Chapter 517: Finally Waited For It |
Up in the Plum Blossom Pavilion, everyone quietly watched Chen Ji's tightly locked brows. No one dared to make a sound to disturb him.
Chen Ji, on the other hand, silently pondered. This obituary notice didn't use the Fanqie Phonetic Method customarily used by the Military Intelligence Division. It merely used homophones, and it also wasn't that every character was at the beginning of a sentence. It was entirely without rules or logic.
These four words—Seeking Official Gui—could be said to be coincidentally pieced together, or perhaps a forced and far-fetched interpretation.
But Chen Ji never believed in coincidences. Official Gui had just disappeared, and then someone used a secret code to seek Official Gui. This could not possibly be a coincidence.
[Translation note: Skipped website advertisement message]
These four words also proved that not only could he not find Official Gui, even the Military Intelligence Division had also lost the other party's whereabouts.
Strange. What exactly happened when Aunt Ping exchanged blows with Official Gui, causing a person who viewed the Military Intelligence Division's mission as higher than everything else to leave without saying goodbye?
And who posted this obituary notice?
Just looking at the tone of these four words "Seeking Official Gui", it was definitely in an authoritative commanding tone. Within Capital City, the one who could issue this command to seek Official Gui... I am afraid it is only Official Ding.
Chen Ji raised his head and looked at Zhang Xia: "Where was this collected from?"
Zhang Xia recalled: "The Stick Bearer who collected this obituary notice normally sells newspapers in Xuanbei Ward in the outer city. He said this obituary notice was received from the hands of a young man. The other party paid five taels of silver. His clothes had no patches, and his complexion didn't look like someone who had done hard labor; he looked like a scholar."
A young man?
Official Ding had participated in the case framing Qing Wentao, so he was definitely already middle-aged. Who was this young man, to actually obtain Official Ding's Trust to such a degree?
Chen Ji asked again: "If this person is caught, would the Stick Bearer be able to recognize him?"
Zhang Xia shook her head: "I'm afraid not. The Stick Bearer has seen far too many people these days; he lacks this ability."
Chen Ji silently pondered. Right now there was one piece of good news and one piece of bad news. The bad news was that there was no way to find Official Ding through this obituary notice, and furthermore, there were too many people selling newspapers, so there was also no way to drag Official Ding's lower lines out into the light.
The good news, however, was... Official Ding was indeed reading the newspaper, and the Military Intelligence Division had already transferred the channels for transmitting messages onto the newspaper!
Right at this time, he suddenly raised his head and looked at Zhang Xia: "You... how did you know I was looking for this?"
Chen Ji could look at an obituary notice and guess the secret code language because he frequently came into contact with the Military Intelligence Division and was able to quickly find the key words. But why could Zhang Xia? Logically speaking, Zhang Xia shouldn't even know of Official Gui's existence.
Zhang Xia said calmly: "Because this person posted an obituary notice yet was not wearing mourning filial garb. I had my suspicions aroused right from the very beginning. Moreover, although the Stick Bearers externally said obituary notices could be published, this is still the very first person willing to publish an obituary notice on the Morning Newspaper. Why? Is there indeed a problem with this obituary notice?"
Chen Ji said with a smile: "There indeed is a problem."
Brother Pao asked: "Then do we still publish it?"
Chen Ji said: "Publish it. Do not Beat the Grass and Startle the Snake."
Brother Pao lowered his head and looked at the obituary notice for half a day, yet also couldn't see where the problem lay: "Is it required for the Stick Bearers to keep an eye on the people buying newspapers?"
Chen Ji shook his head: "No need. Externally, don't say anything. Everything remains as normal."
He lowered his head again and re-examined the obituary notice. The publisher of the notice was the Eldest Son of the Li Family on Haibo Temple Street, Li Mingwen. Yet he didn't know if this person's home was truly holding a funeral currently or not?
Without waiting for him to open his mouth to inquire, Zhang Xia had already spoken: "I have already had Zhang Family death warriors look from afar. The Li Family is currently holding a funeral. His father indeed passed away."
Brother Pao sighed with emotion: "Second Miss Zhang actually manages to help the Patron think ahead in everything. It saves too much worry!"
Speechless, Chen Ji and Zhang Xia looked toward Brother Pao at the same time.
Brother Pao subconsciously used his pinky finger to scratch his scalp: "What, did I say it too obviously?"
Chen Ji turned around and left: "Properly store all the manuscript submissions that are sent over together. I will come to read them every day."
Brother Pao asked curiously: "Where is the Patron going?"
Chen Ji descended the stairs. Without turning his head, he said: "Liulichang."
...
Right now there was nothing Chen Ji could do; he could only wait patiently.
With the Military Intelligence Division willing to use the newspaper to transmit information, the other party was in the light, while he was in the dark.
Once the Military Intelligence Division moved, presumably they would pass commands through the newspaper once again. Whether it was stealing Firearms or passing Imperial Court Intelligence, as long as it appeared on the newspaper, there would be a flaw.
Upon reaching that time, only then could Chen Ji feel his way over following the clues to capture people.
Before here, he could only wait.
Chen Ji's life reverted back to becoming monotonous again. Without official duties, there was no need to answer roll call. Carrying water and reading books every day, traveling back and forth between the Chen Family on Right Prefecture Street and Liulichang, as if he had completely forgotten all other matters.
