Chapter 105: Zhang Zhuo

In the Zhou mansion study.

Jin Zhu sat behind the red wood desk, squinting slightly at Xi Feng, with a look that was almost a smile but not quite. "Si Zhu, your acting is so good. The way you pretend to be loyal and devoted to me every day, that's not also acting, is it?"

Xi Feng said, "Ah?"

Jin Zhu's words were like a clap of thunder, striking Xi Feng who was still immersed in the role of Si Zhu.

They woke her up.

Xi Feng cried out bitterly in her heart and quickly said, "My loyalty to you, my lord, is as clear as the sun and moon. There is absolutely no falsehood in it."

Jin Zhu smiled, not dwelling on the matter. "What do you think of the person wearing the tiger mask just now?"

Xi Feng immediately replied, "He was quite fierce, definitely fiercer than me."

Jin Zhu said meaningfully, "If I told you he was just a little apprentice from some shop, would you believe it?"

Xi Feng was startled. "How is that possible?!"

Jin Zhu leaned back in his chair and slowly closed his eyes. "Yes, how is that possible?"

According to reports, Meng Ji had already interrogated the person, so he shouldn't have any more doubts.

But Jin Zhu continued to doubt precisely because of that phrase, "how is that possible."

Chen Ji first helped Jiao Tu and Yun Yang through their difficulties, then helped him seize the handle on the Liu family and become friends with the Prince and Princess, even catching the eye of Jing Wang.

Could a little apprentice do all that?

The key is, the secret spy office report clearly stated that Chen Fu's illegitimate son was dull and quiet, but the current Chen Ji, where did he show any signs of being dull and quiet?

Xi Feng asked, "My lord, did you spend a lot of money to invite Meng Ji just to interrogate him?"

Jin Zhu answered casually, "I originally invited Meng Ji to interrogate the Liu family members, but since the person from Kaifeng Fu is here, it doesn't hurt to interrogate one more. This person is not simple, and if I don't interrogate him thoroughly, I won't be at ease."

Xi Feng asked curiously, "When do you plan to interrogate him?"

Jin Zhu thought for a moment. "After dealing with the Liu family matter, I'll immediately secretly arrest him and take him to the inner prison."

"Understood."

The study fell silent.

Xi Feng suddenly asked, "My lord, do you really have a grudge against the Liu family? I thought your grudge was against the Xu family?"

Jin Zhu leaned back in his chair, his eyes slightly narrowed. "Who says I have a grudge against the Xu family?"

Xi Feng brought the teacup to Jin Zhu and said softly, "Xuan She said so, my lord. This matter seems to have spread throughout our secret spy office. A few days ago, someone even secretly asked me about it."

Jin Zhu didn't take the teacup, letting Xi Feng hold it with both hands. He asked casually, "What did Xuan She say?"

"Xuan She, my lord, said that your family originally did sea trade, and your goods could be sold as far as Luzon, Champa, and Java. Later, the Xu family forcibly conscripted your whole family for corvee labor, and only you survived."

Jin Zhu frowned. "Did he say how he knew?"

"No," Xi Feng quietly looked at Jin Zhu. "My lord, is this true?"

Jin Zhu finally took the teacup and drank the tea in one gulp, saying lightly, "It's true."

"Then why don't you go seek revenge on the Xu family?" Xi Feng didn't understand.

Jin Zhu stood up with his hands behind his back, looking out the window. "That inner minister of ours, my lord, he won't let you have your way unless he squeezes out every last bit of usefulness from you. I'm also waiting, waiting for the day he allows me to take revenge."

"At that time, this humble subordinate will certainly go through fire and water for you, my lord, even if it means spilling my brains and blood!"

Jin Zhu let out a snort of laughter. "You express loyalty all day long, aren't you tired of it?"

"Not tired, I'm used to it!"

Jin Zhu turned back and looked at Xi Feng. "For so many years, I've been preventing you from being promoted to Hai Dong Qing. Do you resent me?"

"A little bit, I guess."

Jin Zhu was amused, then he suddenly sighed. "You're quite honest. You'll understand sooner or later. Once you reach the position of Hai Dong Qing, you'll catch the eye of the inner minister, my lord. At that time, what you'll get is not happiness, but pain. Being a pigeon-level secret spy is quite good. The salary is not low, and you just need to do your job diligently without thinking too much."

"My lord, are you telling the truth or lying?"

"Get out."

"Oh..."

Xi Feng slipped out the door, and Jin Zhu sat back down, slowly leaning back in his chair.

He picked up a report and covered his face.

