novelraw Chapter 105: Probing
Chapter 105: Probing
Lu Jin.
Uncle.
A strange yet familiar name and form of address.
The other party existed in Chen Ji's world in the manner of a legend. Separated by thousands of li, yet like a towering mountain range beside Spring Thunder Lake, making it difficult for people to ignore him.
Inside the Zhou residence's study, only Chen Ji, Jin Zhu, and Xi Feng remained flipping through the Imperial Gazettes.
Xi Feng sat upright in the grand chair, his expression mild yet disdainful, as if what he was flipping through wasn't an Imperial Gazette, but the memorials to the throne from the Viceroys of various provinces in the Jing Dynasty.
Jin Zhu sat beside the redwood desk, put down the Imperial Gazette in his own hands, and looked at that tiger mask opposite him: "Do you think the previous firearms explosion case in Luo City all started because of internal strife within the Jing Dynasty's Military Intelligence Division?"
Holding the Imperial Gazette in his hands, Chen Ji spread it open for Jin Zhu to see: "Lu Jin stepped down due to failure in political struggles. His political enemies would definitely clip his wings immediately. This explains why the Jing Dynasty assassins who attacked you, Lord, ended up slaughtering each other with the monks from the Jing Dynasty's Bitter Awakening Temple."
Jin Zhu clapped his hands: "Something that took me an entire day to figure out, you actually only needed to read a single sentence on this Imperial Gazette to understand. Formidable, formidable."
"So Your Lordship was already aware of this matter."Jin Zhu said with a smile: "The internal purge within the Military Intelligence Division isn't only happening in Luo City, there is also chaos in the capital city, Jinling, Suzhou, Yangzhou, and Jinmen."
Chen Ji didn't understand: "Fighting amongst themselves like this, aren't they afraid of delaying major affairs?"
Jin Zhu said with profound meaning: "Is there any greater affair in this world than power?"
Chen Ji pondered for a moment and asked: "Has the internal strife in the Military Intelligence Division ended?"
Jin Zhu said with a smile: "It's still early."
"Oh?"
At this time, a secret spy carrying a tray outside the door sent in a pot of hot tea.
Lifting his sleeve, Jin Zhu poured hot tea for Chen Ji while sighing with emotion: "Lu Jin won't be resigned to failure. For a person like him, until the moment he dies, you absolutely cannot easily draw conclusions about his successes and failures."
"Your Lordship seems to hold him in high esteem?"
Jin Zhu also poured himself a cup of hot tea, and chatted unhurriedly: "Lu Jin was originally a descendant of Jing Dynasty military nobility. When his family's circumstances declined, he hardened his heart and knelt at the entrance of the residence of the Deputy Commissioner of the Privy Council, 'Yuan Zhong', acknowledging Yuan Zhong as his adoptive father. He also offered up all the remaining land properties and silver coins in his home in exchange for a position as a 'Si Cao' in the Privy Council."
"At that time, it was popular for that group of descendants of Jing Dynasty nobility to hold a sinecure in the Privy Council, every day walking their birds, fighting dogs, gambling, and visiting prostitutes."
"But this Lu Jin didn't muddle along passing his days in the Privy Council, instead, he requested an imperial decree to establish the Military Intelligence Division. Yuan Zhong mocked him in public, telling him to just properly muddle along passing his days in the Privy Council, and not fail to recognize his own limits. Lu Jin didn't give up, he simply knelt in front of Yuan Zhong's door again for three days and three nights. When Yuan Zhong got impatient, he publicly said, 'Go to the Ning Dynasty and kill a Grand Secretary, and I'll let you establish that so-called Military Intelligence Division'."
Jin Zhu sighed: "From that day on, Lu Jin disappeared, and only reappeared several years later. When he reappeared, he was actually carrying the lime-pickled head of our dynasty's Minister of Revenue, standing in front of the vermilion lacquered main doors of the Privy Council. This matter shocked both dynasties. Our Ning Dynasty was furious and dispatched over thirty groups of assassins to assassinate him, but they returned without success. At the same time, Lu Jin caught the eye of the Secretariat Manager (Zhongshu Pingzhang), 'Yuan Mao', and experienced a rapid rise to high position."
Secretariat Manager, the prime minister/chancellor of the Jing Dynasty, below one person, above ten thousand.
Chen Ji felt somewhat strange: "Why is Your Lordship so well-acquainted with this matter?"
