"Lord Golden Pig, what does the Jing Dynasty traitor we're after look like?"
"Dark and shadowy, no one could make out his face."
"What about his height?"
"That's hard to determine too."
Well, that makes things easier...
Chen Ji had considered the possibility of being caught due to some oversight, or that Gui and Wu Hongbiao might not have escaped and would end up exposing him in the prison.
After returning to the clinic last night, he had been on high alert, carrying all his silver with him, ready to flee with Wu Yun at any moment.
But Chen Ji never expected that the Secret Spy Division would ask him to catch himself...
He was puzzled: "My lord, why me? Your wisdom far surpasses mine. Why delegate this task to me?"
In the main hall of the clinic, Golden Pig was dressed like a tenant farmer, wearing a bamboo hat that accentuated his double chin, making him look slightly comical.
Golden Pig removed his hat and placed it on the counter, then grasped Chen Ji's hands earnestly: "Don't sell yourself short. You helped Cloud Sheep and Bright Rabbit find evidence against the Liu family, which shows your exceptional abilities. I might as well tell you, the Secret Spy Division in Luo City has been infiltrated. Last night, we failed to capture the Jing Dynasty traitor because of a leak. Right now, you're the only one I can trust in the Luo City Secret Spy Division."
Old Yao, who had been keeping the accounts, silently retreated to the backyard, afraid he might burst out laughing if he stayed any longer.
Golden Pig was famous in the capital for three things: his mentorship of Sky Horse, his discerning taste for fine food, and his shrewdness.
And now, this shrewd man was holding the hands of the actual culprit, talking about trust.
Chen Ji quietly withdrew his hands: "Why don't you catch the Jing Dynasty traitor yourself?"
Golden Pig smiled and explained: "My top priority now is to root out the mole. So, we'll split up—you handle your part, and I'll handle mine. I'll assign six spies to follow you and ensure your safety."
Golden Pig added: "You must catch the Jing Dynasty traitor. If you succeed, you'll take the credit. If you fail, don't blame me for turning on you. That's how the Secret Spy Division operates. Even brothers can't let personal ties interfere with duty."
After a moment of thought, Chen Ji said: "Lord Golden Pig, I can try to catch this reckless Jing Dynasty traitor, but I have one request—please keep my identity a secret. You know this is the Liu family's territory, and there are definitely more people connected to the Jing Dynasty besides Liu Shiyu. If I keep making achievements, I might draw the Liu family's ire."
Golden Pig chuckled: "Don't worry, I dressed like this to meet you precisely to keep your identity hidden. Tonight at Hai hour (9-11 PM), someone will be waiting for you at the Welcome Inn in Red Clothes Alley."
With that, he put his hat back on and left.
Just then, a carriage stopped at the clinic's entrance.
The curtain was lifted from inside, and the coachman quickly placed a stepping stool beside the carriage, helping a middle-aged man with a mustache step down.
Chen Ji recognized him—the steward of the Chen household.
He had seen him before when he went home on leave carrying some items.
The steward wore a corrugated hat with tassels, thick black boots, and a light green satin robe.
He looked more like an official than a steward.
As Golden Pig passed by the steward, he gave him a curious glance before hurrying away.
The steward, after getting out of the carriage, walked leisurely into the clinic, hands behind his back, and looked around with interest.
When he saw Chen Ji, he smiled and asked: "How are you doing here?"
Chen Ji stood calmly by the counter: "What brings you here?"
The steward waved to the coachman outside, took a string of copper coins from him, and handed it to Chen Ji: "Three hundred coins. Count them."
Chen Ji didn't reach for it, his voice steady: "No need to count. Just leave it on the counter."
The steward's hand froze mid-air.
After a moment, he casually tossed the coins onto the counter and smoothed his mustache: "Do you think three hundred coins is too little? Do you know how many people died in the summer floods in Yu Province? In western and southern Yu, three hundred coins could even buy a servant girl's contract. Your family has worked hard to send you to study medicine. Don't forget your roots."
As he spoke, White Carp came out from the backyard, calling out: "Chen Ji, come help make dumplings! Dumplings taste better when made together... Oh, who's this?"
The steward's expression changed immediately upon seeing White Carp, and he bowed humbly: "Princess White Carp, I'm the steward of the Luo City Magistrate's residence. Last year during the Lantern Festival, I accompanied my master to your palace for a banquet and saw you from afar."
