“Merit, half mine, half yours, how about that?”

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

Inside a brightly decorated private room, a fat, golden pig sat at the edge of a round table.

Above the round table, a hanged corpse swung from a beam, yet the golden pig squinted his eyes with a smile as if nothing was happening, as if a red-clothed girl selling laughter in the alley was sitting beside him.

Chen Ji sat across from the table and asked curiously, “Golden Pig adult, if we catch the Jing Chao spy tonight, it will be a significant merit. You’re just giving it to me like this?”

Golden Pig poured Chen Ji a cup of hot tea and explained slowly, “These past few years, thanks to the trust of the Inner Minister adult, 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 the Inner Minister didn’t say anything, only told me not to be afraid of making mistakes.”

Chen Ji suddenly realized that this Golden Pig was probably also an orphan adopted by the Inner Minister.

To hold financial power in the Secret Spy Department at such a young age and be tolerated by the Inner Minister even when losing money, there must be an extremely deep relationship between them. Almost every sentence spoken by Golden Pig revealed his admiration for the Inner Minister.

While the outside world called him a poisonous minister, to Golden Pig, he was a father figure.

Golden Pig continued, “Later on, I indeed had some business acumen and slowly learned the ropes of business. I discovered that third-rate investment is investing effort, like opening a noodle shop by using labor and skill. Second-rate investment is investing technique, doing something others can’t, like making candied sugar. First-rate investment is money making money, like a money shop with huge profits. But these investments aren’t the cleverest…”

Chen Ji seemed thoughtful. “What is the cleverest investment then?”

Golden Pig laughed and said, “Of course, it’s investing in ‘people’.”

He sighed and said, “Over the years, my most correct investment was helping Tian Ma. Back then, I wasn’t Golden Pig yet, and he was just a small secret spy. Every time he caught a spy, he would be at the very front. After finishing work, no matter how tired he was, if I invited him to eat a bowl of beef noodles, he would wipe his mouth and happily go to sleep. Looking at him eating noodles, it was as if beef noodles were the best thing in the world.”

“Later, I became Golden Pig, and he was still just a small ‘Pigeon’ level secret spy. I gave him all my merit and helped him get access to the cultivation path, turning him into the Tian Ma he is today. Over the years, the lower nine ranks have come and gone like falling flowers and flowing water. Only Xuan She and I have remained stable. Xuan She is because of Bai Long’s care, and I am because of Tian Ma.”

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

He imagined the scene of the smiling, knife-wielding Golden Pig bringing the young Tian Ma to eat beef noodles in a noodle shop after catching a spy. The two of them would probably peel garlic and chat while eating, saying something like, “That was close.”

No matter how he thought about it, it felt a little unreal.

No wonder the person opposite him was clearly just a lower nine rank Zodiac, yet he was much tougher than Yun Yang and Jiao Tu.

“Dare I ask, Golden Pig adult, what level must one reach to get access to the cultivation path?” Chen Ji asked in a low voice.

Golden Pig drained the tea in his cup. “Hai Dong Qing, this is a threshold. Once you become a Hai Dong Qing, you won’t be a small secret spy anymore. Even those civil officials won’t dare to overlook you. At the same time, you will also have the opportunity to glimpse the path to longevity.”

“Then, if I get promoted, what do I need to do for Golden Pig adult?” Chen Ji asked curiously.

Golden Pig laughed and said, “The position of ‘Hai Dong Qing’ in Luo City is currently vacant and undecided. I don’t know if the Inner Minister adult intentionally left it open or if there genuinely isn’t a suitable person, but eventually, someone has to fill it. 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 no one harasses them.”

“Which businesses does adult have?” Chen Ji asked curiously.

Golden Pig chuckled. “Just added one just now, it’s just right for you to get familiar with it… Bring the person in!”

…

…

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

The merchant was crying and snotting. “Adult, I am Zhao Cang, I have always operated honestly. This gambling house has absolutely no connection with the Jing Chao spy!”