Jin Zhu drained the hot tea in his cup in one gulp, closed his eyes and savored it for a moment, before opening his eyes, smacking his lips and saying: "Top-quality Xinyang Maojian, a pity it has passed its season... Knowing about this matter isn't strange. Ever since Lu Jin gained the appreciation of the Secretariat Manager, that big mouth Yuan Zhong would talk to people every day after drinking wine about how Lu Jin had knelt to him twice in the past. Not only that, even if Lu Jin was of the same rank as him, he still treated Lu Jin like a son, ordering him around."
Chen Ji smiled and said: "This Yuan Zhong, I'm afraid the grass on his grave is already over a meter tall, right?"
Jin Zhu said with a beaming smile: "If Lu Jin really killed Yuan Zhong, then it would just be a cliché story, and Lu Jin would just be a cliché person, not worthy of my Secret Spy Division treating him as a formidable enemy. The fact is, not only did Lu Jin not kill Yuan Zhong, he consistently addressed him as adoptive father, and would present generous gifts during festivals every year to thank him for his promotion back then."
Chen Ji froze.
Jin Zhu praised: "The commoners of the Jing Dynasty today might not know what decrees Emperor Jing has issued, but they definitely know that Lu Jin repays kindness. As long as you have helped him, it's like having a death-exemption medallion."
Chen Ji was puzzled: "This person's political wisdom is extremely high, why would he lose to Lu Guanwu?"
Jin Zhu shook his head: "It's not that he lost, it's that the Secretariat Manager Yuan Mao lost... Enough said, continue reading the Imperial Gazettes."
"En."
Chen Ji rapidly flipped through an entire box of Imperial Gazettes. He suddenly realized one thing: in all the Imperial Gazettes, there was never a mention that Lu Jin also had a sister.
It was as if that woman had never truly existed.
...
...
However, right at this moment, outside the door, a secret spy knocked open the main doors of the Zhou residence under the cover of night.
Amidst the creaking sounds of the wooden doors turning, before the doors fully opened, that secret spy slipped into the courtyard sideways, knelt on one knee, cupped his fists, and said: "Lord, things are bad!"
Jin Zhu lifted his foot and stepped over the threshold, walking from the study to the courtyard: "Didn't I order you to escort Liu Tiao and the others to transport the Deputy Supervisor out of the city? Why did you return alone."
The secret spy said with a heavy voice: "Liu Tiao stuffed that Deputy Supervisor into the interlayer of a night soil collector's dung cart, just about to secretly transport him out from the northern Azure Dragon Gate, but the Luo City City Defense Division coincidentally searched out that Deputy Supervisor! Before this humble official could step forward to rescue them, the infantrymen of the City Defense Division had already surrounded Liu Tiao and the others, forming a military formation. Against a military formation composed of over twenty elite infantrymen, this humble official had no confidence of success."
Jin Zhu's expression changed: "What? Merely asking you guys to transport a person, and you actually caused such a huge blunder!"
The secret spy said bitterly: "This method of transporting people has been tried and tested repeatedly. I didn't expect to suffer a major setback this time. Lord, what do we do now? I'm afraid Liu Tiao and the others are going to suffer. Lord, why don't we reveal our identities and order the Luo City City Defense Division to release them? How can our people fall into the hands of these earthen chickens and pottery dogs?"
Chen Ji also stepped out of the room at this time: "You cannot."
All the secret spies looked at him, their gazes like knives slashing across his body.
Jin Zhu looked at Chen Ji: "Why do you say so?"
Chen Ji looked at the night sky and thought for a moment: "Revealing our identities at this time, in case Liu Mingxian finds out, all our previous efforts will be wasted. Lord Jin Zhu, is bringing down the Liu family more important, or saving a few subordinates?"
"Both are important."
Chen Ji comforted him: "Perhaps they will return on their own by daybreak?"
"Hmm?" Jin Zhu was lost in thought.
Chen Ji didn't answer anymore, but turned and returned into the room, continuing to fetch one Imperial Gazette after another from the boxes to rapidly flip through, constantly searching for a certain piece of information.
Jin Zhu turned his head to look at that thin back figure inside the room. He always felt that the other party was the Zodiac, while he felt as if he had returned to the days of being a Pigeon rank secret spy.
