Chapter 54: The Sea Hawk

“Half the credit for me, half for you, how about that?”

The gambling house, which had been lively and bustling, was now quiet and peaceful.

In the gaudy private room, the obese Jin Zhu sat at the edge of a round table.

Above the round table, a hanged corpse swayed from a beam. Yet, Jin Zhu smiled with narrowed eyes as if nothing was out of the ordinary, as if he were sitting with a girl from the red-light district.

Chen Ji sat down across the table, and asked curiously, "Lord Jin Zhu, if we catch a Jing Chao spy tonight, the merit will be significant. Are you just giving it to me like this?"

Jin Zhu poured Chen Ji a cup of hot tea and explained slowly, "These years, eh, relying on the trust of Lord Nei Chen, I've been managing the Secret Spy Department's finances. At first, I didn't understand much. Grain and oil shops, brothels, gambling houses, clothing stores, I was tricked and fell into many traps, losing quite a bit of money. But Lord Nei Chen didn't say anything, he just told me not to be afraid of making mistakes."

Chen Ji suddenly realized that this Jin Zhu was likely also an orphan adopted by Lord Nei Chen.

Being so young and holding the financial power of the Secret Spy Department, and even being tolerated by Lord Nei Chen when losing money, there had to be an extremely deep relationship between them. Almost every word Jin Zhu spoke revealed his admiration for Lord Nei Chen.

To the outside world, he was a venomous official, but to Jin Zhu, he was a father-like figure.

Jin Zhu continued, "Later, eh, I did develop a talent for business and slowly learned the ropes. I discovered that third-rate investment is investing effort, doing small businesses that require manual labor, like a noodle shop. Second-rate investment is investing skill, doing things others can't, like making Tang Shuang. First-rate investment is letting money make money, making a profit of ten thousand from one capital, like a money shop. But these investments aren't the most clever..."

Chen Ji seemed to think and asked, "Then what is the most clever investment?"

Jin Zhu laughed, "Of course, it's investing in 'people'."

He sighed and said, "Over the years, my most correct investment has been helping Tian Ma. At that time, I wasn't Jin Zhu yet, and he was just a low-level spy. Every time they caught a spy, he would rush to the very front. No matter how tired he was after finishing his work, he could just wipe his mouth after eating a bowl of beef noodles and go to sleep happily. The way he ate the noodles, it was as if beef noodles were the best thing in the world."

"Later, I became Jin Zhu, and he was still just a small 'Pigeon' level spy. I then gave him all my merits to help him get onto the path of cultivation and become the Tian Ma he is now. Over the years, the lower nine positions have come and gone like falling flowers and flowing water, only Xuan She and I have remained stable. Xuan She is looked after by Bai Long, and I, eh, I am because of Tian Ma."

For a moment, in the cold and ruthless Secret Spy Department, Chen Ji unexpectedly felt a hint of human warmth.

He smiled as he imagined the scene of the seemingly kind but inwardly calculating Jin Zhu bringing the young Tian Ma to a noodle shop to eat beef noodles after capturing a spy. The two would probably chat while peeling garlic, saying something like, "That was quite dangerous just now."

However he thought about it, it felt a little unreal.

No wonder the 'Zodiac' across from him, despite being in the lower nine positions, was much more formidable than Yun Yang and Jiao Tu.

"May I ask, Lord Jin Zhu, what level must one reach to gain access to the path of cultivation?" Chen Ji asked softly.

Jin Zhu drained his cup of tea, "Hai Dong Qing, this is a threshold. After you become a Hai Dong Qing, you won't be a small spy anymore. Even those civil officials won't dare to overlook you. At the same time, you will also have a chance to peek at the great path of longevity."

"Then, if I get promoted, what does Lord Jin Zhu need me to do?" Chen Ji asked curiously.

Jin Zhu laughed, "The position of 'Hai Dong Qing' in Luo City is currently vacant. I don't know if Lord Nei Chen intends to keep it open or if there's truly no suitable candidate, but someone must fill it eventually. I have quite a few businesses in Luo City, and naturally, I need someone to look after them. You don't need to do anything else, just make sure people don't harass them."

"What businesses does the Lord have?" Chen Ji asked curiously.

Jin Zhu laughed heartily, "I just added one family, and it's just right for you to get familiar with it... Bring the person in!"

...

...

Two secret spies dragged in a thin, short merchant, making him kneel on the ground.

