118. Betrayal
The doors and windows of Bailu Pavilion were closed, and the floor was in a mess.
The room was filled with the strong smell of Chinese medicine. A ray of sunlight penetrated through the crack in the door, illuminating the dust floating in the air.
Chen Ji looked down at the wooden box in his hand. The ginseng were hastily stuffed together and tangled like a bunch of worthless tangled yarn, but the restless ice flow in his body proved that these ginseng were genuine.
He looked up at the Golden Pig and said, "Sir, do all cultivation paths require ginseng?"
"Not really," Jin Zhu explained patiently, "Among the cultivation methods mastered by my Ministry of Rites, half do not require ginseng, but the one I requested for you does."
Chen Ji closed the small wooden box, held it in his arms, and asked casually, "How can you be sure that I can enter the path of cultivation? What if I don't have the potential to become an official? Wouldn't it be a waste of your painstaking efforts?"
Golden Pig chuckled, "After Mengji first interrogated you, he wrote in his secret report to the Minister of Internal Affairs that you have the potential to become an official, and that you must use the top-level dream. Don't worry, you're born to be an official."
The traces suddenly became clear.
It turned out that Jinzhu had been eyeing him since then. No wonder after Yunyang and Jiaotu were thrown into prison, he came to visit Taiping Medical Clinic as the first person.
At this moment, a secret agent pushed the door open and the afternoon sun suddenly shone into Bailu Pavilion.
Jin Zhu's expression changed: "You want to die? Why are you coming in at this time?"
The black-clad spy knelt on one knee and said, "Sir, there's news from the inner prison. The Jingchao official has spoken. He said he has intelligence on the Liu family and Prince Jing's mansion that he wants to share with you in person."
The Golden Pig said solemnly, "Let's go to the inner prison now!"
Chen Ji looked at Jin Zhu and said, "Sir, you haven't slept all night either. Don't you want to take a rest?"
The Golden Pig said to him solemnly, "The Inner Minister has always given the path to cultivation step by step. Only by becoming one of the top three zodiac signs can you obtain the complete path to cultivation. From now on, you eat the meat and I drink the soup. If there is any opportunity to make merit, we must not miss it!"
"Chen Ji, the Liu family and Prince Jing's Mansion are the ladder for you to ascend to the sky."
…
…
Inside the rickety carriage, a copper stove warmed the air, making it feel like bathing in warm water.
Chen Ji hadn't slept all night and finally couldn't bear it anymore. He leaned against the wall of the car and fell into a deep sleep.
He had a dream.
He dreamed that his identity as a spy of Jing Dynasty was exposed and he was on the run.
On his way to escape, he was about to sneak out of the Qinglong Gate of Chongli Pass in a caravan, but was shot through the chest by a Tianma arrow on the city wall.
In the twilight, at the foot of the majestic Chongli Pass, Jin Zhu knelt beside his body, grief-stricken, begging him not to die...
"Wake up, we're almost there."
“Wake up!”
Chen Ji slowly opened his eyes and subconsciously touched his chest, but there was no scar there.
Jin Zhu sat across from him and asked with a smile, "Did you have a nightmare?"
Chen Ji hummed.
The Golden Pig teased, "It's not shameful to have nightmares. When I first learned how to kill, I was so scared that I trembled all over. Unlike you, you seem to be born to do this job."
Chen Ji opened the curtains, letting the cool air in, and suddenly woke up: "How old were you when you first killed someone, sir?"
"Ten years old." Golden Pig's eyes were deep. "After being taken in by the Minister of Internal Affairs, orphans like me, Yunyang, Jiaotu, Tianma, and Qiushu will all be sent to the same place. Only after we learn how to kill and never trust anyone again can we go out and work."
“What if I can’t learn it?”
“Those who cannot learn will die here
"
"What's that place called?"
"We call it Wunian Mountain, a mountain we will never miss again after we leave it."
