The sun set.

The drumbeats from the Drum and Bell Tower drifted from afar. Eight hundred drumbeats marked the end of the day, and when they ceased, night would fall.

Under the twilight, the capital city resembled a jade permeated with blood, gradually taking on a dark red hue.

A butcher shop apprentice was sprinkling the last handful of coarse salt onto a cutting board; carriages clattered over the gravel on the bluestone roads; a silk shop assistant climbed an A-frame ladder to hang a lantern bearing his shop’s name from the eaves; and the bronze bells hanging from the eaves of the Imperial Academy chimed with a pleasant jingling sound.

The aroma of fried sesame balls mingled with the sound of the city censor’s gong. On the Zhengyang Gate tower, the last ray of twilight streaked across an arrow slit.

If one were to only observe the capital at this moment, it was beautiful.

So beautiful that foreign merchants lingered, forgetting the time of their return.

Yet, under this fading light, thirty secret agents escorted two hundred Imperial Guards through the inner city, all silent.

There were no shackles, no shoving; the Imperial Guards simply walked on their own, like a herd of two-legged sheep wearing shoes.

Chen Ji walked among them. Curious gazes from commoners fell upon them, and even people in passing carriages lifted their curtains to observe. The Imperial Guards turned their heads away, trying to avoid their stares.

The awakened Qi Zhenzhuo was somewhat unwilling: “Master, is there really nothing we can do?”

Chen Ji hummed in affirmation.

Qi Zhenzhuo hesitated, then looked at Li Xuan: “Brother-in-law, can we really get out of the Imperial Prison alive? Our families might have to demote several censors who cursed the ‘Poison Prime Minister’ just to calm things down, right?”

Li Xuan calmly replied, “More than that. The ‘Poison Prime Minister’ has always liked to target the children of high-ranking officials. He won’t relent until he forces you to offer a blood-stained pledge of allegiance. That’s how the eunuch faction has gradually entrenched itself in the court.”

Qi Zhenzhuo frowned: “Can’t we fight back? We can also find fault with him!”

Li Xuan sighed, “Look at White Dragon’s impeccable conduct; there are simply no flaws to be found… and they don’t have prodigal children.”

Eunuchs, having no interest in women and no children, naturally had two fewer vulnerabilities than civil officials.

A Beijing official once jokingly said after drinking, “Rather than cultivating virtue and self-control, it’s better to first manage the ‘vulnerability in your pants.'” Indeed, countless officials in the capital were implicated by their children.

The escorting party entered Taiye Pond, heading north, then crossed the White Jade Bridge and entered Qionghua Island. In front of a rockery, a secret agent stepped forward and knocked on the iron gate of the Imperial Prison.

A small window on the first iron gate opened, and a jailer inside said coldly, “Badge.”

The secret agent took off his Haidongqing ‘court attendance badge’ from his waist and held it up to the small window: “By order of Lord Black Serpent, the Imperial Guards are to be detained separately to prevent them from colluding before interrogation.”

The jailer carefully inspected the badge, then opened the door, saying, “As you command.”

He knocked on the second gate eight times, with varying intensity and speed, and the second iron gate also swung open.

The wind from outside rushed into the Imperial Prison, making the Bagua lamps on the walls flicker, yet they remained unextinguished.

Chen Ji felt a little calmer.

As expected.

Even the Imperial Prison in the capital had Bagua lamps suspended, trapping countless wronged souls within its walls year-round.

The next moment, countless icy currents surged towards him.

It was as if black tides rushed from cell after cell towards Chen Ji. So many high-ranking officials had died in this Imperial Prison that the icy currents flowed continuously, like tides.

Chen Ji immersed himself in the turbulent icy currents, letting them penetrate his dantian.

The icy currents, which had been depleted in Guyuan, were replenished. If he had enough ginseng, the icy currents accumulated here could probably help him grow three or four more stripes.

Chen Ji looked at the Bagua lamps on the dark walls of the corridor, momentarily distracted, wondering what he was thinking about.

Seeing him stop, the secret agent behind him immediately stepped forward, pushing him into a cell.