And that Emperor Ning seemed to have also forgotten him, delaying and not handing any new errands down to him again. Elder Chen also hadn't sought him again, only waiting for the clan elders to come host the matter of including him into the genealogy book.
Chen Ji carried water early in the morning and poured it into the water vat, planning to go out the door to go to Liulichang. During this recent space of time, he had exhaustively flipped through three bookstores, yet from beginning to end he hadn't uncovered traces of the Military Intelligence Division passing Intelligence.
Even the secret code language on the newspaper had paused, so much so that Chen Ji was somewhat unable to figure it out. Could it be Official Ding felt the Capital Morning Post was not safe, so he changed to another transmission method again?
When exiting the door, he however saw Chen Xu standing before the door dressed in a black Daoist robe.
Chen Ji was bewildered: "Head Steward is seeking me for a matter?"
Chen Xu smiled faintly: "Recently I heard the Young Master stays in the various bookstores in Liulichang every day, dipping into the masses of books. Are you perhaps having intentions of participating in the Imperial Examination three years later? If it is so, this lowly one can invite a Sir of high moral character and profound reputation from Donglin Academy over, to impart teachings and resolve confusion for the Young Master."
Chen Ji was dumbfounded. He had been going to Liulichang too frequently recently, actually provoking Chen Xu into believing he had aspirations for the Imperial Examination.
Without waiting for him to answer, Chen Xu continued saying: "Young Master, this lowly one paid respects and worshipped under Mister Gongyang to cultivate at age twelve. At eighteen I stepped into the Pre-Heaven Realm. At thirty-four I ascended to the Path-Seeking Realm. I originally thought with this body's worth of Practitioner realms, the world was greatly accessible to me. But later on when I arrived in Capital City, only then did I know: what's heaviest in this world has from beginning to end never been the mountains and peaks; it's the rules piled up by human hearts. As long as you cannot reach the Divine Path Realm, you have to live within these rules."
"Young Master, cultivating for half a lifetime cannot compare to holding half a volume of the Ministry of Revenue's regulations in hand. Practicing martial arts cannot compare to studying books. Now our Chen Family has no successors; the Old Master expends all his mental and physical energies every single day, yet the Chen Family no longer has anyone capable of entering the Grand Secretariat again."
Chen Ji asked curiously: "Must the Chen Family produce a Grand Secretary minister?"
Chen Xu smiled faintly: "This is natural. Only a Grand Secretary minister can remain inside the Hall of Literary Brilliance; otherwise, whatever matters occur in this world, you will be late to know and late to realize. Even if someone plants stolen goods to frame you, you won't even have an opportunity to argue in defense. The Imperial Court has always been like so. Once you leave it, someone will think of every exhaustion of methods to take away everything of yours. Previously the Old Master kept Chen Lizhi around mainly because he felt if he could enter the cabinet, at the very least he could prop up the Chen Family for another ten years, leaving a sliver of opportunity for the Juniors. Now Chen Lizhi is also dead."
Chen Ji said with a smile: "There is still First Uncle."
Chen Xu shook his head: "First Master is kind-hearted. Entering the cabinet will only be a source of disaster; it is better not to enter. If the Young Master has intentions for the Imperial Examination, the Old Master will even go to the Daoist Court to beg for medicine, and he will also prop up another ten years of time and light for you in the Grand Secretariat."
Chen Ji gave a refusal: "I've received Head Steward's good intentions in my heart. However, me reading books is only for the sake of whiling away time. I'm afraid I'm not that piece of material for the Imperial Examination."
He originally thought Chen Xu would act as a persuader again to advise him a bit more. Yet Chen Xu only pondered for a moment: "No matter. That will just require expending even more mental efforts; it's merely that it will require killing many people."
Chen Ji was startled: "To do what?"
Chen Xu said earnestly: "Kill some more enemies, and fish out a State Duke noble title for the Young Master."
Chen Ji gave a haha laugh: "I'm afraid this is a bit difficult."
He wasn't willing to continue tangling over this topic, turning around and walking toward the outside of the Chen Estate: "I'm off to Liulichang. Head Steward, do as you please."
Chen Ji went out the door alone. From afar, he could see several sedan chairs stop in front of a Stick Bearer. The sedan chair bearers counted copper coins and handed them to the Stick Bearer. Initially, a copy of the newspaper was five wen of money. Now that the page numbers had increased, the silver money had also risen a bit.
Waiting until these couple of sedan chairs went far away, Chen Ji also arrived before the Stick Bearer and handed out twenty wen: "Give me a copy of the newspaper."
"Alrighty." The Stick Bearer took out a copy of the newspaper from his satchel. Chen Ji actually looked directly at the advertisement on the very last page, still gaining absolutely nothing.
He read from the beginning while walking. The front page was, according to custom, still flattering Emperor Ning to protect their lives. The second page wrote about official appointments and dismissals. The very first line was the Bureau Director of the thirteen pure official bureaus of the Ministry of Revenue, Chen Yu, being transferred to Jinling as the Transmission Commissioner—a Principal Fourth Rank.
Ever since Chen Ji brought down the Second Branch, Elder Chen had thoroughly alienated Chen Yu, transferring him away from Capital City.
What a pity. Chen Ji still felt this person was quite interesting.
When Chen Ji looked to the seventh page, his pupils constricted slightly. This page was an article submitted from outside the publication, and within this article, the Military Intelligence Division's secret code language finally appeared again.
Finally waited for it.
(End of this chapter)