The merchant cried and whimpered, "My lord, this humble one, Chao Cang, has always operated honestly. This gambling house has absolutely no connection with Jing Chao spies!"

Jin Zhu squatted in front of him and said calmly, "You say there's no connection, so there's no connection? If there's no connection, why would the Jing Chao spy pass through here? And why would a fight and killing happen in your shop? Be honest and sign the house deed, and you might avoid suffering physically. If not, your entire family will be executed or exiled to Ling Nan... Bring him paper and pen."

A secret spy threw the written contract onto the ground and said coldly, "Boss Chao, sign it and press your handprint."

Chen Ji: "..."

Were all of Jin Zhu's businesses acquired this way?!

This wasn't making a profit of ten thousand from one capital; it was clearly making a profit of ten thousand with no capital!

The gambling house boss trembled violently, but finally pressed his handprint. He was then dragged away like a pile of rotten mud.

Chen Ji asked doubtfully, "Lord Jin Zhu, this merchant shouldn't be a Jing Chao spy... Shouldn't the Chief Criminal Department handle this?"

Jin Zhu looked at him, and with a sympathetic and motherly tone, said, "Of course he isn't, but I manage the Secret Spy Department's finances, and so many people need to be supported. Naturally, I have to find ways to increase income and reduce expenses for Lord Nei Chen, to share his worries. Heh heh, Lin Chao Qing of the Chief Criminal Department is not in Luo City today. This is a rare opportunity that only comes once in a thousand years."

"What if someone finds out?" Chen Ji asked curiously.

Jin Zhu stood up and patted his shoulder, "Gambling houses do a lot of harm, and that Boss Chao is deeply sinful. He will commit suicide out of fear of punishment tonight. Rest assured, no one will find out."

Speaking of which, he smiled and squinted at Chen Ji, "I'm only telling you this because I consider you a trusted subordinate. You won't report me, will you? Rest assured, if you follow me, you'll live much more comfortably than if you follow Jiao Tu or Yun Yang. The court gives you twenty-four taels of silver salary every year, and I will give you another twenty-four taels here, a total of forty-eight taels."

Chen Ji thought to himself that forty-eight taels was not enough to cover his own cultivation expenses, and asked, "Is this only for a few people, or for everyone?"

Jin Zhu replied, "For everyone. Brothers all risk their lives on the waistband of their trousers. What's twenty-four taels of silver a year enough for? Civil officials restrict our salaries, but Lord Nei Chen naturally has his ways. Many people look down on my position, saying I reek of copper, but what do they understand? The allowances and pensions in the Secret Spy Department are managed by me. If life is difficult, and I don't calculate carefully, how can we manage?"

He looked at Chen Ji's expression and added slowly, "Once you become a Hai Dong Qing and have access to the path of cultivation, you will also receive extra cultivation resources every month."

Chen Ji probed, "What kind of cultivation resources can a regular Hai Dong Qing receive, and how much?"

Jin Zhu thought for a moment, "Taking the cultivation path of a regular warrior as an example, if there's no merit that month, you'll probably get six branches of old mountain ginseng. If there's merit, the more merit, the more you get."

Chen Ji's heart stirred. This was the most important part. The Ning Chao had a total of over two hundred cities across its twelve states, and there were only just over two hundred Hai Dong Qing. The cultivation resources distributed each month alone would be an astronomical figure!

Just six branches of ginseng distributed per month would be about one hundred and ninety taels, which was more money than many people could earn in ten years!

Jin Zhu looked at Chen Ji intently and said seriously, "But you must remember, this is given to you by Lord Nei Chen, not by the court."

Chen Ji understood. Jin Zhu did not manage yamen like the market ships, silver fields, or weaving and manufacturing. The money earned by those yamen was for the emperor's inner court. And what Jin Zhu managed was Lord Nei Chen's own small fund.

He stood up and cupped his fist, saying, "Lord Jin Zhu, this subordinate is willing to go through fire and water for Lord Nei Chen without hesitation!"

Jin Zhu smiled, stood up, and pulled his hand, "The merit for luring and killing the Jing Chao spy tonight is one thing. If we can capture the defected spy, that's another major merit. I know you are exceptionally intelligent, so I'll rely on you for this matter."

Chen Ji thought for a moment, "Lord Jin Zhu, are there any clues?"

In fact, this was what Chen Ji cared about most.