In the depths of the inner prison, wails emanated from the “Pipa Hall,” accompanied by a cold wind rising from underground, carrying the smell of scorched flesh, causing the Imperial Guards to vomit uncontrollably.

Gradually, the Imperial Guards grew restless. Some paced back and forth in their cells, while others gripped the iron bars, shouting their innocence.

Qi Zhenzhuo, frightened, gripped the bars in the next cell and cried, “Master, think of something!”

Chen Ji did not reply, simply leaning against the cell wall in a corner, eyes closed in meditation.

Two incense sticks later, a secret agent dragged a bloodied prisoner past all the cells, deliberately saying as he went, “This man, after drinking, dared to speak of prophecies, even spreading rumors that the floods in Yuzhou were due to His Majesty’s lack of virtue, and demanded His Majesty issue a ‘Confession of Guilt.’ The Grand Secretary has ordered that his skin be flayed from his back tomorrow.”

The Imperial Guards in the cells became agitated. These pampered soldiers, who had never faced great hardship, trembled with fear from such psychological warfare.

Haidongqing, under Black Serpent, patrolled the corridor and casually pointed to a cell: “Drag him to Pipa Hall. I will interrogate him myself.”

Li Xuan, seeing it was someone he had brought back from Guyuan, immediately retorted angrily, “How dare you?”

Haidongqing sneered, “In this Imperial Prison, I’ve interrogated even high officials of the second rank. What is there to dare or not dare? Drag him away!”

Li Xuan and Qi Zhenzhuo’s eyes were red with fury, but they were helpless.

Just then, Chen Ji, leaning against the wall, casually remarked, “This man is a meritorious official from Guyuan. He was just granted an audience with His Majesty yesterday, and today he’s being brought to the Imperial Prison for torture. If this gets out, it will surely draw criticism. Lord Haidongqing, does it matter who you interrogate first or last? Leave yourself some room to maneuver, and the Qi family will surely reward you generously afterward.”

Hearing this, Haidongqing turned and coldly squinted at Chen Ji. He pondered for two breaths, then immediately told the jailer, “Send him back and bring the one from the next cell for interrogation instead.”

Li Xuan and the others breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing a comrade with whom they had faced life and death being interrogated was more unbearable than being killed outright.

In the next cell, an Imperial Guard under Chen Wenren and Zhao Zhuofan immediately collapsed like a pile of mud, dragged by the jailer deeper into the Imperial Prison.

He desperately pleaded with Li Xuan, “Lord, in the past, I was blinded by greed and shouldn’t have helped Chen Wenren oppose you. Please say a word for me!”

This time, however, both Li Xuan and Chen Ji remained silent.

In a short while, violent wails echoed from the darkness: “My father is the Jinling Prefect! You…”

“Ah! I’ll tell you! I’ll tell you!”

Two incense sticks later, two jailers dragged him back to his cell by his arms. All the Imperial Guards stood at their iron bars, watching in horror. The interrogated guard’s hands were bloody and mangled, all ten of his fingernails gone.

Haidongqing, under Black Serpent, scanned his gaze around and pointed to another Imperial Guard to be taken away. When he was dragged back this time, the Imperial Guard had two brand marks on his chest, with flesh peeling outwards.

The Imperial Guards despaired.

From early evening to late night, only two hours had passed, yet the Imperial Prison was already filled with cries.

Despite repeated interrogations, the case made no progress, and Haidongqing gradually lost his patience.

He pointed to an Imperial Guard under Li Xuan and sneered, “I’ve read the Guyuan dossier; I know your brotherhood runs deep. But this matter concerns a foreign envoy, and Lord Black Serpent has given a death order that the case must be solved within twelve hours, so I have no choice. If any of you know anything, it’s still not too late to speak up. If not, then I’ll have to interrogate you one by one. Don’t worry, Lord Li and Lord Qi, I’ll save you two for last.”

Li Xuan’s brows were tightly furrowed, and Qi Zhenzhuo was at a loss.

