Chapter 88

Speed is of the essence in military operations; after rescuing the first person, immediately move on to the second.

The suspects should be taken back to the police station and detained separately. After all the women involved are rescued, we can then proceed with the interrogation.

We will split into two groups. Xiao Dan, Chen Meng, and Gao Yali will go to Ding Lake, while Han Bo will head to Qingfeng Village with Chief Ning without delay.

A bumpy gravel road, quite wide, but with narrow bridges made of a few slabs, no guardrails on either side, and about five or six of them along the way. Large vehicles can't get in, but a minivan can barely manage. It's about 2.5 kilometers, and it takes about ten minutes of bumpy driving to arrive.

Rescuing victims of human trafficking is not just the responsibility of the police. The central government has clearly stipulated that all levels of government should actively participate in rescue efforts.

The village office was full of people, including the chairwoman of the Women's Federation and representatives from the judicial office.

Chief Ning, as the overall commander of the operation, first introduced himself and then took charge of assigning tasks: "Secretary Du, Village Chief Jia, the town leadership has instructed that the rescue operation must be carried out, whether you understand it or not. We will set out immediately, on foot, with you leading the way. Special Envoy Han needs to gather some information. Gu Junsheng will definitely be taken away today, along with the woman from another place. After they are taken away, you need to do the ideological work with his relatives..."

It turns out it was about Gu Junsheng buying a wife. On the night he arrived, the village officials even went to drink the "wedding wine."

Secretary Du was at a loss, and he said with a bitter smile, "Chief Ning, Special Envoy Han, if we can get the money back, the woman can be taken away. But Gu Junsheng can't be taken. He is 38 years old and has a 57-year-old mother who is bedridden. If he leaves, no one will take care of her."

"Who is currently looking after the woman from another place?"

"His cousins and neighbors, Special Envoy Han. Let me explain, Gu Junsheng is a good person. He helps out whenever someone is busy and has never had a quarrel with anyone. I saw him this afternoon, helping Chen Changfa from the fourth team. He is honest and hardworking. Such a person is not a threat to society. Buying a wife was out of desperation."

"Let's see the situation first."

"Special Envoy Han, is buying a wife really that serious? In neighboring villages, there are several cases, and some of them even have children in primary school."

"Secretary Du, Village Chief Jia, let's put ourselves in their shoes. If your daughter was kidnapped and sold to another place, wouldn't you be anxious? If the woman already has a family, even children, what does that mean for the other family? It's not just a matter of severity; it is very serious."

The special envoy was exceptionally serious, and his tone was heavy. Everyone looked at each other, wanting to speak but holding back.

Han Bo looked around and continued, "According to the decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on severely punishing criminals involved in the trafficking and kidnapping of women and children, anyone who buys a trafficked or kidnapped woman or child shall be sentenced to no more than three years in prison, criminal detention, or public surveillance. If the buyer forces the woman to have sexual relations, they shall be punished according to the provisions of the Criminal Law on rape.

Moreover, it is clearly stipulated that no individual or organization shall obstruct the rescue of trafficked or kidnapped women and children, nor shall they demand the cost of buying the woman or child or living expenses from the trafficked or kidnapped woman or child, their family, or the rescuers. In other words, spending money to buy a wife is also illegal!"

The "Severe Crackdown" had just ended, and its aftereffects were still felt. The village officials were silent, not daring to speak, and could only lead them there with a stiff upper lip.

Gu Junsheng's home is in the fourth team (village group). They had to cross a small bridge, so they could only go on foot.

Three old tile-roofed houses, with a living room in the middle and bedrooms on both sides. There was a small threshing floor in front of the house, made of earth, not cemented or paved with cement blocks, and no walls around it. The kitchen was in the corner of the threshing floor, with a tall chimney.

The houses were low and dilapidated, forming a stark contrast to the neighboring buildings.

There was only one main door in the living room, and the windows were all cemented shut, so blocking the door was enough.

When the village officials brought a group of people over, he asked in surprise, "Secretary Du, is there something wrong?"

Han Bo and An Xiaoyong quickly moved forward, grabbed his arms from both sides, and pushed him into the house. Chief Ning and the town officials followed closely, heading straight to the east room. They saw a girl of about twenty sitting in the corner, dressed properly, with a look of shock on her face.

"We are from the police. We are here to rescue you. Can you understand me? Pack your clothes and come with us." Chief Ning, fearing delays, asked a female official to help her pack.

The people here were "too united," and she had tried to escape several times but failed. Shen Qiuyan was almost in despair and couldn't believe this was real.

"Comrades of the police, comrades of the police, I will take responsibility for my actions. I will go to jail, but I have one request: please send my mother to a nursing home."

Most people who buy wives are honest and hardworking farmers with poor family conditions who can't find a wife. Gu Junsheng was truly scared and fell to his knees, hugging Han Bo's leg and pleading, thinking only of his bedridden mother, who looked like a filial son.

"Get up!"

Han Bo and An Xiaoyong pulled him up as if he were a chicken and sat him on a large stool by the eight-legged table, sternly saying, "Whether you will go to jail depends on your cooperation. Frankly, did you force her to have sexual relations? Did you force her to live with you?"

"No, I swear to heaven and earth, I really didn't! She found a pair of scissors, and she wouldn't let me touch her. She locked the door when she took a bath or changed clothes and wouldn't let me into the east room..."

"How did you sleep at night?" These questions were crucial, directly affecting whether he would be held criminally responsible. From the heart, Han Bo didn't want to see such an honest person go to jail.

"At first, I slept on a mat in the living room, and later in the east room."

"Where is the mat? I didn't see it."

"I was afraid of being laughed at for not sleeping in the same bed as my wife, so I hid it under the bed."

The girl had no bruises on her neck or arms. There was a rolled-up blanket under the bed. She had barely eaten lunch, and the bowls and chopsticks were still on the old desk, with braised chicken and stir-fried vegetables, a good meal. Her clothes were clearly new, with several sets, and new shoes as well.

This showed that Gu Junsheng really wanted to live with her and had not abused her, only restricted her freedom.

As long as there was no violence or rape, everything could be resolved.

Han Bo went to the west room to check on the elderly woman and then turned back, saying, "Chief Ning, Secretary Du, I can leave Gu Junsheng here, but he must be available whenever we need him."

"Thank you, Special Envoy Han. I can vouch for Junsheng." Secretary Du finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The people in Jiang Province are simple and honest, not like those in remote mountainous areas with fierce customs. With the support and cooperation of the local government, the rescue work is not difficult.

Shen Qiuyan had attended junior high school and could speak Mandarin. As soon as she got in the car, she began to cry and recount her experiences over the past six months.

Her hometown is in Xichuan Province. She saw a job advertisement with good benefits and went to apply. At the application site, the recruiters spoke nicely, but as soon as she arrived in Jiang Province, they showed their true colors and forced her to marry a farmer who was more than ten years older than her.

"Why didn't you try to escape along the way?" Han Bo asked, holding the steering wheel.

Shen Qiuyan wiped away her tears and said through sobs, "We were in the hands of the traffickers. They took our ID cards and money, and they watched us closely. There was no chance to escape. I tried to run three times here, but I didn't succeed. The people here are too 'united'."