On the official road of Luo City, an old ox slowly pulled a cart into the dusk.
Time seemed to slow down with its pace, as the warm, orange-red sunlight engulfed everyone like a tide.
The road was bustling with activity—some were driving ox carts toward Luo City, while others carried unsold fruits back to the outskirts.
Bai Li, sitting on the cart, waved to an old man carrying a shoulder pole: "Old man, why do you still have so many oranges left in your basket?"
The old man approached the cart: "Young master, these oranges were damaged by the recent snow. No one wants to buy them."
Bai Li asked curiously, "How much are you selling them for?"
The old man quickly replied, "Two coins per pound."
Bai Li smiled and took out a small piece of silver from her hair: "Here, we'll take all your oranges. No need for you to carry them back."
The old man was startled: "That's too much! These damaged oranges won't last long. You don't need to buy so many."
Bai Li, in high spirits, said, "It's fine! Brother Cat, help me down and use your clothes to carry the oranges. Let's share them."
Liang Mao'er, with a simple smile, replied, "Sure thing."
Bai Li leaned over the cart and picked an orange from the old man's basket, peeling it open.
She took a segment and handed the rest to the young master, who happily ate a piece before passing it to Chen Ji.
The orange was passed around until it reached Liang Gou'er, who stuffed half of it into his mouth.
"Ugh! Why did you give me this? It's so sour!" Liang Gou'er spat it out, his face twisted in disgust.
Only then did everyone who had eaten the orange realize how sour it was, and they burst into laughter.
"No wonder the old man couldn't sell a single one!"
Their laughter echoed into the distance, carried by the evening breeze.
As the cart passed the examination hall, the young master instinctively straightened his back, puffing out his chest with pride.
However, the first round of the autumn exams would last three days, and there were no spectators today.
The young master sighed, "I wish those scholars could see the great deeds we've done. It's such a pity to enter the city unnoticed, like wearing fine clothes in the dark!"
Bai Li, sitting on the cart with her knees hugged, teased, "Brother, when will you learn to tone down your flamboyance? If you become the Prince of Jing and still act like this, people will laugh at you."
The young master waved his hand dismissively, "It's fine. My father will hold the throne for at least a few more decades. By then, I'll be mature and steady."
Bai Li retorted, "But at your age, Father had already helped the emperor suppress the influence of the empress's family."
The young master was momentarily disheartened, "What good did that do? Now the emperor lets the eunuchs oppress us. Those eunuchs are despicable!"
Chen Ji asked curiously, "Have the eunuchs been targeting the Prince of Jing's household all these years?"
The young master sneered, "The Ministry of Justice has been keeping an eye on my father's old subordinates. Over twenty have been thrown into the inner prison. The Secret Intelligence Bureau has also planted spies in our household to monitor our every move. You've seen Feng Da, haven't you? He's one of the eunuchs, always by my father's side."
Even Bai Li complained, "Those eunuchs are truly outrageous."
Chen Ji remained silent.
Though unwilling, he was now part of the eunuch faction.
Caught between the Prince of Jing's household and the eunuchs, he didn't know how to navigate the situation.
At that moment, his gaze fell on a plump figure standing by the roadside, smiling as he observed Chen Ji.
The figure was like a tolling bell, shattering a beautiful dream.
Just as the sun rises and sets, even the most beautiful dreams must come to an end.
Chen Ji knew when he fled to Liu Family Village that he couldn't hide forever.
What was destined to come would come.
Golden Pig.
Golden Pig, amidst the crowd, smiled and gestured for Chen Ji to follow, then turned and merged into the throng without another word.
Chen Ji hesitated for a moment before turning to Bai Li, "Princess, you all go ahead. I just remembered there's something I need to take care of."
With that, he jumped off the cart and followed Golden Pig's figure.
Liu Quxing, sitting on the cart, shouted after Chen Ji, "Hey, are you just making excuses to avoid treating us? We're heading to Yingxian Tower later. Don't be late!"
But Chen Ji didn't respond.
