Siheyuan: Tathagata's Palm suppresses the entire courtyard!

Aunt Fan smiled and said, "Of course. Legend has it that Ye Yang was once a young and promising engineer. He joined the factory in our community when he was very young. He worked very hard and was soon recognized by his superiors."

"But as time went on, he seemed to have gradually taken a different path. Some people said he made some questionable decisions at work, but the specific details were unclear," Auntie Fan added.

Xu Mingjie listened attentively, looking for every detail, hoping to find clues to Ye Yang's identity. "Are there any specific witnesses or events that can serve as evidence for these rumors?"

Aunt Fan pondered for a moment, "I remember some old co-workers who might be able to help you. They should have a deeper impression of Ye Yang."

"That's great, Auntie Fan." Ran Qiuye's eyes sparkled with excitement, "If possible, we hope to meet them."

Aunt Fan smiled and nodded, "Okay, I'll find their contact information and help you arrange it."

After Aunt Fan left, Xu Mingjie took a deep breath. "It seems that we have some new clues, and we need to act immediately."

They decided to split up and contact old co-workers to find people who could provide more information about Ye Yang, while continuing to conduct background investigations and collate materials in the hope of finding solid evidence. Jia Dongxu was responsible for reviewing previous documents and records to see if any key details were missed.

Over the past few days, they have been busy conducting various investigations and contacts, hoping to uncover Ye Yang's true identity as soon as possible. Aunt Fan helped them contact several old co-workers, some of whom still kept in touch with Ye Yang after retirement, while others rarely mentioned him.

"I found an old colleague who used to work in the same workshop as Ye Yang." Aunt Fan told them happily, "He is willing to meet you."

"Great!" Ran Qiuye said excitedly, "When can we go see him?"

"Tomorrow morning, I'll send you the address." Aunt Fan said, "His name is Zhang Yunfeng, his memory should be able to provide you with some help."

The next morning, Xu Mingjie and Jia Dongxu arrived at Zhang Yunfeng's residence in advance. This is an old but well-preserved small western-style building with a clean and tidy small yard downstairs. It can be seen that the owner pays great attention to the details of life.

"This is it." Jia Dongxu pointed to the house number and Xu Mingjie knocked on the door gently.

After a while, the door opened and an elderly man greeted them with a smile. He was wearing a simple cotton jacket, his face was full of traces of time, but his eyes looked particularly bright.

"Hello, I'm Xu Mingjie, and this is my colleague Jia Dongxu." Xu Mingjie introduced himself politely, "We are here to ask about Ye Yang."

Zhang Yunfeng nodded and motioned for them to come in. "Please come in, please come in, I know you are here for Ye Yang."

They sat down in Zhang Yunfeng's living room, with a pot of fragrant tea on the coffee table. Zhang Yunfeng slowly sat on the sofa opposite them, looking at them with a smile.

"Ye Yang, he is a young man with a lot of personality." Zhang Yunfeng's eyes were a little dazed. "In the workshop, he is like a trendsetter."

"Teacher Zhang, can you tell us more about him? Especially about his work and identity." Jia Dongxu asked respectfully.

Zhang Yunfeng thought for a moment and began to recall the past. "Ye Yang, he was a young man with very good skills at the time. He was indeed promoted to a leadership position very quickly. Although he did not have an official title, almost everyone in the workshop thought he was the deputy director."

In a corner of a Beijing hutong, Xu Mingjie's home is a typical quadrangle courtyard. The layout of a quadrangle courtyard emphasizes symmetry, and each courtyard has four houses, the east wing, the west wing, the south wing, and the north wing. Xu Mingjie's home is the north wing, which is usually where the elders with the highest status in the family live. The east and west wing are where other family members live, while the south wing is used to receive guests and store sundries.

There is an old locust tree in the courtyard of the quadrangle. In summer, the shade of the tree is the favorite place for children. When Xu Mingjie was a child, he often played with the children in the yard under the tree, playing hide-and-seek, kicking shuttlecock, and rolling iron rings. The joyful laughter echoed throughout the quadrangle. When night falls, every household lights up the oil lamp, and the yard is filled with faint lights, as if covering the quadrangle with a mysterious veil.

By the 1960s, China was in the midst of a social and economic upheaval, and the Siheyuan was no longer the quiet paradise it once was. As urbanization accelerated, more and more people flocked to Beijing, and life in the Siheyuan changed dramatically. Xu Mingjie had grown up and was working as a machinist in a factory, working a busy nine-to-five job. Despite this, he could still feel the warmth of home when he returned to the Siheyuan every day.

"Professor, we have recently been investigating some things about the history of our hometown and have discovered a lot of hidden clues." Ran Qiuye said straight to the point.

Professor Zhang nodded and said, "Go ahead and talk. I'm listening."

Xu Mingjie and Ran Qiuye told them everything about their discoveries and questions. Professor Zhang was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "What you have discovered is indeed a secret in the history of our hometown."

"Professor, do you know these things?" Ran Qiuye asked.

Professor Zhang sighed, "I know some, but not all. Many years ago, I also tried to study these things, but later gave up for some reasons."

"What's the reason?" Xu Mingjie asked.

"Because these things involve some very complicated backgrounds and characters, I can't find out the details by myself, and I dare not go deeper." Professor Zhang's eyes revealed a hint of helplessness.

"Then what should we do?" Ran Qiuye was a little anxious.

"You've come a long way. Keep going, but be careful," Professor Zhang encouraged.

Xu Mingjie and Ran Qiuye nodded and decided to continue their investigation. They knew that although the road ahead was difficult, they could no longer turn back and the truth must be revealed.

After leaving Professor Zhang's house, Xu Mingjie and Ran Qiuye decided to go back and sort out their thoughts to see what to do next. On the way, they passed an old neighborhood, which used to be the most prosperous place in their hometown, but now it looks a bit run-down.