Chapter 191: City Dwelling

In the yamen, by candlelight, a game of chess was underway.

Chen Ji placed a black stone, making a brilliant move.

Bái Lóng looked at the brilliant move, falling into thought. This was the first time he had thought for more than ten breaths. As this stone fell, he felt that although Chén Jǐ had given up a corner, he had activated the overall situation.

Bái Lóng said with a smile, "It seems I can't play fast chess with you. Life's enlightenment is sometimes an instant, sometimes a lifetime. How many people muddle through to old age without figuring out what they truly want to do in this life? Congratulations to you, it seems you've already figured it out."

Chén Jǐ replied without changing his expression, "Lord Bái Lóng overpraises. I actually haven't figured it out yet. On the contrary, you, Lord, have a path as a Jinshi official to walk, why did you want to enter the Secret Spy Department?"

Bái Lóng looked up at him and said, "Still daring to inquire about this seat's background, you're being impolite. If there's a next time, be careful this seat will hang you on the beam and beat you."

Chén Jǐ didn't take these words to heart. He now understood that this Bái Lóng's mood was changeable, but as long as he was still useful to him, there would certainly be no problems.

He thought for a moment and asked, "Just now Lord said there was something to assign to me. I don't know what it is. Is it to catch Hán Tóng?"

"Catching Hán Tóng is not urgent yet. Now he's like a mudfish entering the river, not easy to find. We'll have to wait and see," Bái Lóng looked at the chessboard leisurely and asked, "How much do you know about the Chén family head, Chén Lù Chǐ?"

Chén Jǐ's heart jumped. Was the Secret Spy Department's next target the Chén family?

Bái Lóng glanced at him. "What? The Chén family members don't even know their own family matters?"

Chén Jǐ said softly, "The family head is suspicious by nature, changeable in mood, and stubborn. In the Chén family, what he says goes. The Chén family is entirely his one-man rule."

Bái Lóng was amused. "What about the eldest branch's legitimate eldest son, Chén Lǐ Zūn?"

Chén Jǐ thought for a moment and said, "Weak and incompetent. His ability to become a clerk in the Ministry of Revenue all relies on the Chén family's protection. His status at home is not high. The eldest branch's lineage is managed by his wife, the Wang氏."

"What about the second branch's legitimate second son, Chén Lǐ Zhì?"

"Outwardly warm and kind, but actually insidious and cunning. He manages the Chén family's finances, fields, and family business. Behind the scenes, he also operates brothels and gambling houses, and engages in sheep-and-lamb profit business."

The so-called sheep-and-lamb profit refers to high-interest loans, where ten taels of silver are lent out, and twenty taels are returned the following year, otherwise resulting in family ruin and the separation of wife and children. This kind of business cannot be conducted openly, and can only be handled behind the scenes through intermediaries.

Bái Lóng's inquiry this time was a close call for Chén Jǐ. Earlier, to conceal his outsider identity, he had carefully reviewed the relevant Chén family case files in the inner prison, which came in handy at this moment.

However, at this point, Bái Lóng changed the subject. "What about Chén Yǔ?"

Chén Jǐ hesitated in his heart... Chén Yǔ? He had never even heard of this person's name. There were no records even in the Secret Spy Department's case file library. Why did Bái Lóng suddenly ask about this person? How should he answer this? Should he know him, or should he not?

According to the Chén family's custom, legitimate sons of the same generation have three-character names. For example, the character 'Li' in Chén Lǐ Qín is the generation character. Illegitimate sons do not have this generation character, hence they have two-character names. Chén Yǔ must also be an illegitimate son of the Chén family, but he didn't know which branch he belonged to. If Chén Jǐ and Chén Yǔ were familiar with each other, they would presumably have exchanged letters, but for so long, he had never seen letters from the other side.

Chén Jǐ considered for a moment. "Lord Bái Lóng, I am not familiar with this person."

"Not familiar?" Bái Lóng sized up Chén Jǐ. "Really not familiar? I thought you entered the Chén family school in the same year and should have had interactions."

Chén Jǐ said without changing his expression, "Lord, who can say they truly understand anyone this year?"

"That's true," Bái Lóng stood up and paced in the yamen. "As for your father's lineage, the third branch, I don't need to ask more. The first thing I want you to do is to return to the Chén family."

Chén Jǐ was stunned. Return to the Chén family?

Bái Lóng smiled. "I know you've said multiple times that you want to sever ties with the Chén family, to have no more relations. However, where in this world can blood relations and kinship truly be severed? When you return to the Chén family, I presume Lord Chén will be happy beyond words."

Chén Jǐ stood up. "Lord Bái Lóng has an order, and I will naturally obey it without any hesitation."

Bái Lóng laughed heartily. "The father-son relationship is always complex, like monarch and minister, like friends, and like enemies. Only until the father is on his sickbed's last moments are they truly father and son. I won't ask much about the matters between you and your father. It's time to let go of some past grudges for the sake of the overall situation."

Chén Jǐ lowered his head. "I understand."

As he lowered his head, a gleam flashed in his eyes. Bái Lóng was absolutely right. Ordinary father-son relationships indeed cannot be severed and are complicated. But he was precisely from the Forty-nine Heavens and had no relation to Chén Lǐ Qín at all. But Bái Lóng didn't know this point. And Bái Lóng had always not killed him, not only because of Sick Tiger's face, but also because the other side had long intended to utilize his Chén family identity.