His expression was calm as he watched Golden Pig's figure weave through the crowd.
Golden Pig led him through countless streets until the crowd thinned, finally stopping in a dead-end alley.
Chen Ji stopped, "Sir, why have you brought me here?"
Golden Pig smiled at him without a word.
Suddenly, a carriage blocked the alley's entrance behind Chen Ji.
Before he could react, someone struck the back of his neck, knocking him unconscious.
...
...
Chen Ji dreamed.
He dreamed of sitting on the old ox cart in the evening's brilliant sunset, his friends still by his side.
They ate sweet oranges, the warm breeze brushing against their faces as Bai Li softly sang a song.
But as the sky darkened, two people jumped off the back of the cart.
They turned, bowed, and smiled at Chen Ji, "Until we meet again."
The cart didn't stop, and Chen Ji could only watch as his friends disappeared into the night.
When the two were out of sight, three more jumped off, bowing and smiling, "Until we meet again."
One by one, his friends jumped off the cart, bidding farewell like the end of a play, the audience dispersing.
Chen Ji wanted to remember their faces, but they were shrouded in darkness, indistinct.
He turned and asked, "Where are they going?"
No one answered.
Chen Ji looked around in surprise, only to find himself alone on the creaking cart.
Then, a bucket of cold water poured down, waking him from the long dream.
Chen Ji slowly opened his eyes.
He was hanging from the ceiling of the inner prison, his hands bound by cold iron chains that dug painfully into his wrists.
His body was drenched, his hair and chin dripping with water.
The cold clothes clung to his skin, chilling him to the bone.
The inner prison.
This was the Secret Intelligence Bureau's inner prison.
In the dimly lit cell, the flames on the Eight Trigrams lamps flickered, offering no warmth.
Golden Pig set down the bucket and sat at a dark red table, picking up a piece of tender fish meat with his chopsticks, "Awake?"
Chen Ji replied softly, "Yes."
Golden Pig closed his eyes, savoring the meat, "Delicious."
He opened his eyes, smiling as he picked another piece of fish and stood on a chair to feed it to Chen Ji, "Eat it. Swallow it all."
The fish still had its bones, and Chen Ji chewed them along with the meat, the sharp edges cutting his throat as he swallowed.
Golden Pig gave a thumbs-up, "You ate it without a word. Tough guy!"
He sat back down, curious, "Doctor Chen, were you trying to hide from me?"
"Yes."
Golden Pig picked apart the fish head, taking another bite, "Why didn't you hide this time? You could've stayed in the Prince of Jing's household. I wouldn't have dared to touch you there."
Chen Ji replied calmly, "Sir Golden Pig, if you couldn't find me, you'd take it out on others at the clinic."
"Smart..."
Golden Pig mused, "But if you're so smart, why can't you see that I genuinely want to elevate you? If you become one of the Twelve Zodiacs, you, me, and Heavenly Horse could support each other in the Secret Intelligence Bureau. Wouldn't that be great?"
Chen Ji answered, "That night, when I was investigating those martial artists with West Wind, I discovered that the ones who silenced them were from the Imperial Household Department. I thought it was too dangerous and wanted no part of it."
Golden Pig sighed, "True, now that you've attached yourself to the Prince of Jing, you can step away from trouble. But the Secret Intelligence Bureau isn't a place you can enter and leave as you please."
With that, he picked the fish clean and handed the entire skeleton to Chen Ji, "Eat it. Strengthen those tough bones of yours. We'll talk after you finish."
Chen Ji didn't hesitate, chewing and swallowing the fish bones.
Golden Pig stood on the chair, hands behind his back, staring at Chen Ji, "Though those martial artists had their faces peeled off, I found out they had been drinking with the Prince of Jing's son. The money on them was also given by the young master. You didn't want to investigate further because you didn't want the young master involved in this treason case, did you?"
His voice turned sharp, "What are you trying to hide for the young master?"