Chen Ji asked curiously, "Sir, I've heard that the thieves in Jing Dynasty are very stubborn. Why is this Si Cao willing to speak up? Is there something fishy going on?"
The Golden Pig was amused. "The lower down the ladder, the tougher the spies are. But once they become powerful and understand they're just tools in the hands of the powerful, their bones become soft. So if I catch a small-time spy, I won't even bother to try him. But someone at the level of Si Cao... I can talk to him."
The carriage slowly stopped and Xifeng knocked open the iron door.
Behind the iron gate, down the long corridor stairs, came a foul odor, shouting, and wailing.
Walking down the stone steps, Chen Ji saw that the cell was full of prisoners. Some of them wailed that they were just foot soldiers, following orders; some angrily cursed the eunuchs and spat at the golden pig.
The Golden Pig walked away a little, and smiled at the jailer in the corridor: "You have the ability to swallow your pride, but I don't."
The jailers' faces changed, and they immediately fetched buckets of ice-cold underground river water from the bottom floor of the inner prison and poured them into the cells through the iron bars.
The golden pig walked through this hell on earth with his hands behind his back and a smile on his face.
When we walked to the depths of the inner prison, we saw Manager Yuan with his hands nailed to a wooden frame, his head hanging down, and the nails on all ten fingers of his hands had been pulled out completely.
Jin Zhu stopped in front of Shopkeeper Yuan and said slowly, "Say whatever you want to say. I've arrested everyone in Bailu Pavilion. If you don't tell me, someone else will."
Shopkeeper Yuan slowly raised his head, a fierce glint in his eyes. "How could they possibly know as much as I do? If I tell you what I know, I'm afraid you'll be able to achieve another remarkable feat. But if I tell you, what can you give me?"
The Golden Pig smiled warmly: "I can spare your life, is that enough?"
"Not enough," Shopkeeper Yuan said sternly, "I want your Haidongqing identity from the Secret Service. It must be stamped with the seal of the Imperial Household Department and announced to the twenty-four government offices in the inner court!"
Golden Pig said with interest, "You're quite good at asking for exorbitant prices. But I can just call Mengji over, and then I won't have to bother asking anything I want."
Shopkeeper Yuan burst into laughter. "I guess Meng Ji isn't omnipotent. If he could keep interrogating me, why didn't he just finish it by the river? His dream world must have unknown limitations. Lord Jin Zhu, there's no need to act so pretentiously. I've been in the Military Intelligence Department for twenty years and have seen a lot. You can't fool me! If Meng Ji can really get through to me clearly, I'll admit defeat!"
Jin Zhu didn't get angry, and changed the subject, saying, "You must know that to become a Haidongqing, you need the personal approval of the Minister of Internal Affairs. It takes half a month for a carrier pigeon to travel back and forth to the capital. If I wait until then, your accomplices will have already fled."
Shopkeeper Yuan stared at the golden pig and said, "Don't bother. I can give you some sweet treats first. When I'm done, you'll know my worth."
The shopkeeper Yuan was nailed to the rack, covered in blood, but he was extremely clear-headed.
The Golden Pig thought for a moment and said, "Tell me first."
Shopkeeper Yuan panted and said, "There's someone from my Military Intelligence Department lurking in your Secret Service, right here in Los Angeles. His secret name is Chang Jing! He was the one who spread the news of your siege of Red Lane!"
Long whale.
Chen Ji heard this secret name again.
The Golden Pig's pupils shrank slightly. "Chang Jing is in Luo City? Who is he and what is his real name? If you can tell me who he is, I will write a letter to ask for your approval!"
Shopkeeper Yuan laughed and said, "So Lord Jinzhu has heard of the secret name Changjing. Who gave out this name?"
"? Let me guess, Li Baoyu, Wang Chuan, Tian Ji..."