He had told so many lies that sometimes even he himself couldn't distinguish between what he said was true and what was false.

In the bustling traffic, two secret spies followed closely behind Chen Ji from a distance. It was as if they were connected by two invisible threads that could never be pulled apart.

Suddenly, the crowd became lively. A fast horse galloped down the street, and a man with a red sash around his waist shouted loudly, "Chen Fu's Chen Wen Zong, Xie Yuan!"

Behind him, another young man on a fast horse also shouted, "Lo City Tong Zhi, Chen Fu's young master, Chen Wen Zong, passed the Xie Yuan!"

"Lin family's young master, Lin Chao Jing, passed the Ya Yuan!"

"Lo City Tong Zhi, Chen Fu's young master, Chen Wen Xiao, passed the Jing Kui!"

One after another, the 'Jie Zi' rushed to report the top five.

The so-called reporting the top five meant that the 'Jie Zi' would wait at the front of the examination hall early in the morning for the list to be posted. Once it was posted, they would immediately rush to the homes of the top five to report the good news. The first to arrive at the homes of the top five would receive a heavy reward.

The reward could be as little as five taels or as much as fifty taels. For families like Chen Fu, it was definitely the highest level of reward, fifty taels, so the Jie Zi would all rush, even fighting on the road if necessary.

Chen Ji watched silently, feeling a little dazed. It was as if just the day before he was still in the kiln factory with cement dust as his companion, and in the blink of an eye, the autumn examination list had been posted.

At one point, he had also thought about sitting in a bright window with a clean desk in a study room, learning carefree... but he might as well forget it. Classics and interpretations, he couldn't learn a bit of it.

Chen Ji smiled. "I'm still more suited to gamble my life with people."

At this time, everyone on the street made way, even ox carts were pulled to the side, as if any important matter in this world had to make way for the good news of the autumn examination.

The two secret spies didn't look at the Jie Zi, but stared intently at Chen Ji's back in the crowd. However, when the fast horse passed between them, it was only a short breath of time. The fast horse galloped past, and there was no sign of Chen Ji in front, as if he had vanished into thin air.

That galloping fast horse was like a swift knife, cutting off the connection between them.

Half a shichen later, Chen Ji stood at the entrance of Taiping Medical Hall with two roasted chickens, letting the flow of early market goers pass by from front and back.

He took a deep breath several times, using his hand to rub the slightly tired expression on his face.

After his face softened, he smiled and stepped over the threshold. "Master, I'm back."

By the red wood counter.

Old man Yao was just playing chess with someone across the counter. He heard Chen Ji's voice and looked up. "You still know how to come back? You come back when you want, leave when you want. You might as well change the name of Taiping Medical Hall to Taiping Inn."

At this moment, the person playing chess with old man Yao turned around. "Little Doctor Chen is back. I was still worried I wouldn't wait for you!"

Chen Ji was startled.

The person who had come was none other than the Prefect of Lo City, Zhang Zhuo!

Today, Zhang Zhuo was rarely wearing a casual Confucian shirt, with a fashionable silk hat and brand new soap boots.

He didn't look like an official, but more like a romantic figure going to a banquet.

Chen Ji handed the roasted chickens to She Deng Ke and asked doubtfully, "Zhang adult, why are you here?"

Zhang Zhuo patted his shoulder kindly. "That thing you made called 'cement' solved my urgent problem. Naturally, I should come and thank you in person."

Chen Ji smiled and said, "Zhang adult, there's no need to thank me. I was also doing business."

Zhang Zhuo's face turned serious. "How can I not thank you? Do you know how many people freeze to death in our Yu State every winter?"

"How many?"

Zhang Zhuo said, "In the 19th year of Jia Ning, 31 Yi Zhuang in Yu State collected a total of 33,421 frozen corpses. In the 20th year of Jia Ning, they collected a total of..."

Chen Ji listened as Zhang adult listed the number of frozen deaths each year, his heart becoming more and more alarmed. In Yu State alone, so many people froze to death every year?

Then he heard Zhang Zhuo say, "If another batch of houses can be built before the second snow falls this year, I think Lo City can die much fewer people. As the parent official of Lo City, I ought to come in person to thank you."

Chen Ji smiled and said, "I feel honored to be able to do something for the people of Lo City."

He originally thought that after a few pleasantries, Zhang Zhuo would take his leave, but unexpectedly, Zhang Zhuo didn't leave. Instead, he pulled his arm and dragged him to the chessboard. "Come, come, come. I heard Wang Ye say your chess skills are exceptional. Let's play a few games."