Just as the secret agent was about to drag the Imperial Guard away, Chen Ji, who was leaning against the wall, suddenly said, “No need to interrogate him. Interrogate me instead. I’ll take his place.”

The Imperial Guards were all startled to hear this; none of them expected Chen Ji to say such a thing.

Qi Zhenzhuo became anxious: “Master, no!”

Chen Ji stood up: “It’s fine.”

The dragged Imperial Guard anxiously said, “Lord Chen…”

Chen Ji smiled: “It’s no trouble.”

Li Xuan spoke up, “Take me instead! I’ll go!”

Haidongqing burst into laughter: “Are there really tough bones in the Imperial Guards? Lord Li, your trip to Guyuan wasn’t in vain.”

With that, he pointed at Chen Ji: “Drag him to Pipa Hall for me. I want to thoroughly interrogate him. There’s an old saying in my Imperial Prison: ‘Under the rod of authority, there are no true heroes.’ Many who boasted of being ‘tough bones’ couldn’t last a single day after coming in.”

Chen Ji brushed the dust from his clothes and began to walk out: “No need to drag me, I’ll walk myself.”

However, just then, the voice of Jiao Tu came from the corridor entrance: “I will interrogate him myself.”

Haidongqing’s expression changed. He turned to Jiao Tu: “You… you’re merely a minor Sparrow-rank secret agent. I am Haidongqing, under Lord Black Serpent. It’s not your place to tell me what to do.”

Jiao Tu came up to him with a smile and casually slapped him, making him spin in place: “Let me teach you a lesson, brother. If you’re not strong enough, speak a little softer. Say one more unnecessary word, and I’ll kill you right now and then go confess my sin to the Grand Secretary myself… Oh, and I just earned a merit in Guyuan and am already a Dove-rank secret agent. How dare you arbitrarily demote me by a rank? Do you have any idea how hard I work to earn merits?”

Haidongqing clutched half his face, daring not to speak. Everyone in the Directorate of Ceremonial knew that Jiao Tu and Yun Yang had been demoted by White Dragon, but their strength was undeniable, and they had once been the Grand Secretary’s most effective assassins. No one dared to be certain that the Grand Secretary had truly abandoned them.

The saying “Imperial favor is power” held true in the Directorate of Ceremonial as well.

Jiao Tu impatiently waved her hand: “Leave the keys and get out.”

Haidongqing sneered, threw the keys on the ground, and turned to leave.

Jiao Tu pulled Chen Ji’s arm and walked deeper into the Imperial Prison. As they passed Qi Zhenzhuo’s cell, he nervously stammered, “What are you doing? Let go of my master! I am the third-generation direct descendant of the Qi family! I… whatever you want, I can find a way.”

Jiao Tu glanced sideways at him: “Still boasting about your family background all the time? Haven’t you grown up yet?”

Li Xuan stood by the iron bars: “He never even touched the Goryeo envoy’s sedan chair!”

Jiao Tu ignored them, simply maintaining a cold expression as she pulled Chen Ji through the long, dark corridor.

It wasn’t until they were completely away from the Imperial Guards’ cells that she finally put on a smiling face: “This humble woman, Jiao Tu, arrived a step late to rescue you. Please forgive me, Lord Chen.”

Chen Ji glanced at her: “Still dragging your feet on an easy merit?”

“Something delayed me,” Jiao Tu said, changing the subject with a meaningful tone, “Lord Chen is quite trustworthy. Are you truly willing to hand over the merit?”

Chen Ji calmly replied, “The Secret Police is surrounded by wolves, tigers, and leopards. It’s always better to have one more ally than one more enemy, don’t you agree, Lord Jiao Tu?”

Jiao Tu’s smile grew wider: “Of course, of course… it’s certainly best that Lord Chen thinks this way. You’ve seen those two fiends, Black Serpent and Precious Monkey, today. Compared to them, it’s definitely more pleasant for us old acquaintances to cooperate.”

She turned to Chen Ji: “Does Lord Chen prefer snakes or monkeys? Whichever position you favor, we’ll eliminate the person in that position. Don’t worry, if they ever get separated, I’ll take care of it.”