Golden Pig squatted in front of him and said calmly, “You say no connection, then no connection? If there’s no connection, why would the Jing Chao spy pass through here? And why did a fight happen in your shop? Sign the deed honestly, it can spare you the pain of the flesh. Otherwise, your whole family will be executed or exiled to Ling Nan… Give him paper and pen.”

The secret spy threw the already written contract onto the ground and said coldly, “Boss Zhao, sign your name and press your handprint.”

Chen Ji: “……”

Could it be that all of Golden Pig’s businesses were acquired this way?!

This wasn’t making huge profits with little capital, it was making huge profits with no capital!

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

Chen Ji asked doubtfully, “Golden Pig adult, this kind of businessman shouldn’t be a Jing Chao spy… The Main Criminal Department doesn’t manage this, does it?”

Golden Pig glanced at him and said with a bitter look, “He’s certainly not, but I manage the Secret Spy Department’s finances. So many people need to be supported, so naturally, I have to find ways to increase income and reduce expenditure for the Inner Minister adult, to share his worries. Heh heh, Lin Chao Qing of the Main Criminal Department is not in Luo City today, this is a rare good opportunity in a thousand years.”

“What if someone discovers it?” Chen Ji asked curiously.

Golden Pig stood up and patted his shoulder. “The gambling house has caused considerable harm, and Boss Zhao’s sins are deep. Tonight, he will fear his crime and commit suicide. Rest assured, no one will find out.”

Speaking of this, he smiled and squinted his eyes at Chen Ji. “I’m telling you all this because I consider you a trusted subordinate. You wouldn’t report me, would you? Rest assured, following me is much better than following Jiao Tu and Yun Yang. Besides the court giving you twenty-four taels of silver salary each year, I will also give you another twenty-four taels here, totaling forty-eight taels.”

Chen Ji thought to himself, forty-eight taels is not enough for my own cultivation expenses. “Is this only for a few people, or for everyone?”

Golden Pig replied, “It’s for everyone. The brothers risk their lives, tying their heads to their waistbands. What can twenty-four taels of silver do in a year? The civil officials limit our salaries, and the Inner Minister adult naturally has his methods. Many people look down on my position, saying I’m full of the smell of copper, but what do they understand? I manage all the allowances and compensations in the Secret Spy Department. When times are tough, how can I not calculate carefully?”

He looked at Chen Ji’s expression and slowly added, “Once you become a Hai Dong Qing and have access to the cultivation path, I will also give you extra cultivation resources every month.”

Chen Ji probed, “What can a regular Hai Dong Qing be allocated, and how much?”

Golden Pig thought for a moment. “For the cultivation path of a regular martial artist, if there’s no merit in a month, they probably get six branches of old mountain ginseng. If there is merit, the more merit, the more they get.”

Chen Ji’s heart skipped a beat. So this was the most important part. There are over two hundred cities in the twelve states of Ning Chao, and just over two hundred Hai Dong Qing. Allocating cultivation resources every month is an astronomical figure!

Just the six branches of ginseng per month, totaling about one hundred ninety taels, is money that many people couldn’t earn in ten years!

Golden Pig stared directly at Chen Ji and said seriously, “But you must remember, this is given by the Inner Minister, not by the court.”

Chen Ji understood. Golden Pig didn’t manage the city ships, silver fields, weaving workshops, and other yamens. The money earned by those yamens went to the Emperor’s inner court. The way Golden Pig managed things was the Inner Minister’s own small treasury.

He stood up and cupped his fist. “Golden Pig adult, your subordinate will go through fire and water for the Inner Minister adult without hesitation!”

Golden Pig smiled, stood up, and pulled his hand. “Tonight’s merit for luring and killing the Jing Chao spy is one thing. If you can catch that defecting spy, that’s another big merit. I know you are exceptionally clever. This matter still relies on you.”

Chen Ji thought for a moment. “Golden Pig adult, are there any clues?”

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

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

As long as he wasn’t found, he wouldn’t be at ease.