Chen Ji subconsciously looked at old man Yao. He always felt a little strange. This Zhang adult suddenly came to the medical hall, saying he wanted to thank him, but didn't bring any gifts.

After hastily thanking him, he didn't leave, but instead wanted to play chess.

If they dragged it on a bit longer, it might be lunchtime, and maybe he would even stay for lunch.

What kind of strange character is this?

Old man Yao saw him look and snorted, "Zhang adult is asking you to play chess, so just play. What are you looking at me for? It's a good thing. Others want to play chess with the Prefect adult, but they don't have this opportunity. If Zhang adult is happy, perhaps he'll recruit you to the prefecture office to play chess every day."

These words confused Chen Ji.

Listening to his master's meaning, could it be that Zhang Zhuo's trip here was to invite him to be an advisor in the prefecture office?

Chen Ji stood inside the counter, picking up chess pieces with one hand while thinking about how to politely refuse.

However, Zhang Zhuo didn't say anything about recruiting him. Instead, he said leisurely, "It's good for young people to have high aspirations, but others think you are unorthodox. I think you have backbone. It's just that if a person loses their family, they lose their roots, like rootless duckweed that can only drift... you still need a family."

Chen Ji frowned. "Is Zhang adult here to lobby for Chen adult?"

Zhang Zhuo was amused. "Of course not. To say you are right not to return to the Chen family. The Chen family is a family of pure stream rotten scholars. Everyone says they are gentlemen, but I think they are wooden heads who don't know how to be flexible. Just take the matter of repairing the river dike. Chen adult has to inquire about everything, making it impossible for anyone to get any benefit from top to bottom. In the end, the construction period is delayed again and again, and no one is willing to work!"

Zhang Zhuo continued, "Moreover, regarding your Chen family matter, without instructions from above, would a little servant dare to embezzle two taels of silver every month? Even if you beat him to death, he wouldn't dare. You absolutely must not go back. If you go back, you'll still suffer. Furthermore, you can now get 2,500 taels of silver from Wang Fu every year. Living separately outside the family, isn't it more comfortable than in Chen Fu? If you go back, you're a fool!"

Chen Ji was completely bewildered by Zhang Zhuo.

What exactly did this Zhang adult come for?

Chen Ji asked doubtfully, "Then why did you come to the medical hall today?"

Zhang Zhuo laughed heartily, answering irrelevantly, "Play chess, play chess."

Zhang Zhuo skipped the 'guess first' step and directly placed a piece first.

Chen Ji was startled. "How did you just place a piece? Don't you need to guess first?"

Zhang Zhuo laughed happily. "No need to guess first. With my chess style, it's easier to win when holding black and going first."

Chen Ji: "..."

In the first round of the chess game.

Chen Ji originally thought Zhang Zhuo was a bad chess player, but as soon as he showed his intention to attack and surround, he was firmly cornered by Zhang Zhuo.

Jing Wang initially needed three games to figure out Chen Ji's style, while Zhang Zhuo only took half a game to grasp Chen Ji.

Chen Ji's face calmed down. He used AlphaGo's style to attack the corners. As long as he saw Zhang Zhuo placing two or more pieces in certain places, he immediately disregarded the fixed style and crashed in.

Zhang Zhuo's eyes lit up and he also imitated, engaging in a fierce and unrelenting battle.

Go, in the eyes of literati, was originally an art containing the way of heaven. In the hands of these two, however, it suddenly turned into a street hooligan-like bastard fist. As long as they could win, there were no scruples.

Zhang Zhuo looked up at Chen Ji and praised, "You're also a person who uses any means to win. Very good, very good!"

Chen Ji was doubtful. "Earlier, I heard Zhang adult praise Wang Ye's chess skills, almost saying he was the best in the Central Plains. I didn't expect Zhang adult to be even more fierce than Wang Ye."

"Shh," Zhang Zhuo laughed happily. "What's there to fear about losing a few games? How much is face worth? If Wang Ye is happy after winning the chess game and grants my request, it will benefit hundreds of thousands of people in Lo City."

Chen Ji was thoughtful.

Just at this moment, there was a sound of someone climbing over the wall from the backyard. Zhang Zhuo poked his head towards the corridor and saw only Bai Li Princess had just crossed over the gray tiled eaves.

He turned back to Chen Ji and smiled. "I still have to attend a banquet today. Let's chat another day!"

Saying that, Zhang Zhuo boarded the official sedan outside the door without looking back.

Chen Ji looked blankly at old man Yao. "What exactly did he come for?"

Sorry for posting late. I'll sleep for a while and then write today's.