Chen Ji remained calm: “Lord Jiao Tu, you’ve probably already stepped one foot into the threshold of the Seeker Realm, haven’t you? No wonder you’re so highly regarded by the Grand Secretary.”

Jiao Tu smiled without answering, changing the subject: “Tell me, what kind of reward does Lord Chen want this time? Your sister can do many things for you.”

Chen Ji stopped in the inner prison’s corridor: “Lord Jiao Tu, Yun Yang isn’t here, so there’s no need for pretense.”

Jiao Tu slowly stopped smiling: “Why bring up that fool? It’s boring. Tell me, you’re someone who only acts for profit. What do you want to exchange this merit for?”

Chen Ji pondered for a long time: “It’s not about exchanging; this was something I promised you long ago. However, there’s another immense merit that requires your and Yun Yang’s help… Can Lord Jiao Tu move freely within the palace?”

Jiao Tu’s eyes lit up: “You’ve really asked the right person! Even White Dragon, Heavenly Horse, Precious Monkey, and Mountain Ox can’t do this; only I, a woman, can! They can only enter and exit the Jie Fan Building but cannot take another step deeper into the inner palace!”

Chen Ji asked, puzzled, “Can Black Serpent?”

Jiao Tu smiled: “He’s a eunuch, naturally he can. But working with such fiends is exhausting, isn’t it? It’s safer to work with simple secret agents like Yun Yang and me. Lord Chen, just give your orders. What do you need me to do?”

Standing in the long, dark corridor, Chen Ji looked directly at Jiao Tu and said, “I need you to go to Jingyang Palace and ensure Princess Baili doesn’t die.”

Jiao Tu was startled: “Unresolved feelings or can’t bear to? When you betrayed Prince Jing, I only thought of you as someone with a kind face but a cruel heart. Why are you backing out now?”

Chen Ji’s expression was calm: “I have a use for her.”

Jiao Tu looked suspicious: “What use?”

Chen Ji stated firmly, “Han Tong. The River Transport Gang previously aided His Majesty and earned the merit of a dragon-follower. Their influence in the martial arts world is immense, and their connections in the capital are deeply entrenched. Now, they’ve become too powerful to control, and the Grand Secretary has long wished to eliminate them. As long as we capture Han Tong and dismantle the River Transport Gang, it’s possible for not just one of us to rise to the Zodiac ranks, but all three of us together.”

Jiao Tu covered her mouth and chuckled: “Now that’s more like it! This is the way of our Secret Police. Kind-hearted and soft-hearted people don’t last long here. However, our previous attempt to use the princess to lure Han Tong didn’t work; Han Tong actually escaped alone. Poor princess! When she was brought to the capital, she cried every day, almost blinding herself by the time she reached Fengtai. Now, she has no tears left.”

As she spoke, she observed Chen Ji’s expression but found no hint of anything.

Chen Ji casually said, “Let her cry. Crying doesn’t kill anyone.”

Jiao Tu questioned, “Can using her really capture Han Tong?”

Chen Ji said indifferently, “I have my ways.”

Seeing his certainty, Jiao Tu felt relieved: “Once the Goryeo envoy matter is settled, I’ll make a trip to the palace. Lord Chen, you’ve really found the right person; this indeed requires me… See? I told you that you’d always have a use for me.”

She extended her hand, her index finger slowly sliding down Chen Ji’s collar: “So, Lord Chen, shouldn’t you tell me who the murderer is?”

Chen Ji replied, “There’s no murderer. He committed suicide.”

Jiao Tu raised an eyebrow: “Lord Chen, you’re not trying to fool me, are you? How could he have committed suicide?”

Chen Ji explained, “That Goryeo Crown Prince said that Jing Dynasty rebels had tried to assassinate him three times… Lord Jiao Tu, you and I have both dealt with Jing Dynasty rebels. That Goryeo Crown Prince was surrounded by interpreters, scribes, medical officers, and merchants. With the methods of the Jing Dynasty’s military intelligence, if they were truly determined to kill him, could he still be alive?”