That Jing Chao spy had seen his appearance. He had to find this person before the Secret Spy Department did.

As long as he hadn't found him, he wouldn't be at ease.

Speaking of clues about the defected spy, Jin Zhu also cursed, "This spy was severely injured, and it would have been easy to catch him, but a sudden rain broke off his tracks. Now trying to find him in Luo City is like looking for a needle in a haystack."

At this moment, the sound of a cat meowing rang out from outside the window. No one paid attention, thinking it was just a stray cat avoiding the rain under the eaves.

Chen Ji cupped his hands and said, "Then Lord Jin Zhu can continue waiting for the Jing Chao spy here. I'll go down and see if there are any clues about that defected spy."

With that, he left the private room and lowered his hat.

Inside the private room, a secret spy said, "My lord, he already knows our plan to lure the enemy. Shouldn't we be careful that he might tip them off?"

Jin Zhu nodded, "Keep a close eye on him. Don't let him leave 'Chao Cang'. Although Meng Ji tested him and he's not a Jing Chao spy, it's better to be safe than sorry."

...

...

Chen Ji walked down from the second floor. Secret spies with drawn knives guarded each passage, and almost everyone had a hand crossbow hanging at their waist.

Under such deployment, if the Jing Chao military intelligence department wanted to come and kill people to silence them, they would have to pay a heavy price.

But what did this have to do with Chen Ji? He only cared about whether he would be exposed.

However, just as he was halfway down the stairs, he unintentionally looked down and discovered a familiar figure: it was unexpectedly his half-brother, Chen Wen Xiao!

Strange, why would Chen Wen Xiao appear at a gambling house in the middle of the night? Could it also be related to the Jing Chao spy?

No, his face was pale, his eyes were dark-circled, and he didn't have the handsome and noble appearance he had during the day. He was clearly a true gambler!

Chen Ji suddenly remembered the rumors about himself being a gambler and always felt there was something else going on.

Just as he was thinking, Chen Wen Xiao quietly lifted his head and looked around. Chen Ji lowered his hat and walked towards another area.

Inside the gambling house, copper coins and silver money were scattered on the ground, and a trail of blood dripped from the doorway to the backyard. It must have been the escape route of that defected spy.

Chen Ji followed the blood trail towards the backyard. Upstairs, the secret spy beside Jin Zhu leaned against the wooden railing, his gaze following Chen Ji's footsteps closely.

When he saw Chen Ji about to leave the gambling house, his gaze tightened, and he gestured to the two secret spies downstairs, signaling them to follow.

However, Chen Ji stopped before leaving the gambling house and turned into another corner. Only then did the secret spies relax.

Chen Ji came to a corner, pretending to look for clues by bending down, while lowering his voice and saying, "Wu Yun, Wu Yun?"

In the corner's shadow, Wu Yun was completely soaked and meowed, "I'm here!"

Chen Ji's expression was completely hidden under his hat. He asked in a low voice, "How did you find me?"

"I was planning to go to the medical hall to tell you that Jing Fei was planning to have Chun Hua seduce you, but I found you weren't there," Wu Yun replied, "I asked many cats on the way and only found you here."

Chen Ji was surprised and asked, "Wait, you asked many cats?"

"Yes," Wu Yun didn't quite understand Chen Ji's surprise, "You humans ask humans for directions, what's strange about us cats asking cats for directions?"

"Can they answer questions... I mean, can those who haven't awakened their spiritual intelligence answer your questions?"

"Fat Orange and Milk Cow definitely can't, they're not very smart, it's useless asking them anything. But Li Hua cats can, they're smarter, good at fighting, and manage a large territory. But Li Hua cats can be a bit difficult to deal with, they have bad tempers," Wu Yun replied.

Chen Ji's heart surged. This was a development he had never imagined. Stray cats were everywhere in Luo City.

He quickly asked, "Then can you ask them to help me find someone? The other person is severely injured and disappeared after escaping from Chao Cang gambling house tonight!"

"Escaped where?"

"Don't know."

"That's not easy to find..." Wu Yun was silent for a moment, "We'll have to find a San Hua cat. They have good cat luck. Let them go to each territory and ask the Li Hua cats."

"This matter concerns my life, so we must find this person before the Secret Spy Department does!"

Wu Yun curled his claws and thumped his chest, making a loud sound, "Leave it to me, rest assured!"

...

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