White Carp was surprised: "Have we met? I don't remember."
The steward hesitated: "I was sitting with the servants..."
"Oh... You're here to see Chen Ji? Then you two talk. Chen Ji, come make dumplings when you're done," White Carp said as she returned to the backyard.
The steward watched her retreating figure, then turned to Chen Ji with a mix of shock and suspicion: "Why is Princess White Carp at the Peace Clinic?"
Chen Ji casually explained: "She's on good terms with my master, so she visits often."
The steward relaxed, thinking that Chen Ji had somehow gained the princess's favor after being sent to the clinic.
He changed his tone, speaking with authority: "In three days, Young Masters Wen Zong and Wen Xiao will take the autumn exams. Last night, the master instructed me to tell you to return home the day after tomorrow for a family dinner."
Chen Ji glanced at him: "Please inform the master that I'm too busy with my studies and can't return."
The steward's face darkened: "Are you disobeying the master's orders? Have you forgotten the Chen family's kindness in raising you? If so, you might not even get the three hundred coins for your studies next month."
Chen Ji smiled: "If it's gone, it's gone. Just don't come to the Peace Clinic anymore."
The steward laughed angrily: "You said it yourself!"
Chen Ji nodded: "Yes, I did."
The steward left in a huff, coming and going quickly, as if unwilling to waste any more time here.
At that moment, White Carp peeked out from the corridor: "Did you argue with your family's steward?"
"Yes."
White Carp said softly: "You're smart enough to see that he doesn't want you to return to the Chen family the day after tomorrow. Stewards in big households aren't fools; they wouldn't offend people for no reason. This steward deliberately provoked you, hoping you'd say something impulsive, which he could then report to your father... You shouldn't have fallen for it."
Chen Ji turned to White Carp and smiled: "Whether I return to the Chen family or not doesn't matter. I wasn't planning to go back anyway."
White Carp nodded: "Then don't go back. Come on, let's make dumplings!"
"Alright," Chen Ji said, looking out at Anxi Street and listening to the rhythmic chopping of dumpling fillings from the backyard.
His heart felt at peace.
...
...
Night fell.
The once bustling Red Clothes Alley had suddenly become desolate.
The long stone-paved street was still lit by bright red lanterns, but there were no pedestrians or patrons in sight.
Singers and dancers leaned against the railings, listless and bored.
Finally, a guest appeared from the west, entering the alley.
The women were about to wave their red sleeves in greeting, but upon seeing the bamboo hat on the newcomer's head, they fell silent and retreated indoors.
The Welcome Inn was closed, its hall dark without even a single oil lamp.
Six spies dressed in black, each holding a long sword, leaned against wooden pillars like predators waiting for their prey.
In the dark silence, someone suddenly asked: "West Wind, did the lord say who he called to assist in the investigation? This assistant is putting on quite a show, making us wait all day and wasting our chance to earn merit."
"It's almost Zi hour (11 PM-1 AM), and we were supposed to meet at Hai hour. Where is he?"
The spy named West Wind looked up, his sharp gaze scanning the group in the darkness: "The lord told us to wait, so we wait."
Someone whispered: "West Wind, you're about to be promoted to Sea Eagle. Don't let someone else ruin your chance to earn merit. If we handle this case well, you could be sent out as a Sea Eagle. If Lord Golden Pig can pull some strings and get you assigned to Huainan or Huaibei, you could raid a few small salt merchants and build a decent fortune."
West Wind sneered: "You think it's that easy? Salt merchants have powerful backers, and the southern officials are hostile to our division. It's not something you can just do on a whim."
"West Wind, you don't know this, but I have a fellow spy who works under Treasure Monkey. He told me that every time a new Sea Eagle is assigned to the Huai region, the salt merchant guild offers up one or two small merchants for the new Sea Eagle to make an example of. You can raid their homes and execute them, and everyone turns a blind eye. After three years, you'll have all the women and money you could want."
West Wind scoffed: "Do you think the Ministry of Justice is just for show? If you leave such evidence lying around, you'll be at their mercy. I follow Lord Golden Pig to do great things. I won't risk it all for small gains."
Another spy tentatively asked: "I heard Lord Golden Pig has a grudge against the Xu family in Hu. Is that true?"
West Wind's voice turned cold: "Are you all tired of living, daring to pry into the lord's private affairs? Should I send you to the inner prison to cool off?"