Chen Ji met Golden Pig's gaze, "The young master couldn't have been involved. If he were, he wouldn't have left so many clues. Someone daring enough to conspire against the dynasty wouldn't make it so easy for you to trace his connections to those martial artists. You're a smart man, Sir Golden Pig. You know this."
Golden Pig's expression softened.
He jumped off the chair and sat back at the table, downing a cup of wine, "Chen Ji, don't blame me for hanging you here. Once you enter the Secret Intelligence Bureau, there's no turning back. Hiding? You can't hide. Even I can't escape. How could you?"
Chen Ji asked softly, "Have you ever thought of hiding, Sir Golden Pig?"
Golden Pig gazed at the flickering flames on the wall, lost in memories, "I was the son of a merchant from Gongyi County in Luo City. My father started by selling candies on the streets. He was a remarkable man. While others started selling at dawn, he was out with his shoulder pole by midnight. Thanks to his hard work, our family lived comfortably."
Chen Ji listened quietly.
Golden Pig continued, "My mother was gentle and kind, and I had a sister who doted on me. Every New Year, she would save money to buy me two sets of clothes instead of getting new ones for herself. Whenever my father brought fish home, they would save the tenderest parts for me. If not for what happened, I should have been happy."
"But when I was eight, my father discovered a method to make sugar frost, turning brown sugar into pure white frost in seven days. The sugar frost became highly sought after by the nobility. I remember that Mid-Autumn night, my father told me under the oil lamp that our family was about to prosper. He said he would prepare a generous dowry for my sister and find her a good husband so she wouldn't be looked down upon. He also planned to buy me an official title, so I wouldn't remain a lowly merchant."
"He had heard that in our dynasty, donating a hundred bushels of rice could earn one a position in the Imperial Academy, and two hundred and fifty bushels could secure a ninth-rank honorary title. Though it held no real power, it was still respectable."
Golden Pig poured himself another cup of wine, "But what happened? That very night, officials from the Luo City government broke into our home, claiming we were to be conscripted for labor. They dragged our family to the Liu family's coal mine. In that dark, filthy place, my parents were worked to death. I cried until my voice was hoarse, but I couldn't bring them back."
"My sister, to keep me alive, submitted to the mine overseers for food. She saved her rations for me, but she contracted a disease from them. What could I do? I watched her wither away, as if her bones were being pulled out one by one. Before she died, she opened her eyes and asked to see me one last time. I wanted to hold her, but she told me to stay away, not to touch her."
"At that time, I thought I would die too. But suddenly, someone took me to a high-ranking official with a limp. The official asked me if I wanted to avenge my family. I said yes."
Chen Ji, hanging from the ceiling, asked, "The Chief Eunuch?"
Golden Pig, lost in thought, said, "The official looked so imposing, his black boots spotless, his red robe like blood. Everyone stood behind him, bowing respectfully. I thought, such a powerful man could surely help me get revenge. I begged him, 'Please, help me get revenge.'"
Chen Ji asked, "What did the Chief Eunuch say?"
Golden Pig smiled, "He said he would avenge my family, but I had to give my life to him. At the time, I thought my worthless life could buy revenge for my family. It was a great deal!"
He looked up at Chen Ji, "Over the years, I tracked down and killed every official involved. I found the mine overseers and skinned them alive, along with their families. Some had already died, so I dug up their bones and ground them to dust."
"But I still hate!" Golden Pig gritted his teeth, "I hate because the Liu family, who stole our sugar frost business, are still alive. When the Chief Eunuch sent me to Luo City, I knew my chance for revenge had come. He wants the Liu family wiped out!"
Chen Ji looked down and saw the always-smiling Zodiac's forehead veins bulging.
Golden Pig stared at Chen Ji, his expression fierce, "Chen Ji, I've told you all this because I want your help. I can't trust anyone in Luo City's Secret Intelligence Bureau, not even the Troubleshooter Guards. I need someone as smart as you. If you help me, I'll do everything to push you to the top, to help you rise high and achieve greatness."
"I've waited too long for this day. Anyone who gets in my way, I'll kill. Anyone who doesn't help me, I'll kill them too."
(End of Chapter)