Chapter 80: Effortless

“Master Jin Zhu, what does the Jing Chao thief we need to catch look like?”

“He’s not slippery or black, no one saw his appearance clearly.”

“What about his exact height?”

“That’s also not easy to judge.”

“Then this will be easy to handle…”

Chen Ji had imagined the possibility of being caught due to some oversight, and also imagined that Gui and Wu Hong Biao might not have escaped and would confess about him inside the inner prison.

After returning to the medical hall last night, he had been in a state of high alert, carrying all his silver with him, ready to flee for his life with Wu Yun at any moment.

But Chen Ji didn’t expect that the secret spy department would have him catch himself…

He was somewhat doubtful: “Master, why me? You are smarter and more talented than me, why must I be the one to do it?”

In the main hall of the medical hall, Jin Zhu was dressed like a tenant farmer, with a bamboo hat on his head. The hemp rope of the bamboo hat outlined his double chin, making him look slightly comical.

Jin Zhu took off the bamboo hat and placed it on the counter. Holding Chen Ji’s hands sincerely, he said: “You don’t need to belittle yourself. Since you could help Yun Yang and Jiao Mian find the Liu family’s criminal evidence, you naturally have your extraordinary qualities. I don’t mind telling you, the secret spy department in Luo city is now infiltrated. It was precisely because of a leaked message last night that we couldn’t catch the Jing Chao thief. Now, among the secret spy department in Luo city, the only person I can trust is you.”

Old Man Yao put away the account book and silently walked towards the backyard. He was afraid he would burst out laughing if he didn’t leave.

Jin Zhu was most famous for three things in the capital: first was his grace in promoting Tian Ma, second was his picky taste for good food, and third was his shrewdness.

Such a shrewd person was currently holding the hand of the real culprit and talking about trust.

Chen Ji silently pulled his hand back: “Why don’t you personally catch this Jing Chao thief?”

Jin Zhu smiled and explained: “My most important task now is to root out the infiltrators, so you and I will act separately. You take care of your matters, and I’ll take care of mine. I will send six secret spies to follow you and protect you as you complete this task.”

Jin Zhu added: “You must catch the Jing Chao thief. If you catch him, you will take the first merit. If you don’t catch him, don’t blame me for turning my back on you and not recognizing you. That’s how it is in our secret spy department, even close brothers cannot delay important matters.”

After a moment of thought, Chen Ji said: “Master Jin Zhu, I can try to catch this Jing Chao thief who acts arbitrarily, but I have one request: please keep my identity a secret. You also know that this is the Liu family’s territory, and the people colluding with Jing Chao are definitely not just Liu Shi Yu. If I repeatedly achieve merits, I will likely be hated by the Liu family.”

Jin Zhu was pleased: “Rest assured, I came to see you in this disguise specifically to conceal your identity. Tonight at Hai time, someone will be waiting for you at the ‘Welcome Guest Wine House’ in Red Clothes Alley.”

Having said this, he put on his bamboo hat again, turned around, and left.

At this moment, a carriage stopped at the entrance of the medical hall. The carriage curtain was lifted from the inside, and the coachman quickly placed a footstool beside the carriage, helping a middle-aged man with an eight-character mustache step down.

Chen Ji recognized the other person; it was the steward of the Chen residence. He had seen him before when he had returned home to carry things and bathe.

The steward wore a tile-ridge hat on his head and sturdy soap boots on his feet. Even his clothes were a light green satin robe. This steward didn’t look like a steward, but more like an official.

Jin Zhu, who was leaving, brushed past the steward. He glanced at the steward in surprise and quickly left.

After getting off the carriage, the steward walked slowly into the medical hall with his hands behind his back, sizing up the environment inside the medical hall with interest. When he saw Chen Ji, he smiled and asked: “Is it good staying here?”

Chen Ji stood calmly beside the counter: “Why have you come?”

The steward smiled and waved to the coachman outside the door. He took a string of copper coins from the coachman and handed it to Chen Ji: “Three hundred wen, count it.”

Chen Ji didn’t reach out to take it, his voice calm: “No need to count, put it on the counter.”

The hand holding the money stiffened in mid-air. After a moment, the steward casually tossed the copper coins onto the counter and slowly stroked his eight-character mustache: “You dislike the monthly silver being too little? Do you know how many common people died in Yu state due to the flood this summer? Now three hundred wen in western and southern Yu can even buy a maidservant’s deed of sale. It’s not easy for the family to support your medical studies, don’t forget your roots.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Bai Li walked out from the backyard, shouting as she walked: “Chen Ji, come wrap dumplings! Dumplings are better when wrapped together. Eh, who is this?”

When the steward saw Bai Li, his expression suddenly changed, and he said humbly: “County Princess Bai Li, I am the steward of the same know mansion in Luo city. Last year, during the Shang Yuan Festival, I followed the old master to the prince’s mansion for a banquet and saw you from afar.”

Bai Li was surprised: “Did we meet before? Why don’t I have any impression?”

The steward hesitated for a moment: “I was sitting on the servant side.”

