"

"Yes, we have a matter to discuss with Special Envoy Li."

"Special Envoy Li has gone out on business with Secretary Lu, you can talk to me about what you need."

"May I know your surname?"

"My surname is Zhou, here is my business card."

Having stayed by the river for so long, he’s become a bit disconnected from the shore.

Now it’s fashionable to print business cards, hand them out, and exchange them, unlike before when you had to bring a work permit and a letter of introduction wherever you went.

People have business cards, but I don’t, Han Yu felt somewhat embarrassed and quickly stepped forward to receive it with both hands.

Zhang Mingyuan was equally embarrassed; upon receiving the business card and seeing who it was, the Director of Comprehensive Governance Office from Liangzhuang Town, he hurriedly spoke in the Linghai dialect, "Director Zhou, hello. I apologize, we only have our work IDs, no business cards."

"Having a work ID is fine."

Zhou Zhengfa led the three of them into the office, looked at Han Yu and Zhang Mingyuan’s work IDs and the introduction letter, then sat behind his desk and asked, "You’re here to make arrests, right?"

Han Yu smiled and said, "Yes."

Zhou Zhengfa followed up with, "What about the arrest procedures?"

Arrests are a serious matter, and since you are not a public security police officer, presenting you with the arrest procedures could be risky—if the information leaks and criminals escape, what then?

Han Yu was stunned, not knowing how to continue.

Zhang Mingyuan did not expect the Director of a Town’s Comprehensive Governance Office would interfere with police matters and hesitated before asking, "Director Zhou, did Agent Li mention when he would return?"

"He already said he’s out on official business with our Secretary Lu, I have no idea when he’ll be back. You don’t want to speak to me; it seems you don’t trust me. Well if that’s the case, you can go wait in the conference room next door."

"Director Zhou, it’s not what you think, it just involves an arrest..."

"It’s just an arrest, I’ve done it before. The Cooperative Defense Team is under my leadership. If you don’t believe me, go ask around in the office next door."

Coming to Liangzhuang to make arrests and not knowing the local rules is one thing, but to look down on us is another.

Zhou Zhengfa felt a bit annoyed, turned around, bent down, and picked up a walkie-talkie that was charging in the corner, shouting within Han Yu and Old Zhang’s hearing, "Old Mi, Old Mi, come to the Town Government office, I have something to discuss with you."

"Director Zhou, what’s the matter? I’m guarding someone at the party school."

"Guarding?"

"Don’t believe me? Come and see for yourself."

"Those who were arrested the day before yesterday still haven’t brought in their fines."

"Not yet."

"Then you don’t need to come over, just make sure to keep a close watch."

Since when do the Comprehensive Governance Office and the Cooperative Defense Team have the authority to make arrests? Han Yu and Old Zhang were flabbergasted.

Zhou Zhengfa gave the policemen from Binjiang a bit of a power play, put down the walkie-talkie, opened a drawer, and pulled out a blank receipt: "Director Zhang, Captain Han, you don’t trust me, and if you don’t want to talk, that’s okay, but since you’ve come to our Liangzhuang to make arrests, you’ll have to go through the necessary procedures."

Old Zhang subconsciously asked, "What procedures?"

Zhou Zhengfa nonchalantly said, "You came to request our cooperation, and since you need our assistance, you need to pay a cooperation fee. Five hundred for one person, a thousand for two; how many are you arresting?"

It’s only right to treat you to a meal when we come here for an investigation, but asking for money is too much.

Old Zhang never imagined that he, a public security police officer, would one day be extorted by the Comprehensive Governance Office. It felt less like he was in a Town Government office and more like he had entered a bandit’s den.

Han Yu couldn’t believe his ears either and raised his head to say, "Director Zhou, when we police conduct cases in other jurisdictions, the local police should provide assistance; there’s no regulation about paying any cooperation fees."

"But this is the Liangzhuang Town Government, not a police organ. The Police Bureau hasn’t set up a Police Station in our Liangzhuang. Since you are requesting the collaboration of our town government, you must follow the regulations of the Liangzhuang Town Government."

"Is this a town government regulation?"

"You want to see the document? One moment."

Zhou Zhengfa stood up, opened the file cabinet, rummaged through, and took out a red-headed document stamped with the seals of the town’s Party Committee and Town Government, gently placing it in front of Han Yu.

Han Yu picked up the document and was dumbstruck.

Not only did they have a document, but it also had detailed rules.

How many people to arrest, how much money to pay.

If they couldn’t arrest someone, and they needed the town’s help to arrange for someone to keep watch or even stake out, there was another fee.

Even the communication costs for phone contact, the expenses for deploying vehicles to cooperate, were all listed, with prices clearly marked.

Even more unbelievable was that no matter what kind of criminal was caught, it was requisite to report to the town’s Party Committee and Town Government, and after capture, an interrogation had to take place at the Town Government’s office.

If the Police Special Envoy was at home, they would participate in the interrogation.

If the Police Special Envoy was not at home, the Deputy Secretary in charge of political and legal affairs or the Director of the Comprehensive Governance Office would participate in the interrogation.

In short, if you want to make arrests in Liangzhuang, you have to pay; if you want to take the arrested criminals away, you need the consent of the town’s Party Committee and Town Government.