Ordinary people playing chess look three steps ahead after taking one step, which makes them experts. Bái Lóng was different; he looked ten steps, even a hundred steps ahead after taking one step.

At this moment, Bái Lóng said with a smile, "But you also need to understand that on that day in the Jǐng Wáng Mansion, Lord Chén did not protect you, he only protected Chén Wén Xiāo. Afterward, treat kinship lightly. You only need to serve His Majesty and the Inner Minister. Ignore everything else."

Chén Jǐ humbly said, "Yes. However, Lord Bái Lóng wants me to return to the Chén family to do what?"

Bái Lóng stood beside the desk and tapped it with his finger. "After the Lantern Festival, Chén Wén Zōng and Chén Wén Xiāo will enter the capital for the imperial examination. Chén Lǐ Qín's transfer order is also on its way. Chén Lù Chǐ wants to transfer him back to the capital to promote him to Junior Hanlin in the Hanlin Academy and enter the Eastern Palace office to assist the Crown Prince. When you return to the Chén family, you can naturally follow them back to the capital."

The Hanlin Academy was an institution responsible for serving princes. A Junior Hanlin was a positive fourth-rank official. Chén Lǐ Qín was not demoted but promoted after the matter in Luò City, his career soaring.

Bái Lóng looked at the night sky outside the yamen. "Chén Jǐ, the capital is a truly dangerous place. Be cautious in all matters, and be careful in all matters. Only by preserving yourself alive can you do more things."

Chén Jǐ was puzzled. "But Lord, although I am an illegitimate son of the third branch, even if I return to the Chén family and return to the capital, I probably won't be welcomed and won't be able to probe the Chén family's core secrets."

Bái Lóng was amused. "I don't expect you to probe anything out in the short term. First, go in and stay there. You will be arranged to do things naturally when you reach the capital."

Chén Jǐ asked without changing his expression, "Lord, the Chén family is a clear stream and disdains to associate with us."

Bái Lóng smiled. "Not many people know about your Sea Eagle identity. Those who are dead are dead, those who are caught are caught, and those who are gone are gone. I see that Lord Chén is still in the dark about this for now. Rest assured, I will explain things on this side and help you cover for it."

At this moment, footsteps sounded outside the door. Secret spies were escorting the remnants of the Liu family into the yamen, a total of forty-seven people.

Chén Jǐ asked, "Lord, are all the Liu family remnants to be killed?"

Bái Lóng laughed and cried. "There are several hundred thousand people in the Liu family's collateral branches. If I killed them all, I would have nightmares at midnight. Bring those outside the five degrees of mourning for interrogation, and release them if there are no problems."

"Understood."

Bái Lóng waved his hand at Chén Jǐ. "Go back and rest. Let bygones be bygones. From now on, follow me well and do things. As for the County Princess, I will still mediate for you and won't let her suffer."

Chén Jǐ hesitated for a moment. "Lord, can I go visit the County Princess?"

Bái Lóng laughed and cursed, "Don't try to gain an inch after getting a foot in front of me. Not killing you is cherishing talent. Keeping you is still of great use. Get lost."

Chén Jǐ cupped his hands and took his leave. "Yes."

Before leaving the door, Bái Lóng called out to him, "Chén Jǐ."

Chén Jǐ turned back. "What instructions does Lord have?"

Bái Lóng said calmly, "To achieve things, your scheming must be deep. Don't let people easily see through you. People who can't give up anything can't change anything."

Chén Jǐ was stunned. After a moment, he replied, "I have remembered."

"Go."

As he walked out of the yamen, Chén Jǐ suddenly stopped in his tracks, only because among the captured Liu family remnants, there was actually a familiar figure... Liǔ Qú Xīng.

The accumulated snow in the courtyard was already messy. Liǔ Qú Xīng and his family members were bound, detained in the crowd. Liǔ Qú Xīng timidly hid behind his mother. He unintentionally looked up and saw Chén Jǐ coming out of the yamen. His eyes immediately reddened, and he stumbled towards him, running. He saw Liǔ Qú Xīng come in front of him, spit a mouthful onto Chén Jǐ's face, and lowered his voice, roaring angrily from his throat, "Did you also participate in the frame-up at the Jǐng Wáng Mansion? Beast! In vain the County Princess and the World Son treated you like that. You're even worse than a beast!"

Liǔ Qú Xīng cried while scolding, "What exactly is this world like? What are you all like?"

Chén Jǐ stood in place, standing in the heavy snow. He didn't speak, nor did he lift his hand to wipe the spit from his face. The secret spy responsible for detaining the Liu family remnants saw Liǔ Qú Xīng spit on Chén Jǐ's face and was immediately greatly shocked. He hurriedly ran to pull Liǔ Qú Xīng. "Lord, I deserve to die!"

Chén Jǐ wiped the spit with his sleeve. "This person is acquainted with me. Their family did not participate in the Liu family rebellion. Release them."

The secret spy was astonished. "Lord?"

Chén Jǐ looked calmly. "Are my words not useful?"

The secret spy lowered his head. "Yes."

Chén Jǐ no longer looked at Liǔ Qú Xīng, striding into the pouring heavy snow. Later, he no longer liked heavy snow, nor did he look forward to nights and days very much.