"No, no, we're just bored... By the way, where is the person Lord Golden Pig mentioned?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the door of the Welcome Inn creaked open.
Everyone straightened up, their expressions turning serious.
West Wind turned to look and saw a figure wearing a bamboo hat and a gray cloth mask.
He was momentarily stunned, instinctively glancing at the newcomer's legs.
The person walked normally, showing no signs of injury.
Huh.
West Wind, who had been with Golden Pig for a while, knew of Chen Ji's abilities.
Since Chen Ji was also from Luo City, he had assumed that Chen Ji would be the one coming tonight.
But it seemed this wasn't Chen Ji.
West Wind asked sternly: "Why are you late? Do you know that delaying could let the Jing Dynasty traitor escape?"
Chen Ji stood opposite the six spies and didn't answer West Wind.
Instead, he said in a low voice: "Are you the spies under Lord Golden Pig?"
West Wind was taken aback: "Yes."
Chen Ji nodded: "Lord Golden Pig has ordered that from now on, you will follow my commands and assist me in capturing the Jing Dynasty spy."
The six spies exchanged glances, their expressions unreadable.
Golden Pig hadn't told them to take orders from this person.
They had all assumed West Wind would be in charge, and this newcomer was just here to assist.
West Wind thought for a moment and didn't argue.
He gave the other spies a meaningful look, then clasped his hands and said to Chen Ji: "Sir, let me show you the scene of the fight. Perhaps you can come up with a strategy."
He led Chen Ji to the backyard with a grave expression.
There, six spy corpses lay on the ground, their bloodstains still fresh.
West Wind looked at Chen Ji and said softly: "Sir, the killer murdered six spies here last night. The bodies and items haven't been moved. Please take a look."
With that, West Wind fell silent, not saying another word.
The six spies stared intently at Chen Ji.
They all understood West Wind's intention—this was a test to see if Chen Ji had what it took to lead them.
Chen Ji glanced at the six of them, then slowly walked around the courtyard, deep in thought.
The spies exchanged glances under their hats, their eyes eventually settling on West Wind: If he can't handle it, we'll support you.
West Wind was just one step away from becoming a Sea Eagle.
If an outsider took the credit, West Wind might have to wait another year.
It wasn't about loyalty; it was just human nature to exclude outsiders when one appeared.
Time passed, and Chen Ji remained silent, lost in thought.
One of the spies signaled West Wind to take the initiative, but West Wind remained calm, waiting for Chen Ji to speak first.
Suddenly, Chen Ji moved.
The spies' eyes followed him as he walked to a corner of the courtyard, touched a crossbow bolt embedded in the wall, and said calmly: "The killer entered the courtyard from here. After sneaking in, he first ambushed one spy, stabbing him through the lungs and kidneys with a short knife. Then he used the injured spy as a shield to avoid the crossbow bolts."
He took two steps forward and stopped by a prone corpse: "The killer left the injured spy here and charged into the group. He used his short knife to break the spies' long swords, then..."
The six spies exchanged shocked glances, their pupils contracting.
West Wind couldn't hold back: "Sir, how do you know there was only one killer? We never said that. The six spies had two types of knife wounds. It could have been two people."
Chen Ji said lightly: "The two types of wounds are because he took a spy's knife mid-fight, not because there were two killers."
West Wind fell silent.
They had spent hours since last night reconstructing the scene, with experienced spies and coroners working together to piece together the killer's movements.
And now, this temporary superior had taken one look at the scene and reconstructed the entire fight in the time it took to burn a stick of incense?
If they had known he had this ability, why had they wasted their time earlier?
West Wind gave up on testing Chen Ji.
Little did he know, Chen Ji was also marveling: So this is how easy deduction can be.
All you have to do is describe what you did.
As easy as turning over a hand.
West Wind set aside his doubts and asked: "Sir, the killer broke swords as easily as drinking water. We've never heard of such knife skills in the martial world. Can you tell who he might be?"
Chen Ji didn't answer directly: "Let's not jump to conclusions. Tell me, did the killer only fight here last night?"
West Wind explained: "There was another fight, on Tongji Street."
"Take me there."
The group left the inn, with Chen Ji and West Wind walking side by side through the hall.
As they reached the door and were about to leave, West Wind instinctively paused, letting Chen Ji step out first before following behind.
(End of Chapter)