“Oh… you came to find Chen Ji, then you two chat first. Chen Ji, come quickly to wrap dumplings after you finish chatting,” Bai Li said and returned to the backyard.

The steward looked at her back, then looked at Chen Ji in surprise and doubt: “Why is County Princess Bai Li at Peace Medical Hall?”

Chen Ji casually explained: “She has a good relationship with my master, so she often comes.”

The steward was relieved. He had thought that Chen Ji was sent to this medical hall due to misfortune and had gained the favor of the county princess from the prince’s mansion.

He changed the subject and ordered: “Three days from now is the day Young Master Wen Zong and Young Master Wen Xiao will participate in the autumn imperial examination. The old master instructed me last night to invite you back home for a meal the evening after tomorrow.”

Chen Ji glanced at him: “Please go back and report that I’ve been busy with my studies recently and can’t go back.”

The steward’s face sank: “You no longer listen to the old master’s words? If you forget the grace of the Chen residence’s nurturing like this, from now on, perhaps even the three hundred wen for your studies will be gone.”

Chen Ji smiled: “If it’s gone, it’s gone. Don’t come to Peace Medical Hall less from now on.”

The steward laughed in anger: “You said this yourself!”

Chen Ji nodded: “Yes, I said it myself.”

The steward left with a flick of his sleeve, coming and going quickly, as if unwilling to waste more time here.

At this moment, Zi Li peeked her head out from the back corridor: “Did you quarrel with your steward?”

“Yes.”

Bai Li said softly: “You are so smart, you must see that he fundamentally doesn’t want you to return to the Chen residence the day after tomorrow. Stewards in large residences are not fools, and they absolutely would not offend someone for no reason. This steward deliberately spoke harshly and put on a bad face just to provoke you into saying impulsive words, and then go back to the residence to report to your father that you are not following his way.”

Chen Ji turned around to look at Bai Li and said with a smile: “Then it’s fine whether I return to the Chen residence or not, and I don’t plan to go back again.”

Bai Li said “oh”: “If you don’t go back, then don’t go back. Let’s go wrap dumplings!”

“Okay,” Chen Ji looked towards An Xi Street outside the door, listening to the ‘duo duo duo duo’ sound of chopping dumpling stuffing coming from the backyard, his mood suddenly became peaceful…

Night.

The originally lively Red Clothes Alley suddenly became deserted.

On the long street of blue stone slabs, gorgeous red lanterns hung high as usual, but there were no pedestrians or guests. Singing girls and dancing girls leaned against the railings, looking listless one by one.

With difficulty, a guest was seen turning into the alley from the west side. The girls were just about to shake the red sleeves in their hands, but after seeing the bamboo hat on the other person’s head, they were silent as cicadas in winter and flocked back into their rooms.

Welcome Guest Wine House was already closed, the guest hall was pitch black, without even a residual oil lamp.

Six secret spies in black clothes, each holding a long knife, leaned against the wooden pillars, like assassins waiting for their prey to arrive.

In the dark silence, someone suddenly asked: “Xi Feng, did the master say who is coming to assist in the investigation? Someone assisting in the investigation is putting on such airs, making us wait all day, wasting our opportunity to earn merit.”

“It was set to be here at Hai time, there’s only one stick of incense left until Zi time, why haven’t they arrived yet?”

The secret spy named Xi Feng raised his head, his sharp gaze under the bamboo hat sweeping through everyone in the darkness: “The master told us to wait, so we’ll just wait.”

Someone said in a low voice: “Xi Feng, it seems you are about to be promoted to Hai Dong Qing, maybe it’s not others delaying your earning of merit. If this case is handled beautifully, you can be assigned externally as a Hai Dong Qing. If you can get Master Jin Zhu to help you move to Huai Nan and Huai Bei and ransack the homes of a few small salt merchants, perhaps you can save a considerable amount of family property.”

But Xi Feng sneered coldly: “You say ransack homes and then ransack them? Each salt merchant has a deep background, and the civil officials in the south collectively exclude our Si Li Jian. How can you move when you say you want to move?”

“Hey hey, Brother Xi Feng, you don’t know. A secret spy under Bao Hou is from my hometown, and I heard him say that every time a new Hai Dong Qing goes to the Two Huai to take office, the salt merchants’ guild will push out one or two small salt merchants and send them to the new Hai Dong Qing to use for establishing prestige. Their homes are ransacked casually, their heads are chopped off casually. After the chopping is done, everyone is at peace, and everyone looks good on the surface. After three years in office, you can enjoy beauties endlessly, and money endlessly too.”

Xi Feng scoffed: “You think the main criminal department is eating idle rice? If a handle like this falls into their hands, you will still be controlled by others later. I follow Master Jin Zhu to do great things, how can I lose the big for the small?”

A secret spy suddenly probed: “I heard that Master Jin Zhu has an enmity with the Hu Di Xu family, is that true?”

Xi Feng’s voice grew cold: “Are you boys tired of living a crooked life? You actually dare to inquire about the master’s private matters? Do you want me to send you into the inner prison to cool off?”