“Oh, right,” Jiao Tu said, surprised. “Are you saying his previous assassination attempts were also staged?”

Chen Ji retorted, “Were any of the Jing Dynasty rebels who previously tried to assassinate him captured alive?”

Jiao Tu shook her head: “No.”

Chen Ji nodded: “That’s right. They dared not leave any witnesses alive.”

Jiao Tu crossed her arms and lowered her head in thought: “But what’s their motive?”

Chen Ji pondered: “They likely want to create the false impression that Jing Dynasty hates him to the bone, provoking our dynasty to share a common enemy. Then, using the envoy’s death on our heavenly dynasty’s soil as an excuse, they’d force our dynasty to send troops for reinforcement or agree to his marriage alliance request. If my guess is correct, someone should already be spreading the news of the Goryeo envoy’s assassination by the Jing Dynasty in the markets, stirring up anti-Jing public opinion.”

Jiao Tu leaned against the iron bars of an empty cell: “You really did guess correctly. Black Serpent is currently tracking down the source of the news… But how can I prove he committed suicide?”

Chen Ji changed the subject and asked, “What did the Goryeo Crown Prince do every day in the Huotong Hall after arriving in our dynasty?”

Jiao Tu thought for a moment: “According to the Huotong Hall records, he spent every day copying Taoist scriptures, saying they were to be presented to His Majesty as a congratulatory gift. He didn’t do anything else particularly special.”

Chen Ji turned and continued deeper into the Imperial Prison, then pulled a blue ledger from his pocket: “Foreign envoys entering the Huotong Hall are subject to body searches, and their personal belongings must be registered one by one. The number of items they bring in must match the number they take out. Therefore, any object used to hide poison must be a consumable, like the medicine they brought.”

Jiao Tu frowned: “They wouldn’t be that foolish. If we check the ledger now, none of their pills would be missing.”

Chen Ji calmly said, “Besides medicine, there’s another consumable.”

Jiao Tu asked curiously, “What is it?”

Chen Ji stopped in front of an isolated cell. Looking at the person inside, he replied without turning his head, “Ink sticks. If strychnine is mixed with gelatin and fashioned to look like an ink stick, chewing it and swallowing it would cause immediate death. Strychnine dissolves in the stomach, becoming a paste in just the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. After the drug dissolves, its color will also change from black to dark blue. The Crown Prince copied Taoist scriptures every day, so who would be able to tell how many ink sticks he actually used?”

Jiao Tu’s eyes sparkled: “That makes sense! Their plan is quite ingenious.”

Chen Ji shook his head: “Just a petty trick. They’re betting that our Ning Dynasty won’t be able to prove it.”

Jiao Tu was puzzled again: “Yes, the drug would have dissolved in the stomach, leaving a mess, and nothing would be distinguishable. If we investigate the ink sticks, he’ll just say he used them while copying Taoist scriptures. How can I prove it to the Grand Secretary?”

At this moment, in the cell where Chen Ji stood, the person reading a book put down his scroll and came to the edge of the iron bars, smiling as he asked Chen Ji, “Yes, how will you prove it to the Grand Secretary?”

Chen Ji replied, “Lord Jiao Tu, you can cut open the corpse’s stomach, mix his stomach fluid with strong tea. If white flakes float up, it’s gelatin. The food he ate today was a fixed meal prepared by the Huotong Hall and contained no gelatin. Furthermore, if that Goryeo Crown Prince still intended to kill with poison, it’s possible he might have had other ink sticks made of strychnine with him.”

The scholar in the cell said in surprise, “Strong tea actually has such an effect?”

Jiao Tu looked at Mr. Feng in the cell, then at Chen Ji: “Did you deliberately get caught and brought into the inner prison to find him? What do you want with him?”

Mr. Feng stood in his cell with his hands behind his back, also smiling as he asked Chen Ji, “Yes, what do you want with me?”

Chen Ji did not reply. He turned to Jiao Tu and said, “Lord Jiao Tu, please put me in the adjacent cell. I have a few things I’d like to ask Lord ‘Sick Tiger’.”