At that time, if the sky collapsed there were tall people to hold it up, it was never his, 'Song Qian's', turn to rack his brains. With a single command from his superior, he would charge forward risking his head to catch Jing Dynasty thieves. After catching the Jing Dynasty thieves, he would eat a bowl of piping hot beef noodles on the way home, as if even swallowing down the bloody metallic scent in his mind.
Jin Zhu smiled wryly to himself, and also entered the room to continue flipping through Imperial Gazettes, leaving the group of secret spies looking at one another in blank dismay.
At the hour of Si (9-11 AM), the sky outside the Zhou residence was already bright.
Xi Feng was so sleepy he kept nodding off, yet Chen Ji was full of energy, fetching new Imperial Gazettes from the second box.
Standing beside the box, the moment he flipped open the first page he saw a passage: Autumn of the 15th year of Jianing, Chen Liqin of the Chen clan assumed office as Luo City Vice-Prefect. The legitimate son in the family possessed quite some literary talent, while the concubine's son was wooden and taciturn...
Just as he read up to here, a hand reached out from the side and took the Imperial Gazette from his hand.
Chen Ji raised his head in astonishment, and Jin Zhu closed the Imperial Gazette with a beaming smile: "These Imperial Gazettes are secret confidential documents dispatched by my Secret Spy Division to various provinces for Gyrfalcons and the Twelve Zodiacs to reference and inquire. They can only be opened by Gyrfalcons and various Zodiacs taking blood from between their brows. Letting you and Xi Feng read the information regarding the Jing Dynasty aspect today is already an exception, I cannot let you read the rest."
The two looked at each other, and the atmosphere suddenly stagnated.
Chen Ji remained silent for a moment, and then his face broke into a smile: "Then I won't read."
Jin Zhu smiled and patted his shoulder: "Hurry up and establish merits. Once you become a Gyrfalcon, you can naturally read however you want. If you become a Zodiac, you can even head to the Trouble-Resolving Tower to read even more highly classified archives."
Chen Ji explained: "Establishing merits is still secondary. The main reason this humble official assisted in bringing down the Liu family this time, was to avenge you, Lord."
"Good brother!"
At this moment, several secret spies flipped over the eaves of the gray tiled walls and entered the Zhou residence.
"Eh? Liu Tiao!" A secret spy in the courtyard was puzzled: "Weren't you captured by the Luo City City Defense Division? Why did they release you again?"
Jin Zhu came to the courtyard and asked severely: "Did you guys reveal your identities?"
Liu Tiao shook his head: "No. Before leaving last night, this Lord beside You exhorted us that we definitely must not reveal our identities as secret spies, so we could only allow the City Defense Division to capture us. The other party took us to the city gate tower tower and detained us, and then separately took away that Deputy Supervisor for interrogation. After about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Lord Liu of the City Defense Division came to tell us that we could leave, and he respectfully awaits the arrival of the Lord Department Head three days later."
The crowd of secret spies froze: "Just let you guys leave like that?"
Jin Zhu asked: "Was anyone tailing you?"
"Yes, but we shook them off."
The secret spies looked at Jin Zhu: "Lord, there is something fishy."
Chen Ji said calmly: "This is the Liu family's probing test. That Deputy Supervisor should be the Liu family's person. Liu Mingxian purposely handing him over to us was to see how we would deal with him. After you were caught, you didn't reveal your identities, so our plan to impersonate the Jing Dynasty's Military Intelligence Division is already half-successful."
Jin Zhu praised: "I didn't expect that even though you aren't old, you do things without any leakage."
Chen Ji cupped his hands: "It's all thanks to Your Lordship's good teachings. Now the Liu family should have already believed us. Upon meeting again three days later, there will presumably be pleasant surprises. This humble official remains here to wish you success in your great revenge in advance. It's just that this humble official has been out for too long this time, I need to hurry back home."
"Go, go, remember to assemble here the night after tomorrow."
"Understood."
Jin Zhu stood on the steps before the study door, gazing at Chen Ji's back figure walking out of the Zhou residence, his smile gradually withdrawing. He waved to Liu Tiao: "Dispatch a person to ride a fast horse to Kaifeng Prefecture to invite Meng Ji over. After the Liu family matters are concluded, I have many people to interrogate."
At this time, Xi Feng stood up from the grand chair and asked in puzzlement: "...This Seat has interacted with you for seven years, how come I didn't know you also have a grudge against the Liu family?"
Jin Zhu stared blankly, and then sighed with emotion: "Department Head, you have really gotten deep into character."
...
(End of Chapter)