Chen Ji looked at Jin Zhu, who patiently explained, "Chang Jing has been lurking in our Ministry of Rites for at least eight years, sabotaging our plans numerous times. If it weren't for him, we might have even captured the head of the Ministry. He seems to be able to clone himself in Jinling, the capital, Yangzhou, Suzhou, and everywhere."
Chen Ji lowered his head and analyzed, "The spies in each city have their own duties. There are not many spies who can be frequently dispatched to places like Jinling and the capital. Their identities should be easy to verify."
Jin Zhu nodded: "But after we checked, we found that everyone was cleared of suspicion."
Chen Ji suddenly asked, "Have the Yulong Guards from the Criminal Division conducted an investigation?"
Jin Zhu shook his head. "How could we have overlooked the Chief Criminal Division? After investigation, everyone was also eliminated. No one in the entire Silijian has been to so many places at the same time. There must be more than one person under the secret name of Changjing."
He looked at Shopkeeper Yuan and said, "Turn over the long whale, and I will guarantee you the position of Haidongqing."
Shopkeeper Yuan shook his head. "I don't know either. Chang Jing's status is higher than mine. If he hadn't revealed the news of you surrounding Red Lane, I wouldn't have known he was in Luocheng."
“How did you pass on the message?”
"Bailu Pavilion sends medicinal herbs to Fang Ping Clinic every day. The doctor in the clinic is one of ours. Go and capture him."
Golden Pig shouted, "Xifeng, Fang Ping Clinic is arresting someone!"
After saying this, he looked at Shopkeeper Yuan and said, "I'm afraid this little clue won't be enough to catch Chang Jing. If you want me to ask for your permission now, you'll have to give me something more."
Shopkeeper Yuan remained silent.
Jin Zhu's eyes flickered as he said to the person outside the door, "Liu Tiao, quickly put Shopkeeper Yuan down and bandage his wound!"
The two secret agents helped Manager Yuan lie down on the table and carefully cleaned his wounds with strong liquor.
As the strong liquor was poured on the wound, Manager Yuan immediately cried out in heart-wrenching pain.
In the dim cell, Golden Pig took the opportunity to lean over and whisper in the man's ear, "I know you're trying to use some bait to prove your worth, but if that's all you know, I can't help you."
Shopkeeper Yuan's lips trembled slightly. "I have a lot of knowledge in my head. You will know how useful I am in the future. Let me tell you another piece of news. The Military Intelligence Department also has a spy in Prince Jing's Mansion. He is responsible for conveying information between the important people in the palace and the Military Intelligence Department."
The golden pig's eyes flashed with brilliance: "Who is he?"
Shopkeeper Yuan did not answer.
Jin Zhu asked hurriedly, "Who is that important figure in Prince Jing's mansion? Prince Jing? Concubine Yun? Concubine Jing? The Crown Prince? The Princess?"
Shopkeeper Yuan chuckled and said, "Go and ask for permission. I'll tell you after I see the imperial edicts from the twenty-four government offices in the inner court."
Jin Zhu's breathing became a little heavier, his eyes filled with surprise and doubt. This achievement was too great. If he could help the internal minister eliminate Prince Jing, Chen Ji would definitely be promoted to Haidongqing!
However, only Chen Ji in the cell knew that Manager Yuan was lying.
If the other party knew his identity, he would have given himself up at the riverside long ago. Why wait until now?
But what Chen Ji was not sure about was whether Manager Yuan knew Yun Fei's identity?
Now, Concubine Yun is the only flaw in the secret of his identity. If Concubine Yun is arrested, he will not be able to escape.
Jin Zhu's laughter interrupted Chen Ji's thoughts: "I don't believe you. If you are only willing to reveal this little information, then you might as well die in the inner prison."
Manager Yuan suddenly spoke up, "I have some news for you. I know the Liu family is planning something big tonight. They want to expel Zhang Zhuo and Chen Liqin from Yuzhou and take back the positions of prefect and co-prefect of Luocheng."
(End of this chapter)
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