“Don’t, don’t, don’t, isn’t this just idle and bored? Right, Master Jin Zhu said that person, why haven’t they arrived yet?”

Just as he finished speaking, the door of Welcome Guest Wine House was pushed open with a creak.

Everyone became solemn, recovering their expressionless, silent demeanor.

Xi Feng turned his head to look, and saw that the newcomer was wearing a bamboo hat and had their face covered with gray cloth.

He was startled for a moment, and subconsciously looked down at the other person’s legs, only to see that the newcomer’s steps were normal, not like someone injured.

Xi Feng, having followed Jin Zhu, knew Chen Ji’s abilities, and Chen Ji was also a local of Luo city, so he thought the person coming tonight would be Chen Ji.

But looking now, the newcomer was not Chen Ji.

Xi Feng said in a condensed voice: “Why are you late? Do you know that the delay will let the Jing Chao thief escape?”

Chen Ji stood firmly opposite the six people. He didn’t answer Xi Feng, only said in a low voice: “Are you the secret spies under Master Jin Zhu?”

Xi Feng was startled for a moment: “Yes.”

Chen Ji nodded: “Master Jin Zhu has given an order, you will be under my command from now on, helping me catch the Jing Chao spy.”

The six secret spies looked at each other, their eyes filled with unclear meaning.

Jin Zhu probably didn’t tell them to listen to this person’s command. Everyone thought this time Xi Feng was in charge, and the newcomer was just someone assisting in the investigation.

Xi Feng thought for a moment, not arguing with Chen Ji about this matter. After giving the other secret spies a look, he cupped his fist towards Chen Ji: “This master, I will first lead you to see the place of the fight, and see if you have any strategy.”

With a grave expression, he led Chen Ji to the backyard, where six secret spies lay dead on the ground, their bloodstains not even washed away.

Xi Feng looked at Chen Ji and said in a low voice: “Master, the killer killed six secret spies here last night. The corpses and items have not been moved. Please check.”

After speaking, Xi Feng closed his mouth and didn’t say a word more, staring intently at Chen Ji.

The six secret spies’ gazes were burning. Everyone understood the meaning in Xi Feng’s eyes: this was to give Chen Ji a test, to let Chen Ji understand: if he had no real ability, he could not be their master.

Xi Feng was now only one step away from becoming a Hai Dong Qing. If an outsider took the first merit, he would likely have to wait another year.

It wasn’t that everyone was righteous, but when there was an outsider, exclusion was almost everyone’s subconscious choice.

Time passed minute by minute, second by second. Chen Ji kept his head down in deep thought, not speaking.

Some secret spies hinted to Xi Feng with their eyes to speak and take the initiative, but Xi Feng also endured. If Chen Ji didn’t speak, he wouldn’t speak either.

The next moment, Chen Ji suddenly moved.

The secret spies’ gazes all looked over, only to see him standing firmly in a corner of the yard, touching a blunt arrow nailed to the wall, and saying calmly: “The killer entered the yard from here. After entering, he first ambushed one person, piercing the secret spy’s lung and kidney with a short knife, then hid behind the injured secret spy, using this to avoid being harmed.”

After speaking, he walked forward two steps and came to a lying corpse: “The killer threw down the injured secret spy here and killed his way into the crowd. He successively used his short knife to break the secret spies’ long knives, and then…”

The six secret spies immediately looked at each other again, their pupils shrinking.

Xi Feng couldn’t help but ask: “Master, how did you deduce that there was only one killer here? We couldn’t even say this. The bodies of the six secret spies have two types of knife wounds, it’s very possible it was two people.”

Chen Ji said lightly: “There are two types of knife wounds because he seized a secret spy’s knife halfway through, not because there were two people.”

Xi Feng was silent.

They had been deducing non-stop since last night. Several experienced secret spies, along with several coroners examining the scene, had spent two hours to deduce the killer’s entire killing process.

And this temporary superior, in fact, only looked at the scene once, and then restored the scene of the fight within a stick of incense time.

If they had known the other party had this ability, they wouldn’t have wasted their efforts this morning.

Xi Feng suddenly extinguished the thought of continuing to test Chen Ji.

Who knew, Chen Ji was also sighing: original reasoning could be so easy, only needed to describe what he had done once.

As easy as turning his hand.

Xi Feng put down his probing thoughts and couldn’t help but ask: “Master, the other party broke knives as easily as drinking water. We have never heard of this knife skill in the Jianghu. I don’t know if you can judge the other party’s identity.”

Chen Ji didn’t answer, only said indifferently: “Don’t rush to conclude yet. Let me ask you, was the killer only fighting in this place last night?”

Xi Feng explained: “There’s another place, on Tong Ji Street.”

“Take me there.”

Everyone walked towards the outside of the wine house. Chen Ji and Xi Feng walked side by side through the guest hall.

However, when the two people walked to the door and were about to go out, Xi Feng suddenly subconsciously stopped, letting Chen Ji walk one step first, and then silently followed behind.