Speaking of clues about the defecting spy, Golden Pig also complained. “This spy was heavily injured, originally very easy to catch, but a rain broke his trail. Now, finding him in Luo City is like finding a needle in a haystack.”

At this moment, there was a cat meowing sound outside the window. No one paid attention, only thinking it was a wild cat avoiding the rain under the eaves.

Chen Ji cupped his hands and said, “Then Golden Pig adult, continue to wait for the Jing Chao spy here. I will go down and see if there are any clues about that defecting spy.”

With that, he went out of the private room door and lowered his hat.

Inside the private room, a secret spy said, “Adult, he already knows our plan to lure the enemy. Should we be careful he doesn’t tip them off?”

Golden Pig nodded. “Watch him carefully. Don’t let him leave ‘Zhao Cang’s’ place. Although Meng Ji tested him and he’s not a Jing Chao spy, it’s better to be safe.”

…

…

Chen Ji walked down from the second floor. Secret spies with their hands on their waist knives guarded each passage. Almost everyone had a hand crossbow hanging from their waist.

Under this kind of deployment, if the Jing Chao Military Intelligence Department wanted to come and kill people to silence them, they would have to pay a tragic price.

But what did this have to do with Chen Ji? He only cared 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 his direct relative, his second brother, Chen Wen Xiao!

Strange, why would Chen Wen Xiao appear in a gambling house at midnight? Could he also be related to the Jing Chao spy?

No, that’s not right. The person opposite him had a pale complexion and dark circles under his eyes. He didn’t look like the handsome noble son he was during the day. He was clearly a true gambler!

Chen Ji suddenly remembered his own reputation as a gambler and felt that there was something more to it.

Just as he was thinking, Chen Wen Xiao quietly raised his head and looked around. Chen Ji adjusted his hat and went elsewhere.

Inside the gambling house, copper coins and silver money were scattered on the ground. A trail of blood dripped from the doorway to the backyard, which was probably the escape route of that defecting spy.

Chen Ji followed the blood trail towards the backyard. Upstairs, the secret spy beside Golden Pig leaned against the wooden railing and kept a close eye on Chen Ji’s footsteps.

When he saw Chen Ji about to leave the gambling house, his gaze tightened. He gestured across the air to the two secret spies downstairs, indicating that they should 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 and bent down pretending to look for clues, while lowering his voice, “Wu Yun, Wu Yun?”

In the corner shadow, Wu Yun was completely soaked and meowed. “I’m here!”

Chen Ji’s expression was hidden under his hat. He asked in a low voice, “How did you find me?”

“I wanted to tell you at the medical hall that Jing Fei planned to have Chun Hua seduce you, but I found you weren’t there,” Wu Yun replied. “I asked many cats on the road and finally found you here.”

Chen Ji was surprised for a moment and asked, “Wait, you asked many cats?”

“Yes,” Wu Yun seemed a little confused by 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 opened their spiritual intelligence also answer your questions?”

“Fat Orange and Milk Cow definitely can’t, they’re not very smart, asking them anything is useless. But Li Hua cats can, they are smarter and very good at fighting, and they manage large territories. But some Li Hua cats are difficult to deal with, they have bad tempers,” Wu Yun replied.

Chen Ji’s heart surged. This was a development he had never imagined. There might be stray cats everywhere in Luo City.

He quickly asked, “Then can you ask them to help me find someone? The person is heavily injured and escaped from Zhao Cang’s gambling house tonight. I don’t know where they went!”

“Escaped where?”

“Don’t know.”

“That’s not easy to find…” Wu Yun was silent for a moment. “We must find a Calico cat, they have good cat fortune. Let them go to each territory to ask the Li Hua cats.”

“This matter is related to my family’s life. We must find this person before the Secret Spy Department!”

Wu Yun bunched up his claws and thumped his chest loudly. “Leave it to me, don’t worry!”

…

…

There will be another chapter tonight at midnight. There will also be a short note about the launch shortly after. You can read it or not.